Smash Tracks / Smash Hits (1978 - 1980)


This lengthy run of cassettes was issued by the Artistry label, and appeared initially on their 5th Avenue imprint, simultaneously with (or very soon after) the unrelated re-launch of the Parade of Pops cassettes on Chevron (see separate page). It is apparent that these cassettes closely mirror Parade of Pops in terms of track choice, although it should be noted that the recordings here were made in-house and not purchased in. 5th Avenue seem to be named in acknowledgment of the older Avenue label, since Artistry owned the rights to the old Avenue recordings and re-issued several LPs on cassette. They also operated from the same London address.

The Smash Tracks/Smash Hits releases were usually compiled by Colin Richardson. The musical arrangements were generally looked after by Richard Franklin (and sometimes Steve Cameron), and on a few cassettes we see the ensemble billed as The Artistry Orchestra & Singers.

In early 1979, Smash Tracks moved over to the parent label, Artistry, who went on to switch the series title to Smash Hits. The cassettes continued to emerge approximately every month, and ran as high as volume 26, switching again to the Dynamic label. Thereafter, a proper re-launch was attempted via the aim label, with another tweak in the series title but no interruption of supply.

The Artistry label is still active, and frequently re-issues CDs containing old cover versions from the Avenue albums and elsewhere. See our BLOG posts for news of their latest releases.  

* Thanks to Ian Byrne for bringing this series to our attention, and for some of the cover scans.
* Special thanks to Artistry's Colin Richardson for copying the rare cassette inserts for us, and for background info.


Volume 1 (ST 01)    ? 1978



Arms Of Mary / Can't Help Falling In Love / More More More / Let Your Love Flow / Silly Love Songs / I'm Your Puppet / Reggae Like It Used To Be / Midnight Train To Georgia / My Resistance Is Low / Jolene / Devil Woman / Fool To Cry

Comments: All the songs on this album were hits in April/May 1976. However we have no evidence that the label was active that early - and given the fact that the follow-up volume is from 1978, we assume this came out simultaneously or just beforehand.

Volume 2 (ST 02)    May 1978



Rivers Of Babylon / It Makes You Feel Like Dancin' / On A Little Street In Singapore / (I'm Always Touched By Your) Presence Dear / If I Can't Have You / Come To Me / Boy From New York City / Because The Night / Love Is In The Air / More Than A Woman / Ca Plane Pour Moi / A Ba Ni Bi

Volume 3 (ST 03)    Jun 1978



The Smurf Song / You're The One That I Want / Airport / Use Ta Be My Girl / Man With The Child In His Eyes / It Sure Brings Out The Love In Your Eyes / Argentine Melody (Cancion De Argentina) / Miss You / Annie's Song / Making Up Again / Davy's On The Road Again / Dancing In The City

Volume 4 (ST 04)    Jul 1978



From East To West / Forever Autumn / How Can This Be Love / 5-7-0-5 / Come Back And Finish What You Started / The Race Is On / You Light My Fire / A Little Bit Of Soap / Boogie Oogie Oogie / Stay / Life's Been Good / Substitute / Don't Be Cruel (To A Heart That's True)

Comments: "Accompaniment Director" is Richard Franklin. This cassette included ten tracks which also appear (as different recordings) on the current Parade of Pops. This leaves two tracks on Parade of Pops which were not included here ("Three Times A Lady" and "Brown Girl In The Ring") but both were apparently recorded for the cassette - but held off until Volume 5 (see details below). This cassette has an extra track on side 2, bringing the song count to 13.

Volume 5 (ST 05)    Aug 1978



Three Times A Lady / Grease / Brown Girl In The Ring / Forget About You / It's Raining / Dreadlock Holiday / Oh What A Circus / Talking In Your Sleep / Kiss You All Over / Cold As Ice / An Everlasting Love / Two Out Of Three Ain't Bad

Comments: There are two apparent leftovers on this cassette, which were recorded with the Accompaniment Director, Richard Franklin. (These two, added to the contents of the previous volume, mean that Franklin recorded every song which appeared on Parade of Pops volume 4.) The rest of the tracks have Accompaniment Director as Steve Cameron.

Volume 6 (ST 06)    Sep 1978



Summer Nights / Blame It On The Boogie / Lucky Stars / Sandy / Galaxy Of Love / Summer Night City / A Rose Has To Die / I Can't Stop Lovin' You (Though I Try) / Mexican Girl / Again And Again / Rasputin

Comments: This album only contains 11 tracks.

Volume 7 (ST 07)    Oct 1978



Hopelessly Devoted To You / Macarthur Park / Get It While You Can / Rat Trap / Fat Bottomed Girls / Givin' Up Givin' In / Sweet Talkin' Woman / Darlin' / Instant Replay / Got To Get You Into My Life

Comments: This album only contains 10 tracks.

