r/UKRetroCharts

New Entry: 68

Summer Fun – The Barracudas

https://youtu.be/6V-IenNXjvk?si=14Agnl7ssr8N7rZV

Peak: 37 | Weeks: 6

Album: Drop Out with The Barracudas

The ultimate sun-drenched, surf-punk crossover hits the UK charts! Pumping out a hyperactive blend of Brian Wilson-style harmonies and absolute Ramones aggression, the London-based 4-piece scored their one and only Top 40 hit with this brilliant nod to California beach culture. Complete with a tongue-in-cheek intro mimicking a classic US radio ad, it arrived as the perfect soundtrack for the British mid-August heatwave.

New Entry: 4

Ashes to Ashes – David Bowie

https://youtu.be/HyMm4rJemtI?si=vi5HNCBcIKriOqEE

Peak: 1 | Weeks: 10

Album: Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps)

The highest new entry this week:

Crashing into the chart at Number 4, this isn't just a new entry—it is a seismic cultural event. While we will dive deep into its musical legacy next week when it inevitably claims the crown, this week belongs to the visual revolution.

The promotional film for "Ashes to Ashes" is a staggering masterpiece that completely rewrote the rulebook for what a music video could be. Directed by David Mallet and Bowie himself, it was the most expensive music video ever made up to this point, costing a then-unheard-of £250,000. Utilizing cutting-edge solarized color effects, it features Bowie as a haunting, melancholic Pierrot clown walking alongside a giant bulldozer, interspersed with stark, dystopian imagery featuring key figures from London's burgeoning Blitz Kid / New Romantic scene (including a young Steve Strange). It didn't just promote a single; it provided the definitive visual blueprint for the MTV generation and the entire decade ahead.

A chart recap will follow later. 👍

New Entry: 44

Circus Games – Skids

https://youtu.be/FWwYeD3q9g8?si=FatsQ_UkQHF6vTDx

Peak: 32 | Weeks: 7

Album: The Absolute Game

The Scottish post-punk masters return with their signature brand of big, anthemic art-rock, driven by Stuart Adamson's unmistakable, ringing guitar work and Richard Jobson's passionate, soaring vocals. Featuring a brilliant, driving kids' choir hook on the chorus, "Circus Games" gave the band another solid Top 40 hit from their highly anticipated third album. It beautifully captured their transition from raw punk energy toward a grander, widescreen sonic landscape.

New Entry: 70

Eighth Day – Hazel O’Connor

https://youtu.be/O-c99rkQlV0?si=rzkfWZa6Qrw_hfrl

Peak: 5 | Weeks: 11

Album: Breaking Glass (Soundtrack)

Fresh off the success of the film Breaking Glass, Hazel O'Connor rocketed straight into the charts with this dystopian synth-pop masterpiece, ultimately securing a stellar Number 5 peak. Far from being a one-hit wonder, this track cemented her status as one of 1980's most striking new talents, kickstarting a highly successful run of Top 40 singles over the next year. It proved that her cinematic persona translated perfectly into genuine, cold-hard chart success.

Any fans of The Bill will notice Jim Carver on stage🤣

https://youtu.be/vI8AOkbfgNE?si=Jo2ajYCEEYI7mYDs

Freshly landing in record shops this very week, Paul Weller and co. are preparing to unleash another seismic shakeup on the U.K. landscape.

The immediate standout here is the rhythmic foundation. Built entirely around a driving, heavy-grooving bassline and sharp, staccato guitar chops that unashamedly pay homage to The Beatles’ "Taxman," the track feels lean, taut, and instantly memorable. Combined with a sharp, punchy horn section and Weller's urgent vocal delivery, it is a masterclass in concise, high-energy songwriting that clocks in at a breathless two minutes and sixteen seconds.

Shall we pop down to Sainsbury's everyone?

New Entry: 60

Bankrobber – The Clash

https://youtu.be/ttJBdr6eBuo?si=QbJC34Do_hbpxK89

Peak: 12 | Weeks: 10

Album: Standalone Single (Later compiled on Black Market Clash)

Making the highest and most significant impact on the chart this week are London’s own punk rock icons, crashing straight in at number 60 with a dub-reggae classic.

Recorded during the legendary London Calling sessions but kept back as a standalone single, "Bankrobber" showcases the band’s brilliant ongoing sonic evolution away from pure punk rock, toward Jamaican roots rhythms. The release itself was a bit of a battleground; their record label CBS initially refused to release it in the UK, forcing fans to buy expensive imports from Europe until the label finally relented and pressed it domestically. The instant chart entry proves exactly who won that argument, setting the stage for another major Clash hit.

