List of one-hit wonders on the UK Albums Chart

The UK Albums Chart is a weekly record chart based on album sales from Sunday to Saturday in the United Kingdom. It listed only physical album sales until 2007, after which it also included albums sold digitally. The chart is currently compiled by the Official Charts Company (OCC) on behalf of the UK music industry,[1] and each week's new number one is first announced by BBC Radio 1 on their weekly chart show.[2]

The definition of a "one-hit wonder", as given by the reference text British Hit Singles & Albums, is any act that achieves a number one on the UK Album Chart and no other Top 40 entry. Since the album chart was first published on 28 July 1956,[3] 19 acts have reached number one and had no other Top 40 entries. Artists who have topped the album chart as solo artists but also charted as members of groups are exempted.

One-hit wonders
Artist Album Record label Reached number
one (for the week ending)		 Weeks at number one Notes Ref.
Freddy Cannon The Explosive Freddy Cannon Top Rank 12 March 1960 1 The first number one album on the Record Retailer chart [4]
Blind Faith Blind Faith Polydor 20 September 1969 2 Although the band Blind Faith had one number-one album and nothing else, each member of the band had further album chart success. [5]
Neil Reid Neil Reid Decca 19 February 1972 3 Winner of the 1971 series of Opportunity Knocks. The youngest person ever to top the album chart. Follow-up album Smile peaked at number 47 [6]
Johnny Hates Jazz Turn Back the Clock Virgin 23 January 1988 1 Follow-up album Tall Stories failed to make the Top 75 [7]
The Farm Spartacus' Produce 16 March 1991 1 Follow-up albums failed to make the Top 75 [8]
Chaka Demus & Pliers Tease Me Mango 29 January 1994 2 Had originally peaked at number 26 in July 1993, before being rereleased and topping the chart in January 1994 [9]
Steve Brookstein Heart and Soul Syco 21 May 2005 1 Winner of the 2004 series of The X Factor. Follow-up album 40,000 Things failed to make the Top 75 [10]
Journey South Journey South Syco 1 April 2006 1 Third place in the 2005 series of The X Factor. Follow-up album Home peaked at number 43 [11]
Ray Quinn Doing It My Way Syco 24 March 2007 1 Runner-up in the 2006 series of The X Factor Follow-up album Undeniable failed to chart. [12]
The Commonwealth Band Sing Decca 9 June 2012 3 Co-credit with Gary Barlow [13]
Pnau Good Morning to the Night Mercury 28 July 2012 1 Co-credit with Elton John.The band have charting albums in their native country Australia. [14]
Conor Maynard Contrast Parlophone 11 August 2012 1 Follow-up album Covers failed to make the Top 75. [15]
Jahméne Douglas Love Never Fails RCA 3 August 2013 1 Runner-up in the 2012 series of The X Factor. Follow-up album Unfathomable Phantasmagoria failed to make the Top 75. [16]
Ella Henderson Chapter One Syco 25 October 2014 1 Sixth place of the 2012 series of The X Factor
Viola Beach Viola Beach Fuller Beans 11 August 2016 1 The band's only album was released posthumously, all of the band members having died in a road accident earlier in the year.
Tom Walker What a Time to Be Alive Relentless 14 March 2019 1
Lewis Capaldi Divinely Uninspired to a Hellish Extent Virgin EMI 30 May 2019 10
Sam Fender Hypersonic Missiles Polydor 20 September 2019 1
Dermot Kennedy Without Fear Island 11 October 2019 1
Celeste Not Your Muse Polydor 11 February 2021 1

Most recent one-hit wonder to be removed from the list: Gang Signs & Prayer by Stormzy (February 2020)

See also

References
  1. "The Charts We Compile". London: Official Charts Company. 2010. Retrieved 28 June 2011.
  2. "The Official UK Top 40 Albums Chart". London: BBC Radio 1. 2011. Retrieved 28 June 2011.
  3. Mawer, Sharon (2008). "1956". London: The Official UK Charts Company. Archived from the original on 8 March 2009. Retrieved 28 June 2011.
  4. "Freddy Cannon". London: Official Charts Company. 2010. Retrieved 1 August 2011.
  5. "Blind Faith". London: Official Charts Company. 2010. Retrieved 1 August 2011.
  6. "Neil Reid". London: Official Charts Company. 2010. Retrieved 1 August 2011.
  7. "Johnny Hates Jazz". London: Official Charts Company. 2010. Retrieved 1 August 2011.
  8. "Farm". London: Official Charts Company. 2010. Retrieved 1 August 2011.
  9. "Chaka Demus & Pliers". London: Official Charts Company. 2010. Retrieved 1 August 2011.
  10. "Steve Brookstein". London: Official Charts Company. 2010. Retrieved 1 August 2011.
  11. "Journey South". London: Official Charts Company. 2010. Retrieved 1 August 2011.
  12. "Ray Quinn". London: Official Charts Company. 2010. Retrieved 1 August 2011.
  13. "Gary Barlow & The Commonwealth Band". London: Official Charts Company. 2012. Retrieved 5 August 2012.
  14. "Pnau". London: Official Charts Company. 2012. Retrieved 5 August 2012.
  15. "Conor Maynard". London: Official Charts Company. 2012. Retrieved 5 August 2012.
  16. "Jahmene Douglas". London: Official Charts Company. 2013. Retrieved 21 August 2013.

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