EMI's Number 1 Singles

The first singles chart was printed on 14 November 1952 by the weekly music paper New Musical Express. This information is drawn from that chart until 10 March 1960, when the data comes from the weekly music trade magazine Music Week, previously titled Record Retailer. Our thanks to The Guinness Book of Hit Singles as our reference. Where indicated with an asterisk* the artist and song, while having been released through one of EMI's labels, was not signed to the company but licensed to it at the time of its success. Virgin is not included.

This page contains links to sound recordings of some of the singles in .AIF audio format. This format is supported by both the Netscape 3.0 and Microsoft Internet Explorer 3.0 Web browsers.

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Please note that the copyright on these sound recordings is owned by EMI Records Ltd, © 1997.

Reached No.1 Artist Title Label Weeks at No.1
14 Nov 1952 Al Martino Here in my heart
(16 Mb .aif) 		CAPITOL CL 13779 9
16 Jan 1953 Jo Stafford* You Belong To Me COLUMBIA DB 3152 1
23 Jan 1953 Kay Starr Comes A-Long A-Love CAPITOL CL 13808 1
30 Jan 1953 Eddie Fisher* Outside Of Heaven HMV B 10362 1
6 Feb 1953 Perry Como* Don't Let The Stars Get In Your Eyes HMV B 10400 5
13 March 1953 Guy Mitchell* She Wears Red Feathers COLUMBIA DB 3238 4
26 June 1953 Eddie Fisher* I'm Walking Behind You HMV B 10489 1
8 Jan 1954 Eddie Calvert Oh Mein Papa COLUMBIA DB 3337 9
17 Sept 1954 Frank Sinatra Three Coins In The Fountain CAPITOL CL 14120 3
18 Feb 1955 Ruby Murray Softly Softly COLUMBIA DB 3558 3
11 March 1955 Tennessee Ernie Ford Give Me Your Word CAPITOL CL 14005 7
29 April 1955 Eddie Calvert Cherry Pink And Apple Blossom White COLUMBIA DB 3581 4
15 July 1955 Alma Cogan Dreamboat HMV B 10872 2
20 Jan 1956 Tennessee Ernie Ford Sixteen Tons CAPITOL CL 14500 4
17 Feb 1956 Dean Martin Memories Are Made Of This CAPITOL CL 14523 4
30 March 1956 Kay Starr* Rock And Roll Waltz HMV POP 168 1
4 May 1956 Ronnie Hilton No Other Love HMV POP 198 6
20 July 1956 Frankie Lymon and The Teenagers* Why Do Fools Fall In Love? COLUMBIA DB 3772 3
12 July 1957 Elvis Presley* All Shook Up HMV POP 359 7
30 Aug 1957 Paul Anka* Diana COLUMBIA DB 3980 9
14 Feb 1958 Michael Holliday The Story Of My Life COLUMBIA DB 4058 2
25 April 1958 Marvin Rainwater* Whole Lotta Woman MGM 974 3
16 May 1958 Connie Francis* Who's Sorry Now? MGM 975 6
26 Sept 1958 Connie Francis* Carolina Moon/Stupid Cupid MGM 985 6
7 Nov 1958 Tommy Edwards* It's All In The Game MGM 989 3
19 Dec 1958 Conway Twitty* It's Only Make Believe MGM 992 5
27 March1959 Russ Conway Side Saddle COLUMBIA DB 4256 4
19 June 1959 Russ Conway Roulette COLUMBIA DB 4298 2
31 July 1959 Cliff Richard and The Shadows Living Doll
(14 Mb .aif)		 COLUMBIA DB 4306 6
11 Sept 1959 Craig Douglas Only Sixteen TOP RANK JAR 159 4
30 Oct 1959 Cliff Richard and The Shadows Travellin' Light COLUMBIA DB 4351 5
