Record-Breakers and Trivia -  everyHit.com
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Most Number 1s
This, possibly the most important record, is held by Elvis Presley. He has had 21 chart-toppers, 18 of them different songs (three titles have topped the chart on two distinctly separate chart runs as part of the series of re-issues to commemorate what would have been Elvis' 70th birthday in 2005).  You can see how this record has 'changed hands' over the years here .
The Beatles are the top group with 17 number 1s.  Madonna is the top woman with 13 (as of April 2008).  Top female group is The Spice Girls with 9.
Only seven acts in chart history have got into double figures with their tally of chart-toppers. They are:  Elvis Presley (21, 18 different songs), The Beatles (17), Cliff Richard (14 : six of them with The Shadows, one with The Drifters, one with The Young Ones), Westlife (14 : one of them with Mariah Carey), Madonna (13), The Shadows (11 : six of them with Cliff Richard, two of these also with The Norrie Paramor Strings) and Take That (11: one featuring Lulu).
Westlife hold the record for getting into double-figures in the shortest time (2 years and 10 months [ie. 149 weeks] - more than 3 months quicker than The Beatles (who took 165 weeks). Unlike Westlife, however,  The Beatles tended to spend several weeks at the summit, slowing down their release rate.)
It is worth pointing out that Paul McCartney has appeared on more Number 1s than any other artist under a diverse range of credits. He has, in fact, appeared on 24 Number 1s; solo (1), with Wings (1), Stevie Wonder, The Christians et al (1), Ferry Aid (1), Band Aid (1), Band Aid 20 (1) and The Beatles (17).
In total, twenty-one artists have appeared on ten or more number one singles. They are:
Paul McCartney (24), Elvis Presley (21), John Lennon (20), George Harrison (18), Ringo Starr (16), Cliff Richard (15), Nicky Byrne, Kian Egan, Mark Feehily, Shane Filan (14), Robbie Williams, Madonna (13), Gary Barlow, Brian McFadden (12), Mel C , Geri Halliwell (11), Mel B, Emma Bunton, Howard Donald, Jason Orange, Mark Owen (10).
Artist with Most Weeks at Number 1
It's Elvis Presley. He has topped the chart for a total of 80 weeks (as of w/e 5th Feb 2005).
Top group is The Beatles (69 weeks). Top female performer is Madonna (29 weeks - as of w/e 17th May 2008).
In his many different manifestations, however, Paul McCartney has spent 93 weeks at the top.
Most Consecutive Number 1s
7 - by The Beatles and Westlife.
The Beatles' stretch began with "A Hard Day's Night" in 1964 and lasted to "Yellow Submarine"/"Eleanor Rigby" in 1966. The run was broken when "Penny Lane"/"Strawberry Fields Forever" merely made the number 2 position the following year!
Westlife's stint began with their debut, "Swear it Again" in 1999 and ran through to "My Love" in November 2000 (though one hit was a 'duet' with Mariah Carey). It was broken by "What Makes A Man" which peaked at number 2 the following month.
Beatles fans are, however, quick to point out that "Ain't She Sweet" (which made number 29 in 1964) was recorded in 1961, well before their EMI contract. It was issued by Polydor to 'cash in' on the success of the fab four. Fans argue that  this was not an "official" Beatles release. If this logic is accepted (though the track did make the charts), The Beatles run of successive number ones begins with "From Me To You" in April 1963 - making a total of 11.
Top female group is The Spice Girls (6 in a row from "Wannabe" through to "Too Much").
Longest Span of Number 1 Singles
47 years, 6 months and 23 days. Held by Elvis Presley. His first number 1 was "All Shook Up" in 1957 (w/e 13th June). His most recent chart-topper was the re-issue of "It's Now Or Never" in 2005 (w/e 5th Feb).
Runner up is Cliff Richard. His first chart-topper was "Living Doll" in 1959. His latest was "The Millennium Prayer" in 1999, a span of 40, 4 months and 15 days. (+ 21 days for total span).
Longest span for a female artist with solo credit is Madonna on 20 Years, 7 Months, 1 Day (from "Into The Groove", 3rd Aug 1985 to "Sorry", 4th March 2006 - ie. a total span of 1074 weeks). [NB: if we include "4 Minutes" - which also credited Justin Timberlake, the span runs through to 10th May 2008 (22 years, 9 Months, 13 Days) but then  this record is broken by Cher - see below.]
Kyie Minogue is still both popular and productive and, on 15 Years, 9 Months, and 23 Days (ie. 825 weeks from "I Should Be So Lucky", 23rd Jan 1988 to "Slow"; 15th Nov 2003), regularly poses a threat to Madonna in this regard.
