Artists with the most Number 1 singles on the UK chart

They were huge but not the greatest on UK Charts - and they would have been bigger if they had continued - also their catalog could be better managed than it is. But they split and his catalog is not that well maganed. They only got 28 TOP 10 Hits and 17 #01 songs. If you think Elvis Presley had 21 #01 songs and 77 TOP 10 Hits (55 while he was still alive) and Cliff Richard got 14 #01s and 68 TOP 10's while still alive. Even Madonna have 13 #01 songs and 63 TOP 10 Hits while still alive and started in the 80's.

If you look not just at #01's but at TOP 3 SONGS on UK Charts Elvis have had 45 TOP 3 singles (only 29 while alive and many during recent decades) and Madonna have had 34 TOP 3 singles while the Beatles have had 22 TOP 3 singles (including "Free as a Bird" that peaked #02 in 1995). To be fair only the Beatles and Madonna were able to block themselves from getting another #01 with their own songs while Elvis never did that.

Artists are only credited on this list if their name is listed on the recording. If an artist recorded a song with a band or a group that song won't be here unless their names are also on the single cover (like "Diana Ross and The Supremes" or "Cliff Richard and The Shadows" - both don't have here any records just by "The Shadows" or by "The Supremes" - if they did Cliff Richard would have 20 #01 hits.

The rules are simple and are the same for every world country chart since the 50's so artists knew about this before recording those songs/singles and allow them to be published without their names there.

It would depend on how we look at it: SINGLES or SONGS.

Elvis have had 21 #01 singles (including 4 posthumous re-releases with different catalog number and sometimes different b-sides so only 17 while alive and active) and 18 #01 songs (including 1 posthumous released song).

Cliff Richard songs with The Shadows and The Driffers are credited when he got credit on the record. The ones that are not credited are the ones where he is not credited on the single cover. The same happens for modern collaborations. If Beyoncé sings on a Coldplay song but she is not credit on the cover (despite being on the video) than the song will never count for her statistics as she was not credited on the single cover (or iTunes/Streaming description).

To be fair looking just at #01's is not fair for artists (and not looking just at TOP 10's). They never talk about the TOP 3 songs but in some weeks #01, #02 and #03 were selling almost the same and many of those songs that didn't hit the top became bigger hits than some #01 songs.

If we look at Elvis Presley he have had 45 TOP 3 singles (and 29 of them while alive and active so 16 of them were posthumous and of those most were re-releases). Madonna have had 34 TOP 3 Hit singles and Cliff Richard have had 33 TOP 3 Hits (not counting The Shadow songs where he sings but his name is not on the single cover and he is not credited). The Beatles have had 22 TOP 3 Hits (including "Free as Bird" from 1995).

Surely even using TOP 3 Singles will leave many huge hit songs left out. Cliff Richard "Lucky Lips" peaked only at #04 and is still much more known than half of his other TOP 3 Hits but looking at TOP 5 isn't much different. We can say the same about some Madonna songs like "Express Yourself" that only peaked #05.

If we look at Elvis TOP 5 Hits he have had 52 TOP 5 singles (26 of his first 7 years active and 33 while alive and active - 19 posthumous - from those 16 were re-issued singles so he just had 36 different songs being TOP 5 Hits) while Cliff Richard have had 40 TOP 5 Hits in a 48 years span (23 of them in a 7 years span - not counting his records with The Shadows and The Driffers where he is not credited on the covers). Madonna did gained leverage here scoring some amazing 45 TOP 5 Hits in just a 25 years span (26 of them during a 7 years span at start of her chart history). The Beatles have only had 25 TOP 5 Hits (including 3 already after splitting and during the 80's and 90's) but it's still impressive that 22 of those hits were in just a 7 years span (still Elvis, Madonna and Cliff did a similar and better job on this 7 years span TOP 5's thing).

