Chart Performance
Longest Time Spent on The Top 40 by a Track:
75 weeks by Frank Sinatra's "My Way" between April
1969 and Sep 1971. It has spent a further 49 weeks in the
Top 75 and never bettered the number 5 slot achieved
upon its first chart run.
Judy Collins' "Amazing Grace" holds the record for the
single with most weeks on the chart for a female artist (42
weeks).
Frankie Goes To Hollywood's "Relax" has most weeks
on the Top 40 for a track by a group (42 weeks).
Longest Continuous Run in The Top 40 by a Track:
37 weeks. This record is shared by Frankie Goes To
Hollywood's "Relax" (1983/4) and Nickelback's
"Rockstar" (2007/8).
Hit For Most Artists
Two tracks have become Top 40 hits for seven separate
artists:
"Unchained Melody" for Jimmy Young, Al Hibbler, Les
Baxter, Liberace (all in 1955). Righteous Brothers (1965
and 1990), Robson & Jerome (1995) and Gareth Gates
(2002).
"Everlasting Love" for Love Affair (1968), Robert Knight
(1968 and 1974), Rex Smith & Rachel Sweet (1981),
Worlds Apart (1993), Gloria Estefan (1995), The Cast From
Casualty (1998) and Jamie Cullum (2004).
Biggest Jump
The biggest jump within the Top 40 was by Pink's "So
What", leaping from no. 38 (only two days worth of
downloads contributed to that postion due to an
unconventional release date to the online stores) to no. 1
(w/e 11th Oct 2008). No record could match that leap in the
chart's 56 year history. The previous record had been
held by Embrace's single "World At Your Feet" which
jumped from number 38 to number 3 in June 2006 (35
places). It resulted from the single being available purely
as a download one week (at no. 38) to a 'full' release (on
CD) the following week, which also coincided with the start
of the World Cup (the single was the official England song
for Germany 2006).
The biggest leap by a song appearing in precisely the
same format(s) in successive charts is a 34 places for
"You Drive Me Crazy" by Shakin' Stevens (no. 39 to no. 5
in May 1981).
Biggest jump within the Top 75 was "Come With Me" by
Puff Daddy featuring Jimmy Page which leapt from no. 75
to no. 2 in Aug 1998, though this involved the conversion
from imported copies to British releases.
The biggest 'authentic' jump within the Top 75 was by
Steps in Jan 2001. Some stores mistakingly releasing the
single a day early and it sold sufficient copies to make no.
72 in the chart. The following week it was released fully
and rose to no. 2.
Shortest Chart Stay For A Number One, Two, Top Ten Hit
The shortest stay in the Top 40 by a chart-topper is just
three weeks. It has happened on two occasions:
In 1997, Blur's "Beetlebum" entered the chart at the top
spot. In its second week it dropped to number 7. It then
descended to number 29 before vanishing altogether.
In 2005, a commemorative limited re-issue of Elvis
Presley's "It's Now Or Never" entered the chart at no. 1,
spending a single week there before falling to no. 14, and
then to 27 before leaving the chart. (The track had, though,
previously spent 19 weeks in the Top 40 in 1960/1977.)
Initially, Elvis Presley's 2005 re-issue of "Jailhouse Rock"
(a limited edition of, supposedly, 27,500 copies) spent just
two weeks inside the Top 40. After a single week at the
top, it fell to number 10 before disappearing out of the Top
40 altogether. This, momentarily, set a new record for the
shortest chart stay for a no. 1 (2 weeks) but the record
company gave in to public pressure though, making extra
copies available to satisfy the demand of disgruntled
fans. The single consequently returned to the Top 40 as a
re-entry a fortnight later. (Of course, this track had also
previously spent 22 weeks inside the chart in its original
form.)
Nine records tie for the shortest stay in the Top 40 for a
track peaking at no. 2.
