List of UK charts and number-one singles (1952–1969)

The UK Singles Chart is the official chart for the United Kingdom of singles. The chart is compiled by The Official Chart Company and the beginning of an "official" singles chart is generally regarded as February 1969 when the British Market Research Bureau (BMRB) was formed to compile the chart in a joint venture between the BBC and Record Retailer. Charts were used to measure the popularity of music and, initially, were based on sheet music. In 1952, NME imitated an American idea from Billboard magazine and began compiling a chart based on physical sales of the release. Rival publications such as Record Mirror, Melody Maker and Disc began to compile their own charts in the mid-to-late 1950s. Trade paper Record Retailer compiled their first chart in March 1960.

No single chart was universally followed during this period. Retrospectively, the Guinness Book of British Hit Singles and The Official Chart Company have chosen as canonical sources for the era: NME (November 1952 – March 1960) and Record Retailer (March 1960 – February 1969). These choices have not been universally welcomed, particularly that of Record Retailer during the 1960s, when charts like NME had a significantly wider circulation and following. The BBC's Pick of the Pops circumvented the lack of an official chart by aggregating the aforementioned publications to create their own chart.

Notable omissions from the canon are The Rolling Stones' "19th Nervous Breakdown" and The Beatles' "Please Please Me" which both reached number one on the NME, Disc, and Melody Maker charts, topped the BBC's Pick of the Pops aggregated chart and - in the case of "19th Nervous Breakdown" - was announced as number one on Top of the Pops; however, in failing to top the Record Retailer chart, they are not generally regarded as number-one singles.[1][2]

Main charts

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Elvis Presley had nineteen number-one singles between the main five charts before the "official" chart was established. These include thirteen that topped all the main charts published at the time and four not recognised in The Official Chart Company's canon.

New Musical Express (NME)

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The New Musical Express (NME) chart was the first in the United Kingdom to gauge the popularity of recorded music by sales; previously, sheet music sales charts had been compiled. NME's co-founder Percy Dickins imitated the chart produced by American Billboard magazine and began to compile Britain's first hit parade in 1952.[1][3] For the first chart, Dickins telephoned a sample of around 20 shops asking for a list of the 10 best-selling songs. These results were then aggregated to give a Top 12 chart (with 15 entries due to tied positions) that was published in NME on 14 November 1952.[1][3] Other periodicals produced their own charts and The Official Charts Company and Guinness' British Hit Singles & Albums regard NME as the canonical British singles chart until 10 March 1960.[4] After this Record Retailer is regarded as the canonical source until February 1969, when the British Market Research Bureau (BMRB) was formed. However, during the 1960s NME had the biggest circulation of charts in the decade and was the most widely followed.[1][2]

After 1969, NME continued to compile charts in the 1970s and 1980s and ended its time as the longest running independently compiled in May 1988.[5]

Record Mirror

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The Beatles had eighteen number-one singles on the five main charts before the BMRB was formed. Fourteen of them topped all the main charts published at the time, and three are not recognised by The Official Chart Company's canon.

Record Mirror compiled its own record chart from 1955 until 1962 which was used by many national newspapers.[1] It formed as the first rival to the existing chart published by NME. The Mirror's chart was based on the postal returns from record stores that were financed by the newspaper—rival chart, NME, was based on a telephone poll.[5] Its first chart was a Top 10 published on 22 January 1955 using figures from 24 shops.[6] The chart was expanded from a Top 10 to a Top 20 on 8 October 1955.[7] In the early 1960s some national newspapers switched to using a chart compiled by Melody Maker and, ultimately, the cost of collecting sales figures by post led to the chart's demise. On 24 March 1962, the paper stopped compiling its own chart and started publishing Record Retailer's Top 50.[1]

Melody Maker

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Cliff Richard was the last artist to top all five main charts, spending five or six weeks at the top of each chart with "The Young Ones". Richard had the third most number-one singles during this era; four as a solo artist and six with The Shadows (one as "The Drifters").

Melody Maker compiled its own chart from 1956 until 1988 which was used by many national newspapers.[1] It was the third periodical to compile a chart and rivaled existing compilers NME and Record Mirror. Melody Maker's chart, like NME's, was based on a telephone poll of record stores.[1][5] Melody Maker compiled a Top 20 for its first chart using figures from 19 shops on 7 April 1956.[1] During the 1950s, sample sizes ranged from around 14–33 shops and on 30 July 1960 the phoning of record shops was supplemented with postal returns; the first chart to use this method sampled 38 stores from 110 returns. On 26 August 1967, Disc, owned by the same company as Melody Maker, stopped compiling their own chart and started using the Melody Maker chart.[8] In its 9 February 1963 edition, Melody Maker disclosed that it received chart returns from 245 retailers and that its chart was audited by auditors supplied by Middlesex County Council.[9]

