Tuttavilla

Gosh, worse and worse. No excuse for that in this technical age.

Thanks. And is it the same 7 days, Friday to Thursday?

By the way, if one noted down the Spotify Top 50 every day with the sales for 7 days and added them up, would that give a truer reflection of a proper sales chart without falsely manipulating the chart with ACR etc. compared to the OCC/Radio 1 chart?

Thank you to everyone for this super interesting thread. I bought my first single for 6sh 8d (33p in today's money) in HMV, Oxford Street, London in August 1964: "A Hard Day's Night", which was still in the era when record companies or artist managers could organise teams of people to go round the record shops and get a song into the Top 20 or even slip a known shop contributor to the charts a £1 note to add a few sales to their returns. I estimate that there were some 45 hits which reached No 20 for 1 week in the 1950's and 1960's which were not entitled to be there on sales alone. I started to write down the Top 20 every week on Sunday evenings listening to the heroic Alan Freeman's Pick of the Pops, now Friday evenings since July 2015. I own every Top 20 single which has been physically released since the first chart in November 1952 up to last week's chart - I have not yet acquired any of the six new entries to today's chart. I still prefer to buy vinyl but I also buy cassettes and CDs in that order. I strongly believe in a chart generated by sales, no matter the cost of the bought or downloaded song. I do not know enough about streaming - never having done that myself - to offer a suggestion on the ratio between streaming and physical sales but if a member of the public paid money for the song, it should be included in chart sales in some form or other - I strongly support that point. I do not believe in ACR or any other chart manipulation mechanism, even if it means that certain songs stick around for months on end - if people are buying the song, it must be properly reflected. The only argument I might accept is for a separate chart for songs that are, say, more than 52 weeks old, in order to allow new talent and new songs to better flourish and to more readily reach the ears of the public. This should also apply to Albums; and to Christmas songs which have already charted. The exception would be old hits which suddenly reappear, as Raye, Natasha Bedingfield and Sophie Ellis-Bextor have done this year for specific but whatever reasons: they should be allowed back into the current new chart.

Thank you.

The last instrumental UK No 1 was Martin Garrix in November 2013 with Animals. Hero as Mark Knopfler is, this will not hang on to become the 31st UK instrumental No 1. The first was Mantovani with Moulin Rouge in 1953 and the second was Eddie Calvert's O Mein Papa in 1954, whose 9 weeks at the top is still the most for non-lyrical releases.

Merci much.

Last Christmas has registered every Top 10 position... But not in a single run of course.

So it's never been done? Fairytale of New York has every Top 20 position except No 1 I think.

I cannot remember for how many years I have to go back to a Top 5 that I enjoy and respect so much.

Dion (1939-) first charted as a solo artist in 1961 with Runaround Sue - great song. The list above shows the first 20 Singles artists to reach the Top 20 between 1952 and 1959.

Indeed. Bobby Goldsboro's Honey did the same in 1968 and 1975.

Thanks. They appear on both lists.

Yes. Merci.