4 Dec 1959 Adam Faith What Do You Want PARLOPHONE R 4591 3
29 Jan 1960 Michael Holliday Starry Eyed COLUMBIA DB 4378 1
10 March1960 Adam Faith Poor Me PARLOPHONE R 4623 1
7 July 1960 Jimmy Jones* Good Timin' MGM 1078 3
28 July 1960 Cliff Richard and The Shadows Please Don't Tease COLUMBIA DB 4479 2
4 Aug 1960 Johny Kidd and The Pirates Shakin' All Over HMV POP 753 1
11 Aug 1960 Cliff Richard and The Shadows Please Don't Tease COLUMBIA DB 4479 2
25 Aug 1960 The Shadows Apache COLUMBIA DB 4484 5
29 Sept 1960 Ricky Valance Tell Laura I Love Her COLUMBIA DB 4493 3
29 Dec 1960 Cliff Richard and The Shadows I Love You COLUMBIA DB 4547 2
25 May 1961 The Temperance Seven You're Driving Me Crazy PARLOPHONE R 4757 1
10 Aug 1961 Helen Shapiro You Don't Know COLUMBIA DB 4670 3
31 Aug 1961 John Leyton* Johnny Remember Me TOP RANK JAR 577 3
21 Sept 1961 Shirley Bassey Reach For The Stars/Climb Every Mountain COLUMBIA DB 4685 1
28 Sept 1961 John Leyton* Johnny Remember Me TOP RANK JAR 577 1
5 Oct 1961 The Shadows Kon-Tiki COLUMBIA DB 4698 1
12 Oct 1961 The Highwaymen Michael HMV POP 910 1
19 Oct 1961 Helen Shapiro Walkin' Back To Happiness COLUMBIA DB 4715 3
28 Dec 1961 Danny Williams Moon River HMV POP 932 2
11 Jan 1962 Cliff Richard and The Shadows The Young Ones COLUMBIA DB 4761 6
22 March1962 The Shadows Wonderful Land COLUMBIA DB 4790 8
17 May 1962 B Bumble and The Stingers* Nut Rocker TOP RANK JAR 611 1
28 June 1962 Mike Sarne* Come Outside PARLOPHONE R 4902 2
12 July 1962 Ray Charles* I Can't Stop Loving You HMV POP 1034 2
26 July 1962 Frank Ifield I Remember You COLUMBIA DB 4856 7
8 Nov 1962 Frank Ifield Lovesick Blues COLUMBIA DB 4913 5
3 Jan 1963 Cliff Richard and The Shadows The Next Time/Bachelor Boy COLUMBIA DB 4950 3
24 Jan 1963 The Shadows Dance On COLUMBIA DB 4948 1
21 Feb 1963 Frank Ifield The Wayward Wind COLUMBIA DB 4960 3
14 March 1963 Cliff Richard and The Shadows Summer Holiday COLUMBIA DB 4977 2
28 March 1963 The Shadows Foot Tapper COLUMBIA DB 4984 1
4 April 1963 Cliff Richard and The Shadows Summer Holiday COLUMBIA DB 4977 1
11 April 1963 Gerry and The Pacemakers How Do You Do It COLUMBIA DB 4987 3
2 May 1963 The Beatles From Me To You
(10 Mb .aif)		 PARLOPHONE R 5015 7
20 June 1963 Gerry and The Pacemakers I Like It COLUMBIA DB 7041 4
18 July 1963 Frank Ifield Confessin' COLUMBIA DB 7062 2
22 Aug 1963 Billy J Kramer and The Dakotas Bad To Me PARLOPHONE R 5049 3
12 Sept 1963 The Beatles She Loves You PARLOPHONE R 5055 4
31 Oct 1963 Gerry and The Pacemakers You'll Never Walk Alone
(14 Mb .aif)		 COLUMBIA DB 7126 4
28 Nov 1963 The Beatles She Loves You PARLOPHONE R 5055 2
12 Dec 1963 The Beatles I Want To Hold Your Hand PARLOPHONE R 5084 5
16 Jan 1964 Dave Clark Five* Glad All Over COLUMBIA DB 7154 2
27 Feb 1964 Cilla Black Anyone Who Had A Heart
(15 Mb .aif)		 PARLOPHONE R 5101 3
19 March1964 Billy J Kramer and The Dakotas Little Children PARLOPHONE R 5105 2
2 April 1964 The Beatles Can't Buy Me Love PARLOPHONE R 5114 3
