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Number One Hits Of The 1960s


Most lists of number one hits take the Record Retailer chart as their source from March 1960 onwards. However Record Retailer's chart was not widely recognised at the time (even though it was also carried by Record Mirror from March 1962) and was arguably less reliable than those charts carried by Melody Maker and NME anyway. There are several singles, such as Please Please Me by the Beatles, Are You Sure by the Allisons and 19th Nervous Breakdown by the Rolling Stones, which were recognised as number one hits by these more influential charts, and are widely remembered as such, but not by Record Retailer - and therefore not by Guinness. This list attempts to redress the balance by continuing to take the NME chart as its source right up until the BBC, Record Retailer and BMRB launched the official chart in February 1969. This means that those hits mentioned above are reinstated as number ones, though at the expense of other singles which didn't reach the top in this particular chart, such as Crazy World Of Arthur Brown's Fire, the Rolling Stones' It's All Over Now and I Pretend by Des O'Connor. There are also some singles which would probably have been top sellers but did not achieve their chart potential because the NME treated the two sides as separate chart entries. These have been noted where appropriate.

 

1960
95 29 Jan Starry Eyed Michael Holliday 1
96 5 Feb Why Anthony Newley 4
97 5 Mar Poor Me Adam Faith 2
98 19 Mar Running Bear Johnny Preston 1
99 26 Mar My Old Man's A Dustman Lonnie Donegan 4
100 23 Apr Do You Mind Anthony Newley 1
101 30 Apr Cathy's Clown The Everly Brothers 8
102 2 Jul Good Timin' Jimmy Jones 3
103 23 Jul Please Don't Tease Cliff Richard & The Shadows 4
104 20 Aug Apache The Shadows 6
105 1 Oct Tell Laura I Love Her Ricky Valance 2
106 15 Oct Only The Lonely Roy Orbison 3
107 5 Nov It's Now Or Never Elvis Presley 9
1961
108 7 Jan Poetry In Motion Johnny Tillotson 3
109 28 Jan Are You Lonesome Tonight? Elvis Presley 5
110 4 Mar Walk Right Back Everly Brothers 3
111 25 Mar Wooden Heart Elvis Presley 2
112 8 Apr Are You Sure? The Allisons 1
  15 Apr Wooden Heart Elvis Presley 1
  22 Apr Are You Sure? The Allisons 1
113 29 Apr You're Driving Me Crazy The Temperance Seven 1
114 6 May Blue Moon The Marcels 2
115 20 May Runaway Del Shannon 1
116 27 May Surrender Elvis Presley 4
  1 Jul Runaway Del Shannon 2
117 15 Jul Temptation The Everly Brothers 1
118 22 Jul Well I Ask You Eden Kane 2
119 5 Aug You Don't Know Helen Shapiro 3
120 26 Aug Johnny Remember Me John Leyton 4
  2 Sep You Don't Know Helen Shapiro 1
    The above two records tied at number one for the week of 2 Sep.
Shirley Bassey's Reach For The Stars, which was at number 3 that week, would probably have topped the chart had NME not treated the song and its flipside Climb Ev'ry Mountain as separate chart entries. 		 
121 23 Sep Wild In The Country Elvis Presley 1
  30 Sep Johnny Remember Me John Leyton 1
122 7 Oct Michael The Highwaymen 1
123 14 Oct Walkin' Back To Happiness Helen Shapiro 4
124 11 Nov His Latest Flame Elvis Presley 3
125 2 Dec Tower Of Strength Frankie Vaughan 4
126 2 Dec Take Good Care Of My Baby Bobby Vee 1
    The above two records tied at number one for the week of 2 Dec.  
127 30 Dec Moon River Danny Williams 1
1962
128 6 Jan Stranger On The Shore Mr Acker Bilk 1
129 13 Jan The Young Ones Cliff Richard & The Shadows 6
130 24 Feb Let's Twist Again Chubby Checker 2
    Record Retailer has Elvis Presley's Rock-A-Hula Baby / Can't Help Falling In Love at number 1 for 4 weeks from 22 Feb. It would surely have been number one in NME had the two sides not been treated as separate chart entries.  
131 10 Mar March Of The Siamese Children Kenny Ball & His Jazzmen 1
132 17 Mar Wonderful Land The Shadows 9
133 12 May Nut Rocker B. Bumble & The Stingers 1
    The above two singles tied at number one for the week of 12 May.  
134 19 May Good Luck Charm Elvis Presley 5
135 23 Jun Come Outside Mike Sarne with Wendy Richard 2
136 7 Jul A Picture Of You Joe Brown 1
137 14 Jul I Can't Stop Loving You Ray Charles 1
138 21 Jul I Remember You Frank Ifield 7
139 22 Sep She's Not You Elvis Presley 2
140 6 Oct Telstar The Tornados 5
141 10 Nov Lovesick Blues Frank Ifield 5
142 15 Dec Return To Sender Elvis Presley 2
143 29 Dec The Next Time Cliff Richard and the Shadows 1
    The Next Time would probably have enjoyed more than one week at number one had its flipside Bachelor Boy not been treated as a separate chart entry.  
