List of NME number-one singles of the 1970s

NME (or New Musical Express) is a British weekly pop music newspaper. Record charts in the United Kingdom began life on 14 November 1952 when NME began compiling the first UK-wide sales-based hit parade. Prior to 15 February 1969, when the British Market Research Bureau chart was established, there was no one universally accepted source and many periodical compiled their own chart. During this time the BBC used aggregated results of charts from the NME and other sources to compile the Pick of the Pops chart. In 1969, Record Retailer and the BBC commissioned the British Market Research Bureau (BMRB) to compile the singles chart.^[1]

Prior to this, The Official Charts Company and Guinness' British Hit Singles & Albums, consider Record Retailer the canonical source for the British singles chart in the 1960s;^[1] Nevertheless, in the 1960s, NME had the biggest circulation of charts in the decade and was more widely followed.^[2][3] After 1969, the joint venture between Record Retailer and the BBC is widely considered as the beginning of the official UK Singles Chart.^[2][3][4] NME continued compiling its own chart until 14 May 1988.^[5]

Significantly, NME had the Sex Pistols' anti-monarchy single "God Save the Queen" at number-one during the Silver Jubilee of Elizabeth II.^[6][7] The single, released by Virgin Records, was the highest-selling single of the week^[8][9] but had been banned by the BBC and some major retailers.^[6] To prevent it from reaching the top of the BMRB chart, for one week compilers "decreed that shops which sold their own records could not have those records represented in the chart", thus sales from Virgin Megastores were not counted.^[3] Despite reaching number-two on the official chart, it is sometimes referred to as reaching number one.^[10][11][12]

Number-one singles

Key

    ‡      – The song did not reach number one on the BMRB chart which is considered as the official chart after 12 February 1969.

  ^{[nb #]}   – The song spent a week at number one where it shared the top spot with another song.

Contents
← 1960s · 1970 · 1971 · 1972 · 1973 · 1974 · 1975 · 1976 · 1977 · 1978 · 1979 · 1980s →

