UK Singles Chart Records and Statistics - Self Replacement at Number One

Self Replacement At Number One

It is extremely difficult for an act to replace itself at the top of the UK chart seeing as one single must be popular enough to last at the top until the next song is released, however releases can come quicker due to posthumous releases and re-issues marking certain occasions, including deaths of an act. No non-posthumous act has replaced itself on top of the UK charts with both songs at consecutive runs at the top, however this is not required to be classed as a self-replacement.

Since the inception of the UK Singles Chart in 1952 only three acts have replaced themselves at the top of the UK charts. These are in order of replacement:-

• The Beatles
• John Lennon
• Elvis Presley

Many UK chart books now add in numerous Cliff Richard singles and albums to The Shadows hits. This means that The Shadows replaced themselves at Number 1, in the UK Singles Chart once in 1960, and twice in 1963. They also replaced themselves at Number 1 in the UK Album Chart, in both 1961 and 1963. Also, The Official UK Charts Company gives The Shadows 8 UK Number 1 Albums – 4 as a Group, and 4 with Cliff Richard. It credits them with '40 Golden Greats', a 1977 Number 1 album – which all other sources credit only to Cliff Richard. The other sources give The Shadows 7 Number 1 UK albums – 4 alone, and 3 with Cliff.

In 1963, the Beatles became a phenomenon. They broke chart and sales records across the world and became the biggest selling group of all time and one of the top-selling music acts, based on both singles and albums sales. However, during this year, the Beatles had only just started receiving fame in the UK and were not a worldwide phenomenon. Nonetheless, it didn't stop their being a craze in the UK and breaking several records.

In week ending 14 September, the Beatles' 4th single, "She Loves You" became their 2nd #1 single, storming to the top of the charts. It remained there for 4 weeks and then fell from the top spot and began to decline down the charts. Amazingly, after a total of 7 weeks (becoming the longest gap between a song falling from the top and returning) "She Loves You" returned to the top of the UK charts for 2 weeks. It became the biggest selling single in the UK on its chart run of 29 weeks, selling over 1.89 million copies.

Since the Beatles had already planned to release "I Want To Hold Your Hand" for Christmas, on the week ending 4 December, the song was released and it overtook "She Loves You" at the top. They became the first act to replace themselves at the top of the charts and the only as of January 2005 to not be posthumous when replacing themselves at the top.

The death of ex-Beatle John Lennon shocked the world due to his iconic influence during the 60s and afterwards and with the addition of the cause for his death (he was shot), the impact of this moment was huger than ever. Although never being hugely successful chartwise as a solo artist, his death caused him to become the act to receive 3 chart toppers quicker than any other (having not had any previously). A week after he was shot dead in New York, "(Just Like) Starting Over" – a track from his comeback album Double Fantasy -topped the charts for 1 week (having previously only peaked at #8). It was deposed from #1 by a sentimental release for the Christmas market, "There's No-one Quite Like Grandma".

In the first chart of 1981, another Lennon re-issue, "Imagine" was on top. This topped the charts for 4 weeks and went onto sell 1.51 million copies and was replaced by another track from Double Fantasy, "Woman" which topped the charts for 2 weeks. It made Lennon the second act to replace themselves at the top of the UK charts and the first to do so posthumously.

A re-issue of Elvis' 18 #1 singles to celebrate his 70th birthday anniversary by RCA led Elvis to score more posthumous #1's after "A Little Less Conversation" hit the top in 2002. His first to be re-issued was "Jailhouse Rock", previously at #1 in 1958. The song became his first chart topper in 2005 and his second posthumous chart topper. The following week was the competition for the 1000th #1 single which he scored yet again when "One Night/I Got Stung", previously at #1 in 1959 hit the top. This is the only time that an artist has replaced himself at the top with both songs being at the top for just one week each. Elvis also became the second act to replace themselves at #1 posthumously.