Parade of Pops (Chevron) (1978 - 1982)

After some years of decline, resulting in a period when only "Top of the Pops" was in production, the covers album underwent something of a revival in the late-1970s, thanks largely to the popularity of the cassette format, and to the Chevron label in particular.

Chevron was set up in 1977 and was owned by and sold exclusively through Woolworth’s. Thus, it is a successor to Stereo Gold Award, but where the Parade of Pops series is concerned, links with the Windmill label are more evident. Chevron re-released a high number of Windmill's old albums, usually on their preferred cassette format, and also undertook a re-launch of the "Parade of Pops" series, along with end-of-year collections named "Top Hits of the Year".

"Parade of Pops" ran to seven volumes on cassette only, before the LP came into play. (Some of the ensuing LPs were issued on coloured vinyl.) With volume 19, it was back to cassettes only. The recordings on these albums were sourced from Coombe Music, with the records distributed through Multiple Sound Distributors, under managing director Ian Miles.

Coombe Music leased the same and other recordings to various little-known labels for ad-hoc albums throughout the period, and significantly, from CHVP 6 onwards, these tracks formed the basis of the late editions of “Top of the Pops”, the longest running covers series ever and Chevron’s only major competitor in the late 1970s/early 1980s.

Note: These releases do not have official volume numbers. Using the catalogue numbers as equivalents is awkward, since CHVP 13 was missed out of the sequence - presumably for superstitious reasons - leaving the volume numbers out of synch thereafter. Catalogue numbers given below are for the cassette editions. Numbers for the LPs, where extant, match the cassettes but with the letter L added to the end of the letter prefix (for example, CHVP 17 becomes CHVPL 17).

Overseas editions
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1 - (CHVP 1)    Mar 1978

Take A Chance On Me / Love Is Like Oxygen / Spread Your Wings / Come Back My Love / Stayin' Alive / If I Had Words / Wishing On A Star / Just The Way You Are / I Can't Stand The Rain / Hotlegs / Rumour Has It / Denis

Comments: Despite the front cover, the album title is given on the spine and cassette shell as "Parade of the Pops".

2 - (CHVP 2)    Apr 1978

Night Fever / Too Much Too Little Too Late / With A Little Luck / Everybody Dance / Automatic Lover / Singin' In The Rain Part 1 / Rivers Of Babylon / Never Let Her Slip Away / Back In Love Again / It Takes Two To Tango / Bad Old Days / A Ba Ni Bi

Comments: Despite the front cover, the album title is given on the spine and cassette shell as "Parade of the Pops".

3 - (CHVP 3)    Jun 1978

You're The One That I Want / Making Up Again / Wild West Hero / Argentine Melody (Cancion De Argentina) / Man With The Child In His Eyes / Beautiful Lover / The Smurf Song / Airport / It Sure Brings Out The Love In Your Eyes / A Little Bit Of Soap / Use Ta Be My Girl / Annie's Song

4 - (CHVP 4)    Jul 1978

Three Times A Lady / Boogie Oogie Oogie / Substitute / Stay / From East To West / Come Back And Finish What You Started / How Can This Be Love / 5-7-0-5 / The Race Is On / Life's Been Good / Forever Autumn / Brown Girl In The Ring

5 - (CHVP 5)    Sep 1978

Lucky Stars / Mexican Girl / Summer Night City / The Eve Of War / I Can't Stop Lovin' You (Though I Try) / A Rose Has To Die / Summer Nights / Blame It On The Boogie / Love Don't Live Here Anymore / Grease / Talking In Your Sleep / Rasputin

6 - (CHVP 6)    Nov 1978

Hopelessly Devoted To You / Radio Radio / Givin' Up Givin' In / Part Time Love / Darlin' / Toast / Pretty Little Angel Eyes / Instant Replay / Fat Bottomed Girls / Macarthur Park / Sandy / Stumblin' In

Comments: From here on, recordings on these albums will also appear on the Top of the Pops albums.

7 - (CHVP 7)    Dec 1978

Y.M.C.A. / You Don't Bring Me Flowers / Le Freak / In The Bush / Dance (Disco Heat) / Too Much Heaven / Song For Guy / Hanging On The Telephone / Lay Your Love On Me / You Needed Me / I'm Every Woman / Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick

8 - (CHVP 8)    Feb 1979

Oliver's Army / I Want Your Love / Chiquitita / Lucky Number / I Will Survive / Keep On Dancin' / Tragedy / Heaven Knows / Ain't Love A Bitch / Can You Feel The Force / Heart Of Glass / Painter Man

Comments: LP was pressed on red vinyl. Label gives album title as "Parade of the Pops".

9 - (CHVP 9)    Mar 1979

In The Navy / Forever In Blue Jeans / Waiting For An Alibi / Just What I Needed / Fire / Wow / Remember Then / Bright Eyes / Hold The Line / Turn The Music Up / The Runner / He's The Greatest Dancer

Comments: Has a “retro” sleeve based on the Windmill design. Model is Beverley Pilkington.

