Radio 1’s Jameela Jamil and Tony Blackburn help blow out the Official

Some of the UK’s greatest singles icons helped celebrate 60 Years of the Official Singles Chart last night (Tuesday, November 13).

A selection of famous faces from across the decades, accompanied by the old school and new school of Radio 1’s Official Chart show, Tony Blackburn and Jameela Jamil, lined up to helped blow out the candles on a special birthday cake, on the eve of the chart’s anniversary.

The very first singles chart was published in the UK on November 14 1952, compiled by New Musical Express publisher Percy Dickins for the then new weekly music paper – with Al Martino’s Here In My Heart being the first Number 1.

60th Birthday Group Shot

Over the years, more than 1,200 additional singles have topped the Official Singles Chart – and a selection of the best known chart toppers came together to mark the anniversary: Sandie Shaw (who has had three Number 1 singles and eight Top 10s), Marc Almond (whose career as frontman to Soft Cell and as a solo performer has helped him secure a million selling single, two Number 1s and 10 Top 10s), andLiz Mitchell (the British vocalist of Boney M, who can claim two million-selling singles, two Number 1s and 10 Top 10s).

The singles artists were also joined by Official Chart hosts past and present: Tony Blackburn (who famously hosted BBC Radio 1’s Official Chart show from 1979 to 1982 and is the current host of BBC Radio 2’s Pick Of The Pops, the longest serving chart show on British radio or television) and Jameela Jamil (the brand new host of BBC Radio 1’s Official Chart show, who takes over the reins from current host Reggie Yates in January next year).

Tony Blackburn and Jameela Jamil

The celebration took place at a parliamentary reception, hosted by the Official Charts Company, in partnership with the House Of Commons All-Party Parliamentary Group On Music, as well as the music industry associations, UK Music, BPI and the Entertainment Retailers’ Association.