A chart recap will follow soon. 👍

UK Top 40

1.	The Winner Takes It All - ABBA (LW 9) (W2)  
2.	Upside Down - Diana Ross (LW 3) (W4)  
3.	Use It Up and Wear It Out - Odyssey (LW 1) (W8)  
4.	More Than I Can Say - Leo Sayer (LW 2) (W6)  
5.	9 to 5 - Sheena Easton (LW 20) (W4)  
6.	Babooshka - Kate Bush (LW 5) (W6)  
7.	Oops Upside Your Head - The Gap Band (LW 18) (W5)  
8.	Could You Be Loved - Bob Marley & The Wailers (LW 6) (W8)  
9.	Oh Yeah (On The Radio) - Roxy Music (LW 30) (W2)  
10.	Give Me The Night - George Benson (LW 22) (W3)  
11.	There There My Dear - Dexys Midnight Runners (LW 7) (W5)  
12.	Wednesday Week - The Undertones (LW 11) (W6)  
13.	Xanadu - Olivia Newton-John and Electric Light Orchestra (LW 4) (W8)  
14.	Mariana - Gibson Brothers (LW 23) (W5)  
15.	Lip Up Fatty - Bad Manners (LW 15) (W9)  
16.	Funkin' For Jamaica (N.Y.) - Tom Browne (LW 24) (W4)  
17.	Jump To The Beat - Stacy Lattisaw (LW 8) (W9)  
18.	Let's Hang On - Darts (LW 13) (W11)  
19.	Emotional Rescue - The Rolling Stones (LW 12) (W6)  
20.	Cupid/I've Loved You For A Long Time - Detroit Spinners (LW 10) (W7)  
21.	Are You Getting Enough Of What Makes You Happy - Hot Chocolate (LW 27) (W4)  
22.	Love Will Tear Us Apart - Joy Division (LW 16) (W7)  
23.	A Lover's Holiday/Glow Of Love - Change (LW 17) (W7)  
24.	All Over The World - Electric Light Orchestra (LW 57) (W2)  
25.	Private Life - Grace Jones (LW 31) (W3)  
26.	Tom Hark - The Piranhas (LW 56) (W2)  
27.	Computer Game (Theme From The Invaders) - Yellow Magic Orchestra (LW 19) (W9)  
28.	Me Myself I - Joan Armatrading (LW 21) (W9)  
29.	Feels Like I'm In Love - Kelly Marie (LW 61) (W2)  
30.	Does She Have A Friend? - Gene Chandler (LW 28) (W7)  
31.	Sanctuary - New Musik (LW 33) (W5)  
32.	Burnin' Hot - Jermaine Jackson (LW 32) (W3)  
33.	Sleepwalk - Ultravox (LW 34) (W6)  
34.	My Way Of Thinking/I Think It's Going To Rain - UB40 (LW 14) (W9)  
35.	Burning Car - John Foxx (LW 36) (W4)  
36.	Neon Knights - Black Sabbath (LW 26) (W6)  
37.	The Sunshine Of Your Smile - Mike Berry (LW 48) (W2)  
38.	My Girl - The Whispers (LW 29) (W5)  
39.	Free Me - Roger Daltrey (LW 68) (W2)  
40.	You Gotta Be A Hustler If You Wanna Get On - Sue Wilkinson (LW 70) (W2)

