Weekly British LP Top 10

As published in the "New Musical Express":

9 June 1962

01 NE Blue Hawaii - Elvis Presley
02 NE West Side Story - OST
03 NE It's Trad Dad - OST
04 NE South Pacific - OST
05 NE Young Ones - Cliff Richard/ Shadows
06 NE I Remember Tommy - Frank Sinatra
07 NE Sinatra and Strings - Frank Sinatra
08 NE The Black And White Minstrel Show - George Mitchel Minstrells
09 NE The Sound Of Music - London Cast
10 NE Honey Hit Parade - Various Artists

16 June 1962

01 01 Blue Hawaii - Elvis Presley
02 02 West Side Story - Soundtrack
03 03 It`s Trad Dad - Soundtrack
05 04 The Young Ones - Cliff Richard & The Shadows
04 05 South Pacific - Soundtrack
08 06 The Black And White Minstrel Show - George Mitchell Minstrels
07 07 Sinatra And Strings - Frank Sinatra
NE 08 The Roaring Twenties/Songs From The TV Series - Dorothy Provine
06 09 I Remember Tommy - Frank Sinatra
NE 10 The Shadows - The Shadows

23 June 1962

02 01 West Side Story - Soundtrack
01 02 Blue Hawaii - Elvis Presley
07 03 Sinatra And Strings - Frank Sinatra
06 04 The Black And White Minstrel Show - George Mitchell Minstrels
04 05 The Young Ones - Cliff Richard & The Shadows
05 06 South Pacific - Soundtrack
03 06 It`s Trad Dad - Soundtrack
10 08 The Shadows - The Shadows
09 09 I Remember Tommy - Frank Sinatra
08 10 The Roaring Twenties/Songs From The TV Series - Dorothy Provine

30 June 1962

01 01 West Side Story - Soundtrack
02 02 Blue Hawaii - Elvis Presley
06 03 South Pacific - Soundtrack
04 04 The Black And White Minstrel Show - George Mitchell Minstrels
06 05 It`s Trad Dad - Soundtrack
03 06 Sinatra And Strings - Frank Sinatra
05 07 The Young Ones - Cliff Richard & The Shadows
10 08 The Roaring Twenties/Songs From The TV Series - Dorothy Provine
NE 09 Another Black And White Minstrel Show - George Mitchell Minstrels
NE 10 Wimoweh - Karl Denver
09 10 I Remember Tommy - Frank Sinatra

30 June 1962

01 NE Pot Luck - Elvis Presley
02 01 West Side Story - Soundtrack
03 02 Blue Hawaii - Elvis Presley
04 04 The Black And White Minstrel Show - George Mitchell Minstrels
05 06 Sinatra And Strings - Frank Sinatra
06 05 It`s Trad Dad - Soundtrack
07 08 The Roaring Twenties/Songs From The TV Series - Dorothy Provine
08 03 South Pacific - Soundtrack
09 09 Another Black And White Minstrel Show
10 NE Stranger On The Shore - Mr Acker Bilk

14 July 1962

01 01 Pot Luck - Elvis Presley
02 02 West Side Story - Soundtrack
03 03 Blue Hawaii - Elvis Presley
08 04 South Pacific - Soundtrack
04 05 The Black And White Minstrel Show - George Mitchell Minstrels
06 06 It`s Trad Dad - Soundtrack
08 07 Blitz! - Original Cast
07 07 Sinatra And Strings - Frank Sinatra
10 09 The Young Ones - Cliff Richard & The Shadows
09 10 The Roaring Twenties/Songs From The TV Series - Dorothy Provine

21 July 1962

01 01 Pot Luck - Elvis Presley
02 02 West Side Story - Soundtrack
03 03 Blue Hawaii - Elvis Presley
05 04 The Black And White Minstrel Show - George Mitchell Minstrels
04 05 South Pacific - Soundtrack
06 06 It`s Trad Dad - Soundtrack
08 07 Blitz! - Original Cast
07 07 Sinatra And Strings - Frank Sinatra
10 09 The Young Ones - Cliff Richard & The Shadows
09 10 The Roaring Twenties/Songs From The TV Series - Dorothy Provine

28 July 1962

01 01 Pot Luck - ELvis Presley
02 02 West Side Story - Soundtrack
04 03 The Black And White Minstrel Show - George Mitchell Minstrels
05 04 South Pacific - Soundtrack
03 05 Blue Hawaii - Elvis Presley
07 06 Blitz! - Original Cast
06 07 It`s Trad Dad - Soundtrack
NE 08 Modern Sounds In Country And Western Music - Ray Charles
07 08 Sinatra And Strings - Frank Sinatra
NE 10 The Sound Of Music - London Cast

Here`s the NME commentary for the weeks 9 June to 28 July 1962:

"The album chart was born - but the single still ruled. Most LPs were Greatest Hits compilations, film soundtracks or spin-offs from TV. Aside from "sophisticated" artists (Frank Sinatra) only the very biggest sellers in pop made LPs of new material at all, and even these offered potential hit singles plus filler tracks. Exceptions were Ray Charles` "Modern Sounds" (a prototype Concept Album: a radical fusion of country and soul) and "Honey Hit Parade", a spin-off from the Radio Luxemburg show. "

4 August 1962

02 01 West Side Story - Soundtrack
01 02 Pot Luck - Elvis Presley
05 03 Blue Hawaii - Elvis Presley
03 04 The Black And White Minstrel Show - George Mitchell Minstrels
04 05 South Pacific - Soundtrack
08 06 Modern Sounds In Country And Western Music - Ray Charles
NE 07 The Shadows - The Shadows
08 08 Sinatra And Strings - Frank Sinatra
NE 09 The Buddy Holly Story, Vol. 1 - Buddy Holly
07 10 It`s Trad Dad – Soundtrack

11 August 1962

02 01 Pot Luck - Elvis Presley
01 02 West Side Story - Soundtrack
05 03 South Pacific - Soundtrack
04 04 The Black And White Mistrel Show - George Mitchell Minstrels
NE 05 Blitz! - Original Cast
03 06 Blue Hawaii - Elvis Presley
06 07 Modern Sounds In Country And Western - Ray Charles
NE 08 Twistin` `n` Twangin` - Duane Eddy
NE 09 The Young Ones - Cliff Richard & The Shadows
08 10 Sinatra Ans Strings - Frank Sinatra

18 August 1962

01 01 Pot Luck - Elvis Presley
02 02 West Side Story - Soundtrack
04 03 The Black And White Minstrel Show - George Mitchell Minstrels
05 04 Blitz! - Original Cast
03 04 South Pacific - Soundtrack
06 06 Blue Hawaii - Elvis Presley
08 07 Twistin` `n` Twangin` - Duane Eddy
07 08 Modern Sounds In Country And Western - Ray Charles
NE 09 London By Night - Frank Sinatra
10 10 Sinatra And Strings - Frank Sinatra

