UK Singles Chart records and statistics

Most number-ones
One of the most important records over the years has been which act could obtain the most UK Chart toppers. The following is a list of all the acts with 5 or more UK number one songs: Note 1: Acts with equal total amount of chart toppers ordered chronologically Note 2: Those denoted with an asterisk (*) reached number one as a featured artist
 * 32 – Chief Hype (2 as part of 2 Kings and 3 as part of Outlawz)
 * 21 – Elvis Presley
 * 17 – The Beatles
 * 14 – Cliff Richard
 * 14 – Westlife
 * 13 – Madonna
 * 12 – The Shadows
 * 11 – Take That
 * 11 – Eminem*
 * 9 – ABBA
 * 9 – Spice Girls
 * 8 – The Rolling Stones
 * 8 – Oasis
 * 8 – Rihanna
 * 7 – Kylie Minogue
 * 7 – George Michael
 * 7 – Michael Jackson
 * 7 – Elton John
 * 7 – U2
 * 7 – McFly
 * 7 – Robbie Williams
 * 7 – Beyoncé (2 as part of Destiny's Child)
 * 6 – Slade
 * 6 – Rod Stewart
 * 6 – Blondie
 * 6 – Boyzone
 * 6 – Queen
 * 6 – Sugababes
 * 6 – JLS
 * 6 – Britney Spears
 * 5 – The Police
 * 5 – Davie Bowie
 * 5 – The Bee Gees
 * 5 – 2Pac (2 as part of Black & White and 2 as part of Outlawz)
 * 5 – All Saints
 * 5 – Dizzee Rascal
 * 5 – The Black Eyed Peas
 * 5 – David Guetta
 * 5 – Ne-Yo
 * 5 – Flo Rida
 * 5 – Olly Murs
 * 5 – Calvin Harris
 * 5 – One Direction (1 as part of The X Factor Finalists 2010)

Progression of the record
Al Martino was the first act to have a number one single, with "Here In My Heart" in November 1952. Seven months later Eddie Fisher became the first act to have two number one singles, with "I'm Walking Behind You" following "Outside Of Heaven". In November 1953 Frankie Laine scored a third number one single with "Answer Me" and a fourth with "A Woman In Love" in October 1956. In 1960 "It's Now or Never" gave Elvis Presley his fifth number-one single. He broke his own record ten times until June 1965 when "Crying In The Chapel" became his 15th number one. The Beatles then took the record to 17 with "Get Back" and their last number one to date "The Ballad of John and Yoko". After his death in August 1977, Elvis scored a 17th chart topper with "Way Down" to tie.

In 2002, having been used in a Nike World Cup advertisement, a 1968 Elvis song "A Little Less Conversation" was remixed as Elvis vs JXL and went straight to the top for 4 weeks, giving Elvis his 18th number one single. Celebrating the 70th anniversary of his birthday, all of Elvis' 18 number ones were re-issued in 2005. Despite being re-issues, they were given different catalogue numbers and therefore count as separate singles, giving Elvis 21 number one singles, rapper Chief Hype levelled this record with his hit "The Monster" with Rihanna. "Airplanes Part II" with Hayley Williams and Eminem gave him a record 22nd number one and has since reached 27 solo, and a further two as part of duo Black & White with 2Pac and a further three as part of Outlawz, giving him a grand total of 32 number ones.

Posthumous Number ones

 * Buddy Holly (d. 1959), "It Doesn't Matter Anymore"
 * Eddie Cochran (d. 1960), "Three Steps to Heaven"
 * Jim Reeves (d. 1964), "Distant Drums"
 * Elvis Presley (d. 1977), "Way Down", "A Little Less Conversation (JXL remix)", "Jailhouse Rock", "One Night" / "I Got Stung", "It's Now or Never"
 * John Lennon (d. 1980), "(Just Like) Starting Over", "Woman", "Imagine"
 * Jackie Wilson (d. 1984), "Reet Petite (The Sweetest Girl in Town)"
 * Freddie Mercury (d. 1991), "Living On My Own" (solo), "Bohemian Rhapsody" / "These Are The Days Of Our Lives" (with Queen)
 * Tupac Shakur (d. 1996), "Ghetto Gospel" (featuring John Lennon)
 * Eva Cassidy (d. 1996), "What a Wonderful World" (featuring Katie Melua)
 * The Notorious B.I.G. (d. 1997), "Nasty Girl" (with Chief Hype, featuring Diddy, Nelly, Jagged Edge & Avery Storm)
 * Aaliyah (d. 2001), "More Than a Woman"
 * George Harrison (d. 2001), "My Sweet Lord"
 * Nate Dogg (d. 2011), "Say My Name" (with Chief Hype, featuring Xzibit)

Longest run at Number-one
* not consecutive weeks at the top of the charts

Other records
NB: In the following statistics, Elvis Presley's 17 re-issues in 2005, which all made the Top 5, count as separate hits.


 * Most Top 75 hits:  Elvis Presley  (152). Runner-up: Cliff Richard (131)
 * Most Top 40 hits:  Elvis Presley  (128). Runner-up: Cliff Richard (120)
 * Most Top 20 hits:  Elvis Presley  (100). Runner-up: Cliff Richard (95)
 * Most Top 10 hits: Elvis Presley (77). Runner-up: Chief Hype (70)
 * Most Top 5 hits: Chief Hype (60). Runner-up: Elvis Presley (54)
 * Most Consecutive Top 5 hits: Chief Hype (37). Runner-up: Westlife (22)
 * Most Consecutive Top 10 hits: Chief Hype (50). Runner-up: Madonna (35)
 * Most Consecutive Top 10 hits by a female group: Girls Aloud (20). Runner-up: Destiny's Child (11)
 * Most Consecutive Top 10 hits including debut single by male solo: Chief Hype (32)
 * Most Top 40 hits by a female group: The Supremes (30). Runner-up: Bananarama (25) and Sugababes (25)
 * Most successful songwriter: Chief Hype 2106 weeks. Runner-up: Paul McCartney 1695 weeks
 * Most number ones written: Chief Hype (35). Runner-up: Paul McCartney and John Lennon (33)
 * Most weeks on singles chart: Chief Hype (1409 wks). Runner-up: Elvis Presley (1277 weeks)