Two of them are by The Manic Street Preachers. In
October 2004 their single "The Love Of Richard Nixon"
entered the chart at no. 2. The following week it tumbled to
no. 22 and then vanished. Then, in Jan 2005, they entered
the chart at no. 2 with "Empty Souls." The following week, it
dipped to no. 26, exiting the Top 40 the following week.
In 1992, Shut Up And Dance's single "Raving I'm Raving"
was abruptly deleted following complaints from Marc
Cohn who objected to the fact that his "Walking In
Memphis" track had, without his consent, been turned into
a rave anthem! It, thus, had a chart run of just two weeks
(no.2, no.15, out)
Elvis Presley's 2005 limited edition re-issue of "Wooden
Heart" entered the chart at no. 2, falling to no. 24 the
following week before dropping out of the top 40
altogether (though it had previously spent 22 weeks in the
Top 40 in 1961). Within a matter of weeks, Elvis' "(You're
The) Devil In Disguise (re-issue)" entered at no. 2,
immediately falling to no 26 before departing the top 40 (it
had spent 11 weeks inside the Top 40 in 1963). Soon after
this, Elvis' "Crying In The Chapel (re-issue)" entered at no.
2, immediately falling to no 33 and then out (it had 14
weeks inside the Top 40 in 1965). Shortly afterwards,
"Way Down (re-issue)" entered at no.2 falling, the following
week, to number 30 and then out (though it has 11 weeks in
the Top 40 in 1977).
Cliff Richard's seasonal number 2, "21st Century
Christmas / Move It" exited the Top 40 naturally after a run
of just two weeks, entering at no.2 before descending to
no. 7 and out.
The most recent example is McFly's "One For The Radio"
which entered at no. 2 in July 2008 before falling to no. 21
and then out.
Five tracks have spent a single week in the Top 10 before
dropping out of the 40 altogether;
The Pet Shop Boys - "A Red Letter Day" (no. 9, 1997)
Embrace - "My Weakness Is None Of Your Business" (no.
9, 1998)
The Wedding Present - "Come Play With Me" (no. 10,
1992)
The Manic Street Preachers - Autumnsong (no. 10, 2007)
Wet Wet Wet - Weightless (no. 10, 2008).
Biggest Fall Inside The Top 40
In spring 2005, the commemorative series of limited
edition singles released in honour of what would have
been Elvis Presley's 70th birthday produced some
unusually large chart falls. In March 2005, the re-issue of
Elvis Presley's "She's Not You" entered the chart at no. 3.
before following the following week to no. 36; a record-
breaking 33 place tumble. This precise scenario was
repeated (as part of the same series of re-issues) by "A
Lttle Less Conversation" (as Elvis vs JXL) in May 2005.
Other 'magnificient' falls by the 2005 re-issued Elvis titles
incuded a 32 place drop ("Return To Sender"" no. 5 to no.
37) and a 31 place decline for "Crying In The Chapel" (no.
2 to no. 33).
Prior to the series of Elvis releases, The Doves single
"There Goes The Fear" held this record. It was deleted
after its first day on sale. Consequently, having entered the
chart at number 3, it fell to no. 34 the following week,
matching Eddie's Holman's 27 year-old record for a 31-
place fall ["(Hey There) Lonely Girl" fell from no. 7 to no. 38
in 1974.]
Greatest Drop Out Of The Top 40
The highest position from which a song has dropped out
of the Top 40 entirely is no. 5. This happened in 2006 when
"Crazy" by Gnarls Barkley was deleted by its record
company whilst at number one. A new chart rule at the time
stipulated that a track was permitted two weeks in the chart
after deletion before being excluded. "Crazy" dropped
from 1 to 2 to 5 (with a few copies still in the shop plus
download sales) before its exclusion (its sales were
sufficient for the track to remain in the Top 10 the following
week and for a more graceful retreat all round had it not
been excluded). Indeed, following a further change in chart
legislation the track was re admitted to the Top 40 in Jan
2007.