25 August 1962

02 01 West Side Story - Soundtrack
01 02 Pot Luck - Elvis Presley
03 03 The Black And White Minstrel Show - George Mitchell Minstrels
06 04 Blue Hawaii - Elvis Presley
04 05 South Pacific - Soundtrack
04 06 Blitz! - Soundtrack
08 07 Modern Sounds In Country And Western - Ray Charles
07 08 Twistin` `n` Twangin` - Duane Eddy
NE 09 The Shadows - Shadows
NE 10 A Picture Of You - Joe Brown
NE 10 Stranger On The Shore - Mr. Acker Bilk

1 September 1962

01 01 West Side Story - Soundtrack
02 02 Pot Luck - Elvis Preskey
NE 03 The Best Of Ball, Barber & Bilk - Kenny Ball, Chris Barber & Acker Bilk
NE 04 A Golden Age Of Donegan - Lonnie Donegan
03 05 The Black And White Minstrel Show - George Mitchell Minstrels
05 05 South Pacific - Soundtrack
04 07 Blue Hawaii - Elvis Presley
10 07 A Picture Of You - Joe Brown
06 09 Blitz! - Original Cast
07 10 Modern Sounds In Country And Western - Ray Charles

8 September 1962

01 01 West Side Story - Soundtrack
04 02 A Golden Age Of Donegan - Lonnie Donegan
02 03 Pot Luck - Elvis Presley
03 04 The Best Of Ball, Barber & Bilk - Kenny Ball, Chris Barber & Acker Bilk
05 05 The Black And White Minstrel Show - George Mitchell Minstrels
05 06 South Pacific - Soundtrack
07 07 A Picture Of You - Joe Brown
07 08 Blue Hawaii - Elvis Presley
09 09 Blitz! - Original Cast
NE 10 The Music Man – Soundtrack

01 01 West Side Story - Soundtrack
02 02 A Golden Age Of Donegan - Lonnie Donegan
04 03 The Best Of Ball, Barber & Bilk - Kenny Ball, Chris Barber & Acker Bilk
03 04 Pot Luck - Elvis Presley
07 05 A Picture Of You - Joe Brown
05 06 The Black And White Minstrel Show - George Mitchell Minstrel
06 07 South Pacific - Soundtrack
08 08 Blue Hawaii - Elvis Presley
NE 09 Modern Sounds In Country And Western - Ray Charles
NE 10 The Sound Of Music - London Cast
NE 10 `s Wonderful, `s Marvellous - Ray Conniff

22 September 1962

01 01 West Side Story - Soundtrack
02 02 A Golden Age Of Donegan - Lonnie Donegan
03 03 The Best Of Ball, Barber & Bilk - Kenny Ball, Chris Barber & Acker Bilk
04 04 Pot Luck - Elvis Presley
06 05 The Black And White Minstrel Show - George Mitchell Minstrels
05 06 A Picture Of You - Joe Brown
07 07 South Pacific - Soundtrack
08 08 Blue Hawaii - Elvis Presley
09 09 Modern Sounds In Country And Western - Ray Charles
NE 10 32 Minutes And 17 Seconds - Cliff Richard

NME commentary for the last 8 weeks:

Radio Luxemburg was the only respite from the BBC light programme: it acutally played lots of records, because it sold airtime to record companies. The big ones (EMI and Decca, embracing exciting American-music labels: London, Coral, RCA) had half-hour shows, like Jimmy Savile`s Teen and 20 Disc Club (Elvis was member no. 11321). Smaller companies (Pye, Philips) had quarter-hours they struggled to fill with Britishers (note the hits on Pye`s cheap label Golden Guinea).

29 September 1962

01 01 West Side Story - Soundtrack
02 02 A Golden Age Of Donegan - Lonnie Donegan
03 03 The Best Of Ball, Barber & Bilk - Kenny Ball, Chris Barber & Acker Bilk
06 04 A Picture Of You - Joe Brown
04 05 Pot Luck - Elvis Presley
10 06 32 Minutes And 17 Seconds - Cliff Richard
05 07 The Black And White Minstrel Show - George Mitchell Minstrels
08 08 Blue Hawaii - Elvis Presley
07 09 South Pacific - Soundtrack
09 10 Modern Sounds In Country And Western - Ray Charles

NME album chart

6 October 1962

01 01 West Side Story - Soundtrack
03 02 The Best Of Ball, Barber & Bilk - Kenny Ball, Chris Barber & Acker Bilk
02 03 A Golden Age Of Donegan - Lonnie Donegan
04 04 A Picture Of You - Joe Brown
07 05 The Black And White Minstrel Show - George Mitchell Minstrels
05 06 Pot Luck - Elvis Presley
06 07 32 Minutes And 17 Seconds - Cliff Richard
10 08 Modern Sounds In Country And Western - Ray Charles
NE 09 `s Wonderful, `s Marvellous - Ray Conniff
NE 09 Ray Conniff Hi-Fi Companion - Ray Conniff
NE 09 A Picture Of Joe Brown - Joe Brown

13 October 1962

01 01 West Side Story - Soundtrack
03 02 A Golden Age Of Donegan - Lonnie Donegan
02 03 The Best Of Ball, Barber & Bilk - Kenny Ball, Chris Barker & Acker Bilk
NE 04 Out Of The Shadows - Shadows
05 05 The Black And White Minstrel Show - George Mitchell Minstrels
04 06 A Picture Of You - Joe Brown
07 07 32 Minutes And 17 Seconds - Cliff Richard
RE 08 South Pacific - Soundtrack
RE 09 The Sound Of Music - London Cast
RE 10 Blitz! - Original Cast

NME album chart

20 October 1962

01 01 West Side Story - Soundtrack
04 02 Out Of The Shadows - Shadows
03 03 The Best Of Ball, Barber & Bilk - Kenny Ball, Chris Barber & Acker Bilk
02 04 A Golden Age Of Donegan - Lonnie Donegan
06 05 A Picture Of You - Joe Brown
05 06 The Black And White Minstrel Show - George Mitchell Minstrels
07 07 32 Minutes And 17 Seconds - Cliff Richard
RE 08 Pot Luck - Elvis Presley
RE 09 Modern Sounds In Country And Western - Ray Charles
NE 09 Porgy And Bess – Soundtrack

13 October 1962

01 01 West Side Story - Soundtrack
03 02 A Golden Age Of Donegan - Lonnie Donegan
02 03 The Best Of Ball, Barber & Bilk - Kenny Ball, Chris Barker & Acker Bilk
NE 04 Out Of The Shadows - Shadows
05 05 The Black And White Minstrel Show - George Mitchell Minstrels
04 06 A Picture Of You - Joe Brown
07 07 32 Minutes And 17 Seconds - Cliff Richard
RE 08 South Pacific - Soundtrack
RE 09 The Sound Of Music - London Cast
RE 10 Blitz! - Original Cast

