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| Part of a series of articles on British music |
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Charts |
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Awards |
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Periods |
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Origins and influences |
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Genres |
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Major music publications |
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Timeline |
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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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| ←1989 | 2000→ |
This is a summary of 1994 in music in the United Kingdom, including the official charts from that year.
Contents |
Summary
The first number 1 single of the year was also the 700th, a reggae version of "Twist and Shout" by Chaka Demus & Pliers. The next month saw Mariah Carey get her first (and, to date, only) solo number 1 with "Without You", after having 8 previous #1s in the United States.
In late May, Wet Wet Wet reached number 1 with "Love Is All Around", from the film Four Weddings and a Funeral. It would remain at number 1 for fifteen weeks, the second longest consecutive run at #1 ever in the UK Singles Chart, and become the biggest selling single of the year. When Whigfield replaced it in September, she became the first act ever to make their chart debut at number 1, with "Saturday Night". After having been played frequently in clubs that summer, there was high demand for the song on its release. Since both "Saturday Night" and "Love Is All Around" were still in the charts at the end of December ("Love Is All Around" having just re-entered the top 40 at number 37) the final top 40 of 1994 contained all but one of the number 1 singles since the end of May - Take That's "Sure" (which topped the chart for two weeks, but only spent five weeks in the Top 40) was the only absentee.
Manchester rockers Oasis found their success on their debut album, Definitely Maybe, which shot to number #1 on its first week out in September.
December saw the debut of Boyzone to the charts, with a #2 cover of The Osmonds 1974 #1 "Love Me For a Reason". They would go on to have another fifteen singles, six reaching #1 and the rest reaching the top five, as well as four #1 albums.
Aside from Wet Wet Wet and Whigfield, the only other million selling single this year came from Céline Dion, with "Think Twice" (though it wouldn't reach number 1 until 1995). In all, 15 singles topped the chart this year, the second lowest number for any year in the decade.
This was the year when Karl Jenkins, soon to be the UK's favourite classical composer, launched his crossover project, Adiemus, with the album, Adiemus: Songs of Sanctuary. Popularized through its use in TV commercials, the title track became known to classical and popular music fans alike. It also made the name of vocalist Miriam Stockley.
A record was broken in 1994 for the longest song to become a UK top 10 hit when Bon Jovi released the single "Dry County" in March, when it peaked at #9. The song was 9 minutes and 52 seconds long.
Charts
Singles
| Issue Date | Song Title | Artist | Sales |
| 2 January | Twist and Shout | Chaka Demus & Pliers | |
| 9 January | Twist and Shout | Chaka Demus & Pliers | |
| 16 January | Things Can Only Get Better | D:Ream | |
| 23 January | Things Can Only Get Better | D:Ream | |
| 30 January | Things Can Only Get Better | D:Ream | |
| 6 February | Things Can Only Get Better | D:Ream | |
| 13 February | Without You | Mariah Carey | |
| 20 February | Without You | Mariah Carey | |
| 27 February | Without You | Mariah Carey | |
| 6 March | Without You | Mariah Carey | |
| 13 March | Doop | Doop | |
| 20 March | Doop | Doop | |
| 27 March | Doop | Doop | |
| 3 April | Everything Changes | Take That | 130,000 |
| 10 April | Everything Changes | Take That | 90,000 |
| 17 April | The Most Beautiful Girl In The World | Prince | |
| 24 April | The Most Beautiful Girl In The World | Prince | |
