1993 in British music
| 1990s in music in the UK | |
| Number-one singles | |
| Number-one albums | |
| Best-selling singles | |
| Best-selling albums | |
| Summaries and charts 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999 |
|
| ←1989 | 2000→ |
| Top 10 singles 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999 |
|
| ←1989 | 2000→ |
This is a summary of 1993 in music in the United Kingdom, including the official charts from that year.
Contents |
[edit] Summary
15 songs reached the number 1 spot this year. Compared to 1992, there was an improvement to singles sales, with sales rising year on year for the first time since 1989. However, none of the singles released this year were million sellers, the first instance of this happening since 1990. The only song to sell over a million in 1993 was one from the previous year, Whitney Houston's cover of "I Will Always Love You". It managed to sell sufficiently well enough to make its way onto the top 10 of both 1992 and 1993.
March saw The Bluebells reach number 1 with "Young at Heart", a song that had previously made number 8 in 1984. It was re-issued after appearing in an advert for Volkswagen, and the band reformed to promote the song.
Take That got their first #1 in July, with "Pray". Debuting in 1991 with the #38 hit "Promises", they would go on to score another seven number 1s before splitting in 1996. "Pray" was followed by Freddie Mercury scoring a posthumous number 1 with a remixed version of "Living on My Own", the original version of which made number 50 in 1985, making it the first remix of a previously charted single to reach number 1.
The biggest selling single of the year came from Meat Loaf, who hit #1 for seven weeks from October with "I'd Do Anything for Love (But I Won't Do That)". It came from the album Bat out of Hell II: Back Into Hell, also the biggest selling of the year.
Finally, as usual, December saw the Christmas number one single. Meat Loaf's successor at number 1 was Mr. Blobby, a popular character on the BBC One show Noel's House Party, with "Mr. Blobby" (the first ever eponymously titled number 1 single). In the final week before Christmas he was knocked off by Take That's "Babe", making Mr. Blobby the first one-week #1 since U2's "The Fly" in November 1991, and making Take That the first act to have three singles in a row all enter at #1. However, the following week (Christmas week) saw Mr. Blobby climb back up to the top, the first time this had happened since January 1969, and officially become this year's Christmas number 1.
In the classical world, the British composer Michael Nyman enjoyed great success with his soundtrack for the film The Piano, which brought him an Ivor Novello Award, Golden Globe, BAFTA and American Film Institute award; the album sold over three million copies. Veteran Welsh composer Daniel Jones died. A less well-known composer, Peter Reynolds, won notoriety when his three-minute work Sands of Time was performed in Cardiff city centre; it is listed by the Guinness Book of Records as the world's shortest opera.
[edit] Charts
[edit] Number-one singles
| Issue Date | Song | Artist(s) |
|---|---|---|
| 3 January | "I Will Always Love You" | Whitney Houston |
| 10 January | ||
| 17 January | ||
| 24 January | ||
| 31 January | ||
| 7 February | "No Limit" | 2 Unlimited |
| 14 February | ||
| 21 February | ||
| 28 February | ||
| 7 March | ||
| 14 March | "Oh Carolina" | Shaggy |
| 21 March | ||
| 28 March | "Young at Heart" | The Bluebells |
| 4 April | ||
| 11 April | ||
| 18 April | ||
| 25 April | Five Live | George Michael and Queen with Lisa Stansfield |
| 2 May | ||
| 9 May | ||
| 16 May | "All That She Wants" | Ace of Base |
| 23 May | ||
| 30 May | ||
| 6 June | "(I Can't Help) Falling In Love With You" | UB40 |
| 13 June | ||
| 20 June | "Dreams" | Gabrielle |
| 27 June | ||
| 4 July | ||
| 11 July | "Pray" | Take That |
| 18 July | ||
| 25 July | ||
| 1 August | ||
| 8 August | "Living on My Own" | Freddie Mercury |
