Acts with the most Number 1 singles in Ireland

For most, bagging just one Number 1 single can be an almighty feat, but for others, it just seems to come naturally. 

Since the Irish Singles Chart's inception in 1962, acts across a range of decades and genres have hogged the top spot on the multiple occasions. Let's take a look.

U2 - 21

Way out in front with the most chart-toppers in Ireland are U2, who have racked up an eye-popping 21 Number 1s to date, starting with The Unforgettable Fire in 1985, the title track from their fourth studio album that was inspired by an art exhibition by victims of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki that was held at The Peace Museum in Chicago.

After that, the band were often a shoo-in for Number 1 until their most recent, 2009's Get On Your Boots, from their No Line On The Horizon album. One of their most successful singles is Beautiful Day, which spent three weeks at the top in 2000. 

U2's 19 Number 1 singles in Ireland

TITLE	ARTIST	YEAR
THE UNFORGETTABLE ONE	U2	1985
WITH OR WITHOUT YOU	U2	1987
I STILL HAVEN'T FOUND WHAT I'M LOOKING FOR	U2	1987
WHERE THE STREETS HAVE NO NAME	U2	1987
DESIRE	U2	1988
WHEN LOVE COMES TO TOWN	U2 FT BB KING	1989
ALL I WANT IS YOU	U2	1989
THE FLY	U2	1991
MYSTERIOUS WAYS	U2	1991
ONE	U2	1992
STAY (FARAWAY, SO CLOSE!)	U2	1993
HOLD ME, THRILL ME, KISS ME, KILL ME	U2	1995
DISCOTHEQUE	U2	1997
SWEETEST THING	U2	1998
BEAUTIFUL DAY	U2	2000
STUCK IN A MOMENT YOU CAN'T GET OUT OF	U2	2001
ELEVATION	U2	2001
VERTIGO	U2	2004
THE SAINTS ARE COMING	U2 & GREEN DAY	2006
THE BALLAD OF RONNIE DREW	U2, THE DUBLINERS, KILA & A BAND OF BOWSIES	2008
GET ON YOUR BOOTS	U2	2009

©2020 IRMA/Official Charts Company. All rights reserved.

The Beatles - 13

The Fab Four scored multiple Number 1s across the world, and Ireland was no exception. Kicking off with 1963's From Me To You, the band managed to take 13 singles to the top; their last being The Ballad Of John and Yoko, which went straight in at Number 1 in June 1969. 

The Beatles 13 Number 1 singles in Ireland

TITLE	ARTIST	YEAR
FROM ME TO YOU	BEATLES	1963
CAN'T BUY ME LOVE	BEATLES	1964
HARD DAY'S NIGHT	BEATLES	1964
I FEEL FINE	BEATLES	1964
TICKET TO RIDE	BEATLES	1965
HELP!	BEATLES	1965
DAY TRIPPER/WE CAN WORK IT OUT	BEATLES	1965
PAPERBACK WRITER	BEATLES	1966
YELLOW SUBMARINE	BEATLES	1966
ALL YOU NEED IS LOVE	BEATLES	1967
HEY JUDE	BEATLES	1968
GET BACK	BEATLES	1969
BALLAD OF JOHN AND YOKO	BEATLES	1969

©2020 IRMA/Official Charts Company. All rights reserved.

Westlife - 13

Matching The Beatles' run are Westlife, who between 1999 and 2006 were an unstoppable force on the charts. Their debut single, Swear It Again, spent five weeks at the summit, while 2001's Uptown Girl and 2005's You Raise Me Up each logged six weeks at Number 1. Just over the pond in England, the band managed an extra chart-topper - World Of Our Own was a Number 1 but topped out at 3 in Ireland. 

Westlife's 13 Number 1 singles in Ireland 

TITLE	ARTIST	YEAR
SWEAR IT AGAIN	WESTLIFE	1999
IF I LET YOU GO	WESTLIFE	1999
FLYING WITHOUT WINGS	WESTLIFE	1999
I HAVE A DREAM/SEASONS IN THE SUN	WESTLIFE	1999
AGAINST ALL ODDS	WESTLIFE	2000
MY LOVE	WESTLIFE	2000
UPTOWN GIRL	WESTLIFE	2001
QUEEN OF MY HEART	WESTLIFE	2001
UNBREAKABLE	WESTLIFE	2001
TONIGHT	WESTLIFE	2003
MANDY	WESTLIFE	2003
YOU RAISE ME UP	WESTLIFE	2005
THE ROSE	WESTLIFE	2006

©2020 IRMA/Official Charts Company. All rights reserved.