20 October 1962

01 01 West Side Story - Soundtrack
04 02 Out Of The Shadows - Shadows
03 03 The Best Of Ball, Barber & Bilk - Kenny Ball, Chris Barber & Acker Bilk
02 04 A Golden Age Of Donegan - Lonnie Donegan
06 05 A Picture Of You - Joe Brown
05 06 The Black And White Minstrel Show - George Mitchell Minstrels
07 07 32 Minutes And 17 Seconds - Cliff Richard
RE 08 Pot Luck - Elvis Presley
RE 09 Modern Sounds In Country And Western - Ray Charles
NE 09 Porgy And Bess – Soundtrack

27 October 1962

02 01 Out Of The Shadows - Shadows
01 02 West Side Story - Soundtrack
03 03 The Best Of Ball, Barber & Bilk - Kenny Ball, Chris Barber & Acker Bilk
04 04 A Golden Age Of Donegan - Lonnie Donegan
NE 05 On Stage With The George Mitchell Minstrels - George Mitchell Minstrels
07 06 32 Minutes And 17 Seconds - Cliff Richard
05 07 A Picture Of You - Joe Brown
RE 08 South Pacific - Soundtrack
08 09 Pot Luck - Elvis Presley
06 10 The Black And White Minstrel Show - George Mitchell Minstrels
NE 10 Nat King Cole Sings, The George Shearing Quartet Plays - Nat King Cole & The George Shearing Quartet

3 November 1962

02 01 West Side Story - Soundtrack
01 02 Out Of The Shadows - Shadows
05 03 On Stage With The George Mitchell Minstrels - George Mitchell Minstrels
03 04 The Best Of Ball, Barber & Bilk - Kenny Ball, Chris Barker & Acker Bilk
04 05 A Golden Age Of Donegan - Lonnie Donegan
08 06 South Pacific - Soundtrack
09 06 Pot Luck - Elvis Presley
10 08 The Black And White Minstrel Show - George Mitchell Minstrels
NE 09 Modern Sounds In Country And Western - Ray Charles
07 10 A Picture Of You - Joe Brown

10 November 1962

01 01 West Side Story - Soundtrack
02 02 Out Of The Shadows - Shadows
03 03 On Stage With The George Mitchell Minstrels - George Mitchell Minstrels
04 04 The Best Of Ball, Barber & Bilk - Kenny Ball, Chris Barker & Acker Bilk
05 05 A Golden Age Of Donegan - Lonnie Donegan
06 06 South Pacific - Soundtrack
RE 07 Nat King Cole Sings, The George Shearing Quartet Plays - Nat King Cole & The George Shearing Quartet
08 08 The Black And White Minstrel Show - George Mitchell Minstrels
10 08 A Picture Of You - Joe Brown
06 10 Pot Luck - Elvis Presley

17 November 1962

01 01 West Side Story - Soundtrack
03 02 On Stage With The George Mitchell Minstrels - George Mitchell Minstrels
02 03 Out Of The Shadows - Shadows
08 04 The Black And White Minstrel Show - George Mitchell Minstrels
05 05 A Golden Age Of Donegan - Lonnie Donegan
04 06 The Best Of Ball, Barber & Bilk - Kenny Ball, Chris Barker & Acker Bilk
06 07 South Pacific - Soundtrack
08 08 A Picture Of You - Joe Brown
NE 09 Bobby Vee Meets The Crickets - Bobby Vee & The Crickets
07 10 Nat King Cole Sings, The George Shearing Quartet Plays - Nat King Cole & The George Shearing Quartet

NME commentary for the past 8 weeks:

BBC DJ Brian Matthew wrote in his book "Trad Mad" that "the 60s may well come to be labelled the ten years of Trad...". Mercifully he was mistaken. Trad was to prove a short-lived craze, though this autumn was its zenith. Not content with pastiches of pre-war jazz for people alarmed by anything more modern, adults also bought huge numbers of Black And White Minstrels records, stimulated by TV series in which white Britons parodied Dixieland. In the real Deep South segregation remained.

24 November 1962

02 01 On Stage With The George Mitchell Minstrels - George Mitchell Minstrels
01 02 West Side Story - Soundtrack
03 03 Out Of The Shadows - Shadows
06 04 The Best Of Ball, Barber & Bilk - Kenny Ball, Chris Barker & Acker Bilk
04 05 The Black And White Minstrel Show - George Mitchell Minstrels
05 05 A Golden Age Of Donegan - Lonnie Donegan
RE 07 Pot Luck - Elvis Presley
08 08 A Picture Of You - Joe Brown
07 09 South Pacific - Soundtrack
09 09 Bobby Vee Meets The Crickets - Bobby Vee & The Crickets

1 December 1962

01 01 On Stage With The George Mitchell Minstrels - George Mitchell Minstrels
02 02 West Side Story - Soundtrack
04 03 The Best Of Ball, Barber & Bilk - Kenny Ball, Chris Barker & Acker Bilk
03 04 Out Of The Shadows - Shadows
05 05 The Black And White Minstrel Show - George Mitchell Minstrels
05 06 A Golden Age Of Donegan - Lonnie Donegan
09 07 Bobby Vee Meets The Crickets - Bobby Vee & The Crickets
08 08 A Picture Of You - Joe Brown
09 09 South Pacific - Soundtrack
07 10 Pot Luck - Elvis Presley

8 December 1962

01 01 On Stage With The George Mitchell Minstrels - George Mitchell Minstrels
02 02 West Side Story - Soundtrack
05 03 The Black And White Minstrel Show - George Mitchell Minstrels
04 04 Out Of The Shadows - Shadows
03 05 The Best Of Ball, Barber & Bilk - Kenny Ball, Chris Barber & Acker Bilk
06 06 A Golden Age Of Donegan - Lonnie Donegan
07 07 Bobby Vee Meets The Crickets - Bobby Vee & The Crickets
NE 08 Rock`n`Roll No. 2 - Elvis Presley
09 09 South Pacific - Soundtrack
10 10 Pot Luck - Elvis Presley

15 December 1962

01 01 On Stage With The George Mitchell Minstrels - George Mitchell Minstrels
02 02 West Side Story - Soundtrack
08 03 Rock`n`Roll No. 2 - Elvis Presley
03 04 The Black And White Minstrel Show - George Mitchell Minstrels
07 05 Bobby Vee Meets The Crickets - Bobby Vee & The Crickets
04 06 Out Of The Shadows - Shadows
09 07 South Pacific - Soundtrack
RE 08 Another Black And White Minstrel Show - George Mitchell Minstrels
RE 09 32 Minutes And 17 Seconds - Cliff Richard
05 10 The Best Of Ball, Barber & Bilk - Kenny Ball, Chris Barber & Acker Bilk

22 December 1962

01 01 On Stage With The George Mitchell Minstrels - George Mitchell Minstrels
04 02 The Black And White Minstrel Show - George Mitchell Minstrels
02 03 West Side Story - Soundtrack
03 04 Rock`n`Roll No. 2 - Elvis Presley
08 05 Another Black And White Minstrel Show - George Mitchell Minstrels
05 06 Bobby Vee Meets The Crickets - Bobby Vee & The Crickets
06 06 Out Of The Shadows - Shadows
07 08 South Pacific - Soundtrack
10 09 The Best Of Ball, Barber & Bilk - Kenny Ball, Chris Barber & Acker Bilk
NE 10 Sinatra And Swinging Brass - Frank Sinatra