Murder on the Dancefloor joins this unwanted(?) list. 1. 4 different runs at No2 and still didn't reach No1 # No2 for 8 weeks # Terry's theme from 'Limelight' # Frank Chacksfield # 1953 2. 3 different runs at No2 and still didn't reach No1 # No2 for 7 weeks # Love letters in the sand # Pat Boone # 1957 1 run at No2 and didn't reach No1 # No2 for 7 weeks # I swear # All-4-One # 1994 1 run at No2 and didn't reach No1 # No2 for 7 weeks # Moves like Jagger # Maroon 5 # 2011 4 different runs at No2 and still didn't reach No1 # No2 for 7 weeks # Murder on the dancefloor # Sophie Ellis-Bextor # 2001 / 2002 / 2024 6. 2 different runs at No2 and still didn't reach No1 # No2 for 6 weeks # Blowing wild # Frankie Laine # 1954 2 different runs at No2 and still didn't reach No1 # No2 for 6 weeks # Are you sure? # Allisons # 1961 2 different runs at No2 and still didn't reach No1 # No2 for 6 weeks # Ruby, don't take your love to town # Kenny Rogers and the First Edition # 1969 / 1970 2 different runs at No2 and still didn't reach No1 # No2 for 6 weeks # Peru # Ed Sheeran / (Fireboy DML) # 2022 1 run at No2 and didn't reach No1 # No2 for 6 weeks # Floral dance # Brighouse and Rastrick Brass Band # 1977 / 1978 1 run at No2 and didn't reach No1 # No2 for 6 weeks # Smurf song # Father Abraham and the Smurfs # 1978 1 run at No2 and didn't reach No1 # No2 for 6 weeks # I'm too sexy # Right Said Fred # 1991 1 run at No2 and didn't reach No1 # No2 for 6 weeks # Let me love you # DJ Snake # 2016 Moves Like Jagger's 7 weeks was behind 6(!) different No 1s, surely the unluckiest No 2 As ever, corrections or additions are welcome please.

Defined by Top 20 entries, Bobby Helms is the definitive winner at present: his first hit Jacqueline came in 1958, spending 1 week at No 20. Fast forward a mere 64 years to 2022 when his second hit, the Christmas Jingle Bell Rock appeared. Max Bygraves' version of that Christmas classic had prevented Bobby Helms from reaching the Top 20 in 1959.

Albums 1. Johnny Mathis - born 1935 - reached Top 20 1958 2. Tom Lehrer - 1928 - 1958 - the oldest of the Albums entries. 3. Pat Boone - 1934 - 1958 4. Duane Eddy - 1938 - 1959 5. Cliff Richard - 1940 - 1959 6. Freddy Cannon - 1939 - 1960 7. Connie Francis - 1938 - 1960 8. Craig Douglas - 1941 - 1960 9. Bob Newhart - 1929- 1960 10. Shirley Bassey - 1937 - 1961 11. Chubby Checker - 1941 - 1962 12. Helen Shapiro - 1946 - 1962 13. Joe Brown - 1941 - 1962 14. Brenda Lee - 1944 - 1962 15. Frank Ifield - 1937 - 1963 16. Richard Chamberlain - 1934 - 1963 17. Billy J. Kramer - 1943 - 1963 18. Bob Dylan - 1941 - 1964 19. Dionne Warwick - 1940 - 1964 20 Joan Baez - 1941 - 1964 The oldest born solo artist to have a Top 20 Album was Winston Churchill 1874-1965! He did that posthumously. Sir Thomas Beecham (1879-1961) managed to do it when he was 81 and still directing. Singles 1. Ray Anthony - born 1922 - entered the Top 20 in 1953 - definitively the oldest Top 20 solo artist who is still alive. 2. Petula Clark - 1932 - 1954 Ronnie Harris was born in 1928 - 1954 - I am pretty sure he is dead but I have no date for his demise. 3. Catarina Valente - 1931 - 1955 4. Pat Boone - 1934 - 1955 5. Dick Hyman - 1927 - 1956 6. Tommy Steele - 1936 - 1956 7. Shirley Bassey - 1937 - 1957 8. Charles McDevitt - 1934 - 1957 9. Terry Dene - 1938 - 1957 10. Paul Anka - 1941 - 1957 11. Jim Dale - 1935 - 1957 12. Laurie London - 1944 - 1957 13. Connie Francis - 1937 - 1958 14. Robert Earl - 1926 - 1958 15. Marty Wilde - 1939 - 1958 16. Duane Eddy - 1938 - 1958 17. Johnny Mathis - 1935 - 1958 18. Jane Morgan - 1924 - 1958 - the second oldest Top 20 artist still with us. 19. Neil Sedaka - 1939 - 1959 20. Frankie Avalon - 1940 - 1959 The earliest born solo artist to reach the Top 20 Singles was Dooley Wilson (1886-1953) but he did that posthumously when he would have been 92. Charlie Kunz (1896-1958) was the earliest born artist to reach the Top 20 - 1954 - whilst still alive.

