The NME (or New Musical Express) was a British weekly popular music newspaper. Record charts in the United Kingdom began on 14 November 1952 when NME imitated an idea started in American Billboard magazine compiled their own hit parade. Until 15 February 1969, when the British Market Research Bureau (BMRB) chart was established, many periodicals compiled their own charts. During this time the BBC used aggregated results of the prominent NME, Melody Maker, Disc, Record Mirror and, later, Record Retailer charts to compile their Pick of the Pops chart. Prior to 1969 there was no universally accepted source or "official" singles chart;[1] [2] [3] however, the Official Charts Company and Guinness' British Hit Singles & Albums regard the canonical sources for this period as NME before 10 March 1960 and Record Retailer from then until the BMRB took over in 1969.[4] Although Record Retailer is now the most predominantly used source for charting music in the 1960s, NME had the biggest circulation of charts in the decade and was more widely followed.[1] [2] After the BMRB was formed, the NME continued compiling its own chart up until 14 May 1988.[5]
The Allisons' entry for the Eurovision Song Contest, entitled "Are You Sure?", was the first single to be number one on the NME chart but not to reach the top spot on Record Retailers chart.[2] In total, sixteen songs failed to reach number one with Record Retailer but topped the NME chart.[2] [6] [7] In 1969, after the BMRB chart was introduced, four songs topped the NME but not the BMRB chart. Notable discrepancies include "19th Nervous Breakdown", which reached number one for the Rolling Stones on the NME, Disc, and Melody Maker charts, topped the BBC's Pick of the Pops aggregated chart and was announced as number one on Top of the Pops; however, because it did not reach number one on the Record Retailer chart, it is omitted from the Official Charts Company's canon.[1] The Beatles' "Please Please Me" suffered the same fate so, arguably, should be considered the Beatles' first number-one single.[2] Conversely, Elvis Presley's double A-side, "Rock-A-Hula Baby"/"Can't Help Falling in Love", reached number one on all charts except NME because the entries were split by NME according to which song was requested when the shop returned its figures.[1] [2] __TOC__
| Prior to 10 March 1960 the NME is considered by the Official Charts Company as the canonical source. | |||
| scope=row style="background-color:pink" | † | The song did not reach number one on the Record Retailer chart which is considered by the Official Charts Company as the canonical source until 15 February 1969. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| scope=row style="background-color:mistyrose" | ‡ | The song did not reach number one on the BMRB chart which is considered as the official chart after 15 February 1969. | |
| scope=row style="background-color:lightgreen; white-space:nowrap;" | [nb #] | The song spent a week at number one, where it shared the top spot with another song. |
| scope=col | scope=col | Artist | scope=col | Single | scope=col | Reached number one | scope=col | Weeks at number one | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" colspan=6 | |||||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | and the Checkmates | "What Do You Want to Make Those Eyes at Me For?" | 6 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | "Starry Eyed" | 1 | |||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | "Why" | 4 | |||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | "Poor Me" | 2 | |||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | "Running Bear" | 1 | |||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | "My Old Man's a Dustman" | 4 | |||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 100 | "Do You Mind?" | 1 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 101 | "Cathy's Clown" | 9 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 102 | "Good Timin'" | 3 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 103 | "Please Don't Tease" | 4 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 104 | "Apache" | 6 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 105 | "Tell Laura I Love Her" | 2 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 106 | "Only the Lonely (Know How I Feel)" | 3 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 107 | "It's Now or Never" | 9 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" colspan=6 | |||||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 108 | "Poetry in Motion" | 3 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 109 | "Are You Lonesome Tonight?" | 5 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 110 | "Walk Right Back" | 3 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 111 | "Wooden Heart" | 2 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 112 | "Are You Sure?" † | 1 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | "Wooden Heart" | 1 | |||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | "Are You Sure?" † | 1 | |||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 113 | "You're Driving Me Crazy" | 1 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 114 | "Blue Moon" | 2 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 115 | "Runaway" | 1 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 116 | "Surrender" | 4 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | "Runaway" | 3 | |||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 117 | "Temptation" | 1 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 118 | "Well I Ask You" | 2 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 119 | "You Don't Know" | 3 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 120 | "Johnny Remember Me" | 4 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | "You Don't Know" | 1 | |||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 121 | "Wild in the Country" † | 1 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | "Johnny Remember Me" | 1 | |||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 122 | "Michael (Row the Boat)" | 1 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 123 | "Walkin' Back to Happiness" | 4 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 124 | "His Latest Flame" | 3 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 125 | "Tower of Strength" | 4 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 126 | "Take Good Care of My Baby" † | 1 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 127 | "Moon River" | 1 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" colspan=6 | |||||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 128 | "Stranger on the Shore" † | 