The UK singles chart is a record chart compiled on behalf of the British record industry. Until 1 February 1994, the chart was compiled each week by Gallup – after this date, it was managed by Millward Brown, who expanded the number of sales figures sampled, and extended the use of electronic point of sale machines. From July 1998 onwards, compilation of the chart was overseen by The Chart Information Network (CIN) and it was based entirely on sales of physical singles from retail outlets – airplay statistics are not used in compiling the official UK singles chart. The chart week ran from Sunday to Saturday, and the Top 40 was first revealed on BBC Radio 1 on a Sunday. Record companies began making singles available to radio stations much further in advance of their release dates and making greater use of direct marketing techniques in the 1990s. As a result, the number of singles that entered the charts at number one increased dramatically, and it became commonplace for singles to enter the charts at the top and then plummet down the listing soon after.
During the decade, 206 singles reached the number-one position on the chart. "Hangin' Tough" by New Kids on the Block reached number one on the first new chart of the decade, replacing "Do They Know It's Christmas?" by Band Aid II which had been number one on the last chart issued in 1989. The longest spell at the top was achieved by Bryan Adams's song "(Everything I Do) I Do It for You", which spent 16 weeks at number one in 1991, beating the record for the longest unbroken run at the top of the charts which had been held by Slim Whitman's "Rose Marie" since 1955. Wet Wet Wet and Whitney Houston also had runs of 10 or more weeks at number one during the 1990s. Although it only spent five weeks at number one, Elton John's 1997 single "Candle in the Wind 1997" / "Something About the Way You Look Tonight" sold almost 5 million copies, becoming the biggest-selling single in UK history. Cher's song "Believe" spent 7 weeks at number-one at the end of 1998 and became the biggest-selling single by a female artist in UK history. Also, Cher is the female solo artist with the most number-one singles in the 1990s (a total of three) and the female solo artist with most weeks at number one (13). The final number one of the decade was the double A-side "I Have a Dream" / "Seasons in the Sun" by Westlife. Take That and the Spice Girls share the distinction of having achieved the most number-one hits in the 1990s, with eight each.
Number-one singles +Key†Best-selling single of the year‡ Best-selling single of the decade
ArtistSingleRecord labelWeek ending dateWeeks atnumber one638 Band Aid II"Do They Know It's Christmas?" PWL3639 New Kids on the Block"Hangin' Tough"CBS2640 "Tears on My Pillow"PWL1641 "Nothing Compares 2 U"Ensign4642 Beats International"Dub Be Good to Me"Go! Beat4643 Snap!""Arista2644 Madonna"Vogue"Sire4645 Adamski "Killer"MCA4646 New Order"World in Motion"Factory2647 "Sacrifice" / "Healing Hands"Rocket5648 Partners in Kryme"Turtle Power"SBK4649 Bombalurina"Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini" Carpet 3650 "" Capitol2651 "Show Me Heaven"Epic4652 ""Go! Discs1653 "Unchained Melody" †Verve/Polydor4654 Vanilla Ice"Ice Ice Baby"SBK4655 "Saviour's Day"EMI1656 Iron Maiden"Bring Your Daughter... to the Slaughter"EMI2657 Enigma"Sadness (Part I)"Virgin International1658 Queen"Innuendo"Parlophone1659 "3 a.m. Eternal"KLF Communications2660 "Do the Bartman"Geffen3661 "Should I Stay or Should I Go" Columbia2662 Hale and Pace and the Stonkers ""London1663 ""Chrysalis5664 Cher""Epic5665 Color Me Badd"I Wanna Sex You Up"Giant3666 "Any Dream Will Do"Really Useful2667 "" †A&M16668 U2""Island1669 and The Wonder Stuff"Dizzy"Sense 2670 "Black or White"Epic2671 and Elton John "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me"Epic2672 Queen"Bohemian Rhapsody" / "These Are the Days of Our Lives"Parlophone5673 Wet Wet Wet"Goodnight Girl"The Precious Organisation4674 Shakespears