Hi. Astonished to only find this now. I've been compiling my own charts since I was 9 in 1979. Started out as a top 10 and has been a top 40 since 1981 (ish).

 

My main taste is pop, but even I cringe at some of the number ones I had back in the 80s and since!

 

Most of the threads I've seen concern current charts, so I'm not sure if anyone's interested in charts going back 35 years!

My number ones from the beginning....

 

I also devised a sales system similar to the real charts rathger than use points

 

 

 

1979

 

8 Sep LOVE'S GOTTA HOLD ON ME – Dollar (2 weeks)

 

My first number one! Liked Dollar at the time and bought this single. I only bought about 10 singles a year, so I must have liked it. An okay song now, but a bit sugary sweet. Still, not a bad first number one.

Beat: Gotta Go Home by Boney M

Don't Bring me Down by ELO (at No.2 first and second weeks)

 

 

22 Sep ON STAGE EP – Kate Bush (4 weeks)

 

Another single I bought. Was just getting into Kate Bush then (still am a big fan). Got “The Kick Inside” a few months later – and still to this day cannot get used to the studio version of “Them Heavy People” (the lead track on this EP)

Beat: Love's Gotta Hold on Me – Dollar (1 week)

Dreaming – Blondie (3 weeks)

 

 

20 Oct GIMME GIMME GIMME – Abba (5 weeks)

 

Big Abba fan – and certainly they ruled the charts for the first year and a half. This is one of their classics and my first million-seller.

Beat: On Stage – Kate Bush (2 weeks)

Tusk – Fleetwood Mac (3 weeks)

 

 

24 Nov NO MORE TEARS – Donna Summer and Barbra Streisand (1 week)

 

An okay song. Quite liked Donna Summer at the time but had never heard of Streisand. Just one week.

Beat: Last Train to London/Confusion – ELO

 

 

1 Dec I WANNA HOLD YOUR HAND – Dollar (3 weeks)

 

Back to Dollar with a reasonable Beatles cover. Bought this too.

Beat: Union City Blue – Blondie (2 weeks)

I Have a Dream – Abba (1 week)

 

 

22 Dec I HAVE A DREAM – Abba (4 weeks)

 

My least favourite Abba single ever! Certainly doesn't deserve 4 weeks – or even number one at all – but at the time anything with Abba attatched to it would get to number one.

Beat: I Want to Hold Your Hand – Dollar (three weeks)

Union City Blue – Blondie (1 week)

 

 

 

1980

19 Jan I WANT TO HOLD YOUR HAND – Dollar (1 week)

 

Since it took so long to reach the UK top 10, this went back for a week and in doing so sold way too much! (Wasn't concerned with sales or points at the time). Million seller

Beat: I Have a Dream – Abba

 

 

26 Jan SPACER – Sheila and B. Devotion (2 weeks)

 

Charts were pretty bleak for the first few months of 1980 with not a lot in the charts. This is OK – just!

Beat: Spirits (Having Flown) – The Bee Gees (2 weeks)

 

 

9 Feb I'M IN THE MOOD FOR DANCING – The Nolans (1 week)

 

Oh dear. I liked the Nolans, but not one of their best in my opinion.

Beat: Someone's Looking at You – The Boomtown Rats

 

 

16 Feb ANGELS – Lene Lovich (1 week)

 

Still one of my least favourite number ones. Not sure what I was thinking about that week! I like her earlier hit “Say When”, but this was pretty poor – and a flop in the real charts (the first time one of my number ones didn't make the real charts – but not the last)!

Beat: Someone's Looking at You – The Boomtown Rats

 

 

23 Feb TAKE THAT LOOK OFF YOUR FACE – Marti Webb (3 weeks)

 

Still a great song. The first single I bought of the 80s. Million seller

Beat: Atomic – Blondie (3 weeks)

 

 

15 Mar ATOMIC – Blondie (1 week)

 

Blondie's best ever song – only managed one week. The first 12” single I ever bought!

Beat: Take That Look off Your Face – Marti Webb

 

 

22 Mar TAKE THAT LOOK OFF YOUR FACE – Marti Webb (3 weeks)

 

Making it up to 6 weeks – and ending as the third biggest hit of the year

Beat: Atomic – Blondie (2 weeks)

January February – Barbara Dickson (1 week)

 

 

12 Apr JANUARY FEBRUARY – Barbara Dickson (1 week)

 

A lot of one weeks in 1980. This was good.

