List of Melody Maker number-one singles from 1956 to 1969

Melody Maker was a British weekly popular music newspaper, published between 1926 and 2000. It was the third publication, after the New Musical Express (in 1952) and the Record Mirror (in 1955), to start its own singles chart, effective 7 April 1956. Like NME, Melody Maker drew a sample of random record stores by phone.[1][2] Its first chart drew from figures for 19 shops; during the 1950s, sample sizes ranged from around 14–33 shops, and on 30 July 1960 the phoning of record shops was supplemented with postal returns; the first chart to use this method sampled 38 stores from 110 returns. In its 9 February 1963 edition, Melody Maker disclosed that it received chart returns from 245 retailers and that its chart was audited by auditors supplied by Middlesex County Council.[3] When Disc & Music Echo (which at that point was published by the same company) began publishing Melody Maker's charts after 26 August 1967 upon discontinuing its own chart the week before, the latter expanded their sample pool to 282.[4] After Record Retailer and the BBC contracted with the British Market Research Bureau (BMRB) to compile their singles and album charts in 1969, Melody Maker (and NME) gradually reduced their respective sample pools to the point where, by the next decade, each drew from 100 stores. The chart itself was originally a Top 20, extended to a Top 30 effective 14 April 1962, and Top 50 on 15 September 1962. After 1 April 1967, Melody Maker reverted to a Top 30 chart.[5]

Record charts in the United Kingdom began on 14 November 1952 when NME imitated an idea started in American Billboard magazine compiled their own hit parade. Until 15 February 1969, when the British Market Research Bureau (BMRB) chart was established, many periodicals compiled their own charts.[2] During this time the BBC used aggregated results of the prominent NME, Melody Maker, Disc, Record Mirror and, later, Record Retailer charts to compile their Pick of the Pops chart. Prior to 1969 there was no universally accepted source or "official" singles chart;[1][6][7] however, the Official Charts Company and Guinness' British Hit Singles & Albums regard the canonical sources for this period as NME before 10 March 1960 and Record Retailer from then until the BMRB took over in 1969.[8] Although Record Retailer is now the most predominantly used source for charting music in the 1960s, NME had the biggest circulation of charts in the decade and was more widely followed.[1][6] After the BMRB was formed, the NME continued compiling its own chart up until 14 May 1988.[2]

Elvis Presley had the first "non-canonical" number-one in the history of the Melody Maker chart when his 1957 single "Party" reached the top, but couldn't get past number two on the NME chart which, prior to 10 March 1960, was the "canonical" chart source as determined by the Official Charts Company.[9] Between then and 1969, Melody Maker had a total of twenty number ones that did not reach number one on the NME chart before 1960, Record Retailer from then to 15 February 1969, and the British Market Research Bureau (BMRB) after that date. Of that total, seven also failed to top the Record Mirror (pre-1962), NME (post-1960) or Disc charts. Two were by The Beatles, whose 1967 hit "Penny Lane" / "Strawberry Fields Forever" and EP of Magical Mystery Tour only reached number one in Melody Maker; conversely, their "Lady Madonna" made the top of all charts but Melody Maker, where it got no higher than number two.[1][6]

Number-one singles

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Elvis Presley had seventeen number-one singles on the Melody Maker chart from 1956–1969, including four not recognised by the Official Charts Company.
 
Melody Maker was one of three charts where The Rolling Stones' "19th Nervous Breakdown" made number one, but is not recognised by the Official Charts Company.
 