29 December 1962

01 01 On Stage With The George Mitchell Minstrels - George Mitchell Minstrels
02 02 The Black And White Minstrel Show - George Mitchell Minstrels
04 03 Rock`n`Roll No. 2 - Elvis Presley
03 04 West Side Story - Soundtrack
06 05 Out Of The Shadows - Shadows
05 06 Another Black And White Minstrel Show - George Mitchell Minstrels
09 07 The Best Of Ball, Barber & Bilk - Kenny Ball, Chris Barber & Acker Bilk
10 08 Sinatra And Swinging Brass - Frank Sinatra
06 08 Bobby Vee Meets The Crickets - Bobby Vee & The Crickets
08 10 South Pacific - Soundtrack

NME commentary for the last 6 weeks:

The grown-ups dreamed of a white Christmas with the Black and White Minstrels at #1, #2, and #5. While parents also bought each other soundtracks of musicals, trad, Sinatra and swinging brass, there was room in the charts for just three pop acts: Bobby Vee meeting the Crickets, the Shadows and Elvis. Vee personified the legendary clean-cut Bobbies of post-rock`n`roll. the Shadows were big because they had headed another craze of the day: for guitar-based instrumental hit singles.

5 January 1963

01 01 On Stage With The George Mitchell Minstrels - George Mitchell Minstrels
04 02 West Side Story - Soundtrack
02 03 The Black And White Minstrel Show - George Mitchell Minstrels
05 04 Out Of The Shadows - Shadows
03 05 Rock`n`Roll No. 2 - Elvis Presley
08 06 Bobby Vee Meets The Crickets - Bobby Vee & The Crickets
06 07 Another Black And White Minstrel Show - George Mitchell Minstrels
10 07 South Pacific - Soundtrack
07 09 The Best Of Ball, Barber & Bilk - Kenny Ball, Chris Barber & Acker Bilk
08 09 Sinatra And Swinging Brass - Frank Sinatra

12 January 1963

02 01 West Side Story - Soundtrack
01 02 On Stage With The George Mitchell Minstrels - George Mitchell Minstrels
04 03 Out Of The Shadows - Shadows
06 04 Bobby Vee Meets The Crickets - Bobby Vee & The Crickets
05 05 Rock`n`Roll No. 2 - Elvis Presley
03 06 The Black And White Minstrel Show - George Mitchell Minstrels
07 07 South Pacific - Soundtrack
RE 08 A Picture Of You - Joe Brown
07 09 Another Black And White Minstrel Show - George Mitchell Minstrels
09 09 Sinatra And Swinging Brass - Frank Sinatra

NME album chart

19 January 1963

01 01 West Side Story - Soundtrack
04 02 Bobby Vee Meets The Crickets - Bobby Vee & The Crickets
03 03 Out Of The Shadows - Shadows
05 04 Rock`n`Roll No. 2 - Elvis Presley
02 05 On Stage With The George Mitchell Minstrels - George Mitchell Minstrels
06 06 The Black And White Minstrel Show - George Mitchell Minstrels
07 07 South Pacific - Soundtrack
RE 08 32 Minutes And 17 Seconds - Cliff Richard
09 09 Sinatra And Swinging Brass - Frank Sinatra
NE 10 A BobbY Vee Recording Session - Bobby Vee

26 January 1963

01 01 West Side Story - Soundtrack
NE 02 Summer Holiday - Cliff Richard
NE 03 Girls! Girls! Girls! - Elvis Presley
03 04 Out Of The Shadows - Shadows
05 05 On Stage With The George Mitchell Minstrels - George Mitchell Minstrels
02 06 Bobby Vee Meets The Crickets - Bobby Vee & The Crickets
04 07 Rock`n`Roll No. 2 - Elvis Presley
06 08 The Black And White Minstrel Show - George Mitchell Minstrels
07 09 South Pacific - Soundtrack
RE 10 The Best Of Ball, Barber & Bilk - Kenny Ball, Chris Barber & Acker Bilk

2 February 1963

02 01 Summer Holiday - Cliff Richard
03 02 Girls! Girls! Girls! - Elvis Presley
01 03 West Side Story - Soundtrack
04 04 Out Of The Shadows - Shadows
09 05 South Pacific - Soundtrack
06 06 Bobby Vee Meets The Crickets - Bobby Vee & The Crickets
07 06 Rock`n`Roll No. 2 - Elvis Presley
05 08 On Stage With The George Mitchell Minstrels - George Mitchell Minstrels
08 09 The Black And White Minstrel Show - George Mitchell Minstrels
NE 10 A Golden Age Of Donegan, Vol. 2 - Lonnie Donegan

9 February 1963

01 01 Summer Holiday - Cliff Richard
02 02 Girls! Girls! Girls! - Elvis Presley
03 03 West Side Story - Soundtrack
04 04 Out Of The Shadows - Shadows
05 05 South Pacific - Soundtrack
09 06 The Black And White Minstrel Show - George Mitchell Minstrels
10 07 A Golden Age Of Donegan, Vol. 2 - Lonnie Donegan
08 08 On Stage With The George Mitchell Minstrels - George Mitchell Minstrels
06 09 Bobby Vee Meets The Crickets - Bobby Vee & The Crickets
RE 10 A Bobby Vee Recording Session - Bobby Vee
NE 10 Gypsy – Sountrack

16 February 1963

01 01 Summer Holiday - Cliff Richard
02 02 Girls! Girls! Girls! - Elvis Presley
03 03 West Side Story - Soundtrack
NE 04 I`ll Remember You - Frank Ifield
04 05 Out Of The Shadows - Shadows
05 06 South Pacific - Soundtrack
06 07 The Black And White Minstrel Show - George Mitchell Minstrels
09 08 Bobby Vee Meets The Crickets - Bobby Vee & The Crickets
NE 09 Modern Sounds In Country And Western, Vol. 2 - Ray Charles
NE 10 The Buddy Holly Story, Vol. 1 - Buddy Holly

23 February 1963

01 01 Summer Holiday - Cliff Richard
02 02 Girls! Girls! Girls! - Elvis Presley
04 03 I`ll Remember You - Frank Ifield
03 04 West Side Story - Soundtrack
NE 05 Sinatra/Basie - Frank Sinatra & Count Basie
07 06 The Black And White Minstrel Show - George Mitchell Minstrels
05 07 Out Of The Shadows - Shadows
06 07 South Pacific - Soundtrack
08 09 Bobby Vee Meets The Crickets - Bobby Vee & The Crickets
RE 10 On Stage With The George Mitchell Minstrels - George Mitchell Minstrels


NME commentary for the last 8 weeks:

Shadows boss Cliff Richard leapt straight in at #2 with the LP of his film about taking a London double-decker for a "Summer Holiday" in Europe. This cheer reached the top slot in freezing February (it was the coldest winter in living memory; Sylvia Plath killed herself in London that month). Cliff held the latest Presley movie-soundtrack at bay and was to remain at #1 right through till May, when the Beatles would introduce themselves to the LP top spot and hold on to it for five months straight.

