1993 in British music explained

This is a summary of 1993 in music in the United Kingdom, including the official charts from that year.

Summary

15 songs reached the number 1 spot this year. Compared to 1992, there was an improvement to singles sales, with sales rising year on year for the first time since 1989. However, none of the singles released this year were million sellers, the first instance of this happening since 1990. The only song to sell over a million in 1993 was one from the previous year, Whitney Houston's cover of "I Will Always Love You". It managed to sell sufficiently well enough to make its way onto the top 10 of both 1992 and 1993.

March saw The Bluebells reach number 1 with "Young at Heart", a song that had previously made number 8 in 1984. It was reissued after appearing in an advert for Volkswagen, and the band reformed to promote the song.

Take That got their first #1 in July, with "Pray". Debuting in 1991 with the #38 hit "Promises", they would go on to score another seven number 1s before splitting in 1996. "Pray" was followed by Freddie Mercury scoring a posthumous number 1 with a remixed version of "Living on My Own", the original version of which made number 50 in 1985, making it the first remix of a previously charted single to reach number 1.

The biggest selling single of the year came from Meat Loaf, who hit #1 for seven weeks from October with "I'd Do Anything for Love (But I Won't Do That)". It came from the album , also the biggest selling of the year.

Finally, as usual, December saw the Christmas number one single. Meat Loaf's successor at number 1 was Mr. Blobby, a popular character on the BBC One show Noel's House Party, with "Mr. Blobby" (the first ever eponymously titled number 1 single). In the final week before Christmas, he was knocked off by Take That's "Babe", making Mr. Blobby the first one-week #1 since U2's "The Fly" in November 1991, and making Take That the first act to have three singles in a row all enter at #1. However, the following week (Christmas week) saw Mr. Blobby climb back up to the top, the first time this had happened since January 1969, and officially become this year's Christmas number 1. Take That's "Babe" became the only chart topper of the year to spend only a week at the summit.

In the classical world, the British composer Michael Nyman enjoyed great success with his soundtrack for the film The Piano, which brought him an Ivor Novello Award, Golden Globe, BAFTA and American Film Institute award; the album sold over three million copies. Veteran Welsh composer Daniel Jones died. A less well-known composer, Peter Reynolds, won notoriety when his three-minute work Sands of Time was performed in Cardiff city centre; it is listed by the Guinness Book of Records as the world's shortest opera.

Events

• 11 February - Still Sorrowing for piano by Thomas Adès is performed for the first time, in the Purcell Room by the composer.
• 19 February - Elton John is forced to end a concert in Melbourne, Australia a half hour early when a swarm of grasshoppers invades the stage.
• 27 March – Sands of Time, a short (four minutes long) opera by Welsh composer Peter Reynolds, libretto by Simon Rees, has its world premiere at an outdoor shopping centre in Cardiff, sung by soprano Rhian Owen and baritone Dominic Burns.
• 16 April – Paul McCartney headlines a concert at the Hollywood Bowl, USA to celebrate "Earth Day". Other performers included Ringo Starr, Steve Miller and Don Henley.
• 21 April – Former Rolling Stones bassist Bill Wyman marries designer Suzanne Accosta in France.^[1]
• 22 April - The Who's Tommy opens on Broadway.
• 7 May - The premiere of Harrison Birtwistle's Five Distances for Five Instruments, takes place in London at the Purcell Room, performed by the Ensemble intercontemporain.
• 31 May - Oasis force their way on to the bill at King Tut's Wah Wah Hut, Glasgow. Alan McGee is in attendance, and then offers the band a recording contract on the spot.
• 5 June - premiere of Jonathan Harvey's Inquest of Love at the London Coliseum.
• 28 August - Bruce Dickinson plays his final show with Iron Maiden after announcing his departure from the band earlier in the year. He would rejoin the band in 1999.
• 7 September - Berthold Goldschmidt‘s 12 minute orchestral work Ciaconna Sinfonica is performed for the first time in the UK by Simon Rattle at the Proms. The 90 year-old composer, resident in London since 1935, takes a bow at the end.
• 22 October - Oasis sign a recording contract with Creation Records
• Rick Astley retires from the music industry at age 27 after selling 40 million records in a five-year period.