If we allow 'credits' on singles rather than solo performances, Cher easily takes the record. Her duet with Sony, "I Got You Babe" (Aug 1965) to "Believe" (Oct-Dec 1998) gives a total span of 33 years, 3 months, and 14 days [ie. 1738 weeks].
Also worthy of a mention is Tammy Wynette. Her single "Stand By Your Man" made no. 1 in 1975. She was a guest vocalist on the 'various artists' single "Perfect Day" which topped the chart in 1997-8 (22 Years, 7 Months, 24 Days - ie. 1183 weeks).
Diana Ross, though not individually credited, provided vocals on the Supremes 1964 chart-topper "Baby Love". She most recently had a solo no. 1 with "Chain Reaction" in 1986 (21 Years, 4 Months, 1 Day - or 1114 weeks - total span).
First Artist To Enter At Number 1
Al Martino's "Here In My Heart" was the track to Top the first ever chart (Nov 1952) so, technically, this was the first track to debut at Number 1. But ignoring this, the first artist to enter at Number 1 in the established chart was Elvis Presley ("Jailhouse Rock", Jan 1958).
First Artist To Enter At Number 1 With Consecutive Releases
Slade. In 1973 they debuted at the top with both "Cum On Feel The Noize" and "Skweeze Me Pleeze Me."
Fastest Hat-Trick of Number 1s
A one-a-week series of re-issued Elvis Presley singles in 2005 enabled him to have three different chart-toppers in just four weeks; ("Jailhouse Rock" w/e 15th Jan; "One Night" / "I Got Stung" w/e 22nd Jan; "It's Now Or Never" w/e 5th Feb).
The record for the fastest hat-trick of non re-issued number ones is held by John Lennon. Following his death in December 1980, there was an almost frenzied buying of his singles. This resulted in him topping the chart no fewer than three times within an 8 week period ["(Just Like) Starting Over" w/e 20th Dec 1980; "Imagine" (a re-entry but nevertheless, not a re-issue, w/e 10th Jan 1981; "Woman" w/e 7th Feb 1981.]
First Artist To Enter At Number 1 With A Hat-Trick of Consecutive Releases
Take That. In fact, from July 1993 to April 1994, all four of their single releases went straight in at No.1 ("Pray", "Relight My Fire" [featuring Lulu], "Babe", "Everything Changes"). The band repeated this feat in the period from Oct 1994 to March 1996.
Most Entries at Number 1
From May 1999 to November 2006, Westlife entered the chart at No. 1 on 14 occasions.
First Entry At Number 1 By A Debuting Act
Excluding Al Martino, who was No. 1 in the first ever chart, Billy Preston was the first artist to enter at No. 1 with a debut single. To be fair, he performed the song ("Get Back," 1969) with The Beatles and so, quite literally, can't claim the entire credit for this feat. The Band Aid charity ensemble made its debut at No. 1 ("Do They Know It's Christmas?", 1984) but this comprised a number of already successful artistes.
The first act to make its chart debut at No. 1 on its own 'merit' was the Danish vocalist Whigfield (1994). Her song "Saturday Night" (with its associated dance) had been huge on the continent for some months and the demand from Brits returning home built up an enormous head of steam prior to its release.
First British act to debut at No. 1 was Robson & Jerome ("Unchained Melody" / "White Cliffs Of Dover", 1995). First solo male to debut at No. 1 was Babylon Zoo (a name used by British vocalist/multi-instrumentalist, Jas Mann) with "Spaceman" (1996). First British female act to make her debut at No. 1 was Billie ("Because We Want To", 1998). First all-girl group to make their chart debut at No. 1 was the Irish quartet B*Witched (with "C'est La Vie") in 1998. First British all-girl group to make its debut at No. 1 was Girls Aloud ("Sound Of The Underground", 2002).
Most Entries at Number 1 by a Debuting Act
On 11 Nov 2000, Westlife became the first act to have their first seven singles enter the chart at Number 1 as "My Love" crashed in at the top spot.
First Act To Reach Number 1 With Their First Three Releases
Gerry And The Pacemakers. Their debut single, "How Do You Do It?" was released in March 1963. After five weeks it made number 1.  It was followed later that year by "I Like It" and "You'll Never Walk Alone" (both topped the charts four weeks after first appearing in the Top 40).
This feat was not matched until 21 years later when Frankie Goes To Hollwood took each of their first three singles to the top (1984).
Self-Replacement At Number One
On nine occasions in history, one title by an act has knocked another hit, by the same act, off the number one spot:
Ray Conniff and his Orchestra (Jan 1957) "Just Walking In The Rain" replaced by "Singing The Blues."
Norrie Paramor and the string section of his orchestra (Mar 1963) - "The Wayward Wind" was replaced by "Summer Holiday."