Disc & Music Echo

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Disc compiled its own chart from 1958 until 1967, the Disc which was used by many national newspapers.[1] It formed as a rival to the existing charts published by NME, Record Mirror, and Melody Maker. Disc's chart, like two of its rivals, was based on a telephone poll of record stores.[1][5] On 1 February 1958 Disc compiled its first chart which was a Top 20 using figures from 20 shops.[1] Throughout the 1950s Disc's sample sizes remained below 40 shops and in the early 1960s the sample size was increased to approximately 50 and compiled by Fred Zebadee; other rival charts had increased their samples to around 100 but this was too expensive for Disc. On 23 April 1966 the publication Mersey Beat (which ran its own chart) was incorporated into Disc which became Disc and Music Echo.[5] On 26 August 1967, Disc, who was then owned by the same company as Melody Maker, stopped compiling their own chart and started using the Melody Maker chart.[8]

Record Retailer

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Record Retailer was a trade paper that began compiling a record chart in March 1960. Although prior to 1969 there was no official singles chart,[1][2][10] Record Retailer is considered by The Official Charts Company to be the canonical source from 10 March 1960 until 15 February 1969 when Retailer and the BBC jointly commissioned the BMRB to compile the charts.[1][4] The choice to use Record Retailer as the canonical source for the 1960s has been contentious because NME had the biggest circulation of periodicals in the decade and was more widely followed.[1][2] One source explains that the reason for using the Record Retailer chart for the 1960s was that it was "the only chart to have as many as 50 positions for almost the entire decade".[11] The sample size of Record Retailer in the early 1960s was around 30 stores whereas NME and Melody Maker were sampling over 100 stores.[1] In 1969, the first BMRB chart was compiled using postal returns of sales logs from 250 record shops.[4]

Other charts

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BBC's Pick of the Pops

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The BBC first aired Pick of the Pops on its Light Programme radio station on 4 October 1955.[1] Initially airing popular songs, it developed an aggregated chart from March 1958. Using the NME, Melody Maker, Disc and Record Mirror charts the BBC cumulated them by totalling points gained in the four charts (1 point for a number one, 2 for a number two, etc.) to give a form of chart average – however, this method was prone to tied positions.[1] Record Retailer was included in the average from 31 March 1962 after Record Mirror had ceased compiling their chart.[1]

Radio Luxembourg

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In the 1930s, Radio Luxembourg pioneered the United States style of commercial broadcasting in Britain.[12] During the World War II the station broadcast Nazi propaganda and was then used United States troops until September 1946 with English-sponsored programming resuming at the end of the year.[13] In 1946, the Music Publishers' Association began compiling sheet music popularity charts and in 1948 British radio listeners heard their first chart show based on sales of sheet music with Radio Luxembourg broadcasting them during a Top Twenty programme on Sunday evenings.[14][15][16][17][18]

When programme administrator Derek Johnson heard about NME's chart in the 1950s, he passed them on to disc jockeys at Radio Luxembourg who aired a chart rundown each night.[19][20] The NME chart was used by Radio Luxembourg from January 1960 to 1967 and is said to have given "the chart acceptance and credence".[5][20]

Big L's Fab 40

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Wonderful Radio London, also known as Big L, was a pirate radio station that operated from the MV Galaxy of the coast of Essex.[21] Founded and financially backed by American Don Pierson the station introduced contemporary hit radio, popular in the United States, to the UK. The Fab 40 was the weekly playlist and was broadcast each Sunday as a chart based entirely on airplay.[22][23] The station closed on 14 August 1967 when the Marine Broadcasting Offences Act 1967 came into effect,[21][24] Later, rivals to the official chart would factor airplay into their charts.[25]

Mersey Beat

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Mersey Beat was founded initially as a regional bi-weekly publication on 13 July 1961. In 1963 it began compiling a Top 20 chart based on around 10 stores and became a national paper. The charts and paper became weekly on 24 April 1964 and, following an investment in September 1964 by Brian Epstein, expanded the chart and sample size to become the first publication to announce a Top 100 on 3 December 1964.[5] On 6 March 1965 the paper was rebranded Music Echo & Mersey Beat, which later that year became Music Echo, and by 16 April 1966 the chart was no longer published—the following week the newspaper was incorporated into Disc becoming Disc and Music Echo.[5][26]

Top Pops

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Top Pops was founded initially as a monthly publication in May 1967. In May 1968 it began compiling a chart based on the telephone sample of 12 W H Smith & Son stores. The charts and paper became weekly the following month. Rebranded Music Now by 1970, the chart and paper ceased publication the following year.[5]

Comparison of chart number-ones (1952–1969)

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Key
1–18 The number of weeks spent as a number-one single on a chart regarded as canonical by The Official Charts Company.
No The single did not reach number one on the chart regarded as canonical at the time.
1–18 The number of weeks spent as a number-one single on a chart not regarded as canonical by The Official Charts Company.
No The single did not reach number one on the listed chart (which was not regarded as canonical at the time).
* One of the weeks as number-one single was spent jointly with another single and, for the purposes of sorting, is considered less than acts whose time at number one was outright.
The canonical sources referred to above are NME for number ones 1–97 and Record Retailer for number ones 97–265

