List of UK singles chart number ones of the 1960s explained

The UK Singles Chart is the official record chart in the United Kingdom. Prior to 1969 there was no official singles chart;[1] [2] [3] however, The Official Charts Company and Guinness' British Hit Singles & Albums regard the canonical sources as New Musical Express (NME) before 10 March 1960 and Record Retailer from then until 15 February 1969 when Retailer and the BBC jointly commissioned the British Market Research Bureau (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 (which continued compiling charts beyond March 1960) had the biggest circulation of periodicals in the decade and was more widely followed.[1] [2]

As well as the chart compilers mentioned previously, Melody Maker, Disc and Record Mirror all compiled their own charts during the decade. Due to the lack of any official chart the BBC aggregated results from all these charts to announce its own Pick of the Pops chart. 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". The sample size of Record Retailer in the early 1960s was around 30 stores whereas NME and Melody Maker were sampling over 100 stores. In 1969, the first BMRB chart was compiled using postal returns of sales logs from 250 record shops.

In terms of number-one singles, The Beatles were the most successful group of the decade having seventeen singles reach the top spot.[5] The longest duration of a single at number-one was eight weeks and this was achieved on three occasions: "It's Now or Never" by Elvis Presley in 1960; "Wonderful Land" by The Shadows in 1962 and "Sugar, Sugar" by The Archies in 1969. The Beatles' song "She Loves You" became the best-selling single of all time in 1963, a record it held until 1977 when band member Paul McCartney's new band, Wings, surpassed it with "Mull of Kintyre".[6] "She Loves You" was the best-selling song of the decade and one of fourteen songs believed to have sold over one million copies in the 1960s.[7]

