Music News - Official New Zealand Music Chart reaches milestone
31 May 2006 - 0 Comments
We’re finally there - the 500th #1 Single since the Official NZ Music Charts were first published on May 2 1975. The honour goes to newcomer Gnarls Barkley’s Crazy.
Already a poster-child internationally for the emerging digital music market, the song moves one place to claim the top spot this week knocking the 499th 'Hips Don’t Lie' by Shakira and Wyclef Jean to #2.
It’s the first straight 'Crazy' #1 for New Zealand, although Fine Young Cannibals spent four weeks at the summit in 1989 with the 193rd #1 'She Drives Me Crazy'.
The very first #1 on the RIANZ charts on May 2 1975 was Australian Helen Reddy’s 'Free And Easy' a single only ever released here. After just one week on top it was replaced by Frankie Valli’s 'My Eyes Adored You'.
The year with the most #1s was 1997 with 34 different chart-toppers. The least #1s in a year occurred in 1975 when just eight tracks went all the way, although the chart only took in eight months of that year, not twelve. The full year with the least number of #1s was 1978’s total of 10.
Kiwi #1s
There’ve been 48 Kiwi #1s among the 500. First was Mark Williams’s 'Yesterday Was Just The Beginning Of My Life' in June 1975 and the most recent 'All I Ask' by NZ Idol winner Rosita Vai in October last year.
Scribe’s 'Stand Up'/'Not Many' is the longest-running local chart-topper, racking up 12 non-consecutive weeks at #1 in 2003. Scribe also ties with Deep Obsession as Kiwis with the most #1s with three each. Margaret Urlich, Neil Finn and Che Fu have had three #1s as part of groups and as solo artists. Margaret in Peking Man ('Room That Echoes' 1984) in girl-group When The Cat’s Away ('Melting Pot' 1987) and solo ('Escaping' 1989). Neil Finn also wrote his three #1s 'I Got You' (Split Enz 1980) 'Don’t Dream It’s Over' (Crowded House 1987) and 'Can You Hear Us?' (solo 1999). Che Fu achieved it with Supergroove ('Can’t Get Enough' 1994) DLT ('Chains' 1996) and solo (the double-sided 'Without A Doubt'/'Machine Talk').
Another local tune has the distinction of being the only song to ever hit #1 twice in separate years. 'You Make The Whole World Smile' by Hammond Gamble & The Red Nose Gang first hit #1 in August 1992 and exactly a year later it was #1 again after having dropped out of the Chart completely.
Of the international contingent, U2 and Michael Jackson have had more #1 songs here than anyone else, each racking up eight. Jackson has had a total 28 weeks on top of the charts while U2 have been #1 for 23 weeks.
The female artist with the most is Mariah Carey with seven.
Boney M’s 'Rivers Of Babylon' is the longest running #1 racking up 14 straight weeks in 1978.
Six songs have hit #1 been remade and hit #1 again: 'Funky Town' (Lipps Inc 1980, then Pseudo Echo 1987), 'Cruisin’' (Smokey Robinson 1980, then Huey Lewis & Gwyneth Paltrow 2001), 'Do They Know It’s Christmas?' (Band Aid 1985, then Band Aid 20 2004), 'Tragedy' (Bee Gees 1979, then Steps 1999), 'The Tide Is High' (Blondie 1981, then Atomic Kitten 2002), 'Tears On My Pillow' (Johnny Nash 1975, then The Parker Project 1991).
There have been 69 songs to enter the chart at #1. First was C.W McCall’s 'Convoy', in February 1976. The most recent was just two weeks ago when Busta Rhyme’s 'Touch It' achieved the feat.
The Most #1s
1. Michael Jackson - 8 (28 weeks total)
2. U2 - 8 (23 weeks)
3. Mariah Carey - 7 (18 weeks)
4. ABBA - 6 (17 weeks)
5. UB40 - 5 (23 weeks)
Top #1s 1975-2006
1. 'Rivers Of Babylon' - Boney M in 1978 (28 weeks on the chart, 14 at #1)
2. 'Wasted Days And Wasted Nights' - Freddie Fender in1975 (38 weeks, 12 at #1)
3. 'Stand Up'/'Not Many' – Scribe in 2003 (24 weeks, 12 at #1)
4. Axel F - 'Crazy Frog' in 2005 (33 weeks, 11 at #1)
5. 'Can't Help Falling In Love' - UB40 in 1993 (23 weeks, 11 at #1)
Top #1s by Kiwis 1975-2006
1. 'Stand Up'/'Not Many' - Scribe in 2003 (12 weeks at #1)
2. 'Sailing Away' - All Of Us in 1986 (9 weeks)
3. 'Slice Of Heaven' - Dave Dobbyn & Herbs in 1986 (8 weeks)
4. 'Moonshine' - Savage featuring Akon in 2005 (7 weeks)
5. 'They Can't Take That Away' - Ben Lummis 2004 (7 weeks)
Thanks to www.radioscope.co.nz for this story.
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