80s Music Revisited: Thursday Nights its Top of the Pops

80s Music Revisited: Thursday Nights its Top of the Pops: Today we have a plethora of music channels that play music promos 24-7 either on TV or online. Back in the 1980s we had no luxuries such as ...

Thursday Nights its Top of the Pops

Today we have a plethora of music channels that play music promos 24-7 either on TV or online. Back in the 1980s we had no luxuries such as that. There was only one show that people tuned in and that was Thursday night for Top of the Pops.

There were other music shows such as Whistle Test on BBC2 the Roxy on ITV and The Tube on Channel 4 but Top of the Pops was the Grandaddy of them all. The viewing public would wait in anticipation to see which lucky artistes would appear on Top of the Pops. It was gripping stuff to see the Radio 1 dj's count down the chart and reveal who was number one. IT was often said an appearance on Top of the Pops would increase your sales and public awareness. Thus the show was able to attract the biggest stars in the world. Imagine one appearance on a show and boom your up and running!

The show merely responded to what was doing well in the charts, they would only feature acts that were going up the charts and did not stand on particular genre of music. If you moved up the charts you would feature. As it was a family show there were certain acts that fell foul of the TOTP hierarchy and in the 1980's Frankie Goes to Hollywood were banned following there single Relax being initially banned on BBC Radio 1 and this reflected in being banned on TOTP as the show was run by the BBC.

The popularity of the show reflected in the merchandise and you could purchase anything from TOTP annual books, Albums, T-Shirts, Logo's and the theme tunes were also released as singles. In the 1980's the two notable themes were Yellow Peril by Phil Lynott and The Wizard by Paul '19' Hardcastle.

Artistes mimed there records on the show although there were a few who did not want to do this notably Iron Maiden on the single Running Free were the first band to play live on TOTP in 8 years. Other acts had problems performing to a backing track such as All about Eve and REM where Michael Stipe had so many problems that he used a megaphone to disguise his mouth. Simon LeBon also famously mimed without a microphone as a dance move went horribly wrong and lost his microphone and being a true pro ended singing into the stand!

These days sadly the show does not exist but from a personal point of view you often heard a record on the radio and then you would see the face or faces that sung it a few weeks later. However, there some cries of disbelief when you see the acts such as the new romantic bands with men and make up and dressing like women. Very confusing! but the power of radio was that you could enjoy the record without any inbuilt prejudices and for that this will never happen again.

You can now enjoy some performances from the good old days of pop

Dexys midnight Runners

Human League

the Smiths

Stone roses

New Order

Housemartins

Madness

Soft Cell

Dead or Alive

Duran Duran

Wham

Kajagoogoo

To purchase the Top of the Pops definitive 80s album, click here

80s Music Revisited: Hip Hop - Rappers delight to Rap wars

80s Music Revisited: Hip Hop - Rappers delight to Rap wars: In August 1979 the first stirrings of a rap revolution when the grooves of a single by studio musicians known as Sugarhill Gang. They recycl...

Hip Hop - Rappers delight to Rap wars

In August 1979 the first stirrings of a rap revolution when the grooves of a single by studio musicians known as Sugarhill Gang. They recycled a bass line from from a Chic hit 'Good Times' and the song provided interesting monologues from Master Gee and his colleagues. With this rapping was born. The song was a massive hit in the UK. Some at the time thought that this would be a nice novelty record. However, this opened the ears of the world and ended up as one of the most influencing genres of music for generations to come.

Hip Hop help provide a new outlook on black music, it was swallowed up by the swanky disco sounds of the 1970's and many wanted a new sound which was accompanied by its own dress code, language, dance style and attitude. Hip Hop was a way of life. Music was being challenged in the way it was been portrayed by conventional DJ's. The new DJ's were now using dual turntables and mixing records to continue the beat all evening.

While Rappers Delight was aimed purely at dancefloor music, later music to follow left messages and thoughts which would prick consciences. Grandmaster flash big hit 'The Message' had this exact effect. Hip Hops origins began in the South Bronx and with the influences of Malcolm X many tried to send over that message across other cultural boundaries and embrace other cultures.

Bronx activist Afrika Bambaataa drew on the 1970's Krautrock theme with his twin decks and his Roland drum machine, Run DMC collaborated with rock band Aerosmith and the Beastie Boys helped broaden the appeal across a racial divide as they were all white. From humble beginnings many were now able to influence generations with there thoughts and social comment. Producers and mixers such as Grandmaster Flash, Afrika Bambaataa began to put sound on record. DJs and MCs began to rap impromptu which began to publicise them, the club or the sound they were making.

