The only classic rock song that has spent more than 10 weeks as UK number one
In the music world, a number one is still a pretty coveted metric of success, and yet, for some reason, they are often mistaken for some of pop’s most meaningless drivel. In many cases, that couldn’t be further from the truth.
Subjectivity of tastes aside, some of the UK’s latest number ones only prove as much, with Olivia Dean and Sam Fender’s ‘Rein Me In’ recently reaching the top spot for the ninth time, leading the charge ahead of other chart-topping gems this year like Djo’s timeless hit ‘End of Beginning’ and Harry Styles’ recent streak with ‘Aperture’ and ‘American Girls’.
That said, that doesn’t mean that number ones always go to good, timeless hits. In fact, the spot has also been taken up by some of history’s most offensive entries, many of which came and went without the smallest, most fleeting splash of success before they disappeared into the ether forever. Ever heard of Telly Savalas’ ‘If’? Didn’t think so – that, and many other number ones across history, join the pile of the most forgettable chart toppers in UK music history.
Still, if we’re to sidestep so-called failures of modern-day longevity, it’s also interesting to look at which lesser-celebrated charting genres do better than others. Of course, it’s no secret that pop is called that for a reason, nor is the fact that the general public seems to favour these entries over others in genres like rock, metal, electronic, and so on and so forth.
However, many singles over in the rock arena have been known to soar to the top on occasion, some even gaining more quantifiable and cultural standing than many of their pop counterparts, like for instance, AC/DC’s Back In Black is the second best-selling album of all time, ahead of other rock stalwarts like Pink Floyd’s The Dark Side of the Moon and the Eagles’ Hotel California.
Which classic rock song spent more than 10 weeks at number one?
In singles, this still stands, albeit more subtly, with top entries by Elvis Presley and Elton John – the definition of pop and rock might have changed over time, but rock has always shown up strongly in the charts, particularly when it seems to hinge on a bigger, more impactful cultural moment, or when it appears more innovative and forward-thinking than anything else out there at the time.
For instance, the only classic rock song that previously spent more than 10 weeks at number one in the UK is Queen’s ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’, which, had you told anyone in the band or their team at the time that this’d be the case, they’d have probably raised their eyebrows and laughed you out of the room.
But alas, Freddie Mercury’s brave foray into genre-blending, operatic rock paid off in spades, as it not only became a major charting success, but also one of the most significant songs of all time, and a necessary lesson in the value of pushing for greatness when those around you try to shut it down in the name of radio-friendly commercialism.
‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ actually went on to spent 14 weeks at number one, which is even more impressive when you consider that that is on par with Ed Sheeran’s modern pop smash hit ‘Shape of You’, and more than many other significant pop entries of late, including Alex Warren’s ‘Ordinary’, Tones and I’s ‘Dance Money’, and another of Sheeran’s hits, ‘Bad Habits’.