Edit by chart considered the canonical source: NMERecord Retailer

No.
[nb 1]
Artist Single NME
[nb 2]
Record
Mirror

[nb 3]
Melody
Maker

[51]
Disc
[51]
Record
Retailer

[nb 4]
Weeks at number one
001 Al Martino "Here in My Heart" 9
002 Jo Stafford "You Belong to Me" 1
003 Kay Starr "Comes A-Long A-Love" 1
004 Eddie Fisher "Outside Of Heaven" 1
005 Perry Como "Don't Let The Stars Get In Your Eyes" 5
006 Guy Mitchell "She Wears Red Feathers" 4
007 The Stargazers "Broken Wings" 1
008 Lita Roza "(How Much Is) That Doggie in the Window?" 1
009 Frankie Laine "I Believe" 9.1818
010 Eddie Fisher "I'm Walking Behind You" 1
011 Mantovani "Song from Moulin Rouge" 1
012 Guy Mitchell "Look At That Girl" 6
013 Frankie Laine "Hey Joe" 2
014 David Whitfield "Answer Me" 1.5*2*
015 Frankie Laine "Answer Me" 7.5*8*
016 Eddie Calvert "Oh Mein Papa" 9
017 The Stargazers "I See the Moon" 9
018 Doris Day "Secret Love" 9
019 Johnnie Ray "Such a Night" 1
020 David Whitfield "Cara Mia" 9.1010
021 Kitty Kallen "Little Things Mean a Lot" 1
022 Frank Sinatra "Three Coins in the Fountain" 3
023 Don Cornell "Hold My Hand" 5
024 Vera Lynn "My Son, My Son" 2
025 Rosemary Clooney "This Ole House" 1
026 Winifred Atwell "Let's Have Another Party" 5
027 Dickie Valentine "The Finger Of Suspicion" 3
028 Rosemary Clooney "Mambo Italiano" 3 3
Dean Martin "Naughty Lady of Shady Lane" No 1
029 Ruby Murray "Softly, Softly" 3 1
030 Tennessee Ernie Ford "Give Me Your Word" 7 9
031 Perez "Prez" Prado and his Orchestra "Cherry Pink (and Apple Blossom White)" 2 No
032 Tony Bennett "Stranger in Paradise" 2 6
033 Eddie Calvert "Cherry Pink (and Apple Blossom White)" 4 No
034 Jimmy Young "Unchained Melody" 3 No
Al Hibbler "Unchained Melody" No 4
035 Alma Cogan "Dreamboat" 2 2
036 Slim Whitman "Rose Marie" 9.1111 9
Frankie Laine "Cool Water" No 1
037 Jimmy Young "The Man from Laramie" 4 5
038 Johnston Brothers "Hernando's Hideaway" 2 No
039 Bill Haley & His Comets "Rock Around the Clock" 5 8
040 Dickie Valentine "Christmas Alphabet" 2 No
041 Tennessee Ernie Ford "Sixteen Tons" 4 5
Lou Busch "Zambesi" No 2
042 Dean Martin "Memories Are Made of This" 4 2
043 The Dream Weavers "It's Almost Tomorrow" 3 3 3
044 Kay Starr with the Hugo Winterhalter Orchestra "Rock And Roll Waltz" 1 No No
045 Winifred Atwell "The Poor People of Paris" 3 5 2
046 Ronnie Hilton "No Other Love" 6 4 5
047 Pat Boone "I'll Be Home" 5 6 5
048 Frankie Lymon and The Teenagers "Why Do Fools Fall in Love" 3 3 5
049 Doris Day "Whatever Will Be, Will Be (Que Sera, Sera)" 6 6 5
050 Anne Shelton "Lay Down Your Arms" 4 4 5
051 Frankie Laine "A Woman in Love" 4 3 3
052 Johnnie Ray "Just Walking in the Rain" 7 7 9
053 Guy Mitchell "Singing the Blues" 2.5*3* 3 2
054 Tommy Steele "Singing the Blues" 1 1 No
055 Frankie Vaughan "The Garden of Eden" 3.5*4* 3 4
056 Tab Hunter "Young Love" 7 7 8
057 Lonnie Donegan "Cumberland Gap" 5 4 4
058 Guy Mitchell "Rock-a-Billy" 1 No No
059 Andy Williams "Butterfly" 2 5 4
060 Johnnie Ray "Yes Tonight Josephine" 3 4 4
061 Lonnie Donegan "Puttin' On the Style" / "Gamblin' Man" 2 1 No
062 Elvis Presley "All Shook Up" 7 7 8
063 Paul Anka "Diana" 9 8 8
064 The Crickets "That'll Be the Day" 3 4 1
Elvis Presley "Party" No No 2
065 Harry Belafonte "Mary's Boy Child" 7 5 7
Johnny Otis Show "Ma, He's Making Eyes At Me" No 2 1.5*2*
066 Jerry Lee Lewis "Great Balls of Fire" 2 1 1.5*2*
067 Elvis Presley "Jailhouse Rock" 3 3 2 1.5*1*
068 Michael Holliday "The Story of My Life" 2 2 2 1.5*3*
069 Perry Como "Magic Moments" 8 7 7 8
070 Marvin Rainwater "Whole Lotta Woman" 3 4 4 3
071 Connie Francis "Who's Sorry Now" 6 6 6 6
072 Vic Damone "On the Street Where You Live" 1.5*2* No No No
073 The Everly Brothers "All I Have to Do Is Dream" / "Claudette" 6.5*7* 9 9 8