Sure The Beatles have had an impressive run as when they were active only 3 songs didn't peak TOP 10 and all their TOP 10 hits were also TOP 5 hits (and most even #01) but we can't be sure their stats would continue the same later on haven't they split. They did achieve 7 consecutive #01's (10 if we do not count older record company single "Ain't She Sweet" that peaked #29 after 3 of those) and 18 consecutive TOP 10's (but let's not forget Madonna got 36 consecutive TOP 10's and Cliff Richard 25 consecutive TOP 10's). It's hard to say if the Beatles would have the longevity that Madonna and Cliff Richards have had but based on the success they all had as solo efforts I would say they could have have similar carreers to both Madonna and Cliff Richards on the charts for a few more years (as they did have more TOP 3 hits on their first 7 years despite having less TOP 5 Hits).

I think it is fair and reasonable to say that had The Beatles continued for a few more years and had they recorded the songs that the individual members of the group recorded and released, they would have reached the top under the name of the group, The Beatles.

Sint John Smith Jones - The 1981 Stars On 45 Beatles Medley was not a UK No.1 Hit. It Peaked at No.2. It was a No.1 Hit in the USA Billboard Hot 100 and in the USA Cashbox Chart.

Thanks for your correction Mark. You are right, it was number one in the NME charts on may the 9th 1981. But not on this chart.

Sour grapes. The facts speak for themselves. Elvis is King of the UK Charts by far. Check the Official Charts Company stats for each artist/group.

Sour grapes for you as it seems difficult for you to accept that your king is not that royal. And have you also checked that Paul McCartney as a songwriter surpass Elvis by far in every department? For example nearly 100 top ten hits and around 200 written hits?

Elvis was not a songwriter. But he surpassed Paul McCartney in every other aspect from voice to performing. Further, McCartney should not be allowed to include hits from The Beatles in his tally of albums sold. This is so wrong. I could go on forever. What about the White Album being counted as double sales in the U.S.A. (R.I.A.A.)when Elvis' 'Aloha From Hawaii' was not so counted?

Elvis voice had a range of two and a third octave while Paul had an over four octaves reach. Elvis had great shows, but are you really happy with his voice at the Aloha From Hawaii? A matter of personal taste. One thing is for sure, in the category singer-songwriter-musician-performer McCartney has achieved a of a lot more than Elvis. And don't get me wrong, Elvis was a great performer, fine singer and the first icon of the rock 'n roll era. A role model for generations to come. But The Beatles (with Dylan) took the music scene to a much higher and broader level. Their albums are at the top rankings of nearly every 'greatest albums of all time' poll. It says enough about their creativity, craftsmanship, innovation and influence. And Paul went on with this for decades and yes, not every album was a succes and yes now at 76 his golden voice is cracking up.

But you forgot "The Long and Winding Road" which was number one for Gareth Gates and Will Young in 2002

If you're taking into account non-performing credits, there are plenty of people who are far more achieving than Paul McCartney: Stock Aitken Waterman aren't far behind on pure songwriting weeks (A-Sides), each one produced by them. Add to that, the covers they produced and released on their label(s), McCartney isn't even in the same league. Individually or collectivly.

That's before you consider albums and album tracks, in which case Lerner/Loewe, Rodgers/Hammerstein, even Benny & Bjorn are all also a long way ahead.
Not to mention prolific technicians like Mutt Lange or Bob Clearmountain...

As producers / songwriters SAW notched up 13 number ones. McCartney has the double of that and written or co-written over 90 top ten hits and nearly 200 charted hits in the UK. So, who is not in the same league?

Björn and Benny rule the 70’s

Paul McCartney has not got a golden voice, please spare me the joke.
Yes, he and Lennon were top songwriters but performing was pub standard.

Yep,
Wings Over America, Hey Jude at David Frost, In Red Square et cetera all pub quality.

Elvis is king of Rock - period. He was a great singer and performing artist.
He is not a songwriter king as he did not write.

Kings of songwriting are Paul McCartney and John Lennon (as Guinness Records and Official Charts already said).

Queen of songwriting is Madonna, just behind those 2 (as Guinness Records and Official Charts already said). Besides her released songs there are also 2 other UK Top 10 co-written by Madonna, including one #01 song.

Are you really comparing Aloha from Hawaii to the White album??????

