The 1960's Charts

I'm now able to post the Real Charts from the 1960's. But first the very first top 100 chart from 1960 has been moved from the Classic Chart's page to here.

 
First I must explain that the gaps in the highest position, weeks are there because the previous charts have not been sorted out yet. The only sales attached are those of this chart in the first column, which are pretty low considering it's two weeks of sales. But of course it is the Christmas week's chart and this isn't the download age! So no buying of gift tokens!!! Again I should point out that some of the new entries might be returning records, due to the previous charts not being sorted out. Though I suspect the Christmas tracks are new! Nothing of course dropped out of the top 40, so they are all there. The compilers say that they did try to introduce a top 100 before this date. But they had problems with sales at the lower end being affected by the low levels of sales. A single shop could account for the sales of one record, which if it wasn't supplied well would see the record bouncing in a out of the 100! With the end of the 78RPM insight, many record companies stopped making them around this point! Shops had more room to stock singles. So by the end of 1959 the bounce effect had stopped. So with a new decade the top 100 was born! Lots of EP's in the chart, some of which contain the tracks that are listed as separate singles by the same artist. This practise is no longer allowed, but as the EP were very much separate things with "glossy picture covers" as compared with a paper sleeve of a single, plus the price was a lot greater they were considered stand alone items then. As you can see from the many duplicated songs, that the practise of artists being given a record to sing which came from the music publishers offices was still in full effect. Also the record companies don't seem to wait to bring out a new song by an artist who's only just released a song. The record companies don't seem to be concerned that a new song by the artist would kill off the sales of the other record by the same artist. Though the Real Chart doesn't list record labels, some of these tracks are known to be on the Embassy Label. In which case these were only sold at Woolworth's, as it was their own label. These records were covers of known hit singles sold cheaper than the normal ones. Although these type of records are not now excluded from the Real Chart, they don't tend to feature these days as people think they are rip-offs. However back then, apart from some big name stars, there was less of an attitude when it came to the worship of artists. And a lot of people would simply like "a song" and didn't care who sang it. So the people buying the Embassy records did not feel ripped off. Indeed fans of say Cliff Richard, might buy both his and the cover version because they liked the song.  So they are in the Real Chart. Actually some of these cover artists were very good and people would buy them as though they were stars!

More 60's charts now...

It wasn't till late 62 or 63 that records went weekly for release. Prior to that date all records were released in the first two weeks of each new month, mostly on the first week. Finding out new release information, essential when making up each chart, is a problem for me. I generally use the 45 Cat website to get the Artist names and titles of the records. Until recently the limit on results there prevented me from doing the earlier charts. But now that limit has been lifted, it will help a great deal to get them done. With that corrected I can now bring you the full charts from the earlier years. Starting with 1963. At the present time PDF of the early Music Press are a bit more common. So it's possible to complete 1963 to 1964 now. This is an essential item when pinning down records when they are issued. All the later sixties charts are now complete. The 1965 charts not yet quite complete as sales need to be added up on some of the records. But all weekly sales figures are present as are all the records, so if you have the time you can always do it yourselves! I have added up some of the best sellers, but again this is not complete. The 1966 chart PDF is however complete. As are the 1967, 1968 and 1969 charts. 

At some point it is hoped that 1960 to 1962 charts will be done. But at the moment only the Disc Music paper has sufficient to cover the three years. NME, Melody Maker and Record Mirror are very low and the RM currently has no PDF's for 1960. The others have about 16 for some years. But a lot have less than that. Record Retailer is very poorly covered.  
Real Chart 1965 Full Charts version 1
Real Chart 1966 Full Version 

1963

There now follows the 1963 Real Charts. As we are starting the year when the previous year's charts have not been completed, there will of course be gaps in the columns. I did complete the last chart of 1962 the 23 December 1962, but that is far from finished and will not be shown yet. But all the last week and new entry positions are accounted far. As always the sales symbols at first will show green symbols, just an indication of the 1963 sales. The first chart contains two week sales and therefore does not show any sales increase symbols. Some weeks have been filled in and where I have tracked back the weeks they are shown to. Any highest positions except number one or two records, for records from 1962, should be taken with caution. It's possible that they peaked higher in 1962, as yet unknown to me.

1963 PDF

Below is the full (PDF) charts with all sales figures for 1963. Also included is the rest of the best sellers 251 in total. When the 1962 charts are complete, then another version will have to be posted. 

Real Chart 1963 version 1 New

 

 

Due to an oversight on my part I left off the key that goes on the bottom of the best sellers. It should read the records shown in magenta are still in the chart on the 22 December 1963. The Green records are those that entered in 1962. However only 1963 sales are shown. All sales in thousands.

1964

There now follows the 1964 Real Charts. We start with a double week sales chart. This year starting with the very first chart we see the effect of the new TV show Top of The Pops, which started in January.  At the end of the year will be the full PDF and the best sellers. 

 

The next chart to uploaded next Thursday night or Friday morning.  

1967 

This year we saw the demise of the Pirate Radio stations and of course the hippy movement and the summer of love! Later in the year the birth of Radio One! 

The Full PDF of the year including the full best sellers list is now available. With the 1968 below the charts have been removed with the exception of the last chart of the year, which has now had the records that fell out shown. 

Real Chart 1967   

 1968 Charts

The whole of the 1968 charts follow below. The first chart shows all the sales figures columns, subsequent charts will show only the sales for the week.  Of course the sales indications will tell you who's selling the most on the others. Again as with other charts orange tracks have fallen out. If I miss any, after the printout is done, (as on the 28 January) you will see a red line on the number!

These Charts will stay up for a while longer. But after that the PDF will be there all the time. 

The full PDF file is in the link below. It contains all the charts and sales figures and a full list of the Best Sellers of the year. All 237, not just the 100 shown at the end of these charts.

Real Chart 1968 

 

The above chart is the last for 1968. While doing it I noticed that the Hugo Montenegro track at 13 had the wrong weeks total on it. I corrected it on that week, but the previous charts have the wrong weeks on them till the 20 October. It seems that on the 27 October I was looking at the last week position of the record rather than the weeks in chart. These have been corrected the in PDF file they will show up correct on that. 

1969 Charts

The whole of the 1969 charts follow below. The first chart shows all the sales figures columns, subsequent charts will show only the sales for the week. This is for those who do like to add them up as they come out. You don't have to of course as the full PDF at the end of the year will show you all sales figures. Plus of course the sales indications will tell you who's selling the most.  See Link below this text. Again as with other charts orange tracks have fallen out. If I miss any, after the printout is done, you will see a red line on the number! 

Real Chart 1969 New

Number 76 Gene Pitney has the wrong weeks total. It should be only 10 - not 21.

That completes the 1969 charts.