The United Kingdom have been one of the longest participating nations in the Eurovision Song Contest with 64 appearances.
They made their debut in the second edition of Eurovision in 1957 held in Frankfurt-am-Main, West Germany, where Patricia Bredin sung ‘All’. She finished in 7th place. The following year, 1958, the United Kingdom unfortunately withdrew as the opportunity for them to host the event fell through. The year after in 1959 the United Kingdom made their return and have participated in every single year since.
Out of their 65 entries (including 2020), 59 songs have charted in the UK Official Top 100 Singles Chart. The British people love their Eurovision entries and the charts don’t lie. Since 1959 five UK Eurovision songs have reached the top of the summit at No.1, 18 UK Eurovision songs reached the top 10 and 33 songs, well over half of the UK’s entries have reached the Top 20.
In this list we have ranked all the Top 100 charting singles in order of their peak positions, then number of weeks at their peak, then number of weeks in the Top 5, Top, 10, Top 20, Top 40, Top 75 and so on.
This list has been complied by the Official Charts archive which you can find here. The Official Singles Chart is complied by the following charts:
NME Singles Chart from November 1952 to February 1960 Record Retailer Singles Chart from March 1960 to February 1969
Singles Chart (complied by BMRB) from February 1969 to December 1983
Singles Chart (complied by Gallup) from January 1983 to February 1994
Singles Chart (complied by Kantar - formerly Millward Brown) from February 1994 to present day
Six UK Eurovision entries have not reached the Top 100 UK Singles Chart.
They include the UK’s debut Eurovision entry ‘All’ by Patricia Bredin, ‘I Love The Little Things’ by Matt Munro, ‘That Sounds Good to Me’ by Josh Dubovie (it did reached No.179 on the UK Singles Chart and No.18 on the UK Indie Chart), ‘Still In Love With You’ by Electro Velvet (it did reached No.114 on the UK Singles Chart), ‘Bigger Than Us’ by Michael Rice (which reached No. 27 on the UK Download chart) and 'My Last Breath' by James Newman (which reached No. 23 on the UK Download chart).
Let’s begin!
59. Ryder - ‘Runner in the Night’ - Eurovision 7th place in 1986 (No. 98 - 2 weeks on chart)
At the time ‘Runner in the Night’ was the worst commercially charting single failing to to reach the Top 75 since 1964 when Matt Monro failed to chart at all with ‘I Love the Little Things’. It was Ryder’s only single release.
58. Rikki - ‘Only the Light’ - 13th place in 1987 (No. 96 - 1 week on chart)
57. Bonnie Tyler - ‘Believe in Me’ - 19th place in 2013 (No.93 - 1 week on chart)
‘Believe in Me’ is Bonnie Tyler's last single to make an appearance in the UK Charts. The song did get her some accolades winning the Best Song and Best Female Singer at the ESC Radio Awards and making her the first UK representative to win an award from ESC Radio. Bonnie Tyler biggest hit is her at No.1 ‘Total Eclipse of the Heart’ which charted in 1983.
56. Joe and Jake- ‘You’re Not Alone’ - 24th place in 2016 (No.81 - 1 week on chart)
54. Lucie Jones - ‘Never Give Up on You’ - 15th place in 2017 (No.73 - 1 week on chart)
53. Live Report - ‘Why Do I Always Get it Wrong?’ - 2nd place in 1989 (No.73 - 3 weeks on chart)
52. Andy Abraham - ‘Even If’ - 25th (last) place in 2008 (No.67 - 2 weeks on chart)
51. Engelbert Humperdinck - ‘Love Will Set You Free’ - 25th place in 2012 (No.60 - 3 weeks on chart)
‘Love Will Set You Free’ is Humperdinck’s last appearance on the UK charts. He is no stranger to the charts with eight Top 10 hits under his belt in the 1960’s with two No.1 hits, ‘Release Me’ and ‘The Last Waltz’.
50. Scott Fitzgerald - ‘Go’ - 2nd place in 1988 (No.52 - 5 weeks on chart)
Scott was robbed of the Eurovision trophy by just a point, and unfortunately ‘Go’ didn’t chart as successfully as his previous UK charting single ‘If I Had Words’ a duet with Yvonne Keeley from 1978 which peaked at No.3. Interestingly ‘Go’ has been covered in Russian by Philipp Kirkorov called ‘Lish by ty vsegda bola moej’.