Beat: Take That Look off Your Face – Marti Webb

 

 

19 Apr TALK OF THE TOWN – The Pretenders (1 week)

 

Pretenders only number one and still their best

Beat: January February – Barbara Dickson

 

 

26 Apr CALL ME – Blondie (1 week)

 

Not a patch on “Atomic” but managed a week

Beat: Talk of the Town – The Pretenders

 

 

3 May BREATHING – Kate Bush (4 weeks)

 

Charts improve drastically from April onwards. Million seller

Beat: Call Me – Blondie (1 week)

Coming Up – Paul McCartney (1 week)

Platinum Blonde – Prelude (2 weeks)

 

 

31 May PLATINUM BLONDE – Prelude (3 weeks)

 

Peaked outside the top 40 in the UK, but gained attention by me through its TOTP appearance. One of the year's best songs.

Beat: Breahing – Kate Bush (2 weeks)

I'm Alive – ELO (1 week)

 

 

21 Jun XANADU – Olivia Newton John and Electric Light Orchestra (1 week)

 

ELO's only number one, and they've had better

Beat: Love Street – Dollar

 

 

28 Jun IN THE NIGHT – Barbara Dickson (1 week)

 

Not really number one material – a filler

Beat: Xanadu – Olivia Newton John and ELO

 

 

5 Jul BABOOSHKA – Kate Bush (3 weeks)

 

One of my favourite Kate songs – it remains her biggest selling single. Million seller

Beat: Xanadu – Olivia Newton John and ELO (2 weeks)

Waterfalls – Paul McCartney

 

 

26 Jul THE WINNER TAKES IT ALL – Abba (6 weeks)

 

Return of Abba! Biggest hit of the year – still one of the best songs of the 80s. Million-seller

Beat: The Girls Are Out to Get Ya – Dollar (1 week)

Babooshka – Kate Bush (3 weeks)

9 to 5 – Sheena Easton (1 week)

Oh Yeah – Roxy Music (1 week)

 

 

6 Sep MODERN GIRL – Sheena Easton (2 weeks)

 

Far prefer this to “9 to 5”, which was in the charts at the same time.

Beat: The Winner Takes it All – Abba (1 week)

Can't Stop the Music – Village People (1 week)

 

 

20 Sep CAN'T STOP THE MUSIC – Village People (1 week)

 

Still ranks as one of my five most embarrassing number ones! Heard it on TOTP and very briefly liked it before it went hurtling down my charts

Beat: Modern Girl – Sheena Easton

 

 

27 Sep YOUR EARS SHOULD BE BURNING NOW – Marti Webb (1 week)

 

Another good Marti Webb song

Beat: Can't Stop the Music – Village People

 

 

4 Oct ARMY DREAMERS – Kate Bush (1 week)

 

Pleasant enough but not one of her best.

Beat: Your Ears Should Be Burning Now – Marti Webb

 

11 Oct YOUR EARS SHOULD BE BURNING NOW – Marti Webb (2 weeks)

 

More leap-frogging

Beat: Army Dreamers – Kate Bush (1 week)

My Old Piano – Diana Ross (1 week)

 

 

25 Oct ARMY DREAMERS – Kate Bush (1 week)

 

And yet again!

Beat: Your Ears Should Be Burning Now – Marti Webb

 

 

1 Nov WOMAN IN LOVE – Barbra Streisand (2 weeks)

 

Great song. Helped enormously by the video

Beat: Army Dreamers – Kate Bush (2 weeks)

 

 

15 Nov SUPER TROUPER – Abba (4 weeks)

 

Second biggest hit of the year. Million-seller

Beat: Woman in Love – Barbra Streisand (1 week)

I'm Coming Out – Diana Ross (2 weeks)

December Will Be Magic Again – Kate Bush (1 week)

 

 

13 Dec DECEMBER WILL BE MAGIC AGAIN – Kate Bush (1 week)

 

To this day the only Christmas-temed song to hit number one in my charts. Still love this. 4 number ones – top artist of the year

Beat: Super Trouper – Abba

 

 

 

20 Dec SUPER TROUPER – Abba (3 weeks)

 

Bringing it up to 7 weeks – longest number one of the year

Beat: December Will Be Magic Again – Kate Bush (3 weeks)

 

 

 

1981

10 Jan LOVE ON THE ROCKS – Neil Diamond (1 week)

 

Another song I very briefly liked. Not as bad as Village People though

Beat: Imagine – John Lennon

 

 

17 Jan FLASH – Queen (2 weeks)

 

Nothing against Queen, but this remains the all-time worst song to reach number one in my charts! It simply had no tune and is barely a song at all. Amazing that this would occur in 1981 which is probably my favourite year ever in music.

