Artists with the most Number 1 singles on the UK chart

Who's topped the charts the most times? A definitive list of record breakers.
most-number-1s.jpg

Most popstars consider themselves lucky to score one Number 1 in the course of their career, let alone manage multiple visits to the top.

Here's who's made it into the annals of pop history thanks to their knack of racking up Number 1s.

Elvis Presley (21)*

The King of Rock 'n' Roll is, unsurprisingly, also the King of Number 1s. In just under 48 years, from first chart-topper All Shook Up in July 1957 to the reissue of It's Now or Never in February 2005, Elvis amassed 21 Number 1s, spending 80 weeks at the top. Five of those Number 1s came after his death in August 1977, with his last chart-topping during his lifetime being 1970's The Wonder of You. Bonus fact: Elvis's Jailhouse Rock was the first single to debut at number 1, back in 1958.

All Shook Up (1957 UK single) - Elvis Presley

*Three Elvis songs from his Noughties reissue campaign reached Number 1 again, counting as separate chart entries. With or without them, The King still leads the all-time tally.

The Beatles (18)

The most successful band on the countdown, and the most decorated British act, The Beatles scored 18 Number 1s, with the first 10 being consecutive. It took less than six years to rack up the first 17, from From Me To You in May 1963 to The Ballad of John and Yoko in June 1969, before - against all expectations - 54 years later in 2023, the group returned with their ‘last’ song, Now and Then, smashing in at Number 1 to break a slew of records itself. Read more about The Beatles’ record-breaking 18th Number 1 here. 

From Me To You - The Beatles

Cliff Richard, Ed Sheeran, Westlife (14)

Ed Sheeran earned his landmark 14th UK Number 1 single with the Max Martin-produced Eyes Closed in March 2023. He now shares the title of the artist with the third-most chart-toppers in UK chart history. Ed earned a massive four Number 1 singles in 2021; Bad Habits, Shivers, Merry Christmas (with Elton John), and a feature on LadBaby's 2021 Christmas Number 1, Sausage Rolls For Everyone.

Cliff Richard managed to have a chart-topper in every decade from the 1950s to the 1990s, with his first being 1959's Living Doll, and his most recent coming 40 years later with his version of the Millennium Prayer. Westlife went to Number 1 with their first seven singles, claimed over just 18 months, and their last chart-topper came in 2006, a cover of The Rose.

 

(Image: Mushroom Creative House/Liam Pethick)

Madonna (13)

The most successful female artist in UK chart history. Madonna's 13 Number 1 took 23 years to rack up – from Into The Groove (1985) to 4 Minutes (2008) – and she has plenty of near-misses too. She's got more Number 2 peaks on the UK chart than any other artist, with 12.

 

Take That (12)

The UK's most successful boyband (Take That, not the Shadows) kicked off their impressive run of Number 1s with Pray in 1993, before scoring six more chart-toppers as a five-piece. Once Robbie departed, the remaining quartet landed another four without him, and when Jason moved on, the final trio of Mark, Howard, and Gary, topped the chart with These Days, their most recent, in 2014. See Take That's full Official UK Chart history.

 

Calvin Harris (11)

Calvin Harris has just scored his 11th UK Number 1 single with Ellie Goulding in the form of trance banger Miracle.

He last topped the charts in 2018 with both One Kiss with Dua Lipa and Promises with Sam Smith.

Elton John, Eminem (10)

Elton John became the latest to hit double digits following incredible success in 2021, earning three Number 1s with Dua Lipa and Ed Sheeran collaborations, and of course featuring on the 2021 Christmas Number 1, Sausage Rolls For Everyone by LadBaby.

Eminem collected his 10th Number 1 in January 2020 with Godzilla ft. Juice WRLD, nearly twenty years after he first topped the chart with The Real Slim Shady.

ABBA, Rihanna, Spice Girls (9)

It's been a while since we last had music from Rihanna - will she ever break double-digits? ABBA and Spice Girls hold records as the mixed group and girl band with the most chart toppers respectively.

8 Number 1s:

Oasis, The Rolling Stones, Sam Smith.

7 Number 1s:

Ariana Grande, George Michael, Jess Glynne, Justin Bieber, Kylie Minogue, McFly, Michael Jackson, Robbie Williams, Tinie Tempah, U2, David Guetta.

