1996 Number One Songs UK

There were more 1996 number one songs in the UK than in any year since 1980. 24 1996 songs topped the singles chart that year, six more than the 18 number ones of 1995. So for artists, this was a good year of the 90s, as more of them got a slice of the pie.

The number 1 song of 1996 that had the longest spell in peak position was one that I kind of missed out on all the fuss about, as I spent much of that year and the next in Australia. It was a time of change, with a shift in UK government imminent.

The pop charts also underwent a lot of change, as many 1996 UK number ones only held onto their place for one week. This was true of solo artists, Britpop, boy, girl and dance bands – and a couple of Australians. And I’m not talking about Kylie and Jason this time (in fact he was rumoured to be living in a Bondi squat at the time, just down the road from where I was staying in Coogee).

Here are all the 1996 top songs, from January through to December.

The 24 1996 number one songs in the UK

Michael Jackson – Earth Song

2 weeks at number one in January 1996

George Michael – Jesus To A Child

1 week at number one in January 1996

Babylon Zoo – Spaceman

5 weeks at number one in January & February 1996

Oasis – Don’t Look Back In Anger

1 week at number one in March 1996

Take That – How Deep Is Your Love

3 weeks at number one in March 1996

The Prodigy – Firestarter

3 weeks at number one in March & April 1996

Mark Morrison – Return Of The Mack

2 weeks at number one in April 1996

George Michael – Fastlove

3 weeks at number one in May 1996

Gina G – Ooh Aah Just A Little Bit

1 week at number one in May 1996

Baddiel, Skinner & The Lightning Seeds – Three Lions

1 week at number one in June 1996

The Fugees – Killing Me Softly

4 weeks at number one in June & July 1996

Baddiel, Skinner & The Lightning Seeds – Three Lions (re-entry)

1 week at number one in July 1996

The Fugees – Killing Me Softly (re-entry)

1 week at number one in July 1996

Gary Barlow – Forever Love

1 week at number one in July 1996

Spice Girls – Wannabe

7 weeks at number one in July, August & September 1996

Peter Andre – Flava

1 week at number one in September 1996

The Fugees – Ready Or Not

2 weeks at number one in September & October 1996

Deep Blue Something – Breakfast At Tiffany’s

1 week at number one in October 1996

The Chemical Brothers – Setting Sun

1 week at number one in October 1996

Boyzone – Words

1 week at number one in October 1996

Spice Girls – Say You’ll Be There

2 weeks at number one in October & November 1996

Robson & Jerome – What Becomes Of The Brokenhearted / Saturday Night At The Movies / You’ll Never Walk Alone

2 weeks at number one in November 1996

The Prodigy – Breathe

2 weeks at number one in November & December 1996

Peter Andre – I Feel You

1 week at number one in December 1996

Boyzone – A Different Beat

1 week at number one in December 1996

Dunblane – Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door

1 week at number one in December 1996

Spice Girls – 2 Become 1

1 week at number one in December 1996

What do you think of the 1996 number one songs in the UK?

There were two times that a number one song in 1996 re-entered the charts, so you could say there were 26 number ones. One after the other too – very unusual to see.

Two Australians were big news in 1996 – Peter Andre and Gina G. I really like the latter’s tune as a light-hearted pop ditty, and it was the first UK Eurovision entry to make it to the top since 1982. It didn’t win the contest though – we had to wait until 1997 for that to happen.

My 1996 best songs from this list would include those by The Prodigy, George Michael, Oasis and Michael Jackson. For me, more forgettable hits of 1996 in the UK are anything by Peter Andre, Boyzone or Robson and Jerome.

Even though it’s now been countless years of hurt, I still love Three Lions.

Marcy x

Discover the number ones from every other year of the 90s here:

• 1990
• 1991
• 1992
• 1993
• 1994
• 1995
• 1997
• 1998
• 1999

Note – This post may contain affiliate links. If you buy via these, I may earn a small fee. This does not affect the price you pay in any way. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.