List of artists with the most UK singles chart number ones explained

The UK singles chart is a weekly record chart which for most of its history was based on single sales from Sunday to Saturday in the United Kingdom.[1] The chart was founded in 1952 by Percy Dickins of New Musical Express (NME), who telephoned 20 record stores to ask what their top 10 highest-selling singles were. Dickins aggregated the results into a top 12 hit parade. NMEs chart was published each week in its eponymous magazine.[1] From 2003, music downloads became included in the chart, and rules were altered in 2006 so that singles could chart before physical formats were released.[2] [3] Since July 2014, it has incorporated music streaming service data, with music video views counted towards the chart from July 2018.[4] [5] From 10 July 2015, the chart has been based on a Friday to Thursday week.[6]

This list shows the twenty-seven artists with the most number ones on the UK singles chart. American singer-actor Elvis Presley has most number one singles with twenty-one. English band The Beatles have the most number one singles for a band, with eighteen. American singer Madonna has the most number ones for a female solo artist with thirteen. English girl group the Spice Girls have the most number one singles for a girl group with nine.[7]

Tally

Artists with the most number one singles in the UK singles chart! Number ones! Artist! Number one singles! First year reached number one!
21Elvis Presley"All Shook Up"1957[8]
"Jailhouse Rock"1958
"One Night" / "I Got Stung"1959
"A Fool Such as I" / "I Need Your Love Tonight"
"It's Now or Never"1960
"Are You Lonesome Tonight?"
"Wooden Heart"1961
"Surrender"
"(Marie's the Name) His Latest Flame" / "Little Sister"
"Can't Help Falling in Love" / "Rock-A-Hula Baby"1962
"Good Luck Charm"
"She's Not You"
"Return to Sender"
"(You're the) Devil in Disguise"1963
"Crying in the Chapel"1965
"The Wonder of You"1970
"Way Down"1977
"A Little Less Conversation"2002
"Jailhouse Rock"2005
"One Night" / "I Got Stung"
"It's Now or Never"
18The Beatles"From Me to You"1963[9]
"She Loves You"
"I Want to Hold Your Hand"
"Can't Buy Me Love"1964
"A Hard Day's Night"
"I Feel Fine"
"Ticket to Ride"1965
"Help!"
"Day Tripper" / "We Can Work It Out"
"Paperback Writer"1966
"Yellow Submarine" / "Eleanor Rigby"
"All You Need Is Love"1967
"Hello, Goodbye"
"Lady Madonna"1968
"Hey Jude"
"Get Back"1969
"The Ballad of John and Yoko"
"Now and Then"2023
14Cliff Richard"Living Doll"1959[10]
"Travellin' Light"
"Please Don't Tease"1960
"I Love You"
"The Young Ones"1962
"The Next Time" / "Bachelor Boy"
"Summer Holiday"1963
"The Minute You're Gone"1965
"Congratulations"1968
"We Don't Talk Anymore"1979
"Living Doll"1986
"Mistletoe and Wine"1988
"Saviour's Day"1990
"The Millennium Prayer"1999
14Ed Sheeran"Sing"2014[11]
"Thinking Out Loud"
"Shape of You"2017
"Perfect"
"River"2018
"I Don't Care"2019
"Beautiful People"
"Take Me Back to London"
"Own It"2020
"Bad Habits"2021
"Shivers"
"Merry Christmas"
"Sausage Rolls for Everyone"
"Eyes Closed"2023
14Westlife"Swear It Again"1999[12]
"If I Let You Go"
"Flying Without Wings"
"I Have a Dream" / "Seasons in the Sun"
"Fool Again"2000
"Against All Odds"
"My Love"
"Uptown Girl"2001
"Queen of My Heart"
"World of Our Own"2002
"Unbreakable"
"Mandy"2003
"You Raise Me Up"2005
"The Rose"2006
13Madonna"Into the Groove"1985[13]
"Papa Don't Preach"1986
"True Blue"
"La Isla Bonita"1987
"Who's That Girl"
"Like a Prayer"1989
"Vogue"1990
"Frozen"1998
"American Pie"2000
"Music"
"Hung Up"2005
"Sorry"2006
"4 Minutes"2008
12Take That"Pray"1993[14]
"Relight My Fire"
"Babe"
"Everything Changes"1994
"Sure"
"Back for Good"1995
"Never Forget"
"How Deep Is Your Love"1996
"Patience"2006
"Shine"2007
"Greatest Day"2008
"These Days"2014
11Eminem"The Real Slim Shady"2000[15]
"Stan"
"Without Me"2002
