Artist Appearances

Performance Preview

Kool and The Gang DANCED BY ZOO 1982-08-12

Kool & The Gang performing 'Big Fun'

Performance Preview

Kool and the Gang OVER CHARTS 1980-02-15

Kool & The Gang performing 'Too Hot'

Performance Preview

Kool and the Gang AUDIENCE DANCING 1980-01-24

Kool & The Gang performing 'Too Hot'

Performance Type Guide

This guide lists every type of performance badge that you are likely to come across on the website, and what the peformance type badges mean.

Repeated performances are indicated by

T in the Park Performance

A repeated live performance of an artist’s track performed at T in the Park.

Childen In Need Performance

A repeated live performance of an artist’s track performed at the BBC Children In Need show. Typically these repeated performances were featured from 2007 onwards when the weekly TOTP editions stopped, but the Christmas specials continued.

Radio 1 Live Lounge Performance

A repeated live performance of an artist’s track performed in the Radio 1 Live Lounge.

Satellite Performance

Sometimes artists couldn’t appear in the Top of the Pops studio and often would performance on location via Satellite for the programme. Performances were usually live, but sometimes they were mimed.

Music Video

When an artist couldn't appear in the Top of the Pops studio they would often send in their music video to be played on the show.

Played Over TOTP Studio Montage

An artist’s track would be played in the background, while a montage of stills or video clips played on screen. This typically happened in the mid-1990s during the end credits.

Short Clip

A short music video or live performance clip was shown. This was typically used during special edition of the show, or for an album or promotion video.

Short Video Clip

A short music video or live performance clip was shown. This was typically used during special edition of the show, whilst the presenter discussed the end of year charts and big music news of the year.

New Zealand Studio Performance

An artist would perform in the Top of the Pops studio live in front of an audience, but for the New Zealand local version of the show. This performance type only featured once during the show’s history.

USA Studio Performance

An artist would appear in the Top of the Pops studio in America, perform their track, but they would mime to the track usually. Occasionally the performances would be live. A version of the show was broadcast in America in the late-1980s.

Played Over Stills

An artist’s track would be played in the background, while a montage of stills played out on screen.

Electric Proms Performance

A repeated live performance of an artist’s track performed at the BBC Electric Proms. Typically these repeated performances were featured from 2007 onwards when the weekly TOTP editions stopped, but the Christmas specials continued.

Mimed Performance

An artist would appear in the Top of the Pops studio, perform their track, but they would mime to the track. They would not pre-record live vocals or a new instrument arrangement. Even though artists would appear in the studio with instruments, they would pretend to play them "live".

Live Mimed Performance

An artist would pre-record vocals and the musical backing track with the Top of the Pops orchestra (typically) before the show was filmed. Then the live recording of the track would be played to during filming, a the artist would mime to the pre-recorded "live" track.

Live Performance

An artist would perform in the Top of the Pops studio live in front of an audience. There would usually be a backing track or a supporting band, alongside live vocals.

Played Over Charts

An artist’s track would be played in the background, while the Top 40 or Top 30 chart rundown would be shown on screen. This happened fairly frequently from 1975 to 1981 at the start of the show.

Played Over Montage

An artist’s track would be played in the background, while a montage of TOTP stills or video clips would play out on screen. This typically happened during special episodes like the 900th and 1000th editions.

Top 40 Breaker Clip

A short 30-second-ish clip of an artist’s music video was played during the Top 40 breakers segment of the show. This segment ran from 1985 to 1994 most weeks on the show.

Dance Routine

When an artist couldn’t appear in the studio an uncredited dance troupe would perform a dance routine to the artist’s track.

Legs & Co. Dance Routine

When an artist couldn’t appear in the studio between 1976 to 1981, Legs & Co. would perform a dance routine to the artist’s track.

Pan's People Dance Routine

When an artist couldn’t appear in the studio between 1968 to 1976, Pan’s People would perform a dance routine to the artist’s track.

Ruby Flipper Dance Routine

When an artist couldn’t appear in the studio during 1976, Ruby Flipper would perform a dance routine to the artist’s track.