074 The Kalin Twins "When" 5 5 4 5
075 Connie Francis "Carolina Moon" / "Stupid Cupid" 6 5 5 5
076 Tommy Edwards "It's All in the Game" 3 No No No
The Everly Brothers "Bird Dog" No 3 3 2
077 Lord Rockingham's XI "Hoots Mon" 3 4 3 8
078 Conway Twitty "It's Only Make Believe" 5 4 7 3
079 Jane Morgan "The Day the Rains Came" 1 No No No
080 Elvis Presley "I Got Stung" / "One Night" 3 5 3 3
081 Shirley Bassey with Wally Stott & His Orchestra "As I Love You" 4 No 1 3
082 The Platters "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes" 1 5 4 3
083 Russ Conway "Side Saddle" 4 2 3 3
084 Buddy Holly "It Doesn't Matter Anymore" 3 2 5 4
085 Elvis Presley "A Fool Such As I" / "I Need Your Love Tonight" 5 7 4 4
086 Russ Conway "Roulette" 2 1 1 1
087 Bobby Darin "Dream Lover" 4 5 5 5
088 Cliff Richard and the Drifters "Living Doll" 6 4 5 5
089 Craig Douglas "Only Sixteen" 4 7 6 5
090 Jerry Keller "Here Comes Summer" 1 No No 2
091 Bobby Darin "Mack the Knife" 2 No No No
092 Cliff Richard and The Shadows "Travellin' Light" 5 7 6 6
093 Adam Faith "What Do You Want?" 2.5*3* 5 3 2
094 Emile Ford and the Checkmates "What Do You Want to Make Those Eyes at Me For?" 5.5*6* 2 5 6
095 Michael Holliday "Starry Eyed" 1 No No 1
096 Anthony Newley "Why" 4 6 6 5
097 Adam Faith "Poor Me" 2 1 1 1 1
098 Johnny Preston "Running Bear" 1 2 2 2 2
099 Lonnie Donegan "My Old Man's a Dustman" 4 5 3 3 4
Elvis Presley "Stuck on You" / "Fame and Fortune" No No 1 1 No
100 Anthony Newley "Do You Mind?" 1 No 1 1 1
101 The Everly Brothers "Cathy's Clown" 9 9 9 7 7
102 Eddie Cochran "Three Steps to Heaven" No No No No 2
Connie Francis "Mama"/"Robot Man" No No No 2 No
103 Jimmy Jones "Good Timin'" 3 4 3 2 3
104 Cliff Richard and The Shadows "Please Don't Tease" 4 3 4 4 3
105 Johnny Kidd & The Pirates "Shakin' All Over" No No No No 1
106 The Shadows "Apache" 6 6 4 6 5
Elvis Presley "A Mess of Blues"/"The Girl of My Best Friend" No No 1 No No
107 Ricky Valance "Tell Laura I Love Her" 2 2 2 3 3
108 Roy Orbison "Only the Lonely (Know How I Feel)" 3 3 3 2 2
109 Elvis Presley "It's Now or Never" 9 9 8 7 8
110 Cliff Richard and The Shadows "I Love You" No No 2 3 2
111 Johnny Tillotson "Poetry in Motion" 3 3 2 1 2
112 Elvis Presley "Are You Lonesome Tonight?" 5 4 5 5 4
113 Petula Clark "Sailor" No No No 2 1
114 The Everly Brothers "Walk Right Back" 3 4 3 2 3
115 Elvis Presley "Wooden Heart" 3 3.5*4* 6 4 6
The Allisons "Are You Sure?" 2 2 No 2 No
116 The Temperance Seven "You're Driving Me Crazy" 1 1.5*2* 1 No 1
117 The Marcels "Blue Moon" 2 2 2 3 2
118 Floyd Cramer "On the Rebound" No 1 No No 1
119 Del Shannon "Runaway" 4 1.5*2* 6 4 3
120 Elvis Presley "Surrender" 4 4.5*5* 3 3 4
Cliff Richard and The Shadows "A Girl Like You" No No No 1 No
121 The Everly Brothers "Temptation" 1 4 1 1 2
122 Eden Kane "Well I Ask You" 2 1 1 1 1
123 Helen Shapiro "You Don't Know" 3.5*4* 2 2 2 3
124 John Leyton "Johnny Remember Me" 4.5*5* 5 6 7 4
125 Shirley Bassey "Reach for the Stars" / "Climb Ev'ry Mountain" No No No No 1
Elvis Presley "Wild in the Country" 1 No No No No
126 The Shadows "Kon-Tiki" No 1 1 No 1
127 The Highwaymen "Michael (Row the Boat)" 1 1 1 2 1
128 Helen Shapiro "Walkin' Back to Happiness" 4 4 4 3 3
129 Elvis Presley "His Latest Flame" 3 3 3 4 4
130 Frankie Vaughan "Tower of Strength" 3.5*4* 4 3 4 3
Bobby Vee "Take Good Care of My Baby" 1.0*1* 1 No No No
131 Danny Williams "Moon River" 1 No No No 2
Acker Bilk "Stranger on the Shore"* 1 1 2 1 No
132 Cliff Richard "The Young Ones" 6 5 6 5 6
133 Elvis Presley "Rock-A-Hula Baby" / "Can't Help Falling in Love" No 4 4 3 4
Chubby Checker "Let's Twist Again" 2 No No No
Kenny Ball and his Jazzmen "March of the Siamese Children" 1 No 2 No
134 The Shadows "Wonderful Land" 9 8 7 8
