The UK Singles Chart is one of many music charts compiled by the Official Charts Company that calculates the best-selling singles of the week in the United Kingdom. Since 2004 the chart has been based on the sales of both physical singles and digital downloads, with airplay figures excluded from the official chart. This list shows singles that peaked in the Top 10 of the UK Singles Chart during 2011, as well as singles which peaked in 2010 and 2012 but were in the top 10 in 2011. The entry date is when the song appeared in the top 10 for the first time (week ending, as published by the Official Charts Company, which is six days after the chart is announced).
One-hundred and thirty-eight singles were in the top ten in 2011. Twelve singles from 2010 remained in the top 10 for several weeks at the beginning of the year, "Good Feeling" by Flo Rida and "Paradise" by Coldplay were released in 2011 but did not reach their peak until 2012. "What's My Name?" by Rihanna featuring Drake and "Who's That Chick" by David Guetta featuring Rihanna were the singles from 2010 to reach their peak in 2011. Fifty-one artists scored multiple entries in the top 10 in 2011. Christina Perri, Ed Sheeran, Jessie J, Little Mix and Rizzle Kicks were among the many artists who achieved their first UK charting top 10 single in 2011.
According to figures released by the Official Charts Company, 2011 saw the biggest amount of single sales since 2004, with around 178 million singles being purchased.
The 2010 Christmas number-one, "When We Collide" by X Factor series 7 winner Matt Cardle, remained at number-one for the first two weeks of 2011. The first new number-one single of the year was "What's My Name?" by Rihanna featuring Drake. Overall, thirty-one different singles peaked at number-one in 2011, with Rihanna, Pitbull, Olly Murs, Example and Bruno Mars (2) having the joint most singles hit that position.
Background Multiple entries One-hundred and thirty-eight singles charted in the top 10 in 2011, with one-hundred and twenty-six singles reaching their peak this year.
Fifty-one artists scored multiple entries in the top 10 in 2011. Rihanna secured the record for most top 10 hits in 2011 with seven hit singles. Her total included the number-one singles "Only Girl (In the World)", What's My Name?" (featuring Drake) and "We Found Love" with Calvin Harris. "We Found Love" spent the longest time at number one in 2011, with six weeks on top of the charts. David Guetta's five top 10 singles included collaborations with Flo Rida and Nicki Minaj on "Where Them Girls At" and "Sweat" featuring Snoop Dogg. Jessie J and JLS both had four top ten singles in 2011.
Chart debuts Fifty-eight artists achieved their first top 10 single in 2011, either as a lead or featured artist. Of these, five went on to record another hit single that year: Avicii, Little Mix, Nero, Skylar Grey and Wiz Khalifa. Ed Sheeran, Rizzle Kicks and Wretch 32 all scored two more top 10 singles in 2011. Jessie J had three other entries in her breakthrough year.
The following table (collapsed on desktop site) does not include acts who had previously charted as part of a group and secured their first top 10 solo single. Artist Number of top 10s First entry Chart position Other entriesJessie J4"Do It like a Dude"2"Price Tag" (1), "Nobody's Perfect" (9), "Who You Are" (8)Diddy – Dirty Money1"Coming Home"4—Skylar Grey2"Traktor"4"I Need a Doctor" (8)Wretch 323"Unorthodox" (2), "Don't Go" (1)L Marshall1—Liam Bailey1"Blind Faith"5—DJ Frank E1"Tonight (I'm Lovin' You)"5—Wiz Khalifa2"Black and Yellow"5"5 O'Clock" (6)Parade1"Louder"10—Lauren Bennett1"Party Rock Anthem"1—GoonRockMann1"Buzzin'"6—Nero2"Guilt"8"Promises" (1)Aloe Blacc1"I Need a Dollar"2—Afrojack1"Give Me Everything"1—Nayer1—Alexandra Stan1"Mr. Saxobeat"3—Ed Sheeran3"The A Team"3"You Need Me, I Don't Need You" (4), "Lego House" (5)Vato Gonzalez1"Badman Riddim (Jump)"7—Foreign BeggarsDJ Fresh1"Louder"1—Sian EvansLoick Essien1"How We Roll"2—Tanya LaceyRizzle Kicks3"Down with the Trumpets"8"Heart Skips a Beat" (1), "When I Was a Youngster" (8)Christina Perri1"Jar of Hearts"4—Josh Kumra1"Don't Go"1—Cover Drive1"Lick Ya Down"9—Avicii2"Collide"4"Levels" (4)Damien Rice1"Cannonball"9—Sak Noel1"Loca People"1—Goo Goo Dolls1"Iris"3—Bad Meets Evil1"Lighters"10—Charlene Soraia1"Wherever You Will Go"3—Lana Del Rey1"Video Games"9—Pusha T1"What Do You Take Me For?"10—The WAV.s1"Down for Whatever"6—1"Wishing on a Star"1—2 ShoesAmelia LilyCraig ColtonFrankie CocozzaJames MichaelJanet DevlinJohnny RobinsonJonjo KerrKitty BrucknellLittle Mix2"Cannonball" (1)Marcus Collins1—Misha BNu VibeSami BrookesSophie HabibisMilitary Wives1"Wherever You Are"1—Gareth MaloneLou Monte1"Dominick the Donkey"3—Alex Day1"Forever Yours"4—
Notes Cher Lloyd, One Direction and Rebecca Ferguson all featured on The X Factor finalists number-one charity single, a cover of David Bowie's "Heroes", at the end of 2010 before all went on to make their top 10 debut this year in their own right. Cher Lloyd's "Swagger Jagger" and One Direction's "What Makes You Beautiful" both topped the chart, while Rebecca Ferguson's "Nothing's Real But Love" made number ten.
Diddy – Dirty Money was a duo which included Diddy (real name Sean Combs, variously known as P Diddy, Diddy or Puff Daddy). Kimberley Walsh found fame in the line-up of Girls Aloud, who were formed on the talent show Popstars: The Rivals in 2002. After years of number-one singles, she guested on "Like U Like" by Aggro Santos for her first credit under her own name.
Dappy had several top 10 singles with his group N-Dubz but 2011 saw him go it alone with two entries, including chart-topper "No Regrets" and collaboration "Spaceship" with Tinchy Stryder. Bad Meets Evil was formed by Eminem (whose haul of top 10 singles included 7 number-ones) and Royce da 5'9".
Songs from films Original songs from various films entered the top 10 throughout the year. These included "Iris" (from City of Angels, a re-entry due to the song's performance on The X Factor).
Best-selling singles Adele had the best-selling single of the year with "Someone Like You". The song spent nine weeks in the top 10 (including five weeks at number one), sold over 1.24 million copies and was certified 3× platinum by the BPI (July 2013). "Moves Like Jagger" by Maroon 5 featuring Christina Aguilera came in second place, selling more than 1.04 million copies and losing out by around 200,000 sales. LMFAO featuring Lauren Bennett & GoonRock's "Party Rock Anthem, "Price Tag" from Jessie J featuring B.o.B, and "We Found Love" by Rihanna featuring Calvin Harris made up the top five. Singles by Pitbull featuring Ne-Yo, Afrojack & Nayer, Bruno Mars, Ed Sheeran, Adele ("Rolling in the Deep") and Jennifer Lopez featuring Pitbull were also in the top ten best-selling singles of the year.
Top-ten singles Key SymbolMeaning‡Single peaked in 2010 but still in chart in 2011.♦Single released in 2011 but peaked in 2012.(#)Year-end top-ten single position and rankEnteredThe date that the single first appeared in the chart.PeakHighest position that the single reached in the UK Singles Chart.