Top of the Pops

Top of the Pops was a weekly music show broadcast on BBC TV, BBC One and BBC Two between 01 January 1964 and 30 July 2006.

The show featured performances by artists who had performed well in that week's pop singles charts, including the number one song. Shows were firstly broadcast live, with a studio audience, with artists miming to their songs. They were later pre-recorded, still with artists miming. Live transmissions were re-introduced in the 1980s and live rather than mimed vocal performances were also brought into the show in the 1990s.

The show also had unwritten 'rules' concerning appearances, such as a song not being featured for two consecutive weeks, unless it was at no.1. Songs featured were for the most part already in the charts, save for 'upcoming' hits or 'breakers', or were just outside the highlighted charts of that particular week. Recordings of performances were often repeated where artists were not able to appear a second or third time. Promo videos were shown as the medium became popular in the 1980s although promo films and early video recordings had been used in the 60s and 70s. These became less important from the nineties onwards when the focus was on live performances and live 'exclusives'. Satellite links were also used from the mid-nineties.

Appearances

 * list of appearances by The Human League on TOTP, with song and chart position.

1980 1981 1982
 * 08 May 1980 - Rock 'n' Roll (52). First and only appearance for the Ware/Oakey/Marsh/Wright line-up. Their performance opened the show.
 * 30 April 1981 - The Sound of the Crowd (53). Debut for the new line-up and first time for Burden, Catherall and Sulley.
 * 21 May 1981 - The Sound of the Crowd (15). Second and final performance of the single.
 * 06 August 1981 - Love Action (I Believe In Love) (29). First performance of the song and debut for Jo Callis with the band, now a six-piece.
 * 20 August 1981 - Love Action (I Believe In Love) (3). Repeat of 06 August performance, with the single now a contender for the no.1 spot
 * 08 October 1981 - Open Your Heart (21). First performance of new single which has just stormed into the charts.
 * 22 October 1981 - Open Your Heart (6). A promo video by the group is shown for the first time on the show.
 * 03 December 1981 - Don't You Want Me (9). First showing of the promo video for the single which has gone straight into the Top 10 (with Dare also in the Top 10 album charts).
 * 10 December 1981 - Don't You Want Me (1). The group have their first UK no.1, but as they are on tour the video is shown again.
 * 17 December 1981 - Don't You Want Me (1). Second week at the top and third time for the video.
 * 24 December 1981 - Don't You Want Me (1). It's Christmas, The Human League are at no.1 and finally appear in the studio to perform their no.1 single.
 * 25 December 1981 - Love Action (I Believe In Love). For the Christmas Day edition of the show the group perform their summer hit another time.
 * 31 December 1981 - Don't You Want Me (1). In a special 'All The Number Ones of 1981' the promo video gets a final showing.
 * 07 January 1982 - Don't You Want Me (1). The single is at no.1 for the 5th week and the group are back in the TOTP studio.