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. Before 2004, the chart was only based on the sales of physical singles. This list shows singles that peaked in the top 10 of the UK Singles Chart during 1962, as well as singles which peaked in 1961 and 1963 but were in the top 10 in 1962. 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).
Ninety-two singles were in the top ten in 1962. Eight singles from 1961 remained in the top 10 for several weeks at the beginning of the year, while "The Next Time"/"Bachelor Boy" by Cliff Richard and The Shadows and "Dance On!" by The Shadows were both released in 1962 but did not reach their peak until 1963. "Midnight in Moscow" by Kenny Ball & His Jazzmen, "Stranger on the Shore" by Mr. Acker Bilk, "Let There Be Drums" by Sandy Nelson and "Happy Birthday Sweet Sixteen" by Neil Sedaka were the singles from 1961 to reach their peak in 1962. Twenty-three artists scored multiple entries in the top 10 in 1962. Chubby Checker, The Four Seasons, Frank Ifield, Joe Brown & the Bruvvers and Tommy Roe were among the many artists who achieved their first UK charting top 10 single in 1962.
The 1961 Christmas number-one, "Moon River" by Danny Williams, remained at number one for the first week of 1962. The first new number-one single of the year was "The Young Ones" by Cliff Richard and The Shadows. Overall, twelve different singles peaked at number-one in 1962, with Elvis Presley (4) having the most singles hit that position.
Background Multiple entries Ninety-two singles charted in the top 10 in 1962, with eighty-six singles reaching their peak this year. "When My Little Girl is Smiling" was recorded by Craig Douglas and Jimmy Justice and both versions reached the top 10.
Twenty-three artists scored multiple entries in the top 10 in 1962. The Shadows secured the record for most top 10 hits in 1962 with six hit singles, four of which were with Cliff Richard.
Frank Ifield was one of a number of artists with two top-ten entries, including the number-one single "I Remember You". Adam Faith, Bobby Darin, Duane Eddy, Karl Denver and Neil Sedaka were among the other artists who had multiple top 10 entries in 1962.
Chart debuts Twenty-six artists achieved their first top 10 single in 1962, either as a lead or featured artist. Bernard Cribbins, Frank Ifield and Jimmy Justice all 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.
Artist Number of top 10s First entry Chart position Other entriesLeroy Van Dyke1"Walk On By"5—Chubby Checker1"Let's Twist Again"2—Burl Ives1"A Little Bitty Tear"9—Dion1"The Wanderer"10—Bernard Cribbins2"The Hole in the Ground"9"Right Said Fred" (10)Bruce Channel1"Hey! Baby"2—Johnny Keating & His Orchestra1"Theme from Z-Cars"2—B. Bumble and the Stingers1"Nut Rocker" 1—Ketty Lester1"Love Letters"4—Jimmy Justice2"When My Little Girl is Smiling"9"Ain't That Funny" (8)Mike Sarne1"Come Outside"1—Wendy Richard1—Joe Brown & the Bruvvers1"A Picture of You"2—Eydie Gormé1"Yes, My Darling Daughter"10—Frank Ifield2"I Remember You"1"Lovesick Blues" (1)Ronnie Carroll1"Roses Are Red (My Love)"3—1"Telstar"1—Tommy Roe1"Sheila"3—Little Eva1"The Loco-Motion"2—Carole King1"It Might as Well Rain Until September"3—Mark Wynter1"Venus in Blue Jeans"4—Chris Montez1"Let's Dance"2—1"Sherry"8—Susan Maughan1"Bobby's Girl"3—Marty Robbins1"Devil Woman"5—The Rebelettes1"(Dance with the) Guitar Man"4—
Notes British vocal group The Tornados were Billy Fury's backing group from the start of this year until August 1963 but they did not receive specific credit for these recordings. Their first official chart credit was "Telstar" under their own name.
The Rebelettes, who backed Duane Eddy on "(Dance with the) Guitar Man", were actually The Blossoms, a girl group consisting of Darlene Love, Fanita James, and Jean King.
Songs from films Original songs from various films entered the top 10 throughout the year. These included "The Young Ones" (from The Young Ones), "Rock-A-Hula Baby" and "Can't Help Falling in Love" (Blue Hawaii), "The Ballad of Paladin" (The Wild Westerners), "The Next Time" and "Bachelor Boy" (Summer Holiday).
