| 1960s in music in the UK |
| Events |
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The UK Singles Chart is one of many music charts compiled by the Official Charts Company that calculates the best-selling singles of the week in the United Kingdom.[1] Before 2004, the chart was only based on the sales of physical singles.[2][3] This list shows singles that peaked in the top 10 of the UK Singles Chart during 1962, as well as singles which peaked in 1961 and 1963 but were in the top 10 in 1962. The entry date is when the single appeared in the top 10 for the first time (week ending, as published by the Official Charts Company, which is six days after the chart is announced).
Ninety-two singles were in the top ten in 1962. Seven singles from 1962 remained in the top 10 for several weeks at the beginning of the year, while "(Dance With The) Guitar Man" by Duane Eddy & the Rebelettes, "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" by Brenda Lee and "The Next Time"/"Bachelor Boy" by Cliff Richard and The Shadows were all released in 1962 but did not reach their peak until 1963. "Moon River" by Danny Williams with Geoff Love and His Orchestra, "Midnight in Moscow" by Kenny Ball & His Jazzmen and "Stranger on the Shore" by Mr Acker Bilk were the singles from 1961 to reach their peak in 1962. Twenty-three artists scored multiple entries in the top 10 in 1962. Chubby Checker, The Four Seasons, Frank Ifield, Joe Brown and Tommy Roe were among the many artists who achieved their first UK charting top 10 single in 1962.
The 1961 Christmas number-one, "Moon River" by Danny Williams, remained at number one for the first two weeks of 1962. The first new number-one single of the year was "The Young Ones" by Cliff Richard and The Shadows. Overall, twelve different singles peaked at number-one in 1962, with Elvis Presley (4) having the most singles hit that position.
Background
Multiple entries
Ninety-two singles charted in the top 10 in 1962, with eighty-five singles reaching their peak this year. "When My Little Girl is Smiling" was recorded by Craig Douglas and Jimmy Justice and both versions reached the top 10.
Twenty-three artists scored multiple entries in the top 10 in 1962. The Shadows secured the record for most top 10 hits in 1962 with six hit singles, four of which were with Cliff Richard.
Frank Ifield was one of a number of artists with two top-ten entries, including the number-one single "I Remember You". Adam Faith, Bobby Darin, Duane Eddy, Karl Denver and Neil Sedaka were among the other artists who had multiple top 10 entries in 1962.
Chart debuts
Twenty-five artists achieved their first top 10 single in 1962, either as a lead or featured artist. Bernard Cribbins, Frank Ifield and Jimmy Justice all had one other entry in their breakthrough year.
The following table (collapsed on desktop site) does not include acts who had previously charted as part of a group and secured their first top 10 solo single.
- Notes
British vocal group The Tornados were Billy Fury's backing group from the start of this year until August 1963 but they did not receive specific credit for these recordings. Their first official chart credit was "Telstar" under their own name.
Songs from films
Original songs from various films entered the top 10 throughout the year. These included "The Young Ones" (from The Young Ones), "Rock-A-Hula Baby" and "Can't Help Falling in Love" (Blue Hawaii), "The Ballad of Paladin" (The Wild Westerners), "The Next Time" and "Bachelor Boy" (Summer Holiday).
Additionally, the original version of "Love Letters" was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Song after being used in the film of the same name (losing out to "It Might As Well Be Spring" from State Fair). "The Green Leaves of Summer" was also Academy Award-nominated, appearing in the 1960 film The Alamo, where it was performed by The Brothers Four.
Best-selling singles
Until 1970 there was no universally recognised year-end best-sellers list. However, in 2011 the Official Charts Company released a list of the best-selling single of each year in chart history from 1952 to date. According to the list, "I Remember You" by Frank Ifield is officially recorded as the biggest-selling single of 1962.