Of the 17 new albums to have entered the Top 20 this year, only two have managed a 2nd week in the Top20 and neither of those managed a 3rd week. Meanwhile, at present, there are 12 albums in the Top 20 which were released between 2 and 22 years ago, 5 by Taylor Swift and 5 are greatest hits collections. Strange times. Still, Led Zeppelin's Presence is rocking along on my turntable, so life is good.

Agreed, cutting out superfluous posts for ghostly listings. Thank you.

Out of the 1,492 changes as the UK No 1 Single, 91 have climbed there from outside the Top 10 and 53 from outside the Top 20, since 1952. 529 have entered directly at No 1. Excluding the first chart, Elvis Presley and Jailhouse Rock was the first to do that in 1958, his 2nd No 1 following All Shook Up. Records climbing to No1 from outside the Top10 1 ~ 200 ~ Mandy ~ Westlife ~ 29-Nov-03 2 ~ 196 ~ Unbreakable ~ Westlife ~ 16-Nov-02 3 ~ 194 ~ Uptown girl ~ Westlife ~ 17-Mar-01 4 ~ 191 ~ Heaven ~ DJ Sammy & Yanou ft Do ~ 09-Nov-02 5 ~ 177 ~ All the things she said ~ t.A.T.u. ~ 08-Feb-03 6 ~ 168 ~ Fear ~ Lily Allen ~ 07-Feb-09 7 ~ 157 ~ Don't speak ~ No Doubt ~ 22-Feb-97 8 ~ 157 ~ I don't wanna know ~ Mario Winans ~ 12-Jun-04 9 ~ 156 ~ Dirrty ~ Christina Aguilera ~ 23-Nov-02 10 ~ 146 ~ All this time ~ Michelle ~ 17-Jan-04 11 ~ 145 ~ All about you/You've got a friend ~ McFly ~ 19-Mar-05 12 ~ 144 ~ Do they know it's Christmas? ~ Band Aid 20 ~ 11-Dec-04 13 ~ 144 ~ Wherever you are ~ Military Wives with Gareth Malone ~ 31-Dec-11 14 ~ 143 ~ Rose ~ Westlife ~ 18-Nov-06 15 ~ 133 ~ Spirit in the sky ~ Gareth Gates & the Kumars ~ 22-Mar-03 16 ~ 128 ~ Touch me ~ Rui Da Silva ft Cassandra ~ 13-Jan-01 17 ~ 126 ~ It's like that ~ Run-DMC Vs Jason Nevins ~ 21-Mar-98 18 ~ 115 ~ Prayer in C ~ Robin Shultz and Lillywood ~ 06-Sep-14 19 ~ 115 ~ Changing ~ Sigma ~ 27-Sep-14 20 ~ 104 ~ Spectrum (say my name) ~ Florence and the Machine ~ 21-Jul-12 21 ~ 103 ~ My life would suck without you ~ Kelly Clarkson ~ 07-Mar-09 22 ~ 90 ~ Marvin Gaye ~ Charlie Puth ~ 20-Aug-15 23 ~ 85 ~ Beneath you're beautiful ~ Labrinth ~ 03-Nov-12 24 ~ 78 ~ Don't be so hard on yourself ~ Jess Glynne ~ 27-Aug-15 25 ~ 73 ~ Boys and girls ~ Pixie Lott ~ 19-Sep-09 26 ~ 71 ~ Easy love ~ Sigala ~ 17-Sep-15 27 ~ 69 ~ We're going to Ibiza [iMPORT] ~ Vengaboys ~ 18-Sep-99 28 ~ 68 ~ Fight song ~ Rachel Platten ~ 03-Sep-15 29 ~ 66 ~ Genie in a bottle [iMPORT] ~ Christina Aguilera ~ 16-Oct-99 30 ~ 52 ~ Am I wrong? ~ Nico and Vinz ~ 16-Aug-14 31 ~ 52 ~ House every weekend ~ David Zowie ~ 16-Jul-15 32 ~ 47 ~ 9pm (till I come) [iMPORT] ~ ATB ~ 03-Jul-99 33 ~ 47 ~ Someone like you ~ Adele ~ 26-Feb-11 34 ~ 45 ~ Hey baby [iMPORT] ~ DJ Otzi ~ 22-Sep-01 35 ~ 43 ~ Blue (da ba dee) [iMPORT] ~ Eiffel 65 ~ 25-Sep-99 36 ~ 41 ~ Getting' over you ~ David Guetta ~ 12-Jun-10 37 ~ 38 ~ So what ~ Pink ~ 11-Oct-08 38 ~ 38 ~ Easy on me ~ Adele ~ 13-Jan-22 39 ~ 35 ~ About you now ~ Sugababes ~ 06-Oct-07 40 ~ 33 ~ Happy talk ~ Captain Sensible ~ 03-Jul-82 41 ~ 33 ~ All about that bass ~ Meghan Trainor ~ 11-Oct-14 42 ~ 31 ~ Mambo No 5 [iMPORT] ~ Lou Bega ~ 04-Sep-99 43 ~ 31 ~ It wasn't me [iMPORT] ~ Shaggy ~ 10-Mar-01 44 ~ 28 ~ Singin' in the rain ~ Mint Royale ~ 14-Jun-08 45 ~ 27 ~ Surrender ~ Elvis Presley ~ 01-Jun-61 46 ~ 26 ~ Pass the dutchie ~ Musical Youth ~ 02-Oct-82 47 ~ 23 ~ Welcome to the black parade ~ My Chemical Romance ~ 21-Oct-06 48 ~ 22 ~ Green door ~ Shakin' Stevens ~ 01-Aug-81 49 ~ 21 ~ Hey Jude ~ Beatles ~ 11-Sep-68 50 ~ 21 ~ (Just like) Starting over ~ John Lennon ~ 20-Sep-80 51 ~ 21 ~ Déjà vu ~ Beyonce ~ 02-Sep-06 52 ~ 21 ~ Sexy bitch ~ David Guetta ~ 29-Aug-09 53 ~ 21 ~ One dance ~ Drake ~ 21-Apr-16 54 ~ 19 ~ Are you lonesome tonight? ~ Elvis Presley ~ 26-Jan-61 55 ~ 19 ~ (If paradise is) Half as nice ~ Amen Corner ~ 12-Feb-69 56 ~ 19 ~ Love me for a reason ~ Osmonds ~ 31-Aug-74 57 ~ 19 ~ Stand by me ~ Ben E King ~ 21-Feb-87 58 ~ 18 ~ So sick ~ Ne-Yo ~ 01-Apr-06 59 ~ 18 ~ Official BBC Children in Need Medley ~ Peter Kay (Animated All Star Band) ~ 05-Dec-09 60 ~ 17 ~ Get off of my cloud ~ Rolling Stones ~ 04-Nov-65 61 ~ 16 ~ I hear you knocking ~ Dave Edmunds ~ 27-Nov-70 62 ~ 16 ~ Chirpy chirpy cheep cheep ~ Middle of the Road ~ 19-Jun-71 63 ~ 16 ~ Young love ~ Donny Osmond ~ 25-Aug-73 64 ~ 16 ~ Dancing queen ~ Abba ~ 04-Sep-76 65 ~ 15 ~ I don't like Mondays ~ Boomtown Rats ~ 28-Jul-79 66 ~ 15 ~ Too much too young (EP) ~ Special AKA ~ 02-Feb-80 67 ~ 15 ~ America ~ Razorlight ~ 14-Oct-06 68 ~ 15 ~ Pointless ~ Lewis Capaldi ~ 19-Jan-23 69 ~ 14 ~ Eye level ~ Simon Park Orchestra ~ 29-Sep-73 70 ~ 14 ~ Now you're gone ~ Basshunter ~ 19-Jan-08 71 ~ 13 ~ In the summertime ~ Mungo Jerry ~ 13-Jun-70 72 ~ 13 ~ Star trekkin' ~ Firm ~ 20-Jun-87 73 ~ 13 ~ Smile ~ Lily Allen ~ 15-Jul-06 74 ~ 13 ~ Sexyback ~ Justin Timberlake ~ 09-Sep-06 75 ~ 13 ~ Escapism ~ Raye ~ 12-Jan-23 76 ~ 12 ~ Love grows (where my Rosemary goes) ~ Edison Lighthouse ~ 31-Jan-70 77 ~ 12 ~ Power ~ Snap! ~ 31-Mar-90 78 ~ 12 ~ Smack that ~ Akon ~ 25-Nov-06 79 ~ 12 ~ Telephone ~ Lady Gaga ~ 27-Mar-10 80 ~ 11 ~ Always something there to remind me ~ Sandie Shaw ~ 22-Oct-64 81 ~ 11 ~ Ticket to ride ~ Beatles ~ 22-Apr-65 82 ~ 11 ~ Michelle ~ Overlanders ~ 27-Jan-66 83 ~ 11 ~ Lady Madonna ~ Beatles ~ 27-Mar-68 84 ~ 11 ~ Sugar sugar ~ Archies ~ 25-Oct-69 85 ~ 11 ~ She ~ Charles Aznavour ~ 29-Jun-74 86 ~ 11 ~ Summer nights ~ John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John ~ 20-Sep-78 87 ~ 11 ~ Chicken song ~ Spitting Image ~ 17-May-86 88 ~ 11 ~ Nothing's gonna change my love for you ~ Glenn Medeiros ~ 09-Jul-88 89 ~ 11 ~ Sing ~ Gary Barlow / (Commonwealth Band) ~ 16-Jun-12 90 ~ 11 ~ Take me back to London ~ Ed Sheeran ~ 05-Sep-19 91 ~ 11 ~ River ~ Ellie Goulding ~ 02-Jan-20

