UK Singles Chart Number Ones

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The UK Singles Chart is the official record chart in the United Kingdom. Record charts in the UK began life in 1952 when Percy Dickins from New Musical Express (NME) imitated an idea started in American Billboard magazine and began compiling a hit parade. Prior to this, a song's popularity was measured by the sales of sheet music. Initially, Dickins telephoned a sample of around 20 shops asking for a list of the 10 best-selling songs. These results were then aggregated to give a Top 12 chart published in NME on 14 November 1952. The number-one single was "Here in My Heart" by Al Martino.
== Links To Peel ==
thumb|220x220px|Chart rundown by John Peel on Top Of The Pops.
In America, Peel worked for a number of commercial radio stations that used the chart-based Top 40 format which had become standard in the US radio industry. Therefore, he would often play records that were number one hits in the UK and America, and when he came back to the UK and joined Radio London in 1967, he found himself on a station which employed the same chart format. During his daytime shows and even occasionally on the Perfumed Garden, he would play songs that were number one on the Big L Fab Forty chart, some of which went on to hit the number one charts in the UK. Radio London prided itself on being ahead of the national charts, and when Peel joined Radio 1 he was assigned to present Top Gear, a show with a similar function, introducing new records and artists. Even if Peel became known as a supporter of underground and alternative music which often had little commercial appeal, he retained an interest, albeit a critical one, in the pop charts throughout his career. Peel would premiere new records that sometimes would go to number one in the UK Singles chart, or number one singles that ended up in the Festive Fifty. At other times, nostalgia would lead Peel to play old records that had been number one singles; or he would play them alongside newer, sometimes very different cover versions, so that listeners could make comparisons.
In a feature for The Independent in 1999 he stated that the charts "..have become a separate area of activity and are about as real as EastEnders. It is a selling game with organisations geared to focusing sales of a record into a particular week so that it goes in at Number One. I find the whole thing amusing." and added optimistically that "Eventually the human spirit will rebel..". 
Peel introduced the UK Singles Chart on Top Of The Pops when he was a presenter on some shows and was offered a chance to host a one-off Radio One Chart Show in January 2003, which some other DJ's such as Chris Moyles and Jo Whiley had already done, before the BBC's relaunch of the show. However, the station's management decided that they didn't want too many DJ's doing the show before it was re-launched and cancelled Peel's appearance.
== Festive Fifty Entries ==
UK Number One singles tracks that have been in the Festive Fifty:
* thumb|220x220px1976 Festive Fifty: Rolling Stones: Jumpin' Jack Flash #39
* 1976 Festive Fifty: Rod Stewart: Maggie May #34
* 1976 Festive Fifty: Jimi Hendrix Experience: Voodoo Chile #16
* 1976 Festive Fifty: Beatles: Hey Jude #14
* 1977 Festive Fifty: Althea & Donna: Uptown Top Ranking #02
* 1979 Festive Fifty: Tubeway Army: Are 'Friends' Electric? #39
* 1979 Festive Fifty: Specials: Too Much Too Young #36
* 1981 Festive Fifty: Specials: Ghost Town #21
* 1982 Festive Fifty (All Time): Specials: Ghost Town #43
* 1982 Festive Fifty: Clash: Should I Stay Or Should I Go #26
* 1982 Festive Fifty: Jam: Town Called Malice #11
* 1982 Festive Fifty: Dexys Midnight Runners: Come On Eileen #19
* 1982 Festive Fifty: Musical Youth: Pass The Dutchie #36
* 1984 Festive Fifty: Frankie Goes To Hollywood: Two Tribes #25
* 1987 Festive Fifty: M/A/R/R/S: Pump Up The Volume #46
* 1996 Festive Fifty: Prodigy: Firestarter #37
* 1996 Festive Fifty: White Town: Your Woman #31
* 1997 Festive Fifty: Cornershop: Brimful Of Asha #01
* 2000 Festive Fifty (All Time): Beach Boys: Good Vibrations #46
== Peelenium ==
UK Number One singles tracks that have been in the Peelenium:
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* Peelenium 1953: Frankie Laine: Answer Me
* Peelenium 1958: Conway Twitty: It's Only Make Believe
* Peelenium 1962: Elvis Presley: Return To Sender
* Peelenium 1964: Roy Orbison: It's Over
* Peelenium 1971: Tams: Hey Girl Don't Bother Me
* Peelenium 1971: Rod Stewart: Maggie May
* Peelenium 1971: Nilsson: Without You
* Peelenium 1974: Status Quo: Down Down
* Peelenium 1981: Specials: Ghost Town
== Pig's Big 78 ==
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UK Number One singles tracks that have been in the Pig's Big 78:
* Al Martino: Here In My Heart 
* Dickie Valentine: The Finger Of Suspicion
* Everly Brothers: Claudette
== Number One Singles ==
The UK Number One singles tracks played by Peel on his own shows and guest hosted on others, as well as, radio documentaries he took part in, plus those played by other presenters who guest hosted on his radio programmes. The UK Number One singles tracks are listed according to when they reached number one first, rather than by alphabetical order.