Top-ten singles
- Key
| Symbol | Meaning |
|---|---|
| ‡ | Single peaked in 1961 but still in chart in 1962. |
| ♦ | Single released in 1962 but peaked in 1963. |
| (#) | Year-end best-selling single. |
| Entered | The date that the single first appeared in the chart. |
| Peak | Highest position that the single reached in the UK Singles Chart. |
| Entered (week ending) |
Weeks in top 10 |
Single | Artist | Peak | Peak reached (week ending) |
Weeks at peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Singles in 1961 | ||||||
| 22 November 1961 | 7 | "Take Good Care of My Baby" ‡ | Bobby Vee | 3 | 20 December 1961 | 2 |
| 29 November 1961 | 7 | "Tower of Strength" ‡ | Frankie Vaughan | 1 | 13 December 1961 | 3 |
| 9 | "Moon River" | Danny Williams | 1 | 3 January 1962 | 2 | |
| 13 December 1961 | 9 | "Midnight in Moscow" | Kenny Ball & His Jazzmen | 2 | 10 January 1962 | 1 |
| 20 December 1961 | 3 | "My Friend the Sea" ‡ | Petula Clark | 7 | 27 December 1961 | 1 |
| 27 December 1961 | 5 | "Johnny Will" ‡ | Pat Boone | 4 | 27 December 1961 | 2 |
| 17 | "Stranger on the Shore" [A] | Mr. Acker Bilk | 2 | 17 January 1962 | 3 | |
| Singles in 1962 | ||||||
| 3 January 1962 | 6 | "Let There Be Drums" | Sandy Nelson | 3 | 10 January 1962 | 2 |
| 2 | "Toy Balloons" | Russ Conway | 7 | 3 January 1962 | 1 | |
| 8 | "Happy Birthday Sweet Sixteen" | Neil Sedaka | 3 | 31 January 1962 | 2 | |
| 10 January 1962 | 6 | "Multiplication" | Bobby Darin | 5 | 31 January 1962 | 1 |
| 9 | "I'd Never Find Another You" | Billy Fury | 5 | 17 January 1962 | 1 | |
| 17 January 1962 | 11 | "The Young Ones" | Cliff Richard & The Shadows | 1 | 17 January 1962 | 6 |
| 1 | "So Long, Baby" | Del Shannon | 10 | 17 January 1962 | 1 | |
| 24 January 1962 | 4 | "Run to Him" [B] | Bobby Vee | 6 | 21 February 1962 | 2 |
| 31 January 1962 | 8 | "Forget Me Not" | Eden Kane | 3 | 14 February 1962 | 2 |
| 8 | "Walk On By" | Leroy Van Dyke | 5 | 14 February 1962 | 3 | |
| 7 February 1962 | 9 | "Let's Twist Again" | Chubby Checker | 2 | 7 February 1962 | 2 |
| 14 February 1962 | 13 | "Rock-A-Hula Baby"/"Can't Help Falling in Love" | Elvis Presley | 1 | 28 February 1962 | 4 |
| 5 | "Crying in the Rain" | The Everly Brothers | 6 | 7 March 1962 | 1 | |
| 28 February 1962 | 8 | "Wimoweh" | Karl Denver | 4 | 14 March 1962 | 1 |
| 2 | "A Little Bitty Tear" | Burl Ives | 9 | 28 February 1962 | 2 | |
| 7 March 1962 | 5 | "March of the Siamese Children" | Kenny Ball & His Jazzmen | 4 | 28 March 1962 | 1 |
| 14 March 1962 | 9 | "Tell Me What He Said" | Helen Shapiro | 2 | 28 March 1962 | 3 |
| 14 | "Wonderful Land" | The Shadows | 1 | 28 March 1962 | 8 | |
| 28 March 1962 | 8 | "Dream Baby (How Long Must I Dream)" | Roy Orbison | 2 | 18 April 1962 | 2 |
| 1 | "The Wanderer" | Dion | 10 | 28 March 1962 | 1 | |
| 4 April 1962 | 3 | "The Hole in the Ground" | Bernard Cribbins | 9 | 4 April 1962 | 2 |
| 2 | "Softly, as I Leave You" | Matt Monro | 10 | 4 April 1962 | 2 | |
| 11 April 1962 | 4 | "Twistin' the Night Away" | Sam Cooke | 6 | 18 April 1962 | 1 |
| 8 | "Hey! Little Girl" | Del Shannon | 2 | 9 May 1962 | 1 | |
| 18 April 1962 | 6 | "Hey! Baby" | Bruce Channel | 2 | 2 May 1962 | 1 |
| 25 April 1962 | 1 | "Theme from Z-Cars" | Johnny Keating | 8 | 25 April 1962 | 1 |
| 4 | "Never Goodbye" | Karl Denver | 9 | 25 April 1962 | 2 | |
| 2 | "When My Little Girl is Smiling" | Craig Douglas | 9 | 2 May 1962 | 1 | |
| 2 May 1962 | 5 | "Speak to Me Pretty" | Brenda Lee | 3 | 16 May 1962 | 1 |