The Who's only UK number-one single was on the Melody Maker chart with "I'm a Boy."
Key
The song did not reach number on the NME (1952–1960) or Record Retailer (1960–1969) charts which are considered by the Official Charts Company as the canonical sources until 15 February 1969.
The song did not reach number one on the BMRB chart which is considered as the official chart after 15 February 1969.
[nb #] The song spent a week at number one, where it shared the top spot with another song.
Contents
No. Artist[nb 1] Single[nb 1] Reached
number one[nb 1]
Weeks at
number one[nb 1]
1956
1 The Dream Weavers "It's Almost Tomorrow" 31 March 1956 0.5[nb 2]4[nb 2]
2 Winifred Atwell "The Poor People of Paris" 28 April 1956 2
3 Ronnie Hilton "No Other Love" 12 May 1956 5
4 Pat Boone "I'll Be Home" 16 June 1956 5
5 Frankie Lymon and The Teenagers "Why Do Fools Fall in Love" 21 July 1956 3
6 Doris Day "Whatever Will Be, Will Be" 11 August 1956 1
re Frankie Lymon and The Teenagers "Why Do Fools Fall in Love" 18 August 1956 2
re Doris Day "Whatever Will Be, Will Be" 1 September 1956 3
7 Anne Shelton "Lay Down Your Arms" 22 September 1956 4
8 Frankie Laine "A Woman in Love" 20 October 1956 3
9 Johnnie Ray "Just Walking in the Rain" 10 November 1956 9
1957
10 Guy Mitchell "Singing the Blues" 12 January 1957 2
11 Frankie Vaughan "The Garden of Eden" 26 January 1957 4
12 Tab Hunter "Young Love" 23 February 1957 8
13 Lonnie Donegan "Cumberland Gap" 20 April 1957 4
14 Andy Williams "Butterfly" 18 May 1957 4
15 Johnnie Ray "Yes Tonight Josephine" 15 June 1957 4
16 Elvis Presley "All Shook Up" 13 July 1957 8
17 Paul Anka "Diana" 7 September 1957 8
18 Elvis Presley "Party" † 2 November 1957 1
19 The Crickets "That'll Be the Day" 9 November 1957 1
re Elvis Presley "Party" † 16 November 1957 1
20 Harry Belafonte "Mary's Boy Child" 23 November 1957 7
1958
21 Johnny Otis Show "Ma He's Making Eyes at Me" † 11 January 1958 1.5[nb 2]1[nb 3]
22 Jerry Lee Lewis "Great Balls of Fire" 18 January 1958 0.5[nb 2]2[nb 3]
23 Elvis Presley "Jailhouse Rock" 1 February 1958 2
24 Michael Holliday "The Story of My Life" 15 February 1958 2
25 Perry Como "Magic Moments" / "Catch a Falling Star" 1 March 1958 7
26 Marvin Rainwater "Whole Lotta Woman" 19 April 1958 4
27 Connie Francis "Who's Sorry Now" 17 May 1958 6
28 The Everly Brothers "All I Have to Do Is Dream" 28 June 1958 9
29 The Kalin Twins "When" 30 August 1958 4
30 Connie Francis "Stupid Cupid" / "Carolina Moon" 27 September 1958 5
31 The Everly Brothers "Bird Dog" † 1 November 1958 3
32 Lord Rockingham's XI "Hoots Mon" 22 November 1958 3
33 Conway Twitty "It's Only Make Believe" 13 December 1958 7
1959
34 Elvis Presley "I Got Stung" / "One Night" 31 January 1959 3
35 Shirley Bassey with Wally Stott & His Orchestra "As I Love You" 21 February 1959 1
36 The Platters "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes" 28 February 1959 4
37 Russ Conway "Side Saddle" 28 March 1959 3
38 Buddy Holly "It Doesn't Matter Any More" 18 April 1959 5
39 Elvis Presley "A Fool Such As I" / "I Need Your Love Tonight" 23 May 1959 4
40 Russ Conway "Roulette" 20 June 1959 1
41 Bobby Darin "Dream Lover" 27 June 1959 5[nb 2]5[nb 4]
42 Cliff Richard "Living Doll" 1 August 1959 4.0[nb 2]5[nb 4]
43 Craig Douglas "Only Sixteen" 5 September 1959 6
44 Cliff Richard "Travellin' Light" 17 October 1959 7
45 Emile Ford "What Do You Want to Make Those Eyes at Me For?" 5 December 1959 1
46 Adam Faith "What Do You Want" 12 December 1959 3
1960
re Emile Ford "What Do You Want to Make Those Eyes at Me For?" 2 January 1960 4