1963
144 5 Jan Dance On The Shadows 3
145 26 Jan Diamonds Jet Harris & Tony Meehan 4
146 23 Feb The Wayward Wind Frank Ifield 1
147 23 Feb Please Please Me The Beatles 2
148 9 Mar Summer Holiday Cliff Richard & The Shadows 3
149 30 Mar Foot Tapper The Shadows 1
150 6 Apr How Do You Do It Gerry & The Pacemakers 3
151 27 Apr From Me To You The Beatles 6
152 1 Jun Do You Want To Know A Secret? Billy J Kramer & The Dakotas 2
    The above two records tied at number one for the week of 1 June.  
153 15 Jun I Like It Gerry & The Pacemakers 4
154 13 Jul Confessin' (That I Love You) Frank Ifield 3
155 3 Aug Sweets For My Sweet The Searchers 3
156 24 Aug Bad To Me Billy J. Kramer & The Dakotas 2
157 7 Sep She Loves You The Beatles 4
158 5 Oct Do You Love Me Brian Poole & The Tremeloes 3
159 26 Oct You'll Never Walk Alone Gerry & The Pacemakers 4
  23 Nov She Loves You The Beatles 2
160 7 Dec I Want To Hold Your Hand The Beatles 6
1964
161 18 Jan Glad All Over Dave Clark Five 2
162 1 Feb Needles & Pins The Searchers 3
163 22 Feb Anyone Who Had A Heart Cilla Black 4
164 21 Mar Little Children Billy J. Kramer & The Dakotas 1
165 28 Mar Can't Buy Me Love The Beatles 4
166 25 Apr A World Without Love Peter & Gordon 2
167 9 May Don't Throw Your Love Away The Searchers 1
168 16 May Juliet The Four Pennies 2
169 30 May You're My World Cilla Black 3
170 20 Jun It's Over Roy Orbison 2
171 4 Jul House Of The Rising Sun The Animals 2
172 18 Jul A Hard Day's Night The Beatles 4
173 15 Aug Do Wah Diddy Diddy Manfred Mann 2
174 29 Aug Have I The Right The Honeycombs 2
175 12 Sep You Really Got Me The Kinks 1
176 19 Sep I'm Into Something Good Herman's Hermits 3
177 10 Oct Oh, Pretty Woman Roy Orbison 3
178 31 Oct (There's) Always Something There To Remind Me Sandie Shaw 2
179 14 Nov Baby Love The Supremes 1
180 21 Dec Little Red Rooster The Rolling Stones 2
181 5 Dec I Feel Fine The Beatles 6
1965
182 16 Jan Yeh Yeh Georgie Fame & The Blue Flames 1
183 23 Jan Go Now The Moody Blues 2
184 6 Feb You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin' The Righteous Brothers 1
185 13 Feb Tired Of Waiting For You The Kinks 1
186 20 Feb I'll Never Find Another You The Seekers 2
187 6 Mar It's Not Unusual Tom Jones 1
188 13 Mar The Last Time The Rolling Stones 4
189 10 Apr For Your Love The Yardbirds 1
190 10 Apr The Minute You're Gone Cliff Richard 1
    The above two records were tied at number one.  
191 17 Apr Ticket To Ride The Beatles 5
192 22 May Where Are You Now (My Love) Jackie Trent 1
193 29 May Long Live Love Sandie Shaw 2
194 12 Jun The Price Of Love Everly Brothers 1
195 19 Jun Crying In The Chapel Elvis Presley 2
196 3 Jul I'm Alive The Hollies 2
197 17 Jul Mr Tambourine Man The Byrds 2
198 31 Jul Help! The Beatles 4
199 28 Aug I Got You Babe Sonny & Cher 1
200 4 Sep (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction The Rolling Stones 3
201 25 Sep Tears Ken Dodd 6
202 6 Nov Get Off Of My Cloud The Rolling Stones 3
203 27 Nov 1-2-3 Len Barry 1
204 4 Dec The Carnival Is Over The Seekers 1
205 11 Dec Day Tripper / We Can Work It Out The Beatles 5
1966
206 15 Jan Keep On Running The Spencer Davis Group 3
207 5 Feb Michelle The Overlanders 1
208 12 Feb These Boots Are Made For Walkin' Nancy Sinatra 1
209 19 Feb 19th Nervous Breakdown The Rolling Stones 3
210 12 Mar I Can't Let Go The Hollies 2
211 19 Mar The Sun Ain't Gonna Shine Anymore The Walker Brothers 4
    The above two records tied at number one for the week of 19 March.  
