1996 in British music
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| 1990s in music in the UK | |
| List of number one singles | |
| Summaries and charts: 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999 |
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This is a summary of 1996 in music in the United Kingdom, including the official charts from that year.
Contents |
[edit] Summary
This year saw the start of an increase to the amount of number 1 singles. 24 hit the top spot this year, the highest since 1980, which had an equal number.
The first number 1 single of the year was "Jesus to a Child", George Michael's first solo #1 for 10 years. This was followed by Babylon Zoo's "Spaceman", which had been used in an advert for Levi's. The single was quite different from the version used in the advert, which had been sped up and re-arranged. It stayed at #1 for five weeks, sold over a million copies, and Jas Mann, the man behind Babylon Zoo, became the first solo male to make their chart debut at number 1.
After five years, the boyband Take That announced that they were splitting up, resulting in such distress for their many fans that a telephone helpline had to be set up. Their final number 1 came in March, a cover of the Bee Gees song "How Deep Is Your Love". Several of the members went on to start a solo career, with Gary Barlow the first to hit #1 with "Forever Love" in July. However, it would be Robbie Williams who would go on to score the most success as a solo artist.
After George Michael scored another number 1 with "Fastlove" in April, Gina G reached the top spot with "Ooh Aah... Just a Little Bit" in May. This song was the UK's entry to the 1996 Eurovision Song Contest, and originally reached #6 when it was released at the beginning of April. It hovered around the top 5 for the next few weeks, before moving up to 1 in the week of the contest. Although it didn't win, it still became the first Eurovision song to hit #1 since Nicole's "A Little Peace", which won the contest in 1982.
The next number 1 was also influenced by media events: "Three Lions", released by comedians David Baddiel and Frank Skinner and the band The Lightning Seeds, was the official song of the 1996 European Football Championship (Euro '96), which was being held in England. A rewritten version of the song ("Three Lions '98") would reach number 1 two years later, coinciding with the Football World Cup 1998 (France '98).
The Fugees had the biggest selling single of the year, with a cover of Roberta Flack's "Killing Me Softly With His Song". It sold over a million copies.
However, by far the most successful act of the year was the Spice Girls, who kickstarted their career with three number 1 singles - the million-selling "Wannabe" in July, which was one of the longest No 1 stints by any girl group (7 weeks); ( Shakespears Sister "Stay" is the longest girl group No 1, 8 weeks), and remains the biggest selling single by one to this day, "Say You'll Be There" in October, and "2 Become 1" in December, also a million seller, and the year's Christmas number one single.
Oasis smashed the record for most weeks in the singles chart (previously held by Adam & The Ants in 1981) with 134 weeks, thanks to mass waves of re-entries of songs from their back catalogue throughout the year.
1996 is also grimly notable for having the drummers of two popular bands, Mathew Fletcher of Heavenly, on 14 June, and Chris Acland of Lush, on 17 October, commit suicide. Lush had at the time been in the final stages of planning an American tour, which his devastated bandmates cancelled; they then disbanded.