Charts

Number-one singles

Chart date (week ending)	Song	Artist(s)
2 January	"I Will Always Love You"	Whitney Houston
9 January
16 January
23 January
30 January
6 February
13 February	"No Limit"	2 Unlimited
20 February
27 February
6 March
13 March
20 March	"Oh Carolina"	Shaggy
27 March
3 April	"Young at Heart"	The Bluebells
10 April
17 April
24 April
1 May	Five Live	George Michael & Queen with Lisa Stansfield
8 May
15 May
22 May	"All That She Wants"	Ace of Base
29 May
5 June
12 June	"(I Can't Help) Falling In Love With You"	UB40
19 June
26 June	"Dreams"	Gabrielle
3 July
10 July
17 July	"Pray"	Take That
24 July
31 July
7 August
14 August	"Living on My Own"	Freddie Mercury
21 August
28 August	"Mr. Vain"	Culture Beat
4 September
11 September
18 September
25 September	"Boom! Shake the Room"	DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince
2 October
9 October	"Relight My Fire"	Take That featuring Lulu
16 October
23 October	"I'd Do Anything for Love (But I Won't Do That)"	Meat Loaf
30 October
6 November
13 November
20 November
27 November
4 December
11 December	"Mr. Blobby"	Mr. Blobby
18 December	"Babe"	Take That
25 December	"Mr. Blobby"	Mr. Blobby

Number-one albums

Chart date (week ending)	Album	Artist(s)
2 January		Cher
9 January
16 January
23 January		Genesis
30 January
6 February	Jam	Little Angels
13 February	Pure Cult	The Cult
20 February	Words of Love	Buddy Holly & The Crickets
27 February	Walthamstow	East 17
6 March	Diva	Annie Lennox
13 March	Are You Gonna Go My Way	Lenny Kravitz
20 March
27 March	Their Greatest Hits	Hot Chocolate
3 April	Songs of Faith and Devotion	Depeche Mode
10 April	Suede	Suede
17 April	Black Tie White Noise	David Bowie
24 April	Automatic for the People	R.E.M.
1 May	Cliff Richard – The Album	Cliff Richard
8 May	Automatic for the People	R.E.M.
15 May	Republic	New Order
22 May	Automatic for the People	R.E.M.
29 May	Janet	Janet Jackson
5 June
12 June	No Limits	2 Unlimited
19 June	What's Love Got to Do with It	Tina Turner
26 June	Emergency on Planet Earth	Jamiroquai
3 July
10 July
17 July	Zooropa	U2
24 July	Promises and Lies	UB40
31 July
7 August
14 August
21 August
28 August
4 September
11 September	Music Box	Mariah Carey
18 September		Meat Loaf
25 September	In Utero	Nirvana
2 October	Bat out of Hell II: Back Into Hell	Meat Loaf
9 October	Very	Pet Shop Boys
16 October	Bat Out of Hell II: Back into Hell	Meat Loaf
23 October	Everything Changes	Take That
30 October	Bat Out of Hell II: Back into Hell	Meat Loaf
6 November
13 November
20 November	Both Sides	Phil Collins
27 November	Bat Out of Hell II: Back into Hell	Meat Loaf
4 December
11 December
18 December
25 December

