On this day in 1983: U2 scored their first UK #1 album with ‘War’, which went on to spend a total of 147 weeks on the chart. The album featured the singles ‘New Years Day’ and ‘Two Hearts Beat As One’.
Also on this day in 1983: Welsh singer Bonnie Tyler had her only UK #1 single with a song written by Meat Loaf’s producer, Jim Steinman, ‘Total Eclipse Of The Heart’. Also a #1 in the U.S. later in 1983, (the only Welsh artist to score a U.S. #1), Canada and Australia, the single sold over 5 million copies worldwide.
On this day in 1988: Rick Astley started a two week run at #1 on the U.S. singles chart with ‘Never Gonna Give You Up’, also a #1 in the UK.
“Never Gonna Give You Up” is the debut single recorded by English singer and songwriter Rick Astley, released on July 27, 1987. It was written and produced by Stock Aitken Waterman, and was released as the first single from Astley’s debut album, “Whenever You Need Somebody.’ The song was a worldwide #1 hit, initially in the United Kingdom in 1987, where it stayed at the top of the chart for five weeks and was the best-selling single of that year. It eventually topped the charts in 25 countries, including the United States. The song won Best British Single at the 1988 Brit Awards.
Here’s a look at the Top 20 on the U.S. singles chart from this day back in 1988;
1 2 NEVER GONNA GIVE YOU UP –•– Rick Astley – 13 (1)
2 1 FATHER FIGURE –•– George Michael – 9 (1)
3 3 SHE’S LIKE THE WIND –•Patrick Swayze Featuring Wendy Fraser – 13 (3)
4 4 I GET WEAK –•– Belinda Carlisle – 9 (4)
5 8 ENDLESS SUMMER NIGHTS –•– Richard Marx – 8 (5)
6 7 JUST LIKE PARADISE –•– David Lee Roth – 9 (6)
7 9 MAN IN THE MIRROR –•– Michael Jackson – 6 (7)
8 12 OUT OF THE BLUE –•– Debbie Gibson – 7 (8)
9 16 I WANT HER –•– Keith Sweat – 9 (9)
10 6 CAN’T STAY AWAY FROM YOU –•– Gloria Estefan & Miami Sound Machine – 17 (6)
11 10 I FOUND SOMEONE –•– Cher – 17 (10)
12 22 GET OUTTA MY DREAMS, GET INTO MY CAR –•– Billy Ocean – 5 (12)
13 17 LOVE OVERBOARD –•– Gladys Knight & The Pips – 10 (13)
14 20 HYSTERIA –•– Def Leppard – 8 (14)
15 19 BE STILL MY BEATING HEART –•– Sting – 9 (15)
16 24 ROCKET 2 YOU –•– The Jets – 8 (16)
17 23 (SITTIN’ ON) THE DOCK OF THE BAY –•– Michael Bolton – 8 (17)
18 5 WHAT HAVE I DONE TO DESERVE THIS? –•– Pet Shop Boys & Dusty Springfield – 14 (2)
19 26 GIRLFRIEND –•– Pebbles – 7 (19)
20 11 HUNGRY EYES –•– Eric Carmen – 19 (4)