ABBA - 12

ABBA have scored a mammoth 12 Number 1s in Ireland, compared with nine in the UK. The first was their Eurovision winner Waterloo in 1974, while singles Summer Night City (a Number 5 hit in the UK), Chiquitita (a Number 2 hit) and Gimme Gimme Gimme (Number 3) all took pole position on the Irish Chart. 

ABBA's 12 Number 1 singles in Ireland 

TITLE	ARTIST	YEAR
WATERLOO	ABBA	1974
MAMMA MIA	ABBA	1976
FERNANDO	ABBA	1976
DANCING QUEEN	ABBA	1977
KNOWING ME, KNOWING YOU	ABBA	1977
TAKE A CHANCE ON ME	ABBA	1978
SUMMER NIGHT CITY	ABBA	1978
CHIQUITITA	ABBA	1979
GIMME GIMME GIMME	ABBA	1979
THE WINNER TAKES IT ALL	ABBA	1980
SUPER TROUPER	ABBA	1980
ONE OF US	ABBA	1981

©2020 IRMA/Official Charts Company. All rights reserved.

Cliff Richard - 9

Sir Cliff first arrived on the scene with The Drifters in 1958 - four years before the Irish Chart was born. Still, as soon as it was up and running, he was featuring right at the top, with double A-side The Next Time/Bachelo Boy in 1962. Cliff has nine Number 1s on the Irish Singles Chart, his most recent being 1988's Christmas classic Mistletoe and Wine. 

Cliff Richard's 9 Number 1 singles in Ireland

TITLE	ARTIST	YEAR
BACHELOR BOY/NEXT TIME	CLIFF RICHARD	1962
LUCKY LIPS	CLIFF RICHARD	1963
DON'T TALK TO HIM	CLIFF RICHARD	1963
CONGRATULATIONS	CLIFF RICHARD	1968
GOODBYE SAM HELLO SAMANTHA	CLIFF RICHARD	1970
WE DON'T TALK ANYMORE	CLIFF RICHARD	1979
ALL I ASK OF YOU	CLIFF RICHARD & SARAH BRIGHTMAN	1986
LIVING DOLL	CLIFF RICHARD & THE YOUNG ONES	1986
MISTLETOE AND WINE	CLIFF RICHARD	1988

©2020 IRMA/Official Charts Company. All rights reserved.

Michael Jackson - 9

Michael also landed nine chart-toppers in Ireland, two more than he managed in the UK. His first was with sweet ballad One Day In Your Life in 1981 and his last was 1995's You Are Not Alone.

Michael Jackson's 9 Number 1 singles in Ireland 

TITLE	ARTIST	YEAR
ONE DAY IN MY LIFE	MICHAEL JACKSON	1981
BILLIE JEAN	MICHAEL JACKSON	1983
I JUST CAN'T STOP LOVING YOU	MICHAEL JACKSON	1987
BAD	MICHAEL JACKSON	1987
THE WAY YOU MAKE ME FEEL	MICHAEL JACKSON	1987
LEAVE ME ALONE	MICHAEL JACKSON	1989
LIBERIAN GIRL	MICHAEL JACKSON	1989
BLACK OR WHITE	MICHAEL JACKSON	1991
YOU ARE NOT ALONE	MICHAEL JACKSON	1995

©2020 IRMA/Official Charts Company. All rights reserved.

Boyzone - 9

Before Westlife, Boyzone were Ireland's biggest boyband, landing their first Number 1 in 1994 with Love Me For A Reason. Ballads were their forte, with the likes of Father and Son, Words and No Matter What all reaching the top spot. in 2010 they landed their first chart-topper in 11 years with their comeback track Gave It All Away.

Boyzone's 9 Number 1 singles in Ireland

TITLE	ARTIST	YEAR
LOVE ME FOR A REASON	BOYZONE	1994
KEY TO MY LIFE	BOYZONE	1995
SO GOOD	BOYZONE	1995
FATHER AND SON	BOYZONE	1995
WORDS	BOYZONE	1996
ALL THAT I NEED	BOYZONE	1998
NO MATTER WHAT	BOYZONE	1998
EVERY DAY I LOVE YOU	BOYZONE	1999
GAVE IT ALL AWAY	BOYZONE	2010

©2020 IRMA/Official Charts Company. All rights reserved.

Eminem - 9

Eminem's chart legacy spans two decades, with the legendary rapper scoring his first Number 1 in 2000 with The Real Slim Shady. His latest chart topper was Godzilla ft. Juice WRLD in 2020, his first Number 1 for over six years.

