Pantsless said:
It was based on the US market.
I saw they had Spandau Ballet - True in there at one point and they actualy made a point that they were popular in the UK, but only had 1 US hit, hence why they made it on the list.
I was watching VH1 last night.
Even based on the US market Laura Brangian shouldn't have been there.
This american pop singer came to fame in 1982 with the single "Gloria". This Italian song had originally been a hit in continental europe in the late seventies, but had been ignored in the UK and US, save for a minor British hit version by the irrepressible Jonathan King. When Branigan recorded it in '82 (with a different English lyric from the King version), it was a sleep smash, eventually climbing to No. 2 in the States. Her powerful voice breathed new life into this catchy song, sung in a Donna Summer vein. It was also Branigan's first UK hit, peaking at No. 6 in early '83.
Its follow-up "Solitaire" was another Top Tenner in America, though not a major British success.
In 1984 she recorded another italian song and scored another international smash. "
Self Control" reached No. 4 in the US, was a huge hit, in complex structure but still with a broad pop appeal. The most extraordinary example of it's success was in [the then] West Germany, where the Branigan version went to No. 1 while the original italian disc by co-writer Raffaele Riefoli was simultaneously at No. 2. Raff's original had the disadvantage of lacking the Branigan vocal performance, which was once again power-packed.
The next single "The Lucky One" was a Top 20 hit in the States. Her LPs are patchy in their choice of material, but her voice is good enough to ensure that, when she has the right song, Branigan will sell many singles.