The hit parade

The internet is the sworn enemy of productivity. Exhibit A: Troubled Diva, where Mike has posted a link to a poll he's conducting on the ILM messageboard, in honour of the milestone of 1000 UK #1 hit singles being reached.

The idea is that you peruse the list of 997 singles (three have got to #1 on two separate occasions) and select your Top 50, ranking them in order. Your #1 will be allocated 50 points, and your #50 one point etc. Mike will then add your choices to those of everyone else taking part and hey presto!

If you want to take part - either you've got time on your hands, or you're a master of the art of procrastination - then click on the link above. You've got until Thursday to email Mike your fifty songs, and the results will be announced on Friday.

Anyway, I took the liberty of choosing my Top 100, and here they are (minus blurb - what, do you think I'm insane or something?!)...

100. ‘A Little Time’ – The Beautiful South
99. ‘Apache’ – The Shadows
98. ‘Breathe’ – The Prodigy
97. ‘School’s Out’ – Alice Cooper
96. ‘Great Balls Of Fire’ – Jerry Lee Lewis
95. ‘If You Tolerate This Your Children Will Be Next’ – Manic Street Preachers
94. ‘Cars’ – Gary Numan
93. ‘Paperback Writer’ – The Beatles
92. ‘Name Of The Game’ – Abba
91. ‘Sunny Afternoon’ – The Kinks

90. ‘Strangers In The Night’ – Frank Sinatra
89. ‘Oh Pretty Woman’ – Roy Orbison
88. ‘Block Rockin Beats’ – The Chemical Brothers
87. ‘Hello, Goodbye’ – The Beatles
86. ‘Papa Don’t Preach’ – Madonna
85. ‘I’m Your Man’ – Wham!
84. ‘Stand And Deliver’ – Adam & The Ants
83. ‘It’s A Sin’ – Pet Shop Boys
82. ‘What A Wonderful World’ / ‘Cabaret’ – Louis Armstrong
81. ‘The Winner Takes It All’ – Abba

80. ‘19’ – Paul Hardcastle
79. ‘Are You Lonesome Tonight’ – Elvis Presley
78. ‘Do Wah Diddy Diddy’ – Manfred Mann
77. ‘I’m Into Something Good’ – Herman’s Hermits
76. ‘Jailhouse Rock’ – Elvis Presley
75. ‘Mr Tambourine Man’ – The Byrds
74. ‘Pump Up The Volume’ – MARRS
73. ‘House Of Fun’ – Madness
72. ‘Another Brick In The Wall’ – Pink Floyd
71. ‘Bridge Over Troubled Water’ – Simon & Garfunkel

70. ‘Return To Sender’ – Elvis Presley
69. ‘He Ain’t Heavy He’s My Brother’ – The Hollies
68. ‘Day Tripper’ / ‘We Can Work It Out’ – The Beatles
67. ‘Two Tribes’ – Frankie Goes To Hollywood
66. ‘Toxic’ – Britney Spears
65. ‘Video Killed The Radio Star’ – The Buggles
64. ‘I Like It’ – Gerry & The Pacemakers
63. ‘Super Trouper’ – Abba
62. ‘I Want To Hold Your Hand’ – The Beatles
61. ‘Wake Me Up Before You Go Go’ – Wham!

60. ‘A Town Called Malice’ / ‘Precious’ – The Jam
59. ‘These Boots Are Made For Walkin’’ – Nancy Sinatra
58. ‘Like A Prayer’ – Madonna
57. ‘Baby Love’ – The Supremes
56. ‘Jumping Jack Flash’ – The Rolling Stones
55. ‘She Loves You’ – The Beatles
54. ‘Je T’Aime … Moi Non Plus’ – Jane Birkin & Serge Gainsbourg
53. ‘It’s Now Or Never’ – Elvis Presley
52. ‘A Whiter Shade Of Pale’ – Procul Harum
51. ‘Something Stupid’ – Frank & Nancy Sinatra

50. ‘I Feel Fine’ – The Beatles
49. ‘Ashes To Ashes’ – David Bowie
48. ‘Into The Groove’ – Madonna
47. ‘Imagine’ – John Lennon
46. ‘Unchained Melody’ – The Righteous Brothers
45. ‘Come On Eileen’ – Dexys Midnight Runners
44. ‘You’ve Lost That Loving Feeling’ – The Righteous Brothers
43. ‘Wuthering Heights’ – Kate Bush
42. ‘Stand By Me’ – Ben E King
41. ‘Atomic’ – Blondie

40. ‘Freak Like Me’ – Sugababes
39. ‘With A Little Help From My Friends’ – Joe Cocker
38. ‘Mamma Mia’ – Abba
37. ‘Mad World’ – Michael Andrews featuring Gary Jules
36. ‘Crazy In Love’ – Beyonce
35. ‘Runaway’ – Del Shannon
34. ‘Help!’ – The Beatles
33. ‘Going Underground’ / ‘Dreams Of Children’ – The Jam
32. ‘Firestarter’ – The Prodigy
31. ‘Paint It Black’ – The Rolling Stones

30. ‘A Hard Day’s Night’ – The Beatles
29. ‘House Of The Rising Sun’ – The Animals
28. ‘Billie Jean’ – Michael Jackson
27. ‘All Shook Up’ – Elvis Presley
26. ‘(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction’ – The Rolling Stones
25. ‘I’m A Believer’ – The Monkees
24. ‘Can’t Buy Me Love’ – The Beatles
23. ‘Ticket To Ride’ – The Beatles
22. ‘Knowing Me Knowing You’ – Abba
21. ‘Don’t You Want Me’ – The Human League

20. ‘Tainted Love’ – Soft Cell
19. ‘I Heard It Through The Grapevine’ – Marvin Gaye
18. ‘Take A Chance On Me’ – Abba
17. ‘All You Need Is Love’ – The Beatles
16. ‘You Really Got Me’ – The Kinks
15. ‘West End Girls’ – Pet Shop Boys
14. ‘Should I Stay Or Should I Go’ – The Clash
13. ‘I Don’t Like Mondays’ – The Boomtown Rats
12. ‘Waterloo’ – Abba
11. ‘Voodoo Chile’ – Jimi Hendrix Experience

10. ‘Geno’ – Dexys Midnight Runners
9. ‘Ghost Town’ – The Specials
8. ‘Nothing Compares 2 U’ – Sinead O’Connor
7. ‘Relax’ – Frankie Goes To Hollywood
6. ‘Heart Of Glass’ – Blondie
5. ‘Space Oddity’ – David Bowie
4. ‘Good Vibrations’ – The Beach Boys
3. ‘Hey Jude’ – The Beatles
2. ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ – Queen
1. ‘Dancing Queen’ – Abba

Suffice to say there have been some GREAT chart-topping singles down the years.

Update

Hobo Tread: Top 50

Guardian quiz: Do you know your #1s?

Guardian feature about the songs that never quite made it all the way to #1