# Best UK #1 single retrospective: 1960 **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 2, 2015, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-uk-1-single-retrospective-1960/729659 "2015-09-02T00:11:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2015, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-uk-1-single-retrospective-1960/729659/1 "2015-09-02T00:11:48Z")
Welcome to the '60s. If you can remember them, you weren’t there. This year marks a major change in the canon of the British charts. Up to this point, we’ve been using the NME charts. Beginning in March of this year, the Official Charts Company, which maintains the music chart of record in Britain these days, instead recognizes the chart published by Record Retailer as authoritative instead, and it remains the historical chart of record for the rest of the decade until the Official Singles Chart itself is established in 1969. Fortunately, NME and Record Retailer both agree on what the #1 song was for the first months of the year, which makes things slightly less complicated. That being said, there are 16 songs at #1 this year. What’s your favorite? Previous polls; [1952-1953](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=765161) [1954](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=765327) [1955](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=765508) [1956](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=765679) [1957](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=766120) [1958](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=766351) [1959](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=766673) Best US #1 singles: [1955-56](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=731649) [1957](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=731871) [1958](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=732021) [1959](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=732199)[1960](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=732526) [1961](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=732691) [1962](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=732872) [1963](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=733112) [1964](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=733297) [1965](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=733526) [1966](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=733750) [1967](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=733958) [1968](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=734168) [1969](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=734331) [1970](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=734535) [1971](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=734741) [1972](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=735107) [1973](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=735304) [1974](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=735502) [1975](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=735659) [1976](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=735871) [1977](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=736076) [1978](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=736316) [1979](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=736501) [1980](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=736705) [1981](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=736957) [1982](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=737099) [1983](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=737315) [1984](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=737488) [1985](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=737732) [1986](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=737957) [1987](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=738178) [1988](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=738403) [1989](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=738639) [1990](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=738829) [1991](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=739067) [1992](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=739360) [1993](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=739525) [1994](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=739880) [1995](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=740122) [1996](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=740302) [1997](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=740497) [1998](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=740709) [1999](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=740859) [2000](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=741047) [2001](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=741267) [2002](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=741450) [2003](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=741604) [2004](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=741730) [2005](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=741915) [2006](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=742069) [2007](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=742147) [2008](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=742282) [2009](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=742467) [2010](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=742676) [2011](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=742846) [2012](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=675664) [2013](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=710843) [2014](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=743899) [1950s](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=743046) [1960s](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=743240) [1970s](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=743399) [1980s](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=743597) [1990s](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=743803) [2000s](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=743981) [2010s](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=744176) [All-time](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=744358) Best of the Rest of the Top 40: [1956](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=744629) [1957](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=744819) [1958](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=744978) [1959](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=745151) [1960](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=745331) [1961](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=745525) [1962](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=745733) [1963](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=745956) [1964](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=746118) [1965](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=746342) [1966](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=746498) [1967](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=746735) [1968](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=746932) [1969](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=747152) [1970](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=747345) [1971](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=747517) [1972](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=747737) [1973](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=747976) [1974](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=748145) [1975](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=748360) [1976](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=748527) [1977](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=748653) [1978](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=748866) [1979](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=749060) [1980](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=749217) [1981](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=749398) [1982](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=749610) [1983](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=749795) [1984](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=749949) [1985](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=750154) [1986](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=750299) [1987](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=750488) [1988](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=750641) [1989](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=750845) [1990](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=751015) [1991](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=751202) [1992](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=751368) [1993](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=751517) [1994](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=751667) [1995](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=751834) [1996](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=751992) [1997](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=752188) [1998](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=752421) [1999](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=752566) [2000](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=752753) [2001](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=752944) [2002](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=753086) [2003](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=753228) [2004](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=753557) [2005](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=753728) [2006](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=753884) [2007](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=754223) [2008](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=754360) [2009](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=754524) [2010](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=754714) [2011](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=754987) [2012](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=755280) [2013](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=755568) [2014](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=755895) [1950s](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=756023) [1960s](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=756189) [1970s](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=756357) [1980s](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=756514) [1990s](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=756653) [2000s](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=756857) [2010s](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=757023) [All-Time](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=757374) [(Tiebreaker)](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=757583) [#1s vs. the Rest](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=757827) ---
**Author:** ![Nema98](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/d2c977/32.png) [@Nema98](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nema98)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2015, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-uk-1-single-retrospective-1960/729659/2 "2015-09-02T00:24:22Z")
I don’t recognize these songs, but know plenty of the artists. The titles sound interesting, so I’ll give them a listen by instinct which tells me there will be some good songs here. But for now I am abstaining. ---
**Author:** ![Meurglys](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/258eb7/32.png) [@Meurglys](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meurglys)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2015, 11:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-uk-1-single-retrospective-1960/729659/3 "2015-09-03T11:44:24Z")
That’s a pretty strong list but I finally chose the Everly Brothers. ---
**Author:** ![casdave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c6cbf5/32.png) [@casdave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/casdave)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2015, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-uk-1-single-retrospective-1960/729659/4 "2015-09-03T17:01:37Z")
For a rock n roll number it had to be Johnny Kidd & the Pirates ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2015, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-uk-1-single-retrospective-1960/729659/5 "2015-09-03T18:08:20Z")
> [@casdave](#): > > For a rock n roll number it had to be Johnny Kidd & the Pirates No disagreements there - it’s definitely the first big hit by a British band that definitely sounds like rock & roll, and it went on to inspire both the Who and the Guess Who to record even heavier covers years down the road. ---
**Author:** ![Nema98](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/d2c977/32.png) [@Nema98](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nema98)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2015, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-uk-1-single-retrospective-1960/729659/6 "2015-09-05T04:44:09Z")
Thanks to YouTube I quickly listened to a montage of all these songs, and “Starry Eyed” is the best one. Thanks YouTube. Johnny Pirates and The Shadows were not bad either.