6 Number 1s:

Blondie, Boyzone, Britney Spears, Drake, Lady Gaga, Queen, The Shadows, Slade, Rod Stewart, Sugababes.

5 Number 1s:

All Saints, Bee Gees, Beyoncé, Black Eyed Peas, Bruno Mars, Cheryl, David Bowie, Dizzee Rascal, Flo Rida, JLS, Katy Perry, LadBaby, Lewis Capaldi, Ne-Yo, The Police, will.i.am.

Article Image: Mushroom Creative House/Liam Pethick (Ed), Shutterstock (Elvis)

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R

Ren

0

Little Mix have 5 Number 1s as well

JE

John England

1

Even as an Elvis fan, I do not recognise the singles that were released in 2005 as being true #1s. They reached the top position based on their collectabilty because BMG were re-releasing all the previous number ones on a weekly basis and in limited numbers and fans and collectors were buying them within a few days of release. Had those records been released without the collectability factor, I doubt those singles would have reached the Top 20. I don't even count the revamped A Little Less Conversation, because without the work of JXL, that song under it's orginal rendition would never have been released. And if it is okay to include it in the total of Elvis #1s, then some would argue that it is okay to include McCartney's three #1's or even Harrison's and Lennon's with that of The Beatles.
as they surely would have reached the top had all members of the group been part of the recording process.

Another argument that should be recognised when doing these achievement comparison things is that Elvis and his record company release around 100 singles during his 23 year career whereas The Beatles released just 22 in 8 years. So 17 #1s out of 22 to me is a much better achievement than 17 out of 100.

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Smith Smyth

1

FFS that ginger tw@t isn't number one this week get over it!

NN

Nu No

0

What about updating that All time table you had in an older article?
It would be nice as that table really needs an update and it's easier to put on Social Media!
Thanks!

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Joshua Sombra

0

Yawn. I am tired of Ed Sheeran going No.1. His music is OK but he needs to stop making No.1 hits.

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Admirer of men

0

You missed out Rita Ora? She has had 6 No1s
You also missed out Geri Halliwell 5 No1s

D

duuu

2

Little Mix also has 5 number 1's, you should have put the girls on the list!!!!!!!!

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QXronny

2

Little Mix have had 5 number 1:s.

LM

Lee Moore

0

Wham! missed from the list with 5 #1s and David Guetta now has 7. OCC, once again recycling out of date articles

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Bengy

0

From me to you was the first Beatles no. 1 on the OCC chart.
But everyone know it was really Please please me.

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Laurence Sully

2

I wrote down the top 10 every week from 1969 to 2007 (aged 12 to 50) - I finally gave up because I thought that nobody seemed interested anymore - BOY WAS I WRONG ! - this has been an amazing read and shows that I wasn't the only one with a fascination for something as dull as pop music sales - Thanks to everybody here for proving I was not alone for all those years and I'm not the know-all I thought I was ...

ML

Mick Lynch

1

ah come on guys. Wham! are missing from your list. They had 5. How does mistakes like this happen on the official website. You need to ask the fans for help with these things.

JC

James Cook

0

Wham now needs adding to the 5x category

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Radio Music 24

0

Dua Lipa / Ellie Goulding superwoman!!

J

James

2

The Beatles are the greatest music artists of all time, period.

NN

Nu No

0

They were huge but not the greatest on UK Charts - and they would have been bigger if they had continued - also their catalog could be better managed than it is. But they split and his catalog is not that well maganed. They only got 28 TOP 10 Hits and 17 #01 songs. If you think Elvis Presley had 21 #01 songs and 77 TOP 10 Hits (55 while he was still alive) and Cliff Richard got 14 #01s and 68 TOP 10's while still alive. Even Madonna have 13 #01 songs and 63 TOP 10 Hits while still alive and started in the 80's.

If you look not just at #01's but at TOP 3 SONGS on UK Charts Elvis have had 45 TOP 3 singles (only 29 while alive and many during recent decades) and Madonna have had 34 TOP 3 singles while the Beatles have had 22 TOP 3 singles (including "Free as a Bird" that peaked #02 in 1995). To be fair only the Beatles and Madonna were able to block themselves from getting another #01 with their own songs while Elvis never did that.

