List of posthumous number ones on the UK singles chart
The death of a popular musician, and likewise, the use of a dead musician's work in advertising, often causes a sharp increase in sales of the musician's recordings and associated products; this has led to a number of posthumous number one singles in the UK and elsewhere.[1][2][3][4] The phenomenon, a topic of discussion in both the media and academia,[5] has occurred 20 times in the UK since 1959.
The
In August 1977 the "King of Rock'n Roll",
In late 1980 and early 1981 three singles by
Number ones
The following singles were all explicitly credited (either wholly or partially) to deceased artists when they reached number one on the UK Singles Chart. Singles featuring deceased artists who did not receive an explicit credit (e.g. as a member of a band), such as the 1991 re-release of Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody" following the death of lead singer Freddie Mercury and the 2021 chart performance of Wham!'s "Last Christmas" just over four years after George Michael's death, are not included.
Artist | Single | Date of death | Reached number one[a][15] |
Weeks at number one |
Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Buddy Holly | "It Doesn't Matter Anymore" | 3 February 1959[16] | 25 April 1959 | 3 | [17] |
Eddie Cochran | "Three Steps to Heaven" | 17 April 1960[18] | 25 June 1960 | 2 | [19] |
Jim Reeves | "Distant Drums" | 31 July 1964[20] | 24 September 1966 | 5 | [21] |
Jimi Hendrix | "Voodoo Chile"[b] | 18 September 1970[22] | 21 November 1970 | 1 | [23] |
Elvis Presley | "Way Down" | 16 August 1977[24] | 3 September 1977 | 5 | [25] |
John Lennon | "(Just Like) Starting Over" | 8 December 1980[26] | 20 December 1980 | 1 | [27] |
John Lennon | " Imagine "
|
8 December 1980[26] | 10 January 1981 | 4 | [28] |
John Lennon | "Woman" | 8 December 1980[26] | 7 February 1981 | 2 | [28] |
Jackie Wilson | "Reet Petite" | 21 January 1984[29] | 27 December 1986 | 4 | [30] |
Freddie Mercury | "Living on My Own" | 24 November 1991[31] | 14 August 1993 | 2 | [32] |
Aaliyah | "More Than a Woman" | 25 August 2001[33] | 19 January 2002 | 1 | [34] |
George Harrison | "My Sweet Lord" | 29 November 2001[35] | 26 January 2002 | 1 | [34] |
Elvis Presley | "A Little Less Conversation"[c] | 16 August 1977[24] | 22 June 2002 | 4 | [34] |
Elvis Presley | "Jailhouse Rock" | 16 August 1977[24] | 9 January 2005 | 1 | [36] |
Elvis Presley | "One Night" / "I Got Stung" | 16 August 1977[24] | 16 January 2005 | 1 | [36] |
Elvis Presley | "It's Now or Never" | 16 August 1977[24] | 30 January 2005 | 1 | [36] |
2Pac
|
"Ghetto Gospel"[d] | 13 September 1996[37] | 2 July 2005 | 3 | [36] |
The Notorious B.I.G. | "Nasty Girl"[e] | 9 March 1997[38] | 4 February 2006 | 2 | [39] |
Eva Cassidy | "What a Wonderful World"[f] | 2 November 1996[40] | 22 December 2007 | 1 | [41] |
Juice Wrld | "Godzilla"[g] | 8 December 2019[42] | 30 January 2020 | 1 | [43] |
See also
Notes
- ^ This date represents the "week ending" date listed on the chart in question.
- The Jimi Hendrix Experience
- ^ Credited to Elvis vs JXL
- ^ Credited to 2Pac featuring Elton John
- ^ Credited to The Notorious B.I.G. featuring Diddy, Nelly, Jagged Edge and Avery Storm
- ^ Duet with Katie Melua
- ^ Credited to Eminem featuring Juice Wrld
References
- General
- Crampton, Luke; Rees, Dafydd (2010). "Posthumous UK Number Ones". MTV Pop and Rock World Records. Carlton Books Limited. p. 217. ISBN 978-1-84732-637-9.
- Roberts, David (2005). ISBN 978-1-904994-00-8.
