Bubbling Down Under: Singles receiving significant sales reports beyond the top 100

This post is the first in a series to take a look at singles that 'bubbled under' the Kent/Australian Music Report chart, before the ARIA chart extended beyond number 100. This first instalment covers the AMR charts from winter 1988, coinciding with the first few months of the ARIA-produced chart.

Tiffany: The Australian record-buying public's feelings for Tiff weren't, unfortunately, forever.

Prior to the advent of the first ARIA-produced chart (that was published) in June 1988, ARIA had been licensing the top 50 portion of the Kent Music Report (which was later known as the Australian Music Report, from the edition dated 6 July 1987) since late June 1983.

I say "that was published", as ARIA actually produced an unpublished top 50 chart, as a trial run, a week prior to 'going live' with the chart linked above. But we'll get to that in another post.

The Kent/Australian Music Report, since 23 August 1982, had included a list of "singles receiving significant sales reports beyond the top 100" - if that is not a contradiction in terms.

Usually, the titles listed in this section were singles that had not yet entered the national top 100 chart. But, curiously, the list also included titles falling out of the top 100 from time to time.

The singles were ranked in order of sales, with the best-selling title among them being listed first, and so on. These lists were akin to the US Billboard 'Bubbling Under' chart, listing titles that were on the cusp of entering the Hot 100 chart, but had not yet done so.

The number of titles listed varied week by week. Sometimes, only a few titles were listed. Other weeks (mainly later on), the list could contain as many as 25-30 titles! Some weeks (not very often, thankfully), there was no list of these 'bubbling under' titles at all.

As there are no available records of the Kent/Australian Music Report chart extending beyond number 100, these lists provide the next best thing in giving an indication of what was lurking outside the top 100. The songs listed are not literally positions 101, 102 etc., however.

After that rather lengthy intro, this post will look at singles that 'bubbled under' the Australian Music Report (AMR) top 100 chart between June and August 1988 that also did not make the ARIA top 100 or top 150 charts. I will take a look at other periods in later posts. Note that this list does not include singles that entered the AMR top 100, but missed the ARIA chart. That will be yet another topic for another day!

Non-charting singles that bubbled under the Australian Music Report chart June-August 1988:

"Towers of Strength" by Died Pretty

AMR chart first listing: 6 June 1988

Highest rank: 15 (on the 'bubbling under' list)

Five years before they finally broke into the top 100, Australian band Died Pretty bubbled under with this release.

"Rise to the Occasion" by Climie Fisher

AMR chart first listing: 13 June 1988

Highest rank: 5 (on the 'bubbling under' list)

Before 'Love Changes (Everything)' became a number 23 hit, this ballad, which peaked at number 10 in the UK in January 1988, bubbled under the top 100.

"The Way I Live" by Tony Johns

AMR chart first listing: 20 June 1988

Highest rank: 12 (on the 'bubbling under' list)

I've never heard of Tony Johns before... but noticed that one YouTube upload for this song declares that he is a "6'4" 100% Italian ladies man from Salt Lake City".

"Hold on to Love" by Jon Anderson

AMR chart first listing: 27 June 1988

Highest rank: 12 (on the 'bubbling under' list)

I wrongly assumed I'd never heard of Jon Anderson before. It turns out that he was the lead singer of Yes, they of 'Owner of a Lonely Heart', which peaked at number 14 on the Australian singles chart in February 1984.

"Responsible" by The State

AMR chart first listing: 4 July 1988

Highest rank: 2 (on the 'bubbling under' chart)

The State would later evolve into Southern Sons, after recruiting new singer Jack Jones (real name: Irwin Thomas). But for now they had to settle with bubbling under the top 100. They will also make an appearance among the top 150 debuts in a couple of weeks.

"Diamond Sun" by Glass Tiger

AMR chart first listing: 4 July 1988

Highest rank: 3 (on the 'bubbling under' chart)

Glass Tiger found it an impossible task following up 'Don't Forget Me (When I'm Gone)', which peaked at number 9 on the Australian singles chart in January 1987, with no subsequent single release charting higher than number 91 in Australia.

"Love Takes Care" by The Angels

AMR chart first listing: 4 July 1988

Highest rank: 9 (on the 'bubbling under' chart)

The Angels seemed to have so many singles released during 1980s. I've never heard of this uncharacteristically-subdued song, which was a live release, following up their live rendition of 'Am I Ever Gonna See Your Face Again?', which peaked at number 11 in March 1988.

"Don't Stand So Close to the Window" by Paul Kelly & The Coloured Girls

AMR chart first listing: 4 July 1988

Highest rank: 10 (on the 'bubbling under' chart)

This one is interesting, as this song somehow made it onto the various artists 'hits' compilation Hit Pix '88 Volume II, despite never reaching the top 100. There also does not seem to be a music video for the song.

"The Colour of Love" by Billy Ocean

AMR chart first listing: 11 July 1988

Highest rank: 1 (on the 'bubbling under' chart)

After having a fairly successful few years on the Australian chart, Billy was unable to score a chart entry higher than number 76, after his number one smash from earlier in 1988.

"Soldier of Love" by Donny Osmond

AMR chart first listing: 11 July 1988

Highest rank: 2 (on the 'bubbling under' chart)

The former teen idol scored a US Billboard number 2 hit with this single.

"Get It" by Stevie Wonder & Michael Jackson

AMR chart first listing: 18 July 1988

Highest rank: 7 (on the 'bubbling under' chart)

I wasn't previously aware of this track's existence, or that it received a single release. This single stalled at number 80 on the US Billboard Hot 100, though made the top 15 in the Flanders region of Belgium.

"Don't Blame It on That Girl" by Matt Bianco

AMR chart first listing: 1 August 1988

Highest rank: 5 (on the 'bubbling under' chart)

I have heard this one before. Matt Bianco, who are a group rather than a solo artist as the name might suggest, scored Australian top 100 hits with 'Whose Side Are You On?' (number 57 in June 1985) and 'Yeh Yeh' (number 64 in March 1986).

"Paved with Gold" by The Everys

AMR chart first listing: 8 August 1988

Highest rank: 6 (on the 'bubbling under' chart)

An Australian band, this was the best The Everys managed on the chart; although 'Eyes for the Blind' spent one week at number 100 on the AMR chart in February 1989 (it did not reach the ARIA top 150).

"Life at a Top People's Health Farm" by The Style Council

AMR chart first listing: 15 August 1988

Highest rank: 8 (on the 'bubbling under' chart)

Quite an interesting song title, I've never heard of this one before. It peaked at number 28 in the UK. The Style Council scored a top 150 'hit' in 1989 which will be coming up in April in my weekly recaps.

"Baby Boom Baby" by James Taylor

AMR chart first listing: 15 August 1988

Highest rank: 3 (on the 'bubbling under' chart)

Wikipedia tells me that this one peaked at number 24 in Canada, but didn't do much elsewhere. Australia did not break that trend.