r/UKRetroCharts

New entry: 58

Neon Knights - Black Sabbath

https://youtu.be/8pXLQF7Tdkc?si=CVCtD5LaqD_g2ZYC

Peak: 22 | Weeks: 9

Album: Heaven And Hell

A total rebirth for the heavy metal legends. This is the debut appearance of Ronnie James Dio on a Sabbath single, replacing Ozzy Osbourne and injecting a fresh, galloping energy into the band’s sound.

The riffs are faster and the vocals are soaring, signaling a new "Heaven and Hell" era that proved Black Sabbath were far from finished. This chart run was a triumphant return to form, showing that even the veterans could adapt to the changing musical landscape of the 80s.

New entry: 72

Do You Dream In Colour - Bill Nelson

https://youtu.be/gFU60VtI\_70?si=BagAA4ClZ2usSODZ

Peak: 52 | Weeks: 4

Album: Quit Dreaming And Get On The Beam

Bill Nelson, formerly of Be-Bop Deluxe, makes a solo splash here with a track that feels like a neon-lit dreamscape.

It’s a masterclass in the transition from 70s guitar virtuosity to 80s electronic experimentation. This isn't just a random appearance; it’s a sophisticated piece of New Wave that narrowly missed the Top 50 but gained a massive cult following. The song’s shimmering production and Nelson’s distinctive vocal style make it one of those "hidden gems" of the 1980 chart.

New entry: 61

Wednesday Week - The Undertones

https://youtu.be/8DGvJSuoI3A?si=k2ZHSAiIywQrUeeI

Peak: 11 | Weeks: 9

Album: Hypnotised

The pride of Derry returns with a more melodic, slightly melancholic turn compared to the high-energy "My Perfect Cousin."

This follow-up showed a band maturing rapidly, moving away from pure punk into a sophisticated guitar-pop sound. It hovered just outside the Top 10, proving that Feargal Sharkey’s unique warble still had a firm grip on the British public's heartstrings. It’s a quintessential "mid-period" hit for the band before they eventually drifted towards more soul-influenced sounds.

New entry: 74

Sleepwalk - Ultravox

https://youtu.be/1G0LH3mR1o0?si=l8gHdhuaz1ONtWu5

Peak: 29 | Weeks: 11

Album: Vienna

This entry marks a pivotal "relaunch" for the band, being the first single to feature Midge Ure after the departure of John Foxx. It’s a fascinating moment in chart history, as the band sheds their art-punk skin for a sleeker, synthesizer-heavy sound that would eventually define the decade.

Interestingly, "Sleepwalk" fought its way into the Top 30, proving that the gamble on a new frontman, and a colder electronic aesthetic was exactly what the record-buying public were looking for.

Great SAS Missions – The Iranian Embassy Siege

This gripping retrospective dives deep into the high-stakes atmosphere of May 1980, stripping away the polish of modern recreations to reveal the raw, claustrophobic reality of the six-day standoff at 16 Princes Gate.

While the documentary itself is a later production, it masterfully reconstructs the tension of a Britain on the brink, culminating in those seventeen minutes of surgical chaos known as Operation Nimrod. Through a combination of grainy archival newsreel and firsthand accounts, the documentary captures the exact moment the shadowy figures of the SAS leaped from the balconies and into the global consciousness, transforming a quiet South Kensington afternoon into a definitive flashpoint of the new decade. It serves as a stark reminder of how a single event redefined counter-terrorism and left an indelible mark on the nation’s psyche.

https://youtu.be/6pGS4J7rS6A?si=sFH1\_N3QWQh6W5Cm

New entry: 63

Babooshka - Kate Bush

https://youtu.be/6xckBwPdo1c?si=0ocTnzglO6RwjVfL

Peak: 5 | Weeks: 10

Album: Never For Ever

Kate Bush continues her run of literary-inspired hits with this dramatic tale of a wife testing her husband's loyalty.

It’s a significant follow-up hit that saw Kate embracing the Fairlight CMI synthesizer, creating a sound that was both avant-garde and immensely catchy. The music video, features Kate in various elaborate costumes, cementing her status as the UK’s premier female art-pop pioneer.

