The UK singles chart is the official record chart in the United Kingdom. Until 1983, it was compiled weekly by the British Market Research Bureau (BMRB) on behalf of the British record industry with a two-week break each Christmas. The BMRB used motorcycle couriers to collect the sales figures taken up to the close of trade on Saturday. This data was compiled on Monday and given to the BBC on Tuesday to be announced on BBC Radio 1 at lunchtime and later published in Music Week. On 4 January 1983, the chart was taken over by Gallup who expanded the chart from the Top 75 to the Top 100 and began the introduction of computerised tills, which automated the data collection process. The chart was based entirely on sales of physical singles from retail outlets and announced on Tuesday until October 1987, when the Top 40 was revealed each Sunday, due to the new automated process.
During the 1980s, there were a total of 191 singles that took the UK chart number 1 spot. In terms of number-one singles, Madonna was the most successful single act of the decade, as six of her singles reached the top spot. George Michael had significant involvement with eight number-one singles; with two number-one singles as a solo artist, four as a member of pop duo Wham!, one as a duet with Aretha Franklin and one as a member of charity supergroup Band Aid. The longest duration of a single at number one was nine weeks, achieved by Frankie Goes to Hollywood's "Two Tribes" in 1984.
The best-selling single of the decade was "Do They Know It's Christmas?" by Band Aid, selling more than 3.5 million copies, and passing "Mull of Kintyre" by Wings to become the best-selling single ever. "Do They Know It's Christmas?" is currently the second best-selling song after "Candle in the Wind 1997" by Elton John.
The 1980s saw the introduction of the cassette single (or "cassingle") alongside the 7-inch and 12-inch record formats and in 1987 major record labels developed a common format for the CD single. For the chart week ending 3 May 1989, chart regulations confined Kylie Minogue's song "Hand on Your Heart" to number two. Minogue would have reached number one if sales from cassette singles were included but they were sold for £1.99 – cheaper than was allowed at the time. Following the debacle the British Phonographic Industry reduced the minimum price for cassette singles to become eligible towards sales figures.
Number-one singles
+Key† Best-selling single of the year‡ Best-selling single of the decade
ArtistSingleRecord labelWeek ending dateWeeks atnumber one448 Pink Floyd"Another Brick in the Wall (Part II)" Harvest5449 Pretenders"Brass in Pocket" Real 2450 The Special A.K.A. 2 Tone2451 "Coward of the County" United Artists2452 Blondie"Atomic" Chrysalis2453 "Together We Are Beautiful" WEA1454 "Going Underground" / "Dreams of Children" Polydor3455 The Detroit Spinners"Working My Way Back to You – Forgive Me Girl" Atlantic2456 Blondie"Call Me" Chrysalis1457 Dexys Midnight Runners"Geno" Late Night Feelings 2458 "What's Another Year" Epic2459 "Theme from M*A*S*H (Suicide is Painless)" CBS3460 "Crying" EMI3461 and Electric Light Orchestra"Xanadu" Jet2462 Odyssey"Use It Up and Wear It Out" RCA2463 ABBA"" Epic2464 "Ashes to Ashes" RCA2465 "Start!" Polydor1466 "Feels Like I'm in Love" Calibre Plus 2467 "Don't Stand So Close to Me" † A&M4468 "Woman in Love" CBS3469 Blondie"" Chrysalis2470 ABBA"Super Trouper" Epic3471 "" Geffen1472 St Winifred's School Choir"There's No One Quite Like Grandma" MFP2473 "Imagine" Apple4474 "Woman"Geffen 2475 "Shaddap You Face" Epic3476 Roxy Music"Jealous Guy" E.G.2477 Shakin' Stevens "This Ole House" Epic3478 Bucks Fizz"Making Your Mind Up" RCA3479 "Stand and Deliver" CBS5480 "Being with You" Motown2481 "One Day In Your Life" Motown2482 "Ghost Town" 2 Tone3483 Shakin' Stevens"Green Door" Epic4484 Aneka"Japanese Boy" Hansa1485 Soft Cell"Tainted Love" Some Bizzare2486 "Prince Charming" CBS4487 with Barbara Gaskin"It's My Party" Stiff4488 "Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic" A&M1489 