Eminem's eight Number 1 singles in Ireland

TITLE	ARTIST	YEAR
THE REAL SLIM SHADY	EMINEM	2000
STAN	EMINEM	2000
WITHOUT ME	EMINEM	2002
LOSE YOURSELF	EMINEM	2002
SMACK THAT	AKON FT. EMINEM	2006
WE MADE YOU	EMINEM	2009
LOVE THE WAY YOU LIE	EMINEM FT. RIHANNA	2010
THE MONSTER	EMINEM FT. RIHANNA	2013
GODZILLA	EMINEM FT. JUICE WRLD	2020

©2020 IRMA/Official Charts Company. All rights reserved.

Dickie Rock & The Miami Showband - 8

The legendary Irish singer may have had huge success throughout the 1960s, but he has remained a constant for people in Ireland ever since. The entertainer and his showband were the closest thing the country had to The Beatles, even representing Ireland at the 1966 Eurovision Song Contest with Come Back To Stay, one of their eight Number 1s on the chart. 

Dickie Rock & The Miami Showband's eight Number 1 singles in Ireland

TITLE	ARTIST	YEAR
THERE'S ALWAYS ME	DICKIE ROCK & MIAMI	1963
I'M YOURS	DICKIE ROCK & MIAMI	1964
FROM THE CANDY STORE ON THE CORNER	DICKIE ROCK & MIAMI	1964
EVERY STEP OF THE WAY	DICKIE ROCK & MIAMI	1965
WISHING IT WAS YOU	DICKIE ROCK & MIAMI	1966
COME BACK TO STAY	DICKIE ROCK & MIAMI	1966
SIMON SAYS	DICKIE ROCK & MIAMI	1968
BACK HOME	DICKIE ROCK & MIAMI	1977

©2020 IRMA/Official Charts Company. All rights reserved.

Elvis Presley - 8

The King is on every trivia list ever compiled, and he's here too! Elvis scored the first ever Number 1 on the Irish Singles Chart with She's Not You in October 1962, claiming one posthumously in 2002 with his Junkie XL collaboration A Little Less Conversation.

Elvis Presley's 8 Number 1 singles in Ireland

TITLE	ARTIST	YEAR
SHE'S NOT YOU	ELVIS PRESLEY	1962
RETURN TO SENDER	ELVIS PRESLEY	1962
DEVIL IN DISGUISE	ELVIS PRESLEY	1963
CRYING IN THE CHAPEL	ELVIS PRESLEY	1965
IN THE GHETTO	ELVIS PRESLEY	1969
THE WONDER OF YOU	ELVIS PRESLEY	1970
WAY DOWN	ELVIS PRESLEY	1977
A LITTLE LESS CONVERSATION	ELVIS PRESLEY VS JUNKIE XL	2002

©2020 IRMA/Official Charts Company. All rights reserved.

Madonna - 8

Madonna had to wait until her sixth single to take the top spot with Into The Groove in 1985, then they keep in their droves. The Queen of Pop claimed six Number 1s in a four year span before waiting fourteen years to collect her next. 

Madonna's 8 Number 1 singles in Ireland

TITLE	ARTIST	YEAR
INTO THE GROOVE	MADONNA	1985
BORDERLINE	MADONNA	1986
PAPA DON'T PREACH	MADONNA	1986
TRUE BLUE	MADONNA	1986
WHO'S THAT GIRL	MADONNA	1987
LIKE A PRAYER	MADONNA	1989
ME AGAINST THE MUSIC	BRITNEY SPEARS FT MADONNA	2003
4 MINUTES	MADONNA FT JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE	2008

©2020 IRMA/Official Charts Company. All rights reserved.

Britney Spears - 8

Britney Spears is one of the most successful females in Ireland, with eight Number 1 singles. Brit even managed to score four Number 1s in less than 12 months across 2003/2004. Her latest chart topper was 2012's Scream & Shout with will.i.am.

Britney Spears' 8 Number 1 singles in Ireland

TITLE	ARTIST	YEAR
...BABY ONE MORE TIME	BRITNEY SPEARS	1998
BORN TO MAKE YOU HAPPY	BRITNEY SPEARS	1999
ME AGAINST THE MUSIC	BRITNEY SPEARS FT MADONNA	2003
TOXIC	BRITNEY SPEARS	2004
EVERYTIME	BRITNEY SPEARS	2004
MY PREROGATIVE	BRITNEY SPEARS	2004
PIECE OF ME	BRITNEY SPEARS	2007
SCREAM & SHOUT	WILL.I.AM FT BRITNEY SPEARS	2012

©2020 IRMA/Official Charts Company. All rights reserved.

Rihanna - 8

One of three women on eight Number 1s, Rihanna completes the trio. Her first Number 1 came in the form of Umbrella featuring Jay Z in 2007, while her most recent is 2016's This Is What You Came For with Calvin Harris. ChartFact: Rihanna has reached the peak of the Official Irish Singles Chart twice with both Calvin Harris and Eminem.

