List of UK Singles Downloads Chart number ones of the 2000s

The UK Singles Downloads Chart is a weekly music chart that ranks the most-downloaded singles in the United Kingdom. During the 2000s, the chart was compiled by The Official UK Charts Company (OCC) on behalf of the British music industry, and was based solely on non-subscription music downloads from selected online music stores.[1][2] It was compiled using weekly sales from Sunday to Saturday, and was published each Wednesday afternoon, so as not to clash with the Sunday evening announcement of the UK Singles Chart.[2]

Barbadian singer Rihanna featured on five different number-one singles during the 2000s, more than any other artist.

The chart was founded in September 2004 as the UK Official Download Chart, with the first single to top the chart being a live version of "Flying Without Wings" by Irish boy band Westlife.[3] By the end of the decade, 109 further singles had topped the chart. The most downloaded single of the 2000s was "Poker Face" by Lady Gaga.[4] Released in 2009, the song was downloaded 779,000 times, and topped the chart for three weeks. "Just Dance", also by Gaga, and "Sex on Fire" by Kings of Leon were the third and second highest selling downloads of the decade respectively.[4] The single that spent the longest time at number one was "Crazy" by Gnarls Barkley, which spent 11 weeks at the top and became the UK's 18th best-selling download of the 2000s.[2][4]

The most successful artist of the decade was Barbadian singer Rihanna, who featured on five different number-one singles for a total of 13 weeks. The most successful record label was Universal Music Group; with an artist roster that included Rihanna, The Black Eyed Peas and U2, Universal spent 110 weeks at number one with 40 different singles. The final number one of the 2000s was "Killing in the Name", a 1993 single by American rap metal band Rage Against the Machine, which was pushed to the top of the chart as a result of an online campaign to prevent Joe McElderry, the 2009 winner of the X Factor, from reaching number one.[5] "Killing in the Name" sold over 500,000 copies in one week, making it the UK's fastest-selling digital download of all time.[6]

Chart history
Main article: UK Official Download Chart § History

Before the inauguration of the download chart, only sales of physical formats—such as CD, vinyl and cassette tape—contributed towards a single's position on the UK music charts. From the late 1990s onwards, these sales began to significantly decline.[7] By the start of 2004, they had dropped to their lowest level in over 35 years, with singles needing to sell only 35,000 copies to reach number one.[8] One year later, a limited edition re-release of "One Night" / "I Got Stung" by Elvis Presley topped the chart with 22,000 copies, making it the lowest selling number-one single at that time.[9] Conversely, the music download market was growing considerably: during the same 2004–05 period, sales of downloads grew by 743%, and overtook physical sales in December 2004.[10][11] The following year, the UK's online music revenue reached €42.1 million.[12]

"The [first download chart] proved that for the moment online purchases need to exist in their own separate bubble, if only until stunts such as Westlife releasing a live version of a five year old song as an online exclusive cease to have any meaningful impact."

— UK chart commentator James Masterton[13]

As a result of this growth, the OCC were commissioned in 2004 to compile a new music chart based solely on the UK's download sales, which was initially sponsored by Coca-Cola.[14] A "sample" download chart was trialled for 10 weeks, with the first number one being "Bam Thwok" by American rock band Pixies.[15][16] After this ten-week period, the UK Official Download Chart was launched on 1 September 2004, with Westlife achieving the first official number one.[17] The group topped the chart with a live version of their 1999 single "Flying Without Wings", a move that UK chart commentator James Masterton branded a "stunt".[13]

By 2007 the UK had become Europe's largest consumer of online music, with almost 78 million tracks being downloaded that year – by the end of the decade this figure had nearly doubled.[12][18] Sales of downloaded singles were finally incorporated into the UK Singles Chart in April 2005[7][19] – as of February 2015, the UK Official Download Chart continues to be published each week by the OCC, under the name the UK Singles Downloads Chart.[20]