Sister"Stay"London8675 Right Said Fred"Deeply Dippy" Tug 3676 KWS"Please Don't Go"Network5677 ErasureMute5678 "Ain't No Doubt"East West3679 Snap!"Rhythm Is a Dancer"Arista6680 "Ebeneezer Goode"One Little Indian4681 "Sleeping Satellite"EMI2682 Boyz II Men"End of the Road"Motown3683 Charles & Eddie"Would I Lie to You?"Capitol2684 Whitney Houston"I Will Always Love You" †Arista10685 2 Unlimited"No Limit"PWL Continental5686 Shaggy"Oh Carolina"Greensleeves2687 "Young at Heart"London4688 and Queen with Lisa StansfieldFive Live (EP)Parlophone3689 Ace of Base"All That She Wants"London3690 UB40"(I Can't Help) Falling in Love With You"DEP International2691 Gabrielle"Dreams"Go! Beat3692 Take That"Pray" RCA4693 "Living on My Own"Parlophone2694 Culture Beat"Mr. Vain"Epic4695 DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince"Boom! Shake the Room"Jive2696 Take That featuring Lulu"Relight My Fire"RCA2697 Meat Loaf"I'd Do Anything for Love (But I Won't Do That)" †Virgin7698 Mr Blobby"Mr Blobby"Destiny Music 1699 Take That"Babe"RCA1 Mr Blobby"Mr Blobby"Destiny Music 2700 "Twist and Shout" Mango 2701 D:Ream"Things Can Only Get Better"Magnet4702 "Without You"Columbia4703 Doop"Doop"Citybeat3704 Take That"Everything Changes"RCA2705 Prince""NPG2706 ""Cleveland City Blues 1707 Stiltskin"Inside"White Water 1708 Manchester United F.C."Come On You Reds"Polydor2709 Wet Wet Wet"Love Is All Around" †The Precious Organisation15710 Whigfield"Saturday Night"Systematic 4711 Take That"Sure"RCA2712 Pato Banton featuring Ali and Robin Campbell"Baby Come Back"Virgin4713 Baby D"Let Me Be Your Fantasy"Systematic 2714 East 17"Stay Another Day"London5715 Rednex"Cotton Eye Joe"Internal Affairs 3716 "Think Twice"Epic7717 Cher, Chrissie Hynde and Neneh Cherry with Eric Clapton"Love Can Build a Bridge"London1718 The Outhere Brothers"Don't Stop (Wiggle Wiggle)"Eternal1719 Take That"Back for Good"RCA4720 Oasis"Some Might Say"Creation1721 Livin' Joy"Dreamer"Undiscovered1722 Robson & Jerome"Unchained Melody" / "White Cliffs of Dover" †RCA7723 The Outhere Brothers"Boom Boom Boom"Eternal4724 Take That"Never Forget"RCA3725 Blur"Country House"Food2726 "You Are Not Alone"Epic2727 Shaggy"Boombastic"Virgin1728 Simply Red"Fairground"East West4729 Coolio featuring L.V."Gangsta's Paradise"Tommy Boy2730 Robson & Jerome"I Believe" / "Up on the Roof"RCA4731 "Earth Song"Epic6732 "Jesus to a Child"Virgin1733 Babylon Zoo"Spaceman"EMI5734 Oasis"Don't Look Back in Anger"Creation1735 Take That"How Deep Is Your Love"RCA3736 "Firestarter"XL3737 "Return of the Mack"WEA2738 "Fastlove"Virgin3739 Gina G"Ooh Aah... Just a Little Bit"Eternal1740 Baddiel, Skinner and The Lightning Seeds"Three Lions"Epic1741 Fugees"Killing Me Softly" †Columbia4 Baddiel, Skinner and The Lightning Seeds"Three Lions"Epic1 Fugees"Killing Me Softly" †Columbia1742 "Forever Love"RCA1743 Spice Girls"Wannabe"Virgin7744 "Flava"Mushroom1745 Fugees"Ready or Not"Columbia2746 Deep Blue Something"Breakfast at Tiffany's"Interscope1747 "Setting Sun"Virgin1748 Boyzone"Words"Polydor1749 Spice Girls"Say You'll Be There"Virgin2750 Robson & Jerome"What Becomes of the Brokenhearted" / "Saturday Night at the Movies" / "You'll Never Walk Alone"RCA2751 "Breathe"XL2752 "I Feel You"Mushroom1753 Boyzone""Polydor1754 Dunblane"Knockin' on Heaven's Door" / "Throw These Guns Away"RCA1755 Spice Girls"2 Become 1"Virgin3756 "Professional Widow (It's Got to Be Big)"East West1757 White Town"Your Woman"Chrysalis1758 Blur"Beetlebum"Food1759 LL Cool J"Ain't Nobody"Geffen1760 U2"Discothèque"Island1761 No Doubt"Don't Speak"Interscope3762 Spice Girls"Mama" / "Who Do You Think You Are"Virgin3763 "Block Rockin' Beats"Virgin1764 "I Believe I Can Fly"Jive3765 "Blood on the Dance Floor"Epic1766 "Love Won't Wait"RCA1767 Olive"You're Not Alone"RCA2768 Eternal featuring BeBe Winans"I Wanna Be the Only One"EMI1769 Hanson"MMMBop"Mercury3770 Puff Daddy and Faith Evans featuring 112"I'll Be Missing You"Puff Daddy 3771 Oasis"D'You Know What I Mean?"Creation1 Puff Daddy