KS

Ken Smith

0

ThIs "Official" list is FLAWED as it uses differing compilation stats.
Singles where an artist is "featured" only sometimes ranks as a number 1 hit for that person but this does not work for ALL number 1 hits. For instance, every artist who "featured" on a No.1 charity single is NOT credited with that No.1 hit ... and they should be. They "recorded" it.
If the above list was compiled properly, and took into consideration EVERY artist's featured contribution on a No.1 single, then THE ARTIST WITH THE MOST UK NUMBER ONE SINGLES is actually PAUL McCARTNEY with 25 number 1's (go to Paul's discography and count them yourself.)

NN

Nu No

0

Artists are only credited on this list if their name is listed on the recording. If an artist recorded a song with a band or a group that song won't be here unless their names are also on the single cover (like "Diana Ross and The Supremes" or "Cliff Richard and The Shadows" - both don't have here any records just by "The Shadows" or by "The Supremes" - if they did Cliff Richard would have 20 #01 hits.

The rules are simple and are the same for every world country chart since the 50's so artists knew about this before recording those songs/singles and allow them to be published without their names there.

M

Melisalove

0

Find here https://tinyurl.com/Artists-with-the-most-Number-1

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Bengy

2

It took less than six years to rack up this record-breaking clutch of Number 1s, from She Loves You in September 1963 to The Ballad of John and Yoko in June 1969.

Surely that should be From Me To You (but Please Please Me in every other chart).

PA

Paul Andrew

0

Elvis is the King of #1's all this debate about the same songs getting to number one is redundant. Elvis scored #1's with the same songs decades later after he died it was a different format another generation buying the music he's not alive to record new material so of course it's old recordings that were going to be hits no one should deny his successes or Cliff Richards come to that. Cliff the 3rd most #1's sad that there seems to be an attempt by the collective media and music industry to not celebrate but mock or write out of the history books this great artist and great man. His fans are used to this but now it appears his backing band The Shadows are also being demoted they have #12 number ones including the solo work and the hits with Cliff. If you want to count sales Cliff and The Shadows and The Beatles and Elvis sold millions of singles in their day and no one today competes with them in terms of single sales or what they did as artists. Let's have more respect for Cliff and The Shadows from the music industry and media.

PK

Philip King

0

I have to agree fully with a couple of comments here regarding the Elvis and Shadows, with the Elvis tally it should be the SONG that is counted and not the Catalogue number. No one buys music because of a number or even a record label. So Elvis's tally should be 18.
As for the Shadows, nowadays it's someone featuring someone else and both get the credit so when its Cliff and the Shadows then both Cliff AND Shadows should be credited.
Plus No.1's don't seem to have the impact either now for instance Jess Glynne is as successful as the mighty Elton John when it comes to No 1's?. I'm not an Elton fan but I could name a lot more of his No.1's than hers even though her's were more recent.
Today's music seem so diluted and conveyor belt pop with videos of the guys with their shirts off and girls with their bits out to try and sell their weak music and don't get me started on streaming included in the chart as well as any album track being allowed in the SINGLES chart too, it should be just officially released singles in the singles chart...the clue is in the title of the charts.
Anyway, that's my moan over. :D

NN

Nu No

0

It would depend on how we look at it: SINGLES or SONGS.

Elvis have had 21 #01 singles (including 4 posthumous re-releases with different catalog number and sometimes different b-sides so only 17 while alive and active) and 18 #01 songs (including 1 posthumous released song).

Cliff Richard songs with The Shadows and The Driffers are credited when he got credit on the record. The ones that are not credited are the ones where he is not credited on the single cover. The same happens for modern collaborations. If Beyoncé sings on a Coldplay song but she is not credit on the cover (despite being on the video) than the song will never count for her statistics as she was not credited on the single cover (or iTunes/Streaming description).

To be fair looking just at #01's is not fair for artists (and not looking just at TOP 10's). They never talk about the TOP 3 songs but in some weeks #01, #02 and #03 were selling almost the same and many of those songs that didn't hit the top became bigger hits than some #01 songs.

