Elvis Presley had three top 10 entries in 1960, including the year's best-selling single, "It's Now or Never", which topped the chart for eight consecutive weeks, becoming his longest-running UK number-one hit.All of Cliff Richard's six top 10 entries this year gave credit to The Shadows, while the group had two top 10 hits in their own right during the year, including the number-one single "Apache". In total, The Shadows had eight entries in the top 10 in 1960, more than any other artist.Anthony Newley scored four UK top 10 singles in 1960, including the number-one hits "Why" and "Do You Mind".
The UK Singles Chart is one of many music charts compiled by the Official Charts Company that calculates the best-selling singles of the week in the United Kingdom.[1] Before 2004, the chart was only based on the sales of physical singles.[2][3] This list shows singles that peaked in the Top 10 of the UK Singles Chart during 1960, as well as singles which peaked in 1959 and 1961 but were in the top 10 in 1960. The entry date is when the single appeared in the top 10 for the first time (week ending, as published by the Official Charts Company, which is six days after the chart is announced).
Thirty artists achieved their first top 10 single in 1960, either as a lead or featured artist. Jimmy Jones and Johnny Preston both had one other entry in their breakthrough year.
The following table (collapsed on desktop site) does not include acts who had previously charted as part of a group and secured their first top 10 solo single.
The Shadows scored two singles independent of Cliff Richard for the first time in 1960, starting with "Apache" reaching number one in August. They followed it up with the double single "Man of Mystery"/"The Stranger" peaking at number 5 in December. Peter Sellers had previously achieved two top 10 singles as a member of The Goons.
Until 1970 there was no universally recognised year-end best-sellers list. However, in 2011 the Official Charts Company released a list of the best-selling song of each year in chart history from 1952 to date. According to the list, "It's Now or Never" by Elvis Presley is officially recorded as the biggest-selling single of 1960. "It's Now or Never" (9) also ranked in the top 10 best-selling singles of the decade.
Top-ten singles
Key
Symbol
Meaning
‡
Single peaked in 1959 but still in chart in 1960.
♦
Single released in 1960 but peaked in 1961.
(#)
Year-end best-selling single.
Entered
The date that the single first appeared in the chart.
Peak
Highest position that the single reached in the UK Singles Chart.
Roy Orbison secured his first UK hit single this year with "Only the Lonely", which spent two weeks at number-one and lasted 10 weeks in the top 10.Johnny Kidd and his group The Pirates reached number-one for one week in August 1960 with their signature classic "Shakin' All Over", widely considered to be one of the first authentic British rock and roll songs.In June of this year, two months after his death in a car accident while on tour in the UK, Eddie Cochran achieved a posthumous number-one hit with "Three Steps to Heaven", which spent two weeks at the top spot.
The following table shows artists who achieved two or more top 10 entries in 1960, including singles that reached their peak in 1959 or 1961. The figures include both main artists and featured artists. The total number of weeks an artist spent in the top ten in 1960 is also shown.
a "Poetry in Motion" reached its peak of number one on 18 January 1961 (week ending).
b "Red River Rock" re-entered the top 10 at number 10 on 14 January 1960 (week ending).
c "Seven Little Girls Sitting in the Backseat" re-entered the top 10 at number 10 on 4 February 1960 (week ending).
d "Rawhide" re-entered the top 10 at number 6 on 7 January 1960 (week ending) for 3 weeks.
e "Little White Bull" re-entered the top 10 at number 10 on 11 February 1960 (week ending).
f "On a Slow Boat to China" re-entered the top 10 at number 10 on 6 April 1960 (week ending).
g "You Got What It Takes" re-entered the top 10 at number 9 on 6 April 1960 (week ending) for 3 weeks.
h "Wild One" re-entered the top 10 at number 9 on 13 April 1960 (week ending).
i "Cathy's Clown" is recorded as the best-selling single of the year by some sources but the Official Charts Company lists "It's Now or Never" as its best-seller.
j "Sweet Nothin's" re-entered the top 10 at number 9 on 22 June 1960 (week ending) for 2 weeks.
k "I Wanna Go Home" re-entered the top 10 at number 9 on 27 July 1960 (week ending) for 2 weeks.
l "Mama"/"Robot Man" re-entered the top 10 at number 7 on 10 August 1960 (week ending).
m "When Johnny Comes Marching Home"/"Made You" re-entered the top 10 at number 6 on 20 July 1960 (week ending) for 4 weeks.
n "Angela Jones" re-entered the top 10 at number 7 on 20 July 1960 (week ending) for 2 weeks.
o "If She Should Come to You" re-entered the top 10 at number 6 on 24 August 1960 (week ending) for 3 weeks.
p "Look for a Star" re-entered the top 10 at number 9 on 17 August 1960 (week ending).
q "Love is Like a Violin" re-entered the top 10 at number 8 on 21 September 1960 (week ending).
r "As Long as He Needs Me" re-entered the top 10 at number 5 on 19 October 1960 (week ending) for 9 weeks.
s "Chain Gang" re-entered the top 10 at number 9 on 2 November 1960 (week ending).
t "Please Help Me, I'm Falling" re-entered the top 10 at number 10 on 2 November 1960 (week ending).
u "Let's Think About Living" re-entered the top 10 at number 10 on 7 December 1960 (week ending).
v "Man of Mystery"/"The Stranger" re-entered the top 10 at number 7 on 18 January 1961 (week ending) for 2 weeks.
w "Goodness Gracious Me" re-entered the top 10 at number 7 on 11 January 1960 (week ending) for 3 weeks.
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