New entry: 57

DK 50-80 - John Otway and Wild Willy Barrett

https://youtu.be/vZ1yTaeOMMM?si=1pCLDENzV27vUgaZ

Peak: 45 | Weeks: 4

Album: Way & Bar

The eccentric duo strikes again! After their 1977 hit "Really Free," John Otway—the self-proclaimed "rock-and-roll casualty"—and his long-suffering partner Wild Willy Barrett returned with this quirky, frantic number. It’s a quintessential cult appearance; Otway’s chaotic energy and Barrett’s musical precision make for a bizarre but endearing mix. While not a massive smash, it maintained their status as the lovable outsiders of the UK music scene.

New entry: 45

There There My Dear – Dexys Midnight Runners

https://youtu.be/3ZwWnXuB_eg?si=wsJst3NFLLG8GcPg

Peak: 7 | Weeks: 9

Album: Searching For The Young Soul Rebels

Hot on the heels of their massive Number 1 hit "Geno," Dexys Midnight Runners returned with this soul-infused manifesto.

Featuring Kevin Rowland’s distinctive vocal delivery and a blistering brass section, the song took aim at the "plastic" nature of the music scene. It was a massive success, soaring into the Top 10 and proving that the band’s unique "Northern Soul meets New Wave" sound was far more than a one-off fluke.

And that concludes the new entries for 12 July 1980.

A chart recap will follow soon.👍

UK top 40

1.	Xanadu - Olivia Newton-John & Electric Light Orchestra (LW 3) (W4)  
2.	Use It Up And Wear It Out - Odyssey (LW 12) (W4)  
3.	Jump To The Beat - Stacy Lattisaw (LW 6) (W5)  
4.	Crying - Don McLean (LW 1) (W10)  
5.	Cupid/I've Loved You For A Long Time - Detroit Spinners (LW 16) (W3)  
6.	Funkytown - Lipps Inc (LW 2) (W9)  
7.	My Way Of Thinking/I Think It's Going To Rain - UB40 (LW 8) (W5)  
8.	Everybody's Got To Learn Sometime - The Korgis (LW 5) (W8)  
9.	Could You Be Loved - Bob Marley & The Wailers (LW 21) (W4)  
10.	Simon Templar/Two Pints Of Lager And A Packet Of Crisps Please - Splodgenessabounds (LW 7) (W5)  
11.	Waterfalls - Paul McCartney (LW 11) (W4)  
12.	To Be Or Not To Be - B.A. Robertson (LW 9) (W7)  
13.	Back Together Again - Roberta Flack & Donny Hathaway (LW 4) (W9)  
14.	747 (Strangers In The Night) - Saxon (LW 19) (W4)  
15.	Behind The Groove - Teena Marie (LW 10) (W7)  
16.	Babooshka - Kate Bush (LW 63) (W2)  
17.	Play The Game - Queen (LW 14) (W5)  
18.	Love Will Tear Us Apart - Joy Division (LW 30) (W3)  
19.	Substitute - Liquid Gold (LW 13) (W7)  
20.	Emotional Rescue - The Rolling Stones (LW 56) (W2)  
21.	Chinatown - Thin Lizzy (LW 22) (W8)  
22.	More Than I Can Say - Leo Sayer (LW 51) (W2)  
23.	If Loving You Is Wrong (I Don't Want To Be Right) - Rod Stewart (LW 23) (W7)  
24.	Let's Hang On - Darts (LW 29) (W7)  
25.	Computer Game (Theme From The Invaders) - Yellow Magic Orchestra (LW 36) (W5)  
26.	Christine - Siouxsie And The Banshees (LW 24) (W6)  
27.	Midnite Dynamos - Matchbox (LW 17) (W10)  
28.	(I'm Not Your) Stepping Stone - The Sex Pistols (LW 34) (W5)  
29.	A Lover's Holiday/Glow Of Love - Change (LW 35) (W3)  
30.	Wednesday Week - The Undertones (LW 61) (W2)  
31.	Me Myself I - Joan Armatrading (LW 39) (W5)  
32.	Theme From MAS\*H (Suicide Is Painless) - Mash (LW 15) (W10)  
33.	Lip Up Fatty - Bad Manners (LW 37) (W5)  
34.	Neon Knights - Black Sabbath (LW 58) (W2)  
35.	King's Call - Phil Lynott (LW 43) (W4)  
36.	You Gave Me Love - Crown Heights Affair (LW 27) (W11)  
37.	Whole Lotta Rosie - AC/DC (LW 38) (W3)  
38.	Let's Get Serious - Jermaine Jackson (LW 18) (W10)  
39.	Messages - Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark (LW 20) (W10)  
40.	Fantasy - Gerard Kenny (LW 41) (W3)