Additionally, the original version of "Love Letters" was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Song after being used in the film of the same name (losing out to "It Might As Well Be Spring" from State Fair). "The Green Leaves of Summer" was also Academy Award-nominated, appearing in the 1960 film The Alamo, where it was performed by The Brothers Four.
Best-selling singles 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 single of each year in chart history from 1952 to date. According to the list, "I Remember You" by Frank Ifield is officially recorded as the biggest-selling single of 1962.
Top-ten singles Key SymbolMeaning‡Single peaked in 1961 but still in chart in 1962.♦Single released in 1962 but peaked in 1963.(#)Year-end best-selling single.EnteredThe date that the single first appeared in the chart.PeakHighest position that the single reached in the UK Singles Chart.
Entered(week ending) Weeksintop10 Single Artist Peak Peak reached(week ending) WeeksatpeakSingles in 19617"Tower of Strength" ‡Frankie Vaughan139"Moon River" ‡Danny Williams129"Midnight in Moscow" Kenny Ball & His Jazzmen215"Johnny Will" ‡ Pat Boone4217"Stranger on the Shore" Mr. Acker Bilk236"Let There Be Drums" Sandy Nelson322"Toy Balloons" ‡Russ Conway718"Happy Birthday Sweet Sixteen" Neil Sedaka32Singles in 19626"Multiplication" Bobby Darin519"I'd Never Find Another You" Billy Fury5111"The Young Ones" Cliff Richard & The Shadows161"So Long, Baby" Del Shannon1014"Run to Him" Bobby Vee628"Forget Me Not" Eden Kane328"Walk On By" Leroy Van Dyke539"Let's Twist Again" Chubby Checker2213"Rock-A-Hula Baby"/"Can't Help Falling in Love"Elvis Presley145"Crying in the Rain" 618"Wimoweh" Karl Denver412"A Little Bitty Tear" Burl Ives925"March of the Siamese Children" Kenny Ball & His Jazzmen419"Tell Me What He Said"Helen Shapiro2314"Wonderful Land" 188"Dream Baby (How Long Must I Dream)"Roy Orbison221"The Wanderer"Dion1013"The Hole in the Ground"Bernard Cribbins922"Softly, as I Leave You"Matt Monro1024"Twistin' the Night Away"Sam Cooke618"Hey! Little Girl"Del Shannon216"Hey! Baby"Bruce Channel211"Theme from Z-Cars"Johnny Keating814"Never Goodbye"Karl Denver922"When My Little Girl is Smiling"Craig Douglas915"Speak to Me Pretty" Brenda Lee319"Nut Rocker" B. Bumble and the Stingers114"Love Letters"Ketty Lester411"Wonderful World of the Young"Danny Williams811"The Party's Over"Lonnie Donegan9111"Good Luck Charm"Elvis Presley1510"I'm Looking out the Window"/"Do You Want to Dance" Cliff Richard236"As You Like It"Adam Faith532"When My Little Girl is Smiling"Jimmy Justice929"Ginny Come Lately"Brian Hyland545"Last Night Was Made for Love"Billy Fury4111"Come Outside"Mike Sarne featuring Wendy Richard 124"I Don't Know Why"Eden Kane7211"A Picture of You"Joe Brown & the Bruvvers223"Green Leaves of Summer" Kenny Ball & His Jazzmen715"English Country Garden" Jimmie Rodgers5111"I Can't Stop Loving You"Ray Charles122"Ain't That Funny"Jimmy Justice811"Sharing You"Bobby Vee1015"Here Comes That Feeling"Brenda Lee511"Yes, My Darling Daughter"Eydie Gormé10114"I Remember You" (#1) Frank Ifield172"Our Favourite Melodies" Craig Douglas919"Speedy Gonzales" Pat Boone245"Don't Ever Change" 523"Little Miss Lonely" Helen Shapiro811"Right Said Fred" Bernard Cribbins1017"Guitar Tango" 438"Things" Bobby Darin214"Once Upon a Dream" Billy Fury737"Roses Are Red (My Love)" Ronnie Carroll317"Sealed with a Kiss" Brian Hyland316"Breaking Up Is Hard to Do" Neil Sedaka721"Vacation" Connie Francis1019"She's Not You"Elvis Presley136"It'll Be Me" Cliff Richard & The Shadows211"The Ballad of Paladin" Duane Eddy1014"Don't That Beat All" Adam Faith81 16"Telstar" 1 58"Sheila"Tommy Roe329"The Loco-Motion"Little Eva236"It Might as Well Rain Until September"Carole King313"You Don't Know Me"Ray Charles923"What Now My Love?"Shirley Bassey515"Ramblin' Rose"Nat King Cole516"Venus in Blue Jeans"Mark Wynter41 10"Let's Dance" Chris Montez 2 49"The Swiss Maid"Del Shannon21 12"Lovesick Blues"Frank Ifield 1 5 4"Sherry" 8 1 9"Bobby's Girl"Susan Maughan 3 1 5"Devil Woman"Marty Robbins 5 1 10"(Dance with the) Guitar Man"Duane Eddy & The Rebelettes 4 2 8"Sun Arise"Rolf Harris 3 1 9"Return to Sender"Elvis Presley 1 3 11"The Next Time"/"Bachelor Boy" ♦ Cliff Richard & The Shadows 1 3 2"Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" Brenda Lee 6 1 7"Dance On!" ♦ 1 1
Entries by artist
The following table shows artists who achieved two or more top 10 entries in 1962, including singles that reached their peak in 1961 or 1963. The figures include both main artists and featured artists. The total number of weeks an artist spent in the top ten in 1962 is also shown.