[edit] Number-one singles
| Issue Date | Song | Artist(s) |
|---|---|---|
| 7 January | "Earth Song" | Michael Jackson |
| 14 January | "Jesus to a Child" | George Michael |
| 21 January | "Spaceman" | Babylon Zoo |
| 28 January | ||
| 4 February | ||
| 11 February | ||
| 18 February | ||
| 25 February | "Don't Look Back in Anger" | Oasis |
| 3 March | "How Deep Is Your Love" | Take That |
| 10 March | ||
| 17 March | ||
| 24 March | "Firestarter" | The Prodigy |
| 31 March | ||
| 7 April | ||
| 14 April | "Return of the Mack" | Mark Morrison |
| 21 April | ||
| 28 April | "Fastlove" | George Michael |
| 5 May | ||
| 12 May | ||
| 19 May | "Ooh Aah... Just a Little Bit" | Gina G |
| 26 May | "Three Lions" | Baddiel & Skinner and The Lightning Seeds |
| 2 June | "Killing Me Softly" | The Fugees |
| 9 June | ||
| 16 June | ||
| 23 June | ||
| 30 June | "Three Lions" | Baddiel & Skinner and The Lightning Seeds |
| 7 July | "Killing Me Softly" | The Fugees |
| 14 July | "Forever Love" | Gary Barlow |
| 21 July | "Wannabe" | Spice Girls |
| 28 July | ||
| 4 August | ||
| 11 August | ||
| 18 August | ||
| 25 August | ||
| 1 September | ||
| 8 September | "Flava" | Peter Andre |
| 15 September | "Ready or Not" | The Fugees |
| 22 September | ||
| 29 September | "Breakfast At Tiffany's" | Deep Blue Something |
| 6 October | "Setting Sun" | The Chemical Brothers |
| 13 October | "Words" | Boyzone |
| 20 October | "Say You'll Be There" | Spice Girls |
| 27 October | ||
| 3 November | "What Becomes of the Brokenhearted / Saturday Night At the Movies / You'll Never Walk Alone" |
Robson & Jerome |
| 10 November | ||
| 17 November | "Breathe" | The Prodigy |
| 24 November | ||
| 1 December | "I Feel You" | Peter Andre |
| 8 December | "A Different Beat" | Boyzone |
| 15 December | "Knockin' on Heaven's Door" | Dunblane |
| 22 December | "2 Become 1" | Spice Girls |
| 29 December |
[edit] Number-one albums
| Issue Date | Album | Artist |
|---|---|---|
| 7 January | (What's the Story) Morning Glory? | Oasis |
| 14 January | ||
| 21 January | ||
| 28 January | ||
| 4 February | ||
| 11 February | ||
| 18 February | Expecting to Fly | The Bluetones |
| 25 February | (What's the Story) Morning Glory? | Oasis |
| 3 March | ||
| 10 March | ||
| 17 March | Falling into You | Céline Dion |
| 24 March | Anthology 2 | The Beatles |
| 31 March | Greatest Hits | Take That |
| 7 April | ||
| 14 April | ||
| 21 April | ||
| 28 April | Jagged Little Pill | Alanis Morissette |
| 5 May | ||
| 12 May | 1977 | Ash |
| 19 May | Older | George Michael |
| 26 May | ||
| 2 June | ||
| 9 June | Load | Metallica |
| 16 June | 18 Til I Die | Bryan Adams |
| 23 June | Jagged Little Pill | Alanis Morissette |
| 30 June | Recurring Dream | Crowded House |
| 7 July | ||
| 14 July | Jagged Little Pill | Alanis Morissette |
| 21 July | ||
| 28 July | ||
| 4 August | ||
| 11 August | ||
| 18 August | ||
| 25 August | ||
| 1 September | ||
| 8 September | Coming Up | Suede |
| 15 September | New Adventures in Hi-Fi | R.E.M. |
| 22 September | K | Kula Shaker |
| 29 September | ||
| 6 October | Natural | Peter Andre |
| 13 October | Greatest Hits | Simply Red |
| 20 October | ||
| 27 October | Blue Is the Colour | The Beautiful South |
| 3 November | A Different Beat | Boyzone |
| 10 November | Spice | Spice Girls |
| 17 November | Take Two | Robson & Jerome |
| 24 November | ||
| 1 December | Spice | Spice Girls |
| 8 December | ||
| 15 December | ||
| 22 December | ||
| 29 December |
[edit] Top 40 Singles
| Position | Song Title | Artist | Sales | Highest Position |
| 1 | Killing Me Softly | Fugees | 1,350,000 | 1 |
| 2 | Wannabe | Spice Girls | 1,320,000 | 1 |
