Tag Archives: Smokey Robinson

Off The Chart: 21 June 1981

Off The Chart: 14 June 1986

It may be the longest day of the year but this week’s Off The Chart is just about its regular length. Don’t worry though, we’ll still manage to fit in our regular quota of obscure, forgotten and neglected hits from this day in 1981, as well of three of the week’s new albums, a round-up of the day’s events, a track from the New Zealand chart, the UK’s top five in full and some exciting news for all listeners, so make sure you stick with us right to the end!

  • Which hit single inspired a film which inspired a new version of the original hit?
  • Which top three hit was recorded in the basement of a motel?
  • And who failed to reach the destination mentioned in the title of their hit album?

Tune in and find out!



Listen to Off The Chart on Noisebox Radio at 9pm every Tuesday! And don’t forget to tweet along using the hashtag #OffTheChart. If you’re not around, you can hear the show again on Noisebox Radio at 11am on Friday, or catch up on Mixcloud after that.

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Our subscribers also get access to exclusive shows including Further Off The Chart in which we play some of the records that come up in conversation on the regular shows. You can even download shows to listen offline in the Mixcloud app! Please consider backing us – we really appreciate it and your subscription allows us to keep producing a new episode every single week.

Spotify playlists

If you’ve missed a previous edition they’re all on our Mixcloud page, or for a taster of the music we play, listen to our Spotify playlist Way Off The Chart including one track from each show!

We also have a Spotify playlist for our #ICEOTWF feature, including all (well, most) of the international hits we’ve played since the feature began in March 2017. There are all sorts of oddities in here, all of which were hits somewhere in the world but not in the UK!

Off The Chart: 21 December 1984

Off The Chart: 21 December 1984

It’s the Christmassiest chart of them all this week on Off The Chart, because we’re going back to this day in 1984! We’ll deliver a sackful of obscure and less obvious hits, scrape up three new hit albums, round up … read more

Off The Chart: 29 June 1981

Off The Chart: 29 June 1981 (with a red triangle in the top left corner)

Listeners are advised that this week’s Off The Chart includes strong language and scenes of a sexual nature. Yes, even more so than usual. It also includes a brace of obscure hits from this day in 1981, as well as … read more

Off The Chart: 2 February 1986

Off The Chart: 2 February 1986

Join us as we celebrate Groundhog Day by pretending it’s this day in 1986! We can’t promise you’ll wake up next to Andie MacDowell, but we can promise you two hours of less remembered hits, a round-up of the day’s … read more

Off The Chart: 17 September 1988

Off The Chart: 17 September 1988

Smiley face T-shirts at the ready, we’re going back to this day in 1988 for another Off The Chart! Join us for two hours of forgotten and half-remembered hits, three of the week’s new albums, a review of the day’s … read more

Off The Chart: 2 June 1981

Off The Chart: 2 June 1981

After last week’s excursion to the beach, Steve and Julian are back in the studio to bring you another two hours of hits, headlines and halibut on this week’s Off The Chart! They’re taking you back to this day in … read more

Off The Chart: 17 June 1981

Off The Chart: 17 June 1981

We’re taking on the chart from this week in 1981 with two hours of hits, history and hilarity! Steve and Julian play some of the forgotten hits from the week’s singles chart, three tracks from a featured album, a hit … read more

Off The Chart: 2 July 1981

Off The Chart: 2 July 1981

Revisiting the chart of 2 July 1981. Steve and Julian play the records you don’t normally hear on a chart show, as well as three tracks from a featured album of the week and the entire top five singles, whether … read more

“I feel my spirit’s getting old” – Top of the Pops, 18 June 1981

Odyssey

“Hi folks! Welcome to Top of the Pops once again!” Well, hello sailor. It’s solid, reliable Peter Powell in charge this week, in a strangely nautical white shirt with navy blue stripes and – yes! – red trousers. A full … read more

“Please remember to mention me in tapes you leave behind” – Top of the Pops, 11 June 1981

Landscape

Looking for a 54-year-old silver haired loon in a ridiculous tracksuit made up of random, uneven patches of different gaudy colours, desperately attempting to stay relevant to the record buying audience despite being old enough to be their grandfather? It’s … read more

“Blow up the TV, blow up the car” – Top of the Pops, 21 May 1981

The Human League

If you had fond memories of late April and early May 1981 and were looking forward to reliving those memories via the BBC Four reruns of Top of the Pops, you’re probably feeling pretty short changed by now. What with … read more