2 March 1963

01 01 Summer Holiday - Cliff Richard
03 02 I`ll Remember You - Frank Ifield
02 03 Girls! Girls! Girls! - Elvis Presley
05 04 Sinatra/Basie - Frank Sinatra & Count Basie
04 05 West Side Story - Sountrack
07 06 Out Of The Shadows - Shadows
10 07 On Stage With The George Mitchell Minstrels - George Mitchell Minstrels
07 08 South Pacific - Soundtrack
06 09 The Black And White Minstrel Show - George Mitchell Minstrels
09 10 Bobby Vee Meets The Crickets - Bobby Vee & The Crickets

9 March 1963

01 01 Summer Holiday - Cliff Richard
04 02 Sinatra/Basie - Frank Sinatra & Count Basie
03 03 Girls! Girls! Girls! - Elvis Presley
02 04 I`ll Remember You - Frank Ifield
05 05 West Side Story 8211; Sountrack
NE 06 All Star Festival - Various Artists
06 07 Out Of The Shadows - Shadows
NE 07 Steptoe And Son - TV Cast
08 09 South Pacific - Sountrack
07 10 On Stage With The George Mitchell Minstrels - George Mitchell Minstrels
09 10 The Black And White Minstrel Show - George Mitchell Minstrels

16 March 1963

01 01 Summer Holiday - Cliff Richard
02 02 Sinatra/Basie - Frank Sinatra & Count Basie
04 03 I`ll Remember You - Frank Ifield
03 04 Girls! Girls! Girls! - Elvis Presley
06 05 All Star Festival - Various Artists
05 06 West Side Story - Soundtrack
09 07 South Pacific - Soundtrack
07 08 Steptoe And Son - TV Cast
07 09 Out Of The Shadows - Shadows
10 10 The Black And White Minstrel Show - George Mitchell Minstrels

23 March 1963

01 01 Summer Holiday - Cliff Richard
02 02 Sinatra/Basie - Frank Sinatra & Count Basie
03 03 I`ll Remember You - Frank Ifield
04 04 Girls! Girls! Girls! - Elvis Presley
05 05 All Star Festival - Various Artists
06 06 West Side Story - Soundtrack
07 07 South Pacific - Soundtrack
09 07 Out Of The Shadows - Shadows
08 09 Steptoe And Son - TV Cast
NE 10 Richard Chamberlain Sings - Richard Chamberlain

30 March 1963

01 01 Summer Holiday - Cliff Richard
02 02 Sinatra/Basie - Frank Sinatra & Count Basie
03 03 I`ll Remember You - Frank Ifield
05 04 All Star Festival - Various Artists
04 05 Girl! Girls! Girls! - Elvis Presley
NE 06 Reminiscing - Buddy Holly
06 07 West Side Story - Soundtrack
07 08 South Pacific - Soundtrack
NE 09 Please Please Me - Beatles
07 10 Out Of The Shadows - Shadows

6 April 1963

01 01 Summer Holiday - Cliff Richard
06 02 Reminiscing - Buddy Holly
02 03 Sinatra/Basie - Frank Sinatra & Count Basie
03 03 I`ll Remember You - Frank Ifield
05 05 Girl! Girls! Girls! - Elvis Presley
09 06 Please Please Me - Beatles
04 07 All Star Festival - Various Artists
07 08 West Side Story - Soundtrack
10 09 Out Of The Shadows - Shadows
08 10 South Pacific - Sountrack

13 April 1963

01 01 Summer Holiday - Cliff Richard
02 02 Reminiscing - Buddy Holly
07 03 All Star Festival - Various Artists
03 04 Sinatra/Basie - Frank Sinatra & Count Basie
06 05 Please Please Me - Beatles
03 06 I`ll Remember You - Frank Ifield
05 07 Girl! Girls! Girls! - Elvis Presley
08 08 West Side Story - Soundtrack
09 09 Out Of The Shadows - Shadows
NE 10 The Eddie Cochran Memorial Album - Eddie Cochran

20 April 1963

01 01 Summer Holiday - Cliff Richard
02 02 Reminiscing - Buddy Holly
05 03 Please Please Me - Beatles
03 04 All Star Festival - Various Artists
06 05 I`ll Remember You - Frank Ifield
08 06 West Side Story - Soundtrack
04 07 Sinatra/Basie - Frank Sinatra & Count Basie
09 08 Out Of The Shadows - Shadows
RE 09 South Pacific - Soundtrack
RE 09 On Stage With The George Mitchell Minstrels - George Mitchell Minstrels
NE 09 Bobby Vee`s Golden Greats - Bobby Vee


NME commentary for the last 8 weeks:

The Beatles` LP chart arrival came at No. 9 that March, three places below a curious posthumous album by Buddy Holly. Reminiscing offered some previously-unissued Holly songs overdubbed by the Fireballs at the behest of producer Norman Petty, whose studio in Clovis, New Mexico, was almost as famous as Sam Phillips´ Sun studio in Memphis. At this time record-buyers knew nothing of such matters as outtakes; each time "new" Holly material emerged, they were surprised there were any left.

27 April 1963

01 01 Summer Holiday - Cliff Richard
03 02 Please Please Me - Beatles
02 03 Reminiscing Buddy Holly
06 04 West Side Story - Soundtrack
04 05 All Star Festival - Various Artists
05 06 I`ll Remember You - Frank Ifield
RE 07 Girls! Girls! Girls! - Elvis Presley
07 08 Sinatra/Basie - Frank Sinatra & Count Basie
09 09 South Pacific - Sountrack
NE 10 Hats Off To Del Shannon - Del Shannon

4 May 1963

01 01 Summer Holiday - Cliff Richard
02 02 Please Please Me - Beatles
03 03 Reminiscing - Buddy Holly
04 04 West Side Story - Soundtrack
06 05 I`ll Remember You - Frank Ifield
07 06 Girls! Girls! Girls! - Elvis Presley
05 07 All Star Festival - Various Artists
08 07 Sinatra/Basie - Frank Sinatra & Count Basie
NE 09 All Alone Am I - Brenda Lee
RE 09 Steptoe And Son - TV Cast

11 May 1963

02 01 Please Please Me - Beatles
01 02 Summer Holiday - Cliff Richard
03 03 Reminiscing - Buddy Holly
NE 04 It Happened At The World`s Fair - Elvis Presley
05 05 I`ll Remember You - Frank Ifield
04 06 West Side Story - Soundtrack
NE 07 Just For Fun - Soundtrack
06 08 Girls! Girls! Girls! - Elvis Presley
07 08 All Star Festival - Various Artists
07 10 Sinatra/Basie - Frank Sinatra & Count Basie