Beat: Love on the Rocks – Neil Diamond (1 week)

Imagine – John Lennon (1 week)

 

 

31 Jan VIENNA – Ultravox (2 weeks)

 

Ultravox' only number one.

Beat: Flash _ Queen

It's My Turn – Diana Ross

 

 

14 Feb FADE TO GREY – Visage (3 weeks)

 

Another classic.

Beat: Vienna – Ultravox

You Take My Breath Away – Dollar

Hot Love – Kelly Marie

 

7 Mar HOT LOVE – Kelly Marie (1 week)

 

Cute song. Just one week for Kelly

Beat: Star – Kiki Dee

 

 

14 Mar STAR – Kiki Dee (3 weeks)

 

Kiki Dee's only number one, but did have a few sporadic hits during the 80s.

Beat: Hot Love – Kelly Marie (2 weeks)

Making Your Mind Up – Bucks Fizz

 

 

 

4 Apr MAKING YOUR MIND UP – Bucks Fizz (9 weeks)

 

Bucks Fizz arrive! Although now not one of their best, I got so caught up in the song at the time winning Eurovision and everything I raved about it and launched me on a decade-long love for the group. “Making Your Mind Up” remains to this day the biggest selling single ever with 2.6 million sales.

Beat: Star – Kiki Dee (1 week)

Four From Toyah – Toyah (2 weeks)

Attention to Me – The Nolans (1 week)

Me Without You – Peter Sue and Marc (2 weeks)

Chequered Love – Kim Wilde (2 weeks)

Perfect Timing – Kiki Dee (1 week)

 

 

 

6 Jun PIECE OF THE ACTION – Bucks Fizz (5 weeks)

 

And quickly replacing themselves, giving them 14 consecutive weeks. Another million seller.

Beat: Making Your Mind Up – Bucks Fizz (2 weeks)

Love Trial – Kelly Marie (1 week)

Will You – Hazel O'Connor (1 week)

For Your Eyes Only – Sheena Easton (1 week)

 

 

11 Jul SAT IN YOUR LAP – Kate Bush (3 weeks)

 

Kate's 6th consecutive number one and last for four years.

Beat: Piece of the Action – Bucks Fizz

Stars on 45 volume 2 – Starsound

Lay All Your Love On Me – Abba

 

 

1 Aug LAY ALL YOUR LOVE ON ME – Abba (2 weeks)

 

Abba's 5th consecutive number one and last for over two years.

Beat: Water On Glass (2 weeks)

 

 

15 Aug ONE OF THOSE NIGHTS – Bucks Fizz (5 weeks)

 

The third number one and a bigger hit than the last. Million seller

Beat: Water on Glass – Kim Wilde (1 week)

Chemistry – The Nolans (2 weeks)

Hand Held in Black and White – Dollar (2 weeks)

 

 

19 Sep HAND HELD IN BLACK AND WHITE – Dollar (1 week)

 

Just managed one week but became a million seller.

Beat: One of Those Nights – Bucks Fizz

 

 

26 Sep ONE OF THOSE NIGHTS – Bucks Fizz (2 weeks)

 

The last time a song returned to number one until 1998

Beat: Hand Held in Black and White – Dollar

Prince Charming – Adam and the Ants

 

 

10 Oct THUNDER IN THE MOUNTAINS – Toyah (3 weeks)

 

First of two number ones

Beat: Prince Charming – Adam and the Ants (1 week)

Give Me Back My Love – Gina Dale Haze and the Champions (2 weeks)

 

 

31 Oct RUN WILD – Kate Robbins (3 weeks)

 

Beautiful version of a Barbra Streisand song. Failed to chart in the real charts.

Beat: Thunder in the Mountains – Toyah (1 week)

Little Lady – Aneka (2 weeks)

 

 

21 Nov MIRROR MIRROR (MON AMOR) – Dollar (1 week)

 

Again, only managed one week before being bullied out by Bucks Fizz but was another million seller.

Beat: Little Lady – Aneka

 

 

28 Nov THE LAND OF MAKE BELIEVE – Bucks Fizz (11 weeks)

 

Second-biggest selling single of all-time and the second of only three singles to sell 2 million. Also. To date the longest-running number one ever (the only double-figure chart topper)

Beat: Mirror Mirror – Dollar (3 weeks)

One of Us – Abba (3 weeks)

I Wanna Be a Winner – Brown Sauce (4 weeks)

Don't Love Me Too Hard – The Nolans (1 week)