The early 90s continued to be an interesting musical mix on the long-running pop music show. Still getting used to its new TV home at Elstree, having been relaunched at the end of the previous year, shows were a mix of ravers and indie rockers rubbing shoulders with the popstars of the day, with the emergence of live satellite performances from across the globe upping the star quota on the weekly show.\n\nDance music was still dominating the charts, The Orb and The Shamen were causing chaos and controversy on the show with their performances and lyrics. New guitar groups were starting to make waves, with Manic Street Preachers debuting with lipstick, scissor kicks and bubbles. The Wedding Present releasing a single each month of the year, and Carter USM had a number one album. In a year of only 12 new number ones, the lowest since 1962, one of the biggest sellers was duo Shakespears Sister with their gothic anthem Stay. Throw in Stereo MC's, Wet Wet Wet and Crowded House and you have tales of performing chess on the show, crashing the Eastenders set, the emergence of Take That and the shift to live singing on the show.\n\nContributors include Nicky Wire and James Dean Bradfield of Manic Street Preachers, Mr C from The Shamen, Rob Birch, Nick Hallam and Cath Coffey of Stereo MC's, Siobhan Fahey and Marcella Detroit, Marti Pellow and Graeme Clark of Wet Wet Wet, David Gedge of The Wedding Present, Alex Patterson of The Orb, Nick Seymour of Crowded House, Jim Bob and Fruitbat of Carter the Unstoppable Sex Machine, journalist Sian Pattenden and presenter Tony Dortie.
Source: BBC 4
23/12/1982
David Jensen presents the weekly chart show, first broadcast on 23 December 1982. Includes appearances from The Maisonettes, David Bowie & Bing Crosby, Incantation, Shakin' Stev ...
20-12-2024
BBC 4
17/12/1981
Simon Bates presents the pop charts show, first broadcast on 17 December 1981. Includes appearances from Duran Duran, Godley & Creme, the Snowmen, Cliff Richard, Rod Stewart, St ...
20-12-2024
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.
20-12-2024
BBC 4
25/12/1993
Mark Franklin and Tony Dortie present a Christmas Special of the pop chart programme, first broadcast on 25 December 1993 and featuring 2 Unlimited, Snow, The Bluebells, Ace of ...
19-12-2024
BBC 4
Christmas 2002
Richard Blackwood and Lisa Snowdon present the pop chart programme's Christmas special from 2002, with the year's top-selling singles and the Christmas Number One. Including per ...
18-12-2024
BBC 4
Xmas 1978
Noel Edmonds presents a special Top of the Pops from 1978, with Darts, Abba, Boney M, Brotherhood of Man, Father Abraham, Bee Gees, Brian and Michael, Wings and Showaddywaddy.
17-12-2024
BBC 4
25/12/1985
Gary Davies, Janice Long, Dixie Peach, John Peel and Steve Wright present the most popular hits of 1985, with stars in the studio and on video, first broadcast on 25 December 1985.
16-12-2024
BBC 4
12/12/1991
Tony Dortie and Claudia Simon present the pop chart programme, first broadcast on 12 December 1991 and featuring Cathy Dennis, Digital, Cliff Richard, Kym Sims, Salt 'N' Pepa, R ...
13-12-2024
BBC 4
11/12/1980
Richard Skinner presents the pop show, with performances from Adam and the Ants, the Stray Cats, Status Quo, Queen, ABBA and the Police. Guests include Gary Numan, and there's a ...
13-12-2024
BBC 4
Christmas Special 1995
Bjork and Jack Dee introduce the biggest-selling songs of 1995, plus the Christmas Day Number One.
13-12-2024
BBC 4
The Story Of 1999
On the cusp of the new millennium, the BBC’s long-running music show continued to offer all the best pop music every week on the nation’s TV screens. In this final l ...
28-05-2022
BBC 4
23/05/1991
Gary Davies presents the pop chart programme, first broadcast on 23 May 1991 and featuring T'Pau, Simple Minds and Deacon Blue.
30-07-2021
BBC 4
The Story Of 1988
1988 – and while Top of the Pops celebrates its Silver Jubilee (that’s 25 years, folks!), a new showrunner brings the show to an ever younger audience with lively ne ...
27-03-2021
BBC 4
01/06/1995
Mark Goodier presents the pop chart programme, first broadcast on 1 June 1995 and featuring Reef, Curtis Stigers, Baby D, Therapy?, Radiohead, Pulp, Ladysmith Black Mambazo & Ch ...
17-11-2023
BBC 4
05/05/1994
Simon Mayo presents the pop chart programme, first broadcast on 5 May 1994 and featuring Evan Dando, Killing Joke, The Cranberries, C. J. Lewis, the Manchester United Football S ...
10-03-2023
BBC 4
11/02/1982
Tommy Vance presents the pop chart show, first broadcast on 11 February 1982. Includes appearances from Fun Boy Three & Bananarama, the Stranglers, Bow Wow Wow, Adrian Gurvitz, ...
09-02-2024
BBC 4
24/04/1980
Steve Wright presents chart hits of the week, with performances from Smokie, Paul McCartney, the Cure, Elvis Costello & the Attractions, Sky, Sad Cafe, Cockney Rejects, Bad Mann ...
26-04-2024
BBC 4
04/03/1982
David Jensen presents the pop chart show, first broadcast on 4 March 1982. Includes appearances by Toni Basil, Tight Fit, Gary Numan, ABC (with Anne Dudley), Jets, Madness and Zoo.
20-02-2018
BBC 4
31/03/1983
Steve Wright and Richard Skinner present the pop chart programme, first broadcast on 31 March 1983. Featuring New Order, The Style Council, Mari Wilson, U2, Kajagoogoo, Tracey U ...
29-03-2024
BBC 4
21/11/1991
Steve Anderson and Mark Franklin present the pop chart programme, first broadcast on 21 November 1991 and featuring Bizarre Inc, M People, Michael Bolton, Love Decade, Scorpions ...
12-11-2021
BBC 4