10 - (CHVP 10)    May 1979

Pop Muzik / Boys Keep Swinging / Boogie Wonderland / Roxanne / Hot Stuff / Love You Inside Out / One Way Ticket / Sunday Girl / Reunited / Knock On Wood / Does Your Mother Know / Banana Splits / Shine A Little Love / Goodnight Tonight / Dance Away / Hooray Hooray It's A Holi-Holiday

Comments: Album is the first to expand from 12 to 16 tracks, which would become standard from here on. LP pressed on translucent “gold” (in fact yellow-orange) vinyl.

11 - (CHVP 11)    Jun 1979

Silly Games / Born To Be Alive / Are Friends Electric / Old Siam Sir / Bad Girls / Night Owl / Who Were You With In The Moonlight / Go West / Good Times / Golden Lady / Ring My Bell / Lady Lynda / Breakfast In America / Light My Fire / H.A.P.P.Y. Radio / Voulez Vous

Comments: LP pressed on translucent “gold” (in fact yellow-orange) vinyl.

12 - (CHVP 12)    Aug 1979

We Don't Talk Anymore / Bang Bang / Duke Of Earl / Sail On / Angel Eyes / Reasons To Be Cheerful (Part 3) / Lost In Music / Gotta Go Home / I Don't Like Mondays / Ohh! What A Life / After The Love Has Gone / Is She Really Going Out With Him / Gangsters / Sweet Little Rock 'N' Roller / If I Said You Had A Beautiful Body Would You Hold It Against Me / Gone Gone Gone

Comments: LP pressed on translucent “gold” (in fact yellow-orange) vinyl. Cover model is Carolyn Evans.

13 - (CHVP 14)    Oct 1979

Video Killed The Radio Star / Message In A Bottle / Whatever You Want / You Can Do It / Since You've Been Gone / My Forbidden Lover / Every Day Hurts / Them Heavy People / Gimme Gimme Gimme (A Man After Midnight) / Dreaming / The Chosen Few / Star / Don't Stop Till You Get Enough / Tusk / One Day At A Time / Rise

Comments: Came with a free flexidisc promoting an unrelated record. NB: There is no CHVP 13 in the discography. Cassette edition has a very slightly different photo to the LP cover.

14 - (CHVP 15)    Nov 1979

When You're In Love With A Beautiful Woman / Diamond Smiles / The Eton Rifles / Complex / Nights In White Satin / Spacer / Union City Blue / Que Sera Mi Vida / No More Tears (Enough Is Enough) / Off The Wall / Confusion / A Night At Daddy Gee's / Still / Is It Love You're After / One Step Beyond / It's A Disco Night (Rock Don't Stop)  

Comments: Cassette edition has a very slightly different photo to the LP cover.

15 - (CHVP 16)    Jan 1980

Brass In Pocket / With You I'm Born Again / My Girl / Babe / Green Onions / It's Different For Girls / Young Blood / I Have A Dream / Another Brick In The Wall Part II / Better Love Next Time / I'm In The Mood For Dancing / Spirits (Having Flown) / Escape (The Pina Colada Song) / My Feet Keep Dancing / Sara / Please Don't Go

Comments: Cassette edition has a very slightly different photo to the LP cover.

16 - (CHVP 17)    Feb 1980

Atomic / Carrie / I Can't Stand Up For Falling Down / Riders In The Sky / Three Minute Hero / Living By Numbers / Save Me / Together We Are Beautiful / Coward Of The County / And The Beat Goes On / Take That Look Off Your Face / Rock With You / Someone's Looking At You / So Lonely / Jane / Too Much Too Young

Comments: Cassette edition reverses the photo on the LP cover.

17 - (CHVP 18)    Mar 1980

Going Underground / Stomp / Dance Yourself Dizzy / Talk Of The Town / Cuba / Night Boat To Cairo / Silver Dream Machine / January February / Working My Way Back To You / Turn It On Again / Sexy Eyes / My Oh My / Him / Don't Push It Don't Force It / Kool In The Kaftan / Living After Midnight

Comments: Cover model is Sian Adey Jones. Cassette edition reverses the photo on the LP cover.

18 - (CHVP 19)    May 1980

Theme From M.A.S.H. (Suicide Is Painless) / Crying / No Doubt About It / I'm Alive / Funkytown / Over You / Midnite Dynamos / She's Out Of My Life / What's Another Year / Fool For Your Loving / Let's Get Serious / Don't Make Waves / Rat Race / D-a-a-ance / We Are Glass / Geno

Comments: Cassette edition reverses the photo on the LP cover.

