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D:Ream are an English pop and dance group. They had a UK No. 1 hit with "Things Can Only Get Better" in 1994. Eight more top 40 hits followed, including "U R the Best Thing" and "Shoot Me with Your Love".[1] Their two 1990s studio albums reached the UK top five.[1]
D:Ream | |
|---|---|
| Origin | Derry, Northern Ireland |
| Genres | Pop, dance, soul |
| Years active | 1992–1997 2008–present |
| Labels | Magnet Records/FXU Sire/Giant/Warner Bros. Records |
| Members | Peter Cunnah Al Mackenzie Alex Leam |
| Website | d-ream |
The group had a line-up which varied in number, but centred on lead singer Peter Cunnah. The live band included keyboard player Brian Cox, who later became an academic and science broadcaster on television, although Cunnah played keyboards on studio recordings.
Early career
editIn 1992, D:Ream released the single "U R the Best Thing", a piano-house tune which did not chart. However, thanks to a Sasha remix, it was Pete Tong's Essential Tune of 1992. "Things Can Only Get Better", released in the spring of 1993, gave the group their first chart success. "U R The Best Thing" was eventually re-released in April 1993 and was the group's second chart hit. In 1994, they were nominated for Best Dance act in the MTV Europe music awards, and then for Best Single in the 1995 BRIT Awards.
The band's first album, D:Ream on Volume 1, which was promoted for almost two years, produced seven singles ("Star" and "I Like It" came on a joint release as a double A-side). It was the track "Things Can Only Get Better" that gave them UK success and international fame. After they supported Take That on their tour, "Things Can Only Get Better" topped the UK Singles Chart, in early 1994.[1] Originally released in early 1993, when the track reached No. 24 in the UK,[1] it was later adopted by the Labour Party as their theme for the 1997 UK General Election, and consequently released for the third time; this time reaching No. 19 on the UK chart.[1] In May 2024, the same song was played during Rishi Sunak's announcement of a general election in July 2024 by Steve Bray.[2][3]
The band released two studio albums, D:Ream on Volume 1 (1992) and World (1995), ten different singles, two of which were released three times, and an official greatest hits album, (The Best of D:Ream). In 1997, the group's record label released their first compilation, The Best of D:Ream. In 2006, a second collection was released, for The Platinum Collection series.
When D:Ream broke through into the charts, the band's main touring line-up consisted of core members Peter Cunnah (vocalist, songwriter) and Al Mackenzie (musician). Other main performers included physicist Brian Cox, who played keyboards for several years while working towards his physics PhD before being replaced by Simon Ellis, as well as Derek Chai on bass, Alex Leam on triangle, and drummer Mark Roberts. The group also used a number of guest vocalists, such as T.J. Davis, who is featured as co-lead vocalist on "The Power (Of All the Love in the World)", one of the singles taken from their second album. He also provided backing vocals on many other songs.
Reunion, and split-up
editIn 2008 D:Ream reformed after a chance meeting by Cunnah and Mackenzie. Their single, "All Things to All Men" was released on 7 September 2009 on their own label User Records. They released the album In Memory Of... in 2011. They also planned concert dates to follow.[4] Meanwhile, Brian Cox became a physics professor and science broadcaster who has worked on the Large Hadron Collider project.[5] In late 2010 he announced that he was to provide some keyboard work for the new album, but would not be re-joining the band full-time.[6] As part of their 2012 commitments, the band played main support to Wheatus at the LeeStock Music Festival in Sudbury, Suffolk.[7]
On 23 July, 2021 Cunnah and Mackenzie released a new studio album, Open Hearts Open Minds.
