Reaching #1 – British Style
Prince William and Duchess Kate gave Britain a new monarch this week – George Alexander Louis, formally known as His Royal Highness Prince George of Cambridge.
The new royal baby, third in line to the throne after his dad and grandpa, will someday make it to #1 when he assumes the role of King. However, there are countless British musicians who’ve already made it to #1 – with #1 hit songs, that is!
Check out the British music royalty who reached #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the US (established 1958) and stayed in that position for five weeks or more. The list below shows the date, song, artist(s), and the number of weeks the song stayed in the #1 position.
- February 1964 – “I Want to Hold Your Hand” – The Beatles – 7 weeks
- April 1964 – “Can’t Buy Me Love” – The Beatles – 5 weeks
- October 1967 – “To Sir With Love” – Lulu – 5 weeks
- September 1968 – “Hey Jude” – The Beatles – 9 weeks
- May 1969 – “Get Back” – The Beatles – 5 weeks
- October 1971 – “Maggie May/Reason to Believe” – Rod Stewart – 5 weeks
- May 1976 – “Silly Love Songs” – Paul McCartney & Wings
- November 1976 – “Tonight’s the Night” – Rod Stewart – 8 weeks
- March 1978 – “Night Fever” – The Bee Gees – 8 weeks
- June 1978 – “Shadow Dancing” – Andy Gibb – 7 weeks
- December 1980 – “(Just Like) Starting Over” – John Lennon – 5 weeks
- May 1982 – “Ebony and Ivory” – Paul McCartney/Stevie Wonder – 7 weeks
- July 1983 – “Every Breath You Take” – The Police – 8 weeks
- December 1983 – “Say Say Say” – Paul McCartney/Michael Jackson – 6 weeks
- July 1993 – “Can’t Help Falling in Love” – UB40 – 7 weeks
- October 1997 – “Candle in the Wind 1997” – Elton John – 14 weeks
- May 2011 – “Rolling in the Deep” – Adele – 7 weeks
- July 2011 – “Party Rock Anthem” – LMFAO – 6 weeks
- September 2011 – “Someone Like You” – Adele – 5 weeks
Additional British artists who came up just shy of our list with one or more hits that lasted for four weeks in the #1 spot include The Rolling Stones, George Harrison, Bonnie Tyler, Queen, George Michael, Pink Floyd, Steve Winwood, The Spice Girls, Phil Collins, and Leona Lewis.
Britain certainly has produced some amazing artists. Let’s not forget about these other singers, songwriters, and musicians who came from “across the pond,” all of whom could arguably be considered British music royalty – Peter Frampton, Black Sabbath, Annie Lennox, Seal, Robert Palmer, The Who, Andrew Lloyd Webber, Joe Cocker, The Kinks, Amy Winehouse, Herman’s Hermits, David Bowie, Duran Duran, Petula Clark, Cat Stevens, Led Zeppelin, Joss Stone, Eric Clapton, Sting, Boy George, Radiohead, Ozzy Osbourne, Mumford & Sons, and others … and who knows, maybe someday George Alexander Louis, His Royal Highness Prince George of Cambridge!