Top 100 albums of all time

Sixty years ago today, on 28 July 1956, the Record Mirror published the first British albums chart. In the 60 years since, 12,211 records have entered the top 40. This is a list of the 100 biggest of those hits. The list is calculated solely from chart positions, not sales figures. These are the biggest chart performers, not the biggest sellers. For a full explanation of the calculation method, scroll through the list to the bottom.

1. THE SOUND OF MUSIC / Soundtrack
2. SOUTH PACIFIC / Soundtrack
3. BRIDGE OVER TROUBLED WATER / Simon & Garfunkel
4. GREATEST HITS / Simon & Garfunkel
5. WEST SIDE STORY / Soundtrack
6. THE DARK SIDE OF THE MOON / Pink Floyd
7. TUBULAR BELLS / Mike Oldfield
8. GOLD - GREATEST HITS / Abba
9. THE BLACK AND WHITE MINSTREL SHOW / The George Mitchell Minstrels
10. THRILLER / Michael Jackson
11. 21 / Adele
12. BROTHERS IN ARMS / Dire Straits
13. THE FAME / Lady Gaga
14. X / Ed Sheeran
15. MY FAIR LADY / Original Broadway Cast
16. THE KING AND I / Soundtrack
17. BEST OF THE BEACH BOYS / The Beach Boys
18. BAT OUT OF HELL / Meat Loaf
19. THE SINGLES 1969-1973 / The Carpenters
20. OUR VERSION OF EVENTS / Emeli SandÈ
21. IN THE LONELY HOUR / Sam Smith
22. + / Ed Sheeran
23. TALK ON CORNERS / The Corrs
24. GREATEST HITS / Abba
25. RUMOURS / Fleetwood Mac
26. GOING PLACES / Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass
27. BACK TO BLACK / Amy Winehouse
28. WHITE LADDER / David Gray
29. 19 / Adele
30. NO ANGEL / Dido
31. BAND ON THE RUN / Paul McCartney and Wings
32. DEFINITELY MAYBE / Oasis
33. AND I LOVE YOU SO / Perry Como
34. LED ZEPPELIN II / Led Zeppelin
35. STARS / Simply Red
36. GREATEST HITS / Andy Williams
37. AUTOMATIC FOR THE PEOPLE / REM
38. (WHAT'S THE STORY) MORNING GLORY? / Oasis
39. BAD / Michael Jackson
40. ONLY BY THE NIGHT / Kings Of Leon
41. SGT. PEPPER'S LONELY HEARTS CLUB BAND / The Beatles
42. OCEAN DRIVE / Lighthouse Family
43. COME ON OVER / Shania Twain
44. GREATEST HITS / Queen
45. CRAZY LOVE / Michael BublÈ
46. GIGI / Soundtrack
47. BEST OF THE SEEKERS / The Seekers
48. PLEASE PLEASE ME / The Beatles
49. SCISSOR SISTERS / Scissor Sisters
50. COME AWAY WITH ME / Norah Jones
51. JAGGED LITTLE PILL / Alanis Morissette
52. LIVE AT THE TALK OF THE TOWN / Tom Jones
53. CAN'T SLOW DOWN / Lionel Richie
54. LIFE THRU A LENS / Robbie Williams
55. SIGH NO MORE / Mumford & Sons
56. TANGO IN THE NIGHT / Fleetwood Mac
57. THE MAN WHO / Travis
58. BIZARRE FRUIT / M People
59. WHITE ON BLONDE / Texas
60. HALCYON / Ellie Goulding
61. DR. ZHIVAGO / Soundtrack
62. 1989 / Taylor Swift
63. MANILOW MAGIC / Barry Manilow
64. OKLAHOMA! / Soundtrack
65. PARALLEL LINES / Blondie
66. WHO YOU ARE / Jessie J
67. MARY POPPINS / Soundtrack
68. SUNNY SIDE UP / Paolo Nutini
69. DOO-WOPS & HOOLIGANS / Bruno Mars
70. OFF THE WALL / Michael Jackson
71. PARKLIFE / Blur
72. THE RISE AND FALL OF ZIGGY STARDUST AND THE SPIDERS FROM MARS / David Bowie
73. WANTED ON VOYAGE / George Ezra
74. LEGEND / Bob Marley and the Wailers
75. HOPES AND FEARS / Keane
76. THE WAR OF THE WORLDS / Jeff Wayne
77. FALLING INTO YOU / Celine Dion
78. ARRIVAL / Abba
79. NO JACKET REQUIRED / Phil Collins
80. OLDER / George Michael
81. TRUE BLUE / Madonna
82. MUSIC BOX / Mariah Carey
83. THE BUDDY HOLLY STORY / Buddy Holly and the Crickets
84. MOTOWN CHARTBUSTERS VOL. 3 / Various Artists
85. CHAOS AND THE CALM / James Bay
86. LIFE IN CARTOON MOTION / Mika
87. URBAN HYMNS / The Verve
88. EYES OPEN / Snow Patrol
89. LUNGS / Florence + the Machine
90. SPICE / The Spice Girls
91. JOHNNY CASH AT SAN QUENTIN / Johnny Cash
92. RAY OF LIGHT / Madonna
93. G.I. BLUES / Elvis Presley
94. ABBEY ROAD / The Beatles
95. SEAL / Seal
96. WHITNEY / Whitney Houston
97. THE COLOUR OF MY LOVE / Celine Dion
98. OUT OF THE BLUE / Electric Light Orchestra
99. A RUSH OF BLOOD TO THE HEAD / Coldplay
100. EMPLOYMENT / Kaiser Chiefs