Queen and David Bowie"Under Pressure" EMI2490 "Begin the Beguine (Volver a Empezar)" CBS1491 "Don't You Want Me" † Virgin5492 Bucks Fizz"" RCA2493 Shakin' Stevens"Oh Julie" Epic1494 Kraftwerk "The Model""Computer Love" EMI1495 "Town Called Malice""Precious" Polydor3496 Tight Fit"" Jive3497 Goombay Dance Band"Seven Tears" Epic3498 Bucks Fizz"My Camera Never Lies" RCA1499 and Stevie Wonder "Ebony and Ivory" Parlophone3500 Nicole"" CBS2501 Madness"House of Fun" Stiff2502 "Goody Two Shoes" CBS2503 Charlene"I've Never Been to Me" Motown1504 Captain Sensible"Happy Talk" A&M2505 "Fame" RSO3506 Dexys Midnight Runners "Come On Eileen" † Mercury4507 Survivor"Eye of the Tiger" Scotti Bros.4508 Musical Youth"Pass the Dutchie" MCA3509 Culture Club"Do You Really Want to Hurt Me" Virgin3510 "I Don't Wanna Dance" Ice 3511 "Beat Surrender" Polydor2512 Renée and Renato"Save Your Love" Hollywood 4513 "You Can't Hurry Love" Virgin2514 Men at Work"Down Under" Epic3515 Kajagoogoo"Too Shy" EMI2516 "Billie Jean" Epic1517 "Total Eclipse of the Heart" CBS2518 Duran Duran"Is There Something I Should Know?" EMI2519 "Let's Dance" EMI America 3520 Spandau Ballet"True" Chrysalis4521 New Edition"Candy Girl" London1522 "Every Breath You Take" A&M4523 "Baby Jane" Warner Bros.3524 "Wherever I Lay My Hat (That's My Home)" CBS3525 KC and the Sunshine Band"Give It Up" Epic3526 UB40"Red Red Wine" DEP International3527 Culture Club"Karma Chameleon" † Virgin6528 "Uptown Girl" CBS5529 "Only You" 105530 "Pipes of Peace" Parlophone2531 Frankie Goes to Hollywood"Relax" ZTT5532 Nena"99 Red Balloons" Epic3533 "Hello" Motown6534 Duran Duran"" EMI4535 Wham!"Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go" Epic2536 Frankie Goes to Hollywood"Two Tribes"ZTT 9537 "Careless Whisper" Epic3538 "I Just Called to Say I Love You" Motown6539 Wham!"Freedom" Epic3540 "I Feel for You" Warner Bros.3541 "I Should Have Known Better" A&M1542 Frankie Goes to Hollywood""ZTT 1543 Band Aid"Do They Know It's Christmas?" ‡ Mercury5544 Foreigner "I Want to Know What Love Is" Atlantic3545 and Barbara Dickson"I Know Him So Well" RCA4546 Dead or Alive"You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)" Epic2547 and Phil Collins"Easy Lover" CBS4548 USA for Africa"We Are the World" CBS2549 "Move Closer" Carrere1550 "19" Chrysalis5551 "You'll Never Walk Alone" Spartan 2552 Sister Sledge"Frankie" Atlantic4553 Eurythmics"There Must Be an Angel (Playing with My Heart)" RCA1554 Madonna"Into the Groove" Sire4555 UB40 and Chrissie Hynde"I Got You Babe" DEP International1556 and Mick Jagger"Dancing in the Street" EMI America 4557 "If I Was" Chrysalis1558 "" † CBS5559 "" Virgin2560 Wham!"I'm Your Man" Epic2561 "Saving All My Love for You" Arista2562 Shakin' Stevens"Merry Christmas Everyone" Epic2563 Pet Shop Boys"West End Girls" Parlophone2564 "" Warner Bros.2565 "When the Going Gets Tough, the Tough Get Going" Jive4566 "Chain Reaction" Capitol3567 and the Young Ones featuring Hank Marvin"Living Doll" WEA3568 "" Epic3569 Falco"Rock Me Amadeus" A&M1570 Spitting Image"" Virgin3571 Doctor and the Medics"Spirit in the Sky" IRS3572 Wham!"" Epic2573 Madonna"Papa Don't Preach" Sire3574 "" A&M3575 "I Want to Wake Up with You" Revue 3576 with Sarah Jane Morris"Don't Leave Me This Way" † London4577 Madonna"True Blue" Sire1578 "Every Loser Wins" BBC3579 Berlin"Take My Breath Away" CBS4580 Europe"" Epic2581 "Caravan of Love" Go! Discs1582 "Reet Petite" SMP 4583 "Jack Your Body" DJ International2584 and George Michael"I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)" Epic2585 "Stand by Me" Atlantic3586 "Everything I Own" Virgin2587 Mel and Kim"Respectable" Supreme1588 Ferry Aid"Let It Be" CBS3589 Madonna"La Isla Bonita" Sire2590 Starship"Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now" Arista4591 "I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)" Arista2592 "Star Trekkin'" Bark 2593 Pet Shop Boys"It's a Sin" Parlophone3594 Madonna"Who's That Girl" Sire1595 Los Lobos"La Bamba" Slash2596 and Siedah Garrett"I Just Can't Stop Loving