47 Anthony Newley "Why" 30 January 1960 6
48 Adam Faith "Poor Me" 12 March 1960 1
49 Johnny Preston "Running Bear" 19 March 1960 2
50 Lonnie Donegan "My Old Man's a Dustman" 2 April 1960 2
51 Elvis Presley "Stuck on You" † 16 April 1960 1
re Lonnie Donegan "My Old Man's a Dustman" 23 April 1960 1
52 Anthony Newley "Do You Mind" 30 April 1960 1
53 The Everly Brothers "Cathy's Clown" 7 May 1960 9
54 Jimmy Jones "Good Timin'" 9 July 1960 3
55 Cliff Richard and The Shadows "Please Don't Tease" 30 July 1960 4
56 The Shadows "Apache" 27 August 1960 4
57 Elvis Presley "A Mess of Blues" / "The Girl of My Best Friend" † 24 September 1960 1
58 Ricky Valance "Tell Laura I Love Her" 1 October 1960 2
59 Roy Orbison "Only the Lonely" 15 October 1960 3
60 Elvis Presley "It's Now or Never" 5 November 1960 8
61 Cliff Richard and The Shadows "I Love You" 31 December 1960 1
1961
62 Johnny Tillotson "Poetry in Motion" 7 January 1961 3
63 Elvis Presley "Are You Lonesome Tonight" 28 January 1961 5
64 The Everly Brothers "Walk Right Back" 4 March 1961 3
65 Elvis Presley "Wooden Heart" 25 March 1961 6
66 The Temperance Seven "You're Driving Me Crazy" 6 May 1961 1
67 The Marcels "Blue Moon" 13 May 1961 2
68 Del Shannon "Runaway" 27 May 1961 1
69 Elvis Presley "Surrender" 3 June 1961 3
re Del Shannon "Runaway" 24 June 1961 5
70 The Everly Brothers "Temptation" 29 July 1961 1
71 Eden Kane "Well I Ask You" 5 August 1961 2
72 Helen Shapiro "You Don't Know" 12 August 1961 2
73 John Leyton "Johnny Remember Me" 26 August 1961 6
74 The Shadows "Kon-Tiki" 7 October 1961 1
75 The Highwaymen "Michael – Row the Boat" 14 October 1961 1
76 Helen Shapiro "Walking Back to Happiness" 21 October 1961 4
77 Elvis Presley "His Latest Flame" 18 November 1961 3
78 Frankie Vaughan "Tower of Strength" 1 December 1961 3
79 Acker Bilk "Stranger on the Shore" † 30 December 1961 2
1962
80 Cliff Richard "The Young Ones" 13 January 1962 6
81 Elvis Presley "Rock-A-Hula Baby" / "Can't Help Falling in Love" 24 February 1962 4
82 The Shadows "Wonderful Land" 24 March 1962 8
83 B. Bumble and the Stingers "Nut Rocker" 19 May 1962 1
84 Elvis Presley "Good Luck Charm" 26 May 1962 6
85 Mike Sarne "Come Outside" 7 July 1962 1
86 Joe Brown "A Picture of You" † 14 July 1962 1
87 Ray Charles "I Can't Stop Loving You" 21 July 1962 1
88 Frank Ifield "I Remember You" 28 July 1962 8
89 Elvis Presley "She's Not You" 22 September 1962 2
90 The Tornados "Telstar" 6 October 1962 6
91 Frank Ifield "Lovesick Blues" 17 November 1962 5
92 Elvis Presley "Return to Sender" 22 December 1962 2
1963
93 Cliff Richard and The Shadows "The Next Time" / "Bachelor Boy" 5 January 1963 4
94 Jet Harris and Tony Meehan "Diamonds" 2 February 1963 4
95 The Beatles "Please Please Me" † 2 March 1963 2
96 Cliff Richard and The Shadows "Summer Holiday" 16 March 1963 3
97 The Shadows "Foot Tapper" 6 April 1963 1
98 Gerry & The Pacemakers "How Do You Do It?" 13 April 1963 3
99 The Beatles "From Me to You" 4 May 1963 6
100 Billy J. Kramer & The Dakotas "Do You Want to Know a Secret" † 15 June 1963 1
101 Gerry & The Pacemakers "I Like It" 22 June 1963 4
102 Frank Ifield "I'm Confessin'" 20 July 1963 3
103 The Searchers "Sweets for My Sweet" 10 August 1963 2
104 Billy J. Kramer & The Dakotas "Bad to Me" 24 August 1963 2
105 The Beatles "She Loves You" 7 September 1963 5
106 Brian Poole and The Tremeloes "Do You Love Me?" 12 October 1963 2
107 Gerry & The Pacemakers "You'll Never Walk Alone" 26 October 1963 4
re The Beatles "She Loves You" 23 November 1963 2