Artist[nb 1]	Single[nb 1]	Reached number 1[nb 1]	Weeks at number 1[nb 1]
Marmalade	"Reflections of My Life"‡	28 January 1970	1
Lighthouse, EdisonEdison Lighthouse	"Love Grows (Where My Rosemary Goes)"	4 February 1970	3
The Jackson 5	"I Want You Back"‡	25 February 1970	1
Marvin, LeeLee Marvin	"Wand'rin' Star"	4 March 1970	3
Simon & Garfunkel	"Bridge over Troubled Water"	25 March 1970	4
Greenbaum, NormanNorman Greenbaum	"Spirit in the Sky"	22 April 1970	2
England World Cup Squad "70"	"Back Home"	6 May 1970	3
The Moody Blues	"Question"‡	27 May 1970	1
Christie	"Yellow River"	3 June 1970	1
Jerry, MungoMungo Jerry	"In the Summertime"	10 June 1970	4
Free	"All Right Now"‡	8 July 1970	3
The Kinks	"Lola"‡	29 July 1970	1
Presley, ElvisElvis Presley	"The Wonder of You"	5 August 1970	3
Robinson, SmokeySmokey Robinson and The Miracles	"The Tears of a Clown"	26 August 1970	4
Payne, FredaFreda Payne	"Band of Gold"	23 September 1970	5
Deep Purple	"Black Night"‡	28 October 1970	1
Matthews' Southern Comfort	"Woodstock"	4 November 1970	3
Jimi Hendrix Experience	"Voodoo Chile"	25 November 1970	1
Edmunds, DaveDave Edmunds's Rockpile	"I Hear You Knocking"	2 December 1970	3
McGuinness Flint	"When I'm Dead and Gone"‡	23 December 1970	1
Dunn, CliveClive Dunn	"Grandad"	30 December 1970	4
Artist[nb 1]	Single[nb 1]	Reached number 1[nb 1]	Weeks at number 1[nb 1]
Harrison, GeorgeGeorge Harrison	"My Sweet Lord"	27 January 1971	6
Jerry, MungoMungo Jerry	"Baby Jump"	10 March 1971	1
McCartney, PaulPaul McCartney	"Another Day"‡	17 March 1971	1
T. Rex	"Hot Love"	24 March 1971	5
Dave and Ansel Collins	"Double Barrel"	28 April 1971	2
The Rolling Stones	"Brown Sugar"‡	12 May 1971	1
Dawn	"Knock Three Times"	19 May 1971	3
Free	"My Brother Jake"‡	9 June 1971	1
Christie, TonyTony Christie	"I Did What I Did for Maria"‡	16 June 1971	1
Middle of the Road	"Chirpy Chirpy Cheep Cheep"	23 June 1971	5
T. Rex	"Get It On"	28 July 1971	3
The New Seekers	"Never Ending Song of Love"‡	18 August 1971	1
Ross, DianaDiana Ross	"I'm Still Waiting"	25 August 1971	3
The Tams	"Hey Girl Don't Bother Me"	15 September 1971	2
Stewart, RodRod Stewart	"Maggie May"	29 September 1971	6
Slade	"Coz I Luv You"	10 November 1971	3
Hill, BennyBenny Hill	"Ernie (The Fastest Milkman in the West)"	1 December 1971	5
Artist[nb 1]	Single[nb 1]	Reached number 1[nb 1]	Weeks at number 1[nb 1]
The New Seekers	"I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing (In Perfect Harmony)"	5 January 1972	4
America	"A Horse with No Name"‡	2 February 1972	1
T. Rex	"Telegram Sam"	9 February 1972	1
Chicory Tip	"Son of My Father"	16 February 1972	2
McLean, DonDon McLean	"American Pie"‡	1 March 1972	1
Nilsson	"Without You"	8 March 1972	6
Royal Scots Dragoon Guards	"Amazing Grace"†	19 April 1972	4
T.Rex	"Metal Guru"	17 May 1972	4
McLean, DonDon McLean	"Vincent"	14 June 1972	3
Slade	"Take Me Bak 'Ome"	5 July 1972	1
Osmond, DonnyDonny Osmond	"Puppy Love"	12 July 1972	4
Cooper, AliceAlice Cooper	"School's Out"	9 August 1972	3
Stewart, RodRod Stewart	"You Wear It Well"	30 August 1972	2
Slade	"Mama Weer All Crazee Now"	13 September 1972	2
T. Rex	"Children of the Revolution"‡	27 September 1972	1
Cassidy, DavidDavid Cassidy	"How Can I Be Sure"	4 October 1972	1