Number ones
Key
No. nth single to top the UK Official Download Chart
N/A Reached number one on an unofficial, "sample" download chart[15]
re Return of a single to number one
Most-downloaded single of the decade[4]
Contents
2004 • 2005 • 2006 • 2007 • 2008 • 2009 • 2010s →
No. Artist[lower-alpha 1] Single[lower-alpha 1] Record label[lower-alpha 1] Reached number one[lower-alpha 1] Weeks at
number one[lower-alpha 1]
2004
N/A Pixies "Bam Thwok" Not on label[lower-alpha 2] 23 June 2004 1
N/A Maroon 5 "This Love" Sony 30 June 2004 1
N/A The Streets "Dry Your Eyes" Warner 7 July 2004 5
N/A Shapeshifters "Lola's Theme" EMI 11 August 2004 3
1 Westlife "Flying Without Wings" (Live) Sony 1 September 2004 1
2 Natasha Bedingfield "These Words" Sony 8 September 2004 4
3 U2 "Vertigo" Universal 6 October 2004 3
4 Mouldy Lookin' Stain "Dogz Don't Kill People Wabbits Do" Warner 27 October 2004 1
re U2 "Vertigo" Universal 3 November 2004 5
5 Band Aid 20 "Do They Know It's Christmas" Universal 8 December 2004 4
2005
re U2 "Vertigo" Universal 5 January 2005 1
6 Gwen Stefani "What You Waiting For?" Universal 12 January 2005 2
7 Green Day "Boulevard of Broken Dreams" Warner 26 January 2005 1
8 The Chemical Brothers "Galvanize" EMI 2 February 2005 4
9 Stereophonics "Dakota" V2 2 March 2005 2
10 McFly "All About You" Universal 16 March 2005 2
11 Tony Christie featuring Peter Kay "Is This the Way to Amarillo" Universal 30 March 2005 4
12 Coldplay "Speed of Sound" EMI 27 April 2005 3
13 The Black Eyed Peas "Don't Phunk with My Heart" Universal 18 May 2005 2
14 Gorillaz "Feel Good Inc." EMI 1 June 2005 3
15 James Blunt "You're Beautiful" Warner 22 June 2005 3
16 Paul McCartney and U2 "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" Universal 13 July 2005 1
17 Elton John "Electricity" Universal 20 July 2005 1
re James Blunt "You're Beautiful" Warner 27 July 2005 2
18 Daniel Powter "Bad Day" Warner 10 August 2005 5
19 The Pussycat Dolls featuring Busta Rhymes "Don't Cha" Universal 14 September 2005 3
20 Sugababes "Push the Button" Universal 5 October 2005 4
21 Madonna "Hung Up" Warner 2 November 2005 7
22 Nizlopi "JCB" FDM 21 December 2005 1
23 Shayne Ward "That's My Goal" Sony 28 December 2005 2
2006
re Nizlopi "JCB" FDM 11 January 2006 2
24 The Notorious B.I.G. featuring Diddy, Nelly, Jagged Edge and Avery Storm "Nasty Girl" Warner 25 January 2006 2
25 The Ordinary Boys "Boys Will Be Boys" Warner 8 February 2006 1
26 Meck featuring Leo Sayer "Thunder in My Heart Again" Universal 15 February 2006 2
27 Corinne Bailey Rae "Put Your Records On" EMI 1 March 2006 2
28 Orson "No Tomorrow" Universal 15 March 2006 1
29 Gnarls Barkley "Crazy" Warner 22 March 2006 11
30 Sandi Thom "I Wish I Was a Punk Rocker (With Flowers in My Hair)" Sony 7 June 2006 1
31 Nelly Furtado "Maneater" Universal 14 June 2006 4
32 Shakira featuring Wyclef Jean "Hips Don't Lie" Sony 12 July 2006 4
33 Justin Timberlake "SexyBack" Sony 9 August 2006 1
re Shakira featuring Wyclef Jean "Hips Don't Lie" Sony 16 August 2006 1
34 Scissor Sisters "I Don't Feel Like Dancin'" Universal 23 August 2006 7
35 Razorlight "America" Universal 11 October 2006 3
36 McFly "Star Girl" Universal 1 November 2006 1
37 Fedde le Grand "Put Your Hands Up 4 Detroit" Ministry of Sound 8 November 2006 1
38 All Saints "Rock Steady" EMI 15 November 2006 1
39 Take That "Patience" Universal 22 November 2006 5
40 Leona Lewis "A Moment Like This" Sony 27 December 2006 2
2007
re Take That "Patience" Universal 10 January 2007 1
41 Mika "Grace Kelly" Universal 17 January 2007 6
42 Kaiser Chiefs "Ruby" Universal 28 February 2007 3
43 The Proclaimers featuring Brian Potter and Andy Pipkin "I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)" EMI 21 March 2007 3
44 Avril Lavigne "Girlfriend" Sony 11 April 2007 1
45 Mark Ronson featuring Daniel Merriweather "Stop Me" Sony 18 April 2007 1
46 Beyoncé and Shakira "Beautiful Liar" Sony 25 April 2007 3
47 Gym Class Heroes "Cupid's Chokehold" Warner 16 May 2007 1
48 Rihanna featuring Jay-Z "Umbrella" Universal 23 May 2007 8
49 Timbaland featuring Keri Hilson and D.O.E. "The Way I Are" Universal 18 July 2007 2