108 The Beatles "I Want to Hold Your Hand" 7 December 1963 5
1964
109 The Dave Clark Five "Glad All Over" 11 January 1964 3
110 The Searchers "Needles and Pins" 1 February 1964 3
111 Cilla Black "Anyone Who Had a Heart" 22 February 1964 4
112 Billy J. Kramer and The Dakotas "Little Children" 21 March 1964 1
113 The Beatles "Can't Buy Me Love" 28 March 1964 3
114 Peter & Gordon "A World Without Love" 18 April 1964 2
115 The Searchers "Don't Throw Your Love Away" 2 May 1964 2
116 The Four Pennies "Juliet" 16 May 1964 2
117 Cilla Black "You're My World (Il Mio Mondo)" 30 May 1964 3
118 Roy Orbison "It's Over" 20 June 1964 2
119 The Animals "House of the Rising Sun" 4 July 1964 1
120 The Rolling Stones "It's All Over Now" 11 July 1964 1
121 The Beatles "A Hard Day's Night" 18 July 1964 4
122 Manfred Mann "Do Wah Diddy Diddy" 15 August 1964 2
123 The Honeycombs "Have I the Right?" 29 August 1964 3
124 The Kinks "You Really Got Me" 19 September 1964 1
125 Herman's Hermits "I'm Into Something Good" 26 September 1964 2
126 Roy Orbison "Oh, Pretty Woman" 10 October 1964 3
127 Sandie Shaw "(There's) Always Something There to Remind Me" 31 October 1964 1
re Roy Orbison "Oh, Pretty Woman" 7 November 1964 1
128 The Supremes "Baby Love" 14 November 1964 3
129 The Beatles "I Feel Fine" 5 December 1964 6
1965
130 Georgie Fame "Yeh Yeh" 16 January 1965 1
131 The Moody Blues "Go Now" 23 January 1965 1
132 The Righteous Brothers "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'" 30 January 1965 2
133 The Kinks "Tired of Waiting for You" 13 February 1965 1
134 The Seekers "I'll Never Find Another You" 20 February 1965 2
135 Tom Jones "It's Not Unusual" 6 March 1965 1
136 The Rolling Stones "The Last Time" 13 March 1965 4
137 Cliff Richard "The Minute You're Gone" 10 April 1965 1
138 The Beatles "Ticket to Ride" 17 April 1965 5
139 Jackie Trent "Where Are You Now?" 22 May 1965 1
140 Sandie Shaw "Long Live Love" 29 May 1965 2
141 Elvis Presley "Crying in the Chapel" 12 June 1965 3
142 The Hollies "I'm Alive" 3 July 1965 2
143 The Byrds "Mr. Tambourine Man" 17 July 1965 2
144 The Beatles "Help!" 31 July 1965 4
145 Sonny & Cher "I Got You Babe" 28 August 1965 2
146 The Rolling Stones "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" 11 September 1965 2
147 The Walker Brothers "Make It Easy on Yourself" 25 September 1965 1
148 Ken Dodd "Tears" 2 October 1965 5
149 The Rolling Stones "Get Off My Cloud" 6 November 1965 2
150 The Seekers "The Carnival Is Over" 20 November 1965 4
151 The Beatles "Day Tripper" / "We Can Work It Out" 18 December 1965 4
1966
152 The Spencer Davis Group "Keep On Running" 15 January 1966 2
153 The Overlanders "Michelle" 29 January 1966 2
154 Nancy Sinatra "These Boots Are Made for Walkin'" 12 February 1966 1
155 The Rolling Stones "19th Nervous Breakdown" † 19 February 1966 3
156 Small Faces "Sha-La-La-La-Lee" † 12 March 1966 1
157 The Walker Brothers "The Sun Ain't Gonna Shine Anymore" 19 March 1966 3
158 The Spencer Davis Group "Somebody Help Me" 9 April 1966 2
159 Dusty Springfield "You Don't Have to Say You Love Me" 23 April 1966 2
160 Manfred Mann "Pretty Flamingo" 7 May 1966 3
161 The Rolling Stones "Paint It Black" 28 May 1966 1
162 Frank Sinatra "Strangers in the Night" 4 June 1966 2
163 The Beatles "Paperback Writer" 18 June 1966 4
164 Georgie Fame and the Blue Flames "Getaway" 16 July 1966 2
165 Chris Farlowe "Out of Time" 30 July 1966 1
166 The Troggs "With a Girl Like You" 6 August 1966 2
167 The Beatles "Yellow Submarine" / "Eleanor Rigby" 20 August 1966 3