Number-one singles

Key
scope=row style="background-color:#FFFF99" †Best-selling single of the year[8]
scope=row style="background-color:lightblue" ‡Best-selling single of the decade
scope=colscope=colArtistscope=colSinglescope=colRecord labelscope=colWeek starting datescope=colWeeks at
number one
scope=row style="text-align:center;" colspan=6 bgcolor=#F2F2F2
scope=row style="text-align:center;"Emile Ford 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"2
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"Warner Bros.7
scope=row style="text-align:center;"102"Three Steps to Heaven"London2
scope=row style="text-align:center;"103"Good Timin'"MGM3
scope=row style="text-align:center;"104"Please Don't Tease"1
scope=row style="text-align:center;"105"Shakin' All Over"HMV1
scope=row style="text-align:center;"Cliff Richard and the Shadows"Please Don't Tease"2
scope=row style="text-align:center;"106"Apache"5
scope=row style="text-align:center;"107"Tell Laura I Love Her"3
scope=row style="text-align:center;"108"Only the Lonely"London2
scope=row style="text-align:center;"109"It's Now or Never" †8
scope=row style="text-align:center;"110Cliff Richard and the Shadows"I Love You"2
scope=row style="text-align:center;" colspan=6 bgcolor=#F2F2F2
scope=row style="text-align:center;"111"Poetry in Motion"London2
scope=row style="text-align:center;"112"Are You Lonesome Tonight?"4
scope=row style="text-align:center;"113"Sailor"Pye1
scope=row style="text-align:center;"114"Walk Right Back" / "Ebony Eyes"Warner Bros.3
scope=row style="text-align:center;"115"Wooden Heart" †6
scope=row style="text-align:center;"116"Blue Moon"Pye International2
scope=row style="text-align:center;"117"On the Rebound"RCA1
scope=row style="text-align:center;"118"You're Driving Me Crazy"Parlophone1
scope=row style="text-align:center;"119"Surrender"4
scope=row style="text-align:center;"120"Runaway" London3
scope=row style="text-align:center;"121"Temptation"Warner Bros.2
scope=row style="text-align:center;"122"Well I Ask You"Decca1
scope=row style="text-align:center;"123"You Don't Know"Columbia3
scope=row style="text-align:center;"124"Johnny Remember Me"Top Rank3
scope=row style="text-align:center;"125"Reach for the Stars" / "Climb Ev'ry Mountain"Columbia1
scope=row style="text-align:center;""Johnny Remember Me"Top Rank1
scope=row style="text-align:center;"126"Kon-Tiki"1
scope=row style="text-align:center;"127"Michael"HMV1
scope=row style="text-align:center;"128"Walkin' Back to Happiness"Columbia3
scope=row style="text-align:center;"129"(Marie's the Name) His Latest Flame" / "Little Sister" 4
scope=row style="text-align:center;"130"Tower of Strength"Philips3
scope=row style="text-align:center;"131"Moon River"HMV2
scope=row style="text-align:center;" colspan=6 bgcolor=#F2F2F2
scope=row style="text-align:center;"132Cliff Richard and the Shadows""6
scope=row style="text-align:center;"133"Can't Help Falling in Love" / "Rock-A-Hula Baby" 4
scope=row style="text-align:center;"134"Wonderful Land"8
scope=row style="text-align:center;"135"Nut Rocker"Top Rank1
scope=row style="text-align:center;"136"Good Luck Charm"5
scope=row style="text-align:center;"137"Come Outside"Parlophone2
scope=row style="text-align:center;"138"I Can't Stop Loving You"HMV2
scope=row style="text-align:center;"139"I Remember You" †7
scope=row style="text-align:center;"140"She's Not You"3
scope=row style="text-align:center;"141"Telstar"Decca5
scope=row style="text-align:center;"142"Lovesick Blues"5
scope=row style="text-align:center;"143"Return to Sender"3
scope=row style="text-align:center;" colspan=6 bgcolor=#F2F2F2
scope=row style="text-align:center;"144"" / "Bachelor Boy"3
scope=row style="text-align:center;"145"Dance On!"1
scope=row style="text-align:center;"146"Diamonds"Decca3
scope=row style="text-align:center;"147""3
scope=row style="text-align:center;"148"Summer Holiday"2
scope=row style="text-align:center;"149"Foot Tapper"1
scope=row style="text-align:center;"Cliff Richard and the Shadows"Summer Holiday"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" 7
scope=row style="text-align:center;"152"I Like It"4
scope=row style="text-align:center;"153"Confessin'"2
scope=row style="text-align:center;"154""1
scope=row style="text-align:center;"155"Sweets for My Sweet"Pye2
scope=row style="text-align:center;"156"Bad to Me"Parlophone3