| 1 May | The Real Thing | Tony Di Bart | |
| 8 May | Inside | Stiltskin | |
| 15 May | Come On You Reds | Manchester United Football Squad | |
| 22 May | Come On You Reds | Manchester United Football Squad | |
| 29 May | Love Is All Around | Wet Wet Wet | 87,676 |
| 5 June | Love Is All Around | Wet Wet Wet | 104,389 |
| 12 June | Love Is All Around | Wet Wet Wet | 115,917 |
| 19 June | Love Is All Around | Wet Wet Wet | 113,215 |
| 26 June | Love Is All Around | Wet Wet Wet | 101,159 |
| 3 July | Love Is All Around | Wet Wet Wet | 101,074 |
| 10 July | Love Is All Around | Wet Wet Wet | 98,199 |
| 17 July | Love Is All Around | Wet Wet Wet | 87,884 |
| 24 July | Love Is All Around | Wet Wet Wet | 86,111 |
| 31 July | Love Is All Around | Wet Wet Wet | 88,147 |
| 7 August | Love Is All Around | Wet Wet Wet | 83,916 |
| 14 August | Love Is All Around | Wet Wet Wet | 89,431 |
| 21 August | Love Is All Around | Wet Wet Wet | 82,311 |
| 28 August | Love Is All Around | Wet Wet Wet | 77,192 |
| 4 September | Love Is All Around | Wet Wet Wet | 65,072 |
| 11 September | Saturday Night | Whigfield | 149,000 |
| 18 September | Saturday Night | Whigfield | 222,000 |
| 25 September | Saturday Night | Whigfield | 170,000 |
| 2 October | Saturday Night | Whigfield | 140,000 |
| 9 October | Sure | Take That | 120,000 |
| 16 October | Sure | Take That | |
| 23 October | Baby Come Back | Pato Banton | |
| 30 October | Baby Come Back | Pato Banton | |
| 6 November | Baby Come Back | Pato Banton | |
| 13 November | Baby Come Back | Pato Banton | |
| 20 November | Let Me Be Your Fantasy | Baby D | |
| 27 November | Let Me Be Your Fantasy | Baby D | |
| 4 December | Stay Another Day | East 17 | |
| 11 December | Stay Another Day | East 17 | 170,000 |
| 18 December | Stay Another Day | East 17 | 170,000 |
| 25 December | Stay Another Day | East 17 | 170,000 |
Albums
| Issue Date | Album Title | Artist |
| 2 January | Everything Changes | Take That |
| 9 January | So Far So Good | Bryan Adams |
| 16 January | One Woman - The Ultimate Collection | Diana Ross |
| 23 January | Tease Me | Chaka Demus & Pliers |
| 30 January | Tease Me | Chaka Demus & Pliers |
| 6 February | Under the Pink | Tori Amos |
| 13 February | The Cross of Changes | Enigma |
| 20 February | Music Box | Mariah Carey |
| 27 February | Music Box | Mariah Carey |
| 6 March | Music Box | Mariah Carey |
| 13 March | Music Box | Mariah Carey |
| 20 March | Vauxhall and I | Morrissey |
| 27 March | Music Box | Mariah Carey |
| 3 April | The Division Bell | Pink Floyd |
| 10 April | The Division Bell | Pink Floyd |
| 17 April | The Division Bell | Pink Floyd |
| 24 April | The Division Bell | Pink Floyd |
| 1 May | Parklife | Blur |
| 8 May | Our Town - The Greatest Hits Of Deacon Blue | Deacon Blue |
| 15 May | Our Town - The Greatest Hits Of Deacon Blue | Deacon Blue |
| 22 May | I Say I Say I Say | Erasure |
| 29 May | Seal | Seal |
| 5 June | Seal | Seal |
| 12 June | Real Things | 2 Unlimited |
| 19 June | Everybody Else Is Doing It, So Why Can't We? | The Cranberries |
| 26 June | Happy Nation | Ace of Base |
| 3 July | Happy Nation | Ace of Base |
| 10 July | Music for the Jilted Generation | The Prodigy |
| 17 July | Voodoo Lounge | The Rolling Stones |
| 24 July | End Of Part One (Their Greatest Hits) | Wet Wet Wet |
| 31 July | End Of Part One (Their Greatest Hits) | Wet Wet Wet |
| 7 August | End Of Part One (Their Greatest Hits) | Wet Wet Wet |
| 14 August | End Of Part One (Their Greatest Hits) | Wet Wet Wet |
| 21 August | Come | Prince |
| 28 August | End Of Part One (Their Greatest Hits) | Wet Wet Wet |
| 4 September | Definitely Maybe | Oasis |
| 11 September | The Three Tenors In Concert 1994 | José Carreras, Plácido Domingo & Luciano Pavarotti, with Orchestra Conducted by Zubin Mehta |
| 18 September | From the Cradle | Eric Clapton |
| 25 September | Songs | Luther Vandross |
| 2 October | Monster | R.E.M. |
| 9 October | Monster | R.E.M. |
| 16 October | Cross Road | Bon Jovi |
| 23 October | Cross Road | Bon Jovi |
| 30 October | Cross Road | Bon Jovi |
| 6 November | MTV Unplugged in New York | Nirvana |
