Happy 50th Birthday To The UK Charts
Memories like these are set to come flooding back this year on 14th November when the UK singles chart – or the hit parade as your mum might call it – reaches the grand old age of fifty.
Yes, the NME chart began back on 14th November 1952 with ‘Here In My Heart’ by erm, Al Martino (who later went on to play Johnny Fontaine in The Godfather, fact fans).
Back then Al spent nine weeks on the top spot but few of the stars in the charts’ first year went on to have any serious staying power – Sally Sweetland? Guy Mitchell? Kay Starr? But you’ll be pleased to hear that ‘(How Much Is) That Doggie In The Window’ did hit the number one spot for all of one week back on 17th April. So no, novelty records are nothing new…
Obviously the charts have changed over the half-century. The days of ‘10 weeks at the top’ seem long gone now that record companies release records to radio weeks in advance of their release to the public: bizarrely, Whigfield was the first person to usher in this new phase, making the UK’s first ever chart debut at Number 1 in 1994 with ‘Saturday Night’.
However, there have been some pivotal moments over the past 50 years, here’s just a selection of chart trivia to fascinate folk down the pub with…
The longest stay at Number 1- Is held by Bryan Adams (though Wet Wet Wet gave him a run for his money) for ‘(Everything I Do) I Do For You’ which stayed at the top for 16 weeks.
The youngest chart star - Is Little Jimmy Osmond, who topped the charts in 1972 with ‘Long Haired Lover From Liverpool’ at the age of nine years and 251 days
The oldest chart star- Is Louis Armstrong, who topped the charts in 1968 at the age of 67 with ‘What A Wonderful World/Cabaret’
The star with the most number ones– Is, of course, Elvis Presley, who kicked off his chart assault with four chart toppers in 1961.
The 500th UK number one– Was notched up by Eurovision winner, Nicole Hohloch with ‘A Little Peace’ in 1982.
Even in its 50th year, the charts have been witness to a record-breaking event: Will Young has had the fastest selling debut single of all time. ‘Evergreen/Anything Is Possible’ sold a mega 403,027 copies on its first day alone.
And the charts are still relevant. They’re still used as proof of an artist’s popularity, chart battles continue to hit the headlines and having a number one is still regarded as the ultimate achievement – unless you’re speaking to Westlife who have notched up 10 of the things, 11 if “Unbreakable” makes it to the top this weekend. |
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