Year-end charts

Best-selling singles

^[2]

scope=col		scope=col	Title	scope=col	Artist	scope=col	Peak position
scope=row style="text-align:center;"	1	"I'd Do Anything for Love (But I Won't Do That)"	Meat Loaf	1
scope=row style="text-align:center;"	2	"(I Can't Help) Falling in Love with You"	UB40	1
scope=row style="text-align:center;"	3	"All That She Wants"	Ace of Base	1
scope=row style="text-align:center;"	4	"No Limit"	2 Unlimited	1
scope=row style="text-align:center;"	5	"Dreams"	Gabrielle	1
scope=row style="text-align:center;"	6	"Mr Blobby"	Mr Blobby	1
scope=row style="text-align:center;"	7	"Oh Carolina"	Shaggy	1
scope=row style="text-align:center;"	8	"What Is Love"	Haddaway	2
scope=row style="text-align:center;"	9	"Mr. Vain"	Culture Beat	1
scope=row style="text-align:center;"	10	"I Will Always Love You"		1
scope=row style="text-align:center;"	11	Five Live (EP)	and Queen with Lisa Stansfield	1
scope=row style="text-align:center;"	12	"Young at Heart"		1
scope=row style="text-align:center;"	13	"Tease Me"		3
scope=row style="text-align:center;"	14	"Babe"	Take That	1
scope=row style="text-align:center;"	15	"Please Forgive Me"		2
scope=row style="text-align:center;"	16	"Boom! Shake the Room"	Jazzy Jeff & Fresh Prince	1
scope=row style="text-align:center;"	17	"Informer"	Snow	2
scope=row style="text-align:center;"	18	"Pray"	Take That	1
scope=row style="text-align:center;"	19	"Sweat (A La La La La Long)"	Inner Circle	3
scope=row style="text-align:center;"	20	"Living on My Own"		1
scope=row style="text-align:center;"	21	"What's Up?"	4 Non Blondes	2
scope=row style="text-align:center;"	22	"The Key The Secret"	Urban Cookie Collective	2
scope=row style="text-align:center;"	23	"Don't Be a Stranger"		3
scope=row style="text-align:center;"	24	"It Keeps Rainin' (Tears from My Eyes)"		2
scope=row style="text-align:center;"	25	"Two Princes"	Spin Doctors	3
scope=row style="text-align:center;"	26	"Little Bird"/"Love Song for a Vampire"		3
scope=row style="text-align:center;"	27	"The River of Dreams"		3
scope=row style="text-align:center;"	28	"Relight My Fire"	Take That featuring Lulu	1
scope=row style="text-align:center;"	29	"True Love"	and Kiki Dee	2
scope=row style="text-align:center;"	30	"The Love I Lost"	West End featuring Sybil	3
scope=row style="text-align:center;"	31	"Twist and Shout"	featuring Jack Radics and Taxi Gang	3
scope=row style="text-align:center;"	32	"Give It Up"		5
scope=row style="text-align:center;"	33	"For Whom the Bell Tolls"	Bee Gees	4
scope=row style="text-align:center;"	34	"Right Here"	SWV	3
scope=row style="text-align:center;"	35	"Mr. Loverman"		3
scope=row style="text-align:center;"	36	"Moving On Up"	M People	2
scope=row style="text-align:center;"	37	"U Got 2 Let the Music"	Cappella	2
scope=row style="text-align:center;"	38	"Exterminate!"	Snap! featuring Niki Haris	2
scope=row style="text-align:center;"	39	"Deep"	East 17	5
scope=row style="text-align:center;"	40	"When I'm Good and Ready"	Sybil	5
scope=row style="text-align:center;"	41	"Ain't No Love (Ain't No Use)"	Sub Sub featuring Melanie Williams	3
scope=row style="text-align:center;"	42	"One Night in Heaven"	M People	6
scope=row style="text-align:center;"	43	"That's the Way Love Goes"		2
scope=row style="text-align:center;"	44	"It's Alright"	East 17	5
scope=row style="text-align:center;"	45	"Tribal Dance"	2 Unlimited	4
scope=row style="text-align:center;"	46	"Go West"	Pet Shop Boys	2
scope=row style="text-align:center;"	47	"Are You Gonna Go My Way"		4
scope=row style="text-align:center;"	48	"She Don't Let Nobody"		4
scope=row style="text-align:center;"	49	"Why Can't I Wake Up with You"	Take That	2
scope=row style="text-align:center;"	50	"Give In to Me"		2