49. SuRie - ‘Storm’ - 24th place in 2018 (No.50 - 1 week on chart)
‘Storm’ is the last UK entry to enter the UK Official Charts Top 100, and it is the last entry to reach the Top 50 since Molly reached No.23 with ‘Children of the Universe’ in 2014. After Eurovision SuRie has released two other singles, ‘Taking It Over’ in 2018 and ‘Only You and I’ in 2019.
48. Vikki - ‘Love Is…’ - 4th place in 1985 (No.49 - 5 weeks on chart)
Vikki was the first female solo singer to represent the UK at Eurovision since Olivia Newton-John in 1974. She was also the second female composer of a UK entry to sing her song at the Contest. Vikki is now known as Aeone and has released six folk, world music albums since Eurovision.
47. Prima Donna - ‘Love Enough for Two’ - 3rd place in 1980 (No.48 - 4 weeks on chart)
46. James Newman - ‘Embers’ - 26th place in 2021 (No.47 - 1 week on chart)
45. Ronnie Carroll - ‘Ring-A-Ding Girl’ - 4th place in 1962 (No.46 - 3 weeks on chart)
44. Black Lace - ‘Mary Ann’ - 7th place in 1979 (No.42 - 4 weeks on chart)
They may have only charted at No.42 with their Eurovision entry but the band managed great charting success a few years after their Eurovision appearance. Their best single was in 1984 with their No.2 charting hit ‘Agadoo’.
43. Kathy Kirby - ‘I Belong’ - 2nd place in 1965 (No.36 - 3 weeks on chart)
42. Nicki French - ‘Don’t Play That Song Again’ - 16th place in 2000 (No.34 - 3 weeks on chart)
41. Emma - ‘Give a Little Love Back to the World’ - 6th place in 1990 (No.33 - 8 weeks on chart)
At just 15 years old Emma was the youngest singer to represent the UK at Eurovision. Her environmental themed song is her only UK charting song at No.33 which was also the best chart place for a UK Eurovision entry since 1984. She did release a follow up single in 1991 called ‘Dance All Night’.
40. Lindsay - ‘No Dream Impossible’ - 15th place in 2001 (No.32 - 5 weeks on chart)
39. Kenneth McKellar - ‘A Man Without Love’ - 9th place in 1966 (No.30 - 4 weeks on chart)
38. Samantha Janus - ‘A Message to Your Heart’ - 10th place in 1991 (No.30 - 2 weeks at peak - 3 weeks on chart)
37. Jade Ewen - ‘It’s My Time’ - 5th place in 2009 (No.27 - 2 weeks on chart)
The Andrew Lloyd Webster and Diane Warren composed UK Eurovision song ‘It’s My Time’ reached No.27 on the charts. Jade did reach the charts again at No.35 with ‘My Man’ but gained some better chart success when she joined the Sugababes in 2009. Her first single with the band ‘About Girl’ peaked at No.8. and their follow up single ‘Wear My Kiss’ reached No.7 in 2010.
36. Frances Ruffelle - ‘Lonely Symphony (We Will Be Free)’ - 10th place in 1994 (No.25 - 6 weeks on chart)
35. Molly - ‘Children of the Universe’ - 17th place in 2014 (No.23 - 4 weeks on chart)
34. Sweet Dreams - ‘I’m Never Giving Up’ - 6th place in 1983 (No.21 - 8 weeks on chart)
33. Michael Ball - ‘One Step Out of Time’ - 2nd place in 1992 (No.20 - 7 weeks on chart)
Michael Ball’s Eurovision single may have only just reached the Top 20 but his debut and self titled album ‘Michael Ball’ which featured ‘One Step Out of Time’ did reach the the top of the album charts in the UK. Between 1992 to 2019 he has released 35 albums with four making it to the No.1 spot.
32. Bryan Johnson - ‘Looking High, High, High’ - 2nd place in 1960 (No.20 - 11 weeks on chart)
31. Lynsey de Paul & Mike Moran - ‘Rock Bottom - 2nd place in 1977 (No.19 - 7 weeks on chart)
‘Rock Bottom’ charted a lot better throughout Europe than it did in the UK. It reached No.1 in Switzerland and the top 10 in Austria, Germany, Sweden, Ireland, Norway France and Israel.
30. Javine - ‘Touch My Fire’ - 22nd place in 2005 (No.18 - 5 weeks on chart)
Javine’s debut single ‘Real Things’ peaked at No.4 back in 2003. ‘Touch My Fire’ was her fifth and last single to chart in the UK Singles Chart in the Top 20.
29. Blue - ‘I Can’ - 11th place in 2011 (No.16 - 4 weeks on chart)
Blue’s 11th Eurovision placing is the UK’s best result in the last decade and the single was their 13th song to reach the Top 20 in the UK, with three of those singles reaching the top spot. ‘I Can’ had better success across Europe reaching the Top 10 in Austria, Germany and Switzerland.