The Go-Jos Dance Routine

When an artist couldn’t appear in the studio between 1964 to 1968, The Go-Jos would perform a dance routine to the artist’s track.

Zoo Dance Routine

When an artist couldn’t appear in the studio between 1981 to 1983, Zoo would perform a dance routine to the artist’s track.

Audience Dancing

An artist’s track is played and the audience dance along to it. Typically this occurred at the start of Top of the Pops in the early days up until the mid-1970s, or at the end of the show from the late-1970s to mid-1980s where the end credits would also be shown.

BBC Music Performance

A repeated live performance of an artist’s track performed at a BBC Music event. Typically these repeated performances were featured from 2007 onwards when the weekly TOTP editions stopped, but the Christmas specials continued.

Live Concert Performance

A repeated live performance of an artist’s track performed at a concert.

Music Event Performance

A repeated live performance of an artist’s track performed at a BBC Music event. e.g. Radio 1 live lounge. Typically these repeated performances were featured from 2007 onwards when the weekly TOTP editions stopped, but the Christmas specials continued.

Other Studio Performance

An artist would perform in a different studio than the main Top of the Pops studio, typically this would be filmed without the TOTP audience.

Radio 1 Big Weekend Performance

A repeated live performance of an artist’s track performed at the Radio 1 Big Weekend.

Reading Festival Performance

A repeated live performance of an artist’s track performed at Reading Festival. Typically these repeated performances were featured from 2007 onwards when the weekly TOTP editions stopped, but the Christmas specials continued.

TOTP Wembley Weekend Performance

A repeated live performance of an artist’s track performed at the Top of the Pops Wembley weekend event.

Glastonbury Performance

A repeated live performance of an artist’s track performed at Glastonbury. Typically these repeated performances were featured from 2007 onwards when the weekly TOTP editions stopped, but the Christmas specials continued.

TOTP Awards Performance

A repeated live performance of an artist’s track performed at the Top of the Pops awards show.

Graham Norton Show Performance

A repeated live performance of an artist’s track performed on the Graham Norton Show.

Later With Jools Holland Performance

A repeated live performance of an artist’s track performed on the Later… With Jools Holland Show.

Episode	Performance
The Final Countdown	Celebration Played Over Montage
Review of the 80s	Ooh La La La (let's Go Dancin') Mimed Performance
27/06/1985	Cherish Music Video
06/06/1985	Cherish Music Video
14/02/1985	Misled Top 40 Breaker Clip
13/12/1984	Fresh Mimed Performance
29/11/1984	Fresh Mimed Performance
19/04/1984	(when You Say You Love Somebody) In The Heart Audience Dancing
08/03/1984	Joanna Music Video
23/02/1984	Joanna Music Video
16/02/1984	Joanna Music Video
20th Anniversary Special	Straight Ahead Audience Dancing
04/11/1982	Ooh La La La (let's Go Dancin') Zoo Dance Routine
21/10/1982	Ooh La La La (let's Go Dancin') Mimed Performance
26/08/1982	Big Fun Audience Dancing
12/08/1982	Big Fun Zoo Dance Routine
18/03/1982	Take My Heart (you Can Have It If You Want It) Audience Dancing
14/01/1982	Get Down On It Dance Routine
24/12/1981	Get Down On It Zoo Dance Routine
26/11/1981	Steppin' Out Mimed Performance
12/11/1981	Steppin' Out Mimed Performance
18/06/1981	Take It To The Top Legs & Co. Dance Routine
05/03/1981	Jones Vs Jones Legs & Co. Dance Routine
04/12/1980	Celebration Audience Dancing
27/11/1980	Celebration Audience Dancing
20/11/1980	Celebration Mimed Performance
06/11/1980	Celebration Mimed Performance
15/02/1980	Too Hot Played Over Charts
24/01/1980	Too Hot Audience Dancing
15/11/1979	Ladies Night Music Video
08/11/1979	Ladies Night Played Over Charts

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