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
18/02/1982
Mike Read presents the pop chart show. Includes appearances from Toni Basil, Madness, UB40, Tight Fit, the Jam, Robert Palmer, George Benson and Jets.
21-02-2025
BBC 4
24/02/1977
Noel Edmonds presents the pop chart programme, first broadcast on 24 February 1977 and featuring Racing Cars, Barbara Dickson, Leo Sayer, The Real Thing, Heatwave, Bryan Ferry, ...
21-02-2025
BBC 4
23/05/1997
Mark Radcliffe and Marc Riley present the pop chart programme, first broadcast on 23 May 1997 and featuring No Mercy, Placebo, Skunk Anansie, Katrina & The Waves, The Rembrandts ...
21-02-2025
BBC 4
16/05/1997
Dannii Minogue presents the pop chart programme, first broadcast on 16 May 1997 and featuring North & South, Brownstone, Sinead O'Connor, Damage, Katrina & The Waves, Mary J Bli ...
21-02-2025
BBC 4
14/02/1985
Simon Bates and Janice Long present the pop chart programme, first broadcast on 14 February 1985. Featuring Dead Or Alive, The Colour Field, Killing Joke, The Smiths, and Elaine ...
14-02-2025
BBC 4
16/02/1978
David 'Kid' Jensen presents the pop chart programme, first broadcast on 16 February 1978 and featuring The Tom Robinson Band, Kate Bush, Elkie Brooks, Magazine, Darts, Billy Joe ...
14-02-2025
BBC 4
09/05/1997
Jo Whiley presents the pop chart programme, first broadcast on 9 May 1997 and featuring Katrina & The Waves, The Seahorses, George Michael, Mansun, 911, Jamiroquai, Blackstreet, ...
14-02-2025
BBC 4
02/05/1997
Cathy Dennis presents the pop chart programme, first broadcast on 2 May 1997 and featuring D:Ream, Robbie Williams, 911, The Cardigans, DJ Quicksilver, Shola Ama, Kenickie, Repu ...
14-02-2025
BBC 4
05/02/1987
Janice Long and John Peel present the pop chart programme, first broadcast on 5 February 1987. Featuring The Blow Monkeys, Randy Crawford, The Smiths, Curiosity Killed the Cat, ...
07-02-2025
BBC 4
05/02/1981
Simon Bates introduces the pop programme, featuring Joe Dolce, the Stray Cats, the Passions, Coast to Coast, Rainbow, Blondie, Spandau Ballet, Cliff Richard, Dire Straits, XTC a ...
07-02-2025
BBC 4
01/01/1987
Gary Davies presents the pop chart programme, first broadcast on 1 January 1987, featuring Status Quo, a-ha, Alison Moyet, Elkie Brooks, Gary Moore, Spitting Image and Madonna.
03-01-2025
BBC 4
04/04/1985
Richard Skinner and Simon Bates present the pop chart programme, first broadcast on 4 April 1985. Featuring Glenn Frey, Phyllis Nelson, The Cool Notes, David Grant & Jaki Graham ...
10-02-2018
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
14/02/1985
Simon Bates and Janice Long present the pop chart programme, first broadcast on 14 February 1985. Featuring Dead Or Alive, The Colour Field, Killing Joke, The Smiths, and Elaine ...
14-02-2025
BBC 4
02/06/1977
Noel Edmonds looks at the weekly pop chart from 1977 and introduces Elkie Brooks, the Muppets, Twiggy, Jesse Green, Hot Chocolate, The Strawbs, Genesis, The Four Seasons, Heatwa ...
02-06-2023
BBC 4
01/09/1977
Tony Blackburn presents the pop chart programme, first broadcast on 1 September 1977 and featuring Hudson Ford, Elvis Costello, Joe Dolan, David Essex, Steve Gibbons Band, Elkie ...
30-08-2024
BBC 4
07/11/1991
Mark Franklin and Elayne Smith present the pop chart programme, first broadcast on 7 November 1991 and featuring The Justified Ancients of Mu Mu, Crowded House, K-Klass, Belinda ...
08-11-2024
BBC 4
16/02/1978
David 'Kid' Jensen presents the pop chart programme, first broadcast on 16 February 1978 and featuring The Tom Robinson Band, Kate Bush, Elkie Brooks, Magazine, Darts, Billy Joe ...
14-02-2025
BBC 4
20/04/1989
Nicky Campbell and Sybil Ruscoe present the pop chart programme, first broadcast on 20 April 1989 and featuring Transvision Vamp, Inner City, Holly Johnson, Metallica, Midnight ...
21-04-2023
BBC 4
09/05/1997
Jo Whiley presents the pop chart programme, first broadcast on 9 May 1997 and featuring Katrina & The Waves, The Seahorses, George Michael, Mansun, 911, Jamiroquai, Blackstreet, ...
14-02-2025
BBC 4