1995 in British music
| 1990s in music in the UK |
| Events |
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This is a summary of 1995 in music in the United Kingdom, including the official charts from that year.
Summary
1995 saw a number of changes occur. Céline Dion's "Think Twice", which was released in October 1994 yet took until the end of January to reach the top, was the first UK number 1 single not to be available on vinyl in any form.
Around the middle of the year, the way singles entered the chart started to change. Instead of entering low and climbing up to their peak, singles would now usually enter at their peak, and then fall down the chart. In May, Robson & Jerome became the first British act to debut at number 1 with "Unchained Melody", after having sung the song on the ITV programme Soldier Soldier. In May, music featured in an advertising campaign for Guinness reached number 2 – mambo tune "Guaglione" by Pérez Prado was a massive hit and the advert featured on an accompanying screensaver.
This was also the year which saw Britpop at its most popular. A highly publicised chart battle in August saw Oasis and Blur battling it out for the number 1 position, having both released their singles on the same day. Blur won the singles battle, with "Country House" beating Oasis' "Roll with It" to the top spot, but Oasis, with (What's the Story) Morning Glory?, would go on to greatly outsell Blur's album, the album of which would eventually become the second biggest album in the UK. After a decade in the business Pulp secured a first number one album while Britpop elder statesman Paul Weller also benefited from a return to popular and critical favour.
Singles that went on to sell over a million copies were Coolio's "Gangsta's Paradise", the first rap single to sell over a million in the UK, both of Robson & Jerome's songs ("Unchained Melody" / "White Cliffs of Dover", the biggest selling single of the year, and "I Believe" / "Up on the Roof") and Michael Jackson's "Earth Song". In addition, a second remix of New Order's "Blue Monday" (reaching number 17) pushed sales of that song over a million as well.
In all, there were 17 number one singles in 1995. As the 1990s continued the amount started to increase, and there wouldn't be a total as low as 1995's.
Composer Michael Tippett celebrated his ninetieth birthday on January 2. the occasion was marked by special events in Britain, Canada and the US, including the premiere of his final work, The Rose Lake. A collection of his essays, Tippett on Music, was published in the same year. The other most notable British classical composer of the year was Karl Jenkins, whose album Adiemus: Songs of Sanctuary was released in September to become a huge hit, thanks to the music's exposure in television advertisements.
Charts
Number-one singles
| Issue Date | Song | Artist(s) | Sales |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 January | "Stay Another Day" | East 17 | |
| 8 January | "Cotton Eye Joe" | Rednex | 60,000 |
| 15 January | 85,000 | ||
| 22 January | 70,000 | ||
| 29 January | "Think Twice" | Céline Dion | 74,000 |
| 5 February | 80,000 | ||
| 12 February | 86,000 | ||
| 19 February | 154,000 | ||
| 26 February | 141,000 | ||
| 5 March | 120,000 | ||
| 12 March | 50,000 | ||
| 19 March | "Love Can Build a Bridge" | Cher, Chrissie Hynde and Neneh Cherry with Eric Clapton |
150,000 |
| 26 March | "Don't Stop (Wiggle Wiggle)" | The Outhere Brothers | 90,000 |
| 2 April | "Back for Good" | Take That | 346,000 |
| 9 April | 185,000 | ||
| 16 April | 140,000 | ||
| 23 April | 85,000 | ||
| 30 April | "Some Might Say" | Oasis | 138,000 |
| 7 May | "Dreamer" | Livin' Joy | 106,000 |
| 14 May | "Unchained Melody / White Cliffs of Dover" |
Robson & Jerome | 314,000 |
| 21 May | 460,000 | ||
| 28 May | 320,000 | ||
| 4 June | 210,000 | ||
| 11 June | 145,000 | ||
| 18 June | 90,000 | ||
| 25 June | 73,000 | ||
| 2 July | "Boom Boom Boom" | The Outhere Brothers | 62,000 |
| 9 July | 74,000 | ||
| 16 July | 77,000 | ||
| 23 July | 65,000 | ||