If we look at Elvis Presley he have had 45 TOP 3 singles (and 29 of them while alive and active so 16 of them were posthumous and of those most were re-releases). Madonna have had 34 TOP 3 Hit singles and Cliff Richard have had 33 TOP 3 Hits (not counting The Shadow songs where he sings but his name is not on the single cover and he is not credited). The Beatles have had 22 TOP 3 Hits (including "Free as Bird" from 1995).

Surely even using TOP 3 Singles will leave many huge hit songs left out. Cliff Richard "Lucky Lips" peaked only at #04 and is still much more known than half of his other TOP 3 Hits but looking at TOP 5 isn't much different. We can say the same about some Madonna songs like "Express Yourself" that only peaked #05.

If we look at Elvis TOP 5 Hits he have had 52 TOP 5 singles (26 of his first 7 years active and 33 while alive and active - 19 posthumous - from those 16 were re-issued singles so he just had 36 different songs being TOP 5 Hits) while Cliff Richard have had 40 TOP 5 Hits in a 48 years span (23 of them in a 7 years span - not counting his records with The Shadows and The Driffers where he is not credited on the covers). Madonna did gained leverage here scoring some amazing 45 TOP 5 Hits in just a 25 years span (26 of them during a 7 years span at start of her chart history). The Beatles have only had 25 TOP 5 Hits (including 3 already after splitting and during the 80's and 90's) but it's still impressive that 22 of those hits were in just a 7 years span (still Elvis, Madonna and Cliff did a similar and better job on this 7 years span TOP 5's thing).

Sure The Beatles have had an impressive run as when they were active only 3 songs didn't peak TOP 10 and all their TOP 10 hits were also TOP 5 hits (and most even #01) but we can't be sure their stats would continue the same later on haven't they split. They did achieve 7 consecutive #01's (10 if we do not count older record company single "Ain't She Sweet" that peaked #29 after 3 of those) and 18 consecutive TOP 10's (but let's not forget Madonna got 36 consecutive TOP 10's and Cliff Richard 25 consecutive TOP 10's). It's hard to say if the Beatles would have the longevity that Madonna and Cliff Richards have had but based on the success they all had as solo efforts I would say they could have have similar carreers to both Madonna and Cliff Richards on the charts for a few more years (as they did have more TOP 3 hits on their first 7 years despite having less TOP 5 Hits).

JE

John England

0

I think it is fair and reasonable to say that had The Beatles continued for a few more years and had they recorded the songs that the individual members of the group recorded and released, they would have reached the top under the name of the group, The Beatles.

JL

jamie lawrence

2

I’d like to see this chart broken down by decade. ABBA won the 70’s.

LM

Lee Moore

0

JLS - 6?

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Niamh P93

1

Westlife's last number 1 was actually in 2012, with "Lighthouse". They had hits in 2010 ("Safe") and 2011 ("What About Now") as well.
And as far as I'm aware, their 2019 reunion single "Hello My Love" reached no.2 at least.

MG

Mike Gee

1

The Beatles first UK no. 1 single was either Please Please Me or From Me to You - depending on which chart you want to recognize at that time (boring, yes I know).

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Sint John Smith Jones

3

Let's take it from a different view. Elvis had 17 original number ones. Three number ones in 2005 had already been previous number one singles but has been added to his total. This was done because a different catalogue number was used in 2005. And then a sampled song from Junkie XL has been added as well. It's clear the counting for the Elvis number one singles has been very generous.

Now to The Beatles. They have 17 original number ones as well. Based on the song writing credits we can add also some number one singles to their total.

No less than nine times a covered Lennon-McCartney song has topped the British singles chart. These songs are Let it Be, Michelle, Ob-la-di Ob-la-da, Bad to me, With a little help from my friends (three different cover versions reached number one), a World without love and the Stars on 45 medley.

With the songwriting argument (much stronger and honourable than the argument of the use of different catalogue numbers) the Beatles total grow to 26 number ones.

And how many number one songs has Elvis written? He is the King of Rock 'n Roll, but the crown is not his.

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Mark Wislen

0

Sint John Smith Jones - The 1981 Stars On 45 Beatles Medley was not a UK No.1 Hit. It Peaked at No.2. It was a No.1 Hit in the USA Billboard Hot 100 and in the USA Cashbox Chart.

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Sint John Smith Jones

0

Thanks for your correction Mark. You are right, it was number one in the NME charts on may the 9th 1981. But not on this chart.

