Festive Fifty Number Ones

Background

 * The following is a chronological list, compiled as a ready reference, of the tracks that made number one in the Festive Fifty chart hosted by Peel between 1976-2003, by Radio 1 in 2004 and 2005, and by Dandelion Radio from 2006 to date. Note that since the rules of the chart were changed in 1983 to include only material from the current year, only one previous number one has re-entered (and that solely because of the All-Time 2000 Festive Fifty).
 * If all charts up to the present day are taken into account, it means that the Fall, Sex Pistols and Joy Division all tie for first place regarding number of top places.
 * Five artists have hit number one on more than one occasion. The longest gap between number one songs is that of Joy Division's 'Atmosphere', which was at pole position in 2000 nineteen years after its last success.

Radio 1: The Peel Era

 * 1976: Led Zeppelin, 'Stairway To Heaven'
 * 1977: Motors, 'Dancing The Night Away'
 * 1978: Sex Pistols, 'Anarchy In The U.K.'
 * 1979: Sex Pistols, 'Anarchy In The U.K.'
 * 1980: Joy Division, 'Atmosphere'
 * 1981: Joy Division, 'Atmosphere'
 * 1982: Sex Pistols, 'Anarchy In The U.K.' (all-time chart)
 * 1982: New Order, 'Temptation' (yearly chart)
 * 1983: New Order, 'Blue Monday'
 * 1984: Smiths, 'How Soon Is Now'
 * 1985: Jesus & Mary Chain, 'Never Understand'
 * 1986: Smiths, 'There Is A Light That Will Never Go Out'
 * 1987: Sugarcubes, 'Birthday'
 * 1988: House of Love, 'Destroy The Heart'
 * 1989: Sundays, 'Can't Be Sure'
 * 1990: Fall, 'Bill Is Dead'
 * 1991: Nirvana, 'Smells Like Teen Spirit'
 * 1992: Bang Bang Machine, 'Geek Love'
 * 1993: Chumbawamba, 'Enough Is Enough'
 * 1994: Inspiral Carpets ft. Mark E. Smith, 'I Want You'
 * 1995: Pulp, 'Common People'
 * 1996: Kenickie, 'Come Out 2Nite'
 * 1997: Cornershop, 'Brimful Of Asha'
 * 1998: Delgados, 'Pull The Wires From the Wall'
 * 1999: Cuban Boys, 'Cognoscenti vs Intelligentsia'
 * 2000: Joy Division, 'Atmosphere' (all-time chart)
 * 2000: Neko Case, 'Twist The Knife'
 * 2001: Melys, 'Chinese Whispers'
 * 2002: Saloon, 'Girls Are The New Boys'
 * 2003: Cinerama, 'Don't Touch That Dial'

Radio 1: Post-Peel

 * 2004: Fall, 'Theme From Sparta F.C. #2'
 * 2005: Jegsy Dodd & The Original Sinners, 'Grumpy Old Men'

Dandelion Radio

 * 2006: Tall Pony, 'I'm Your Boyfriend Now'
 * 2007: Battles, 'Atlas'
 * 2008: Fall, '50 Year-Old Man'
 * 2009: Los Campesions!, 'There Are Listed Buildings'
 * 2010: Standard Fare, 'Philadelphia'

Links

 * Festive Fifty: An Introduction. Explanation for those unfamiliar with this chart's history.
 * Dandelion Radio. Festive Fifty listings for all charts.
 * Festive Fifty Illustrated. Blog by Lee Thacker detailing the process involved in writing and illustrating a book on this very subject.


 * Footnotes