Today in Music: They Topped the Singles Chart in 1994

So, you might feel a wee bit old if you remember these hits by heart 20 years later. Times are a changing, unless you find Bryan Adams, Enigma and Maxx on the current charts. Back then, eurodance music (preferably German) was popular – a trend that definitely has been recycled (yo David Guetta). Check out today’s WelcheMusic’s Chart Rewind.

10. Janet Jackson – Again

Nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Song, Janet Jackson lost to Bruce Springsteen’s ‘Streets of Philadelphia’ in 1993. Springsteen’s hit peaked at No.9 on the Billboard Hot 100, beaten by Janet Jackson’s ‘Again’ which topped the chart for two weeks. Written by Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, ‘Again’ was the third hit single off janet. In Sweden, it peaked at No.5 becoming Jackson’s biggest hit ever in this country.

9. Just D – Vart tog den söta lilla flickan vägen?

Based on an Jamaican hit called ‘The Naughty Little Flea,’ Swedish hip hop trio Just D sampled Owe Thörnqvist’s Swedish verson ‘Vart tog den stygga lilla loppan vägen’ (Where Did the Naugthy Little Flea Go). The 1993 hit ‘Vart tog den söta lilla flickan vägen’ (Where Did the Sweet Little Girl Go) was included on the trio’s set Tre Amigos. The set was Just D’s fourth following Rock’n’Roll which was released the previous year. The group comprised of singers Peder ‘Pedda Pedd’ Ernerot, ‘William ‘Doktor C’ Craaford and Gustave ‘Gurra G’ Lund.

8. Bryan Adams – Please Forgive Me

Bryan Adams issued his greatest hits collection So Far So Good at the end of 1993. ‘Please Forgive Me’ was the only new track, co-written and co-produced by the heavyweight producer Robert Lange. The single was an international hit, topping tallies in e.g. Australia, his home country Canada and Norway. In Sweden, it peaked at No.2 (as well as the UK), while reaching No.7 at the Billboard Hot 100.

7. Björk, David Arnold – Play Dead

‘Play Dead’ was a soundtrack cut off The Young Americans, a 1993 crime drama and debut of British director Danny Cannon. David Arnold is known for writing the scores to five James Bond movies. Icelandic singer Björk added ‘Play Dead’ to her sophomore album Debut. The set spawned no less than five singles (including ‘Human Behaviour’ and ‘Violently Happy.’

6. Ace of Base – The Sign

‘The Sign’ hardly needs any introduction. Issued at the end of October, it never topped the Swedish singles chart peaking at No.2. It succeeded Celine Dion’s ‘The Power of Love’ in Mid-March 1994, ‘The Sign’ was produced by Joker, Denniz Pop and Douglas Carr. It was featured in the 2012 top movie Pitch Perfect.

5. Depeche Mode – In Your Room

‘In Your Room’ is one of few track in this top ten tally that was actually released in 1994. Included on the album Songs of Faith and Devotion, Depeche Mode was the group’s 30th UK hit single.

4. Captain Hollywood Project – Impossible

Captain Hollywood Project placed three hits in a row – ‘More and More,’ ‘Only with You’ and ‘Impossible.’ Evolved out of the Dutch dance project Twenty 4 Seven, front man Tony Dawson Harrison released three albums.

3. Maxx – Get-A-Way

Eurodance was definitely of fashion back in 1994. As well as Captain Hollywood Project, Maxx was also based in Germany. Preceding ‘No More (I Can’t Stand It),’ ‘Get-A-Way’ peaked at No.3, also charting in the UK.

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2. Enigma – Return To Innocence

Yet another German group, Enigma returned to the charts in early January with The Cross of Changes and its introductory hit ‘Return to Innocence.’ The group had previously got its breakthrough with ‘Sadness (Pt.1)’ in 1992. Sung by Angel X (Andreas Harde), an Amis chant is heard through the song. The track topped the Swedish singles chart, peaking at No.4 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No.3 in the UK.

