THE MUSIC INDUSTRY IS A FICKLE MISTRESS. FOR PROOF, LOOK NO FURTHER THAN TWO CLASSIC TRACKS BY OUR COVER STAR BRYAN ADAMS. LAST ISSUE, HE HEADED OUR COUNTDOWN OF THE TOP 40 GREATEST MISSES – AMAZING SONGS THAT SOMEHOW MANAGED TO NOT MAKE A DENT IN THE UK SINGLES CHART – WITH HIS ANTHEMIC SUMMER OF ‘69. YET HE ALSO HOLDS THE RECORD FOR THE LONGEST UNBROKEN RUN SPENT AT NO.1 IN THE UK CHARTS WITH (EVERYTHING I DO) I DO IT FOR YOU. TWO GREAT TRACKS THAT PERFORMED WILDLY DIFFERENTLY WHEN UNLEASHED UPON AN UNSUSPECTING WORLD.
Rolling with the punches and adapting to the vagaries of the record-buying public’s taste is a recurring trait of many artists featured in Classic Pop. I’ve lost count of how many times there’s been a much-heralded ‘80s revival’ – I think we’re on our third or fourth – but those who’ve been able to stick around now find their critical stock at the highest it’s been in years.