135 B. Bumble and the Stingers "Nut Rocker" 1 1 1 1
136 Elvis Presley "Good Luck Charm" 5 6 7 5
137 Mike Sarne with Wendy Richard "Come Outside" 2 1 No 2
Joe Brown and the Bruvvers "A Picture of You" 1 1 1 No
138 Ray Charles "I Can't Stop Loving You" 1 1 1 2
139 Frank Ifield "I Remember You" 8 8 5 7
Pat Boone "Speedy Gonzales" No No 2 No
140 Elvis Presley "She's Not You" 3 2 4 3
141 The Tornados "Telstar" 5 6 5 5
142 Frank Ifield "Lovesick Blues" 5 5 5 5
143 Elvis Presley "Return to Sender" 2 1 2 3
144 Cliff Richard and The Shadows "The Next Time" / "Bachelor Boy" 1 5 5 3
145 The Shadows "Dance On!" 3 No No 1
146 Jet Harris and Tony Meehan "Diamonds" 4 4 2 3
147 Frank Ifield "The Wayward Wind" 1 No 1 3
The Beatles "Please Please Me" 2 2 2 No
148 Cliff Richard and The Shadows "Summer Holiday" 3 3 3 3
149 The Shadows "Foot Tapper" 1 1 1 1
150 Gerry & The Pacemakers "How Do You Do It?" 3 3 4 3
151 The Beatles "From Me to You" 6 6 5 7
Billy J. Kramer & The Dakotas "Do You Want to Know a Secret" 2 1 1 No
152 Gerry & The Pacemakers "I Like It" 4 4 5 4
153 Frank Ifield "Confessin' (That I Love You)" 3 3 2 2
154 Elvis Presley "(You're the) Devil in Disguise" No No No 1
155 The Searchers "Sweets for My Sweet" 3 2 3 2
156 Billy J. Kramer & The Dakotas "Bad to Me" 2 2 2 3
157 The Beatles "She Loves You" 6 7 5 6
158 Brian Poole and The Tremeloes "Do You Love Me" 3 2 3 3
159 Gerry & The Pacemakers "You'll Never Walk Alone" 4 4 5 4
160 The Beatles "I Want to Hold Your Hand" 6 5 5 5
161 The Dave Clark Five "Glad All Over" 2 3 2 2
The Swinging Blue Jeans "Hippy Hippy Shake" No No 1 No
162 The Searchers "Needles and Pins" 3 3 3 3
163 The Bachelors "Diane" No No No 1
164 Cilla Black "Anyone Who Had a Heart" 4 4 3 2
The Dave Clark Five "Bits and Pieces" No No 1 No
165 Billy J. Kramer & The Dakotas "Little Children" 1 1 1 2
166 The Beatles "Can't Buy Me Love" 4 3 3 3
167 Peter & Gordon "A World Without Love" 2 2 2 2
168 The Searchers "Don't Throw Your Love Away" 1 2 2 2
169 The Four Pennies "Juliet" 2 2 2 1
170 Cilla Black "You're My World (Il Mio Mondo)" 3 3 3 4
171 Roy Orbison "It's Over" 2 2 2 2
172 The Animals "House of the Rising Sun" 2 1 2 1
173 The Rolling Stones "It's All Over Now" No 1 No 1
174 The Beatles "A Hard Day's Night" 4 4 4 3
175 Manfred Mann "Do Wah Diddy Diddy" 2 2 2 2
176 The Honeycombs "Have I the Right?" 2 3 3 2
177 The Kinks "You Really Got Me" 1 1 No 2
178 Herman's Hermits "I'm Into Something Good" 3 2 3 2
179 Roy Orbison "Oh, Pretty Woman" 3 4 3 3
180 Sandie Shaw "(There's) Always Something There to Remind Me" 2 1 2 3
181 The Supremes "Baby Love" 1 3 2 2
182 The Rolling Stones "Little Red Rooster" 2 No 1 1
183 The Beatles "I Feel Fine" 6 6 6 5
184 Georgie Fame "Yeh Yeh" 1 1 1 2
185 The Moody Blues "Go Now" 2 1 2 1
186 The Righteous Brothers "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'" 1 2 1 2
187 The Kinks "Tired of Waiting for You" 1 1 1 1
188 The Seekers "I'll Never Find Another You" 2 2 2 2
189 Tom Jones "It's Not Unusual" 1 1 1 1
190 The Rolling Stones "The Last Time" 4 3 4 3
191 Unit 4 + 2 "Concrete and Clay" No No 1 1
The Yardbirds "For Your Love" 1 No No No
192 Cliff Richard "The Minute You're Gone" 1 1 No 1
193 The Beatles "Ticket to Ride" 5 5 4 3
194 Roger Miller "King of the Road" No No No 1
The Seekers "A World of Our Own" No No 1 No
195 Jackie Trent "Where Are You Now (My Love)" 1 1 1 1
196 Sandie Shaw "Long Live Love" 2 2 3 3
197 Elvis Presley "Crying in the Chapel" 2 3 2 2
The Everly Brothers "The Price of Love" 1 No No No
198 The Hollies "I'm Alive" 2 2 2 3
199 The Byrds "Mr. Tambourine Man" 2 2 2 2
200 The Beatles "Help!" 4 4 4 3
201 Sonny & Cher "I Got You Babe" 1 2 2 2
202 The Rolling Stones "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" 3 2 2 2