| 3 | Spaceman | Babylon Zoo | 1,100,000 | 1 |
| 4 | Say You'll Be There | Spice Girls | 900,000 | 1 |
| 5 | Return Of The Mack | Mark Morrison | 840,000 | 1 |
| 6 | Ooh Aah...Just A Little Bit | Gina G | 790,000 | 1 |
| 7 | Three Lions (The Official Song Of The England Football Team) | Baddiel and Skinner and The Lightning Seeds | 780,000 | 1 |
| 8 | Children | Robert Miles | 770,000 | 2 |
| 9 | Mysterious Girl (remix) | Peter André featuring Bubbler Ranx | 750,000 | 2 |
| 10 | 2 Become 1 | Spice Girls | 730,000 | 1 |
| 11 | Don't Look Back In Anger | Oasis | 710,000 | 1 |
| 12 | How Deep Is Your Love | Take That | 670,000 | 1 |
| 13 | Un-Break My Heart | Toni Braxton | 610,000 | 2 |
| 14 | Breathe | The Prodigy | 590,000 | 1 |
| 15 | Firestarter | The Prodigy | 530,000 | 1 |
| 16 | Words | Boyzone | 520,000 | 1 |
| 17 | Breakfast At Tiffany's | Deep Blue Something | 510,000 | 1 |
| 18 | If You Ever | East 17 featuring Gabrielle | 510,000 | 2 |
| 19 | What Becomes Of The Brokenhearted / Saturday Night At The Movies / You’ll Never Walk Alone | Robson and Jerome | 510,000 | 1 |
| 20 | Anything | 3T | 480,000 | 2 |
| 21 | Fastlove | George Michael | 470,000 | 1 |
| 22 | Macarena | Los Del Rio | 460,000 | 2 |
| 23 | Born Slippy | Underworld | 460,000 | 2 |
| 24 | Ready Or Not | The Fugees | 450,000 | 1 |
| 25 | The X Files | Mark Snow | 440,000 | 2 |
| 26 | One & One | Robert Miles featuring Maria Nayler | 440,000 | 3 |
| 27 | Because You Loved Me | Céline Dion | 420,000 | 5 |
| 28 | Give Me A Little More Time | Gabrielle | 420,000 | 5 |
| 29 | Nobody Knows | Tony Rich Project | 410,000 | 4 |
| 30 | You're Gorgeous | Baby Bird | 410,000 | 3 |
| 31 | Knockin' On Heaven's Door / Throw These Guns Away | Dunblane | 410,000 | 1 |
| 32 | Cecilia | Suggs featuring Louchie Lou & Michie One | 380,000 | 4 |
| 33 | Flava | Peter André | 370,000 | 1 |
| 34 | Don't Stop Movin' | Livin' Joy | 350,000 | 5 |
| 35 | It's All Coming Back To Me Now | Céline Dion | 350,000 | 3 |
| 36 | I Love You Always Forever | Donna Lewis | 340,000 | 5 |
| 37 | How Bizarre | OMC | 340,000 | 5 |
| 38 | Jesus To A Child | George Michael | 330,000 | 1 |
| 39 | Virtual Insanity | Jamiroquai | 310,000 | 3 |
| 40 | Forever Love | Gary Barlow | 300,000 | 1 |
[edit] Top 10 Albums
| Position | Song Title | Artist | Sales | Highest Position |
| 1 | Jagged Little Pill | Alanis Morissette | 1 | |
| 2 | What's The Story Morning Glory | Oasis | 1 | |
| 3 | Spice | Spice Girls | 1 | |
| 4 | Older | George Michael | 1 | |
| 5 | Falling Into You | Celine Dion | 1 | |
| 6 | Take Two | Robson & Jerome | 1 | |
| 7 | The Score | The Fugees | 2 | |
| 8 | Greatest Hits | Take That | 1 | |
| 9 | Greatest Hits (Simply Red album) | Simply Red | 1 | |
| 10 | Moseley Shoals | Ocean Colour Scene | 2 |
[edit] Music awards
[edit] BRIT Awards
The 1996 BRIT Awards winners were:
- Artist of a generation: Michael Jackson
- Best British producer: Brian Eno
- Best soundtrack: "Batman Forever"
- British album: Oasis - "(What's the Story) Morning Glory"
- British breakthrough act: Supergrass
- British dance act: Massive Attack
- British female solo artist: Annie Lennox
- British group: Oasis
- British male solo artist: Paul Weller
- British single: Take That – "Back for Good"
- British video: Oasis – "Wonderwall"
- Freddie Mercury award: The Help Album for the Charity Warchild
- International breakthrough act: Alanis Morissette
- International female: Björk
- International group: Bon Jovi
- International male: Prince
- Outstanding contribution: David Bowie
[edit] Mercury Music Prize
The 1996 Mercury Music Prize was awarded to Pulp - Different Class.