Lieutenant Pigeon	"Mouldy Old Dough"	11 October 1972	4
O'Sullivan, GilbertGilbert O'Sullivan	"Clair"	8 November 1972	2
Berry, ChuckChuck Berry	"My Ding-a-Ling"	22 November 1972	3
Slade	"Gudbuy T' Jane"‡	13 December 1972	1
Little Jimmy Osmond	"Long Haired Lover from Liverpool"	20 December 1972	4
Artist[nb 1]	Single[nb 1]	Reached number 1[nb 1]	Weeks at number 1[nb 1]
Bowie, DavidDavid Bowie	"The Jean Genie"‡	17 January 1973	1
Sweet	"Blockbuster"	24 January 1973	4
Strawbs	"Part of the Union"‡	21 February 1973	2
Slade	"Cum On Feel the Noize"	7 March 1973	3
Osmond, DonnyDonny Osmond	"The Twelfth of Never"	28 March 1973	2
O'Sullivan, GilbertGilbert O'Sullivan	"Get Down"	11 April 1973	1
Dawn featuring Tony Orlando	"Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree"†	18 April 1973	5
Wizzard	"See My Baby Jive"	23 May 1973	2
Quatro, SuziSuzi Quatro	"Can the Can"	6 June 1973	3
10cc	"Rubber Bullets"	27 June 1973	1
Slade	"Skweeze Me Pleeze Me"	4 July 1973	2
Peters and Lee	"Welcome Home"	18 July 1973	2
Glitter, GaryGary Glitter	"I'm the Leader of the Gang (I Am!)"	1 August 1973	4
Osmond, DonnyDonny Osmond	"Young Love"	29 August 1973	2
Wizzard	"Angel Fingers (A Teen Ballad)"	12 September 1973	1
Essex, DavidDavid Essex	"Rock On"‡	19 September 1973	1
Sweet	"The Ballroom Blitz"‡	26 September 1973	1
Simon Park Orchestra	"Eye Level (Theme From The Thames TV Series "Van Der Valk")"	3 October 1973	4
Cassidy, DavidDavid Cassidy	"The Puppy Song" / "Daydreamer"	31 October 1973	2
The Osmonds	"Let Me In"‡	14 November 1973	1
Glitter, GaryGary Glitter	"I Love You Love Me Love"	21 November 1973	4
Slade	"Merry Christmas Everybody"	19 December 1973	2^[nb 2]1[nb 2]
Artist[nb 1]	Single[nb 1]	Reached number 1[nb 1]	Weeks at number 1[nb 1]
New Seekers feat. Lyn Paul	"You Won't Find Another Fool Like Me"	2 January 1974	2^[nb 2]2[nb 2]
Sayer, LeoLeo Sayer	"The Show Must Go On"‡	16 January 1974	1
Sweet	"Teenage Rampage"‡	23 January 1974	1
Mud	"Tiger Feet"	30 January 1974	3
Quatro, SuziSuzi Quatro	"Devil Gate Drive"	20 February 1974	2
Stardust, AlvinAlvin Stardust	"Jealous Mind"	6 March 1974	2
Paper Lace	"Billy Don't Be a Hero"	20 March 1974	3
Jacks, TerryTerry Jacks	"Seasons in the Sun"	10 April 1974	2
Mud	"The Cat Crept In"‡	24 April 1974	1
ABBA	"Waterloo"	1 May 1974	2
The Rubettes	"Sugar Baby Love"	15 May 1974	4
Stevens, RayRay Stevens	"The Streak"	12 June 1974	2
Glitter, GaryGary Glitter	"Always Yours"	26 June 1974	1
Aznavour, CharlesCharles Aznavour	"She"	3 July 1974	3
McCrae, GeorgeGeorge McCrae	"Rock Your Baby"	24 July 1974	3
The Three Degrees	"When Will I See You Again"	14 August 1974	3
The Osmonds	"Love Me for a Reason"	4 September 1974	2
Douglas, CarlCarl Douglas	"Kung Fu Fighting"	18 September 1974	4
Shelley, PeterPeter Shelley	"Gee Baby"‡	16 October 1974	1
Boothe, KenKen Boothe	"Everything I Own"	23 October 1974	2
Essex, DavidDavid Essex	"Gonna Make You a Star"	6 November 1974	5
White, BarryBarry White	"You're the First, the Last, My Everything"	11 December 1974	1
Mud	"Lonely This Christmas"	18 December 1974	3
Artist[nb 1]	Single[nb 1]	Reached number 1[nb 1]	Weeks at number 1[nb 1]
McTell, RalphRalph McTell	"Streets of London"‡	8 January 1975	2
Status Quo	"Down Down"	22 January 1975	1