203 The Walker Brothers "Make It Easy on Yourself" No 1 1 1
204 Ken Dodd "Tears" 6 5 5 5
205 The Rolling Stones "Get Off of My Cloud" 3 2 3 3
Len Barry "1-2-3" 1 No No No
206 The Seekers "The Carnival Is Over" 1 4 2 3
207 The Beatles "Day Tripper" / "We Can Work It Out" 5 4 5 5
208 The Spencer Davis Group "Keep On Running" 3 2 2 1
209 The Overlanders "Michelle" 1 2 2 3
210 Nancy Sinatra "These Boots Are Made for Walkin'" 1 1 1 4
The Rolling Stones "19th Nervous Breakdown" 3 3 3 No
Small Faces "Sha-La-La-La-Lee" No 1 1 No
The Hollies "I Can't Let Go" 2 No No No
211 The Walker Brothers "The Sun Ain't Gonna Shine Anymore" 4 3 4 4
212 The Spencer Davis Group "Somebody Help Me" 1 2 1 2
213 Dusty Springfield "You Don't Have to Say You Love Me" 2 2 2 1
214 Manfred Mann "Pretty Flamingo" 3 3 3 3
215 The Rolling Stones "Paint It, Black" 1 1 No 1
The Troggs "Wild Thing" No No 1 No
216 Frank Sinatra "Strangers in the Night" 3 2 3 3
217 The Beatles "Paperback Writer" 2 4 2 2
218 The Kinks "Sunny Afternoon" 2 No 2 2
219 Georgie Fame and the Blue Flames "Getaway" No 2 No 1
220 Chris Farlowe "Out of Time" 2 1 2 1
221 The Troggs "With a Girl Like You" 2 2 2 2
222 The Beatles "Yellow Submarine" / "Eleanor Rigby" 4 3 3 4
223 Small Faces "All or Nothing" 1 2 2 1
224 Jim Reeves "Distant Drums" 5 2 4 5
The Who "I'm a Boy" No 2 No No
225 Four Tops "Reach Out I'll Be There" 3 3 4 3
226 The Beach Boys "Good Vibrations" 2 3 2 2
227 Tom Jones "Green, Green Grass of Home" 7 7 6 7
The Seekers "Morningtown Ride" No No 1 No
228 The Monkees "I'm a Believer" 4 4 4 4
229 Petula Clark "This Is My Song" 2 1 2 2
230 Engelbert Humperdinck "Release Me" 6 3 5 6
The Beatles "Penny Lane" / "Strawberry Fields Forever" No 3 No No
Harry Secombe "This Is My Song" No No 1 No
231 Nancy Sinatra and Frank Sinatra "Somethin' Stupid" 1 2 2 2
232 Sandie Shaw "Puppet on a String" 4 4 3 3
233 The Tremeloes "Silence Is Golden" 3 3 3 3
234 Procol Harum "A Whiter Shade of Pale" 5 5 6 6
The Monkees "Alternate Title" No 1 No No
235 The Beatles "All You Need Is Love" 4 3 2 3
236 Scott McKenzie "San Francisco (Be Sure to Wear Flowers in Your Hair)" 4 3 3 4
237 Engelbert Humperdinck "The Last Waltz" 6 7 5
238 Bee Gees "Massachusetts" 3 3 4
239 The Foundations "Baby Now That I've Found You" 3 2 2
240 Long John Baldry "Let the Heartaches Begin" 1 2 2
241 The Beatles "Hello, Goodbye" 6 5 7
The Beatles Magical Mystery Tour[nb 5] No 3 No
242 Georgie Fame "The Ballad of Bonnie and Clyde" 1 1 1
243 Love Affair "Everlasting Love" 3 3 2
244 Manfred Mann "Mighty Quinn" 2 2 2
245 Esther and Abi Ofarim "Cinderella Rockefella" 4 4 3
246 Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich "The Legend of Xanadu" No No 1
Tom Jones "Delilah" No 2 No
247 The Beatles "Lady Madonna" 2 No 2
248 Cliff Richard "Congratulations" 1 No 2
249 Louis Armstrong "What a Wonderful World" / "Cabaret" 4 5 4
250 Gary Puckett & The Union Gap "Young Girl" 5 4 4
251 The Rolling Stones "Jumpin' Jack Flash" 2 3 2
252 The Equals "Baby Come Back" 3 3 3
253 Des O'Connor "I Pretend" No No 1
254 Tommy James and the Shondells "Mony Mony" 4 5 3
255 Crazy World of Arthur Brown "Fire" No No 1
256 The Beach Boys "Do It Again" No No 1
Tom Jones "Help Yourself" 2 No No
Herb Alpert "This Guy's in Love With You" No 1 No
257 Bee Gees "I've Gotta Get a Message to You" 1 1 1
258 The Beatles "Hey Jude" 3 4 2
259 Mary Hopkin "Those Were the Days" 5 5 6
260 Joe Cocker "With a Little Help from My Friends" 1 1 1
261 Hugo Montenegro "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly" 1 3 4
Barry Ryan "Eloise" 2 1 No
262 The Scaffold "Lily the Pink" 5 3 4
263 Marmalade "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da" 2 3 3
264 Fleetwood Mac "Albatross" 3 2 1
265 The Move "Blackberry Way" 1 1 1