Top 10 Review

Xanadu - Olivia Newton John & Electric Light Orchestra

https://youtu.be/cLi8fTlDEag?si=R7d81LCw\_wsRUSVm

Use It Up Wear It Out - Odyssey

https://youtu.be/lj\_BzlYdBoU?si=2rKLnwm\_fgzizAf3

Jump To The Beat - Stacy Lattisaw

https://youtu.be/Vtq4PMJvSI0?si=\_E-B43vR5u-jO4Vs

Crying - Don McLean

https://youtu.be/ud9tDPd1FL0?si=HclVvRQDb88zjBqJ

Cupid - Detroit Spinners

https://youtu.be/UNivPYAKplY?si=PBT3oBjEv9OPR3EO

Funkytown - Lipps Inc

https://youtu.be/R5rjYNLn0PA?si=GC\_cheUqjKDNAb-v

My Way Of Thinking/ I Think It’s Going To Rain

https://youtu.be/vPcsz4yHhoE?si=6CEcYLSE9t-BOHCr

https://youtu.be/Zsnsu2tgpR0?si=Rqbw8vAM2tD9wyIU

Everybody’s Got To Learn Sometime - The Korgis

https://youtu.be/kuuSlHw2Dw8?si=YRIeVZ8zUjfxnti4

Could You Be Loved - Bob Marley

https://youtu.be/sL\_BcaI0i0w?si=rJTb-zOXzsPJzXzU

Simon Templar/Two Pints Of Lager And A Packet Of Crisps Please - Splodgenessabounds

https://youtu.be/mZhPjznCPiY?si=7gcHCiUS591PldvQ

https://youtu.be/2tcZZHOL1fE?si=uMOawQ4TT1GeIulK

The summit sees a change of guard this week as Olivia Newton-John & ELO glide to #1 with "Xanadu," ending the three-week reign of Don McLean’s "Crying," which slips to #4. It’s a busy week for dancefloor anthems; Odyssey makes a massive leap from #12 to #2 with "Use It Up and Wear It Out," while Stacy Lattisaw continues her ascent, moving up three places to #3. The Detroit Spinners also make a significant move, surging from #16 to break into the Top 5.

On the downward trend, Lipps Inc falls four places to #6 after a long run near the top, and The Korgis dip three spots to #8. UB40 manages a slight gain, climbing one place to #7. Meanwhile, Bob Marley & The Wailers bring some summer heat to the Top 10, jumping from #21 to #9. Rounding out the tier is the novelty double-A side from Splodgenessabounds, which drops three places to #10.

Leaving the Top 10:
Roberta Flack & Donny Hathaway – "Back Together Again" (Down to #13)
B.A. Robertson – "To Be Or Not To Be" (Down to #12)
Teena Marie – "Behind The Groove" (Down to #15)

Chart Checkpoint

20: Emotional Rescue by Rolling Stones climbs from 56.

https://youtu.be/9iw\_BE\_X9sA?si=-85Pe73B25B5vihM

30: Wednesday Week by The Undertones climbing from 61.

https://youtu.be/8DGvJSuoI3A?si=x192jnuzneL4v2FH

40: Fantasy by Gerard Kenny enters the top 40, climbing from 41.

https://youtu.be/iG\_rp62LXsY?si=EkTv4K5EIs6tjmtB

Climbers

It is a week of massive momentum for some of the biggest names in music, with several future classics tearing up the lower half of the chart:
Babooshka - Kate Bush: The highest climber of the week, leaping a staggering 47 places from #63 to #16.

https://youtu.be/6xckBwPdo1c?si=diqJQVAdq4d51A-x

Emotional Rescue - The Rolling Stones: Making a huge splash in its second week, up 36 places to #20.