Can you elaborate how Benny & Bjorn are a long way ahead of McCartney.And we really remember all those Stock, Aiken and Waterman classics, how could we ever forget

Are you really comparing Aloha from Hawaii to the White album

This is about singles/songs that were #01 on the charts performed by the artist not about songwriters. If you look at the Guinness World Records you see that Paul McCartney is the most successful songwritter on the charts and John Lennon comes second. Curious enough in 3rd (with a big gap from them) comes Madonna that co-wrote most of her hits and a few other TOP 10 songs for other artists (and even a UK #01 song for Gary Barlow in the 90's).

The amount of productions and songs by Stock Aitken Waterman to hit the UK chart are somewhere in the region of 400, according to Mike's autobiography The Hit Factory.

Nobody would dispute the chart success Elvis has had, but you are not really comparing like with like. There are very few artists who have released the number of singles that Elvis did in his career.

Sounds like sour grapes. Putting the RIAA awards to one side, what is important is the numebr of people who actually bought each album. Around 2.8 million for Aloha from Hawaii and over 12 million for the White album.

I agree. If featured artists are going to be credited with number ones then The Shadows should be credited as having 12 No.1s as they were as eligible as Cliff was.

He is credited for the ones of "Cliff Richard and The Shadows" only. Just like Paul McCartney and John Lennon aren't credited for the "Beatles" or the "Wings" #01 songs and Michael Jackson isn't credit for "Jackson 5" or "The Jackson" #01 songs or Diana Ross for "The Supreme" songs (she is only credited for the ones by "Diana Ross and The Supremes"). They are only credited for the songs they got credited by their names on the single release information and cover at the time of release. If the single release only credits The Shadows on the cover/info for charts/press then they get no credit as solo aritsts. The rules are simple.

Because scoring a No.1 as a backing group won't count as a No.1 because it doesn't represent them as a stand-alone group.

yeah, with countless albums and comps... imagine MJ having so maaaannnyyyy albums like Elvis (tens of albums)...
In fact, almost nobody can name Elvis No.1s songs except those few most known.
So yeah, he has the most No.1s, but most people can not name them or just do not remember them

You are deluding yourself if you think nobody can name plenty of Elvis songs. The most mentions MJ gets these days is when it's about his victims.

The king of what? Oh yeh the king of fat🤣🤣🤣🤣

Childish comment.

Ignorance is bliss!!! Enjoy it in your very narrow mind.

Why don’t you shut up? You’re just embarrassing yourself believe me

He have 7 nº2 hits, not 17.
On the article they say Madonna have 12 nº2 hits and that is the artist with most nº2 Hits among ALL artists.

Elvis has 17 No.2 Single Hits (8 of these were posthumous re-issues of tracks which had previously risen to No.1).

So technically have 9 singles(songs that peaked #02) plus 8 posthumous re-issues (of songs that peaked #01 before).

Correct.

It all depends on how you wish to view re-issues.

Is that the limit of your contribution, you sad stupid idiot

When Jackson was alive he was just known as Wacko Jacko, now his dead he will only be remembered as a child abuser,

Had MJ worked as much as Elvis and released more songs and albums and probably would get there but not so sure. His solo carreer was since the 70's and while alive he released almost the same amount of single as Madonna (Madonna just released 1 single more while Michael was still alive) and yet Madonna had 25 songs that peaked #01 and #02 while MJ had just 13 songs achieving the #01 or #02 while he was alive.

You’re an idiot. MJ was acquitted in a court of law. This was after over 10 years of investigation by the FBI and the police. Do you presume to know better than them?

I'm amazed anyone is that stupid to believe Jacko wasn't a child abuser. The FBI never spent 10 years investigating him for nothing, he paid for his victims silence and bankrupted himself doing it. That man slept with pre-pubescent boys, what part of that don't you understand. Jimmy Savile was never convicted, does that mean he was innocent.

So Madonna having 12 different SONGS that peaked #02 is the Artist with more songs that peaked #02 but not with more singles as Elvis estate re-released songs with different catalogue numbers so they would give him different sinlge entries.