scope=row style="text-align:center;"157"She Loves You" ‡4
scope=row style="text-align:center;"158"Do You Love Me"Decca3
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"5
scope=row style="text-align:center;" colspan=6 bgcolor=#F2F2F2
scope=row style="text-align:center;"161"Glad All Over"Columbia2
scope=row style="text-align:center;"162"Needles and Pins"Pye3
scope=row style="text-align:center;"163"Diane"Decca1
scope=row style="text-align:center;"164"Anyone Who Had a Heart"Parlophone3
scope=row style="text-align:center;"165"Little Children"Parlophone2
scope=row style="text-align:center;"166"Can't Buy Me Love" †3
scope=row style="text-align:center;"167""Columbia2
scope=row style="text-align:center;"168"Don't Throw Your Love Away"Pye2
scope=row style="text-align:center;"169"Juliet"Philips1
scope=row style="text-align:center;"170"You're My World"Parlophone4
scope=row style="text-align:center;"171"It's Over"London2
scope=row style="text-align:center;"172"The House of the Rising Sun"Columbia1
scope=row style="text-align:center;"173"It's All Over Now"1
scope=row style="text-align:center;"174""3
scope=row style="text-align:center;"175"Do Wah Diddy Diddy"HMV2
scope=row style="text-align:center;"176"Have I the Right?"Pye2
scope=row style="text-align:center;"177"You Really Got Me"Pye2
scope=row style="text-align:center;"178"I'm Into Something Good"Columbia2
scope=row style="text-align:center;"179"Oh, Pretty Woman"2
scope=row style="text-align:center;"180""Pye3
scope=row style="text-align:center;""Oh, Pretty Woman"London1
scope=row style="text-align:center;"181"Baby Love"Stateside2
scope=row style="text-align:center;"182"Little Red Rooster"1
scope=row style="text-align:center;"183"I Feel Fine"5
scope=row style="text-align:center;" colspan=6 bgcolor=#F2F2F2
scope=row style="text-align:center;"184Georgie Fame and the Blue Flames"Yeh, Yeh"Columbia2
scope=row style="text-align:center;"185"Go Now"Decca1
scope=row style="text-align:center;"186"You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'"London2
scope=row style="text-align:center;"187"Tired of Waiting for You"Pye1
scope=row style="text-align:center;"188"I'll Never Find Another You" 2
scope=row style="text-align:center;"189"It's Not Unusual"Decca1
scope=row style="text-align:center;"190""3
scope=row style="text-align:center;"191"Concrete and Clay"Decca1
scope=row style="text-align:center;"192""Columbia1
scope=row style="text-align:center;"193"Ticket to Ride"3
scope=row style="text-align:center;"194"King of the Road"Philips1
scope=row style="text-align:center;"195"Where Are You Now"Pye1
scope=row style="text-align:center;"196"Long Live Love"Pye3
scope=row style="text-align:center;"197"Crying in the Chapel"1
scope=row style="text-align:center;"198"I'm Alive"Parlophone1
scope=row style="text-align:center;""Crying in the Chapel"1
scope=row style="text-align:center;""I'm Alive"Parlophone2
scope=row style="text-align:center;"199"Mr. Tambourine Man"CBS2
scope=row style="text-align:center;"200"Help!"3
scope=row style="text-align:center;"201"I Got You Babe"Atlantic2
scope=row style="text-align:center;"202""2
scope=row style="text-align:center;"203"Make It Easy on Yourself"Philips1
scope=row style="text-align:center;"204"Tears" †Columbia5
scope=row style="text-align:center;"205"Get Off of My Cloud"3
scope=row style="text-align:center;"206""3
scope=row style="text-align:center;"207"Day Tripper" / "We Can Work It Out"5
scope=row style="text-align:center;" colspan=6 bgcolor=#F2F2F2
scope=row style="text-align:center;"208"Keep On Running"Fontana1
scope=row style="text-align:center;"209"Michelle"Pye3
scope=row style="text-align:center;"210"These Boots Are Made for Walkin'"Reprise4
scope=row style="text-align:center;"211""Philips4
scope=row style="text-align:center;"212"Somebody Help Me"Fontana2
scope=row style="text-align:center;"213"You Don't Have to Say You Love Me"Philips1
scope=row style="text-align:center;"214"Pretty Flamingo"HMV3
scope=row style="text-align:center;"215"Paint It Black"1
scope=row style="text-align:center;"216"Strangers in the Night"Reprise3
scope=row style="text-align:center;"217"Paperback Writer"2
scope=row style="text-align:center;"218"Sunny Afternoon"Pye2
scope=row style="text-align:center;"219Georgie Fame and the Blue Flames"Get Away"Columbia1
scope=row style="text-align:center;"220"Out of Time"Immediate1