More Than I Can Say - Leo Sayer: A strong surge from the ballad specialist, up 29 places to #22.

https://youtu.be/GnIlo91CrBw?si=ivl2mxdnNac8VwR\_

Wednesday Week - The Undertones: The Derry lads are moving fast, jumping 31 places to #30.
Neon Knights - Black Sabbath: Ronnie James Dio-era Sabbath is finding its footing, climbing 24 places to #34.

https://youtu.be/8pXLQF7Tdkc?si=ymB0pAox8EElZNPL

Love Will Tear Us Apart - Joy Division: A bittersweet climb for the late Ian Curtis and company, moving up 12 places into the Top 20 at #18.

https://youtu.be/LS7CiL8MNb0?si=iCJOsk9ConVdGcog

Long Chart Runners

These tracks have shown incredible staying power, maintaining their presence in the Top 40 for 8 weeks or more:

Funkytown - Lipps Inc (9 Weeks)
Crying - Don McLean (10 Weeks)
Everybody's Got To Learn Sometime - The Korgis (8 Weeks)
Back Together Again - Roberta Flack & Donny Hathaway (9 Weeks)
Chinatown - Thin Lizzy (8 Weeks)

https://youtu.be/MUv8f2Mxrok?si=nwFhWHvuAaNrWRMF

Midnite Dynamos - Matchbox (10 Weeks)

https://youtu.be/E54mIBxa5yI?si=Y8d5xbs8bx-08RhF

Theme From MAS*H (Suicide Is Painless) - Mash (10 Weeks)
You Gave Me Love - Crown Heights Affair (11 Weeks)
Let's Get Serious - Jermaine Jackson (10 Weeks)
Messages - OMD (10 Weeks)

https://youtu.be/WXvlzUCB74o?si=VihrJqL7I9\_sBKjh

And that concludes 12 July 1980.

We pick up tomorrow with 19 July 1980.

I’ll leave you with this👍

https://youtu.be/EfCAHjm9ox0?si=ew-XpZ4rFALcP4U\_

New entry: 56

Ready an’ Willing – Whitesnake

https://youtu.be/GFk4VOlWkm4?si=tvj3u3TrQ4NmBTmv

Peak: 43 | Weeks: 4

Album: Ready an’ Willing

By mid-1980, David Coverdale’s Whitesnake were transitioning from a blues-rock outfit into a major force alongside the New Wave of British Heavy Metal.

The title track of their third studio album, "Ready an’ Willing," showcased the classic lineup including former Deep Purple members Jon Lord and Ian Paice. It arrived just as the band was becoming a fixture on the UK circuit, bridging the gap between '70s hard rock and the arena-filling sound they would perfect later in the decade.

New entry: 51

More Than I Can Say - Leo Sayer

https://youtu.be/GnIlo91CrBw?si=QYtf-eZUQu48gZUy

Peak: 2 | Weeks: 11

Album: Living In A Fantasy

Leo Sayer strikes gold by looking to the past, covering a 1960s track originally by The Crickets. This was a massive return to the Top 5 for Sayer, who had a knack for picking catchy "oldies" and giving them a contemporary soft-rock sheen. It eventually climbed all the way to number 2, held off the top spot only by the biggest hits of the summer. It’s a perfect example of how 1980 was a melting pot of futuristic synths and nostalgic pop revivals.

And that concludes all the new entries for early July 1980.

Strongest entries this week? Kate Bush, The Undertones, Ultravox and John Otway/Wild Willy Barrett.