50 Kate Nash "Foundations" Universal 25 July 2007 2
51 Kanye West "Stronger" Universal 15 August 2007 2
52 Sean Kingston "Beautiful Girls" Sony 29 August 2007 2
53 Plain White T's "Hey There Delilah" EMI 12 September 2007 3
54 Sugababes "About You Now" Universal 3 October 2007 4
55 Leona Lewis "Bleeding Love" Sony 31 October 2007 7
56 Mariah Carey "All I Want for Christmas Is You" Sony 19 December 2007 1
57 Leon Jackson "When You Believe" Sony 26 December 2007 2
2008
58 Timbaland presents OneRepublic "Apologize" Universal 9 January 2008 1
59 Basshunter featuring DJ Mental Theo's Bazzheadz "Now You're Gone" Ministry of Sound 16 January 2008 3
60 Adele "Chasing Pavements" Beggars 6 February 2008 1
61 Nickelback "Rockstar" Warner 13 February 2008 1
62 Duffy "Mercy" Universal 20 February 2008 5
63 Estelle featuring Kanye West "American Boy" Warner 26 March 2008 4
64 Madonna featuring Justin Timberlake "4 Minutes" Warner 23 April 2008 4
65 Rihanna "Take a Bow" Universal 21 May 2008 1
66 The Ting Tings "That's Not My Name" Sony 28 May 2008 1
re Rihanna "Take a Bow" Universal 4 June 2008 1
67 Mint Royale "Singin' in the Rain" Sony 11 June 2008 2
68 Coldplay "Viva la Vida" EMI 25 June 2008 2
69 Dizzee Rascal featuring Calvin Harris and Chrome "Dance wiv Me" Dirtee Stank 9 July 2008 4
70 Kid Rock "All Summer Long" Warner 6 August 2008 1
71 Katy Perry "I Kissed a Girl" EMI 13 August 2008 5
72 Kings of Leon "Sex on Fire" Sony 17 September 2008 3
73 Pink "So What" Sony 8 October 2008 3
74 Girls Aloud "The Promise" Universal 29 October 2008 1
75 The X Factor Finalists "Hero" Sony 5 November 2008 2
76 T.I. featuring Rihanna "Live Your Life" Warner 19 November 2008 1
77 Beyoncé "If I Were a Boy" Sony 26 November 2008 1
78 Take That "Greatest Day" Universal 3 December 2008 1
79 Leona Lewis "Run" Sony 10 December 2008 2
80 Alexandra Burke "Hallelujah" Sony 24 December 2008 3
2009
81 Lady Gaga "Just Dance" Warner 14 January 2009 3
82 Lily Allen "The Fear" EMI 4 February 2009 4
83 Kelly Clarkson "My Life Would Suck Without You" Sony 4 March 2009 1
84 Flo Rida featuring Kesha "Right Round" Universal 11 March 2009 2
85 Lady Gaga "Poker Face" Warner 25 March 2009 3
86 Calvin Harris "I'm Not Alone" Sony 15 April 2009 2
87 Tinchy Stryder featuring N-Dubz "Number 1" Universal 29 April 2009 3
88 The Black Eyed Peas "Boom Boom Pow" Universal 20 May 2009 1
89 Dizzee Rascal and Armand Van Helden "Bonkers" Dirtee Stank 27 May 2009 2
re The Black Eyed Peas "Boom Boom Pow" Universal 10 June 2009 1
90 Pixie Lott "Mama Do (Uh Oh, Uh Oh)" Universal 17 June 2009 1
91 David Guetta featuring Kelly Rowland "When Love Takes Over" EMI 24 June 2009 1
92 La Roux "Bulletproof" Warner 1 July 2009 1
93 Cascada "Evacuate the Dancefloor" Universal 8 July 2009 2
94 JLS "Beat Again" Sony 22 July 2009 2
95 The Black Eyed Peas "I Gotta Feeling" Universal 5 August 2009 1
96 Tinchy Stryder featuring Amelle Berrabah "Never Leave You" Universal 12 August 2009 1
re The Black Eyed Peas "I Gotta Feeling" Universal 19 August 2009 1
97 David Guetta featuring Akon "Sexy Chick" EMI 26 August 2009 1
98 Dizzee Rascal "Holiday" Dirtee Stank 2 September 2009 1
99 Jay-Z featuring Rihanna and Kanye West "Run This Town" Sony 9 September 2009 1
re David Guetta featuring Akon "Sexy Chick" EMI 16 September 2009 1
100 Taio Cruz "Break Your Heart" Universal 23 September 2009 3
101 Chipmunk "Oopsy Daisy" Sony 14 October 2009 1
102 Alexandra Burke featuring Flo Rida "Bad Boys" Sony 21 October 2009 1
103 Cheryl Cole "Fight for This Love" Universal 28 October 2009 2
104 JLS "Everybody in Love" Sony 11 November 2009 1
105 The Black Eyed Peas "Meet Me Halfway" Universal 18 November 2009 1
106 The X Factor Finalists 2009 "You Are Not Alone" Sony 25 November 2009 1
107 Jason Derülo "Whatcha Say" Warner 2 December 2009 1
108 Rihanna "Russian Roulette" Universal 9 December 2009 1
109 Lady Gaga "Bad Romance" Warner 16 December 2009 1
110 Rage Against the Machine "Killing in the Name" Sony 23 December 2009 2
Contents
2004 • 2005 • 2006 • 2007 • 2008 • 2009 • 2010s →