28. Jemini - ‘Cry Baby’ - 26th (last) place in 2003 (No.15 - 3 weeks on chart)
‘Cry Baby’ was the first and only UK Eurovision entry to earn the infamous ‘nul points’. Impressively though the duo did manage to reach the Top 20 on the UK Singles Chart. Unfortunately after Eurovision they were dropped from their record label and their album was never released.
27. Imaani - ‘Where Are You?’ - 2nd place in 1998 (No.15 - 15 weeks on chart)
Imaani’s entry was the last most successful entry for the UK to miss out on the Eurovision trophy. ‘Where Are You?’ charted at No.5 in Greece and No.8 in The Netherlands. It remains her only solo chart entry.
26. Sonia - ‘Better the Devil You Know’ - 2nd place in 1993 (No.15 - 7 weeks on chart)
In 1993 the UK sent Sonia to Eurovision who previously had great success on the UK charts. Her debut single ‘You’ll Never Stop Me Loving You’ reached No.1 in 1989. Since then she released eight singles that reached the Top 20. Sonia’s Eurovision single ‘Better the Devil You Know’ was the last time she reached the Top 20, but that hasn’t stopped her releasing new music as late as 2019.
25. James Fox - ‘Hold Onto Our Love’ - 16th place in 2004 (No.13 - 8 weeks on chart)
‘Hold Onto Our Love’ is James Fox’s best UK charting single to date. He re-entered the UK Singles Chart in 2008 with his football anthem ‘Bluebirds Flying High’ with Cardiff City FC peaking at No. 15. ‘Bluebirds Flying High’. That single did reach No.1 on the UK national indie singles chart and on the Welsh singles chart.
24. Jessica Garlick - ‘Come Back’ - 3rd place in 2002 (No.13 - 12 weeks on chart)
‘Come Back’ by Welsh singer Jessica Garlick is the UK’s best Eurovision entry in over two decades. Regardless of its 3rd place podium finish it didn’t chart as strongly as expected. The song is written by airplane pilot Martyn Baylay who previously made seven unsuccessful attempts in writing songs for the UK’s Eurovision preselection national final.
23. Co-Co - ‘Bad Old Days’ - 11th place in 1978 (No.13 - 7 weeks on chart)
At the time ‘Bad Old Days’ was the UK’s lowest placed entry at Eurovision at 11th place. Regardless the single debuted at No.39 and reached its peak at No.13 after the Contest. Co-Co did release a few more singles but ‘Bad Old Days’ would be their only charting hit.
22. The Shadows - ‘Let Me Be the One’ - 2nd place in 1975 (No.12 - 9 weeks on chart)
Before 1975 The Shadows had great UK charting success, with five No.1 singles. They also had one No.1 charting hit in Australia. ‘Let Me Be the One’ saw them make a return to the UK charts after eight years. The Shadows continued with moderate chart success over the following decade.
21. Pearl Carr & Teddy Johnson - ‘Sing, Little Birdie’ - 2nd place in 1959 (No.12 - 8 weeks on chart)
This entry takes two titles, the first UK entry to finish up at runner up position at Eurovision, and the first UK Eurovision entry to chart on the UK Singles Chart.
20. Belle and the Devotions - ‘Love Games’ - 7th place in 1984 (No.11 - 9 weeks on chart)
19. Olivia Newton-John - ‘Long Live Love’ - 4th place in 1974 (No.11 - 8 weeks on chart)
Unlike other UK Eurovision artists, the English born Australian singer, Olivia Newton-John, flourished after her successful Eurovision 4th placed entry ‘Long Live Love’.
‘Long Live Love’ reached No.11 in the UK and in Australia. She would go on to earn herself three No.1 singles on the UK chart with ‘You’re The One That I Want’, ‘Summer Nights’ and ‘Xanadu’.
18. Daz Sampson - ‘Teenage Life’ - 19th place in 2006 (No.8 - 7 weeks on chart)
Daz Sampson may have been the saviour the UK needed in the 2000’s. Despite its low placing at Eurovision Daz Sampson managed Top 10 Chart success which he attributes to his performance. 2006 saw the highest viewing figures in UK Eurovision history. He did want to make a return in 2007 but BBC felt like it was too soon for his return. He did try to return to Eurovision with British singer Nona in the 2019 Belarusian national final with their song ‘Kinky Boot’. Unfortunately it didn’t reach the live final.