1 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 129 | "" | 6 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 130 | "Let's Twist Again" † | 2 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 131 | and his Jazzmen | "March of the Siamese Children" † | 1 | |||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 132 | "Wonderful Land" | 9 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 133 | "Nut Rocker" | 1 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 134 | "Good Luck Charm" | 5 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 135 | "Come Outside" | 2 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 136 | and the Bruvvers | "" † | 1 | |||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 137 | "I Can't Stop Loving You" | 1 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 138 | "I Remember You" | 8 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 139 | "She's Not You" | 3 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 140 | "Telstar" | 5 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 141 | "Lovesick Blues" | 5 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 142 | "Return to Sender" | 2 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 143 | "" / "Bachelor Boy" | 1 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" colspan=6 | |||||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 144 | "Dance On!" | 3 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 145 | "Diamonds" | 4 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 146 | "" | 1 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 147 | "Please Please Me" † | 2 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 148 | "Summer Holiday" | 3 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 149 | "Foot Tapper" | 1 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 150 | "How Do You Do It?" | 3 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 151 | "From Me to You" | 6 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 152 | "Do You Want to Know a Secret" † | 2 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 153 | "I Like It" | 4 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 154 | "Confessin' (That I Love You)" | 3 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 155 | "Sweets for My Sweet" | 3 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 156 | "Bad to Me" | 2 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 157 | "She Loves You" | 4 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 158 | "Do You Love Me" | 3 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 159 | "You'll Never Walk Alone" | 4 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | "She Loves You" | 2 | |||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 160 | "I Want to Hold Your Hand" | 6 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" colspan=6 | |||||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 161 | "Glad All Over" | 2 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 162 | "Needles and Pins" | 3 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 163 | "Anyone Who Had a Heart" | 4 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 164 | "Little Children" | 1 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 165 | "Can't Buy Me Love" | 4 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 166 | "" | 2 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 167 | "Don't Throw Your Love Away" | 1 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 168 | "Juliet" | 2 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 169 | "You're My World (Il Mio Mondo)" | 3 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 170 | "It's Over" | 2 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 171 | "House of the Rising Sun" | 2 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 172 | "" | 4 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 173 | "Do Wah Diddy Diddy" | 2 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 174 | "Have I the Right?" | 2 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 175 | "You Really Got Me" | 1 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 176 | "I'm Into Something Good" | 3 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 177 | "Oh, Pretty Woman" | 3 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 178 | "" | 2 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 179 | "Baby Love" | 1 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 180 | "Little Red Rooster" | 2 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 181 | "I Feel Fine" | 6 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" colspan=6 | |||||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 182 | "Yeh Yeh" | 1 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 183 | "Go Now" | 2 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 184 | "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'" | 1 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 185 | "Tired of Waiting for You" | 1 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 186 | "I'll Never Find Another You" | 2 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 187 | "It's Not Unusual" | 1 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 188 | "" | 4 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 189 | "For Your Love" † | 1 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 190 | "" | 1 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 191 | "Ticket to Ride" | 5 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 192 | "Where Are You Now (My Love)" | 1 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 193 | "Long Live Love" | 2 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 194 | "" † | 1 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 195 | "Crying in the Chapel" | 2 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 196 | "I'm Alive" | 2 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 197 | "Mr. Tambourine Man" | 2 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 198 | "Help!" | 4 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 199 | "I Got You Babe" | 1 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 200 | "" | 3 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 201 | "Tears" | 6 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 202 | "Get Off of My Cloud" | 3 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 203 | "1-2-3" † | 1 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 204 | "" | 1 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 205 | "Day Tripper" / "We Can Work It Out" | 5 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" colspan=6 | |||||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 