Entries Artist Weeks Singles6 50"Guitar Tango", "Do You Want to Dance", "It'll Be Me", "The Next Time"/"Bachelor Boy", "The Young Ones", "Wonderful Land", "Dance On!"4Cliff Richard 29"I'm Looking out the Window"/"Do You Want to Dance", "It'll Be Me", "The Next Time"/"Bachelor Boy", "The Young Ones"Elvis Presley36"Good Luck Charm", "Return to Sender", "Rock-A-Hula Baby"/"Can't Help Falling in Love", "She's Not You"3Billy Fury17"I'd Never Find Another You", "Last Night Was Made for Love", "Once Upon a Dream"Brenda Lee 11"Here Comes That Feeling", "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree", "Speak to Me Pretty"Del Shannon18"Hey! Little Girl", "So Long, Baby", "The Swiss Maid"Kenny Ball & His Jazzmen 14"Green Leaves of Summer", "March of the Siamese Children", "Midnight in Moscow"2Adam Faith10"As You Like It", "Don't That Beat All"Bernard Cribbins4"Right Said Fred", "The Hole in the Ground"Bobby Darin14"Multiplication", "Things"Bobby Vee 6"Run to Him", "Sharing You"Brian Hyland16"Ginny Come Lately", "Sealed with a Kiss"Craig Douglas4"Our Favourite Melodies", "When My Little Girl is Smiling"Danny Williams5"Moon River", "Wonderful World of the Young"Duane Eddy 6"(Dance with the) Guitar Man", "The Ballad of Paladin"Eden Kane12"Forget Me Not", "I Don't Know Why"Frank Ifield22"I Remember You", "Lovesick Blues"Helen Shapiro12"Little Miss Lonely", "Tell Me What He Said"Jimmy Justice4"Ain't That Funny", "When My Little Girl is Smiling"Karl Denver12"Never Goodbye", "Wimoweh"Neil Sedaka14"Breaking Up Is Hard to Do", "Happy Birthday Sweet Sixteen"Pat Boone 13"Johnny Will", "Speedy Gonzales"Ray Charles 14"I Can't Stop Loving You", "You Don't Know Me"
Notes
"Stranger on the Shore" re-entered the top 10 at number 8 on 15 March 1962 (week ending) for 5 weeks, at number 10 on 3 May 1962 (week ending) and at number 9 on 28 June 1962 (week ending) for 2 weeks. "Run to Him" re-entered the top 10 at number 6 on 15 February 1962 (week ending) for 2 weeks. The Shadows appear alongside Cliff Richard on "Do You Want to Dance". "Green Leaves of Summer" re-entered the top 10 at number 7 on 5 July 1962 (week ending). "English Country Garden" re-entered the top 10 at number 8 on 12 July (week ending) for 4 weeks. "Telstar" re-entered the top 10 at number 10 on 17 January 1963 (week ending). "Let's Dance" re-entered the top 10 at number 10 on 27 December 1962 (week ending) for 2 weeks. "Sherry" re-entered the top 10 at number 10 on 6 December 1962 (week ending). The Rebelettes were actually The Blossoms, a girl group consisting of Darlene Love, Fanita James, and Jean King. Figure includes single that peaked in 1963. Figure includes single that peaked in 1961.