Volume 8 (ST 08)    Nov 1978



Da Ya Think I'm Sexy? / Hanging On The Telephone / Pretty Little Angel Eyes / Don't Let It Fade Away / Too Much Heaven / You Don't Bring Me Flowers / Toast / Le Freak / Greased Lightnin' / My Best Friend's Girl / Henry Ford / In The Bush

Comments: "Henry Ford" was not a hit at the time, and whereas the musical director on the rest of the album is Richard Franklin, that particular song has Alan Caddy's name against it. Is is probably therefore an old recording.

Volume 9 (ST 09)    Jan 1979


Song For Guy / Lay Your Love On Me / You Needed Me / Trojan Horse / You've Got All Of Me / Y.M.C.A. / I'm Every Woman / Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick / Leave A Light / Enigma (Give A Little Mmh To Me)

Comments: This album only contains 10 tracks.

Volume 10 (ST 10)    Jan 1979




Chiquitita / Rama Lama Ding Dong / Woman In Love / A Little More Love / Car 67 / Just The Way You Are / Ain't Love A Bitch / Heart Of Glass / Don't Hold Back / Hello This Is Joanie (The Telephone Answering Machine Song) / This Is It / September

Volume 11 (ST 11)    Feb 1979



Tragedy / Oliver's Army / I Will Survive / My Life / I Want Your Love / Painter Man / I Was Made For Dancin' / Lucky Number / Forever In Blue Jeans / The Runner / Can You Feel The Force / Heaven Knows

Volume 12 (ST 12)    Mar 1979



In The Navy / Remember Then / Sultans Of Swing / Wow / Shake Your Body (Down To The Ground) / Fire / Mary Anne / Bright Eyes / Just What I Needed / Keep On Dancin' / He's The Greatest Dancer / Turn The Music Up

Comments: Series transferred to the parent Artistry label.

Volume 13 (ST 13)    Apr 1979



Hallelujah / Sunday Girl / Goodnight Tonight / Hooray Hooray It's A Holi-Holiday / One Way Ticket / Does Your Mother Know / Pop Muzik / Knock On Wood / Some Girls / Love You Inside Out / Feel The Need / Reunited

Volume 14 (ST 14)    May 1979



Theme From The Deerhunter (Cavatina) / Hot Stuff / Shine A Little Love / Boogie Wonderland / How Could This Go Wrong / Say When / Banana Splits / Dance Away / Roxanne / Boys Keep Swinging / I Want You To Want Me / Ain't No Stoppin' Us Now / Casanova

Volume 15 (ST 15)    Jun 1979



Voulez Vous / Lady Lynda / Who Were You With In The Moonlight / Old Siam Sir / Light My Fire / Ring My Bell / Night Owl / Go West / Born To Be Alive / Head Over Heels

Comments: This cassette was released on the Artistry label, the series having been transfered at some stage this year (we are unclear as to the precise point of change-over). This album only contains 10 tracks. The first nine titles all appear (as different recordings) on the current edition of "Parade of Pops".

Volume 16 (SH 16)    Jul 1979



Breakfast In America / Are Friends Electric / Crackin' Up / Surrender / Golden Lady / Getting Closer / Back To Boogie / Halfway Hotel / Mindless Boogie / Don’t Look Back

Comments: The series has undergone a name change to "Smash Hits". This album only contains 10 tracks. Only four of them entered the UK charts. This edition was compiled by Ray Rich rather than usual compiler Colin Richardson, underlining its slightly unusual nature.

Volume 17 (SH 17)    Jul 1979



Gotta Go Home / Angel Eyes / Ohh! What A Life / I Don't Like Mondays / One Way Or Another / Bad Girls / Sweet Little Rock 'N' Roller / El Lute / We Don't Talk Anymore / Silly Games / Death Disco / Girls Talk

Comments: Releases are piling up, with two July cassettes being issued (possibly accounting for the shorter length of the previous few editions). The track "Silly Games" is listed on the cover as "Silly Girls". "El Lute" (track seven) was a double-A side with "Gotta Go Home" (track one) for Boney M.

Volume 18 (SH 18)   Aug 1979



If I Said You Had A Beautiful Body Would You It Against Me / Bang Bang / Sail On / Gone Gone Gone / Angel Eyes / Street Life / Lost In Music / Don't Bring Me Down / Duke Of Earl / Gangsters / Is She Really Going Out With Him / After The Love Has Gone

Volume 19 (SH 19)    Sep 1979



Cars / Message In A Bottle / Strut Your Funky Stuff / Don't Stop Till You Get Enough / Love's Gotta Hold On Me / Time For Action / You Can Do It / Dim All The Lights / Boy Oh Boy / Cruel To Be Kind / Whatever You Want / Since You've Been Gone

Volume 20 (SH 20)    Oct 1979



Video Killed The Radio Star / Tusk / My Forbidden Lover / Rise / Dreaming / She's In Love With You / One Day At A Time / Every Day Hurts / The Chosen Few / Gimme Gimme Gimme (A Man After Midnight) / Heartache Tonight / When You're In Love With A Beautiful Woman

Volume 21 (SH 021)    Nov 1979



Nights In White Satin / Still / Complex / Union City Blue / Diamond Smiles / One Step Beyond / Que Sera Mi Vida / A Night At Daddy Gee's / It's A Disco Night (Rock Don't Stop) / No More Tears (Enough Is Enough)

Comments: This album only contains 10 tracks. All the titles appear (as different recordings) on "Parade of Pops" volume 14.