Top 10 Review

The Winner Takes It All - ABBA

https://youtu.be/92cwKCU8Z5c?si=eCqNr8X4gJDNmQ8r

Upside Down - Diana Ross

https://youtu.be/DvR9rOCiMrE?si=mZmZ3vQzaKM2sIY\_

Use It Up and Wear It Out - Odyssey

https://youtu.be/lj\_BzlYdBoU?si=pEDdBDpHrUHTaiv8

More Than I Can Say - Leo Sayer

https://youtu.be/GnIlo91CrBw?si=D6gIL0mnQver-WdZ

9 to 5 - Sheena Easton

https://youtu.be/a-YxuenXVQI?si=UPI2NTDLUC-G7KRs

Babooshka - Kate Bush

https://youtu.be/6xckBwPdo1c?si=nmKjtwshbxcKyFu4

Oops Upside Your Head - The Gap Band

https://youtu.be/k4aUEcRNE5w?si=YR6eqfQv2\_WI4f6r

Could You Be Loved - Bob Marley & The Wailers

https://youtu.be/sL\_BcaI0i0w?si=QyPUfgAyKamK5xOL

Oh Yeah - Roxy Music

https://youtu.be/i\_kMmHJDJeQ?si=6VTj8mN\_EEPtyxOf

Give Me The Night - George Benson

https://youtu.be/FIF7wKJb2iU?si=aR0-qsrL6GG5q01j

There's a massive shake-up at the very top of the charts this week as ABBA storms straight to Number 1 with The Winner Takes It All, jumping an incredible eight places from last week's position at number 9. This spectacular rise knocks Odyssey's Use It Up and Wear It Out down two places to Number 3, ending its reign at the summit.
Meanwhile, Diana Ross is hot on ABBA's heels, climbing one place to Number 2 with Upside Down. Sheena Easton makes a sensational leap into the top tier, flying fifteen spots from number 20 to Number 5 with 9 to 5. The Gap Band also enjoys a fruitful week, moving up eleven places to Number 7 with Oops Upside Your Head, while Roxy Music secures a new peak at Number 9, up twenty-one places with Oh Yeah (On The Radio). George Benson rounds out the new Top 10 entries, climbing twelve spots to land exactly at Number 10 with Give Me The Night.
On the losing side of the battle, Leo Sayer drops two places to Number 4 with More Than I Can Say, and Kate Bush slips one spot to Number 6 with Babooshka. Bob Marley & The Wailers are also on the retreat, dropping two places to Number 8 with Could You Be Loved.
As for who we've lost from last week's Top 10, Dexys Midnight Runners (There There My Dear), Olivia Newton-John & ELO (Xanadu), and Stacy Lattisaw (Jump To The Beat) have all been pushed down into the lower tier of the chart.

Chart Checkpoint

Number 20: Cupid/I've Loved You For A Long Time - Detroit Spinners (LW 10) | Dropping ten places after a strong run in the Top 10.

https://youtu.be/UNivPYAKplY?si=R9H-g1jL6lS39wvg

Number 30: Does She Have A Friend? - Gene Chandler (LW 28) | Dropping two places as it starts to lose momentum.

https://youtu.be/3XUTTbO41r0?si=66EghtW2vxXgK4RE

Number 40: You Gotta Be A Hustler If You Wanna Get On - Sue Wilkinson (LW 70) | Climbing a massive thirty places to secure the final spot in the Top 40.

https://youtu.be/rT0T6ErJEJU?si=WK8wO0PGDWGKdlm4

Climbers

The biggest headline-maker outside the Top 10 is Electric Light Orchestra, who rocket an astronomical thirty-three places to Number 24 with All Over The World.

https://youtu.be/CZGOECYAU\_8?si=ZT6V91k0cD4\_ey9q

Not far behind them are The Piranhas, whose catchy Tom Hark vaults thirty places up the chart to land at Number 26.

https://youtu.be/VpfcPe\_aFwk?si=rpQIQ5tBlZc-bAzZ

Kelly Marie is also making serious waves, with Feels Like I'm In Love surging thirty-two places forward to sit at Number 29.

https://youtu.be/1Wz\_9dVJ-Ew?si=3c6xB6t85Aa7nwyN

Further down, Mike Berry enjoys an eleven-place rise to Number 37 with The Sunshine Of Your Smile, while Roger Daltrey makes a strong statement by climbing twenty-nine spots to Number 39 with Free Me.

https://youtu.be/HUC3Kp0O0Z4?si=TdTfVB9FVtw7R6Tw

https://youtu.be/ebnHKtGUtUs?si=AQrL1y7JLjbS5oYL

Long Chart Runners

This week features a resilient pack of singles that refuse to budge easily, having survived 8 weeks or longer on the charts:
8 Weeks: Use It Up and Wear It Out - Odyssey (Number 3)
8 Weeks: Could You Be Loved - Bob Marley & The Wailers (Number 8)
8 Weeks: Xanadu - Olivia Newton-John and Electric Light Orchestra (Number 13)
9 Weeks: Lip Up Fatty - Bad Manners (Number 15)

https://youtu.be/LgLMO4dAImM?si=L7dcHDCEjQien-Nf

9 Weeks: Jump To The Beat - Stacy Lattisaw (Number 17)
11 Weeks: Let's Hang On - Darts (Number 18)
9 Weeks: Computer Game (Theme From The Invaders) - Yellow Magic Orchestra (Number 27)
9 Weeks: Me Myself I - Joan Armatrading (Number 28)
9 Weeks: My Way Of Thinking/I Think It's Going To Rain - UB40 (Number 34)

https://youtu.be/vPcsz4yHhoE?si=01ZRmXePNMxIwfhW

https://youtu.be/Zsnsu2tgpR0?si=yU2MHDMywdej6iJo

That concludes 9 August 1980.