You" Epic2597 "Never Gonna Give You Up" † RCA5598 MARRS"Pump Up the Volume" 4AD2599 Bee Gees"You Win Again" Warner Bros.4600 T'Pau"China in Your Hand" Siren 5601 Pet Shop Boys"Always on My Mind" Parlophone4602 "Heaven Is a Place on Earth" Virgin2603 Tiffany"I Think We're Alone Now" MCA3604 "I Should Be So Lucky" PWL5605 Aswad"Don't Turn Around" CBS2606 Pet Shop Boys"Heart" Parlophone3607 S'Express"Theme from S'Express" Rhythm King2608 Fairground Attraction"Perfect" RCA1609 Wet Wet Wet / Billy Bragg and Cara Tivey "With a Little Help from My Friends" / "She's Leaving Home" Childline4610 "Doctorin' the Tardis" KLF Communications1611 Bros"I Owe You Nothing" CBS2612 "Nothing's Gonna Change My Love for You" London4613 Yazz and the Plastic Population"The Only Way Is Up" Big Life5614 "A Groovy Kind of Love" Virgin2615 "He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother" EMI2616 U2"Desire" Island1617 "One Moment in Time" Arista2618 Enya"Orinoco Flow" WEA3619 "First Time" Mercury3620 "Mistletoe and Wine" † EMI4621 Kylie Minogue and Jason Donovan"Especially for You" PWL3622 featuring Gene Pitney"Something's Gotten Hold of My Heart" EMI4623 Simple Minds"Belfast Child"Virgin2624 "Too Many Broken Hearts" PWL2625 Madonna"Like a Prayer" Sire3626 "Eternal Flame" CBS4627 "Hand on Your Heart" PWL1628 , Holly Johnson, Paul McCartney, Gerry Marsden and Stock Aitken Waterman"Ferry 'Cross the Mersey" PWL3629 "Sealed with a Kiss" PWL2630 Soul II Soul"Back to Life (However Do You Want Me)" Virgin4631 Sonia"You'll Never Stop Me Loving You" Chrysalis2632 Jive Bunny and the Mastermixers"Swing the Mood" Music Factory Dance 5633 Black Box"Ride on Time" † Deconstruction6634 Jive Bunny and the Mastermixers"That's What I Like" Music Factory Dance 3635 "All Around the World" Arista2636 New Kids on the Block"You Got It (The Right Stuff)" CBS3637 Jive Bunny and the Mastermixers"Let's Party" Music Factory Dance 1638 Band Aid II"Do They Know It's Christmas?" PWL3
By artist American entertainer Madonna was the most successful act of the decade in terms of number-one singles. She had six number ones: "Into the Groove" (1985); "Papa Don't Preach", "True Blue" (both 1986); "La Isla Bonita", "Who's That Girl" (both 1987); and "Like a Prayer" (1989). George Michael had significant involvement with seven number-one singles; he was also involved with Band Aid single "Do They Know It's Christmas?" but his contribution was less significant. He had two number-one singles as a solo artist, four as a member of pop duo Wham!, and one as a duet with Aretha Franklin. The following artists achieved three or more number-one hits during the 1980s. ArtistNumber onesWeeks atnumber oneMadonna614Pet Shop Boys412411Shakin' Stevens41049Wham!49Frankie Goes to Hollywood315Jive Bunny and the Mastermixers3939393838383737Bucks Fizz3636Blondie3535
Additionally, Adam Ant and Boy George each had one solo number one hit and two number one hits as lead singers of bands (Adam and the Ants and Culture Club, respectively) totalling three number one hits each.
By record label
The following record labels had five or more number ones on the UK singles chart during the 1980s.
Record labelNumber onesEpic23CBS19Virgin11EMI9RCA9A&M7Chrysalis7PWL7Parlophone6Sire6Arista5Motown5
Songs with the most weeks at number one The following songs spent at least five weeks at number one during the 1980s.
ArtistSongWeeks atnumber oneFrankie Goes to Hollywood "Two Tribes" 9Culture Club"Karma Chameleon"6Lionel Richie"Hello"Stevie Wonder"I Just Called to Say I Love You"Black Box"Ride on Time"Adam and the Ants"Stand and Deliver"5The Human League"Don't You Want Me"Billy Joel"Uptown Girl"The Flying Pickets"Only You"Frankie Goes to Hollywood"Relax"Band Aid"Do They Know It's Christmas?"Paul Hardcastle"19"Jennifer Rush"The Power of Love"Rick Astley"Never Gonna Give You Up"T'Pau"China in Your Hand"Kylie Minogue"I Should Be So Lucky"Yazz and the Plastic Population "The Only Way Is Up"Jive Bunny and the Mastermixers"Swing the Mood"
Million-selling and platinum records