This is a summary of 1994 in music in the United Kingdom, including the official charts from that year.
Summary The first number one single of the year was the 700th since charts began, a reggae version of "Twist and Shout" by Chaka Demus & Pliers. The next month saw Mariah Carey get her first solo UK number 1 with "Without You", after having 8 previous chart-toppers in the United States. Coincidentally, "Without You" did not top the US Billboard Hot 100.
In late May, Wet Wet Wet reached number 1 with "Love Is All Around", from the film Four Weddings and a Funeral. It would remain at number 1 for fifteen weeks, the second longest consecutive run at No. 1 ever in the UK Singles Chart, and become the biggest selling single of the year. When Danish singer Whigfield replaced it in September with "Saturday Night", she became the first ever act to enter the UK singles chart at No. 1 with their debut single.
Manchester rockers Oasis found their success on their debut album, Definitely Maybe, which shot to number No. 1 on its first week out in September.
December saw the debut of Boyzone to the charts, with a No. 2 cover of Johnny Bristol's "Love Me for a Reason" (also a 1974 No. 1 for The Osmonds). They would go on to have another fifteen singles, six reaching No. 1 and the rest reaching the top five, as well as four No. 1 albums.
Aside from Wet Wet Wet and Whigfield, the only other million selling single this year came from Céline Dion, with "Think Twice" (though it wouldn't reach number 1 until 1995). In all, 15 singles topped the chart this year, the second lowest number for any year in the decade.
1994 also saw a first for Prince, who scored his only British chart-topper with "The Most Beautiful Girl in the World".
This was the year when Karl Jenkins launched his crossover project, Adiemus, with the album, Adiemus: Songs of Sanctuary. Popularised through its use in TV commercials, the title track became known to classical and popular music fans alike. It also made the name of vocalist Miriam Stockley.Classic FM: Karl Jenkins: The Armed Man (‘Mass for Peace’). Accessed 7 June 2014
Another British composer, Stephen Warbeck, won the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Music in a Play, awarded for achievements in Broadway theatre; the award was made for his music for a production of An Inspector Calls.
A record was broken in 1994 for the longest song to become a UK top 10 hit when Bon Jovi released the single "Dry County" in March, when it peaked at #9. The song was 9 minutes and 52 seconds long.
Events 11 February – Living Toys, a piece for chamber ensemble by Thomas Adès, is performed for the first time in the Barbican Centre. 17 February – Members of then unknown band Oasis are deported from Amsterdam for starting a drunken brawl with football fans on a ferry. All but Noel Gallagher (who wasn't present in the incident) are arrested and deported, and the incident would be referenced in an interview between Liam and Noel that was later released on the "Wibbling Rivalry" single. 12 March – ...but all shall be well for orchestra by Thomas Adès is performed for the first time, in Ely Cathedral, Cambridge. 15 March – The first performance of Chat Moss for orchestra by Peter Maxwell Davies takes place in Liverpool, performed by the orchestra of St. Edward’s College, conducted by John Moseley. 11 April – Oasis release their debut single "Supersonic", it reaches No. 31 on the Official Singles Chart but would eventually sell over 215,000 copies and would later become their 13th best selling single of all time. 9 May – Wet Wet Wet release their cover of "Love Is All Around" as a single, it would chart at No. 4, before rising to No. 2 and then spent 15 weeks at No. 1 on the Official Charts. 6 July – Oasis are banned for life from Columbia Hotel, London, after trashing the bar and rooms there, as well as throwing furniture from their room which lands on the car of the hotel's manager. 8 July – Bernard Butler leaves Suede, during the recording of their 2nd album Dog Man Star due to tensions with Brett Anderson. Butler would be replaced by Richard Oakes. 9 August – A riot breaks out at an Oasis gig at Newcastle's Riverside after an audience member punches Noel Gallagher, resulting in him damaging a guitar that was given to him by Johnny Marr. Noel would require stitches as a result of the attack. 14 August – The Apocalypse by John Tavener for chorus and orchestra is performed for the first time at the Proms in London. 23 August – The KLF burn one million pounds sterling of their own royalties in a disused boathouse on the Ardfin Estate on the Scottish island of Jura. Bill Drummond was initially unrepentant about the decision, but in 2004 later admitted that he regretted burning the money. 29 August – Oasis release their debut album Definitely Maybe, it sells 100,000 copies within just 4 days of release and earned them the record for fastest selling debut album in British history. 6 September – Wet Wet Wet delete their "Love Is All Around" single, after 15 weeks at No. 1, admitting at the time that they were "sick of it" and that they wanted to concentrate on new material. The single drops to No. 2, and as a result, they fall short of tieing with Bryan Adams' record of 16 consecutive weeks at No. 1. 21 September – The ten-minute orchestral fantasy Britannia by James MacMillan, based on patriotic themes, is performed for the first time at the Barbican by the London Symphony Orchestra, conductor Michael Tilson Thomas. 29 October – Pink Floyd finish what would be their final tour, at Earls Court, in support of their The Division Bell album. This would be the last time the 3 members would perform together until a one-off reunion with Roger Waters at Live 8 in 2005. 16 November – Arcadiana for string quartet by Thomas Adès is performed for the first time, in West Road Concert Hall, Cambridge. 24 November – The Spanish Lady, an opera by Edward Elgar, is performed for the first time, in West Road Concert Hall, Cambridge 61 years after it was composed. 2 December – Andrew Lloyd Webber is admitted to hospital for ulcer treatment. 21 December – Richey Edwards gives what would be his final live appearance with the Manic Street Preachers at the London Astoria. The concert ends with the band smashing their equipment.