The highest position from which a song has 'naturally'
dropped out of the Top 40 entirely is no. 7. This happened
to Cliff Richard for the double A-sided "21st Century
Christmas / Move It" (w/e 6th Jan 2007.) [In fact, the song
should have fallen from no. 6 if the chart rules in place at
the time had been applied to the letter as "Fairytale Of
New York" was no. 6 but was technically ineligible as the
most recent physical format had been over 12 months
previously. The rules were bent so as not to make a
mockery of the chart.]
Prior to this, the highest 'exit' position had been number 9 -
on four occasions: Connie Stevens' "Sixteen Reasons "
(1960); David Bowie & Bing Crosby's "Peace On
Earth/Little Drummer Boy" (1983); Pet Shop Boys' "A Red
Letter Day" (1997); Embrace's "My Weakness Is None Of
Your Business" (1998). A drop-out of the same magnitude
occurred with Simon and Garfunkel's "Mrs Robinson" EP
(1969) but the latter was due to the implementation of a
decision to exclude EPs from the singles chart.
Back in 1953, before the chart's expansion to a Top 40,
Diana Decker's "Poppa Piccolino" fell out of the chart
entirely from the no. 2 position (though the third best-seller
as there was a joint no. 1). However, the chart was only a
top 12 in those days so this is a less sensational exit.
Furthermore, the record re-entered at no. 5 the week after
dropping out - thus suggesting that it was not far outside
the top 12 during its week of absence.
Most Weeks On The Top 40 Without Making The Top 10
Between 19th Jan 1961 and 21st Sep 1961, "A Scottish
Soldier (Green Hills Of Tyrol)" by Andy Stewart with The
Michael Sammes Singers spent 36 weeks on the Top 40
and did not progress above number 19. Even more
impressively, this was achieved in a single chart run (ie.
no re-entries).
Nearest 'Miss'
A 2005 12" re-issue of Faithless' "Insomnia" (which due to
chart rules was considered a completely separate entry to
both the previous releases) managed 19 weeks in the top
75 without ever getting any higher than number 48.
In terms of an 'original' recording (ie. not a re-issue) the
record is held by Ken Barrie's theme tune to the TV
programme "Postman Pat." It had three separate chart
runs peaking at 44, 54 and 59 respectively, spending a
total of 15 weeks in the Top 75.
(Close contender to this crown was Evelyn Champagne
King who spent 23 weeks on the chart but managed to
climb as high as number 39, thereby just missing out on
this accolade).
Making The Top 40 Without UK Release
When a potentially very popular single is on sale
elsewhere in the world but is unavailable in the UK, astute
distribution companies will sometimes import copies to
partially fulfil customer demand. Besieged record shops
are more than happy to sell these prior to the official UK
release. The single may, therefore, sell in sufficient
quantities to enter the chart on import sales alone. On five
occasions in the history of the chart, the British public have
been so eager to own a particular title that they have been
prepared to pay the inflated import price and propel the
single into the Top 40 without its official UK release:
Cliff Richard and the Shadows - "Gee Whiz It’s You"
(made no. 4 in 1961. The single, intended purely for
overseas markets, was exported in large quantities.
Shrewd record retailers imported copies back into UK to
satiate frustrated Cliff fans.)
The Jam - "That's Entertainment" (made no. 21 on import
in 1981. It subsequently went to no. 60 and no. 57 on two
domestic releases in 1983 and 1991 respectively).
Lou Bega - "Mambo No 5" (no. 31 on import; no. 1 when
released domestically - both in 1999).
Eiffel 65 - "Blue (Da Be Dee)" (no. 39 on import; no. 1 when
released domestically - both in 1999).
Shaggy featuring Rikrok - "It Wasn't Me" (no. 31 on import;
no. 1 when released domestically - both in 2001).
MC Jig - "Cha Cha Slide" (no. 37 on import; no. 33 when
domestically released - both in 2004).