17. Love City Groove - ‘Love City Groove’ - 10th place in 1995 (No.7 - 12 weeks on chart)
16. Precious - ‘Say It Again’ - 12th place in 1999 (No.6 - 15 weeks on chart)
Eurovision was the end for the girl band Precious. Over the year 2000 they managed to chart with three follow up singles, ‘Rewind’ which reached No.11, It’s Gonna Be My Way’ which peaked at No.27 and ‘New Beginning at No.50 which ended up being their last single release.
15. Ronnie Carroll - ‘Say Wonderful Things’ - 4th place in 1963 (No.6 - 14 weeks on chart)
Ronnie Carroll is the only singer to represent the UK at Eurovision two years in a row. His 1963 Eurovision entry charted 40 places higher on the UK singles chart than ‘Ring-A-Ding Girl’ from 1962.
14. Scooch - ‘Flying the Flag (for You)’ - 22nd place in 2007 (No.5 - 5 weeks on chart)
Love it or hate it, Scooch’s ‘Flying the Flag (for You)’ made an impact on the UK Singles Chart in 2007. It is the last UK Eurovision entry to reach the top 5 and the best charting UK Eurovision song in 10 years since Katrina and the Waves peaked at No.3 with ‘Love Shine a Light’. It is the best charting 2000’s songs in our list.
13. Clodagh Rodgers - ‘Jack in the Box’ - 4th place in 1971 (No.4 - 1 week at peak - 10 weeks on chart)
‘Jack in the Box’ remains Clodagh Rodgers most famous hit single release. After Eurovision she did become a TV star.
12. Cliff Richard - ‘Power to All Our Friends’ - 3rd place in 1973 (No.4 - 3 weeks at peak - 12 weeks on chart)
Cliff Richard’s ‘Power to All Our Friends’ was a bigger hit across Europe and abroad than in the UK. He reached No.1 in Denmark, Hong Kong, The Netherlands, Malaysia Norway and Sweden. It also reached No.31 in Australia on the Kent Music Report.
11. Katrina and the Waves - ‘Love Shine a Light’ - 1st place in 1997 (No.3 - 16 weeks on chart)
‘Love Shine a Light’ along with Lulu’s ‘Boom Bang-a-Bang’ are the only UK Eurovision winning entries to not reach the top spot of the UK Singles Chart. Regardless it is Katrina and the Waves' biggest hit, and it made for their return to the Top 10 after ‘Walking On Sunshine’ charted 12 years earlier peaking at No.8.
11. Sam Ryder - ‘SPACE MAN’ - 2nd place in 2022 (No.2 - 1 week at peak - 3 weeks on chart) *CURRENTLY CHARTING*
'SPACE MAN' is the UK's most successful Eurovision entry in the Contest in 24 years! On the top 100 in the UK 'SPACE MAN' made it's debut at No.78 just before this years Contest and then jumped 76 spots to No.2! It is the most successful UK Eurovision entry on the top 100 since Gina G's 'Ooh Aah... Just a Little Bit’ which hit the No. 1 spot on the UK Singles chart 26 years ago in 1996.
10. Bardo - ‘One Step Further’ - 7th place in 1982 (No.2 - 1 week at peak - 8 weeks on chart)
Bardo impressively charted at No.2 on the UK Singles Chart, it wouldn’t be until another 14 years until another UK Eurovision entry would chart more highly, which would be Gina G’s impact!
9. Lulu - ‘Boom Bang-a-Bang’ - 1st place in 1969 (No.2 - 1 week at peak - 13 weeks on chart)
Impressively Lulu has charted on the UK charts for over five decades! ‘Boom Bang-a-Bang’ is Lulu's best chart performing solo single. She did managed to reach the top of the singles chart in 1993 featuring in Take That’s ‘Relight My Fire’. At the time she broke the record between an act’s chart debut and their reaching to number one on the UK Singles Chart with 29 years and 148 days since her debut single ‘Shout’ in 1964.
8. Mary Hopkin - ‘Knock, Knock Who's There?’ - 2nd place in 1970 (No.2 - 1 week at peak - 14 weeks on chart)
Mary Hopkin first reached No.1 in the UK with her debut single ‘Those Were The Days’ in 1968. When she finished in runner-up place in Eurovision 1970 her song reached No.2 on the charts for a single week. In Australia ‘Knock, Knock Who's There?’ reached No. 5 on the Go-Set Australian National Chart. Interestingly though before Mary’s Eurovision song was released in Australia a cover version by Australia pop singer Liv Maessen was released and made it to No.2 on the Go-Set Australian National Chart.