Performing Artist | Song | First Known Play
==== 1950s ====
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;1952
* Al Martino: Here In My Heart (21 March 2001) (Pig's Big 78)
;1953
* Frankie Laine: Answer Me (23 September 1999) (Peelenium 1953)
;1954
*Frankie Laine: Answer Me (23 September 1999) (Peelenium 1953) Both Frankie Laine's and David Whitfield's version of "Answer Me" were classified jointly as number one on 11 December 1953. In the week before (4th December 1953 - 11th December 1953) and the week (1st January 1954 - 8th January 1954) after Laine's version took the number-one spot outright.
*Johnnie Ray: Such A Night (03 August 1987)
;1955
*Dickie Valentine: The Finger Of Suspicion (18 October 2001) (Pig's Big 78)
*Tony Bennett: Stranger In Paradise (Staying Single)
*Bill Haley & His Comets: Rock Around The Clock (06 September 1978)
*Dickie Valentine: Christmas Alphabet (Only At Christmas) Number 1 for 3 weeks between 16 December 1955 and 06 January 1956.
;1956
* Dickie Valentine: Christmas Alphabet (Only At Christmas)
*Bill Haley & His Comets: Rock Around The Clock (06 September 1978) The single went to number one for 3 weeks from 25 November 1955 and went back again to number one for 2 weeks from 06 January 1956.
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;1957
*Lonnie Donegan: Cumberland Gap (03 October 1992)
*Buddy Holly & The Crickets: That'll Be The Day (06 September 1978 (Paul Gambaccini))
;1958
* Elvis Presley: Jailhouse Rock (The Dansette Story)
*Everly Brothers: Claudette (21 April 1972) (Pig's Big 78) Claudette was the double A-side to All I Have To Do Is Dream.
*Conway Twitty: It's Only Make Believe (25 July 1984)
;1959
*Conway Twitty: It's Only Make Believe (25 July 1984) The song reached number one for 5 weeks from 19 December 1958 until 23 January 1959.
==== 1960s ====
;1960
*Johnny Kidd & The Pirates: Shakin' All Over (21 August 1973) The Pirates did a Peel session track of the song first broadcast on 14 November 1977 without Johnny Kid, who died in 1966 of a motor car accident.
;1961
*Johnny Tillotson: Poetry In Motion (07 April 1995) There is an amusing moment when Peel attempts to play the Impalas track, instead launching into Johnny Tillotson's 'Poetry In Motion' by mistake. He later apologises, stating that he has always intensely disliked the song and wished to save his audience from it.
*Marcels: Blue Moon (11 June 1981 (John Walters))
*Del Shannon: Runaway (30 November 1987)
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;1962
* B Bumble & The Stingers: Nutrocker (26 December 1970)
* Mike Sarne: Come Outside (24 April 1973)
* Tornados: Telstar (Staying Single)
*Elvis Presley: Return To Sender (25 October 1999) (Peelenium 1962)
;1963
*Elvis Presley: Return To Sender (25 October 1999) (Peelenium 1962) Return To Sender was number one for 3 weeks from 13 December 1962 to 03 January 1963.
*Gerry & The Pacemakers: How Do You Do It (24 April 1973) The group did a session version of 'How Do You Do It' on 24 April 1973
*Beatles: She Loves You (Partners In Dispute)
*Gerry & The Pacemakers: You'll Never Walk Alone (24 April 1973) The group did a session version of 'You'll Never Walk Alone' on 24 April 1973
*Beatles: I Want To Hold Your Hand (20 August 1976)
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;1964
* Searchers: Needles And Pins (22 December 1975)
* Beatles: I Want To Hold Your Hand (20 August 1976) The record went to number one for 5 weeks from 12 December 1963 to 16 January 1964.
