page_title: List of UK charts and number-one singles (1969–1988)
section_title: Main charts
hierarchical_section_title: List of UK charts and number-one singles (1969–1988) / Main charts
caption_attribution_description: English: Queen performing in New Haven, CT.
context_page_description: The UK Singles Chart is the official chart for the United Kingdom of singles. The chart is compiled by the Official Charts Company and the beginning of an "official" singles chart is generally regarded as February 1969 when the British Market Research Bureau was formed to compile the chart in a joint venture between the BBC and Record Retailer. Charts were used to measure the popularity of music and, initially, were based on sheet music. In 1952, NME imitated an American idea from Billboard magazine and began compiling a chart based on physical sales of the release. Rival publications such as Record Mirror, Melody Maker, Disc began to compile their own charts in the mid-to-late 1960s. Trade paper Record Retailer compiled their first chart in March 1960.
  This list covers the period from the start-up of the BMRB in February 1969 to the last independently compiled charts of NME and Melody Maker in May 1988. This period includes the point at which compilation of the UK Singles Chart was taken over by Gallup in January 1983.
  During this 19-year period, there was a total of 343 canonical number-ones, plus an additional 149 that are not recognized by the Official Charts Company.
caption: Queen, who spent nine weeks at number one with "Bohemian Rhapsody" in 1975, also had two number-ones that are not recognised in the Official Charts Company's canon.
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