However, not only did the music play a part. Break dancing and Graffiti were manifested from Hip Hop. Dancing was an important part of hip hop and it gave the chance for people to show off in the neighbourhood thus encouraging competition between dancers. Former New york street gang leader Afrika Bambaataa recognised this as a more viable option than fighting. Using his influence gained from his notorious Black Spades gang, he st up dance competitions and created Zulu Nation to help the growing number of dance crews.

The same went with graffiti and spontaneous expression with many tagging (customised initials on visible surfaces) to Bombing (painting murals on subway trains) Graffiti became a political statement back then and many authorities tried to clamp down on it.

Once Hip hop went wide, marketing men became the decision makers rather than the kids themselves and the rawness and unpredictability which underlined it has now been lost as the years progressed.

As Hip hop progressed a more intimidating sound was being formed by the likes of Public enemy and NWA. Public enemy were very much a political influenced sound who wanted to be heard all the way to the White House. NWA were more militant were Gangsta rappers whose taunting of the police piled on the controversy which has dogged hip hop for many years. There album Straight outa Compton chronicled a neglected world in south central LA and after the Watts riots the area slipped into decay with the ruling Bloods and Cripps gangs ruling the roost. The Police had lost control and NWA were intending to send that message to the masses.

Whatever the rumblings that have occurred Hip Hop is perhaps still the last genuinely monumental development in popular music. Recommended Listening

80s Music Revisited: Christmas hits in the 80s

80s Music Revisited: Christmas hits in the 80s: Before the advent of reality TV, the Christmas number one was the holy grail for many artistes and a lot of planning, writing and luck would...

Christmas hits in the 80s

Before the advent of reality TV, the Christmas number one was the holy grail for many artistes and a lot of planning, writing and luck would be needed to get to number one. These days it appears to be sewn up who will get number one as soon as the X Factor winner is announced but enough about that and lets get back to the eighties.

I seem to remember in my dim and distant past that you found out who got the top spot on the day and you would find out either on Radio One or wait for the Christmas edition of top of the pops which was often the highlight of the day apart from our Queens speech. I do remember it was on before the Queen speech and we would wait for Jimmy Saville, Mike Read or Steve Wright to deliver the news after going through the hits of the year.

Some of the songs would have a Christmas theme or feel but more often than not some did not. Often the more christmassy it was the more likely it was not going to get the top spot. Here is the official list of the top singles at Christmas in the 1980s.

1980 - St Winnifred's School Quior - Theres no one quite like grandma
1981 - Human League - Dont you want me
1982 - Renee and Renato - Save your love
1983 - Flying Pickets - Only you
1984 - Band Aid - Do they know its Christmas
1985 - Shakin Stevens - Merry Christmas everyone
1986 - Jackie Wilson - Reet petite
1987 - Pet shop boys - Always on my mind
1988 - Cliff Richard - Mistletoe and wine
1989 - Band Aid II - Do they know its Christmas time

As you can see quite a mixed bag there with only 3 songs with a Christmas theme. However, there are many great songs that didn't get the coveted spot. Two of the unluckiest were The Pogues Fairytale of New York which was kept of by the Pet Shop Boys and Wham Last Christmas which was kept out by Band Aid. With that in mind I have done an alternative list of the Christmas songs that didn't hit the top spot. In no particular order....this isn't, in my opinion is below.

Just outside the top 10 is Mel and Kim with rocking around the christmas tree..shame but no time for sentiment!

10 - Chris Rea - Driving home for christmas

9 - Aled Jones - Walking in the air

8 - David Essex - Winters tale

7 - Slade - Merry Christmas

6 - Frankie goes to Hollywood - Power of Love

5 - Paul McCartney - Wonderful christmas time and Pipes of Peace

4 - John and Yoko Lennon - Happy xmas (war is over)

3 - Wham - Last christmas

2 - Jona Lewie - Stop the Cavalry

1 - Pogues - Fairytale of New York   

So there you have it, close call between the pogues and Jona, but I feel as you hear the piano on the beginning of fairytale of New York then everything is all ok.

Recommended Purchase or further listening.

Christmas Hits by various artists 

80s Music Revisited: Live Aid 1985 - The Greatest show on the Earth

80s Music Revisited: Live Aid 1985 - The Greatest show on the Earth: There had been charity concerts before, notably George Harrison concert for Bangladesh in 1971, but never one on this scale. This was a 16 h...