This week see the UK Top 50 chart entry of the UK's longest continuous charting single.

 

The single in question entered the Top 50 (that was the full chart then) 40 years ago this week at #39 The single was to eventually spend 6 weeks at #1 (selling over a 1.3 million copies) and was in the Top 50 for 56 consecutive weeks.

 

Single was: RELEASE ME by ENGLEBERT HUMPERDINCK.

 

You can see this chart and many more chart archives HERE

Always thought My Way was the longest runner.

Always thought My Way was the longest runner.

it was, but not for continuous weeks. My Way charted for 42 weeks then fell off the chart and re-entered. It eventually spent 122 weeks on the chart in its original run Release Me managed 56 weeks in one go, the next was Stranger On the Shore by Acker Bilk, which did 55 weeks. I think Relax by Frankie Goes To Hollywood was next after that, at 48 weeks.

 

it was, but not for continuous weeks. My Way charted for 42 weeks then fell off the chart and re-entered. It eventually spent 122 weeks on the chart in its original run Release Me managed 56 weeks in one go, the next was Stranger On the Shore by Acker Bilk, which did 55 weeks. I think Relax by Frankie Goes To Hollywood was next after that, at 48 weeks.

Quite Correct Robbie - Next after that was Rivers Of Babylon by Boney M which managed 40 weeks.

 

Of all these, Stranger On The Shore was the only one NOT to reach #1. It peaked at No. 2 ( for 2 weeks behind Cliff Richard's The Young Ones) in the UK but did get to #1 in the US.

 

The thing is that with Release Me and Stranger On The Shore the official chart was only a TOP 50, where as the other 2 the charts had by then been increased to The Top 75 (in February 1978) as it is today.

When the chart was only a TOP 50 the BBC only recognised the TOP 30. Where as now the BBC has recognised the TOP 40 only when the official chart was increased to TOP 75.

 

The Official Chart did flirt with positions from 76 to 100 from 1983 to 1991 but as sales decreased the went back to the Top 75.

Edited January 20, 200718 yr by Euro Music

Quite Correct Robbie - Next after that was Rivers Of Babylon by Boney M which managed 40 weeks.

 

Of all these, Stranger On The Shore was the only one NOT to reach #1. It peaked at No. 2 ( for 2 weeks behind Cliff Richard's The Young Ones) in the UK but did get to #1 in the US.

 

The thing is that with Release Me and Stranger On The Shore the official chart was only a TOP 50, where as the other 2 the charts had by then been increased to The Top 75 (in February 1978) as it is today.

When the chart was only a TOP 50 the BBC only recognised the TOP 30. Where as now the BBC has recognised the TOP 40 only when the official chart was increased to TOP 75.

 

The Official Chart did flirt with positions from 76 to 100 from 1983 to 1991 but as sales decreased the went back to the Top 75.

the chart from #76 to #100 from 1983 to 1991 was never classed as official positions, mainly because Music Week refused to acknowledge positions that had rules that removed songs. Since then, the rules have removed songs from #s41-75 and then last year the entire chart! The top 100 under the 1983 rules was still carried until a few years back, by nme.com. After Record Mirror folded in 1991 the top 100 chart just wasn't available to most people until nme.com started publishing it in the late 1990s, but it was still compiled.

 

By the way, the top 75 started in May 1978 not February 1978 ;).

Edited January 20, 200718 yr by Robbie

Surely if Release Me charts this week it can no longer be classed as a continuous charter?

Surely if Release Me charts this week it can no longer be classed as a continuous charter?

 

 

Don't think they mean this week,2007,but this week 1967!!

Edited January 20, 200718 yr by coolchris

Surely if Release Me charts this week it can no longer be classed as a continuous charter?

I'd say it still can, as 56 continuous weeks can't be taken away. A continuous charter is a song that doesn't fall off the charts during it's chart run! Anything after that is a re-entry...

 

Release Me was re-issued in 2004, reaching #51.