By artist
Singer Leona Lewis topped the UK Official Download Chart three times during the 2000s.
"Crazy" by Gnarls Barkley spent eleven weeks at the top of the chart, longer than any other single.
U2 were one of the first acts to top the official download chart, with their single "Vertigo".

Fifteen different artists spent seven or more weeks at the top of the UK Official Download Chart during the 2000s. The totals below include only credited performances, and do not include appearances on charity ensembles such as Band Aid 20 or The X Factor Finalists.

Artist Number-one singles[lower-alpha 3] Weeks at number one[lower-alpha 3]
The Black Eyed Peas 4 7
Dizzee Rascal 3 7
Gnarls Barkley 1 11
Jay-Z 2 9
Peter Kay[lower-alpha 4] 2 7
Lady Gaga 3 7
Leona Lewis 3 11
Madonna 2 11
Rihanna 5 13
Scissor Sisters 1 7
Shakira 2 8
Sugababes 2 8
Take That 2 7
U2 2 10
Kanye West 3 7

By record label

Nine different record labels released chart-topping singles during the 2000s.

Record label Number-one singles[lower-alpha 3] Weeks at number one[lower-alpha 3]
Beggars Group 1 1
Dirtee Stank 3 7
EMI 12 34
FDM Records 1 3
Ministry of Sound 2 4
Sony BMG 31 65
Universal Music Group 40 110
V2 Records 1 2
Warner Music Group 19 53

Download sites

During the 2000s, the UK Official Download Chart was compiled by the OCC using data from the following music download websites:[23]

Notes
  1. The artist, single, record label, date of reaching number one and number of weeks at number one are those given by the OCC.[21]
  2. "Bam Thwok" by Pixies was distributed exclusively on iTunes.[22]
  3. The totals count only singles that reached number one on or after 1 September 2004.
  4. The totals for Peter Kay include a credit as Brian Potter.

