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Number 1 hits from the UK and US: 1960-1961
Playlists of #1's from the UK and US of '60 and '61. Taking a step back and exploring music before The Beatles
Greg Hovanesyan
November 12, 2024
The Beatles has changed music, it’s a fact that many musicians and critics agree on. Their impact on culture in general is immeasurable. First time listening to the Beatles is a special moment for many people. However today it is impossible to relieve the same thrill that people would experience listening to their songs as they were released, without being interfered by the existence of music that came later. In searching for that “pure” listening experience, I created playlists of the number 1 hits from the US and UK, to dive into the atmosphere surrounding listeners in the few years preceding the Beatles storming the music.
So here is a series of two articles with hit songs of 1960-1961 and 1962-1963 from the UK and US. Links to Spotify playlists:
UK #1 hits:
Artist | Song | Reached number 1 | Weeks at number 1 |
Emile Ford and the Checkmates | "What Do You Want to Make Those Eyes at Me For?" | 18 December 1959 | 6 |
Michael Holliday | "Starry Eyed" | 29 January 1960 | 1 |
Anthony Newley | "Why" | 5 February 1960 | 4 |
Adam Faith | "Poor Me" | 3 March 1960 | 2 |
Johnny Preston | "Running Bear" | 17 March 1960 | 2 |
Lonnie Donegan | "My Old Man's a Dustman" | 31 March 1960 | 4 |
Anthony Newley | "Do You Mind?" | 28 April 1960 | 1 |
The Everly Brothers | "Cathy's Clown" | 5 May 1960 | 7 |
Eddie Cochran | "Three Steps to Heaven" | 23 June 1960 | 2 |
Jimmy Jones | "Good Timin'" | 7 July 1960 | 3 |
Cliff Richard and the Shadows | "Please Don't Tease" | 28 July 1960 | 1 |
Johnny Kidd and the Pirates | "Shakin' All Over" | 4 August 1960 | 1 |
Cliff Richard and the Shadows | "Please Don't Tease" | 11 August 1960 | 2 |
The Shadows | "Apache" | 25 August 1960 | 5 |
Ricky Valance | "Tell Laura I Love Her" | 29 September 1960 | 3 |
Roy Orbison | "Only the Lonely" | 20 October 1960 | 2 |
Elvis Presley | "It's Now or Never" | 3 November 1960 | 8 |
Cliff Richard and the Shadows | "I Love You" | 29 December 1960 | 2 |
Johnny Tillotson | "Poetry in Motion" | 12 January 1961 | 2 |
Elvis Presley | "Are You Lonesome Tonight?" | 26 January 1961 | 4 |
Petula Clark | "Sailor" | 23 February 1961 | 1 |
The Everly Brothers | "Walk Right Back" / "Ebony Eyes" | 2 March 1961 | 3 |
Elvis Presley | "Wooden Heart" | 23 March 1961 | 6 |
The Marcels | "Blue Moon" | 4 May 1961 | 2 |
Floyd Cramer | "On the Rebound" | 18 May 1961 | 1 |
The Temperance Seven | "You're Driving Me Crazy" | 25 May 1961 | 1 |
Elvis Presley | "Surrender" | 1 June 1961 | 4 |
Del Shannon | "Runaway" | 29 June 1961 | 3 |
The Everly Brothers | "Temptation" | 20 July 1961 | 2 |
Eden Kane | "Well I Ask You" | 3 August 1961 | 1 |
Helen Shapiro | "You Don't Know" | 10 August 1961 | 3 |
John Leyton | "Johnny Remember Me" | 31 August 1961 | 3 |
Shirley Bassey | "Reach for the Stars" / "Climb Ev'ry Mountain" | 21 September 1961 | 1 |
