News 17 May 2018

ARIA Charts Throwback: 19 May 1996

Looking for some education? Check out what was making waves on the Singles Chart 22 years ago!

ARIA Charts Throwback: 19 May 1996

Looking for some education? Check out what was making waves on the Singles Chart 22 years ago!

During 1996’s fifth month, Manchester United won their ninth FA Cup, beating Liverpool 1-0; Alicia Machado of Venezuela took out the Miss Universe pageant; and Australia introduced its nationwide ban on the private possession of automatic and semi-automatic rifles.

In music, Ireland’s Eimear Quinn took out the 41st Eurovision Song Contest with ‘The Voice’ and future stars Normani Kordei, Martin Garrix and Birdy were born.

At the top of the ARIA Singles Chart, a British superstar reigned with an ode to instant gratification.

10. Babylon Zoo - Spaceman

British rock band Babylon Zoo scored their only hit on the ARIA Singles Chart when ‘Spaceman’ peaked at #3 in March 1996. In the UK, where it was used in an advertising campaign for Levi’s jeans, it spent five straight weeks at #1.

9. 3T - Anything

Featuring the three sons of Tito Jackson of The Jackson 5, 3T were signed to their Uncle Michael’s label MJJ Music. Of the trio’s four Top 50 entries in 1996/7, ‘Anything’ was their biggest hit, peaking at #5.

8. Max-A-Million - Sexual Healing

With their cover of Marvin Gaye’s 1982 classic ‘Sexual Healing’, American trio Max-A-Million took out their only entry on the ARIA Singles Chart. Their version peaked at #5, one spot below Gaye’s original.

7. Boyzone - Father & Son

Irish boyband Boyzone achieved their first and highest entry on the ARIA Singles Chart with a cover of Cat Stevens’ ‘Father & Son’. While Stevens’ original peaked at #18 in Australia in 1971, Boyzone’s version peaked at #2 in April 1996.

6. 2Pac - California Love

The only ARIA Singles Chart entry for rapper 2Pac during his lifetime was with the Dr Dre-featured ‘California Love’. The track peaked at #4 in April 1996, less than five months before 2Pac was fatally shot in a drive-by shooting. He would score a posthumous #1 single with ‘Ghetto Gospel’ (#1 Aug. ’05).

5. Everything But The Girl - Missing (The Remix EP)

Originally released on Everything But The Girl’s eighth album, Amplified Heart, ‘Missing’ received the remix treatment from American house producer Todd Terry and became the British duo’s biggest hit. It marked the band’s transition from indie pop to a more electronic sound.

4. Triple X - X-Files Theme

The TV series The X-Files was so popular in 1996 that two versions of the show’s iconic theme tune charted in the ARIA Top 50. While the original version by composer Mark Snow only managed to peak at #27, a dance remix by Triple X peaked at #2 in June 1996.

3. Alanis Morissette - Ironic

Alanis Morissette’s Jagged Little Pill was one of the biggest albums in the world in 1996/97. In Australia, it spent 100 weeks in the Top 50, including ten weeks at #1 and took out #1 on the 1996 ARIA End Of Year Albums Chart. The album spawned six Top 50 singles, including two Top Tens. Peaking at #3 for two weeks, ‘Ironic’ remains Morissette’s highest-charting single in Australia.

2. OMC - How Bizarre

The only hit for New Zealand duo OMC spent five weeks at #1 in April/May 1996. As well as topping the charts on both sides of the Tasman, it was #1 in Canada and it went Top Five in the UK, Germany, Sweden, Switzerland and on several US radio charts.

1. George Michael - Fastlove

The fifth and final #1 on the ARIA Singles Chart for George Michael came when ‘Fastlove’ spent four weeks in the top spot during May and June 1996. It was the late British star’s second consecutive chart-topper, following ‘Jesus To A Child’ (#1 Jan. ’96). Both tracks came from Michael’s third solo studio album, Older (#1 May ’96). Accredited Platinum, ‘Fastlove’ spent eleven weeks in the Top Ten and 18 weeks in the Top 50. George Michael also hit #1 on the ARIA Singles Chart under his own name with ‘Careless Whisper’ (#1 Sept. ’84), ‘Faith’ (#1 Jan. ’88) and the duet with Aretha Franklin ‘I Knew You Were Waiting For Me’ (#1 Mar. ’87). As a member of Wham!, he spent seven weeks at #1 with ‘Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go’ in mid-1984.