Weakest entry of the week? Sorry Leo Sayer fans. Despite it being the highest this week(and will be the most successful in the coming weeks), I’ve never really liked this song.

Overall a strong week for new entries? Or maybe you disagree?

A chart recap will follow shortly.👍

Film Flashback: The Final Countdown (1980)

While we recently revisited Kirk Douglas in the neon-soaked sci-fi Saturn 3, this 1980 outing swaps deep space for the deep blue sea. Starring Douglas alongside Martin Sheen and James Farentino, the production is perhaps most famous for its incredible access to the USS Nimitz, providing a level of naval realism that CGI simply can't replicate.

Released in the summer of 1980, the film arrived during a period of renewed fascination with military scale and high-concept "what if" scenarios. Interestingly, the film wasn't just a Hollywood production; it served as a massive recruitment tool for the U.S. Navy, showcasing the F-14 Tomcats in action years before Top Gun would dominate the cultural zeitgeist. For U.K. audiences, it offered a sleek, high-budget spectacle that stood in stark contrast to the grittier, more grounded British dramas of the era.

The crew of the USS Nimitz were actually used as extras throughout the film. During the scenes where the crew is scrambled, those are real sailors performing their actual duties, which lends the film a documentary-like weight between the dramatic beats.

The dogfight scenes involving the F-14 Tomcats and the Japanese Mitsubishi A6M Zeros were performed by real pilots. In one shot, a Tomcat nearly stalled because it had to fly so slowly to stay behind the vintage propellers of the Zeros, leading to a hair-raising moment of real-life tension captured on film.

This marked one of the final major action-leading roles for Kirk Douglas. At 63 years old, he still commanded the screen with the same "Alpha" presence he brought to his earlier classics, bridging the gap between Old Hollywood grit and the 1980s blockbuster era.

https://youtu.be/cQWj26605gc?si=c12O5zcJ4HC7SGWp

New entry: 59

Oops Upside Your Head – The Gap Band

https://youtu.be/JlMIzAl_nDo?si=nY2gCAlKo9ysEsxi

Peak: 6 | Weeks: 14

Album: The Gap Band 2

This track introduced a rhythmic phenomenon to UK dance floors: the "rowing" dance. Built around a heavy, synthesized bassline and a repetitive, hypnotic hook, the song’s minimalist funk was a far cry from the lush orchestrations of the mid-70s.

It didn't just enter the charts; it became a cultural staple of weddings and parties for decades to come, eventually peaking at number 6 and spending over three months on the countdown.

The July 1980 strike is the "Great Void" of British pop history—a time when the BBC and the Musicians' Union were locked in a stalemate, leaving Top of the Pops viewers staring at blank screens while some of the era's biggest tunes were climbing the charts.

While we’ve just hit the July 19th chart in the sub, it’s worth pausing to pour one out for the artists who were absolutely robbed of their "Studio Moment" during this industrial action. Two names come up constantly in the "What If" department:

Kate Bush – "Babooshka"

Kate was at the height of her powers, and "Babooshka" peaked at No. 5 right in the middle of this strike. Usually, a Kate Bush TOTP performance was a national event involving interpretive dance, theatrical costumes, and enough dry ice to ground a 747.

Without that visual "oomph" beamed into every living room, many fans argue she was denied a run at the top spot. Instead of a high-art performance, fans mostly got a promo video. Could she have knocked ABBA or Olivia Newton-John off the summit? We’ll never know.

The Korgis – "Everybody’s Got to Learn Sometime"

This track is the ultimate "Summer of 1980" mood, also peaking at No. 5 during the blackout. It’s a beautifully melancholic record that practically begged for a moody, spotlight-heavy studio performance.

The Korgis are the poster boys for "Strike Victims." Without the weekly TOTP bump, the song stayed a massive radio hit but arguably missed out on the momentum needed to break into the Top 3.