19 - (CHVP 20)    Sep 1980

Don't Stand So Close To Me / One Day I'll Fly Away / The Sunshine Of Your Smile / Another One Bites The Dust / Baggy Trousers / Three Little Birds / Misunderstanding / Dreamin' / Feels Like I'm In Love / Ashes To Ashes / Start / Masterblaster (Jammin') / Can't Stop The Music / Searching / A Walk In The Park / D.I.S.C.O.

Comments: Act credited as The Sound Sensations.

20 - (CHVP 21)    Jan 1981

Woman / In The Air Tonight / Don't Stop The Music / Young Parisians / A Little In Love / Twilight Cafe / Gangsters Of The Groove / The Elephant's Graveyard / Rapture / Sgt. Rock (Is Going To Help Me) / Romeo And Juliet / I Surrender / Vienna / The Return Of The Los Palmas Seven / Turn Me On Turn Me Off / Oldest Swinger In Town

Comments: Act credited as The Sound Sensations.

21 - (CHVP 22)    May 1981

Stand And Deliver / Will You / Chi Mai (Theme From TV Series The Life And Times Of David Lloyd George) / I Want To Be Free / It's Going To Happen! / Keep On Loving You / Bette Davis Eyes / How 'Bout Us / Stars On 45 / Being With You / More Than In Love / One Day In Your Life / All Those Years Ago / Stray Cat Strut / Chequered Love / You Drive Me Crazy

Comments: Act credited as The Sound Sensations.

22 - (CHVP 23)    Oct 1981

Begin The Beguine / Labelled With Love / Let's Hang On / When She Was My Girl / Hold Me / Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic / A Good Year For The Roses / Physical / Why Do Fools Fall In Love / It's My Party / Joan Of Arc / Under Your Thumb / Happy Birthday / Tonight I'm Yours (Don't Hurt Me) / Birdie Song (The Birdie Dance) / Under Pressure

Comments: Act credited as The Sound Sensations.

23 - (CHVP 24)    Apr 1982

My Camera Never Lies / Night Birds / View From A Bridge / Have You Ever Been In Love / Town Called Malice / Classic / Just An Illusion / Seven Tears / One Step Further / Blue Eyes / Give Me Back My Heart / More Than This / This Time (We'll Get It Right) / Fantastic Day / Ain't No Pleasing You / Ebony And Ivory

Comments: Act credited as The Sound Sensations.

CHEVRON RESUMED IN 1984 WITH THE SERIES, "THIS IS MUSIC". SEE SEPARATE PAGE.

End-of-year collections

1978: Top Hits Of The Year (CHV 119)

You're The One That I Want / Dreadlock Holiday / Night Fever / Take A Chance On Me / Three Times A Lady / Mull Of Kintyre / Da Ya Think I'm Sexy? / Figaro / Love Don't Live Here Anymore / The Smurf Song / Wuthering Heights / Rivers Of Babylon

Comments: Released on cassette and LP. Act credited as Hit Machine Unlimited. Contains six “new” tracks not sourced from the main series. The cassette is known in two editions - one a white cassette shell with black print, the other a black shell with white labels stuck on.

1979: Top Hits Of The Year (CHV 177)

One Day At A Time / We Don't Talk Anymore / Message In A Bottle / I Will Survive / Are Friends Electric / Heart Of Glass / I Don't Like Mondays / Ring My Bell / Bright Eyes / Video Killed The Radio Star / Tragedy / Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick

Comments: Released on cassette and LP. All tracks from the main series.

1980: Top Hits Of The Year (CHV 207)

(Just Like) Starting Over / Another Brick In The Wall Part II / Don't Stand So Close To Me / Brass In Pocket / Crying / The Tide Is High / Woman In Love / Geno / Ashes To Ashes / Feels Like I'm In Love / Going Underground / Super Trouper

Comments: Released on cassette only. Act credited as LA Sounds. Contains four “new” tracks not sourced from the main series.

1981: Top Hits Of The Year (CHV 230)

Don't You Want Me / Being With You / You Drive Me Crazy / One Day In Your Life / Stars On 45 / Tainted Love / Stand And Deliver / Under Pressure / Woman / Begin The Beguine / Vienna / It's My Party

Comments: Released on cassette only. Act credited as Sound Sensation. Contains two “new” tracks not sourced from the main series.

1982: Top Hits Of The Year (CHV 263)

Pass The Dutchie / House Of Fun / Fantastic Day / Blue Eyes / Golden Brown / Do You Really Want To Hurt Me / Oh Julie / Ebony And Ivory / Dance Away / Mickey / Centerfold / Town Called Malice 

Comments: Only four tracks are from main series, which folded in the spring of 1982. Act credited as Sound Sensations.

1983: Top Hits Of The Year (CHV 293)

Karma Chameleon / Baby Jane / Give It Up / Let's Dance / Only You / Uptown Girl / Billie Jean / True / Down Under / Every Breath You Take

Comments: Act credited as Sound Sensation. None of these tracks were featured on Chevron albums previously, since the label had none in production through 1983.