After tallying 12 No. 1
‘GOLD’ RECORD: Britain’s Spandau Ballet returns to a Billboard chart for the first time since 1984, as “Gold (2012)” enters Dance Club Songs at No. 39. The original version reached No. 29 on the Billboard Hot 100 28 years ago, following the act’s breakout hit “True,” which rose to No. 4 on the Hot 100 in 1983.
“Gold” received new life when the BBC played it in celebration of U.K. athletes’ gold medals at the London Olympics in August.
Since Spandau Ballet reunited in 2009 after an almost 20-year hiatus, “We’ve had a huge amount of posts from the band’s many U.S. fans,” the group’s manager, Steve Dagger, says.
“We’re developing a number of exciting projects that we hope to bring to the U.S.”
HIGH MARX: As Rod Stewart scores his first Adult Contemporary No. 1 since 1993, as “Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow” rockets 18-1, other acts make notable moves on the radio-based survey with their own holiday efforts.
Richard Marx lands his highest AC launch, as “Little Drummer Boy” begins at No. 14. The song is his 20th AC hit dating to his first, “Should’ve Known Better,” which arrived 25 years ago this week.
Jordan Hill ends a 13-year absence from the AC chart, as “Someday at Christmas” starts at No. 20. She last ranked on the list in 1999, when Jim Brickman’s “Destiny,” on which she appeared as a featured artist, reached No. 10. Hill first charted on AC with the No. 31-peaking “Remember Me This Way,” from the 1995 movie “Casper” starring Bill Pullman and Christina Ricci.
At No. 26, Colbie Caillat collects her 10th AC chart entry, as “Christmas in the Sand” bows. The song is her third carol to grace the list, following “Mistletoe,” which rose to No. 7 in 2007-08, and “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” a No. 12 hit in the 2009-10 holiday season.
As Marx starts with his new holiday single, he’s just released a video for the song “Christmas Spirit,” which reached No. 15 on AC last year. (Both songs appear on his new holiday set named after the latter title. The album opened at No. 21 on the Holiday Albums chart four weeks ago.)
The “Christmas Spirit” clip sports cameos from celebrities including David Copperfield and Rachel Ray, as well as such musicians as Chris Daughtry, Kenny Loggins, Olivia Newton-John and Rick Springfield, plus Marx family members and even fans.
“I really wanted fans from around the world. So we sent some emails out, and people were so great about shooting clips of themselves in front of world landmarks: Big Ben, the Eiffel Tower, the Kremlin, Sydney Harbor,” Marx says. “It’s crazy.
“Everybody shot their clips on an iPhone or a Flip, except for David Copperfield, who does everything full-on: lighting, HD camera.
“I think (Steven) Spielberg shot David’s clip, actually.”