| 9 May 1962 | 9 | "Nut Rocker" | B. Bumble and the Stingers | 1 | 23 May 1962 | 1 |
| 16 May 1962 | 4 | "Love Letters" | Ketty Lester | 4 | 30 May 1962 | 1 |
| 1 | "Wonderful World of the Young" | Danny Williams | 8 | 16 May 1962 | 1 | |
| 1 | "The Party's Over" | Lonnie Donegan | 9 | 16 May 1962 | 1 | |
| 23 May 1962 | 11 | "Good Luck Charm" | Elvis Presley | 1 | 30 May 1962 | 5 |
| 10 | "I'm Looking out the Window"/"Do You Want to Dance" | Cliff Richard & The Shadows [C] | 2 | 6 June 1962 | 3 | |
| 6 | "As You Like It" | Adam Faith | 5 | 30 May 1962 | 3 | |
| 2 | "When My Little Girl is Smiling" | Jimmy Justice | 9 | 23 May 1962 | 2 | |
| 30 May 1962 | 9 | "Ginny Come Lately" | Brian Hyland | 5 | 27 June 1962 | 4 |
| 6 June 1962 | 5 | "Last Night Was Made for Love" | Billy Fury | 4 | 6 June 1962 | 1 |
| 11 | "Come Outside" | Mike Sarne with Wendy Richard | 1 | 4 July 1962 | 2 | |
| 4 | "I Don't Know Why" | Eden Kane | 7 | 20 June 1962 | 2 | |
| 13 June 1962 | 11 | "A Picture of You" | Joe Brown & the Bruvvers | 2 | 4 July 1962 | 2 |
| 20 June 1962 | 3 | "Green Leaves of Summer" [D] | Kenny Ball & His Jazzmen | 7 | 11 July 1962 | 1 |
| 4 July 1962 | 5 | "English Country Garden" [E] | Jimmie Rodgers | 5 | 25 July 1962 | 1 |
| 11 | "I Can't Stop Loving You" | Ray Charles | 1 | 18 July 1962 | 2 | |
| 11 July 1962 | 2 | "Ain't That Funny" | Jimmy Justice | 8 | 11 July 1962 | 1 |
| 1 | "Sharing You" | Bobby Vee | 10 | 11 July 1962 | 1 | |
| 18 July 1962 | 5 | "Here Comes That Feeling" | Brenda Lee | 5 | 1 August 1962 | 1 |
| 1 | "Yes, My Darling Daughter" | Eydie Gormé | 10 | 18 July 1962 | 1 | |
| 25 July 1962 | 14 | "I Remember You" (#1) | Frank Ifield | 1 | 1 August 1962 | 7 |
| 2 | "Our Favourite Melodies" | Craig Douglas | 9 | 25 July 1962 | 1 | |
| 1 August 1962 | 9 | "Speedy Gonzales" | Pat Boone | 2 | 15 August 1962 | 4 |
| 5 | "Don't Ever Change" | The Crickets | 5 | 8 August 1962 | 2 | |
| 8 August 1962 | 3 | "Little Miss Lonely" | Helen Shapiro | 8 | 8 August 1962 | 1 |
| 1 | "Right Said Fred" | Bernard Cribbins | 10 | 8 August 1962 | 1 | |
| 15 August 1962 | 7 | "Guitar Tango" | The Shadows | 4 | 22 August 1962 | 3 |
| 8 | "Things" | Bobby Darin | 2 | 12 September 1962 | 1 | |
| 22 August 1962 | 4 | "Once Upon a Dream" | Billy Fury | 7 | 22 August 1962 | 3 |
| 7 | "Roses Are Red (My Love)" | Ronnie Carroll | 3 | 19 September 1962 | 1 | |
| 29 August 1962 | 7 | "Sealed with a Kiss" | Brian Hyland | 3 | 12 September 1962 | 1 |
| 6 | "Breaking Up Is Hard to Do" | Neil Sedaka | 7 | 12 September 1962 | 2 | |
| 5 September 1962 | 1 | "Vacation" | Connie Francis | 10 | 5 September 1962 | 1 |
| 12 September 1962 | 9 | "She's Not You" | Elvis Presley | 1 | 19 September 1962 | 3 |
| 19 September 1962 | 6 | "It'll Be Me" | Cliff Richard & The Shadows | 2 | 3 October 1962 | 1 |
| 1 | "The Ballad of Paladin" | Duane Eddy | 10 | 19 September 1962 | 1 | |
| 26 September 1962 | 4 | "Don't That Beat All" | Adam Faith | 8 | 3 October 1962 | 1 |
| 3 October 1962 | 16 | "Telstar" [F] | The Tornados | 1 | 10 October 1962 | 5 |
| 8 | "Sheila" | Tommy Roe | 3 | 17 October 1962 | 2 | |
| 10 October 1962 | 9 | "The Loco-Motion" | Little Eva | 2 | 17 October 1962 | 3 |
| 6 | "It Might as Well Rain Until September" | Carole King | 3 | 24 October 1962 | 1 | |
| 3 | "You Don't Know Me" | Ray Charles | 9 | 10 October 1962 | 2 | |
| 17 October 1962 | 3 | "What Now My Love?" | Shirley Bassey | 5 | 24 October 1962 | 1 |