References
  1. "Official Music & Video Charts Compiled by The Official UK Charts Company". London: The Official UK Charts Company. Archived from the original on 24 March 2010. Retrieved 26 May 2013.
  2. "History of UK Official Download Chart". Napster. 2009. Archived from the original on 27 October 2009. Retrieved 26 May 2013.
  3. "Westlife make download history". Music Week. London: United Business. 1 September 2004. ISSN 0265-1548. OCLC 795955446.
  4. "Lady Gaga crowned queen of the downloads". The Daily Telegraph. London: Telegraph Media. 7 September 2009. ISSN 0307-1235. OCLC 6412514. Archived from the original on 29 January 2011. Retrieved 30 May 2011.
  5. "Rage Against the Machine beat X Factor winner in charts". BBC News. London. 23 June 2004. Archived from the original on 10 April 2012. Retrieved 26 May 2013.
  6. Sexton, Paul (21 December 2009). Smith, Danyel (ed.). "Rage Against the Machine Beats 'X Factor' to U.K. Xmas No. 1". Billboard. New York City: Prometheus. ISSN 0006-2510. OCLC 3695401. Archived from the original on 26 May 2013. Retrieved 26 May 2013.
  7. Youngs, Ian (12 April 2005). "How downloads will change the chart". BBC News. London. Archived from the original on 9 January 2007. Retrieved 26 May 2012.
  8. "Single sales drop to all-time low". London: Newsround. 2 February 2004. Archived from the original on 30 May 2006. Retrieved 26 May 2005.
  9. Wray, James (16 January 2005). "Elvis Takes Record But With Few Records". Monsters and Critics. Archived from the original on 24 July 2011. Retrieved 26 May 2012.
  10. Schott, Ben; Cock-Starkey, Claire (2005). "Chapter V. Music & Cinema". In Schott, Ben (ed.). Schott's Almanac 2006 (1st ed.). London: Bloomsbury. p. 129. ISBN 978-0-7475-8307-3. OCLC 62292696. Retrieved 26 May 2011.
  11. "Downloads overtake single sales". BBC News. London. 7 January 2005. Archived from the original on 11 January 2010. Retrieved 26 May 2012.
  12. Schott, Ben; Cock-Starkey, Claire (2007). "Chapter V. Music & Cinema". In Schott, Ben (ed.). Schott's Almanac 2008 (1st ed.). London: Bloomsbury. p. 142. ISBN 978-0-7475-8469-8. OCLC 271877788. Retrieved 11 April 2012.
  13. Masterton, James (5 September 2004). "Chart Commentary from James Masterton". London: LAUNCHcast. Archived from the original on 8 September 2004. Retrieved 26 May 2013.
  14. "Coca Cola to sponsor pop charts". BBC News. London. 1 December 2003. Archived from the original on 30 July 2004. Retrieved 26 May 2012.
  15. Miles, Stuart (28 June 2004). "Official downloads chart to be launched in UK". Pocket-lint. Archived from the original on 10 February 2012. Retrieved 27 May 2011.
  16. Oates, John (28 June 2004). "Pixies top UK download chart". The Register. Archived from the original on 20 May 2012. Retrieved 26 May 2013.
  17. "Westlife top first download chart". BBC News. London. 1 September 2004. Archived from the original on 4 January 2009. Retrieved 26 May 2012.
  18. "1 billionth singles download is sold in the UK!". London: Official Charts Company. 9 April 2013. Archived from the original on 22 April 2013. Retrieved 22 April 2013.
  19. "Digital Download Factsheet" (PDF). London: The Official UK Charts Company. 2007. Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 January 2010. Retrieved 26 May 2013.
  20. "Official Singles Downloads Chart Top 100". London: Official Charts Company. 2015. Archived from the original on 23 March 2015. Retrieved 22 August 2015.
  21. "Official Singles Downloads Chart Top 100". London: Official Charts Company. 2015. Archived from the original on 23 March 2015. Retrieved 18 January 2018. Customise archive search by altering the "change date:" setting
  22. "Strong sales for iTunes in Europe". BBC News. London. 23 June 2004. Archived from the original on 26 May 2013. Retrieved 27 May 2011.
  23. "The Official UK Download Chart: 06.06.2007". London: BBC Radio 1. 6 June 2007. Archived from the original on 12 August 2007. Retrieved 22 March 2015.

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