Notes

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  1. ^ According to The Official Charts Company and the canonical sources, chronologically, which number one it was.[27][28]
  2. ^ NME is considered by The Official Charts Company as the canonical source for number-one singles from the charts' inception until 10 March 1960.[4] The names, singles and duration of the number-ones are taken from The Official Charts Company and from NME.[27][29]
  3. ^ The names, singles and duration of the number-ones are from the Record Mirror.[5][6][7][30][31][32][33][34][35][36][37][38][39][40][41][42][43][44][45][46][47][48][49][50]
  4. ^ Record Retailer is considered by The Official Charts Company as the canonical source for number-one singles from 10 March 1960 until 15 February 1969 when Retailer and the BBC jointly commissioned the British Music Record Bureau (BMRB) to compile the chart.[4] When BMRB started compiling the chart is generally regarded as the beginning of an official chart.[1][2][11] The names, singles and duration of the number-ones are taken from The Official Charts Company.
  5. ^ This number-one record was not a single but a double extended play (EP) with six tracks. Due to the low popularity of EPs in the United States, an album of the same name was released containing the six EP tracks and five singles from 1967.[52] The rules now require at most four distinct songs to be eligible for the UK Singles Chart.[53]

References

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Footnotes
  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t Smith, Alan. "50s & 60s UK Charts – The Truth!". Dave McAleer's website. Archived from the original on 3 September 2011. Retrieved 4 November 2010.
  2. ^ a b c d e Leigh, Spencer (20 February 1998). "Music: Charting the number ones that somehow got away". The Independent. Retrieved 5 August 2010.
  3. ^ a b Williams, Mark (19 February 2002). "Obituary: Percy Dickins". The Guardian. Retrieved 22 July 2010.
  4. ^ a b c d e "Key Dates in the History of the Official UK Charts". The Official Charts Company. Archived from the original on 10 January 2008. Retrieved 16 May 2010.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Smith, Alan. "Every No.1 in the 1960s is listed from all the nine different magazine charts!". Dave McAleer's website. Archived from the original on 12 October 2010. Retrieved 4 November 2010.
  6. ^ a b "January – June 1955". Record Mirror. Retrieved 15 May 2010.
  7. ^ a b "July – November 1955". Record Mirror. Retrieved 15 May 2010.
  8. ^ a b Coryton & Murrells 1990, p. 9.
  9. ^ Source: Melody Maker 9th February 1963.
  10. ^ Warwick, Kutner & Brown 2004, p. v: "Until 15th February 1969, there was no officially compiled chart."
  11. ^ a b Warwick, Kutner & Brown 2004, p. v.
  12. ^ "Pirate Radio". Continuum Encyclopedia of Popular Music of the World: Media, Industry and Society. London: Continuum International Publishing Group. 2003. Retrieved 6 October 2010.
  13. ^ "Luxembourg". Continuum Encyclopedia of Popular Music of the World: Locations. London: Continuum International Publishing Group. 2005. Retrieved 6 October 2010.
  14. ^ "England". Continuum Encyclopedia of Popular Music of the World: Locations. London: Continuum International Publishing Group. 2005. Retrieved 6 October 2010.
  15. ^ Sterling 2004, p. 1176.
