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