| 24 October 1962 | 5 | "Ramblin' Rose" | Nat King Cole | 5 | 31 October 1962 | 1 |
| 31 October 1962 | 6 | "Venus in Blue Jeans" | Mark Wynter | 4 | 7 November 1962 | 1 |
| 10 | "Let's Dance" [G] | Chris Montez | 2 | 7 November 1962 | 4 | |
| 9 | "The Swiss Maid" | Del Shannon | 2 | 5 December 1962 | 1 | |
| 7 November 1962 | 12 | "Lovesick Blues" | Frank Ifield | 1 | 14 November 1962 | 5 |
| 14 November 1962 | 4 | "Sherry" [H] | The Four Seasons | 8 | 28 November 1962 | 1 |
| 21 November 1962 | 9 | "Bobby's Girl" | Susan Maughan | 3 | 5 December 1962 | 1 |
| 28 November 1962 | 5 | "Devil Woman" | Marty Robbins | 5 | 5 December 1962 | 1 |
| 10 | "(Dance With The) Guitar Man" ♦ | Duane Eddy | 4 | 2 January 1963 | 2 | |
| 5 December 1962 | 8 | "Sun Arise" | Rolf Harris | 3 | 19 December 1962 | 1 |
| 12 December 1962 | 9 | "Return to Sender" | Elvis Presley | 1 | 19 December 1962 | 3 |
| 19 December 1962 | 11 | "The Next Time"/"Bachelor Boy" ♦ | Cliff Richard & The Shadows | 1 | 9 January 1963 | 3 |
| 26 December 1962 | 2 | "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" ♦ | Brenda Lee | 6 | 2 January 1963 | 1 |
Entries by artist
The following table shows artists who achieved two or more top 10 entries in 1962, including singles that reached their peak in 1961 or 1963. The figures include both main artists and featured artists. The total number of weeks an artist spent in the top ten in 1962 is also shown.
Notes
- a "Stranger on the Shore" re-entered the top 10 at number 8 on 21 March 1962 (week ending) for 5 weeks, at number 10 on 9 May 1962 (week ending) and at number 9 on 4 July 1962 (week ending) for 2 weeks.
- b "Run to Him" re-entered the top 10 at number 6 on 21 February 1962 (week ending) for 2 weeks.
- c The Shadows are only featured (along with Cliff Richard) on "Do You Want to Dance". The song was released as a double-A side single in the United Kingdom with "I'm Looking out the Window".
- d "Green Leaves of Summer" re-entered the top 10 at number 7 on 11 July 1962 (week ending).
- e "English Country Garden" re-entered the top 10 at number 8 on 18 July (week ending) for 4 weeks.
- f "Telstar" re-entered the top 10 at number 10 on 23 January 1963 (week ending).
- g "Let's Dance" re-entered the top 10 at number 10 on 2 January 1963 (week ending) for 2 weeks.
- h "Sherry" re-entered the top 10 at number 10 on 12 December 1962 (week ending).
- i Figure includes single that peaked in 1963.
- j Figure includes single that peaked in 1961.
- k Figure includes single that first charted in 1961 but peaked in 1962.
See also
References
General
- "Six decades of singles charts". The Official Charts Company. Archived from the original on 3 March 2011. Retrieved 18 January 2018.
Specific
- ^ "The Official UK Charts Company". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
- ^ Roberts, David (2005). Guinness World Records: British Hit Singles and Albums (18th edition). Guinness World Records Limited. p. 14. ISBN 1-904994-00-8.
- ^ "New singles formats to save the charts". BBC News. 16 October 2003. Retrieved 21 February 2010.
External links
- 1962 singles chart archive at the Official Charts Company (click on relevant week)
| UK singles | |||||
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| UK albums | |||||
| Genre charts |
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| Other charts |
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| Related | |||||