Ignoring songs that have fallen completely out of the charts, such as Wham!'s Last Christmas from No 1 in 2021 and 2023: Was there ever a bigger fall within the official chart than Alex Day's Lady Godiva which fell from No 15 to No 184 in April 2012? And was there ever a bigger climb within the official chart than Goldfrapp's Ooh La La which moved from No 224 to No 4 in 2005? Within the Top 40: P!nk's So What? climbed from No 38 to No 1. The Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Choir 2016 and Ladbaby 2022 share the biggest falls from No 1 within the Top 40, to No 29.

Would Murder on the Dancefloor now be 2001's biggest selling single - or getting close?

More of an oversight than anything else, I concentrated only on Wham! and solo George Michael, without considering his other collaborative entries. I might have to look at McCartney's entries with Stevie Wonder and Michael Jackson's as well... And then what about Band Aid, Live Aid, Ferry Aid and all the charity singles then?! Give me a decade to sort those out please!!

I should have added that I have not included George Michael's duets or collaborations with other artists. If I do, there are four more years to be added to his singles and overall total, making 53 years.

The raw numbers are: Wham! 9 years on the Albums, 16 years on the Singles - Total 25 George Michael 16 years on the Albums, 14 years on the Singles - Total 30 The Albums both together: 25 years The Singles both together: 30 years (coincidentally) However: On the Albums, they both charted in 1987, 1997, 1998 and 2017 - George cannot claim double appearances in any one year! - so that total is 21 On the Singles, they both charted in 1984 and 1986, so that total in 28 Which leaves George having appeared in 49 different calendar years either solo or with Wham! For Paul McCartney and the Beatles: A total of 57 Album years is reduced by 20 when they both appeared, leaving 37 A total of 36 Single years is reduced by 3, leaving 33 Which leaves Paul McCartney with a total of 70 years. Thanks for your interest!