Explanation of points system
The records in each week's top 40 are awarded points based on their chart position. 1 point for no.40, 2 points for no.39 and so on up to 39 points for no.2 and 40 points for no.1. In the case of ties, peak position then weeks spent at the peak position are used as the first tiebreakers. If necessary, lower chart positions will be considered. In other words, a record that spent more time higher up the chart will be ranked higher.
The points system is adapted slightly for the charts before December 1966, when the chart expanded to a top 40. When the chart is smaller than a top 40, the points are spread out through the chart. For instance, for the records in a top 20, they are awarded the points normally given to numbers 2, 4, 6 etc. and for the records in a top 10, they are awarded the points normally given to numbers 4, 8, 12, 16, 20, 24, 28, 32, 36 and 40.

The top 40 singles of all-time (updated)

To update my last post, there have been changes to the top 40 singles of all-time in the last two weeks. The data below now includes the 2014 Christmas Top 40.

1. Stranger On The Shore / Mr. Acker Bilk
2. Happy / Pharrell Williams
3. Relax / Frankie Goes To Hollywood
4. Fairytale Of New York / The Pogues feat. Kirsty MacColl
5. Rock Around The Clock / Bill Haley and his Comets
6. I Believe / Frankie Laine
7. All Of Me / John Legend
8. Sex On Fire / Kings Of Leon
9. She Loves You / The Beatles
10. I Love You Because / Jim Reeves
11. All I Want For Christmas Is You / Mariah Carey
12. Hound Dog / Elvis Presley
13. My Way / Frank Sinatra
14. Bohemian Rhapsody / Queen
15. Somebody That I Used To Know / Gotye feat. Kimbra
16. Rockstar / Nickelback
17. I Gotta Feeling / Black Eyed Peas
18. Moves Like Jagger / Maroon 5 feat. Christina Aguilera
19. Let's Twist Again / Chubby Checker
20. (Everything I Do) I Do It For You / Bryan Adams
21. Counting Stars / OneRepublic
22. Love Is All Around / Wet Wet Wet
23. Side Saddle / Russ Conway
24. Brown Girl In The Ring / Boney M
25. Rather Be / Clean Bandit feat. Jess Glynne
26. Rivers Of Babylon / Boney M
27. Heartbreak Hotel / Elvis Presley
28. Poker Face / Lady Gaga
29. Stay With Me / Sam Smith
30. Use Somebody / Kings Of Leon
31. Sexy And I Know It / LMFAO
32. Albatross / Fleetwood Mac
33. Let Her Go / Passenger
34. Hips Don't Lie / Shakira feat. Wyclef Jean
35. Secret Love / Doris Day
36. Think Twice / Celine Dion
37. Release Me / Englelbert Humperdinck
38. Someone Like You / Adele
39. Umbrella / Rihanna feat. Jay-Z
40. The Last Waltz / Engelbert Humperdinck


"Fairytale Of New York" is now only 13 points behind "Relax". "All I Want For Christmas Is You" is up to no. 11 and is only 4 points "I Love You Because". "Stay With Me" is up to no. 29 and is only 2 points behind "Poker Face", and is still in this week's Top 40.

The top 40 singles of all-time

On the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the UK singles chart, two years and a few weeks ago, my first book was published. British Singles Chart - All Time Top 100 (ISBN 978-1-291-21667-7 / http://www.amazon.co.uk/British-Singles-Chart-Time-1000/dp/1291216677/ref=sr_1_1) is a list of the biggest chart performers of all-time.

The list was compiled using a points system. The records in each week's top 40 are awarded points based on their chart position. 1 point for no.40, 2 points for no.39 and so on up to 39 points for no.2 and 40 points for no.1. In the case of ties, peak position then weeks spent at the peak position are used as the first tiebreakers. If necessary, lower chart positions will be considered. In other words, a record that spent more time higher up the chart will be ranked higher. The points system is adapted slightly for the charts before March 1960, when the chart expanded to a top 50. When the chart is smaller than a top 40, the points are spread out through the chart. For instance, for the records in a top 20, they are awarded the points normally given to numbers 2, 4, 6 etc. and for the records in a top 12, they are awarded the points normally given to numbers 3, 7, 10, 13, 17, 20, 23, 27, 30, 33, 37 and 40.