18 May 1963

01 01 Please Please Me - Beatles
02 02 Summer Holiday - Cliff Richard
04 03 It Happened At The World`s Fair - Elvis Presley
03 04 Reminiscing - Buddy Holly
06 05 West Side Story - Soundtrack
05 06 I`ll Remember You - Frank Ifield
07 07 Just For Fun - Soundtrack
08 07 Girls! Girls! Girls! - Elvis Presley
10 09 Sinatra/Basie - Frank Sinatra & Count Basie
RE 10 All Alone Am I - Brenda Lee

25 May 1963

01 01 Please Please Me - Beatles
03 02 It Happened At The World`s Fair - Elvis Presley
02 03 Summer Holiday - Cliff Richard
04 04 Reminiscing - Buddy Holly
05 05 West Side Story - Soundtrack
NE 06 Billy - Billy Fury
RE 07 All Star Festival - Various Artists
06 08 I`ll Remember You - Frank Ifield
NE 09 Sammy Davis Jr. At The Coconut Grove - Sammy Davis Jr.
07 10 Sinatra/Basie - Frank Sinatra & Count Basie

1 June 1963

01 01 Please Please Me - Beatles
03 02 Summer Holiday - Cliff Richard
02 03 It Happened At The World`s Fair - Elvis Presley
05 04 West Side Story - Soundtrack
04 05 Reminiscing - Buddy Holly
06 06 Billy - Billy Fury
10 07 Sinatra/Basie - Frank Sinatra & Count Basie
07 08 All Star Festival - Various Artists
08 09 I`ll Remember You - Frank Ifield
RE 10 Hats Off To Del Shannon - Del Shannon

8 June 1963

01 01 Please Please Me- Beatles
02 02 Summer Holiday - Cliff Richard
03 03 It Happened At The World`s Fair - Elvis Presley
04 04 West Side Story - Soundtrack
06 05 Billy - Billy Fury
05 05 Reminiscing - Buddy Holly
09 07 I`ll Remember You - Frank Ifield
RE 08 South Pacific - Soundtrack
RE 09 All Alone Am I - Brenda Lee
NE 09 Ray Charles` Greatest Hits - Ray Charles

15 June 1963

01 01 Please Please Me - Beatles
02 02 Summer Holiday - Cliff Richard
03 03 It Happened At The World`s Fair - Elvis Presley
05 04 Reminiscing - Buddy Holly
NE 05 The Shadows` Greatest Hits - Shadows
05 06 Billy - Billy Fury
04 07 West Side Story - Soundtrack
07 08 I`ll Remember You - Frank Ifield
NE 09 The Eddie Cochran Memorial Album - Eddie Cochran
RE 10 Hats Off To Del Shannon - Del Shannon

NME commentary for the last eight weeks:
Eddie Cochran had died in 1960, Holly in 1959. Here they were charting three and four years on. This gave the lie to the prevalent notion that pop was ephemeral rubbish by nine-day wonders without the staying power of the great entertainers. Yet to look back on this first year`s LP chart is to ask whatever happened to the George Mitchell Minstrels, the Ray Conniff Singers, Dorothy Provine? What Sammy Davis Jr. record remains even an easy listening favorite? 30 years on, Holly, Presley and Cliff are the survivors.

22 June 1963

01 01 Please Please Me - Beatles
02 02 Summer Holiday - Cliff Richard
05 03 The Shadows` Greatest Hits - Shadows
03 04 It Happened At The World`s Fair - Elvis Presley
07 05 West Side Story - Soundtrack
04 06 Reminiscing - Buddy Holly
06 07 Billy - Billy Fury
08 08 I`ll Remember You - Frank Ifield
RE 09 South Pacific - Soundtrack
RE 10 Bobby Vee`s Golden Greats - Bobby Vee

29 June 1963

01 01 Please Please Me - Beatles
03 02 The Shadows` Greatest Hits - Shadows
02 03 Summer Holiday - Cliff Richard
05 04 West Side Story - Soundtrack
04 05 It Happened At The World`s Fair - Elvis Presley
08 06 I`ll Remember You - Frank Ifield
06 07 Reminiscing - Buddy Holly
07 08 Billy - Billy Fury
09 09 South Pacific - Soundtrack
RE 10 Girls! Girls! Girls! - Elvis Presley

6 July 1963

01 01 Please Please Me - Beatles
02 02 The Shadows` Greatest Hits - Shadows
05 03 It Happened At The World`s Fair - Elvis Presley
04 04 West Side Story - Soundtrack
03 05 Summer Holiday - Cliff Richard
07 06 Reminiscing - Buddy Holly
08 07 Billy - Billy Fury
09 08 South Pacific - Soundtrack
06 09 I`ll Remember You - Frank Ifield
RE 09 Sinatra/Basie - Frank Sinatra & Count Basie

13 July 1963

01 01 Please Please Me - Beatles
02 02 The Shadows` Greatest Hits - Shadows
05 03 Summer Holiday - Cliff Richard
04 04 West Side Story - Soundtrack
03 05 It Happened At The World`s Fair - Elvis Presley
09 06 I`ll Remember You - Frank Ifield
NE 07 Cliff`s Hit Album - Cliff Richard
06 08 Reminiscing - Buddy Holly
NE 09 Bassey Spectacular - Shirley Bassey
07 10 Billy - Billy Fury

20 July 1963

01 01 Please Please Me - Beatles
02 02 The Shadows` Greatest Hits - Shadows
07 03 Cliff`s Hit Album - Cliff Richard
05 04 It Happened At The World`s Fair - Elvis Presley
04 05 West Side Story - Soundtrack
03 06 Summer Holiday - Cliff Richard
09 07 Bassey Spectacular - Shirley Bassey
06 08 I`ll Remember You - Frank Ifield
08 09 Reminiscing - Buddy Holly
RE 10 South Pacific - Soundtrack

27 July 1963

01 01 Please Please Me - Beatles
02 02 The Shadows` Greatest Hits - Shadows
03 03 Cliff`s Hit Album - Cliff Richard
04 04 It Happened At The World`s Fair - Elvis Presley
05 05 West Side Story - Soundtrack
06 06 Summer Holiday - Cliff Richard
09 07 Reminiscing - Buddy Holly
08 08 I`ll Remember You - Frank Ifield
NE 08 The Concert Sinatra - Frank Sinatra
07 10 Bassey Spectacular - Shirley Bassey

3 August 1963

01 01 Please Please Me - Beatles
02 02 The Shadows` Greatest Hits - Shadows
03 03 Cliff`s Hit Album - Cliff Richard
05 04 West Side Story - Soundtrack
04 05 It Happened At The World`s Fair - Elvis Presley
06 06 Summer Holiday - Cliff Richard
08 07 I`ll Remember You - Frank Ifield
07 08 Reminiscing - Buddy Holly
08 09 The Concert Sinatra - Frank Sinatra
10 10 Bassey Spectacular - Shirley Bassey
RE 10 Billy - Billy Fury

10 August 1963

01 01 Please Please Me - Beatles
02 02 The Shadows` Greatest Hits - Shadows
03 03 Cliff`s Hit Album - Cliff Richard
04 04 West Side Story - Soundtrack
05 05 It Happened At The World`s Fair - Elvis Presley
07 06 I`ll Remember You - Frank Ifield
08 07 Reminiscing - Buddy Holly
NE 08 Meet The Searchers - Searchers
09 09 The Concert Sinatra - Frank Sinatra
06 10 Summer Holiday - Cliff Richard

NME commentary for the last 8 weeks:

Many other enduring pop artists were around, but most were in the singles chart. Hit 45ers of 1962/63 included the Everlys, Shirelles, Crystals, Drisfters, Rick Nelson, Jerry Lee Lewis, Sam Cooke and Roy Orbison. Now, however, with the Beatles topping the LP chart, it was the Mersey sound that threatened them. Merseybeat was the punk of its day: grassroots music anyone could play, it was (to begin with) rough stuff. It was now big enough for another Mersey group, the Searchers, to chart with an LP.

