The Nation's Favourite Number 1 Single (2012– ) User Reviews

The Nation's Favourite Number One Single

[jboothmillard · 8/10 · 26 July 2012]

I watched the documentary programmes celebrating the best songs of ABBA and Bee Gees, but this was a show I was really looking forward to, as I voted for ten of the songs in the list myself, and I was interested to see what order they would appear. Ever since 14th November 1952 we have had The Official UK Singles Charts, and 1,200 songs have topped the chart and gone to number one, the first ever being "Here in My Heart" – Al Martino, due to the high amount of sales, and in recent times downloads. To celebrate sixty years of the charts this programme counted down the sixty most popular songs that went to the top of the charts, all chosen for and decided by a panel of music experts and artists, but ultimately voted for by the public. The listed songs, with artists and years going to number one, are: "Bonkers" – Dizzee Rascal & Armand Van Helden (2009), "Hit Me with Your Rhythm Stick" – Ian Dury & the Blockheads (1979), "Merry Xmas Everybody" – Slade (1973), "Killing Me Softly with His Song" – Fugees (1996), "Dry Your Eyes" – The Streets (2004), "Firestarter" – The Prodigy (1997), "I'm Not in Love" – 10cc (1975), "Gangsta's Paradise" – Coolio feat. L.V. (1995), "Should I Stay or Should Go" – The Clash (1982, no. 1 in 1991), "The Drugs Don't Work" – The Verve (1997), "I Believe I Can Fly" – R. Kelly (1997), "Stand By Me" – Ben E. King (1961, no. 1 in 1987), "Relax" – Frankie Goes to Hollywood (1984), "The House of the Rising Sun" – The Animals (1964), "Crazy" – Gnarls Barkley (2006), "I Want To Hold Your Hand" – The Beatles (1963), "Stan" – Eminem feat. Dido (2000), "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'" – The Righteous Brothers (1964), "Maggie May" – Rod Stewart (1971), "Stand and Deliver" – Adam and the Ants (1981), "Jailhouse Rock" – Elvis Presley (1958 & 2005), "Going Underground" – The Jam (1980), "West End Girls" – Pet Shop Boys (1986), "Good Vibrations" – The Beach Boys (1966), "I Will Survive" – Gloria Gaynor (1978), "Nothing Compares 2 U" – Sinéad O'Connor (1990), "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" – The Rolling Stones (1965), "Umbrella" – Rihanna feat. Jay-Z (2007), "PokerFace" – Lady Gaga (2009), You Really Got Me" – The Kinks (1964), "Vogue" – Madonna (1990), "What a Wonderful World" – Louis Armstrong (1968), "The Winner Takes It All" – ABBA (1980), "A Whiter Shade of Pale" – Procol Harum (1967), "Candle in the Wind" – Elton John (Goodbye England's Rose)" (1997), "Every Breath You Take" – The Police (1983), "Crazy in Love" – Beyoncé feat. Jay-Z (2003), "Careless Whisper" – George Michael (1984), "Wuthering Heights" – Kate Bush (1978), "Do They Know It's Christmas?" – Band Aid (1984), "Heart of Glass" – Blondie (1979), "Tainted Love" – Soft Cell (1981), "Wannabe" – Spice Girls (1996), "Like a Prayer" – Madonna (1989), "Ashes to Ashes" – David Bowie (1980), "(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" – Bryan Adams (1991) (holds the record for longest consecutive number one, sixteen weeks), "Bridge over Troubled Water" – Simon & Garfunkel (1979), "Don't You Want Me" – The Human League (1981), "Back for Good" – Take That, "Can't Get You Out of Head" – Kylie Minogue (2001), "I Will Always Love You" – Whitney Houston (1992), "Dancing Queen" – ABBA (1976), "Baby One More Time" – Britney Spears (1999), "Imagine" – John Lennon (1971, no. 1 1981), "Hey Jude" – The Beatles (1968), "Don't Look Back in Anger" – Oasis (1996), "Someone Like You" – Adele (2011), "Billie Jean" – Michael Jackson (1983), and the fantastic number one was "Bohemian Rhapsody" – Queen (1975 & 1991). Other number ones mentioned were "Coz I Luv U" – Slade (1971), "Cum On Feel the Noize" – Slade (1973), "Pray" – Take Take (1993), "Some Might Say" – Oasis (1995), "I Should Be So Lucky" – Kylie Minogue (1988), "Hallelujah" – Alexandra Burke (2008), "Read All About It" – Professor Green feat. Emeli Sandé (2011), "Three Lions" – Baddiel, Skinner & The Lightning Seeds (1996), "Never Ever" – All Saints (1998), "Dizzy" – Vic Reeves & The Wonder Stuff (1991), "MMMBop" – Hanson (1997), "Pump Up the Volume" – M/A/R/R/S (1987), "Forever and Ever" – Slik (1976), "You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)" – Dead or Alive (1985), "Price Tag" – Jessie J feat. B.O.B. (2011), "Bleeding Love" – Leona Lewis (2007), "Any Dream Will Do" – Jason Donovan (1991), "Spinning Around" – Kylie Minogue (2000), "Message in a Bottle" – The Police (1979), "Whole Again" – Atomic Kitten (2001), "Killer Queen" – Queen (1974), "All Around the World" – Lisa Stansfield (1989) and "Space Oddity" – David Bowie (1975). Presented by Fearne Cotton, narrated by Mark Radcliffe, with contributions from Soft Cell's Marc Almond, Adam Ant, Gary Barlow, The Lightning Seeds' Ian Broudie, Sugababes' Keisha Buchanan, The Animals' Eric Burdon, Alexandra Burke, Nicki Chapman, Melanie 'Mel C'/'Sporty Spice' Chisholm, The Police's Stewart Copeland, The Kinks' Dave Davies, Clive Davis, Jason Donovan, Noel Gallagher, Paul Gambaccini, Gloria Gaynor, Cee Lo Green, Professor Green, 10cc's Graham Gouldman, Blondie's Debbie Harry, Slade's Noddy Holder, The Human League (Philip Oakey, Susan Ann Sulley, Joanne Catherall), Engelbert Humperdinck, The Blockheads' Chaz Jankel, Frankie Goes to Hollywood's Holly Johnson, Ben E. King, Beverley Knight, L.V., All Saints' Shaznay Lewis, Zane Lowe, ABBA's Anni-Frid Lyngstad, Atomic Kitten's Liz McClarnon, Queen's Brian May, The Righteous Brothers' Bill Medley, Katie Melua, Kylie Minogue, Trevor Nelson, Vic Reeves, Five's Scott Robinson, Rod Stewart, Lisa Stansfield, Tinchy Stryder, The Police's Andy Summers, Queen's Roger Taylor, ABBA's Björn Ulvaeus, Midge Ure, Armand Van Helden, Tinie Tempah, Pet Shop Boys' Neil Tennant, Pete Waterman, The Beach Boys' Brian Wilson and Reggie Yates. Very good!