Age is just a number: older artists who ruled the UK's Official Chart
Being a record breaker at any stage in your career is incredible, but imagine being able to say that you're still smashing Official Chart records in the golden years of your life?
We celebrate Official Chart legends who've been around the block a bit and hold records related to age, experience and career longevity. Age is just a number after all...
Vera Lynn
The oldest artist to ever chart? Dame Vera Lynn. The Forces’ Sweetheart was the oldest living artist to score a Top 10 on the Official Albums Chart, being the only centenarian ever to release music. In March 2017, her album 100 peaked at Number 3, which is astounding.
Even more incredible, Dame Vera was the oldest female and oldest artist overall to score a UK Number 1 album! Vera released We’ll Meet Again – The Very Best Of back in 2009 aged 92 and the album debuted at the top spot.
Tom Jones
The Voice UK’s silver fox and serial namedropper, Sir Tom Jones is an absolute national treasure. This week, at 80 years and 10 months old, he became the oldest male artist to land a Number 1 album on the Official Chart - as well as the oldest artist to score a chart-topping studio album (i.e of new material).
Tony Bennett
Tony Bennett is a jazz legend, and he showed he's got staying power when, aged 88 in 2014, his Cheek to Cheek collaborative album with Lady Gaga charted at Number 10 in the UK, making him the oldest gent to hit the Top 10. Then in September 2018 aged 92, he extended his record as the oldest male artist to impact the Official Albums Chart Top 40 with Love Is Here To Stay.
Cher
52 is by no means old, but when Cher scored a Number 1 single at that age with Believe back in 1999, she became the oldest female chart-topper the Official Singles Chart has ever seen. In the song, Cher sang “cause I know that I am strong”, and she was right – Believe’s record has stood for over 20 years. And the cherry on top? It's also the biggest selling single ever by a female lead artist in UK chart history. What a woman. See the UK's biggest selling singles of all-time
Elvis Presley
The Official Chart really is The King's stomping ground. He may be gone, but he's certainly not forgotten: Elvis Presley holds the record for the longest span between his first and latest Number 1 album. Wonder of You, his 2016 chart-topper with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, extended Big E's record-setting span to 59 years, 11 months and 24 days. "Thank ya very much."
MORE: Artists with the most Number 1 singles on the UK chart
Captain Sir Tom Moore
(Image: Emma Sohl)
After winning the hearts of the nation having raised over £28 million for the covid crisis, Captain Sir Tom Moore continued his fundraising efforts by releasing a cover of You'll Never Walk Alone with Michael Ball. The song debuted at Number 1 when he was aged 99 years and 11 months, making him the oldest artist ever to land a chart-topper.
The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones just keep on, umm, rollin'. Their latest album Blue & Lonesome topped the Official Albums Chart in November 2016, one of only three releases that year to sell over 100,000 copies in its first week that year. The Stones have now achieved a Top 3 album in each of the last six decades. Surely that'll give them some satisfaction! View The Rolling Stones' complete UK singles and albums chart history
Barbra Streisand and Kate Bush
Second only to Madonna when it comes to her tally of UK Number 1 albums, Barbra Streisand is certainly an icon. Kate Bush is a record-breaker too, scoring more Top 40 albums in the same week than any other female artist ever.
MORE: The female solo artists with the most Number 1 albums
Both Barbra and Kate are the only women to score a Top 5 album in each of the last five decades. Kate can actually claim one better – she's hit the Top 3 in each too, but Barbra managed four more chart toppers in her haul. Either way, these two are irreplaceable figures in music that we're happy to celebrate.
Join the conversation by joining the Official Charts community and dropping comment.
Already registered?
Log in
No account?
Register
INM
It's not me!
When was this article written? Kylie has more number 1 albums than Barbara Streisand!! She is second to Madonna. Kylie is also the only woman to have a number 1 album in the last 5 decades. So better than Barbara and Kate Bush!! Get your facts straight!
S
Saw
This list is stupid, even Taylor swift has had more albums than them 2, also debbie harry had a number 1 with blondie in 99 making her the oldest female artist to have a number 1.
Chris Optional
It should only count if the artist is actually singing on the recording at whatever current age they are.
Just charting with old stuff just because of sentimentality is nonsense.
Seb Nmd
Who is the oldest artist to have a debut single or album on the charts?
JH
John Hawkins
Shirley Collins, whose Lodestar album in 2016 was her first charting album at age 80, would be a contender.
S
Saw
It Was her seventh album though not a debut, I would say sir Tom moore would be the oldest as per said in aforementioned list.
Küll
What about Black Sabbath?
AncientKing
I would love to see Vera Lynn at number one again. But Ed Sheeran won't let her.
AH
Anthony Holland
How about Petula Clark? Recording new material from 1940s up to 2016 at the latest count - with chart appearances from 1954 until 2016, now into her 80s.
D.
D .
What about Dame SHIRLEY BASSEY ?
CF
Christian Frank
Why no mention of the legend that is Sir Cliff Richard?
AH
Anthony Holland
It's certainly odd that the OCC seem to purposely avoid Cliff Richard - they missed him off their article about most number one albums until reminded.
Official Charts
Hi guys! We certainly haven't forgotten about Cliff and his brilliant career. This feature is not a definitive list and only features a selection of acts related to the subject matter. There will definitely be future features that Cliff appears in! 😃