"Lose Yourself"
"Just Lose It"2004
"Like Toy Soldiers"2005
"Smack That"2006
"The Monster"2013
"River"2018
"Godzilla"2020
"Houdini"2024
11Calvin Harris"Dance wiv Me"2008[16]
"I'm Not Alone"2009
"We Found Love"2011
"Sweet Nothing"2012
"Under Control"2013
"Summer"2014
"Blame"
"Feels"2017
"One Kiss"2018
"Promises"
"Miracle"2023
10Elton John"Don't Go Breaking My Heart"1976[17]
"Sacrifice" / "Healing Hands"1990
"Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me"1991
"Something About the Way You Look Tonight" / "Candle in the Wind 1997"1997
"Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word"2002
"Are You Ready for Love"2003
"Ghetto Gospel"2005
"Cold Heart (Pnau remix)"2021
"Merry Christmas"
"Sausage Rolls for Everyone"
9ABBA"Waterloo"1974[18]
"Mamma Mia"1976
"Fernando"
"Dancing Queen"
"Knowing Me, Knowing You"1977
"The Name of the Game"
"Take a Chance on Me"1978
"The Winner Takes It All"1980
"Super Trouper"
9Rihanna"Umbrella"2007[19]
"Take a Bow"2008
"Run This Town"2009
"Only Girl (In the World)"2010
"What's My Name?"2011
"We Found Love"
"Diamonds"2012
"The Monster"2013
"Wild Thoughts"2017
9Spice Girls"Wannabe"1996[20]
"Say You'll Be There"
"2 Become 1"
"Mama" / "Who Do You Think You Are"1997
"Spice Up Your Life"
"Too Much"
"Viva Forever"1998
"Goodbye"
"Holler" / "Let Love Lead the Way"2000
8Oasis"Some Might Say"1995[21]
"Don't Look Back in Anger"1996
"D'You Know What I Mean?"1997
"All Around the World"1998
"Go Let It Out"2000
"The Hindu Times"2002
"Lyla"2005
"The Importance of Being Idle"
8The Rolling Stones"It's All Over Now"1964[22]
"Little Red Rooster"
"The Last Time"1965
"(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction"
"Get Off of My Cloud"
"Paint It Black"1966
"Jumpin' Jack Flash1968
"Honky Tonk Women"1969
8Sam Smith"La La La"2013[23]
"Money on My Mind"2014
"Stay with Me"
"Lay Me Down"2015
"Writing's on the Wall"
"Too Good at Goodbyes"2017
"Promises"2018
"Unholy"2022
7Justin Bieber"What Do You Mean?"2015[24]
"Sorry"
"Love Yourself"
"Cold Water"2016
"I'm the One"2017
"Despacito"
"I Don't Care"2019
7Jess Glynne"Rather Be"2014[25]
"My Love"
"Hold My Hand"2015
"Not Letting Go"
"Don't Be So Hard on Yourself"
"These Days"2018
"I'll Be There"
7Ariana Grande"Problem"2014[26]
"Bang Bang"
"Thank U, Next"2018
"7 Rings"2019
"Break Up with Your Girlfriend, I'm Bored"
"Rain on Me"2020
"Positions"
7David Guetta"When Love Takes Over"2009[27]
"Sexy Bitch"
"Gettin' Over You"2010
"Club Can't Handle Me"
"Titanium"2012
"Lovers on the Sun"2014
"I'm Good (Blue)"2022
7Michael Jackson"One Day in Your Life"1981[28]
"Billie Jean"1983
"I Just Can't Stop Loving You"1987
"Black or White"1991
"You Are Not Alone"1995
"Earth Song"
"Blood on the Dance Floor"1997
7McFly"5 Colours in Her Hair"2004[29]
"Obviously"
"All About You" / "You've Got a Friend"2005
"I'll Be OK"
"Don't Stop Me Now" / "Please, Please"2006
"Star Girl"
"Baby's Coming Back" / "Transylvania"2007
7George Michael"Careless Whisper"1984[30]
"A Different Corner"1986
"I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)"1987
"Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me"1991
Five Live (EP)1993
"Jesus to a Child"1996
"Fastlove"
7Kylie Minogue"I Should Be So Lucky"1988[31]
"Especially for You"1989
"Hand on Your Heart"
"Tears on My Pillow"1990
"Spinning Around"2000
"Can't Get You Out of My Head"2001
"Slow"2003
7Tinie Tempah"Pass Out"2010[32]
"Written in the Stars"
"R.I.P."2012
"Tsunami (Jump)"2014
"Crazy Stupid Love"
"Not Letting Go"2015
"Turn the Music Louder (Rumble)"
7U2"Desire"1988[33]
"The Fly"1991
"Discothèque"1997
"Beautiful Day"2000
"Take Me to the Clouds Above"2004
"Vertigo"
"Sometimes You Can't Make It on Your Own"2005
7Robbie Williams"Millennium"1998[34]
"She's the One" / "It's Only Us"1999
"Rock DJ"2000
"Eternity" / "The Road to Mandalay"2001
"Somethin' Stupid"
"Radio"2004
"Candy"2012