23 April 1964 Peter and Gordon World Without Love COLUMBIA DB 7225 2
28 May 1964 Cilla Black You're My World PARLOPHONE R 5133 4
9 July 1964 The Animals House Of The Rising Sun
(24 Mb .aif)		 COLUMBIA DB 7301 1
23 July 1964 The Beatles Hard Day's Night PARLOPHONE R 5160 3
13 Aug 1964 Manfred Mann Do Wah Diddy Diddy HMV POP 1320 2
24 Sept 1964 Herman's Hermits I'm Into Something Good COLUMBIA DB 7338 2
19 Nov 1964 The Supremes* Baby Love STATESIDE SS 350 2
10 Dec 1964 The Beatles I Feel Fine PARLOPHONE R 5200 5
14 Jan 1965 Georgie Fame* Yeh Yeh COLUMBIA DB 7428 2
25 Feb 1965 The Seekers I'll Never Find Another You COLUMBIA DB 7431 2
15 April 1965 Cliff Richard The Minute You're Gone COLUMBIA DA 7496 1
22 April 1965 The Beatles Ticket To Ride PARLOPHONE R 5265 3
24 June 1965 The Hollies I'm Alive PARLOPHONE R 5287 1
8 July 1965 The Hollies I'm Alive PARLOPHONE R 5287 2
5 Aug 1965 The Beatles Help PARLOPHONE R 5305 3
30 Sept 1965 Ken Dodd Tears COLUMBIA DB 7659 5
25 Nov 1965 The Seekers The Carnival Is Over COLUMBIA DB 7711 3
16 Dec 1965 The Beatles Day Tripper/We Can Work It Out PARLOPHONE R 5389 5
5 May 1966 Manfred Mann Pretty Famingo HMV POP 1523 3
23 June 1966 The Beatles Paperback Writer PARLOPHONE R 5452 2
21 July 1966 Georgie Fame* Getaway COLUMBIA DB 7946 1
18 Aug 1966 The Beatles Eleanor Rigby/Yellow Submarine PARLOPHONE R 5493 4
27 Oct 1966 The Four Tops* Reach Out, I'll Be There TAMLA MOTOWN TMG 579 3
17 Nov 1966 The Beach Boys Good Vibrations
(19 Mb .aif)		 CAPITOL CL 15475 2
19 July 1967 The Beatles All You Need Is Love PARLOPHONE R 5620 3
6 Dec 1967 The Beatles Hello Goodbye PARLOPHONE R 5655 7
27 March 1968 The Beatles Lady Madonna PARLOPHONE R 5675 2
10 April 1968 Cliff Richard Congratulations COLUMBIA DB 8376 2
24 April 1968 Louis Armstrong* What A Wonderful World HMV POP 1615 4
24 July 1968 Des O'Connor I Pretend COLUMBIA DB 8397 1
31 July 1968 Tommy James and The Shondells* Mony Mony MAJOR MINOR MM 567 1
21 Aug 1968 Tommy James and The Shondells Mony Mony MAJOR MINOR MM 567 1
28 Aug 1968 The Beach Boys Do It Again CAPITOL CL 15554 1
11 Sept 1968 The Beatles Hey Jude APPLE R 5722 2
25 Sept 1968 Mary Hopkin* Those Were The Days APPLE APPLE 2 6
6 Nov 1968 Joe Cocker* With A Little Help From My Friends REGAL-ZONOPHONE RZ 301 3 1
11 Dec 1968 The Scaffold Lily The Pink PARLOPHONE R 5734 3
8 Jan 1969 The Scaffold Lily The Pink PARLOPHONE R 5734 1
5 Feb 1969 The Move* Blackberry Way REGAL-ZONOPHONE RZ 3015 1
26 Feb 1969 Peter Sarstedt Where Do You Go To My Lovely UNITED ARTISTS UP 2262 4
26 March 1969 Marvin Gaye* I Heard It Through The Grapevine TAMLA MOTOWN TMG 686 3
23 April 1969 The Beatles Get Back APPLE R 5777 6
4 June 1969 Tommy Roe* Dizzy STATESIDE SS 2143 1
11 June 1969 The Beatles The Ballad Of John And Yoko APPLE R 5786 3
18 Oct 1969 Bobbie Gentry I'll Never Fall In Love Again CAPITOL CL 15606 1
20 Dec 1969 Rolf Harris Two Little Boys COLUMBIA DB 8630 6
31 Jan 1970 Edison Lighthouse* Love Grows (Where My Rosemary Goes) BELL BLL 1091 5