In these pilot sessions, because the real bands weren't there, you’d often see a cameraman or a production assistant pretending to play the guitar for Saxon or sing for Leo Sayer. 😆

Enjoy 👍

https://youtu.be/osxZw4Bkxrc?si=R8RA59bzqlFN-pvw

New entry: 68

Barmy London Army - Charlie Harper

https://youtu.be/q99_7f4JmSY?si=-WtkzX3Y5uoMi6d8

Peak: 68 | Weeks: 1

Album: (Single only)

A gritty, football-chant-inspired solo outing from the UK Subs frontman, "Barmy London Army" is pure 1980 punk spirit. Released on the GEM label, it barely scratches the surface of the Top 75, lasting only one week.

It’s a fascinating moment where the subcultural "Barmy Army" identity was captured on vinyl, predating the term's later association with cricket by over a decade.

New entry: 31

Upside Down - Diana Ross

https://youtu.be/Po0BbGMSX4g?si=sOVewMfTd_ZEaX5T

Peak: 2 | Weeks: 12

Album: Diana

The highest new entry this week is a certified monster. Diana Ross reinvented herself by handing the production reins to Chic’s Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards. The result is a minimalist, staccato funk masterpiece that sounds like nothing else on the radio.

Despite the "Upside Down" nature of the recording process—Diana famously clashed with the producers over the vocal mix—the track became one of the biggest hits of her entire career, narrowly missing the top spot in the UK.

A chart recap will follow tomorrow. 👍

As we move toward the height of the 1980 summer season, "Private Life" stands as a monument to the shifting tides of the UK charts.

While the summer often demands breezy pop, Grace Jones arrived with something far more enigmatic. This track marked the moment she pivoted away from the mirror-ball glitz of disco toward the sparse, menacing 'Compass Point' sound.

Backed by the legendary rhythm section of Sly Dunbar and Robbie Shakespeare, Jones transformed a Pretenders song into a piece of futuristic dub-reggae. It wasn't just a single; it was a statement of intent that would define the "cool" of the early eighties, bringing a touch of Caribbean heat and avant-garde detachment to the British Top 75.

https://youtu.be/kn2kZZZ5zHQ?si=6I0DpQGO2rf\_nFr2

Welcome back everyone. It’s the second week of July 1980.👍

New entry: 73

Paint It Black – Mo-dettes

https://youtu.be/yq2zNhhL-l0?si=ES5WLwJ1X8AhfI1s

Peak: 42 | Weeks: 5

Album: The Story So Far

Landing on the chart for the very first time, the Modettes arrived as part of the vibrant post-punk and mod revival scene that was sweeping through the UK.

This debut single saw the all-female quartet taking on the Rolling Stones' 1966 classic, stripping away the sitar-heavy psychedelia of the original and replacing it with a sharp, jittery energy typical of the late '70s and early '80s London club circuit. It served as a perfect introduction to their "white-label" aesthetic before they eventually moved toward more pop-oriented sounds later in their short-lived career.

New entry: 50

9 to 5 - Sheena Easton

https://youtu.be/S_3vZYOYNYU?si=5F_yJp9VI15PIPqm

Peak: 3 | Weeks: 15

Album: Take My Time

The "Modern Girl" herself returns. Thanks to the BBC documentary The Big Time, which followed her quest for stardom, Sheena Easton has become a household name almost overnight. "9 to 5" is the track that truly launches her into the stratosphere, eventually peaking at #3.

To avoid confusion with Dolly Parton’s movie theme of the same name, the song was later retitled "Morning Train (Nine to Five)" for the US market, where it went all the way to #1.

New entry: 47

Are You Getting Enough of What Makes You Happy - Hot Chocolate

https://youtu.be/vbn49_XOK6g?si=eaZl8Nh2HU2la8Pn

Peak: 17 | Weeks: 7

Album: Class

Errol Brown and the boys continue their incredible run of consistency with this bouncy, mid-tempo groove.

In July 1980, Hot Chocolate followed their massive spring hit “No Doubt About It”, with this track—released to help promote their “Class” album. It's a classic RAK Records production: polished, catchy, and tailor-made for Radio 1 airplay. The album also features a cover version of The Police’s “Walking on the Moon”.