Just four weeks ago Spandau Ballet's "True" recorded a sale of 173,000, a new 1983 high, well now a new low has been created for the year with "Candy Girl" by New Edition moving 3-1 on sales of just 80,000, it is arguably the first UK No 1 single to feature rapping and of course follow Musical Youth to the top in terms of bands comprised on teenage boys. The track only increased sales by 28% which hardly points to a big seller overall but it takes its opportunity to capitalise on the free falling Spandau Ballet who dip to No 2 on sales of 66,000, however with sales of 607,000 to date it is already by some way the Spandau's Biggest hit, New Edition by contrast have sold just 209,000 copies of "Candy Girl".
Wham!'s debut album, modestly called "Fantastic" arrives in shops next month and to preview it their third single "Bad Boys" follows "Young Guns" and "Wham Rap" into the top 10 rising 12-5 (48,000). In just its third week the track is easily the group's most instant hit and follows their stock in trade pop/rap songs with a serious theme, this time round the restrictions of youth. The band recently announced their first tour kicking off in October which will doubtless be sold out by the growing number of young female fans.
It's their ninth top 10 single and the sixth of those to debut inside the top 10, The Police are the big chart news of the week with "Every Breath You Take" which is already a favourite at radio. It smashes into the chart at No 7 this week after selling 41,000 and is looking good to become their fifth No 1 over the next few weeks, the song is actually about the obsession over a former lover and not a romantic ballad which it, at first, seems. Taking inspiration, if that's the word, from Sting's recent divorce from Frances Tomelty which has of course gained considerable press over the last year some of it less than flattering but he seems to have got something of commercial value out of it. The fifth Police album is out next month and will, like their last album "Ghost In The Machine", take its name from the work of Psychologist Arthur Koestler, though "Synchronicity" is actually a theory by Carl Jung.
We also welcome back Yazoo this week. The group announced their split last week as it looks from all the evidence that the recording of the second album "You And Me Both" seems to have taken its toll on the pair who always a notoriously rocky relationship, the album will still be released next month but the band have confirmed that "Nobody's Diary" will be their final single as it rises 20-8 (37,000) to become their third top 10. The only single to fail to make the top 10 was their last single "The Other Side Of Love" which bowed out at No 13 being lost in the rush for the festive No 1.
Their last single only made No 32 but Hot Chocolate are back in the game with their 12th top 10 single "What Kinda Boy You Looking For (Girl)" which this weeks creeps 13-10 (33,000). The band have been written off on many an occasion but are now into their 13th year as hit makers.
The Beat continue to climb 5-3 (64,000), but it's all over for Heaven 17 who drop 2-4 (51,000), Galaxy & Phil Fearon ebb 4-6 (42,000) whilst Fun Boy Three slide 7-9 (36,000).