1991 in British music

This is a summary of 1991 in music in the United Kingdom, including the official charts from that year.

ummary

Like 1990, this year saw 17 songs at number 1. February saw "The Simpsons" (specifically Bart) reach #1 with "Do the Bartman", [cite web
format=html
accessdate=2007-12-18
url= http://www.theofficialcharts.com/zoom.php?id=660
title=The official UK charts company] from the album "The Simpsons Sing the Blues" which reached #6. The show had premiered on UK screens on the satellite channel Sky One in 1990, though it wouldn't premiere on terrestrial TV until 1996, on BBC One. The family became the first cartoon characters to hit #1 since The Archies did so in 1969, with "Sugar Sugar", and the follow-up ("Deep, Deep Trouble") also did well, peaking at #7 in April.

In March, The Clash received their first number 1 with "Should I Stay or Should I Go", after being used in a commercial for Levi's. A month later, Cher scored her first UK solo #1 with "The Shoop Shoop Song (It's in His Kiss)", taken from the film "Mermaids".

Bryan Adams also reached #1 for the first time in July with "(Everything I Do) I Do It for You", from the film "". Breaking the record held since 1955, it stayed there for sixteen consecutive weeks, a record that remains to this day. It also became the biggest selling single of the year, selling over a million copies.

The Christmas number one single this year was Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody", re-issued after the death of Freddie Mercury in November, coupled with "These Are the Days of Our Lives". As "Bohemian Rhapsody" had previously hit the top in 1975 (also becoming the Christmas number one) it became the first song ever, not counting re-entries, to hit number 1 twice.

The death of Joy Finzi, who had founded the Finzi Trust in 1969 to commemorate her husband Gerald, was one of the most notable events on the classical music scene. Harrison Birtwistle's opera, "Gawain", with a libretto by David Harsent, was performed for the first time on May 30 at the Royal Opera House.

Charts

ingles

Top 10 albums

Music awards

BRIT Awards

The 1991 BRIT Awards winners were:

*Best British producer: Chris Thomas
*Best classical recording: José Carreras, Plácido Domingo, Luciano Pavarotti - "In Concert"
*Best soundtrack: "Twin Peaks"
*British album: George Michael - "Listen Without Prejudice"
*British breakthrough act: Betty Boo
*British female solo artist: Lisa Stansfield
*British group: The Cure
*British male solo artist: Elton John
*British single: Depeche Mode "Enjoy the Silence"
*British video: The Beautiful South "A Little Time"
*International breakthrough act: MC Hammer
*International female: Sinéad O'Connor
*International group: INXS
*International male: Michael Hutchence
*Outstanding contribution: Status Quo

References

External links

* [http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio1/chart/ BBC Radio 1's Chart Show]
* [http://www.theofficialcharts.com/ The Official United Kingdom Charts Company]