1985 sees the 'Big Four' of 80's Pop - Spandau, Wham, Culture Club and the Durans - have a relatively quiet year which ushers in a new generation of Pop talent. The show becomes a barometer for the state of the nation as the ambitious King and A-ha, propelled by the most expensive video of the year for 'Take On Me', compete for attention with passionate politicos Billy Bragg and The Style Council who, fired up by the ongoing miners strike and continuing threat of nuclear war, give the studio audience their all with 'Between The Wars' and 'Walls Come Tumbling Down'.\n\n1985 also sees Electro dance hit the mainstream as Dead or Alive top the charts with 'You Spin Me Round', the first number one for producers Stock, Aitken and Waterman, and Paul Hardcastle holds the top slot for five weeks with '19', a spoken word single made with new sampling technology and released on the 10th anniversary of the end of the Vietnam war. \n\nMeanwhile, movie tie-ins and record companies eyeing a 'housewives' market see a run of power ballads hit the charts from Jennifer Rush to Tina Turner to our very own Bonnie Tyler with 'Holding Out For a Hero' . And back in the real world, the heroic Bob Geldof brings the Pop generations together for Live Aid and Shakin' Stevens marks his 50th appearance on Top of the Pops and lands his first Christmas number one with a song he has waited a whole year to release.\n\nFeaturing original interviews with A-ha, Shakin' Stevens, The Style Council, Billy Bragg, Bonnie Tyler, Pete Waterman, Paul Hardcastle, King and Loose Ends.
Source: BBC 4
11/04/1974
Noel Edmonds presents the pop chart programme, first broadcast on 11 April 1974 and featuring Limmie & The Family Cookin', Mud, Slade, Mungo Jerry, Diana Ross & Marvin Gaye, The ...
12-04-2024
BBC 4
11/04/1985
John Peel and Janice Long present the pop chart programme, first broadcast on 11 April 1985. Featuring Tears for Fears, The Rah Band, Dream Academy, King and Philip Bailey & Phi ...
12-04-2024
BBC 4
09/04/1992
Femi Oke and Tony Dortie presents the pop chart programme, first broadcast on 9 April 1992 and featuring Praga Khan, Curtis Stigers, Altern 8, Vanessa Williams, Right Said Fred, ...
12-04-2024
BBC 4
21/12/1995
Ronan Keating and Stephen Gately present the pop chart programme, first broadcast on 21 December 1995 and featuring Corona, Mary Kiani, Queen, The Levellers, Madonna, Jimmy Nail ...
12-04-2024
BBC 4
14/12/1995
John Peel presents the pop chart programme, first broadcast on 14 December 1995 and featuring Everything but the Girl, Childliners, The Beatles, Simply Red, Molella ft The Outhe ...
05-04-2024
BBC 4
30/11/1995
Jack Dee presents the pop chart programme, first broadcast on 30 November 1995 and featuring Berri, PJ & Duncan, Passengers, Garbage, Childliners, The Beatles, Coolio ft LV, Eny ...
05-04-2024
BBC 4
08/04/1976
Classic Top of the Pops from April 1976, as Noel Edmonds introduces performances from Abba, Hot Chocolate, Brotherhood of Man, Sheer Elegance, Paul Nicholas, Linda Lewis, The Fo ...
05-04-2024
BBC 4
07/04/1988
Gary Davies and Simon Mayo present the pop chart programme, first broadcast on 7 April 1988 and featuring Taylor Dayne, Fleetwood Mac, Glen Goldsmith, Hazell Dean, Natalie Cole, ...
05-04-2024
BBC 4
23/11/1995
Nicky Campbell presents the pop chart programme, first broadcast on 23 November 1995 and featuring M-People, Bon Jovi, Blur, Everything but the Girl, Boyzone, Passengers, Bj&oum ...
29-03-2024
BBC 4
16/11/1995
Louise Redknapp presents the pop chart programme, first broadcast on 16 November 1995 and featuring Happy Clappers, Sean Maguire, Coolio ft LV, Enya, Madonna, The Beautiful Sout ...
29-03-2024
BBC 4
25/12/1986
Peter Powell presents the pop chart programme, first broadcast on Christmas Day 1986. Featuring Billy Ocean, The Communards, a-ha, Europe, Doctor and the Medics, Cliff Richard & ...
18-12-2023
BBC 4
01/03/1984
John Peel and David Jensen present the pop chart programme, first broadcast on 1 March 1984. Featuring Matt Bianco, Van Halen, Alexei Sayle, Break Machine, Wang Chung, Slade, Ne ...
01-03-2024
BBC 4
02/05/1991
Simon Mayo presents the pop chart programme, first broadcast on 2 May 1991 and featuring KLF, Nomad and OMD.
16-07-2021
BBC 4
15/04/1993
Mark Franklin presents the pop chart programme, first broadcast on 15 April 1993 and featuring East 17, Dr. Alban, Duran Duran, Cappella, Terence Trent D’Arby, Sonia, Worl ...
29-07-2022
BBC 4
22/03/1984
Peter Powell and Janice Long present the pop chart programme, first broadcast on 22 March 1984. Featuring Depeche Mode, Shakin' Stevens, Culture Club, UB40, Sade and Lionel Richie.
22-03-2024
BBC 4
09/12/1982
Simon Bates presents the weekly chart show, first broadcast on 9 December 1982. Includes appearances from Shalamar, Soft Cell, Shakin' Stevens, Yazoo, Junior, Lionel Richie, The ...
08-12-2023
BBC 4
19/02/1987
Gary Davies presents the pop chart programme, first broadcast on 19 February 1987. Featuring performances by Westworld, Carly Simon, Curiosity Killed the Cat, Man 2 Man Meets Ma ...
02-02-2019
BBC 4
15/12/1983
Simon Bates and Janice Long present the pop chart programme, first broadcast on 15 December 1983. Featuring Status Quo, UB40, Slade, The Pretenders, Kenny Rogers & Dolly Parton, ...
15-12-2023
BBC 4
25/12/1989
Jakki Brambles, Bruno Brookes and Gary Davies present the pop chart programme, first broadcast on 25 December 1989 and featuring Bros, The Beautiful South and Jason Donovan.
17-12-2021
BBC 4
26/09/1985
Janice Long and Dixie Peach present the pop chart programme, first broadcast on 26 September 1985. Featuring Depeche Mode, Billy Idol, Jennifer Rush, The Style Council, Bonnie T ...
26-05-2018
BBC 4