The Self Indulgent Friday Playlist – Every Christmas No.1 Since 1950
A kind of halfway house here between the Billboard Hot 100 post we did a while back and a Christmas playlist (since it’s still a bit too early): this is everything that was at number one in the UK charts on the 25th of December every year since 1950, which is pretty much (-+ 2) when the charts began. Interesting for the changing styles and for freakish little things like the fact that the Spice Girls had 3 consecutive number ones, the last 4 years have all had an X-Factor winner take the Christmas cake, Queen have had two wins with the same song (Bohemian Rhapsody)… Here’s the Spotify playlist [with some replacements where things aren't live].
1950 Gene Autry • Bing Crosby - Rudoph The Red-Nosed Reindeer
1951 Teddy Johnson • Teresa Brewer - Longing For You
1952 Al Martino - Here In My Heart
1953 Frankie Laine - Answer Me
1954 Winifred Atwell - Let’s Have Another Party
1955 Dickie Valentine - Christmas Alphabet
1956 Johnnie Ray - Just Walkin’ In The Rain
1957 Harry Belafonte - Mary’s Boy Child
1958 Conway Twitty - It’s Only Make Believe
1959 Emile Ford & The Checkmates - What Do You Want To Make Those Eyes At Me For
1960 Cliff Richard & The Shadows - I Love You
1961 Danny Williams - Moon River
1962 Elvis Presley - Return To Sender
1963 The Beatles - I Want To Hold Your Hand
1964 The Beatles - I Feel Fine
1965 The Beatles - Day Tripper / We Can Work It Out
1966 Tom Jones - The Green Grass Of Home
1967 The Beatles - Hello Goodbye
1968 Scaffold - Lily The Pink
1969 Rolf Harris - Two Little Boys
1970 Dave Edmunds - I Hear You Knockin’
1971 Benny Hill - Ernie (The Fastest Milkman In The West)
1972 Little Jimmy Osmond - Long Haired Lover From Liverpool
1973 Slade - Merry Xmas Everybody
1974 Mud - Lonely This Christmas
1975 Queen - Bohemian Rhapsody
1976 Johnny Mathis - When A Child Is Born (Soleado)
1977 Wings - Mull Of Kintyre / Girls’ School
1978 Boney M - Mary’s Boy Child-Oh My Lord
1979 Pink Floyd - Another Brick In The Wall
1980 St Winifred’s School Choir - There’s No One Quite Like Grandma
1981 The Human League - Don’t You Want Me
1982 Renee & Renato - Save Your Love
1983 The Flying Pickets - Only You
1984 Band Aid - Do They Know It’s Christmas?
1985 Shakin’ Stevens - Merry Christmas Everyone
1986 Jackie Wilson - Reet Petite
1987 The Pet Shop Boys - Always On My Mind
1988 Cliff Richard - Mistletoe & Wine
1989 Band Aid II - Do They Know It’s Christmas?
1990 Cliff Richard - Saviours’ Day
1991 Queen - Bohemian Rhapsody / These Are The Days Of Our Lives
1992 Whitney Houston - I Will Always Love You
1993 Mr Blobby - Mr Blobby
1994 East 17 - Stay Another Day
1995 Michael Jackson - Earth Song
1996 Spice Girls - 2 Become 1
1997 Spice Girls - Too Much
1998 Spice Girls - Goodbye
1999 Westlife - I Have A Dream / Seasons In The Sun
2000 Bob The Builder - Can We Fix It?
2001 Robbie Williams & Nicole Kidman - Somethin’ Stupid
2002 Girls Aloud - Sound Of The Underground
2003 Michael Andrews feat Gary Jules - Mad World
2004 Band Aid 20 - Do They Know It’s Christmas?
2005 Shayne Ward - That’s My Goal
2006 Leona Lewis - A Moment Like This
2007 Leon Jackson - When You Believe
2008 Alexandra Burke - Hallelujah