The Tymes	"Ms Grace"	29 January 1975	1
Pilot	"January"	5 February 1975	2
The Carpenters	"Please Mr. Postman"‡	19 February 1975	1
Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel	"Make Me Smile (Come Up and See Me)"	26 February 1975	1
Savalas, TellyTelly Savalas	"If"	5 March 1975	2
Bay City Rollers	"Bye Bye Baby (Baby Goodbye)"	19 March 1975	6
Goldsboro, BobbyBobby Goldsboro	"Honey"‡	30 April 1975	1
Riperton, MinnieMinnie Riperton	"Lovin' You"‡	7 May 1975	1
Wynette, TammyTammy Wynette	"Stand by Your Man"	14 May 1975	3
Davies, WindsorWindsor Davies and Don Estelle	"Whispering Grass"	4 June 1975	1
Showaddywaddy	"Three Steps to Heaven"‡	11 June 1975	1
Davies, WindsorWindsor Davies and Don Estelle	"Whispering Grass"	18 June 1975	1
10cc	"I'm Not in Love"	25 June 1975	2
Nash, JohnnyJohnny Nash	"Tears on My Pillow"	9 July 1975	2
Bay City Rollers	"Give a Little Love"	23 July 1975	1
Typically Tropical	"Barbados"	30 July 1975	2
The Stylistics	"Can't Give You Anything (But My Love)"	13 August 1975	2
Stewart, RodRod Stewart	"Sailing"	27 August 1975	4
Sayer, LeoLeo Sayer	"Moonlighting"‡	24 September 1975	1
Essex, DavidDavid Essex	"Hold Me Close"	1 October 1975	3
Garfunkel, ArtArt Garfunkel	"I Only Have Eyes for You"	22 October 1975	2
Bowie, DavidDavid Bowie	"Space Oddity"	5 November 1975	2
Connolly, BillyBilly Connolly	"D.I.V.O.R.C.E."	19 November 1975	1
Hot Chocolate	"You Sexy Thing"‡	26 November 1975	1
Queen	"Bohemian Rhapsody"	3 December 1975	6
Artist[nb 1]	Single[nb 1]	Reached number 1[nb 1]	Weeks at number 1[nb 1]
Sailor	"A Glass of Champagne"‡	21 January 1976	1
ABBA	"Mamma Mia"	28 January 1976	2
Slik	"Forever and Ever"	11 February 1976	1
The Four Seasons	"December, 1963 (Oh, What a Night)"	18 February 1976	2
Charles, TinaTina Charles	"I Love to Love (But My Baby Loves to Dance)"	3 March 1976	3
Brotherhood of Man	"Save Your Kisses for Me"	24 March 1976	5
ABBA	"Fernando"	28 April 1976	6
J. J. Barrie	"No Charge"	9 June 1976	1
Wings	"Silly Love Songs"‡	16 June 1976	1
The Real Thing	"You to Me Are Everything"	23 June 1976	2
Staton, CandiCandi Staton	"Young Hearts Run Free"‡	7 July 1976	1
Roussos, DemisDemis Roussos	"The Roussos Phenomenon EP"	14 July 1976	1
John, EltonElton John & Kiki Dee	"Don't Go Breaking My Heart"	21 July 1976	7
ABBA	"Dancing Queen"	8 September 1976	5
Pussycat	"Mississippi"	13 October 1976	3
Chicago	"If You Leave Me Now"	3 November 1976	4
Showaddywaddy	"Under the Moon of Love"	1 December 1976	3
Mathis, JohnnyJohnny Mathis	"When a Child Is Born"	22 December 1976	3^[nb 3]2[nb 3]
Artist[nb 1]	Single[nb 1]	Reached number 1[nb 1]	Weeks at number 1[nb 1]
Soul, DavidDavid Soul	"Don't Give Up on Us"	12 January 1977	2
Covington, JulieJulie Covington	"Don't Cry for Me Argentina"	26 January 1977	1
Soul, DavidDavid Soul	"Don't Give Up on Us"	2 February 1977	1
Covington, JulieJulie Covington	"Don't Cry for Me Argentina"	9 February 1977	2
Sayer, LeoLeo Sayer	"When I Need You"	23 February 1977	2
The Manhattan Transfer	"Chanson D'Amour"	9 March 1977	2
ABBA	"Knowing Me, Knowing You"	23 March 1977	6
Williams, DenieceDeniece Williams	"Free"	4 May 1977	3
Stewart, RodRod Stewart	"I Don't Want to Talk About It"/"The First Cut Is the Deepest"	25 May 1977	3