Volume 22 (SH 022)    Dec 1979 




Another Brick In The Wall Part II / My Simple Heart / I Have A Dream / Please Don't Go / My Feet Keep Dancing / John I'm Only Dancing / Spacer / I Only Want To Be With You / Off The Wall / Confusion

Comments: This album only contains 10 tracks. Musicians conducted by Colin Raymond, except "I Only Want To Be With You", which is credited to Steve Cameron.

Volume 23 (SH 023)    Dec 1979




My Girl / Green Onions / I'm In The Mood For Dancing / Escape (The Pina Colada Song) / Babe / Better Love Next Time / Brass In Pocket / Young Blood / Spirits (Having Flown) / It's Different For Girls

Comments: This album only contains 10 tracks. Musicians directed by Steve Cameron, except "Spirits (Having Flown)", which is credited to Richard Franklin.

Volume 24 (SH 024)    Jan 1980



Coward Of The County / Living By Numbers / Too Much Too Young / And The Beat Goes On / Someone's Looking At You / Save Me / With You I'm Born Again / Three Minute Hero / Carrie / Baby I Love You

Comments: This album only contains 10 tracks.

Volume 25 (SH 025)    Feb 1980



Riders In The Sky / On The Radio / Take That Look Off Your Face / Rock With You / Together We Are Beautiful / I Can't Stand Up For Falling Down / So Lonely / Atomic / Do That To Me One More Time / Mama's Boy

Comments: This album only contains 10 tracks.

Volume 26 (SH 026)    May 1980



Theme From M.A.S.H. (Suicide Is Painless) / Let's Get Serious / I'm Alive / Rat Race / No Doubt About It / Midnite Dynamos / Crying / D-a-a-ance / We Are Glass / Funkytown / She's Out Of My Life / Over You

Comments: This is the first album for three months, and the series is now being hosted by the Dynamic label. This suggests a re-launch was being planned, although this would happen elsewhere (see below). All these titles appear (as different recordings) on "Parade of Pops" volume 18.


Re-launch releases

"Today's Smash Hits Volume 1" (Cat no unknown)    Jul 1980


Details not known

"Today's Smash Hits Volume 2" (AM 46)    Aug 1980



Ashes To Ashes / Start / Oh Yeah (On The Radio) / Feels Like I'm In Love / The Sunshine Of Your Smile / Dreamin' / Can't Stop The Music / Modern Girl / A Walk In The Park / Marie Marie / Years From Now / Magic

"Today's Smash Hits Volume 3" (AM 57)    Sep 1980



The Tide Is High / Super Trouper / I Could Be So Good For You / Don't Walk Away / Never Knew Love Like This Before / Passion / I'm Coming Out / (Just Like) Starting Over / Bourgie Bourgie / The Same Old Scene / Sharing The Night Together / Lonely Together


End-of-year collections

1978: Best of Smash Track 1978 (AR 724)



Dancing In The City / Airport / Love Don't Live Here Anymore / Lucky Stars / Wuthering Heights / Darlin' / Sweet Talkin' Woman / Rivers Of Babylon / Night Fever / Summer Nights / Stay / Instant Replay

Comments: Nine of the 12 songs are known from the main series.

1980: Best of Smash Tracks From The 80s (AM70)




Super Trouper / Imagine / Woman In Love / Theme From M.A.S.H. (Suicide Is Painless) / Crying / (Just Like) Starting Over / With You I'm Born Again / Together We Are Beautiful / Do That To Me One More Time / What's Another Year / Another Brick In The Wall Part II / Xanadu

Comments: Released on the Aim label. Front cover gives title as "Smash Hits..." but "Smash Tracks" appears in all other places. All songs were hits during 1980 and at least half are from the above series.

1981: Best of Smash Hits 1981 (AIM 49)



Stars On 45 / This Ole House / Labelled With Love / Wired For Sound / I Go To Sleep / Rockabilly Ronda / Teddy Bear / A Good Year For The Roses / Begin The Beguine / It Must Be Love / Shaddup You Face / Green Door

Comments: Released on the Aim label. All tracks were hits during 1981, but there appear to be no parent albums from that year, so these were probably recorded especially.