We return on Friday as we move deeper into August and the late summer of 1980.

Until then, take care everybody. 👍

New Entry: 74

Modern Girl – Sheena Easton

https://youtu.be/edOY_uGVPWs?si=fspsbScqtL1TShja

Peak: 8 | Weeks: 12

Album: Take My Time (Released as a self-titled album in North America)

Talk about a second lease of life. Regular chart watchers will remember Bellshill-born talent Sheena Easton making a quiet debut with this very track back in April 1980, when it stalled at a modest number 56.

What a difference a few months and a high-profile television appearance make. Thanks to the massive momentum of her follow-up single "9 to 5," which is currently rocketing up the Top 40, the British public has rushed back to record shops to rediscover this Scottish pop gem. Lifted from her upcoming debut studio album, this re-entry completely eclipses its initial run, bound for an eventual, well-deserved spot inside the Top 10.

New Entry: 64

Can’t Stop The Music – Village People
Peak: 11 | Weeks: 11

https://youtu.be/H_GT_2Z4xlU?si=BxcghBEMFu6anxcs

Album: Can't Stop the Music (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)

The undisputed kings of theatrical American disco return to the UK chart with the high-energy title track from their own feature film.

Produced by Jacques Morali, this bombastic anthem captures all the infectious, campy joy that made the New York-formed troupe global superstars through previous mega-hits like "Y.M.C.A." and "In the Navy." Sadly, the cinematic venture itself proved to be a notorious box-office disaster, signaling a sharp decline for the disco phenomenon across the pond. British record buyers were far kinder to the music, driving the track just shy of the Top 10—marking a bittersweet milestone as the group's final appearance in the UK Top 40.

And the trailer for the film.

Oh, and just in case you don’t know what the film is called, they remind you about 500 times in this trailer.

‘The new musical sounds of the 80s’ no, it should have been ‘the old musical leftovers of the 70s’.

https://youtu.be/AMOze1GVcFk?si=JvmgUB8NGWG1Wno3

New Entry: 70

Give Me Back My Man – The B-52s

https://youtu.be/swBDlOk0V6Y?si=Jq0mCtjGmPHwIelX

Peak: 61 | Weeks: 3

Album: Wild Planet

The follow-up to their 1979 breakthrough debut "Rock Lobster" (No. 37).

Surf-rock guitars meet eerie, dramatic New Wave intensity. Athens, Georgia's finest purveyors of retro-futuristic New Wave return with the striking first single from their second album, Wild Planet. The track shines a brilliant spotlight on Cindy Wilson’s powerhouse vocals, underpinned by Ricky Wilson's jagged, surf-inspired guitar hooks. While it didn't quite replicate the Top 40 impact of "Rock Lobster" on this side of the Atlantic, it remains an absolute fan-favourite.

Looking ahead into August, a massive new entry is heading for the Top 75. David Bowie is about to drop "Ashes to Ashes," a track featuring an iconic, wobbling synth sound and a haunting vocal performance that stands out from everything else on the radio. It feels both deeply personal and completely unique, showing Bowie reworking his own musical past while setting a brand-new standard for the 1980s music video. Get ready—one of the decade's defining tracks is on the way.

https://youtu.be/HyMm4rJemtI?si=HhUL98yL5AnzJT\_3

The Flypaper(1980)

https://youtu.be/QDOnoBfqiZk?si=YRaPpR7SvOlLxOBP

First broadcast in August 1980 as the gripping season three opener of Tales of the Unexpected, "The Flypaper" is widely regarded as one of the anthology series' most chilling and genuinely unsettling half-hours of television. Adapted from a short story by Elizabeth Taylor (and famously introduced by Roald Dahl, who openly admitted he wished he’d written it himself), the episode unfolds against the haunting backdrop of a police search for a missing schoolgirl in the marshes.