Sex Pistols	"God Save the Queen"‡	15 June 1977	1
The Jacksons	"Show You the Way to Go"	22 June 1977	2
Hot Chocolate	"So You Win Again"	6 July 1977	1
Boney M.	"Ma Baker"‡	13 July 1977	1
Summer, DonnaDonna Summer	"I Feel Love"	20 July 1977	5
Brotherhood of Man	"Angelo"	24 August 1977	1
Presley, ElvisElvis Presley	"Way Down"	31 August 1977	1
Space	"Magic Fly"‡	7 September 1977	3
Presley, ElvisElvis Presley	"Way Down"	28 September 1977	2
Soul, DavidDavid Soul	"Silver Lady"	12 October 1977	1
Baccara	"Yes Sir, I Can Boogie"	19 October 1977	1
Stewart, RodRod Stewart	"You're in My Heart"‡	26 October 1977	1
Baccara	"Yes Sir, I Can Boogie"	2 November 1977	1
ABBA	"The Name of the Game"	9 November 1977	2
Status Quo	"Rockin' All Over the World"‡	23 November 1977	1
Wings	"Mull of Kintyre"	30 November 1977	9^[nb 4]8[nb 4]
Artist[nb 1]	Single[nb 1]	Reached number 1[nb 1]	Weeks at number 1[nb 1]
Althea & Donna	"Uptown Top Ranking"	1 February 1978	2
ABBA	"Take a Chance on Me"	15 February 1978	3
Bush, KateKate Bush	"Wuthering Heights"	8 March 1978	3
Blondie	"Denis"‡	29 March 1978	2
Showaddywaddy	"I Wonder Why"‡	12 April 1978	1
Bee Gees	"Night Fever"	19 April 1978	4
Boney M.	"Rivers of Babylon"	17 May 1978	4
Travolta, JohnJohn Travolta and Olivia Newton-John	"You're the One That I Want"	14 June 1978	10
Commodores	"Three Times a Lady"	23 August 1978	4
10cc	"Dreadlock Holiday"	20 September 1978	2
Travolta, JohnJohn Travolta and Olivia Newton-John	"Summer Nights"	4 October 1978	6
The Boomtown Rats	"Rat Trap"	8 November 1978	3
Stewart, RodRod Stewart	"Da Ya Think I'm Sexy?"	29 November 1978	1
Boney M.	"Mary's Boy Child – Oh My Lord"	6 December 1978	4^[nb 5]2[nb 5]
Artist[nb 1]	Single[nb 1]	Reached number 1[nb 1]	Weeks at number 1[nb 1]
Village People	"Y.M.C.A."	3 January 1979	3^[nb 5]3[nb 5]
Ian and The BlockheadsIan Dury	"Hit Me with Your Rhythm Stick"	24 January 1979	2
Blondie	"Heart of Glass"	7 February 1979	1
ABBA	"Chiquitita"‡	14 February 1979	1
Blondie	"Heart of Glass"	21 February 1979	2
Bee Gees	"Tragedy"	7 March 1979	1
Costello, ElvisElvis Costello	"Oliver's Army"‡	14 March 1979	1
Gaynor, GloriaGloria Gaynor	"I Will Survive"	21 March 1979	2
Village People	"In the Navy"‡	4 April 1979	1
Garfunkel, ArtArt Garfunkel	"Bright Eyes"	11 April 1979	5
M	"Pop Muzik"‡	16 May 1979	1
Garfunkel, ArtArt Garfunkel	"Bright Eyes"	23 May 1979	1
Blondie	"Sunday Girl"	30 May 1979	1
Roxy Music	"Dance Away"‡	6 June 1979	1
Ward, AnitaAnita Ward	"Ring My Bell"	13 June 1979	3
Tubeway Army	"Are 'Friends' Electric?"	4 July 1979	2
Kay, JanetJanet Kay	"Silly Games"‡	18 July 1979	1
Tubeway Army	"Are 'Friends' Electric?"	25 July 1979	2
The Boomtown Rats	"I Don't Like Mondays"	8 August 1979	4
Richard, CliffCliff Richard	"We Don't Talk Anymore"	5 September 1979	3
Numan, GaryGary Numan	"Cars"	26 September 1979	2
The Police	"Message in a Bottle"	10 October 1979	2
The Buggles	"Video Killed the Radio Star"	24 October 1979	2
Martell, LenaLena Martell	"One Day at a Time"	7 November 1979	1
Dr. Hook	"When You're in Love with a Beautiful Woman"	14 November 1979	4
The Police	"Walking on the Moon"	12 December 1979	1
Pink Floyd	"Another Brick in the Wall (Part II)"	19 December 1979	4^[nb 6]4[nb 6]