Rihanna's 8 Number 1 singles in Ireland

TITLE	ARTIST	YEAR
UMBRELLA	RIHANNA FT. JAY Z	2007
TAKE A BOW	RIHANNA	2008
LOVE THE WAY YOU LIE	EMINEM FT. RIHANNA	2010
ONLY GIRL (IN THE WORLD)	RIHANNA	2010
WE FOUND LOVE	RIHANNA FT. CALVIN HARRIS	2011
THE MONSTER	EMINEM FT. RIHANNA	2013
FOURFIVESECONDS	RIHANNA, KANYE WEST & PAUL MCCARTNEY	2015
THIS IS WHAT YOU CAME FOR	CALVIN HARRIS FT RIHANNA	2016

©2020 IRMA/Official Charts Company. All rights reserved.

Dustin the Turkey - 7

The star of RTE's The Den for 21 years, Dustin The Turkey has been described as "the most subversive comedy force on Irish television". The turkey-vulture creature with a Dublin accent thicker than expired milk also ran a hugely successful music career in tandem with his TV show, topping the Irish Singles Chart on seven occasions. What's more, he always did it in style; his first was the 1990 Irish Christmas Number 1, fittingly titled The Christmas No.1, while in 1996 he teamed up with Bob Geldof on a cover of Rat Trap. 

Dustin the Turkey's 7 Number 1 singles in Ireland

TITLE	ARTIST	PEAK
THE CHRISTMAS NO.1	DUSTIN & ZIG AND ZAG	1990
SPANISH LADY	DUSTIN & RONNIE DREW	1994
RAT TRAP	DUSTIN & BOB GELDOF	1996
GOOD LOOKING WOMAN	DUSTIN & JOE DOLAN	1997
32 COUNTIES	DUSTIN	1999
SWEET CAROLINE	DUSTIN	2001
HERE COME THE GOOD TIMES	DUSTIN & THE IRISH WORLD CUP SQUAD	2002

©2020 IRMA/Official Charts Company. All rights reserved.

Calvin Harris - 7

Calvin Harris scored more Number 1s in the 2010s than anyone else. He leapfrogged Rihanna to claim that title, ironically the collaborator who helped him achieve his first.

Calvin Harris' 7 Number 1 singles in Ireland

TITLE	ARTIST	PEAK
WE FOUND LOVE	RIHANNA & CALVIN HARRIS	2011
WE'LL BE COMING BACK	CALVIN HARRIS FT. EXAMPLE	2012
SWEET NOTHING	CALVIN HARRIS FT. FLORENCE WELCH	2012
SUMMER	CALVIN HARRIS	2014
THIS IS WHAT YOU CAME FOR	CALVIN HARRIS & RIHANNA	2016
ONE KISS	CALVIN HARRIS & DUA LIPA	2018
PROMISES	CALVIN HARRIS & SAM SMITH	2018

©2020 IRMA/Official Charts Company. All rights reserved.

Lady Gaga - 7

Ooh la la! Gaga claimed her seventh Number 1 in 2020 with Ariana Grande collaboration Rain On Me, 11 years after her first Just Dance in 2009.

Lady Gaga's 7 Number 1 singles in Ireland

TITLE	ARTIST	PEAK
JUST DANCE	LADY GAGA FT. COLBY O'DONIS	2009
POKER FACE	LADY GAGA	2009
BAD ROMANCE	LADY GAGA	2009
TELEPHONE	LADY GAGA FT. BEYONCE	2010
BORN THIS WAY	LADY GAGA	2011
SHALLOW	LADY GAGA & BRADLEY COOPER	2018
RAIN ON ME	LADY GAGA & ARIANA GRANDE	2020

©2020 IRMA/Official Charts Company. All rights reserved.

Ariana Grande - 7

Lady Gaga's Rain On Me collaborator Ariana Grande also claimed her seventh Number 1 in 2020 with Positions, the lead single from her sixth album of the same name.

Ariana Grande's 7 Number 1 singles in Ireland

TITLE	ARTIST	PEAK
PROBLEM	ARIANA GRANDE FT. IGGY AZALEA	2014
NO TEARS LEFT TO CRY	ARIANA GRANDE	2018
THANK U, NEXT	ARIANA GRANDE	2018
7 RINGS	ARIANA GRANDE	2019
BREAK UP WITH YOUR GIRLFRIEND, I'M BORED	ARIANA GRANDE	2019
RAIN ON ME	LADY GAGA & ARIANA GRANDE	2020
POSITIONS	ARIANA GRANDE	2020

©2020 IRMA/Official Charts Company. All rights reserved.

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