and Faith Evans featuring 112"I'll Be Missing You"Puff Daddy3772 "Men in Black"Columbia4773 ""Hut1774 "Candle in the Wind 1997" / "Something About the Way You Look Tonight" ‡Rocket5775 Spice Girls"Spice Up Your Life"Virgin1776 Aqua"Barbie Girl"Universal4777 Various artists "Perfect Day"Chrysalis2778 Teletubbies"Teletubbies say "Eh-oh!""BBC Worldwide2779 Spice Girls"Too Much"Virgin2 Various artists "Perfect Day"Chrysalis1780 All Saints"Never Ever"London1781 Oasis"All Around the World"Creation1782 Usher"You Make Me Wanna..."LaFace1783 Aqua"Doctor Jones"Universal2784 "My Heart Will Go On"Epic1785 Cornershop"Brimful of Asha"Wiiija1786 Madonna"Frozen"Maverick1 "My Heart Will Go On"Epic1787 Run-DMC vs. Jason Nevins"It's Like That" Profile 6788 Boyzone"All That I Need"Polydor1789 All Saints"Under the Bridge" / "Lady Marmalade"London1790 Aqua"Turn Back Time"Universal1 All Saints"Under the Bridge" / "Lady Marmalade"London1791 "Feel It"Pepper1792 B*Witched"C'est la Vie"Epic2793 Baddiel, Skinner and The Lightning Seeds"3 Lions '98"Epic3794 Billie"Because We Want To"Innocent1795 Another Level"Freak Me"Northwestside 1796 Jamiroquai"Deeper Underground"Sony S21797 Spice Girls"Viva Forever"Virgin2798 Boyzone"No Matter What"Polydor3799 Manic Street Preachers"If You Tolerate This Your Children Will Be Next"Epic1800 All Saints"Bootie Call"London1801 "Millennium"Chrysalis1802 featuring Missy Elliott"I Want You Back"Virgin1803 B*Witched"Rollercoaster"Epic2804 Billie"Girlfriend"Innocent1805 Spacedust"Gym and Tonic"East West1806 Cher"Believe" †WEA7807 B*Witched"To You I Belong"Epic1808 Spice Girls"Goodbye"Virgin1809 Chef"Chocolate Salty Balls (P.S. I Love You)"Columbia1810 Steps"Heartbeat" / "Tragedy"Jive1811 Fatboy Slim"Praise You"Skint1812 911"A Little Bit More"Virgin1813 "Pretty Fly (for a White Guy)"Columbia1814 Armand van Helden featuring Duane Harden "You Don't Know Me"ffrr1815 Blondie"Maria"Beyond Music1816 "Fly Away"Virgin1817 "" †Jive2818 Boyzone"When the Going Gets Tough"Polydor2819 B*Witched"Blame It on the Weatherman"Epic1820 Mr. Oizo"Flat Beat"F Communications2821 "Perfect Moment"Innocent2822 Westlife"Swear It Again"RCA2823 Backstreet Boys"I Want It That Way"Jive1824 Boyzone"You Needed Me"Polydor1825 Shanks & Bigfoot"Sweet like Chocolate"Pepper2826 "Everybody's Free (To Wear Sunscreen)"EMI1827 S Club 7"Bring It All Back"Polydor1828 Vengaboys"Boom, Boom, Boom, Boom!!"Positiva1829 ATB"9 PM (Till I Come)"Ministry of Sound2830 "Livin' la Vida Loca"Columbia3831 "When You Say Nothing at All"Polydor2832 Westlife"If I Let You Go"RCA1833 "Mi Chico Latino"EMI1834 "Mambo No. 5 (A Little Bit Of...)"RCA2835 Vengaboys"We're Going to Ibiza!"Positiva1836 Eiffel 65"Blue (Da Ba Dee)"Eternal3837 "Genie in a Bottle"RCA2838 Westlife"Flying Without Wings"RCA1839 Five"Keep on Movin"RCA1840 "Lift Me Up"EMI1841 "She's the One" / "It's Only Us"Chrysalis1842 Wamdue Project"King of My Castle"AM:PM1843 ""EMI3844 Westlife"I Have a Dream" / "Seasons in the Sun"RCA4
Artists by total number of weeks at number one ArtistWeeks at number one Spice Girls21 Take That21 Wet Wet Wet19 Bryan Adams16 Cher13 Robson & Jerome13 Elton John12 Michael Jackson11 Whitney Houston10 Queen9 Celine Dion9 George Michael9 Boyzone9 Snap!8 Shakespears Sister8 Westlife8 Aqua7 Meat Loaf7 B*Witched6 Run–D.M.C.6 Jason Nevins6
Songs by total number weeks at number one The following songs spent at least six weeks at number one during the 1990s.
ArtistSongWeeks atnumber oneBryan Adams "(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" 16Wet Wet Wet"Love Is All Around"15Whitney Houston"I Will Always Love You"10Shakespears Sister"Stay"8Meat Loaf"I'd Do Anything for Love (But I Won't Do That)7Celine Dion"Think Twice"Robson & Jerome"Unchained Melody" / "(There'll Be Bluebirds Over) The White Cliffs of Dover"Spice Girls"Wannabe"Cher"Believe"Snap!"Rhythm Is a Dancer"6Michael Jackson"Earth Song"Puff Daddy & Faith Evans featuring 112"I'll Be Missing You"Run-DMC vs. Jason Nevins"It's Like That"
By artist