168 Small Faces "All or Nothing" 10 September 1966 2
169 Jim Reeves "Distant Drums" 24 September 1966 2
170 The Who "I'm a Boy" † 8 October 1966 2
171 Four Tops "Reach Out I'll Be There" 22 October 1966 3
172 The Beach Boys "Good Vibrations" 12 November 1966 3
173 Tom Jones "Green, Green Grass of Home" 3 December 1966 7
1967
174 The Monkees "I'm a Believer" 21 January 1967 4
175 Petula Clark "This Is My Song" 18 February 1967 1
176 Engelbert Humperdinck "Release Me" 25 February 1967 1
177 The Beatles "Penny Lane" / "Strawberry Fields Forever" † 4 March 1967 3
re Engelbert Humperdinck "Release Me" 25 March 1967 2
178 Nancy Sinatra and Frank Sinatra "Somethin' Stupid" 8 April 1967 2
179 Sandie Shaw "Puppet on a String" 22 April 1967 4
180 The Tremeloes "Silence Is Golden" 20 May 1967 3
181 Procol Harum "A Whiter Shade of Pale" 10 June 1967 5
182 The Monkees "Alternate Title" † 15 July 1967 1
183 The Beatles "All You Need Is Love" 22 July 1967 3
184 Scott McKenzie "San Francisco" 12 August 1967 3
185 Engelbert Humperdinck "The Last Waltz" 2 September 1967 7
186 Bee Gees "Massachusetts" 21 October 1967 3
187 The Foundations "Baby Now That I've Found You" 11 November 1967 2
188 Long John Baldry "Let the Heartaches Begin" 25 November 1967 2
189 The Beatles "Hello Goodbye" 9 December 1967 5
1968
190 The Beatles Magical Mystery Tour[nb 5] 13 January 1968 1
191 Georgie Fame "The Ballad of Bonnie and Clyde" 20 January 1968 1
192 Love Affair "Everlasting Love" 27 January 1968 3
193 Manfred Mann "Mighty Quinn" 17 February 1968 2
194 Esther and Abi Ofarim "Cinderella Rockefella" 2 March 1968 4
195 Tom Jones "Delilah" † 30 March 1968 2
196 Louis Armstrong "What a Wonderful World" 13 April 1968 5
197 Gary Puckett & The Union Gap "Young Girl" 18 May 1968 4
198 The Rolling Stones "Jumpin' Jack Flash" 15 June 1968 3
199 The Equals "Baby Come Back" 6 July 1968 3
200 Tommy James and the Shondells "Mony Mony" 27 July 1968 5
201 Herb Alpert "This Guy's in Love With You" † 31 August 1968 1
202 The Beatles "Hey Jude" 7 September 1968 4
203 Mary Hopkin "Those Were the Days" 5 October 1968 5
204 Joe Cocker "With a Little Help from My Friends" 9 November 1968 1
205 Barry Ryan "Eloise" † 16 November 1968 1
206 Hugo Montenegro "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly" 23 November 1968 3
207 The Scaffold "Lily the Pink" 14 December 1968 4
1969
208 Marmalade "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da" 11 January 1969 3
209 Fleetwood Mac "Albatross" 1 February 1969 2
210 The Move "Blackberry Way" 15 February 1969 1
211 Amen Corner "Half as Nice" 22 February 1969 2
212 Peter Sarstedt "Where Do You Go To (My Lovely)?" 8 March 1969 4
213 Marvin Gaye "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" 5 April 1969 3
214 Desmond Dekker & The Aces "Israelites" 26 April 1969 1
215 The Beatles with Billy Preston "Get Back" 3 May 1969 5
216 Tommy Roe "Dizzy" 7 June 1969 2
217 The Beatles "The Ballad of John and Yoko" 21 June 1969 3
218 Thunderclap Newman "Something in the Air" 12 July 1969 1
219 Elvis Presley "In the Ghetto" ‡ 19 July 1969 1
220 The Rolling Stones "Honky Tonk Women" 26 July 1969 5
221 Zager and Evans "In the Year 2525" 30 August 1969 3
222 Creedence Clearwater Revival "Bad Moon Rising" 20 September 1969 3
223 Bobbie Gentry "I'll Never Fall in Love Again" 11 October 1969 3
224 The Archies "Sugar, Sugar" 1 November 1969 6
225 Stevie Wonder "Yester-Me, Yester-You, Yesterday" ‡ 13 December 1969 1
226 Rolf Harris "Two Little Boys" 20 December 1969 6
Contents