1. Bryan Adams, Rod Stewart, Sting – All For Love

Stewart and Sting also provided vocals. The track was covered by Swedish pop trio EMD in 2007, repeating the feat of topping our national singles tally.

 

Oh, Sahara Hotnights Is Back

CHART SPOTLIGHT. The Swedish rock band Sahara Hotnights is about to return to the music scene. The new single “Oh’s” is scheduled for release on April 4th, but WelcheMusic has already snapped up an early teaser.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UVjZraOBq-M

Formed in the early ‘90s, the debut album C’mon Let’s Pretend won several Grammies in 1999. The group has placed two top ten hits on the singles tally to date –  “Cheek to Cheek” peaked at No.10 in 2007, while the Dusty Springfield cover “In Private” reached No.7 in 2008. A WelcheMusic favorite, the group also recorded a cover of Janet Jackson’s “Love Will Never Do (Without You)” on their 2009 cover album Sparks.

“Oh’s” is written by Sahara Hotnights and produced by Jari Haapalainen of Moneybrother, Frida Hyvönen and Markus Krunegård fame.

Welcome to the World of Welche

CHART REFLECTION. Happy new year to all new readers of the WelcheMusic blog. Jan.1 marks the official start of a blog that was initiated back in December last year. This means that it’s already filled with all kinds of interesting content about music. This is the place for music lovers, who would like to know more about songs of the moment. As a special treat, customized Spotify playlists will be shared – always containing songs for a special reasons.

Click on the tag cloud for any favourite artist or just scroll down. Read about the Facebook campaigns that rock the charts right now or the story behind one of Janet Jackson’s largest hits. Let me know if you’re missing something. And don’t forget to pick up next year’s hits in the first volume of WelcheMusic – a compilation playlist featuring Timbaland and Katy Perry, Alicia Keys and Jay-Z.

Happy new year to all new readers of the WelcheMusic blog. Jan.1 marks the official start of a blog that was initiated back in December. This means that it’s already filled with all kinds of interesting content about music. This is the place for music lovers, who would like to know more about songs of the moment. As a special treat, customized Spotify playlists will be shared – always containing songs for a special reasons.

Click on the tag cloud for any favourite artist or just scroll down. Read about the Facebook campaigns that rock the charts right now or the story behind one of Janet Jackson’s largest hits. Let me know if you’re missing something. And don’t forget to pick up next year’s hits in the first volume of WelcheMusic – a compilation playlist featuring Timbaland and Katy Perry, Alicia Keys and Jay-Z.

We ‘Would Never Do Without’ This Song, Janet

CHART REWIND. Janet Jackson is definitely one of the artists that WelcheMusic would consider a career makeover. Unfortunately, we don’t have a miracle solution. Only this September, she issued the track “Make Me” in order to push her greatest hits compilation The Best (also known as Number Ones Stateside).  The track was penned by r’n’b guru Rodney Jerkins, but failed to make any impact on the charts. It didn’t help that critical praise compared the track to her own chart topper “All for You” and even brother Michael’s “Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough.” Fair enough, it topped the Billboard Hot Dance Club Songs chart, but it only made it to No.73 on the UK singles chart.

[tube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ufaw7OWu4EU&hl=sv_SE&fs=1&[/tube]

Instead, we take a trip down memory lane with one of her best tracks ever – “Love Will Never Do (Without You)”. Taken from the Janet Jackson’s Rhythm Nation 1814 album from 1989, it wasn’t released as a single until October 1990. It topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart for one week and the video is probably one of the classiest ever featuring Calvin Klein models Antonio Sabato, Jr. and Djimon Hounsou. The former had a brief acting career and appeared as Heather Locklear’s evil ex-husband in Melrose Place.

According to chart expert Fred Bronson, producers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis thought about giving the track to Prince, Johnny Gill or Ralph Tresvant, This would explain that Janet almost sounds like a guy when singing the verse.

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