Best-selling albums

^[3]

scope=col		scope=col	Title	scope=col	Artist	scope=col	Peak position
scope=row style="text-align:center;"	1		Meat Loaf	1
scope=row style="text-align:center;"	2	Automatic for the People	R.E.M.	1
scope=row style="text-align:center;"	3	So Close		2
scope=row style="text-align:center;"	4	Everything Changes	Take That	1
scope=row style="text-align:center;"	5			1
scope=row style="text-align:center;"	6	So Far So Good		1
scope=row style="text-align:center;"	7	Promises and Lies	UB40	1
scope=row style="text-align:center;"	8	Both Sides		1
scope=row style="text-align:center;"	9	Zooropa	U2	1
scope=row style="text-align:center;"	10	Music Box		1
scope=row style="text-align:center;"	11	Pocket Full of Kryptonite	Spin Doctors	2
scope=row style="text-align:center;"	12	Ten Summoner's Tales	Sting	2
scope=row style="text-align:center;"	13		Wet Wet Wet	4
scope=row style="text-align:center;"	14	Elegant Slumming	M People	2
scope=row style="text-align:center;"	15	Duets		5
scope=row style="text-align:center;"	16	Unplugged		2
scope=row style="text-align:center;"	17	Are You Gonna Go My Way		1
scope=row style="text-align:center;"	18	The One Thing		4
scope=row style="text-align:center;"	19	Take That & Party	Take That	2
scope=row style="text-align:center;"	20			3
scope=row style="text-align:center;"	21	Debut	Björk	3
scope=row style="text-align:center;"	22	Connected	Stereo MCs	2
scope=row style="text-align:center;"	23	Janet		1
scope=row style="text-align:center;"	24	Keep the Faith	Bon Jovi	5
scope=row style="text-align:center;"	25	Emergency on Planet Earth	Jamiroquai	1
scope=row style="text-align:center;"	26	Diva		1
scope=row style="text-align:center;"	27	Unplugged...and Seated		2
scope=row style="text-align:center;"	28	What's Love Got to Do with It		1
scope=row style="text-align:center;"	29	Very	Pet Shop Boys	1
scope=row style="text-align:center;"	30	3 Years, 5 Months and 2 Days in the Life Of...	Arrested Development	3
scope=row style="text-align:center;"	31	River of Dreams		3
scope=row style="text-align:center;"	32	The Red Shoes		2
scope=row style="text-align:center;"	33	No Limits	2 Unlimited	1
scope=row style="text-align:center;"	34	Dangerous		6
scope=row style="text-align:center;"	35	Duets		5
scope=row style="text-align:center;"	36	Gold: Greatest Hits	ABBA	9
scope=row style="text-align:center;"	37	Walthamstow	East 17	1
scope=row style="text-align:center;"	38	Stars	Simply Red	11
scope=row style="text-align:center;"	39	The Hits 2	Prince	5
scope=row style="text-align:center;"	40	"The Spaghetti Incident?"	Guns N' Roses	2
scope=row style="text-align:center;"	41	So Natural		6
scope=row style="text-align:center;"	42	Ingénue		3
scope=row style="text-align:center;"	43	Bat Out of Hell	Meat Loaf	15
scope=row style="text-align:center;"	44	A Touch of Music in the Night		12
scope=row style="text-align:center;"	45	Suede	Suede	1
scope=row style="text-align:center;"	46	In Utero	Nirvana	1
scope=row style="text-align:center;"	47	Republic	New Order	1
scope=row style="text-align:center;"	48	Rage Against the Machine	Rage Against the Machine	17
scope=row style="text-align:center;"	49	The Album		1
scope=row style="text-align:center;"	50	Duran Duran	Duran Duran	4