* Billy J Kramer: Little Children (24 April 1973) The singer did a session version of 'Little Children' on 24 April 1973
*Roy Orbison: It's Over (24 October 1992) (Peelenium 1964)
*Animals: House Of The Rising Sun (The Dansette Story)
*Rolling Stones: It's All Over Now (11 June 1980)
*Manfred Mann: Do-Wah-Diddy Diddy (18 August 1977)
*Honeycombs: Have I The Right? (The Dansette Story)
*Kinks: You Really Got Me (01 August 1977)
*Supremes: Baby Love (Where It's At)
*Rolling Stones: Little Red Rooster (03 October 1992)
;1965
* Unit 4 + 2: Concrete and Clay (10 January 2002)
* Hollies: I'm Alive (12 August 1985)
* Byrds: Mr. Tambourine Man (04 September 1978 (Paul Gambaccini))
* Rolling Stones: (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction (30 May 1971) A live version of the track recorded on 13th March 1971 at Leeds University.
* Rolling Stones: Get Off My Cloud (18 July 1967)
*Beatles: Day Tripper (02 August 1967)
;1966
* Beatles: Day Tripper (02 August 1967) The song went to number one for 5 weeks between 16 December 1965 and 20 January 1966.
* Rolling Stones: Paint It Black (08 January 2003)
* Kinks: Sunny Afternoon (29 October 1967) A session version was broadcast on that date.
* Troggs: With A Girl Like You (06 March 1978) 
* Chris Farlowe: Out Of Time (30 September 1982) A live version of the track was performed for the "Heroes & Villains" concert broadcast on that date.
* Small Faces: All Or Nothing (18 August 1976)
* Beach Boys: Good Vibrations (04 January 2000) (All Time 2000 Festive Fifty #46)
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;1967
*Beatles: All You Need Is Love (July 1967 (Radio London))
*Scott McKenzie: San Francisco (17 July 1967)
*Engelbert Humperdinck: The Last Waltz (John Peel Remembers 1967)
*Beatles: Hello Goodbye (John Peel Remembers 1967)
;1968
*Beatles: Hello Goodbye (John Peel Remembers 1967) The song went to number one for 7 weeks between 06 December 1967 and 24 January 1968.
*Manfred Mann: Mighty Quinn (31 December 1967)
*Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich: The Legend of Xanadu (23 October 1992)
*Rolling Stones: Jumpin' Jack Flash (19 May 1968) (1976 Festive Fifty #39)
*Arthur Brown: Fire! (28 April 1968) A session version was broadcast on that date.
*Beatles: Hey Jude (20 August 1976) (1976 Festive Fifty #14)
*Mary Hopkin: Those Were The Days 25 August 1968
*Joe Cocker: With A Little Help From My Friends (22 September 1968)
*Scaffold: Lily The Pink (27 October 1968)
;1969
* Scaffold: Lily The Pink (27 October 1968) The song was number one between 11 December 1968 and 01 January 1969 and also jumped up at the same position between 08 January 1969 and 15 January 1969.
* Marvin Gaye: I Heard It Through The Grapevine (20 October 2004)
* Desmond Dekker: Israelites (10 April 1980)
*Rolling Stones: Honky Tonk Women (29 June 1969)
*Creedence Clearwater Revival: Bad Moon Rising (11 May 1969)
==== 1970s ====
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;1970
*Norman Greenbaum: Spirit In The Sky (21 February 1970)
*Mungo Jerry: In The Summertime (23 May 1970)
*Smokey Robinson and The Miracles: The Tears Of A Clown (27 November 1979)
*Freda Payne: Band Of Gold (30 August 1979)
*Matthews Southern Comfort: Woodstock (12 August 1976)
*Jimi Hendrix Experience: Voodoo Chile (12 May 1972) (1976 Festive Fifty #16)
;1971
*George Harrison: My Sweet Lord (26 December 1970)
*T. Rex: Hot Love (16 December 2004)
*T. Rex: Get It On (31 August 1981)
*Tams: Hey Girl Don't Bother Me (11 November 1999) (Peelenium 1971)
*Rod Stewart: Maggie May (18 August 1976) (Peelenium 1971) Peel appeared with Rod Stewart on the performance of this song on Top Of The Pops.
