This week`s chart news is just about all George Michael, who now holds No. 1 titles on three prestigious lists.
On the singles` chart, Michael stormed from No. 4 to the top spot with
”Father Figure,” which took just seven weeks to become champ. That ended the No. 1 bid of the Pet Shop Boys & Dusty Springfield`s ”What Have I Done to Deserve This?”, which stayed at No. 2 even though it was the week`s top-selling single. But ”Father Figure” had an edge in radio airplay and wound up No. 1 overall.
That gave Michael a prestigous ”double”-simultaneous No. 1s on the single and album charts-because his ”Faith” LP had enough staying power to hang on at the top for a fifth week. It was his first ”double” as a solo act; he also scored a ”double” three years ago as a member of Wham! with his ”Careless Whisper” single and ”Make It Big” album.
Michael`s ”Faith” LP also regained its No. 1 ranking among compact discs, giving him, in effect, a ”triple.”
How long can Michael keep dominating the charts? Possibly for several weeks, although his album title continues to be in jeopardy from the ”Dirty Dancing” soundtrack, which is still putting on pressure from its No. 2 spot. Helping the ”Dirty Dancing” cause is the presence in the Top 5 of not just one but two singles from the soundtrack. Eric Carmen`s ”Hungry Eyes”
held at No. 5 this week, and Patrick Swayze`s ”She`s Like the Wind” leaped from No. 7 to No. 3, with an outside shot at future No. 1 honors.
You have to go much farther down in the Top 20 to find any other significant gainers: Michael Jackson`s ”Man in the Mirror” (up from No. 27 to No. 17) and Debbie Gibson`s ”Out of the Blue” (No. 24 to No. 18).
Here are predictions for next week`s singles` chart: 1. ”Father Figure,” 2. ”She`s Like the Wind,” 3. ”Never Gonna Give You Up,” 4.
”What Have I Done to Deserve This,” 5. ”I Get Weak,” 6. ”Hungry Eyes,” 7. ”Can`t Stay Away From You,” 8. ”Just Like Paradise,” 9.
”Seasons Change,” 10. ”Endless Summer Nights.”
This week, there are two pick hits, both with superstar credentials:
– The torchy ballad ”Where Do Broken Hearts Go,” which represents Whitney Houston`s bid to add on to her current string of six straight No. 1 singles-the most in pop music history. Can Houston make it seven? Possibly, because ”Broken Hearts” debuted on the charts this week at an impressive No. 47, and already has plenty of radio support. But the guess here is that Houston`s ”formula” sound is starting to wear out its welcome, and that
”Broken Hearts” will fall a little short of No. 1.
– Tiffany`s upbeat ”I Saw Him Standing There,” which is a sure bet to give the teen star her third straight chart-topping single. This one is yet another remake of a `60s classic (the Beatles` original version peaked at No. 14 in 1964), but it is far superior to Tiffany`s first hit, ”I Think We`re Alone Now.”