- Specific
- ^ Silverman, Rosa (25 July 2011). "Sales of Amy Winehouse records surge". The Independent. London. Retrieved 24 August 2011.
- ^ Christman, Ed; Bruno, Antony (3 July 2009). "Michael Jackson sales surge expected to last months". Reuters. Retrieved 24 August 2011.
- ^ Gray, Marcus (26 October 2007). "Is that my bassline I can hear?". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 24 August 2011.
- ^ a b "Elvis makes chart history". BBC News. 16 June 2002. Retrieved 25 July 2011.
- ^ Brandes, Leif (11 February 2011). "Selling The Drama" (PDF). University of Zurich. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2015-09-23. Retrieved 9 September 2011.
- ^ Roberts, p.14
- ^ "New singles formats to save the charts". BBC News. 16 October 2003. Retrieved 24 July 2011.
- ^ Kreisler, Lauren (22 June 2014). "UK's Official Singles Chart to include streaming data for first time". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 7 July 2014.
- ^ "The story of the single". BBC News. 23 March 2001. Retrieved 24 July 2011.
- ^ Roberts, pp.113, 237, 417
- ^ Gilchrist, Jim (13 August 2007). "Elvis. . . the King of rock'n'roll who'll never lose his crown". The Scotsman. Edinburgh. Retrieved 30 August 2011.
- ^ Roberts, p.399
- ^ Jones, Alan (10 January 2005). "Jailhouse Rock tops UK singles chart". Music Week. Retrieved 25 July 2011.
- ^ Hurley, James (7 May 2011). "George Harrison and Aaliyah's posthumous double header". MSN Music. Archived from the original on 15 March 2012. Retrieved 25 July 2011.
- ^ Roberts, p.644
- ^ "1959: Buddy Holly killed in air crash". BBC News. 3 February 1959. Retrieved 25 July 2011.
- )
- Allmusic. Retrieved 25 July 2011.
- The Official UK Charts Company. Archived from the originalon 9 August 2011. Retrieved 23 August 2011.
- Allmusic. Retrieved 25 July 2011.
- The Official UK Charts Company. Archived from the originalon 15 June 2011. Retrieved 23 August 2011.
- Allmusic. Retrieved 25 July 2011.
- The Official UK Charts Company. Archived from the originalon 17 February 2011. Retrieved 23 August 2011.
- ^ a b c d e "1977: Rock and roll 'king' Presley dies". BBC News. 16 August 1977. Retrieved 25 July 2011.
- The Official UK Charts Company. Archived from the originalon 15 June 2011. Retrieved 23 August 2011.
- ^ a b c "1980: John Lennon shot dead". BBC News. 8 December 1980. Retrieved 25 July 2011.
- The Official UK Charts Company. Archived from the originalon 6 June 2012. Retrieved 23 August 2011.
- ^ The Official UK Charts Company. Archived from the originalon 1 June 2010. Retrieved 23 August 2011.
- Allmusic. Retrieved 25 July 2011.
- The Official UK Charts Company. Archived from the originalon 1 June 2010. Retrieved 23 August 2011.
- Allmusic. Retrieved 25 July 2011.
- The Official UK Charts Company. Archived from the originalon 15 June 2011. Retrieved 23 August 2011.
- Allmusic. Retrieved 25 July 2011.
- ^ The Official UK Charts Company. Archived from the originalon 15 June 2011. Retrieved 23 August 2011.
- Allmusic. Retrieved 25 July 2011.
- ^ The Official UK Charts Company. Archived from the originalon 18 August 2011. Retrieved 23 August 2011.
- Allmusic. Retrieved 25 July 2011.
- Allmusic. Retrieved 25 July 2011.
- The Official UK Charts Company. Archived from the originalon 17 August 2011. Retrieved 23 August 2011.
- Allmusic. Retrieved 25 July 2011.
- The Official UK Charts Company. Archived from the originalon 11 August 2011. Retrieved 23 August 2011.
- ^ White, Adam (8 December 2019). "Juice Wrld death: Chicago-born rapper dies aged 21". The Independent. Retrieved 24 January 2020.
- The Official UK Charts Company. Retrieved 24 January 2020.