scope=row style="text-align:center;"221"With a Girl Like You"Fontana2
scope=row style="text-align:center;"222"Yellow Submarine" / "Eleanor Rigby"4
scope=row style="text-align:center;"223"All or Nothing"Decca1
scope=row style="text-align:center;"224"Distant Drums"RCA5
scope=row style="text-align:center;"225"Reach Out I'll Be There"Tamla Motown3
scope=row style="text-align:center;"226"Good Vibrations"Capitol2
scope=row style="text-align:center;"227"Green, Green Grass of Home" †Decca7
scope=row style="text-align:center;" colspan=6 bgcolor=#F2F2F2
scope=row style="text-align:center;"228"I'm a Believer"RCA4
scope=row style="text-align:center;"229"This Is My Song"Pye2
scope=row style="text-align:center;"230"Release Me" †Decca6
scope=row style="text-align:center;"231Frank and Nancy Sinatra"Somethin' Stupid"Reprise2
scope=row style="text-align:center;"232"Puppet on a String"Pye3
scope=row style="text-align:center;"233"Silence Is Golden"CBS3
scope=row style="text-align:center;"234""Deram6
scope=row style="text-align:center;"235"All You Need Is Love"3
scope=row style="text-align:center;"236"San Francisco (Be Sure to Wear Flowers in Your Hair)"CBS4
scope=row style="text-align:center;"237""Decca5
scope=row style="text-align:center;"238"Massachusetts"Polydor4
scope=row style="text-align:center;"239"Baby Now That I've Found You"Pye2
scope=row style="text-align:center;"240"Let the Heartaches Begin"Pye2
scope=row style="text-align:center;"241"Hello, Goodbye"7
scope=row style="text-align:center;" colspan=6 bgcolor=#F2F2F2
scope=row style="text-align:center;"242""CBS1
scope=row style="text-align:center;"243"Everlasting Love"CBS2
scope=row style="text-align:center;"244"Mighty Quinn"Fontana2
scope=row style="text-align:center;"245"Cinderella Rockefella"Philips3
scope=row style="text-align:center;"246""Fontana1
scope=row style="text-align:center;"247"Lady Madonna"2
scope=row style="text-align:center;"248"Congratulations"2
scope=row style="text-align:center;"249"What a Wonderful World"HMV4
scope=row style="text-align:center;"250"Young Girl"CBS4
scope=row style="text-align:center;"251"Jumpin' Jack Flash"2
scope=row style="text-align:center;"252"Baby, Come Back"President3
scope=row style="text-align:center;"253"I Pretend"Columbia1
scope=row style="text-align:center;"254"Mony Mony"Major Minor2
scope=row style="text-align:center;"255"Fire"Track1
scope=row style="text-align:center;""Mony Mony"Major Minor1
scope=row style="text-align:center;"256"Do It Again"Capitol1
scope=row style="text-align:center;"257"I've Gotta Get a Message to You"Polydor1
scope=row style="text-align:center;"258"Hey Jude" †2
scope=row style="text-align:center;"259"Those Were the Days"Apple6
scope=row style="text-align:center;"260"With a Little Help from My Friends"Regal Zonophone1
scope=row style="text-align:center;"261""RCA4
scope=row style="text-align:center;"262"Lily the Pink"Parlophone3
scope=row style="text-align:center;" colspan=6 bgcolor=#F2F2F2
scope=row style="text-align:center;"263"Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da"CBS1
scope=row style="text-align:center;""Lily the Pink"Parlophone1
scope=row style="text-align:center;""Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da"CBS2
scope=row style="text-align:center;"264"Albatross"Blue Horizon1
scope=row style="text-align:center;"265"Blackberry Way"Regal Zonophone1
scope=row style="text-align:center;"266""2
scope=row style="text-align:center;"267"Where Do You Go To (My Lovely)?"United Artists4
scope=row style="text-align:center;"268"I Heard It Through the Grapevine"Tamla Motown3
scope=row style="text-align:center;"269"Israelites"Pyramid1
scope=row style="text-align:center;"270"Get Back"6
scope=row style="text-align:center;"271"Dizzy"Stateside1
scope=row style="text-align:center;"272""3
scope=row style="text-align:center;"273"Something in the Air"Track3
scope=row style="text-align:center;"274"Honky Tonk Women"5
scope=row style="text-align:center;"275"In the Year 2525"RCA3
scope=row style="text-align:center;"276"Bad Moon Rising"Liberty3
scope=row style="text-align:center;"277"Je t'aime... moi non plus"Major Minor1
scope=row style="text-align:center;"278"I'll Never Fall in Love Again"Capitol1
scope=row style="text-align:center;"279"Sugar, Sugar" †RCA8
scope=row style="text-align:center;"280"Two Little Boys"Columbia6

