What were the
UK pop kids, dancers and punks listening to 30 years ago? Here's some clues in
the charts from the New Musical Express 24 December 1983.
The Dance Floor
charts weren't really a reflection of record sales or even necessarily of what
people were dancing to in many UK high street clubs. This one was compiled by
the DJ at Birmingham club 'The Garage' so it's probably more a snapshot of what
people were listening to there and in similar places where the DJs played an
eclectic mix of of funk, soul and more post-punk funk from the likes of A
Certain Ratio and Jah Wobble. Certainly I remember going to lots of student
parties in this period where James Brown was obligatory - he was still releasing
great records in this period, with 'Bring it On' coming out in 1983 and his last
hit 'Living in America' in 1985.
The term 'World
Music' hadn't yet caught on, the category 'Third World' was used in the NME
charts to cover music from Africa, the Middle East, Mongolia and seemingly
anywhere outside of Europe and North America. The chart was compiled by Triple
Earth Records, which went on to become a significant 'world music' label in the
1980s.
The Reggae Disco singles charts and Reggae LPs chart were
compiled by 'Observer Station' with a whole lot of Johnny Osbourne - three
singles and an album riding high. Michael Palmer's Ghetto Dance was number one
single ('Ghetto dance, ghetto dance, Babylon give me a chance...').
The Independent charts were based on record sales and had
become a big deal in a period of many iconic indie acts (Smiths, Cocteau Twins,
New Order, Birthday Party), the anarcho-punk scene (Conflict, Subhumans),
psychobilly (The Meteors and Cramps) and emerging goths (Death Cult, Sisters of
Mercy, Alien Sex Fiend). Label wise the big ones were 4AD, Mute, Rough Trade and
Factory, but Stoke-based punk label Clay Records was also important (Discharge,
GBH, Abrasive Wheels etc).
The main UK charts featured some classic pop as well as
lots of crap which no amount of nostalgia/retro irony can rescue from the
charity shop unwanted piles where it now lingers. The dominant album was Michael
Jackson's Thriller - number one in the charts a year after it was first
released. Culture Club has become a global sensation that year, and Luton's Paul
Young was riding high. I worked in a Luton factory that summer packing
electrical instruments while listening to Radio One with his then girlfriend's
mum!
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