John Leyton | "Johnny Remember Me" | 28 September 1961 | 1 |
The Shadows | "Kon-Tiki" | 5 October 1961 | 1 |
The Highwaymen | "Michael" | 12 October 1961 | 1 |
Helen Shapiro | "Walkin' Back to Happiness" | 19 October 1961 | 3 |
Elvis Presley | "(Marie's the Name) His Latest Flame" / "Little Sister" | 9 November 1961 | 4 |
Frankie Vaughan | "Tower of Strength" | 7 December 1961 | 3 |
Danny Williams | "Moon River" | 28 December 1961 | 2 |
US #1 hits:
Artist | Song | Reached number 1 | Weeks at number 1 |
Marty Robbins | "El Paso" | 4 January 1960 | 2 |
Johnny Preston | "Running Bear" | 18 January 1960 | 3 |
Mark Dinning | "Teen Angel" | 8 February 1960 | 2 |
Percy Faith | "Theme from A Summer Place" | 22 February 1960 | 9 |
Elvis Presley | "Stuck on You" | 25 April 1960 | 4 |
The Everly Brothers | "Cathy's Clown" | 23 May 1960 | 5 |
Connie Francis | "Everybody's Somebody's Fool" | 27 June 1960 | 2 |
Hollywood Argyles | "Alley Oop" | 11 July 1960 | 1 |
Brenda Lee | "I'm Sorry" | 18 July 1960 | 3 |
Brian Hyland | "Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polkadot Bikini" | 8 August 1960 | 1 |
Elvis Presley | "It's Now or Never" | 15 August 1960 | 5 |
Chubby Checker | "The Twist" | 19 September 1960 | 1 |
Connie Francis | "My Heart Has a Mind of Its Own" | 26 September 1960 | 2 |
Larry Verne | "Mr. Custer" | 10 October 1960 | 1 |
The Drifters | "Save the Last Dance for Me" | 17 October 1960 | 1 |
Brenda Lee | "I Want to Be Wanted" | 24 October 1960 | 1 |
The Drifters | "Save the Last Dance for Me" | 31 October 1960 | 2 |
Ray Charles | "Georgia on My Mind" | 14 November 1960 | 1 |
Maurice Williams and the Zodiacs | "Stay" | 21 November 1960 | 1 |
Elvis Presley | "Are You Lonesome Tonight?" | 28 November 1960 | 6 |
Bert Kaempfert | "Wonderland by Night" | 9 January 1961 | 3 |
The Shirelles | "Will You Love Me Tomorrow" | 30 January 1961 | 2 |
Lawrence Welk | "Calcutta" | 13 February 1961 | 2 |
Chubby Checker | "Pony Time" | 27 February 1961 | 3 |
Elvis Presley | "Surrender" | 20 March 1961 | 2 |
The Marcels | "Blue Moon" | 3 April 1961 | 3 |
Del Shannon | "Runaway" | 24 April 1961 | 4 |
Ernie K-Doe | "Mother-in-Law" | 22 May 1961 | 1 |
Ricky Nelson | "Travelin' Man" | 29 May 1961 | 1 |
Roy Orbison | "Running Scared" | 5 June 1961 | 1 |
Ricky Nelson | "Travelin' Man" | 12 June 1961 | 1 |
Pat Boone | "Moody River" | 19 June 1961 | 1 |
Gary U.S. Bonds | "Quarter to Three" | 26 June 1961 | 2 |
Bobby Lewis | "Tossin' and Turnin'" | 10 July 1961 | 7 |
Joe Dowell | "Wooden Heart" | 28 August 1961 | 1 |
The Highwaymen | "Michael" | 4 September 1961 | 2 |
Bobby Vee | "Take Good Care of My Baby" | 18 September 1961 | 3 |
Ray Charles | "Hit the Road Jack" | 9 October 1961 | 2 |
Dion | "Runaround Sue" | 23 October 1961 | 2 |
Jimmy Dean | "Big Bad John" | 6 November 1961 | 5 |
The Marvelettes | "Please Mr. Postman" | 11 December 1961 | 1 |
The Tokens | "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" | 18 December 1961 | 3 |