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Brian Quinn

4

Sour grapes. The facts speak for themselves. Elvis is King of the UK Charts by far. Check the Official Charts Company stats for each artist/group.

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Sint John Smith Jones

0

Sour grapes for you as it seems difficult for you to accept that your king is not that royal. And have you also checked that Paul McCartney as a songwriter surpass Elvis by far in every department? For example nearly 100 top ten hits and around 200 written hits?

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Brian Quinn

4

Elvis was not a songwriter. But he surpassed Paul McCartney in every other aspect from voice to performing. Further, McCartney should not be allowed to include hits from The Beatles in his tally of albums sold. This is so wrong. I could go on forever. What about the White Album being counted as double sales in the U.S.A. (R.I.A.A.)when Elvis' 'Aloha From Hawaii' was not so counted?

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Sint John Smith Jones

1

Elvis voice had a range of two and a third octave while Paul had an over four octaves reach. Elvis had great shows, but are you really happy with his voice at the Aloha From Hawaii? A matter of personal taste. One thing is for sure, in the category singer-songwriter-musician-performer McCartney has achieved a of a lot more than Elvis. And don't get me wrong, Elvis was a great performer, fine singer and the first icon of the rock 'n roll era. A role model for generations to come. But The Beatles (with Dylan) took the music scene to a much higher and broader level. Their albums are at the top rankings of nearly every 'greatest albums of all time' poll. It says enough about their creativity, craftsmanship, innovation and influence. And Paul went on with this for decades and yes, not every album was a succes and yes now at 76 his golden voice is cracking up.

SF

Stuart Fraser

0

But you forgot "The Long and Winding Road" which was number one for Gareth Gates and Will Young in 2002

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David MadeinEngland Carbines

2

If you're taking into account non-performing credits, there are plenty of people who are far more achieving than Paul McCartney: Stock Aitken Waterman aren't far behind on pure songwriting weeks (A-Sides), each one produced by them. Add to that, the covers they produced and released on their label(s), McCartney isn't even in the same league. Individually or collectivly.

That's before you consider albums and album tracks, in which case Lerner/Loewe, Rodgers/Hammerstein, even Benny & Bjorn are all also a long way ahead.
Not to mention prolific technicians like Mutt Lange or Bob Clearmountain...

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Sint John Smith Jones

1

As producers / songwriters SAW notched up 13 number ones. McCartney has the double of that and written or co-written over 90 top ten hits and nearly 200 charted hits in the UK. So, who is not in the same league?

JL

jamie lawrence

2

Björn and Benny rule the 70’s

A

Ammie

1

Paul McCartney has not got a golden voice, please spare me the joke.
Yes, he and Lennon were top songwriters but performing was pub standard.

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Sint John Smith Jones

0

Yep,
Wings Over America, Hey Jude at David Frost, In Red Square et cetera all pub quality.

NG

Nuno Gouveia

0

Elvis is king of Rock - period. He was a great singer and performing artist.
He is not a songwriter king as he did not write.

Kings of songwriting are Paul McCartney and John Lennon (as Guinness Records and Official Charts already said).

Queen of songwriting is Madonna, just behind those 2 (as Guinness Records and Official Charts already said). Besides her released songs there are also 2 other UK Top 10 co-written by Madonna, including one #01 song.

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Eugene Markey

0

Are you really comparing Aloha from Hawaii to the White album??????

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Eugene Markey

2

Can you elaborate how Benny & Bjorn are a long way ahead of McCartney.And we really remember all those Stock, Aiken and Waterman classics, how could we ever forget

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Eugene Markey

0

Are you really comparing Aloha from Hawaii to the White album

NN

Nu No

0

This is about singles/songs that were #01 on the charts performed by the artist not about songwriters. If you look at the Guinness World Records you see that Paul McCartney is the most successful songwritter on the charts and John Lennon comes second. Curious enough in 3rd (with a big gap from them) comes Madonna that co-wrote most of her hits and a few other TOP 10 songs for other artists (and even a UK #01 song for Gary Barlow in the 90's).

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Blank

0

The amount of productions and songs by Stock Aitken Waterman to hit the UK chart are somewhere in the region of 400, according to Mike's autobiography The Hit Factory.