206 | "Keep On Running" | 3 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 207 | "Michelle" | 1 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 208 | "These Boots Are Made for Walkin'" | 1 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 209 | "19th Nervous Breakdown" † | 3 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 210 | "I Can't Let Go" † | 2 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 211 | "" | 4 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 212 | "Somebody Help Me" | 1 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 213 | "You Don't Have to Say You Love Me" | 2 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 214 | "Pretty Flamingo" | 3 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 215 | "Paint It, Black" | 1 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 216 | "Strangers in the Night" | 3 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 217 | "Paperback Writer" | 2 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 218 | "Sunny Afternoon" | 2 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 219 | "Out of Time" | 2 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 220 | "With a Girl Like You" | 2 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 221 | "Yellow Submarine" / "Eleanor Rigby" | 4 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 222 | "All or Nothing" | 1 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 223 | "Distant Drums" | 5 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 224 | "Reach Out I'll Be There" | 3 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 225 | "Good Vibrations" | 2 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 226 | "Green, Green Grass of Home" | 7 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" colspan=6 | |||||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 227 | "I'm a Believer" | 4 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 228 | "This Is My Song" | 2 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 229 | "Release Me" | 6 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 230 | "Somethin' Stupid" | 1 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 231 | "Puppet on a String" | 4 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 232 | "Silence Is Golden" | 3 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 233 | "" | 5 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 234 | "All You Need Is Love" | 4 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 235 | "San Francisco (Be Sure to Wear Flowers in Your Hair)" | 4 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 236 | "" | 6 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 237 | "Massachusetts" | 3 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 238 | "Baby Now That I've Found You" | 3 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 239 | "Let the Heartaches Begin" | 1 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 240 | "Hello, Goodbye" | 6 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" colspan=6 | |||||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 241 | "" | 1 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 242 | "Everlasting Love" | 3 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 243 | "Mighty Quinn" | 2 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 244 | "Cinderella Rockefella" | 4 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 245 | "Lady Madonna" | 2 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 246 | "Congratulations" | 1 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 247 | "What a Wonderful World" | 4 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 248 | "Young Girl" | 5 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 249 | "Jumpin' Jack Flash" | 2 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 250 | "Baby Come Back" | 3 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 251 | "Mony Mony" | 4 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 252 | "Help Yourself" † | 2 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 253 | "I've Gotta Get a Message to You" | 1 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 254 | "Hey Jude" | 3 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 255 | "Those Were the Days" | 5 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 256 | "With a Little Help from My Friends" | 1 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 257 | "" | 1 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 258 | "Eloise" † | 2 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 259 | "Lily the Pink" | 5 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" colspan=6 | |||||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 260 | "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da" | 2 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 261 | "Albatross" | 3 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 262 | "Blackberry Way" | 1 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 263 | "" | 1 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 264 | "Where Do You Go To (My Lovely)?" | 4 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 265 | "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" | 3 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 266 | "Israelites" | 2 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 267 | "Get Back" | 5 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 268 | "Dizzy" | 2 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 269 | "" | 2 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 270 | "Something in the Air" | 2 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 271 | "In the Ghetto" ‡ | 1 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 272 | "Honky Tonk Women" | 5 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 273 | "In The Year 2525 (Exordium and Terminus)" | 3 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 274 | "Bad Moon Rising" | 3 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 275 | "I'll Never Fall in Love Again" | 3 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 276 | "Sugar, Sugar" | 2 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 277 | "Oh Well" ‡ | 1 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | "Sugar, Sugar" | 2 | |||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 278 | "Yester-Me, Yester-You, Yesterday" ‡ | 1 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 279 | "Ruby, Don't Take Your Love to Town" ‡ | 1 | ||||||
| scope=row style="text-align:center;" | 280 | "Two Little Boys" | 6 |
Book: Osborne. Roger. Dafydd. Rees. Barry. Lazell. Forty Years of "NME" Charts. 2nd. 1995. Pan Macmillan. 0-7522-0829-2.