| 30 July | "Never Forget" | Take That | 115,000 |
| 6 August | 86,000 | ||
| 13 August | 54,000 | ||
| 20 August | "Country House" | Blur | 274,000 |
| 27 August | 135,000 | ||
| 3 September | "You Are Not Alone" | Michael Jackson | 83,000 |
| 10 September | 100,000 | ||
| 17 September | "Boombastic" | Shaggy | 93,000 |
| 24 September | "Fairground" | Simply Red | 211,000 |
| 1 October | 142,000 | ||
| 8 October | 129,000 | ||
| 15 October | 96,000 | ||
| 22 October | "Gangsta's Paradise" | Coolio featuring LV | 107,000 |
| 29 October | 166,000 | ||
| 5 November | "I Believe / Up on the Roof" | Robson & Jerome | 258,000 |
| 12 November | 224,000 | ||
| 19 November | 118,000 | ||
| 26 November | 80,000 | ||
| 3 December | "Earth Song" | Michael Jackson | 116,467 |
| 10 December | 149,549 | ||
| 17 December | 150,739 | ||
| 24 December | 261,851 | ||
| 31 December | 55,000 |
Number-one albums
| Issue Date | Song | Artist(s) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 January | Carry on up the Charts | The Beautiful South |
| 8 January | ||
| 15 January | ||
| 22 January | The Colour of My Love | Céline Dion |
| 29 January | ||
| 5 February | ||
| 12 February | ||
| 19 February | ||
| 26 February | ||
| 5 March | Greatest Hits | Bruce Springsteen |
| 12 March | Medusa | Annie Lennox |
| 19 March | Elastica | Elastica |
| 26 March | The Colour of My Love | Céline Dion |
| 2 April | Wake Up! | The Boo Radleys |
| 9 April | Greatest Hits | Bruce Springsteen |
| 16 April | Picture This | Wet Wet Wet |
| 23 April | ||
| 30 April | ||
| 7 May | Nobody Else | Take That |
| 14 May | ||
| 21 May | Stanley Road | Paul Weller |
| 28 May | Singles | Alison Moyet |
| 4 June | Pulse | Pink Floyd |
| 11 June | ||
| 18 June | HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I | Michael Jackson |
| 25 June | These Days | Bon Jovi |
| 2 July | ||
| 9 July | ||
| 16 July | ||
| 23 July | I Should Coco | Supergrass |
| 30 July | ||
| 6 August | ||
| 13 August | It's Great When You're Straight...Yeah | Black Grape |
| 20 August | ||
| 27 August | Said and Done | Boyzone |
| 3 September | The Charlatans | The Charlatans |
| 10 September | Zeitgeist | The Levellers |
| 17 September | The Great Escape | Blur |
| 24 September | ||
| 1 October | Daydream | Mariah Carey |
| 8 October | (What's the Story) Morning Glory? | Oasis |
| 15 October | Life | Simply Red |
| 22 October | ||
| 29 October | ||
| 5 November | Different Class | Pulp |
| 12 November | Made in Heaven | Queen |
| 19 November | Robson & Jerome | Robson & Jerome |
| 26 November | ||
| 3 December | ||
| 10 December | ||
| 17 December | ||
| 24 December | ||
| 31 December |
End of Year Charts
Top 40 Singles of 1995
Top 10 albums
| Position | Album Title | Artist | Sales | Highest Position |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Robson & Jerome | Robson & Jerome | 2,040,000 | 1 |
| 2 | (What's The Story) Morning Glory? | Oasis | 1,863,000 | 1 |
| 3 | The Colour Of My Love | Celine Dion | 1,690,000 | 1 |
| 4 | Life | Simply Red | 1,460,000 | 1 |
| 5 | HIStory | Michael Jackson | 1,430,000 | 1 |
| 6 | Stanley Road | Paul Weller | 1,280,000 | 1 |
| 7 | Made In Heaven | Queen | 1,120,000 | 1 |
| 8 | The Great Escape | Blur | 1,030,000 | 1 |
| 9 | Picture This | Wet Wet Wet | 960,000 | 1 |
| 10 | Different Class | Pulp | 940,000 | 1 |
Music awards
BRIT Awards
The 1995 BRIT Awards winners were:
- Best British producer: Nellee Hooper
- Best soundtrack: "Pulp Fiction"
- British album: Blur: "Parklife"
- British breakthrough act: Oasis
- British dance act: M People
- British female solo artist: Eddi Reader
- British Group: Blur
- British male solo artist: Paul Weller
- British single: Blur - "Parklife"
- British Video: Blur - "Parklife"
- International breakthrough act: Lisa Loeb
- International female: k.d lang
- International group: R.E.M.
- International male: Prince
- Outstanding contribution: Elton John
Mercury Music Prize
The 1995 Mercury Music Prize was awarded to Portishead - Dummy.
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