7. The New Seekers - “Beg, Steal or Borrow” - 2nd place in 1972 (No.2 - 3 weeks at peak - 13 weeks on chart)
The band formed after the disbanding of the Australian band The Seekers from the 1960’s. The two Australians in the new band were Peter Doyle and Marty Kristian. The group finished 2nd at Eurovision with the song 'Beg, Steal or Borrow' also co-written by Australian Tony Cole. He is known for writing the music to the ‘Take Me High’ film soundtrack which stared Cliff Richard. Their single release before Eurovision ‘I’d Like to Teach the World to Sing’ reached No.1 on the UK Singles Chart. They continued their UK chart success after Eurovision with five further top 20 singles including another No.1 with ‘You Won’t Find Another Fool Like Me’.
6. The Allisons - ‘Are You Sure?’ - 2nd place in 1961 (No.2 - 6 weeks at peak - 16 weeks on chart)
The Allison’s ‘Are You Sure?’ remained at No.2 on the UK Singles chart for a whopping 6 weeks, though they did reach the No.1 spot on the UK NME Pop Chart. They sold over one million records.
5. Gina G - ‘Ooh Aah... Just a Little Bit’ - 8th place in 1996 (No.1 - 1 week at peak - 27 weeks on chart)
Australia's Gina G gained great success with her Eurovision entry. ‘Ooh Aah... Just a Little Bit’ is the longest charting UK Eurovision entry ever on the charts, and the last Eurovision entry to reach number 1. It had been 15 years since the last UK Eurovision entry reached No.1, which was with Bucks Fizz in 1981.
Her single is the most recent UK Eurovision Entry to make the Top 10 of our list and the only song from the 1990’s.
The single charted well across Europe, reaching No.1 in Israel, Scotland and the United Kingdom. She also reached No.5 on the Australian ARIA Chart and No.12 on the US Billboard Hot 100. Gina G received a Grammy Award nomination for Best Dance Record at the 1998 40th Grammy Awards, she lost out to Donna Summer and Giorgio Moroder “Carry On”.
4. Cliff Richard - ‘Congratulations’ - 2nd place in 1968 (No.1 - 2 weeks at peak - 13 weeks on chart)
In 1968 Cliff Richard would have to make do with a runner-up finish, but ‘Congratulations’ would end up charting at No.1 in the UK and in seven other singles charts across Europe. Interesting fact - 'Congratulations' was written by Bill Martin and Phil Coulter, the same songwriters as ‘Puppet on a String’ which goes to show they know how to write a hit. Cliff Richard has released charting singles in the UK for over the last seven decades. ‘Congratulations’ is part of 14 No.1 UK singles from his first in 1959 with the Drifters called ‘Living Doll’ to ‘The Millennium Prayer’ in 1999.
3. Bucks Fizz - ‘Making Your Mind Up’ - 1st place in 1981 (No.1 - 3 weeks at peak - 12 weeks on chart)
‘Making Your Mind Up’ was Bucks Fizz’s debut single. It didn’t only reach No.1 in the UK it also reached the top spot in Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Ireland, Israel, The Netherlands and Spain. It ended up selling over 4 million copies. It also reached No.6 in Australia. Over the decade Bucks Fizz had 20 UK charting hits with two additional No.1’s ‘The Land of Make Believe’ and ‘My Camera Never Lies’.
2. Sandie Shaw - ‘Puppet on a String’ - 1st place in 1967 (No.1 - 3 weeks at peak - 18 weeks on chart)
Sandie Shaw’s ‘Puppet on a String was the UK’s first Eurovision winning song and the first UK Eurovision entry to smash the number one spot on the charts. It was also Sandie Shaw’s third No.1 hit in the UK. It reached No. 1 in ten countries across the world, including New Zealand and even reached the No.2 spot in Australia. Her last charting single in the UK was three decades later in 1994 with ‘Nothing Less Than Brilliant’ which peaked at No.66.
1. Brotherhood of Man - ‘Save Your Kisses for Me’ 1st place in 1976 (No.1 - 6 weeks at peak - 16 weeks on chart)
Our No.1 on this list is ‘Save Your Kisses for Me’. It is the most successful UK Eurovision entry on the Official Charts, spending an impressive six consecutive weeks at No.1. It was the UK’s third Eurovision winning song and the biggest selling song of the year in 1976. It remains one of the most successful charting Eurovision winning songs ever.
Their Eurovision single was just the beginning of their UK chart success. The following years they achieved two No.1 hits ‘Angelo’ and ‘Figaro’.
If you enjoyed this list do check out our previous list on all the Eurovision songs to ever chart in Australia click here.
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