The significant hits

11 April 2012
The Weekender

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A new archive proves the power of an unforgettable first performance. Here are some of the most significant hits the new ITN archive contains:

1 The Sex Pistols performing Anarchy In The UK on So It Goes, 28 August 1976. Tony Wilson puts punk bad boys on his show four months before Bill Grundy goaded them on to the front pages.

2 Nirvana performing Smells Like Teen Spirit on The Word, 8 November 1991. As famous for Kurt Cobain's shocking introduction as the grunge icons' incendiary performance.

3 Oasis performing Supersonic on The Word, 4 March 1994. Performing behind a solid wall of attitude, this was the first glimpse of the biggest British band of the Nineties.

4 Madonna performing Holiday on The Tube, 27 January 1984. Before this, Madge was a dance music novelty. But by the end of the year she would be a pop colossus.

5 Frankie Goes To Hollywood, performing Relax on The Tube, 9 December

1983. The dubious subject matter led to a BBC radio and TV ban, but Channel 4 still showed it.

6 REM performing Don't Go Back To Rockville on The Tube, 18 November 1983. The college rockers cemented their early cult status with this performance.

7 Billie Holliday performing Strange Fruit - a searing and despairing tale of a lynching - on Chelsea At Nine, 18 March 1959.

8 The Fall performing Psycho Mafia on What's On, 1 June 1978. More famous for their record number of John Peel radio sessions, Mark E Smith's band were first seen as well as heard here.

9 Joy Division performing Shadowplay on What's On, June 1978. Rare sighting of singer Ian Curtis's jerky, intense style.

10 The Clash performing Janie Jones on So It Goes, 11 December 1977. Tony Wilson continued to champion punk, introducing The Clash with this concert footage.

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