Powering to another easy victory “Careless Whisper” sold an impressive 202,000 copies last week as it shows no sign of surrendering the No 1 spot yet. It also crosses the half million mark and is part of the generally improving second half of the year after record sales struggled for the first 6 months of 1984 but is now quickly catching up with 1983. Michael’s first solo effort now has only Wham!’s last single “Wake Me Up” ahead of it sales wise which limps over the 600,000 mark this week.
The only cloud on the horizon comes from Stevie Wonder who creeps 3-2 this week with “I Just Called To Say I Love You” on a sale of 135,000, the song has been embraced by Radio this week and now records the highest sale for a No 2 record since Dionne Warwick’s “Heartbreaker” back in November 1982- it seems that it could prove a challenge even to the mighty “Careless Whisper”. Indeed the link to “Heartbreaker” is appropriate given that the soundtrack album to “Woman In Red” is due in a month and will be a collaboration between the two acts. Somewhat oddly, TOTP didn’t show the video last week which makes it sales hike an even greater achievement.
Married life is clearly agreeing with Elton John who pulls a second top 10 single from his “Breaking Hearts” album which peaked at No 2 back in June and hasn’t left the top 20 since. “Passengers” arrives in the chart 15-6 (44,000) and becomes John’s 15th top 10, though of course only one, “Don’t Go Breaking My Heart” has gone all the way to the top.
Recording primarily in Spanish The Miami Sound Machine released their first album way back in 1977 and became a relatively big name in Latin markets through the early 80s without troubling the UK Charts. Their eighth album “Eyes Of Innocence” however marks the band’s crossing into the English speaking market and their first UK Success with “Dr Beat” which powers 16-7 (41,000) this week.
Black lace fall 2-3 but they join in the sales bonanza recording a sale of 85,000 which is the highest for No 3 since Shakin Stevens last November, and Laura Branigan also climbs 6-5 (49,000) to record her highest placed single. Howard Jones manages to cling on to the No 4 position though with a sales drop to 50,000 and also heading the wrong way are Hazell Dean 7-8 (35,000), Frankie Goes To Hollywood 5-9 (33,000) and Trevor Walters who dips 9-10 (28,000).
https://forum.popjustice.com/thread...-by-week-1984-1985.38232/page-24#post-3605939