JE

John England

0

Nobody would dispute the chart success Elvis has had, but you are not really comparing like with like. There are very few artists who have released the number of singles that Elvis did in his career.

JE

John England

0

Sounds like sour grapes. Putting the RIAA awards to one side, what is important is the numebr of people who actually bought each album. Around 2.8 million for Aloha from Hawaii and over 12 million for the White album.

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Edwin Green

4

I have to stand up for The Shadows here. 5 number ones as a standalone act and 7 as backup for Cliff. So how on earth do you come up with 6?

JS

John Smith

1

I agree. If featured artists are going to be credited with number ones then The Shadows should be credited as having 12 No.1s as they were as eligible as Cliff was.

NN

Nu No

0

He is credited for the ones of "Cliff Richard and The Shadows" only. Just like Paul McCartney and John Lennon aren't credited for the "Beatles" or the "Wings" #01 songs and Michael Jackson isn't credit for "Jackson 5" or "The Jackson" #01 songs or Diana Ross for "The Supreme" songs (she is only credited for the ones by "Diana Ross and The Supremes"). They are only credited for the songs they got credited by their names on the single release information and cover at the time of release. If the single release only credits The Shadows on the cover/info for charts/press then they get no credit as solo aritsts. The rules are simple.

JB

Joe Bloggins

0

Because scoring a No.1 as a backing group won't count as a No.1 because it doesn't represent them as a stand-alone group.

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Brian Quinn

6

What is even more amazing about Elvis' achievements is that he also has 17 No.2 single hits. Long Live The King.

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BP

-1

yeah, with countless albums and comps... imagine MJ having so maaaannnyyyy albums like Elvis (tens of albums)...
In fact, almost nobody can name Elvis No.1s songs except those few most known.
So yeah, he has the most No.1s, but most people can not name them or just do not remember them

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julesin09

4

You are deluding yourself if you think nobody can name plenty of Elvis songs. The most mentions MJ gets these days is when it's about his victims.

DP

Debbie Parker

-2

The king of what? Oh yeh the king of fat🤣🤣🤣🤣

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Brian Quinn

1

Childish comment.

A

Ammie

3

Ignorance is bliss!!! Enjoy it in your very narrow mind.

L

luca

1

Why don’t you shut up? You’re just embarrassing yourself believe me

NG

Nuno Gouveia

0

He have 7 nº2 hits, not 17.
On the article they say Madonna have 12 nº2 hits and that is the artist with most nº2 Hits among ALL artists.

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Brian Quinn

2

Elvis has 17 No.2 Single Hits (8 of these were posthumous re-issues of tracks which had previously risen to No.1).

NG

Nuno Gouveia

0

So technically have 9 singles(songs that peaked #02) plus 8 posthumous re-issues (of songs that peaked #01 before).

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Brian Quinn

1

Correct.

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Brian Quinn

0

It all depends on how you wish to view re-issues.

JS

John Smithy

0

Is that the limit of your contribution, you sad stupid idiot

JS

John Smithy

-1

When Jackson was alive he was just known as Wacko Jacko, now his dead he will only be remembered as a child abuser,

NN

Nu No

1

Had MJ worked as much as Elvis and released more songs and albums and probably would get there but not so sure. His solo carreer was since the 70's and while alive he released almost the same amount of single as Madonna (Madonna just released 1 single more while Michael was still alive) and yet Madonna had 25 songs that peaked #01 and #02 while MJ had just 13 songs achieving the #01 or #02 while he was alive.

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MsAppassionata .

2

You’re an idiot. MJ was acquitted in a court of law. This was after over 10 years of investigation by the FBI and the police. Do you presume to know better than them?

JS

John Smithy

0

I'm amazed anyone is that stupid to believe Jacko wasn't a child abuser. The FBI never spent 10 years investigating him for nothing, he paid for his victims silence and bankrupted himself doing it. That man slept with pre-pubescent boys, what part of that don't you understand. Jimmy Savile was never convicted, does that mean he was innocent.

NN

Nu No

0

So Madonna having 12 different SONGS that peaked #02 is the Artist with more songs that peaked #02 but not with more singles as Elvis estate re-released songs with different catalogue numbers so they would give him different sinlge entries.