The psychological tension ratchets up when Sylvia, a quiet young girl on her way home from a piano lesson, realizes she is being shadowed by a persistent, sinister stranger. Perfectly capturing the eerie, kid-gloves-off atmosphere of classic British public safety anxieties, it remains a masterclass in slow-burning dread.

New entry: 53

Kings of the wild frontier - Adam and the ants

https://youtu.be/S5xFfBwNZCM?si=Td4COcmxtICr-dd6

Peak: 48 | Weeks: 5

Album: Kings of the Wild Frontier

This is a historic moment: the debut hit for the revamped Adam and the Ants. While it only scratches the bottom half of the chart during this initial five-week run, it serves as a massive warning shot.

The "Burundi" drumming style and the pirate-warrior aesthetic are like nothing else on the radio. It won't be until 1981 that the "Antmania" fever truly breaks and this track re-charts to become a massive hit, but the revolution starts right here.

New entry: 56

Tom Hark - The Piranhas

https://youtu.be/VpfcPe_aFwk?si=z8_YikZr5Jsfd8Sn

Peak: 6 | Weeks: 12

Album: The Piranhas

Don’t let the upbeat, ska-infused rhythm of this Kwela-inspired track fool you. While it sounds like a summer party, The Piranhas’ version of this 1950s classic leans into the growing nuclear anxiety of the time. Following the trend of hits like “Breathing” and "Going Underground," this track captures that twitchy, nervous energy of a public wondering if the Cold War is about to turn very hot.

Angelic Upstarts kick off the first week of August.

New entry: 75

Last Night Another Soldier - Angelic Upstarts

https://youtu.be/gGn5-RVMhJ8?si=86-mdVNIrqmMwBdV

Peak: 51 | Weeks: 4

Album: 2,000,000 Voices

The Angelic Upstarts continue their run of socially charged anthems with a track that feels particularly heavy for the summer of 1980.

Frontman Mensi was never one to shy away from uncomfortable truths, and here the band turns their attention to the human cost of the Troubles in Northern Ireland. It’s a somber addition to a long list of hits for the South Shields punks, landing just before their 1981 album 2,000,000 Voices solidified their place as voices of the working class.

August 1980 kicks off with a fresh breeze from the Southern Hemisphere as New Zealand’s Split Enz finally break through to the UK mainstream. "I Got You" arrives as the perfect bridge between the nervous energy of Post-Punk and the polished melodicism of the era.

Led by the Finn brothers, the band has shed their more theatrical progressive roots, for a sharp neon-tinged sound that feels tailor-made for the burgeoning MTV era. As we step into this new month, this track serves as a reminder that pop music is becoming a truly global, technicolor affair, with quirky hooks and unmistakable synths leading the way.

https://youtu.be/wiqBlKnb91A?si=mqcKvnbsvsU42BK2

New entry: 64

Back To Front - Stiff Little Fingers

https://youtu.be/ESsRfsbPz9I?si=LGJGieIJ6tVbkoLT

Peak: 49 | Weeks: 4

Album: N/A (Single only)

Belfast’s Stiff Little Fingers return with a track that carries their trademark urgency, though it feels a touch more melodic than the blistering tracks found on Inflammable Material.

It’s another notch on their belt as they continue to transition from the raw punk underground into a band capable of consistent chart appearances. The energy is undeniable, even if the lyrics hint at a band wrestling with the pressures of their growing fame.

New entry: 68

Free Me - Roger Daltrey

https://youtu.be/d4RCvyG8EPI?si=ws98f46yZacyt85w

Peak: 39 | Weeks: 6

Album: McVicar

Stepping away from The Who, Roger Daltrey finds solo success with this lead single from the McVicar soundtrack. The film, which Daltrey also starred in, tells the story of armed robber John McVicar, and the song’s soaring, defiant energy mirrors that narrative of escape. It’s another notable hit for Daltrey, proving his power as a vocalist remains potent even when he isn't flanked by Pete Townshend and the boys.

New entry: 61

Feels Like I’m in Love - Kelly Marie

https://youtu.be/Pt179urP5vE?si=lJUM_A4ZLuM58PBH

Peak: 1 | Weeks: 16

Album: Feels Like I'm in Love

Originally written by Ray Dorset of Mungo Jerry for Elvis Presley, the King passed on it, leaving it for Kelly Marie to turn into a massive disco smash.

This one is a marathon runner, spending four months on the chart and eventually climbing all the way to the summit.

This isn't just a hit; it becomes one of the year’s biggest sellers, proving the UK's appetite for high-energy disco hadn't faded just yet.

