And so we venture on into 1988, 1998 and 2008 to see what 45s were sitting at the top of the UK indie charts on the 1st day of each month. This, remember, was the rundown that had been created in 1980 to recognise sales on minor labels, albeit the majors were proving increasingly adept at exploiting loopholes and enabling mainstream artists to somehow qualify for inclusion.
1987 had ended with New Order enjoying a six-week run at the top and they were succeeded in the new year by Depeche Mode‘s 20th single, Behind The Wheel. It, however, lasted just one week at the top before being replaced by this
1 February 1988 : mp3 : The Beatmasters feat. Cookie Crew – Rock Da House
Issued by Rhythm King Records, it was the re-release of a song that had proven to be hugely popular in the clubs in the summer of 87 and is one of the earliest examples of a UK act successfully delivering hip house. I’m quite sure Swiss Adam would have shaken his ass and other parts of his body to this back in the day…
1 February 1998 : mp3 : Oasis – All Around The World
The early love that many had for Oasis had disappeared on the back of the release of the appalling and overblown album Be Here Now. Not that they cared, and indeed releasing a third single from the album was a real two-fingered gesture at the critics…especially one that clocked in at almost ten minutes in length. Worth mentioning that it also reached #1 in the actual singles chart thus becoming the longest number one single in UK history; it was also the last Oasis single to be released on Creation and thus the last time they would be eligible for the indie chart.
1 February 2008 : Adele – Chasing Pavements
The first three indie #1s in 2008 were by The White Stripes, British Sea Power and Madness. The rise to the summit by Adele is the result of her singles and albums being issued by XL Recordings, a bona-fide independent operation who struck gold with the signing of the then teenage singer-songwriter. I do understand and acknowledge why it is that she has been so successful (she has sold in excess of 100 million records worldwide), but I’m not posting this, or indeed any of her others songs (as it is inevitable she will feature in future look backs at the indie hits); for one, I don’t have any of her stuff; for two, I’m a music snob.
Tune in on 1 March for the next instalment.
THE NEW VINYL VILLAIN 
You don’t have any Adele, that surprises me.
Have to admit I to some extent actually do enjoy Be Here Now by Oasis because it’s so – overblown…
I’m not a huge Adele fan either, though like you I understand and respect her Number One position in recent years. (I’d probably like her songs more if it wasn’t for the awful, flat production that mires so much contemporary pop music.)
That said… I’d far rather listen to Chasing Pavements than anything by Oasis or the Beatmasters / Cookie Crew any day of the week.
Rolling In the deep by Adele is a cracking record. And her signing and then staying with XL makes her far more indie than most. And her success means labels like XL can continue relatively independently.
I had that Beatmasters/Cookie Crew 12″ believe it or not. ‘Be Here How’ was released on the very day my firstborn was thrust upon the world, a date immortalised on covcer art of said record. It isn’t surprising therefore that I have a soft spot for it. Adele? You know what I think. It doesn’t bear repeating…
sorry….I should have said in the piece that her staying on XL Records does help the label support smaller artists who don’t shift much product which is something I applaud and admire. It’s similar to Depeche Mode staying with Mute all these years and allowing money to be churned into some of the weird and obscure stuff that Daniel Miller has backed throughout his time as label boss.
I’m not always convinced by ‘mediocre double album would make ‘good single album’ discussions, but in the case of ‘Be Here Now’ I’d say that there’s a good case to be made. And unlike other examples, no tracks would have to be sacrificed. Just cut out the excess padding and edit all of them down to around 3½ minutes each.
we’re all music snobs, that’s why we like it here
So by default Adele is as an indie as Depeche Mode.
KT.
All Round Ten World is one of the worst records by anyone, ever, never mind Oasis. An absolutely shocking pile of Beatles copyist, written to rhyme, shite. The rest of Be Here Now must be better- but I’ve never heard it all the way through so can’t comment.
KT….no default about it.
Adele is as indie as any other act on her label, on Mute, on Domino or the likes.
Her music, however, is as far away as imaginable as most folk would associate as being released on an independent label.
The Adele song is better than the Oasis one
I meant to say I loved Rock Da House at the time, still have it on 12″ in the indies cupboard, not on the dance shelves funnily enough.
The Jamie xx mix of Rolling in the Deep is the one to go for but you all knew that anyway.
@Charity Chic…. yesssss. I agree.
JC I am so glad you are sticking with this. The contrast between the decades is fascinating, *especially* when the chart gets contaminated by majors.
-e