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;1972
*T. Rex: Telegram Sam (25 January 1972)
*Chicory Tip: Son Of My Father (04 September 1992)
*Nilsson: Without You (11 November 1999) (Peelenium 1971)
*T. Rex: Metal Guru (30 March 1981)
*Alice Cooper: Schools Out (20 June 1972)
*Rod Stewart: You Wear It Well (14 July 1972)
;1973
*10cc: Rubber Bullets (03 April 1973)
;1974
*George McCrae: Rock Your Baby (summer 1974) Peel mentioned playing the song on his programme when reviewing the single on Singles Reviews in Sounds, published on 6th July 1974.
*Mud: Lonely This Christmas (20 December 2001)
;1975
* Mud: Lonely This Christmas (20 December 2001) The song was at number one between 21 December 1974 and 18 January 1975.
* Status Quo: Down Down (24 June 1999) (Peelenium 1974)
* Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel: Make Me Smile (Come Up And See Me) (14 September 1999)
* 10cc: I'm Not In Love (19 December 1975)
* Rod Stewart: Sailing (19 December 1975)
* David Bowie: Space Oddity (06 July 1969)
;1976
*ABBA: Mamma Mia (Punk Fiction)
*Wurzels: Combine Harvester (Punk Fiction)
*Chicago: If You Leave Me Now (Punk Fiction)
;1977
*Rod Stewart: I Don't Want To Talk About (24 December 1976) The song was from a live concert from the Olympia introduced by Bob Harris. It also was a double A-side single with The First Cut Is The Deepest,which beat the Sex Pistols' controversial 'God Save The Queen' to the number one spot in 1977.
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;1978
*Althea & Donna: Uptown Top Ranking (11 October 1977) (1977 Festive Fifty #02)
*Boomtown Rats: Rat Trap (29 September 1978)
;1979
*Ian Dury And The Blockheads: Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick (04 December 1978)
*Tubeway Army: Are 'Friends' Electric? (24 May 1979) (1979 Festive Fifty #39)
*Boomtown Rats: I Don't Like Mondays (02 July 1979)
*Gary Numan: Cars (25 June 1979) This was the session version that was broadcast on that date.
*Police: Message In A Bottle (30 July 1979) This was the session version that was broadcast on that date.
*Pink Floyd: Another Brick In The Wall (12 November 1979)
==== 1980s ====
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;1980
*Pink Floyd: Another Brick In The Wall (12 November 1979) The record spent 5 weeks at number one between 15 December 1979 and 19 January 1980.
*Specials: Too Much Too Young (15 January 1980) (1979 Festive Fifty #36) This live version went to under the Too Much Too Young - The Special A.K.A. Live! EP went to number one for 2 weeks in 1980.
*Jam: Going Underground (26 February 1980)
*Dexys Midnight Runners: Geno (13 March 1980) This was the session version that was broadcast.
*Jam: Start! (04 August 1980)
*St Winifred's School Choir: There's No One Quite Like Grandma (Only At Christmas) Number 1 for 2 weeks between 27 December 1980 and 10 January 1981.
;1981
* St Winifred's School Choir: There's No One Quite Like Grandma (Only At Christmas)
*John Lennon: Imagine (18 October 1973)
*Adam & The Ants: Stand And Deliver! (04 May 1981)
*Specials: Ghost Town (02 June 1981) (1981 Festive Fifty #21) (All Time 1982 Festive Fifty #43) (Peelenium 1981)
*Adam & The Ants: Prince Charming (15 September 1981) Peel fades this early, as he has an ulterior motive, to play the similar “War Canoe” by Rolf Harris.
*Human League: Don't You Want Me (05 April 1993 (John Peel Is Jakki Brambles))
;1982
*Human League: Don't You Want Me (05 April 1993 (John Peel Is Jakki Brambles)) Went to number one for 5 weeks between 12 December 1981 and 16 January 1982.