The Shadows (Aug 1960) "Please Don't Tease" knocked off the top spot by "Apache."
The Shadows (Jan 1963) "The Next Time" / "Bachelor Boy" replaced by "Dance On!"
The Shadows (Mar 1963) "Summer Holiday" replaced by "Foot Tapper."
The Shadows (Apr 1963) "Foot Tapper" replaced by "Summer Holiday."
The Beatles (Dec 1963) "She Loves You" replaced by "I Want To Hold Your Hand."
John Lennon (Feb 1981) "Imagine" replaced by "Woman."
Elvis Presley (Jan 2005) "Jailhouse Rock" replaced by "One Night" / "I Got Stung."
NB: Full credits:
-"Just Walking In The Rain" - Johnnie Ray, Ray Conniff and his Orchestra / "Singing The Blues" - Guy Mitchell, Ray Conniff and his Orchestra.
- "The Wayward Wind" - Frank Ifield, with Norrie Paramor and his Orchestra / "Summer Holiday" - Cliff Richard, The Shadows and the Norrie Paramor Strings.
- "Please Don't Tease", "The Next Time" / "Bachelor Boy" and "Summer Holiday" were credited to Cliff Richard and The Shadows.
Longest Gap Between Number 1s
31 years 0 months - for George Harrison. "My Sweet Lord" first made the top spot in Jan 1971. A few weeks after his death, it returned to number 1 (Jan 2002).
In second place is the artist who also holds the record for the longest gap between number 1s with different tracks and the record for longest gap between number 1s within the lifetime of the artist; Leo Sayer. In Feb 1977 he hit the top with "When I Need You". He didn't return until Feb 2006 (a day shy of 29 years gap) - with "Thunder In My Heart Again" (a remix of his 1977 hit, as 'Meck featuring Leo Sayer').
The longest run between original number 1s (i.e not a re-release/remix) is 18 years and 3 months for  Blondie (Nov 1980, "The Tide is High", to Feb 1999, "Maria").
Biggest run for a female artist is 14 years 6 months by Diana Ross - from the prophetic "I'm Still Waiting" (Sep 1971) til "Chain Reaction" (Mar 1986).
Special mention must be made here of Stevie Winwood. Though not specifically credited, he hit number 1 with The Spencer Davis Group ("Somebody Help Me") in Apr 1966. A barren period then followed before a sample of his solo hit "Valerie" formed the basis of Eric Prydz's chart-topper "Call On Me" in Sep 2004; an hiatus of 38 years and 5 months between appearances, albeit uncredited, at number 1.
Longest Time For An Artist To Get To Number 1
34 Years, 10 Months, and 2 Days; Tony Christie.  His first single, "Las Vegas", entered the Top 40 on  w/e 16th Jan 1971, peaking at no. 21. His single from November of that year, "(Is This The Way To) Amarillo" was used in 2005 by comedian Peter Kaye in various TV performances, ultimately leading to a re-release in aid of Comic Relief. That catapulted the track back into the chart - at no. 1 - on w/e 26th Mar 2005.
This broke the record set over 18 years previously by Jackie Wilson. His "Reet Petite (The Sweetest Girl In Town)" topped the chart in Dec 1986; 29 Years, 1 Month, and 11 Days after it first entered the chart.
The longest time for a female soloist to take to reach Number 1 is 25 Years, 8 Months and 15 Days for Cher [from her first solo hit, "All I Really Want To Do", 19th Aug 1965 to "The Shoop Shoop Song (It's In His Kiss)", 4th May 1991]. She had, though, previously topped the chart as half of Sonny and Cher before going solo.
In terms of contributing to a Number 1:
Ozzy Osbourne holds the male record. He first hit the Top 40 as a member of Black Sabbath with "Paranoid" on w/e 12th Sep 1970. 33 years, 3 months and 8 days later (w/e 20th Dec 2003; a total of 1736 weeks) he achieved the top spot with "Changes" (a duet with daughter Kelly - and a version of a Black Sabbath album track from 1972).
The previous record holder was Eric Clapton. He first hit the chart as a member of the Yardbirds in 1965 ("For Your Love", w/e 20th Mar 1965) but did not form part of a chart-topping combo until hit collaboration with Cher (her again!), Chrissie Hynde and Neneh Cherry ("Love Can Build A Bridge", w/e 25 Mar 1995); 30 years, 0 months and 5 days [1567 weeks].
Lulu holds the female record. Her first Top 40 hit was "Shout" (w/e 16th May 1964). She finally hit the top spot with Take That ("Relight My Fire", 9th Oct, 1993); 29 Years, 4 Months and 23 Days.
Posthumous Number 1s
A morbid one - but one about which, nonetheless, we receive constant emails. Artists which have topped the chart following their death are:
Artist