The band stated in June 2024 that they regretted the use of the song "Things Can Only Get Better" in political campaigns and would not grant permission for it to be used in future campaigns.[8]
Discography
editStudio albums
edit| Year | Album title | UK [1] |
AUS [9] |
GER [10] | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | D:Ream on Volume 1 | 5 | 12 | 69 | ||
| 1995 | World | 5 | 155 | — | ||
| 2011 | In Memory Of... | — | — | — | ||
| 2021 | Open Hearts Open Minds | — | — | — | ||
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released. | ||||||
Compilations
edit| Year | Album title |
|---|---|
| 1997 | The Best of D:Ream |
| 2006 | The Platinum Collection |
| 2011 | Things Can Only Get Better: The Very Best of D:Ream |
Extended plays
edit| Title | EP details |
|---|---|
| 4 Things 2 Come |
|
Singles
edit| Year | Single[11] | Chart position | Album | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK [1] |
UK Club [12] |
AUS [9] |
AUT [13] |
BEL (FLA) [14] |
DEN | EUR [15] |
GER [16] |
IRE [17] |
NDL [18] |
NZ [19] |
POR [20] |
SWI [21] |
SWE [22] |
US Dance [23] | |||
| 1992 | "U R the Best Thing" | 72 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | D:Ream On Vol. 1 | |
| 1993 | "Things Can Only Get Better" | 24 | – | 23 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 7 | ||
| "U R the Best Thing" (re-release) | 19 | 1 | – | – | 50 | – | 62 | – | 6 | – | – | – | – | – | 1 | ||
| "Unforgiven" | 29 | 7 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 10 | – | – | – | ||
| "Star / I Like It" | 26 | – | – | – | – | 88 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | |||
| "Things Can Only Get Better" (re-release) | 1 | 14 | 9 | – | 10 | 19 | 5 | 20 | 2 | 20 | 46 | – | 11 | 7 | – | ||
| 1994 | "U R the Best Thing (Perfecto Remix)" | 4 | 7 | 9 | – | 46 | – | 13 | 65 | 6 | 25 | – | – | 35 | – | – | |
| "Take Me Away" | 18 | 9 | 52 | – | – | – | – | – | 30 | – | – | – | – | – | – | ||
| "Blame It on Me" | 25 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | |||
| 1995 | "Shoot Me with Your Love" | 7 | 73 | – | – | – | 26 | 73 | 16 | – | – | – | 45 | – | 4 | World | |
| "Party Up the World" | 20 | 122 | – | – | – | – | – | 24 | – | – | – | – | – | – | |||
| "The Power (Of All the Love in the World)" | 40 | 150 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | |||
| 1997 | "Things Can Only Get Better" (re-release) | 19 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | The Best of D:Ream Vol. 1 | |
| 2009 | "All Things to All Men" | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | In Memory Of... | |
| 2010 | "Drop Beatz Not Bombs" | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | ||
| 2011 | "Gods in the Making" | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | ||
| "Sleepy Head" | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | |||
| 2014 | "Things Can Only Get Better" (re-release) | 66 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | D:Ream On Vol. 1 | |
| 2021 | "Meet Me at Midnight"[24] | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | Open Hearts Open Minds | |
| "Many Hands"[25] | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | |||
| "I Used to Believe in Love"[26] | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | |||
| 2022 | "Pedestal"[27] | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | Non-album single | |
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released. | |||||||||||||||||
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b c d e f g "Official Charts > Dream". The Official UK Charts Company. Retrieved 29 April 2016. N.B. This page also contains peaks for the group 'Dream'
- ^ Mitchell, Archie (22 May 2024). "Rishi Sunak's election announcement drowned out by Blair's 1997 theme tune by D:Ream". The Independent. Archived from the original on 23 May 2024. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
- ^ "Protester said he played Things Can Only Get Better to 'troll' Sunak speech". 22 May 2024. Archived from the original on 23 May 2024. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
- ^ "About D:REAM". Myspace. 25 May 2008. Archived from the original on 29 January 2009. Retrieved 27 June 2008.
- ^ "Things have only got better for Brian | Oldham Advertiser – menmedia.co.uk". Oldham Advertiser. 11 April 2007. Archived from the original on 29 March 2010. Retrieved 8 May 2012.
- ^ "Professor Brian Cox to rejoin D:Ream". BBC News. 19 November 2010. Archived from the original on 22 November 2010. Retrieved 19 November 2010.
- ^ Sky News report. 13 April 2012. Retrieved 1 May 2012
- ^ "'Never again': D:Ream ban Labour from using Things Can Only Get Better". PA Media. 31 May 2024. Archived from the original on 2 June 2024 – via The Guardian.
The band members expressed regret at letting Tony Blair use the track for his general election victory celebrations in 1997, saying they were accused of "having blood on their hands" after the UK got involved with the war in Iraq.
- ^ a b Australian (ARIA Chart) peaks:
- Top 50 peaks: "australian-charts.com > D:Ream in Australian Charts". Hung Medien. Archived from the original on 1 July 2016. Retrieved 29 April 2016.
- Top 100 peaks to December 2010: Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010. Mt. Martha, VIC, Australia: Moonlight Publishing.
- "Take Me Away": "The ARIA Australian Top 100 Singles Chart – Week Ending 30 Oct 1994". Imgur.com (original document published by ARIA). Archived from the original on 1 June 2016. Retrieved 29 April 2016. N.B. The HP column displays the highest peak reached.
- "Shoot Me with Your Love": "The ARIA Australian Top 100 Singles Chart – Week Ending 08 Oct 1995". Imgur.com (original document published by ARIA). Archived from the original on 10 May 2022. Retrieved 6 July 2017.