212 16 Apr Somebody Help Me The Spencer Davis Group 1
213 23 Apr You Don't Have To Say You Love Me Dusty Springfield 2
214 7 May Pretty Flamingo Manfred Mann 3
215 28 May Paint It Black The Rolling Stones 1
216 4 Jun Strangers In The Night Frank Sinatra 3
217 25 Jun Paperback Writer The Beatles 2
218 9 Jul Sunny Afternoon The Kinks 2
219 23 Jul Out Of Time Chris Farlowe 2
220 6 Aug With A Girl Like You The Troggs 2
221 20 Aug Yellow Submarine / Eleanor Rigby The Beatles 4
222 17 Sep All Or Nothing The Small Faces 1
223 24 Sep Distant Drums Jim Reeves 5
224 29 Oct Reach Out I'll Be There The Four Tops 3
225 19 Nov Good Vibrations The Beach Boys 2
226 3 Dec Green Green Grass Of Home Tom Jones 7
1967
227 21 Jan I'm A Believer The Monkees 4
228 18 Feb This Is My Song Petula Clark 2
229 4 Mar Release Me Engelbert Humperdinck 6
230 15 Apr Something Stupid Frank & Nancy Sinatra 1
231 22 Apr Puppet On A String Sandie Shaw 4
232 20 May Silence Is Golden The Tremeloes 3
233 10 Jun A Whiter Shade Of Pale Procol Harum 5
234 15 Jul All You Need Is Love The Beatles 4
235 12 Aug San Francisco (Be Sure To Wear Some Flowers In Your Hair) Scott McKenzie 4
236 9 Sep The Last Waltz Engelbert Humperdinck 6
237 21 Oct Massachusetts The Bee Gees 3
238 11 Nov Baby Now That I've Found You The Foundations 3
239 2 Dec Let The Heartaches Begin Long John Baldry 1
240 9 Dec Hello Goodbye The Beatles 6
1968
241 20 Jan The Ballad Of Bonnie And Clyde Georgie Fame 1
242 27 Jan Everlasting Love Love Affair 3
243 17 Feb The Mighty Quinn Manfred Mann 2
244 2 Mar Cinderella Rockefella Esther & Abi Ofarim 4
245 20 Mar The Legend Of Xanadu Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich 1
246 30 Mar Lady Madonna The Beatles 2
247 13 Apr Congratulations Cliff Richard 1
248 20 Apr What A Wonderful World / Cabaret Louis Armstrong 4
249 18 May Young Girl Gary Puckett & The Union Gap 5
250 22 Jun Jumping Jack Flash The Rolling Stones 2
251 6 Jul Baby Come Back The Equals 3
252 27 Jul Mony Mony Tommy James & The Shondells 4
253 24 Aug Help Yourself Tom Jones 2
254 7 Sep I've Gotta Get A Message To You Bee Gees 1
255 14 Sep Hey Jude The Beatles 3
256 5 Oct Those Were The Days Mary Hopkin 5
257 9 Nov With A Little Help From My Friends Joe Cocker 1
258 16 Nov The Good The Bad And The Ugly Hugo Montenegro 1
259 23 Nov Eloise Barry Ryan 2
260 7 Dec Lily The Pink Scaffold 5
1969
261 11 Jan Ob-La-Di Ob-La-Da The Marmalade 2
262 25 Jan Albatross Fleetwood Mac 3
263 8 Feb Blackberry Way The Move 1
    The official BMRB Record Retailer/BBC chart began with the week dated 12 Feb and its number ones are used from this point on. Blackberry Way was number one on the old Record Retailer chart for the week of 5 Feb and on the NME chart dated 15 Feb, which corresponds to the 12 Mar BMRB chart. (You may wish to take a moment to digest this information overload!). The song was thus a bona fide number one on both charts - in fact it moved 2-1-3-5 on both - but on the "wrong" side of the changeover in each. Therefore for the purposes of this list, I have made a Big and Important Decision to credit it as a joint number one with Albatross for the week dated 8 February 1969.  
264 12 Feb (If Paradise Is) Half As Nice Amen Corner 2
265 26 Feb Where Do You Go To My Lovely Peter Sarstedt 4
266 26 Mar I Heard It Through The Grapevine Marvin Gaye 3
267 16 Mar The Israelites Desmond Dekker & The Aces 1
268 23 Apr Get Back The Beatles with Billy Preston 6
269 4 Jun Dizzy Tommy Roe 1
270 11 Jun The Ballad Of John & Yoko The Beatles 3
271 2 Jul Something In The Air Thunderclap Newman 3
272 23 Jul Honky Tonk Women The Rolling Stones 5
273 30 Aug In The Year 2525 (Exordium And Terminus) Zager & Evans 3
274 20 Sep Bad Moon Rising Creedence Clearwater Revival 3
275 11 Oct Je T'Aime... Moi Non Plus Jane Birkin & Serge Gainsbourg 1
276 18 Oct I'll Never Fall In Love Again Bobbie Gentry 1
277 25 Oct Sugar Sugar The Archies 8
278 20 Dec Two Little Boys Rolf Harris 6