*Jam: Town Called Malice (18 February 1982) (1982 Festive Fifty #11)
*Captain Sensible: Happy Talk (08 June 1982)
*Dexys Midnight Runners: Come On Eileen (27 December 1982) (1982 Festive Fifty #19)
*Musical Youth: Pass The Dutchie (24 August 1982) (1982 Festive Fifty #36)
*Jam: Beat Surrender (25 November 1982)
;1983
*None
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;1984
*Frankie Goes To Hollywood: Relax (01 December 1983)
*Frankie Goes To Hollywood: Two Tribes (25 December 1984) (1984 Festive Fifty #25)
*Frankie Goes To Hollywood: The Power Of Love (29 October 1984)
*Band Aid: Do They Know It's Christmas? (Only At Christmas) Number 1 for 5 weeks between 15 December 1984 and 19 January 1985.
;1985
* Dead Or Alive: You Spin Me Round (Staying Single)
*Paul Hardcastle: 19 (26 August 1985) A Japanese remix was played.
*David Bowie & Mick Jagger: Dancing In The Street (19 August 1985)
;1986
*Housemartins: Caravan Of Love (14 April 1986) A session track that was broadcast.
*Jackie Wilson: Reet Petite (The Sweetest Girl In Town) (08 April 1985) The song was reissued in 1986 following the showing of a clay animation video on the BBC Two documentary series Arena. The video was directed by Giblets, a London-based animation studio. The reissued version proved so popular that in December 1986, almost three years after Wilson's death, the song became a No. 1 in the UK for four weeks (selling over 700,000 copies), some 29 years after its chart debut.
;1987
*Ben E. King: Stand By Me (21 August 1997 (BFBS)) Peel played the song to demonstrate to his producer Charles Foster, the assertion that it features a mistake by the recording engineer.
*M/A/R/R/S: Pump Up The Volume (19 August 1987) (1987 Festive Fifty #46)
;1988
*S-Express: Theme From S-Express (04 April 1988)
*Timelords: Doctorin' The Tardis (25 May 1988)
;1989
*Kylie Minogue: Hand On Your Heart (01 February 1990) Peel plays it briefly before it segues into a Japanese hardcore punk track.
==== 1990s ====
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;1990
*England New Order: World In Motion (09 May 1990) The song was produced for the England football team's 1990 FIFA World Cup campaign.
*Steve Miller Band: The Joker (01 November 1973) The song was re-released due to the popularity of the Levi Jeans TV advert that used the track.
;1991
*KLF: 3 A.M. Eternal (18 September 1989) Numerous versions of the song were released as singles between 1989 and 1992. In January 1991, an acid house pop version of the song became an international top ten hit single, reaching number-one on the UK Singles Chart.
*Clash: Should I Stay Or Should I Go (22 December 1982) (1982 Festive Fifty #26) The song was re-released due to the popularity of the Levi Jeans TV advert that used the track.
;1992
*Shamen: Ebeneezer Goode (31 July 1992) Peel played the South Of Detroit Instrumental mix of the track.
;1993
*Shaggy: Oh Carolina (06 April 1993 (John Peel Is Jakki Brambles))
*George Michael & Queen: Somebody To Love (07 April 1993 (John Peel Is Jakki Brambles))
;1994
*None
;1995
*None
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;1996
*Prodigy: Firestarter (27 January 1996) (1996 Festive Fifty #37)
*Fugees: Ready Or Not (06 April 1996)
;1997
*White Town: Your Woman (22 December 1996) (1996 Festive Fifty #31)
*Blur: Beetlebum (05 May 1997)
;1998
*Cornershop: Brimful Of Asha (30 July 1997) (1997 Festive Fifty #01)
;1999
*None
==== 2000s ====
;2000
*None
;2001
*None
;2002
*George Harrison: My Sweet Lord (26 December 1970) The song was re-released after the death of George Harrison in November 2001.
;2003
*None
;2004
*None
== External Links==
*List of UK Singles Chart number ones of the 1950s
*List of UK Singles Chart number ones of the 1960s
*List of UK Singles Chart number ones of the 1970s
*List of UK Singles Chart number ones of the 1980s
*List of UK Singles Chart number ones of the 1990s
*List of UK Singles Chart number ones of the 2000s
*Official Charts - All The Number 1 Singles
== References ==
Category:Lists
Category:Reference
Category:Discography