Notes and References

  1. Web site: The history of the Official Charts . . 3 May 2024.
  2. Web site: Downloading music: how will it affect the music charts? . McNair, James . . 3 February 2006 . 3 May 2024.
  3. Web site: Digital hit seals chart revolution . British Broadcasting Corporation . . Youngs, Ian . 3 April 2006 . 3 May 2024.
  4. Web site: Streaming and the Official Singles Chart: Everything you need to know! . Dan . 23 June 2014 . Official Charts Company . 3 May 2024.
  5. Web site: Video to enter UK's Official Singles Chart this summer . Official Charts Company . Copsey, Rob . 24 June 2018 . 3 May 2024.
  6. Web site: Official Chart to move to Friday on 10 July . British Broadcasting Corporation . BBC News . 11 June 2015 . 3 May 2024.
  7. Web site: Artists with the most Number 1 singles on the UK chart . Official Charts Company . Myers, Justin . 5 November 2023 . 3 May 2024 . 22 November 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201122230926/https://www.officialcharts.com/chart-news/artists-with-the-most-number-1-singles-on-the-uk-chart__23765/ . live.
  8. Web site: Elvis Presley full chart history . Official Charts Company . 3 May 2024.
  9. Web site: The Beatles full chart history . Official Charts Company . 3 May 2024.
  10. Web site: Cliff Richard full chart history . 18 September 1958 . Official Charts Company . 3 May 2024.
  11. Web site: Ed Sheeran full chart history . Official Charts Company . 3 May 2024.
  12. Web site: Westlife full chart history . Official Charts Company . 3 May 2024.
  13. Web site: Madonna full chart history . 14 January 1984 . Official Charts Company . 3 May 2024.
  14. Web site: Take That full chart history . Official Charts Company . 3 May 2024.
  15. Web site: Eminem full chart history . Official Charts Company . 8 June 2024.
  16. Web site: Calvin Harris - full Official Chart History . 10 March 2007 . Official Charts Company . 3 May 2024.
  17. Web site: Elton John full chart history . Official Charts Company . 3 May 2024.
  18. Web site: ABBA full chart history . Official Charts Company . 3 May 2024.
  19. Web site: Rihanna full chart history . 3 September 2005 . Official Charts Company . 3 May 2024.
  20. Web site: Spice Girls full chart history . Official Charts Company . 3 May 2024.
  21. Web site: Oasis full chart history . Official Charts Company . 3 May 2024.
  22. Web site: Rolling Stones full chart history . 31 July 1963 . Official Charts Company . 3 May 2024.
  23. Web site: Sam Smith full chart history . Official Charts Company . 3 May 2024.
  24. Web site: Justin Bieber full chart history . Official Charts Company . 3 May 2024.
  25. Web site: Jess Glynne full chart history . Official Charts Company . 3 May 2024.
  26. Web site: Ariana Grande - full Official Chart History . Official Charts Company . 3 May 2024.
  27. Web site: David Guetta - full Official Chart History . Official Charts Company . 3 May 2024.
  28. Web site: Michael Jackson full chart history . Official Charts Company . 3 May 2024.
  29. Web site: McFly full chart history . Official Charts Company . 3 May 2024.
  30. Web site: George Michael full chart history . Official Charts Company . 3 May 2024.
  31. Web site: Kylie Minogue full chart history . Official Charts Company . 3 May 2024.
  32. Web site: Tinie Tempah full chart history . Official Charts Company . 3 May 2024.
  33. Web site: U2 full chart history . Official Charts Company . 3 May 2024.
  34. Web site: Robbie Williams full chart history . Official Charts Company . 3 May 2024.

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