UK top 40

1.	Use It Up And Wear It Out - Odyssey (LW 2) (W6)  
2.	Xanadu - Olivia Newton-John and Electric Light Orchestra (LW 1) (W6)  
3.	More Than I Can Say - Leo Sayer (LW 10) (W4)  
4.	Jump To The Beat - Stacy Lattisaw (LW 3) (W7)  
5.	Could You Be Loved - Bob Marley & The Wailers (LW 5) (W6)  
6.	Cupid/I've Loved You For A Long Time - Detroit Spinners (LW 4) (W5)  
7.	Babooshka - Kate Bush (LW 7) (W4)  
8.	Upside Down - Diana Ross (LW 31) (W2)  
9.	Emotional Rescue - The Rolling Stones (LW 19) (W4)  
10.	My Way Of Thinking/I Think It's Going To Rain - UB40 (LW 6) (W7)  
11.	Let's Hang On - Darts (LW 16) (W9)  
12.	There There My Dear - Dexys Midnight Runners (LW 20) (W3)  
13.	Love Will Tear Us Apart - Joy Division (LW 17) (W5)  
14.	A Lover's Holiday/Glow Of Love - Change (LW 23) (W5)  
15.	747 (Strangers In The Night) - Saxon (LW 13) (W6)  
16.	Waterfalls - Paul McCartney (LW 9) (W6)  
17.	Computer Game (Theme From The Invaders) - Yellow Magic Orchestra (LW 26) (W7)  
18.	Crying - Don McLean (LW 8) (W12)  
19.	Oops Upside Your Head - The Gap Band (LW 38) (W3)  
20.	Wednesday Week - The Undertones (LW 32) (W4)  
21.	Lip Up Fatty - Bad Manners (LW 28) (W7)  
22.	Neon Knights - Black Sabbath (LW 25) (W4)  
23.	Mariana - Gibson Brothers (LW 40) (W3)  
24.	Funkytown - Lipps Inc (LW 12) (W11)  
25.	Are You Getting Enough Of What Makes You Happy - Hot Chocolate (LW 47) (W2)  
26.	My Girl - The Whispers (LW 35) (W3)  
27.	To Be Or Not To Be - B.A. Robertson (LW 11) (W9)  
28.	Me Myself I - Joan Armatrading (LW 27) (W7)  
29.	9 To 5 - Sheena Easton (LW 50) (W2)  
30.	Play The Game - Queen (LW 22) (W7)  
31.	Sanctuary - New Musik (LW 46) (W3)  
32.	Does She Have A Friend? - Gene Chandler (LW 39) (W5)  
33.	Funkin' For Jamaica (N.Y.) - Tom Browne (LW 74) (W2)  
34.	(I'm Not Your) Stepping Stone - The Sex Pistols (LW 21) (W7)  
35.	Everybody's Got To Learn Sometime - The Korgis (LW 14) (W10)  
36.	Brazilian Love Affair - George Duke (LW 44) (W3)  
37.	Fantasy - Gerard Kenny (LW 34) (W5)  
38.	Burning Car - John Foxx (LW 64) (W2)  
39.	Sleepwalk - Ultravox (LW 49) (W4)  
40.	Simon Templar/Two Pints Of Lager And A Packet Of Crisps Please - Splodgenessabounds (LW 15) (W7)

This week marks a major shift as Odyssey finally claims the top spot with "Use It Up and Wear It Out," ending the reign of Olivia Newton-John and ELO. Meanwhile, the UK’s fascination with dance and soul is palpable, with Diana Ross making a massive leap into the Top 10 with "Upside Down" and Sheena Easton climbing rapidly with "9 To 5". It's a vibrant snapshot of a summer where disco’s influence was still lingering, even as synth-pop and new wave acts like John Foxx and Ultravox began their ascent in the lower reaches of the chart.

