UK Top 200 Best Selling Female Solo Hits Of The 80s

26. THE ONLY WAY IS UP- Yazz & The Plastic Population (#1, 1988, 784,000)

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80s position: 8

Otis Clay’s 1980 hit was given a dance overall by Yasmin Evans in 1988 and became the biggest selling female hit of the year. She took that title from Kylie who she also stopped hitting with No 1 with the “Locomotion” (No 61), and like Lisa Stansfield, her first brush with fame came by assisting Coldcut, this time on “Doctorin The House” which made the top 10. Coldcut are on production duties here and “The Only Way Is Up” remains one of THE sounds of 88.


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25. I FEEL FOR YOU- Chaka Khan (#1, 1984, 806,000)

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80s position: 11

Rapping by Melle Mel, Stevie Wonder on Harmonica, and words and music by Prince (who had agreed to contribute guitar on it but didn’t have the time in the end), chances are this was always going to be a big hit. Spending three weeks at the top of the chart in Nov 1984 it is by far her biggest hit in this country, it was actually a track on Prince’s debut album in 1979 (minus the legendary “Let me rock you Chaka Khan” obviously).


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24. KIDS IN AMERICA- Kim Wilde (#2, 1981, 829,000)

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80s position: 23

After being discovered by Micky Most (famous 60s/70s producer) singing backing vocals on her brother’s tracks, Wilde was pushed to the forefront as Most had become, by this point head of RAK records, and “Kids In America” was the debut single from the 80s starlet. Only Shaky stood in her way of that No 1 spot come March 1981 but that couldn’t stop Wilde shifting half a million singles, this was the biggest solo female hit of the year as well! The record almost didn’t make it after it was briefly excluded from the charts due to concerns over hyping but cleared checks to hit the charts the following week.


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26. THE ONLY WAY IS UP- Yazz & The Plastic Population (#1, 1988, 784,000)

h4vh6Ch.jpg


80s position: 8

Otis Clay’s 1980 hit was given a dance overall by Yasmin Evans in 1988 and became the biggest selling female hit of the year. She took that title from Kylie who she also stopped hitting with No 1 with the “Locomotion” (No 61), and like Lisa Stansfield, her first brush with fame came by assisting Coldcut, this time on “Doctorin The House” which made the top 10. Coldcut are on production duties here and “The Only Way Is Up” remains one of THE sounds of 88.


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One of my favourite 80s tracks, such a tune and sounds just as good today. I remember at the time I think it was a bit too dancey for me and not pure pop enough to appreciate as a 9 year old though.
 
One of my favourite 80s tracks, such a tune and sounds just as good today. I remember at the time I think it was a bit too dancey for me and not pure pop enough to appreciate as a 9 year old though.
I hated it at the time for denying "The Loco-Motion" top billing (that month seemed to last forever in my 12 yr old head) but now I have to concede it's the better record.
 
Of all the songs I had irrational hatred for because they prevented either Madonna or Kylie from getting to #1 (and there were a LOT of them) Yazz was probably the biggest pop injustice. It was clearly a bop but I just couldn't forgive it at the time.

I'd much rather listen to this than The Loco-Motion these days.
 
It is annoying when someone blocks your fave from the #1 spot but there is no denying in this instance that The Only Way Is Up is better than The Loco-Motion. It's a classic 80s floorfiller.
 

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