As we've just passed the charts' 62nd anniversary and we see the re-appearance of two Christmas perennials, I thought I'd update the list. Here's the current top 40, with the position from two years ago in brackets.

1. (1) Stranger On The Shore / Mr. Acker Bilk
2. (-) Happy / Pharrell Williams
3. (2) Relax / Frankie Goes To Hollywood
4. (3) Rock Around The Clock / Bill Haley and his Comets
5. (4) I Believe / Frankie Laine
6. (-) All Of Me / John Legend
7. (8) Fairytale Of New York / The Pogues feat. Kirsty MacColl
8. (5) Sex On Fire / Kings Of Leon
9. (6) She Loves You / The Beatles
10. (7) I Love You Because / Jim Reeves
11. (9) Hound Dog / Elvis Presley
12. (10) My Way / Frank Sinatra
13. (11) Bohemian Rhapsody / Queen
14. (12) Somebody That I Used To Know / Gotye feat. Kimbra
15. (13) Rockstar / Nickelback
16. (14) I Gotta Feeling / Black Eyed Peas
17. (15) Moves Like Jagger / Maroon 5 feat. Christina Aguilera
18. (76) All I Want For Christmas Is You / Mariah Carey
19. (16) Let's Twist Again / Chubby Checker
20. (17) (Everything I Do) I Do It For You / Bryan Adams
21. (-) Counting Stars / OneRepublic
22. (18) Love Is All Around / Wet Wet Wet
23. (19) Side Saddle / Russ Conway
24. (20) Brown Girl In The Ring / Boney M
25. (-) Rather Be / Clean Bandit feat. Jess Glynne
26. (21) Rivers Of Babylon / Boney M
27. (22) Heartbreak Hotel / Elvis Presley
28. (23) Poker Face / Lady Gaga
29. (24) Use Somebody / Kings Of Leon
30. (25) Sexy And I Know It / LMFAO
31. (26) Albatross / Fleetwood Mac
32. (-) Let Her Go / Passenger
33. (27) Hips Don't Lie / Shakira feat. Wyclef Jean
34. (28) Secret Love / Doris Day
35. (29) Think Twice / Celine Dion
36. (30) Release Me / Englelbert Humperdinck
37. (-) Stay With Me / Sam Smith
38. (31) Someone Like You / Adele
39. (32) Umbrella / Rihanna feat. Jay-Z
40. (33) The Last Waltz / Engelbert Humperdinck

So, the biggest hit of the last two years is the second biggest of all time. "Happy" by Pharrell Williams recently dropped out of the top 40 after 49 weeks, with 4 of them spent at number one. It's still in the top 100 and could turn around. In fact, it probably will in the immediately post-Christmas period - big hits normally get a bounce as people redeem the iTunes vouchers they got for Christmas. It only needs 29 more points to overtake the late Acker Bilk at the top.

A record that is still in the top 40 is "All Of Me" by John Legend, having chalked up 43 weeks so far. It needs just 6 points to overtake Frankie Laine for 5th place.

The perennial Yuletide re-appearance of "Fairytale Of New York" by the Pogues featuring Kirsty MacColl, sees it overtake three records in the last two years. Since Christmas 2005, co-inciding with the counting of downloads in the chart, it has averaged 4 weeks in the top 40 each year. If it achieves its recent yearly average again this Christmas, it will be up around "Relax".

The other Christmas ever-present is "All I Want For Christmas Is You" by Mariah Carey, which climbs into the top 40 at number 18. It has appeared every Christmas since 2007. It averages about 9 points fewer than the Pogues each year, which could take it into the top 10 if repeated this year.

"Counting Stars" by OneRepublic is a new entry at number 21, having notched up 34 weeks in the top 40, 2 of them at number one.

The other three new entries: "Rather Be" by Clean Bandit feat. Jess Glynne - 40 weeks in the top 40, 4 at number one; "Let Her Go" by Passenger - 30 weeks in the top 40; "Stay With Me" by Sam Smith - 29 weeks in the top 40 (and counting), 1 at number one.

Forced out of the top 40: Imagine / John Lennon; I Remember You / Frank Ifield; You're The One That I Want / John Travolta & Olivia Newton-John; Valerie / Mark Ronson feat. Amy Winehouse; Tears / Ken Dodd; Tie A Yellow Ribbon Round The Old Oak Tree / Dawn feat. Tony Orlando; All Right Now / Free