Top 10 Review

Use It Up And Wear It Out - Odyssey

https://youtu.be/lj\_BzlYdBoU?si=MGVxRgp78zs5fPym

Xanadu - Olivia Newton John and Electric Light Orchestra

https://youtu.be/cLi8fTlDEag?si=7BC4gUd3dO-6lhDh

More Than I Can Say - Leo Sayer

https://youtu.be/GnIlo91CrBw?si=IsEoeXbr3N7savI\_

Jump To The Beat - Stacy Lattisaw

https://youtu.be/Vtq4PMJvSI0?si=FJ4vQd7vTZRphxPt

Could You Be Loved - Bob Marley & The Wailers

https://youtu.be/sL\_BcaI0i0w?si=ppKvju-EU3OEV724

Cupid - Detroit Spinners

https://youtu.be/UNivPYAKplY?si=Rq1UTAulb9Zwyk0W

Babooshka - Kate Bush

https://youtu.be/k24IxSJF388?si=KGAE-ioDlSci1Ckj

Upside Down - Diana Ross

https://youtu.be/Po0BbGMSX4g?si=J2aRT33Dw5rNRfcZ

Emotional Rescue - The Rolling Stones

https://youtu.be/9iw\_BE\_X9sA?si=zR5RjCjDU-8oxu8Z

My Way Of Thinking/I Think It's Going To Rain - UB40

https://youtu.be/vPcsz4yHhoE?si=o4jeEynGCN8v4Ppf

https://youtu.be/Zsnsu2tgpR0?si=r0pm3nz1fPJIJDQt

The summit sees a change of guard as Odyssey climbs one spot to secure the #1 position with "Use It Up And Wear It Out". Last week's leader, Olivia Newton-John and ELO, drops to #2. Leo Sayer makes a massive leap from #10 to #3, while Diana Ross enters the top tier with a 23-place jump to #8.

Stacy Lattisaw, UB40, and The Detroit Spinners are all losing ground this week.

Kate Bush remains steady, holding her peak at #7. Rolling Stones also climb into the 10 from #19. Falling out of the Top 10 this week are Don McLean and Paul McCartney.

Chart Checkpoint

Position 20: The Undertones with "Wednesday Week" — Climbing (Up 12 places from #32).

https://youtu.be/8DGvJSuoI3A?si=OO9ThsKZoiRTdexV

Position 30: Queen with "Play The Game" — Dropping (Down 8 places from #22).

https://youtu.be/6\_5O-nUiZ\_0?si=7b1ek5Is9Drk-0UM

Position 40: Splodgenessabounds with "Simon Templar/Two Pints Of Lager..." — Dropping (Down 25 places from #15).

https://youtu.be/mZhPjznCPiY?si=EUq1Uxe6MXfecLA7

https://youtu.be/2tcZZHOL1fE?si=UJym4Wm02A5aPf2A

Climbers

The airwaves are currently dominated by rapid ascents and persistent "slow burners" that refuse to quit. Diana Ross provides the week’s most explosive movement within the Top 40, vaulted by her #31 to #8 leap. Tom Browne is also making waves, surging 41 places to #33.

https://youtu.be/iqPLPI7m9YI?si=TktMHSI3\_KWqgdgO

Other notable big jumpers include Sheena Easton, up 21 places to #29, and The Gap Band, who climb 19 spots to #19.

https://youtu.be/S\_3vZYOYNYU?si=BzpE\_RgghwBvOF2C

https://youtu.be/k4aUEcRNE5w?si=7fCsU2s8m8VV3P\_7

Meanwhile, Joy Division continue their steady and poignant climb as "Love Will Tear Us Apart" moves up four places to reach a new peak of #13.

https://youtu.be/LS7CiL8MNb0?si=jlfeBusRmHo80fom

Finally, John Foxx is proving his endurance; "Burning Car" continues its upward trajectory, moving from #64 into the Top 40 at #38 this week.

https://youtu.be/qRA6THTrwx8?si=GrDv77fRsIJtLrm5

Long Chart Runners

Several tracks are showing impressive longevity on the countdown this week:
Don McLean – "Crying" (12 weeks)
Lipps Inc – "Funkytown" (11 weeks)

The Korgis – "Everybody's Got To Learn Sometime" (10 weeks)

https://youtu.be/ns\_wvl6JB6E?si=4OLuGA0VF-qqdfgm

Darts – "Let's Hang On" (9 weeks)

https://youtu.be/cgZ-IFZFNmk?si=DeDGIpXZSGCTRLAJ

B.A. Robertson – "To Be Or Not To Be" (9 weeks)

https://youtu.be/V3Eeu0SdYSE?si=KMy7xQhiMKKW5Lx0

That brings us to the end of another chart week and another month. Seven months of 1980 have been and gone, with only five left before we head into 1981.

We move into August on Friday, and there’s a massive, landmark change coming to the upper end of the charts this month—a hit that feels like a total shift in the musical landscape.

Until then, take care everybody! 👍