70 Years of the Official Singles Chart
British Music Experience to host temporary exhibition celebrating the Official Singles Chart from 1952 to 2022
November 14th 2022 will mark 70 years since the first UK singles chart was published by the New Musical Express in 1952, compiled by Percy Dickins and topped by Al Martino’s Here In My Heart.
To mark this moment, the BME is partnering with the Official Charts Company to honour the UK’s chart-topping singles over those 70 years. From legendary chart battles, Christmas hits, record breakers and novelty records to one-hit wonders, holiday hits and classic theme tunes – being top of the charts is the dream for any musician.
Harvey Goldsmith, CBE and Chair of the Trustees of the British Music Experience, says,
“We are delighted to have collaborated with the Official Charts Company who keep meticulous records about the records we love. For a band or an artist to climb to the pinnacle of the Official Charts was a true honour and badge of success. For us at the British Music Experience, the Official Chart informs the great story of popular music in the UK. You won’t find a single track in the Museum that was not at some point chronicled by the chart but in this temporary exhibition visitors will look more closely at some of the meteoric success and dramatic races to the top.”
Official Charts Company chief executive Martin Talbot adds,
“The Official Singles Chart has chronicled the nation’s favourite music for 70 years now, spanning eight decades (from the Fifties to the Twenties), and more than 1,400 Number 1 singles. The race to top the Official Chart means as much to artists now as it has ever done and we are delighted to be partnering with the BME to mark this anniversary moment. The BME and the Official Charts share a joint mission – to celebrate all that is great about British music, in all its glory, and we intend to do just that through this brand new partnership.”
To launch the exhibition, BME is to host a very special evening in conversation with Peter Hooton and Keith Mullin from The Farm as they discuss the Official Charts. They will be talking about their chart-topping heroes and influences, their own chart singles and their No.1 single as part of The Justice Collective, He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother. We’ll be playing the videos of Groovy Train, All Together Now and He Ain’t Heavy on the big screen before the band discuss each single. Groovy Train reached No.6 in September 1990 and All Together Now peaked at No.3 in December 1990. It was on the crest of this wave that their album Spartacus reached No. 1 the following year. The Justice Collective went on to take the coveted Christmas No.1 position in 2012, beating X Factor winner James Arthur. The event takes place 17 November, tickets are £8 each and on sale Friday 14 October from www.britishmusicexperience.com
70 Years of the Official Singles Charts runs at the British Music Experience in Liverpool’s Cunard Building from 16 November 2022 until 5 March 2023. Entry is included in the price of admission.
All tickets purchased are valid for 12 months and each eligible visitor has the opportunity to support the Museum by Gift Aiding the cost of admission.
To make a group booking email bookings@britishmusicexperience.com