  16. ^ "Radio – Public Service Radio". Continuum Encyclopedia of Popular Music of the World: Media, Industry and Society. London: Continuum International Publishing Group. 2003. Retrieved 6 October 2010.
  17. ^ "Radio Luxembourg". Continuum Encyclopedia of Popular Music of the World: Media, Industry and Society. London: Continuum International Publishing Group. 2003. Retrieved 6 October 2010.
  18. ^ Briggs 1995, p. 334.
  19. ^ "Derek Johnson: influential music journalist". The Times. 4 May 2009. Archived from the original on May 24, 2010. Retrieved 19 October 2010.
  20. ^ a b Johnson, Derek (5 March 2002). "Obituaries – Percy Dickins". The Independent. Retrieved 19 October 2010.[dead link]
  21. ^ a b "When pirates ruled the waves". St Albans & Harpenden Review. Newsquest. 19 July 2004. Retrieved 10 September 2010.
  22. ^ Payne, Mary. "It was time to introduce American Top 40-style radio to the UK". Radio London Ltd. Retrieved 10 September 2010.
  23. ^ "Radio London - Big L Fab Forty 65 - 24th Jan 1965". Radio London Ltd. Retrieved 10 September 2010.
  24. ^ "John Peel Biography" (PDF). BBC Radio 1. Retrieved 10 September 2010.
  25. ^ Marketing Week (9 January 2003). "Stations vie for pole chart show position". Marketing Week. Goliath Business News. Retrieved 10 September 2010.
  26. ^ "Modern Music Periodicals: Pop and Jazz". British Library. Retrieved 11 September 2010.
  27. ^ a b "Number 1 Singles – 1950s". The Official Charts Company. Archived from the original on 5 April 2008. Retrieved 19 July 2010.
  28. ^ "Number 1 Singles – 1960s". The Official Charts Company. Archived from the original on 8 April 2008. Retrieved 14 September 2010.
  29. ^ Rees, Lazell & Osborne 1995, pp. 82–217.
  30. ^ "October – December 1958". Record Mirror. Retrieved 15 May 2010.
  31. ^ "November – December 1957". Record Mirror. Retrieved 15 May 2010.
  32. ^ "November – December 1955". Record Mirror. Retrieved 15 May 2010.
  33. ^ "April – July 1956". Record Mirror. Retrieved 15 May 2010.
  34. ^ "July – October 1956". Record Mirror. Retrieved 15 May 2010.
  35. ^ "October – December 1956". Record Mirror. Retrieved 15 May 2010.
  36. ^ "January – April 1957". Record Mirror. Retrieved 15 May 2010.
  37. ^ "April – July 1957". Record Mirror. Retrieved 15 May 2010.
  38. ^ "July – November 1957". Record Mirror. Retrieved 15 May 2010.
  39. ^ "January – April 1958". Record Mirror. Retrieved 15 May 2010.
  40. ^ "April – July 1958". Record Mirror. Retrieved 15 May 2010.
  41. ^ "July – October 1958". Record Mirror. Retrieved 15 May 2010.
  42. ^ "January – April 1959". Record Mirror. Retrieved 15 May 2010.
  43. ^ "April – August 1959". Record Mirror. Retrieved 15 May 2010.
  44. ^ "August – November 1959". Record Mirror. Retrieved 15 May 2010.
  45. ^ "December 1959". Record Mirror. Retrieved 15 May 2010.
  46. ^ "January – February 1960". Record Mirror. Retrieved 15 May 2010.
  47. ^ "February – May 1960". Record Mirror. Retrieved 15 May 2010.
  48. ^ "June – September 1960". Record Mirror. Retrieved 15 May 2010.
  49. ^ "September – December 1960". Record Mirror. Retrieved 15 May 2010.
  50. ^ "December 1960". Record Mirror. Retrieved 15 May 2010.
  51. ^ a b Coryton & Murrells 1990, pp. 244–248.
  52. ^ "Magical Mystery Tour". Apple Corps. Retrieved 14 September 2010.
  53. ^ "Rules For Chart Eligibility" (PDF). The Official Charts Company. August 2009. Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 July 2011. Retrieved 1 July 2010.
Sources