| 15 August | ||
| 22 August | "Mr Vain" | Culture Beat |
| 29 August | ||
| 5 September | ||
| 12 September | ||
| 19 September | "Boom! Shake the Room" | DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince |
| 26 September | ||
| 3 October | "Relight My Fire" | Take That featuring Lulu |
| 10 October | ||
| 17 October | "I'd Do Anything for Love (But I Won't Do That)" | Meat Loaf |
| 24 October | ||
| 31 October | ||
| 7 November | ||
| 14 November | ||
| 21 November | ||
| 28 November | ||
| 5 December | "Mr. Blobby" | Mr. Blobby |
| 12 December | "Babe" | Take That |
| 19 December | "Mr. Blobby" | Mr. Blobby |
| 26 December |
[edit] Number-one albums
| Issue Date | Title | Artist(s) |
|---|---|---|
| 3 January | Greatest Hits: 1965-1992 | Cher |
| 10 January | ||
| 17 January | Live/The Way We Walk, Volume Two: The Longs | Genesis |
| 24 January | ||
| 31 January | Jam | Little Angels |
| 7 February | Pure Cult | The Cult |
| 14 February | Words of Love | Buddy Holly & The Crickets |
| 21 February | Walthamstow | East 17 |
| 28 February | Diva | Annie Lennox |
| 7 March | Are You Gonna Go My Way | Lenny Kravitz |
| 14 March | ||
| 21 March | Their Greatest Hits | Hot Chocolate |
| 28 March | Songs of Faith and Devotion | Depeche Mode |
| 4 April | Suede | Suede |
| 11 April | Black Tie White Noise | David Bowie |
| 18 April | Automatic for the People | R.E.M. |
| 25 April | Cliff Richard - The Album | Cliff Richard |
| 2 May | Automatic for the People | R.E.M. |
| 9 May | Republic | New Order |
| 16 May | Automatic for the People | R.E.M. |
| 23 May | janet. | Janet Jackson |
| 30 May | ||
| 6 June | No Limits | 2 Unlimited |
| 13 June | What's Love Got to Do with It | Tina Turner |
| 20 June | Emergency on Planet Earth | Jamiroquai |
| 27 June | ||
| 4 July | ||
| 11 July | Zooropa | U2 |
| 18 July | Promises and Lies | UB40 |
| 25 July | ||
| 1 August | ||
| 8 August | ||
| 15 August | ||
| 22 August | ||
| 29 August | ||
| 5 September | Music Box | Mariah Carey |
| 12 September | Bat out of Hell II: Back Into Hell | Meat Loaf |
| 19 September | In Utero | Nirvana |
| 26 September | Bat out of Hell II: Back Into Hell | Meat Loaf |
| 3 October | Very | Pet Shop Boys |
| 10 October | Bat out of Hell II: Back Into Hell | Meat Loaf |
| 17 October | Everything Changes | Take That |
| 24 October | Bat out of Hell II: Back Into Hell | Meat Loaf |
| 31 October | ||
| 7 November | ||
| 14 November | Both Sides | Phil Collins |
| 21 November | Bat out of Hell II: Back Into Hell | Meat Loaf |
| 28 November | ||
| 5 December | ||
| 12 December | ||
| 19 December | ||
| 26 December |
[edit] End of Year Charts
[edit] Top 50 Singles of 1993
[edit] Top 10 albums
| Position | Song Title | Artist | Sales | Highest Position |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bat out of Hell II: Back Into Hell | Meat Loaf | 1 | |
| 2 | Automatic for the People | R.E.M. | 1 | |
| 3 | Everything Changes | Take That | 1 | |
| 4 | So Close | Dina Carroll | 2 | |
| 5 | So Far So Good | Bryan Adams | 1 | |
| 6 | One Woman: The Ultimate Collection | Diana Ross | 1 | |
| 7 | Promises and Lies | UB40 | 1 | |
| 8 | Both Sides | Phil Collins | 1 | |
| 9 | Zooropa | U2 | 1 | |
| 10 | Music Box | Mariah Carey | 1 |
[edit] Music awards
[edit] BRIT Awards
The 1993 BRIT Awards winners were:
- Best British producer: Peter Gabriel
- Best soundtrack: "Wayne's World"
- British album: Annie Lennox: "Diva"
- British breakthrough act: Tasmin Archer
- British female solo artist – Annie Lennox
- British group: Simply Red
- British male solo artist: Mick Hucknall
- British single: Take That - "Could It Be Magic"
- British video: Shakespear's Sister - "Stay"
- International breakthrough act: Nirvana
- International solo artist: Prince
- International group: R.E.M.
- Outstanding contribution: Rod Stewart
[edit] Mercury Music Prize
The 1993 Mercury Music Prize was awarded to Suede - Suede.
[edit] External links
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