Notes

1. The names, singles, dates and duration of the number-ones are from the NME.^[13]
2. There was no chart published for the week ending 26 December 1973. In the preceding week, "Merry Xmas Everybody" was the number-one single. In the next published chart, "You Won't Find Another Fool Like Me" claimed the top spot.
3. There was no chart published for the week ending 5 January 1977. For the week either side of this "When a Child Is Born" was the number-one single.
4. There was no chart published for the week ending 28 December 1977. For the week either side of this "Mull of Kintyre" was the number-one single.
5. There was no chart published for the week ending 27 December 1978. For the preceding week, "Merry Xmas Everybody" was the number-one single. In the next published chart, "Y.M.C.A." claimed the top spot.
6. There was no chart published for the week ending 26 December 1979. For the week either side of this "Another Brick in the Wall (Part II)" was the number-one single.

References

Footnotes

1. "Key Dates in the History of the Official UK Charts". The Official Charts Company. Archived from the original on 10 January 2008. Retrieved 16 May 2010.
2. Smith, Alan. "50s & 60s UK Charts – The Truth!". Dave McAleer's website. Retrieved 4 November 2010.
3. Leigh, Spencer (20 February 1998). "Music: Charting the number ones that somehow got away". The Independent. Retrieved 5 August 2010.
4. Warwick, Neil; Kutner, Jon; Brown, Tony (2004). The Complete Book Of The British Charts: Singles and Albums (3rd ed.). London: Omnibus Press. p. v. ISBN 1-84449-058-0. Until 15th February 1969, there was no officially compiled chart.
5. Smith, Alan. "Every No.1 in the 1960s is listed from all the nine different magazine charts!". Dave McAleer's website. Retrieved 4 November 2010.
6. Ascherson, Neal (2 June 2002). "Is the UK OK?". The Observer. Retrieved 8 August 2010.
7. Murthi, R. S. (9 May 1993). "Infectious Rage of Punk". New Straits Times. p. 17. Retrieved 8 August 2010.
8. Donovan, Patrick (3 June 2002). "Melbourne & punk: 25 years on". The Age. Retrieved 8 August 2010.
9. Munckton, Stuart (2 August 2000). "When the oppressed express themselves". Green Left Weekly. Retrieved 8 August 2010.
10. "Sex Pistols reunite for anti-jubilee gig". BBC News. 28 July 2002. Retrieved 8 August 2010.
11. O'Connor, Tim (27 June 1986). "John Lydon: Sex Pistols gone but the anger remains". Ottawa Citizen. p. F18. Retrieved 8 August 2010.
12. "Sex Pistols cover tops chart". BBC News. 14 March 2001. Retrieved 8 August 2010.
13. Rees, Lazell & Osborne 1995, pp. 217–351.

Sources

Rees, Dafydd; Lazell, Barry; Osborne, Roger (1995). Forty Years of "NME" Charts (2nd ed.). Pan Macmillan. ISBN 0-7522-0829-2.