17 August 1963

01 01 Please Please Me - Beatles
02 02 The Shadows` Greatest Hits - Shadows
03 03 Cliff`s Hit Album - Cliff Richard
08 04 Meet The Searchers - Searchers
04 05 West Side Story - Soundtrack
05 06 It Happened At The World`s Fair - Elvis Presley
09 07 The Concert Sinatra - Frank Sinatra
RE 08 Billy - Billy Fury
RE 09 South Pacific - Soundtrack
RE 10 The Buddy Holly Story, Volume 1 - Buddy Holly

24 August 1963

01 01 Please Please Me - Beatles
04 02 Meet The Searchers - Searchers
02 03 The Shadows` Greatest Hits - Shadows
03 03 Cliff`s Hit Album - Cliff Richard
05 05 West Side Story - Soundtrack
06 06 It Happened At The World`s Fair - Elvis Presley
07 07 The Concert Sinatra - Frank Sinatra
RE 08 Summer Holiday - Cliff Richard
RE 09 I`ll Remember You - Frank Ifield
10 10 The Buddy Holly Story, Volume 1 - Buddy Holly
RE 10 Steptoe And Son - TV Cast
RE 10 Pickwick - London Cast

31 August 1963

01 01 Please Please Me - Beatles
03 02 The Shadows` Greatest Hits - Shadows
03 03 Cliff`s Hit Album - Cliff Richard
02 04 Meet The Searchers - Searchers
05 05 West Side Story - Soundtrack
NE 06 Kenny Ball`s Golden Hits - Kenny Ball
10 07 Steptoe And Son - TV Cast
06 08 It Happened At The World`s Fair - Elvis Presley
07 08 The Concert Sinatra - Frank Sinatra
RE 10 South Pacific - Soundtrack

7 September 1963

01 01 Please Please Me - Beatles
02 02 The Shadows` Greatest Hits - Shadows
03 03 Cliff`s Hit Album - Cliff Richard
04 04 Meet The Searchers - Searchers
06 05 Kenny Ball`s Golden Hits - Kenny Ball
05 06 West Side Story - Soundtrack
07 07 Steptoe And Son - TV Cast
08 08 The Concert Sinatra - Frank Sinatra
RE 09 Ray Charles` Greatest Hits - Ray Charles
RE 10 I`ll Remember You - Frank Ifield

14 September 1963

01 01 Please Please Me - Beatles
02 02 The Shadows` Greatest Hits - Shadows
04 03 Meet The Searchers - Searchers
03 04 Cliff`s Hit Album - Cliff Richard
05 05 Kenny Ball`s Golden Hits - Kenny Ball
07 06 Steptoe And Son - TV Cast
06 07 West Side Story - Soundtrack
10 08 I`ll Remember You - Frank Ifield
RE 09 Reminiscing - Buddy Holly
08 10 The Concert Sinatra - Frank Sinatra

21 September 1963

01 01 Please Please Me - Beatles
02 02 The Shadows` Greatest Hits - Shadows
03 03 Meet The Searchers - Searchers
04 04 Cliff`s Hit Album - Cliff Richard
05 05 Kenny Ball`s Golden Hits - Kenny Ball
07 06 West Side Story - Soundtrack
NE 07 Born Free - Frank Ifield
06 08 Steptoe And Son - TV Cast
10 09 The Concert Sinatra - Frank Sinatra
08 10 I`ll Remember You - Frank Ifield

28 September 1963

01 01 Please Please Me - Beatles
03 02 Meet The Searchers - Searchers
07 03 Born Free - Frank Ifield
02 04 The Shadows` Greatest Hits - Shadows
05 05 Kenny Ball`s Golden Hits - Kenny Ball
04 06 Cliff`s Hit Album - Cliff Richard
06 07 West Side Story - Soundtrack
NE 08 When In Spain - Cliff Richard
08 09 Steptoe And Son - TV Cast
NE 10 Hitsville - Various Artists

5 October 1963

01 01 Please Please Me - Beatles
02 02 Meet The Searchers - Searchers
03 03 Born Free - Frank Ifield
04 04 The Shadows` Greatest Hits - Shadows
08 05 When In Spain - Cliff Richard
05 06 Kenny Ball`s Golden Hits - Kenny Ball
NE 07 Sinatra`s Sinatra - Frank Sinatra
NE 08 Chuck Berry On Stage - Chuck Berry
07 09 West Side Story - Soundtrack
06 10 Cliff`s Hit Album - Cliff Richard

NME commentary for the last 8 weeks:

The LP chart said less about the new beat groups` success than about the medium. Cheap and ideal for the short guitar-bass-drum number, the single and Merseybeat seemed made for each other, even while the music really thrived live in small venues for the young working-class. So the LP chart showed only the tip of the tip of this sweaty iceberg; the real tip remained the singles chart, topped August-October by the Searchers, Billy J. Kramer (his second No. 1), the Beatles and counterfeit-Merseysiders the Tremeloes.

12 October 1963

01 01 Please Please Me - Beatles
02 02 Meet The Searchers - Searchers
03 03 Born Free - Frank Ifield
06 04 Kenny Ball`s Golden Hits - Kenny Ball
05 05 When In Spain - Cliff Richard
04 06 The Shadows` Greatest Hits - Shadows
07 07 Sinatra`s Sinatra - Frank Sinatra
08 08 Chuck Berry On Stage - Chuck Berry
09 09 West Side Story - Soundtrack
RE 09 Steptoe And Son - TV Cast

19 October 1963

01 01 Please Please Me - Beatles
02 02 Meet The Searchers - Searchers
03 03 Born Free - Frank Ifield
04 04 Kenny Ball`s Golden Hits - Kenny Ball
06 05 The Shadows` Greatest Hits - Shadows
05 06 When In Spain - Cliff Richard
08 07 Chuck Berry On Stage - Chuck Berry
09 08 West Side Story - Soundtrack
NE 09 How Do You Like It - Gerry & The Pacemakers
07 10 Sinatra`s Sinatra - Frank Sinatra
NE 10 Fool Britannia - Original Cast