Charts
Number-one singles
Chart date(week ending) Song Artist(s) Sales 1 January "Mr. Blobby"Mr Blobby 124,000 8 January"Twist and Shout"Chaka Demus & Pliers featuring Jack Radics & Taxi Gang 70,000 15 January 66,000 22 January "Things Can Only Get Better"D:Ream 67,000 29 January 69,000 5 February 81,000 12 February 61,000 19 February"Without You"Mariah Carey 76,000 26 February 109,000 5 March 96,000 12 March 77,000 19 March"Doop"Doop 89,000 26 March 118,000 2 April 84,000 9 April"Everything Changes"Take That 129,000 16 April 105,000 23 April"The Most Beautiful Girl in the World"Prince 60,000 30 April 52,000 7 May "The Real Thing" Tony Di Bart 47,000 14 May "Inside" Stiltskin 61,000 21 May"Come on You Reds"Manchester United Football Squad 77,000 28 May 84,000 4 June"Love Is All Around"Wet Wet Wet 87,000 11 June 104,000 18 June 115,000 25 June 113,000 2 July 100,000 9 July 100,000 16 July 98,000 23 July 85,000 30 July 85,000 6 August 88,000 13 August 83,000 20 August 89,000 27 August 82,000 3 September 77,000 10 September 65,000 17 September"Saturday Night"Whigfield 149,000 24 September 220,000 1 October 176,000 8 October 140,000 15 October"Sure"Take That 115,000 22 October 81,000 29 October"Baby Come Back"Pato Banton 71,500 5 November 113,000 12 November 94,000 19 November 77,000 26 November"Let Me Be Your Fantasy"Baby D 75,000 3 December 84,000 10 December"Stay Another Day"East 17 97,000 17 December 174,000 24 December 171,000 31 December 204,000
Number-one albums
Chart date(week ending) Album Artist 1 January Bat Out of Hell II: Back into Hell Meat Loaf 8 January Everything Changes Take That 15 January So Far So Good Bryan Adams 22 January One Woman: The Ultimate Collection Diana Ross 29 JanuaryTease MeChaka Demus & Pliers 5 February 12 February Under the Pink Tori Amos 19 February The Cross of Changes Enigma 26 FebruaryMusic BoxMariah Carey 5 March 12 March 19 March 26 March Vauxhall and I Morrissey 2 April Music Box Mariah Carey 9 AprilThe Division BellPink Floyd 16 April 23 April 30 April 7 May Parklife Blur 14 MayOur Town – The Greatest HitsDeacon Blue 21 May 28 May I Say I Say I Say Erasure 4 JuneSealSeal 11 June 18 June Real Things 2 Unlimited 25 June Everybody Else Is Doing It, So Why Can't We? The Cranberries 2 JulyHappy NationAce of Base 9 July 16 July Music for the Jilted Generation The Prodigy 23 July Voodoo Lounge The Rolling Stones 30 JulyEnd of Part One: Their Greatest HitsWet Wet Wet 6 August 13 August 20 August 27 August Come Prince 3 September End of Part One: Their Greatest Hits Wet Wet Wet 10 September Definitely Maybe Oasis 17 September The Three Tenors in Concert 1994 José Carreras, Plácido Domingo & Luciano Pavarotti with Orchestra Conducted by Zubin Mehta 24 September From the Cradle Eric Clapton 1 October Songs Luther Vandross 8 OctoberMonsterR.E.M. 15 October 22 OctoberCross RoadBon Jovi 29 October 5 November 12 November MTV Unplugged in New York Nirvana 19 NovemberCross RoadBon Jovi 26 November 3 December Carry on up the Charts The Beautiful South 10 December Live at the BBC The Beatles 17 DecemberCarry on up the ChartsThe Beautiful South 24 December 31 December
Number-one compilation albums
Chart date(week ending) Album 12 February Sweet Soul Harmonies 19 FebruaryDance Hits '94 Volume 1 26 February 5 March 12 MarchSoul Devotion 19 March 26 March 2 April 9 AprilNow 27 16 April 23 April 30 April 7 MayDance Zone Level One 14 May 21 May 28 May 4 June Energy Rush – Xtermin8 11 June Dance Hits '94 Volume 2 18 JunePure Moods 25 June 2 JulyNow Dance Summer 94 9 July 16 JulyDance Zone Level 2 23 July 30 JulyIt's the Ultimate Dance Album 6 August 13 AugustNow 28 20 August 27 August 3 September 10 September 17 SeptemberThe Best Rock Album in the World...Ever! 24 September 1 October 8 October Dance Zone Level 3 15 OctoberNow 1994 22 October 29 October 5 November 12 November The Best Rock Album in the World...Ever! 19 November The Love Album 26 NovemberNow 29 3 December 10 December 17 December 24 December 31 December
Year-end charts
Best-selling singles