| 13 November | Cross Road | Bon Jovi |
| 20 November | Cross Road | Bon Jovi |
| 27 November | Carry on up the Charts | The Beautiful South |
| 4 December | Live at the BBC | The Beatles |
| 11 December | Carry on up the Charts | The Beautiful South |
| 18 December | Carry on up the Charts | The Beautiful South |
| 25 December | Carry on up the Charts | The Beautiful South |
End of Year Charts
Top 40 Singles of 1994
| Position | Song Title | Artist | Sales | Highest Position |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Love Is All Around | Wet Wet Wet | 1,752,000 | 1 |
| 2 | Saturday Night | Whigfield | 1,092,000 | 1 |
| 3 | Stay Another Day | East 17 | 778,000 | 1 |
| 4 | Baby Come Back | Pato Banton | 727,000 | 1 |
| 5 | I Swear | All-4-One | 706,000 | 2 |
| 6 | Without You | Mariah Carey | 580,000 | 1 |
| 7 | Always | Bon Jovi | 547,000 | 2 |
| 8 | Crazy For You | Let Loose | 506,000 | 2 |
| 9 | Things Can Only Get Better | D:Ream | 485,000 | 1 |
| 10 | Doop | Doop | 467,000 | 1 |
| 11 | The Sign | Ace of Base | 453,000 | 2 |
| 12 | Come On You Reds | Manchester United Football Squad | 423,000 | 1 |
| 13 | Voodoo People | The Prodigy | 399,000 | 2 |
| 14 | All I Want For Christmas Is You | Mariah Carey | 395,000 | 2 |
| 15 | I Like To Move It | Reel 2 Real featuring the Mad Stuntman | 390,000 | 5 |
| 16 | 7 Seconds | Youssou N'Dour featuring Neneh Cherry | 387,000 | 3 |
| 17 | Swamp Thing | Grid | 385,000 | 3 |
| 18 | Let Me Be Your Fantasy | Baby D | 380,000 | 1 |
| 19 | Love Me For A Reason | Boyzone | 376,000 | 2 |
| 20 | Everything Changes | Take That | 367,000 | 1 |
| 21 | (Meet) the Flintstones | BC52s | 359,000 | 3 |
| 22 | Streets Of Philadelphia | Bruce Springsteen | 345,000 | 2 |
| 23 | Inside | Stiltskin | 349,000 | 1 |
| 24 | The Most Beautiful Girl In The World | Prince | 348,200 | 1 |
| 25 | Searching | China Black | 347,400 | 4 |
| 26 | Crocodile Shoes | Jimmy Nail | 346,800 | 4 |
| 27 | Compliments On Your Kiss | Red Dragon with Brian & Tony Gold | 332,000 | 2 |
| 28 | Return To Innocence | Enigma | 330,000 | 3 |
| 29 | We Have All The Time In The World | Louis Armstrong | 323,000 | 3 |
| 30 | Baby I Love Your Way | Big Mountain | 317,000 | 2 |
| 31 | Another Night | (MC Sar &) The Real McCoy | 312,000 | 2 |
| 32 | The Real Thing | Tony Di Bart | 310,000 | 1 |
| 33 | Breathe Again | Toni Braxton | 308,000 | 2 |
| 34 | Think Twice | Celine Dion | 306,000 | 1 |
| 35 | Regulate | Warren G & Nate Dog | 300,000 | 4 |
| 36 | Sweetness | Michelle Gayle | 295,000 | 4 |
| 37 | All For Love | Bryan Adams/Rod Stewart/Sting | 291,000 | 2 |
| 38 | Hey Now (Girls Just Want To Have Fun) | Cyndi Lauper | 285,000 | 4 |
| 39 | Around The World | East 17 | 275,000 | 3 |
| 40 | Stay (I Missed You) | Lisa Loeb & Nine Stories | 265,000 | 6 |
Top 10 albums
| Position | Song Title | Artist | Sales | Highest Position |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cross Road | Bon Jovi | 1 | |
| 2 | Carry on up the Charts | The Beautiful South | 1 | |
| 3 | Music Box | Mariah Carey | 1 | |
| 4 | Always and Forever | Eternal | 2 | |
| 5 | End of Part One: Their Greatest Hits | Wet Wet Wet | 1 | |
| 6 | Monster | R.E.M. | 1 | |
| 7 | The Division Bell | Pink Floyd | 1 | |
| 8 | Parklife | Blur | 1 | |
| 9 | Live at the BBC | The Beatles | 1 | |
| 10 | The Three Tenors In Concert 1994 | Carreras, Domingo & Pavarotti, with Orchestra | 1 |
Music awards
BRIT Awards
The 1994 BRIT Awards winners were:
- Best soundtrack: "The Bodyguard"
- Best British producer: Brian Eno
- Best selling album & Single: Meat Loaf
- British album: Stereo MC's - "Connected"
- British breakthrough act: Gabrielle
- British dance act: M People
- British female solo artist: Dina Carroll
- British group: Stereo MC's
- British male solo artist: Sting
- British single: Take That - "Pray"
- British video: Take That - "Pray"
- International breakthrough act: Björk
- International female: Björk
- International group: Crowded House
- International male: Lenny Kravitz
- Outstanding contribution: Van Morrison
Mercury Music Prize
The 1994 Mercury Music Prize was awarded to M People - Elegant Slumming.
External links