26 October 1963

01 01 Please Please Me - Beatles
03 02 Born Free - Frank Ifield
02 03 Meet The Searchers - Searchers
09 04 How Do You Like It - Gerry & The Pacemakers
04 05 Kenny Ball`s Golden Hits - Kenny Ball
05 06 The Shadows` Greatest Hits - Shadows
06 07 When In Spain - Cliff Richard
10 08 Sinatra`s Sinatra - Frank Sinatra
08 09 West Side Story - Soundtrack
NE 10 Trini Lopez At P.J.`s - Trini Lopez

2 November 1963

01 01 Please Please Me - Beatles
03 02 Meet The Searchers - Searchers
02 03 Born Free - Frank Ifield
04 04 How Do You Like It - Gerry & The Pacemakers
06 05 The Shadows` Greatest Hits - Shadows
08 06 Sinatra`s Sinatra - Frank Sinatra
10 07 Trini Lopez At P.J.`s - Trini Lopez
09 08 West Side Story - Soundtrack
RE 09 Chuck Berry On Stage - Chuck Berry
05 10 Kenny Ball`s Golden Hits - Kenny Ball

9 November 1963

01 01 Please Please Me - Beatles
04 02 How Do You Like It - Gerry & The Pacemakers
02 03 Meet The Searchers - Searchers
05 04 The Shadows` Greatest Hits - Shadows
07 05 Trini Lopez At P.J.`s - Trini Lopez
03 06 Born Free - Frank Ifield
06 07 Sinatra`s Sinatra - Frank Sinatra
08 08 West Side Story - Soundtrack
NE 09 Freddie & the Dreamers - Freddie & the Dreamers
10 10 Kenny Ball`s Golden Hits - Kenny Ball

16 November 1963

01 01 Please Please Me - Beatles
04 02 How Do You Like It - Gerry & The Pacemakers
02 03 Meet The Searchers - Searchers
10 04 Kenny Ball`s Golden Hits - Kenny Ball
NE 05 Sugar And Spice - Searchers
09 06 Freddie & the Dreamers - Freddie & the Dreamers
06 07 Born Free - Frank Ifield
04 08 The Shadows` Greatest Hits - Shadows
08 09 West Side Story - Soundtrack
NE 10 On Tour With The George Mitchell Minstrels - George Mitchell Minstrels

23 November 1963

01 01 Please Please Me - Beatles
04 02 How Do You Like It - Gerry & The Pacemakers
02 03 Meet The Searchers - Searchers
06 04 Freddie & the Dreamers - Freddie & the Dreamers
09 05 West Side Story - Soundtrack
RE 06 Trini Lopez At P.J.`s - Trini Lopez
10 07 On Tour With The George Mitchell Minstrels - George Mitchell Minstrels
08 08 The Shadows` Greatest Hits - Shadows
05 09 Sugar And Spice - Searchers
07 10 Born Free - Frank Ifield

30 November 1963

NE 01 With The Beatles - Beatles
01 02 Please Please Me - Beatles
02 03 How Do You Like It - Gerry & The Pacemakers
09 04 Sugar And Spice - Searchers
05 05 West Side Story - Soundtrack
03 06 Meet The Searchers - Searchers
07 07 On Tour With The George Mitchell Minstrels - George Mitchell Minstrels
06 08 Trini Lopez At P.J.`s - Trini Lopez
RE 09 Sinatra`s Sinatra - Frank Sinatra
04 10 Freddie & the Dreamers - Freddie & the Dreamers

NME commentary for the last 8 weeks:

As Billy J. Kramer and Brian Poole made clear, the raw excitement of the new beat groups was to remain largely uncaptured on record, while vinyl success met those who made the music chirpy, clean and sweet. So the LP chart opened up also to Merseyside`s Gerry & the Pacemakers, whose hit singles were written by Tin Pan Alley`s Mitch Murray, and Manchester`s gruesome Freddie & the Dreamers, more novelty act than beat group, whose first hit had been a limp cover of an inspired, weird R&B classic by James Ray.

7 December 1963

01 01 With The Beatles - Beatles
02 02 Please Please Me - Beatles
04 03 Sugar And Spice - Searchers
03 04 How Do You Like It? - Gerry & The Pacemakers
05 05 West Side Story - Soundtrack
06 06 Meet The Searchers - Searchers
10 07 Freddie & The Dreamers - Freddie & The Dreamers
09 08 Sinatra`s Sinatra - Frank Sinatra
07 09 On Tour With The George Mitchell Minstrels - George Mitchell Minstrels
RE 10 Kenny Ball`s Golden Hits - Kenny Ball
RE 10 The Shadows` Greatest Hits - Shadows

14 December 1963

01 01 With The Beatles - Beatles
02 02 Please Please Me - Beatles
04 03 How Do You Like It? - Gerry & The Pacemakers
05 04 West Side Story - Soundtrack
07 05 Freddie & The Dreamers - Freddie & The Dreamers
03 06 Sugar And Spice - Searchers
06 07 Meet The Searchers - Searchers
09 07 On Tour With The George Mitchell Minstrels - George Mitchell Minstrels
RE 09 Born Free - Frank Ifield
RE 09 South Pacific - Soundtrack

21 December 1963

01 01 With The Beatles - Beatles
02 02 Please Please Me - Beatles
03 03 How Do You Like It? - Gerry & The Pacemakers
04 04 West Side Story - Soundtrack
07 05 Meet The Searchers - Searchers
05 06 Freddie & The Dreamers - Freddie & The Dreamers
RE 07 Kenny Ball`s Golden Hits - Kenny Ball
06 08 Sugar And Spice - Searchers
07 09 On Tour With The George Mitchell Minstrels - George Mitchell Minstrels
09 09 Born Free - Frank Ifield

28 December 1963

01 01 With The Beatles - Beatles
02 02 Please Please Me - Beatles
04 03 West Side Story - Soundtrack
09 04 On Tour With The George Mitchell Minstrels - George Mitchell Minstrels
NE 05 Kathy Kirby Sings 16 Hits From Stars And Garters - Kathy Kirby
03 06 How Do You Like It? - Gerry & The Pacemakers
06 07 Freddie & The Dreamers - Freddie & The Dreamers
NE 07 Mrs. Mills` Party - Mrs. Mills
RE 07 Sinatra`s Sinatra - Frank Sinatra
07 10 Kenny Ball`s Golden Hits - Kenny Ball

NME commetnary for the last 4 weeks:

It was a tradition for DJs to play US originals once and their "home-grown" covers interminably. This obtained both before Merseybeat (Marty Wilde vastly outsold Richie Valens with "Donna", despite Valens dying in the Holly plane-crash as his disc was released) and after it. In 1965 the TV show "Thank Your Lucky Stars" claimed that the Righteous Brothers` "You`ve Lost Your Lovin` Feeling" was too dull to hit and that Cilla Black`s version was superior. For beat groups, though, it was different: they covered obscure R&B because they loved it. This Christmas, beat groups occupied four of the five top LP slots.