- "Unforgiven", "Party Up the World" and "The Power (Of All the Love In the World)": "Response from ARIA to chart inquiry, received 5 June 2015". Imgur.com. Archived from the original on 5 June 2015. Retrieved 7 August 2015.
- World: "Response from ARIA re: chart inquiry, received 15 July 2015". Imgur.com. Archived from the original on 16 July 2015. Retrieved 7 August 2015.
- ^ "Offizielle Deutsche Charts > D:Ream – D:Ream on Vol. 1 (album)" (in German). GfK Entertainment. Retrieved 29 April 2016.
- ^ "Discogs List of Releases". Discogs UK. Archived from the original on 29 December 2012. Retrieved 3 November 2013.
- ^ UK Club Chart peaks:
- "U R the Best Thing" (1993 version): "RM Club Chart Number Ones Of 93" (PDF). Music Week, in Record Mirror (Dance Update Supplemental insert). 25 December 1993. p. 3. Archived (PDF) from the original on 5 August 2023. Retrieved 18 May 2023.
- "Things Can Only Get Better": "The RM Club Chart" (PDF). Music Week, in Record Mirror (Dance Update Supplemental Insert). 15 January 1994. p. 4. Archived (PDF) from the original on 3 November 2021. Retrieved 18 May 2023.
- "U R the Best Thing" (1994 version): "The RM Club Chart" (PDF). Music Week, in Record Mirror (Dance Update Supplemental Insert). 19 March 1994. p. 4. Retrieved 18 May 2023.
- "Unforgiven": "The RM Club Chart" (PDF). Music Week, in Record Mirror (Dance Update Supplemental Insert). 24 July 1993. p. 4. Archived (PDF) from the original on 24 June 2021. Retrieved 18 May 2023.
- "Take Me Away": "The RM Club Chart" (PDF). Music Week, in Record Mirror (Dance Update Supplemental Insert). 4 June 1994. p. 4. Archived (PDF) from the original on 4 August 2022. Retrieved 18 May 2023.
- ^ "Austrian chart". austriancharts.at. Archived from the original on 9 December 2014. Retrieved 18 October 2014.
- ^ Belgian (Flanders region) peaks:
- "Things Can Only Get Better": "Ultratop > D:Ream – Things Can Only Get Better" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 3 November 2013.
- "U R the Best Thing": "Ultratop > D:Ream – U R the Best Thing" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 29 April 2016.
- ^ Eurochart Hot 100 singles peaks:
- "Star/I Like It": "Eurochart Hot 100" (PDF). Music & Media. Retrieved 27 January 2020.
- ^ German singles chart peaks:
- "Things Can Only Get Better": "Offizielle Deutsche Charts > D:Ream – Things Can Only Get Better (single)" (in German). GfK Entertainment. Archived from the original on 1 June 2016. Retrieved 29 April 2016.
- "U R the Best Thing": "Offizielle Deutsche Charts > D:Ream – U R the Best Thing (single)" (in German). GfK Entertainment. Retrieved 29 April 2016.
- "Shoot Me with Your Love": "Offizielle Deutsche Charts > D:Ream – Shoot Me with Your Love (single)" (in German). GfK Entertainment. Archived from the original on 1 June 2016. Retrieved 29 April 2016.
- ^ "The Irish Charts – All there is to know > Search results for D:Ream (from irishcharts.ie)". imgur.com. Retrieved 29 April 2016.
- ^ "dutchcharts.nl > Zoeken naar: D:Ream" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Archived from the original on 30 June 2016. Retrieved 29 April 2016.
- ^ "New Zealand Chart". charts.nz. Retrieved 18 October 2014.
- ^ Portuguese singles chart peaks:
- "Unforgiven": "Top 10 Sales in Europe" (PDF). Music & Media. 11 December 1993. Retrieved 20 March 2018.
- ^ "Swiss Chart". Swiss Charts. Archived from the original on 24 September 2014. Retrieved 3 November 2013.
- ^ "Swedish chart". swedishcharts.com. Archived from the original on 28 November 2014. Retrieved 18 October 2014.
- ^ "US Dance Club Play Chart". billboard.com. Archived from the original on 13 June 2015. Retrieved 18 October 2014.
- ^ "Meet Me at Midnight by D:Ream". Archived from the original on 17 January 2023. Retrieved 17 January 2023.
- ^ "Many Hands - Single by D:Ream". Archived from the original on 17 January 2023. Retrieved 17 January 2023.
- ^ "I Used to Believe in Love by D:Ream". Archived from the original on 17 January 2023. Retrieved 17 January 2023.
- ^ "Pedestal - Single by D:Ream". Archived from the original on 17 January 2023. Retrieved 17 January 2023.