7 March 1970 Lee Marvin* Wand'rin' Star PARAMOUNT PARA 3004 3
12 Sept 1970 Smokey Robinson and The Miracles* Tears Of A Clown TAMLA MOTOWN TMG 745 1
19 Sept 1970 Freda Payne* Band Of Gold INVICTUS INV 502 6
9 Jan 1971 Clive Dunn Grandad COLUMBIA DB 8726 3
30 Jan 1971 George Harrison My Sweet Lord APPLE R 5884 5
15 May 1971 Dawn* Knock Three Times BELL BLL1 146 5
21 Aug 1971 Diana Ross* I'm Still Waiting TAMLA MOTOWN TMG 781 4
18 Sept 1971 The Tams* Hey Girl Don't Bother Me PROBE PRO 532 3
11 Dec 1971 Benny Hill Ernie (Fastest Milkman In The West) COLUMBIA DB 8833 4
20 May 1972 T Rex* Metal Guru EMI MARC 1 4
17 June 1972 Don McLean Vincent UNITED ARTISTS UP 35359 2
30 Sept 1972 David Cassidy* How Can I Be Sure BELL BLL 1258 2
21 April 1973 Dawn* Tie A Yellow Ribbon BELL BLL 1287 4
19 May 1973 Wizzard See My Baby Jive HARVEST HAR 5070 4
16 June 1973 Suzi Quatro Can The Can RAK 150 1
28 July 1973 Gary Glitter* I'm The Leader Of The Gang (I Am) BELL BLL 1321 4
22 Sept 1973 Wizzard Angel Fingers HARVEST HAR 5076 1
29 Sept 1973 Simon Park Orchestra* Eye Level COLUMBIA DB 8946 4
27 Oct 1973 David Cassidy* Daydreamer BELL BLL 1334 3
17 Nov 1973 Gary Glitter* I Love You Love Me Love BELL BLL 1337 4
26 Jan 1974 Mud Tiger Feet RAK 166 4
23 Feb 1974 Suzi Quatro Devil Gate Drive RAK 167 2
6 April 1974 Terry Jacks* Seasons In The Sun BELL BLL 1344 1
22 June 1974 Gary Glitter* Always Yours BELL BLL 1359 1
21 Dec 1974 Mud Lonely This Christmas RAK 187 4
1 Feb 1975 Pilot January EMI 2255 3
22 Feb 1975 Steve Harley and Cockney Rebel Make Me Smile (Come Up And See Me) EMI 2263 2
8 March1975 Telly Savalas* If MCA 174 2
22 March 1975 The Bay City Rollers* Bye Bye Baby BELL BLL 1409 6
3 May 1975 Mud Oh Boy RAK 201 2
7 June 1975 Windsor Davies & Don Estelle Whispering Grass EMI 2290 3
19 July 1975 The Bay City Rollers* Give A Little Love BELL BLL 1425 3
29 Nov 1975 Queen Bohemian Rhapsody
(31 Mb .aif)		 EMI 2375 9
14 Feb 1976 Slik* Forever And Ever BELL BLL 1464 1
5 June 1976 J J Barrie* No Charge POWER EXCHANGE PX 209 1
12 June 1976 The Wurzels Combine Harvester (Brand New Key) EMI 2450 2
24 July 1976 Elton John & Kiki Dee * Don't Go Breaking My Heart ROCKET ROKN 512 6
4 Dec 1976 Showaddywaddy* Under The Moon Of Love BELL BLL 1495 3
15 Jan 1977 David Soul* Don't Give Up On Us PRIVATE STOCK PVT 84 4
12 Feb 1977 Julie Covington* Don't Cry For Me Argentina MCA 260 1
18 June 1977 Kenny Rogers Lucille UNITED ARTISTS UP 36242 1
2 July 1977 Hot Chocolate So You Win Again RAK 259 3
27 Aug 1977 The Floaters* Float On ABC 4187 1
8 Oct 1977 David Soul* Silver Lady PRIVATE STOCK PVT 115 3
3 Dec 1977 Wings Mull Of Kintyre CAPITOL R 6018 9
11 March 1978 Kate Bush Wuthering Heights
(24 Mb .aif)		 EMI 2719 4
19 Aug 1978 The Commodores* Three Times A Lady TAMLA MOTOWN TMG 1113 5
25 Aug 1979 Cliff Richard We Don't Talk Anymore EMI 2975 4
20 Oct 1979 Buggles* Video Killed The Radio Star ISLAND WIP 6524 1
17 Nov 1979 Dr Hook When You're In Love With A Beautiful Woman CAPITOL CL 16039 3