Best-selling compilation albums

^[4]

scope=col		scope=col	Title	scope=col	Peak position
scope=row style="text-align:center;"	1	The Bodyguard Original Soundtrack	1
scope=row style="text-align:center;"	2	Now 26	1
scope=row style="text-align:center;"	3	The Best Dance Album in the World... Ever!	1
scope=row style="text-align:center;"	4	Blues Brother Soul Sister Vol. 2	1
scope=row style="text-align:center;"	5	Now 24	1
scope=row style="text-align:center;"	6	100% Dance	1
scope=row style="text-align:center;"	7	Now 25	1
scope=row style="text-align:center;"	8	Originals	1
scope=row style="text-align:center;"	9	Best of Dance '93	1
scope=row style="text-align:center;"	10	100% Dance Vol. 2	1

Notes:

Music awards

BRIT Awards

The 1993 BRIT Awards winners were:

• Best British producer: Peter Gabriel
• Best soundtrack: Wayne's World
• British album: Annie Lennox – Diva
• British breakthrough act: Tasmin Archer
• British female solo artist: Annie Lennox
• British group: Simply Red
• British male solo artist: Mick Hucknall
• British single: Take That – "Could It Be Magic"
• British video: Shakespear's Sister – "Stay"
• International breakthrough act: Nirvana
• International solo artist: Prince
• International group: R.E.M.
• Outstanding contribution: Rod Stewart

Mercury Music Prize

The 1993 Mercury Music Prize was awarded to Suede – Suede.

Classical music

• Stephen Caudel – Edel Rhapsody
• Nicholas Maw – Violin Concerto

Opera

• Michael Nyman – Noises, Sounds & Sweet Airs

Births

• 12 January – Zayn Malik (One Direction)
• 17 January – Frankie Cocozza, singer
• 13 February – Sophie Evans, Welsh singer and actress
• 8 April – TBJZL, YouTuber and rapper
• 19 June – KSI, YouTuber and rapper
• 5 July – Hollie Cavanagh, English-American singer
• 26 July – Stormzy, rapper
• 29 August – Liam Payne (One Direction)
• 13 September – Niall Horan (One Direction)
• date unknown – Dani Howard, composer

Deaths

• 23 April – Daniel Jones, composer, 80
• 29 April – Mick Ronson, guitarist (The Spiders from Mars), 46 (cancer)
• 6 May – Ivy Benson, bandleader, 79
• 22 May – Melville Cook, organist, conductor and composer, 80
• 28 May – Duncan Browne, singer-songwriter, 46 (cancer)
• 19 June – Tony Brent, singer, 65 (heart attack)^[5]
• 21 June – Al Fairweather, jazz trumpeter, 66
• 7 August – Roy Budd, jazz pianist and film composer, 46 (brain haemorrhage)
• 14 September – Peter Tranchell, composer, 71
• 30 September – Ronnie Aldrich, jazz musician, 77
• 11 October – Andy Stewart, singer, 59^[6]
• 9 November – Stanley Myers, film composer, 63 (cancer)^[7]
• 22 November – Anthony Burgess, composer and polymath best known as a novelist, 76
• 28 November – Tommie Connor, songwriter, 89
• 29 November – Alan Clare, jazz pianist and composer, 72
• 6 December – Bryson Graham, rock drummer, 41
• 12 December – Joan Cross, operatic soprano, 93
• 24 December – Ralph Downes, organist and music director, 89

See also

• 1993 in British radio
• 1993 in British television
• 1993 in the United Kingdom
• List of British films of 1993

External links

• BBC Radio 1's Chart Show
• The Official Charts Company

Notes and References

1. Web site: Bill Wyman: I can't live off the Stones royalties . . https://web.archive.org/web/20230322173716/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/3670387/Bill-Wyman-I-cant-live-off-the-Stones-royalties.html . 2023-03-22 . live .
2. Top 100 Singles 1993 . . 24 . 15 January 1994.
3. Top 100 Albums 1993 . Music Week . 25 . 15 January 1994.
4. Top 50 Compilations . Music Week . 26 . 15 January 1994.
5. Web site: Tony Brent – Free listening, videos, concerts, stats and pictures at . Last.fm . 2013-11-26 . 2014-01-31.
6. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/obituary-andy-stewart-1510366.html Independent obituary
7. [Nicolas Roeg]