By artist

The following artists achieved three or more number-one hits during the 1960s.

scope=colArtistscope=colNumber onesscope=colWeeks at
number one
scope=row1769
scope=row1144
scope=row818
scope=row720
scope=row516
scope=row417
scope=row312
scope=rowGerry and the Pacemakers311
scope=row39
scope=row37
scope=row37
scope=row37
scope=row35
scope=row34

By record label

The following record labels had five or more number ones on the UK Singles Chart during the 1960s.

scope=colRecord labelscope=colNumber ones
Columbia35
Parlophone23
Decca22
Pye/Pye International19
RCA17
CBS7
London7
HMV7
Philips7
Fontana5

Million-selling and gold records

The Shadows instrumental, "Apache", is the oldest 1960s release to be awarded a gold record but not the first to actually receive the award.[9] The awarding of seventeen gold records to records released in the 1960s is documented and, notably, five were awarded to releases by The Beatles. Although The Righteous Brothers first released "Unchained Melody" in August 1965 it had more success after being re-released in the 1990s reaching number one and selling over one million copies.[10]

ArtistSongYear of millionth
sale[11] [12] [13]
"Apache" 1963
"It's Now or Never" 1960
"Stranger on the Shore" 1962
"The Young Ones" 1962
"I Remember You" 1962
"She Loves You" 1963
"I Want to Hold Your Hand" 1963
"Can't Buy Me Love" 1964
"I Feel Fine" 1964
"Tears" 1965
"The Carnival Is Over" 1965
"Day Tripper" / "We Can Work It Out" 1965–66
"Green, Green Grass of Home" 1966
"Release Me" 1967
"The Last Waltz" 1967
"Congratulations" 1968[14]
"Sugar, Sugar" 1970.[15]

Further reading

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Smith . Alan . 50s & 60s UK Charts – The Truth! . Dave McAleer's website . 4 November 2010 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110903033717/http://www.davemcaleer.com/page21.htm . 3 September 2011 . dmy .
  2. Web site: Music: Charting the number ones that somehow got away. Leigh. Spencer. 20 February 1998. The Independent. 5 August 2010.
  3. Book: Warwick. Neil. Kutner. Jon. Brown. Tony. The Complete Book Of The British Charts: Singles and Albums. 3rd. 2004. Omnibus Press. London. 1-84449-058-0. v. Until 15th February 1969, there was no officially compiled chart..
  4. Web site: Key Dates in the History of the Official UK Charts. The Official Charts Company. 16 May 2010. https://web.archive.org/web/20080110032725/http://www.theofficialcharts.com/company_history.php. 10 January 2008.
  5. Web site: Featured Artists: The Beatles. The Official Charts Company. 6 August 2010. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20131103114845/http://www.officialcharts.com/artist/_/BEATLES/. 3 November 2013. dmy-all.
  6. Web site: Leadbetter. Russell. Macca proves he's no sellout. The Herald. 31 May 2010. 17 May 2010.
  7. Web site: BPI – Charts – 3. Top Twenty Chart Facts . . 12 September 2010 . https://web.archive.org/web/20040604124155/http://www.bpi.co.uk/charts/content_file_258.shtml . 4 June 2004 . dead .
  8. Web site: The biggest song of every year revealed. Official Charts Company. 9 January 2016. 23 March 2018.
  9. Book: Murrells, Joseph. Million selling records from the 1900s to the 1980s : an illustrated directory. 1985. Arco Pub.. 0668064595. This disc was a chart topping disc for six weeks and a million seller by 1963 in Britain. 146.
  10. Web site: Artist Chart History: Righteous Brothers. The Official Charts Company. 5 October 2010. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20110615141506/http://www.theofficialcharts.com/artist/_/righteous%20brothers/. 15 June 2011. dmy-all.
  11. Web site: Stats and Facts: Million Sellers . . 19 July 2010 . https://web.archive.org/web/20080416145908/http://www.theofficialcharts.com/stats-million_sellers.php . 16 April 2008 . dead .
  12. Web site: Million-Selling Singles. everyHit. 12 June 2010.
  13. Web site: Smith. Alan. UK First Charts & Silver Discs. Dave McAleer's website. 4 November 2010. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20110902235451/http://www.davemcaleer.com/page17.htm. 2 September 2011. dmy-all.
  14. Disc News In Brief. DISC and MUSIC ECHO. 6. 6 July 1968. 19 February 2024.
  15. Book: Murrells, Joseph. Million selling records from the 1900s to the 1980s : an illustrated directory. 1985. Arco Pub.. 0668064595. In Britain the disc (RCA label) was No 1 for eight weeks and sold over a million there. 276.

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