15 Dec 1979 Pink Floyd Another Brick In The Wall (Part 2)
(21 Mb .aif)		 HARVEST HAR 5194 5
16 Feb 1980 Kenny Rogers Coward Of The County UNITED ARTISTS UP 614 2
3 May 1980 Dexy's Midnight Runners Geno PARLOPHONE R 6033 2
21 June 1980 Don McLean Crying EMI 5051 3
27 Dec 1980 St Winifred's School Choir There's No One Quite Like Grandma MUSIC FOR PLEASURE FP 900 2
10 Jan 1981 John Lennon Imagine APPLE R 6009 4
13 June 1981 Smokey Robinson* Being With You TAMLA MOTOWN TMG 1223 2
27 June 1981 Michael Jackson* One Day In Your Life TAMLA MOTOWN TM 976 2
21 Nov 1981 Queen & David Bowie Under Pressure EMI 5250 2
6 Feb 1982 Kraftwerk The Model/Computer Love
(19 Mb .aif)		 EMI 5207 1
24 April 1982 Paul McCartney & Stevie Wonder Ebony And Ivory PARLOPHONE R 6054 3
19 Feb 1983 Kajagoogoo Too Shy EMI 5359 2
26 March1983 Duran Duran Is There Something I Should Know? EMI 5371 2
9 April 1983 David Bowie* Let's Dance EMI AMERICA EA 152 3
14 Jan 1984 Paul McCartney Pipes Of Peace PARLOPHONE R 6064 2
5 May 1984 Duran Duran The Reflex EMI DURAN 2 4
11 May 1985 Paul Hardcastle 19 CHRYSALIS CHS 2860 5
7 Sept 1985 David Bowie & Mick Jagger* Dancing In The Street EMI AMERICA EA 204 4
11 Jan 1986 The Pet Shop Boys West End Girls PARLOPHONE R 6115 2
8 March 1986 Diana Ross Chain Reaction CAPITOL CL 386 3
4 July 1987 The Pet Shop Boys It's A Sin PARLOPHONE R 6158 3
19 Dec 1987 The Pet Shop Boys Always On My Mind PARLOPHONE R 6171 4
9 April 1988 The Pet Shop Boys Heart PARLOPHONE R 6177 3
24 Sept 1988 The Hollies He Ain't Heavy He's My Brother EMI EM 74 2
10 Dec 1988 Cliff Richard Mistletoe And Wine EMI EM 78 4
28 Jan 1989 Marc Almond & Gene Pitney Something's Gotten Hold Of My Heart PARLOPHONE R 6201 4
28 July 1990 Partners In Kryme Turtle Power SBK TURTLE 1 4
15 Sept 1990 The Steve Miller Band The Joker CAPITOL CL 583 2
1 Dec 1990 Vanilla Ice Ice Ice Baby SBK 18 4
29 Dec 1990 Cliff Richard Saviour's Day EMI XMAS 90 1
5 Jan 1991 Iron Maiden Bring Your Daughter To The Slaughter EMI EMPD 171 2
26 Jan 1991 Queen Innuendo PARLOPHONE QUEEN 16 1
30 March 1991 Chesney Hawkes The One And Only CHESNEY HAWKES 5
21 Dec 1991 Queen Bohemian Rhapsody/These Are The Days Of Our Lives PARLOPHONE QUEEN 20 5
17 Oct 1992 Tasmin Archer Sleeping Satellite EMI EM 233 2
21 Nov 1992 Charles and Eddie Would I Lie To You? CAPITOL CL 673 2
1 May 1993 George Michael, Queen & Lisa Stansfield Five Live EP PARLOPHONE CDRS 6340 3
14 Aug 1993 Freddie Mercury Living On My Own PARLOPHONE CDR 6355 2
19 Aug 1995 Blur Country House
(21 Mb .aif)		 FOOD CDFOOD 63 2
20 Jan 1996 Babylon Zoo Spaceman
(21 Mb .aif)		 EMI DDEM 416 5

Of the 2295 weeks since the singles chart began, EMI artists have spent a staggering 659 weeks at the number one position, meaning that EMI have enjoyed over 28% of the time at the top of this chart

Where singles reached number 1, dropped and returned, the dates are shown separately.

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