chart showings by The Jam, The Specials and Madness. 1970s favourites ABBA and Blondie both had their last years as chart heavyweights, clocking up 5 No.1 singles between them. David Bowie scored his second No.1 this year, while the death of John Lennon at the end of the year gave him his first chart topper (and would dominate the early months of 1981). Kate Bush became the first British female artist to have a No.1 album, and The Police finished the year as the top selling act. "Brass in Pocket" by The Pretenders became the first number 1 single of the 80s (not counting "Another Brick in the Wall" by Pink Floyd" which was a holdover from 1979). Charts Number-one singles Number-one albums Year-end charts The tables below include sales between 31 December 1979 and 31 December 1980: the year-end charts reproduced in the issue of Music Week dated 27 December 1980 and played on Radio 1 on 4 January 1981 only include sales figures up until 6 December 1980. Best-selling singles Best-selling albums Classical music: new works George Benjamin - Ringed by the Flat Horizon Lennox Berkeley - Magnificat and Nunc dimittis, Op.99 Harrison Birtwistle - Clarinet Quintet Jonathan Harvey - Mortuos Plango, Vivos Voco Alun Hoddinott - The Heaventree of Stars Robert Simpson - String Quartet No. 8 Malcolm Williamson - Ode for Queen Elizabeth Opera Peter Maxwell Davies Cinderella (children's opera) The Lighthouse William Mathias - The Servants Musical theatre Suburban Strains, book and lyrics by Alan Ayckbourn with music by Paul Todd Births 1 January - Richie Faulkner, rock guitarist (Judas Priest) 5 January - Lisa Gordon, drummer (Hepburn) 29 March - Andy Scott-Lee, singer (3SL) 4 April - Johnny Borrell, singer and musician with Razorlight 12 April - Brian McFadden, Irish singer (Westlife) 29 April - Kian Egan, Irish singer (Westlife) 8 May - Michelle McManus, singer and TV presenter 28 May - Mark Feehily, Irish singer (Westlife) 15 June - Lynsey Shaw, singer (Girls@Play) 23 June Jessica Taylor, singer (Liberty X) Andy Orr, Irish singer (Six) 29 June - Katherine Jenkins, soprano 7 July - Fyfe Dangerfield, singer-songwriter and guitarist (Guillemots and Senseless Prayer) 28 July - Noel Sullivan, singer (Hear'Say) 19 August - Darius Danesh, singer-songwriter and actor 5 September Kevin Simm, singer (Liberty X) Zainam Higgins, singer (Cleopatra) 6 September Kerry Katona, TV presenter and singer (Atomic Kitten) Jayde Delpratt, singer (Ultimate