Notes

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  1. ^ a b c d The names, singles, week-ending dates and duration at number one are from Melody Maker."Melody Maker 1960's (and 50's) singles charts". UKMix. Retrieved 19 May 2021.
  2. ^ The first published Melody Maker chart of 7 April 1956 indicated this number one also had been number one the prior week before the chart was introduced. Therefore, the 31 March date and weeks on chart are listed retrospectively.
  3. ^ a b Johnny Otis Show's "Ma He's Making Eyes at Me" and Jerry Lee Lewis' "Great Balls of Fire" were classified jointly as number one on 18 January 1958. The following week, "Great Balls of Fire" claimed the number-one spot outright.
  4. ^ a b Due to a newspaper strike, Melody Maker was not published from 27 June to 8 August 1959; however, the chart details were released retrospectively.
  5. ^ This number-one record was not a single but a double extended play (EP) with six tracks. Due to the low popularity of EPs in the United States, an album of the same name was released containing the six EP tracks and five singles from 1967.[10] The rules now require at most four distinct songs to be eligible for the UK Singles Chart.[11]

References

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Footnotes

  1. ^ a b c d Smith, Alan. "50s & 60s UK Charts – The Truth!". Dave McAleer's website. Archived from the original on 3 September 2011. Retrieved 4 November 2010.
  2. ^ a b c Smith, Alan. "Every No.1 in the 1960s is listed from all the nine different magazine charts!". Dave McAleer's website. Archived from the original on 10 May 2011. Retrieved 4 November 2010.
  3. ^ Source: Melody Maker, 9th February 1963.
  4. ^ Coryton, Demitri; Murrells, Joseph (1990). Hits of the '60s: the million sellers. London: B.T. Batsford. p. 9. ISBN 0-7134-5851-8.
  5. ^ "Music paper biograhies and their No 1's". UKMix. Retrieved 19 May 2021.
  6. ^ a b c Leigh, Spencer (20 February 1998). "Music: Charting the number ones that somehow got away". The Independent. Retrieved 5 August 2010.
  7. ^ Warwick, Neil; Kutner, Jon; Brown, Tony (2004). The Complete Book Of The British Charts: Singles and Albums (3rd ed.). London: Omnibus Press. p. v. ISBN 1-84449-058-0. Until 15th February 1969, there was no officially compiled chart.
  8. ^ "Key Dates in the History of the Official UK Charts". The Official Charts Company. Archived from the original on 10 January 2008. Retrieved 16 May 2010.
  9. ^ "Featured Artists: Elvis Presley". The Official Charts Company. Archived from the original on 26 September 2011. Retrieved 5 August 2010.
  10. ^ "Magical Mystery Tour". Apple Corps. Retrieved 14 September 2010.
  11. ^ "Rules For Chart Eligibility" (PDF). The Official Charts Company. August 2009. Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 July 2011. Retrieved 1 July 2010.