Longest #1 runs

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At around about this time back in 1955, Bill Haley and His Comets (and kiss-curl) topped the US singles chart with ‘(We’re Gonna) Rock Around the Clock’, staying there for eight weeks and becoming one of the biggest selling singles ever.

It was the first Rock and Roll record to top the charts.

It was also the first record that David bought; David’s being one of “at least 25 million” - and possibly as many as 43 million - copies sold worldwide, according to the Guinness Book of World Records.



What was your first record and (or, if you don’t want to admit that it was probably something embarrassingly naff by Adam and the Ants or some other bizarre New Romantic setup) which other top spot-hogging singles have you liked and disliked down the years? A few from each decade - and any chart - would be good.

Allow me to direct you to some data concerning the US and UK charts.

In the UK, the record for longest consecutive spell at #1 is held by Bryan Adams, who spent 16 tedious weeks there with ‘(Everything I Do) I Do It For You’ in 1991.

Mariah Carey and Boyz II Men spent the same length of time atop the US equivalent with ‘One Sweet Day’ in 1995/6.

Frankie Laine holds the UK record for most non-consecutive weeks at the top of the singles chart. In 1953, ‘I Believe’ enjoyed spells of nine, six and three weeks there after twice being knocked off the top - a record in itself (to this day it remains the only song in history to twice return to the top of the charts).

Interestingly, in the UK, ‘(We’re Gonna) Rock Around the Clock’ only made it to #17 on its first release (in January 1955). It re-entered the charts, and climbed to the highest height, that November. After a three-week break, it returned for three more (in January 1956). It re-entered the charts again in September 1956, breaking into the Top Five. Re-issues in 1968 and 1974 each made the Top 20.

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Originally published in the Official David Gilmour Blog on 07-09-2009 07:11 PM.