“We Want You, We Want You…”

So, what’s the deal with this so-called big project, I hear you cry? Well, there’s a major musical anniversary coming up in November, as the UK singles chart reaches 50 glorious years. From Al Martino to Atomic Kitten, 935 singles have held the coveted #1 slot. And so, just for fun, I want to find out the favourite number ones of World Of Chig’s much-loved readership. Yes, that’s you! (Plus me.) Even if you’ve never been here before, and are never likely to come back, I want your vote in 'The Fifty Number Ones Project'!

All I’d like you to do is send me the list of your top ten number one singles of all time.

You can check a full list of the 935 official UK number ones here: Click on All The No.1s and then All The No.1s again for a lovely little pop-up list. You can click on the song titles for details of each track.

(For the purposes of this little game, you’re also allowed to consider one other single, which should be on that list, but isn’t. Deee-Lite’s ‘Groove Is In The Heart’ from 1990, actually tied with The Steve Miller Band, selling exactly the same number of copies (in chart return shops, at least). In the olden days, they would have been declared joint number ones. Simple. But in 1990, some spoddy new ‘rule’ had been introduced, which meant that The Joker was declared sole Number One by virtue of being the incumbent. Never agreed with that stupid rule myself, so as this is my game and I make the rules, Deee-Lite are in, okay?)

As I receive your top tens, I will feed them into the master computer (AKA an Excel spreadsheet), giving them ‘inverse points’ (ie. 10 points for your favourite, 9 points for your second etc.). I will add up all the scores and work out the top 50 number ones, as voted for by you.

Now comes the exciting bit. Starting with No.50 on Thursday 26 September, World Of Chig will reveal your top 50 singles, one per day, along with a few comments from me (and possibly by you – I’ll get to that bit in a minute). The number one Number One will be revealed on Thursday 14 November, which is the 50th anniversary of the publication date of the first singles chart.

So, all I’m asking you for is your top ten number one singles. Simple as that. As optional extras, if you could include any memories of the songs in your list, anecdotes as to why you like them, who they remind you of etc., that would be even better. Plus, if you have one, your WORST Number One of all time. Oh, and your date of birth too.

Please send me your top ten BY E-MAIL via the ‘Contact Me’ link on the left here (chig@cmdh.freeserve.co.uk). Don’t put your list in the Comments box, as it will be seen by people, and I want to reveal them over the fifty day period. Deadline is midnight on Tuesday 24 September.

I will do the rest. There will be constant reminders between now and 24th, don’t you worry…..! Thank you. There will be a small prize of the album of your choice (up to ten pounds) from www.cd-wow.com for the 'best' entry (whatever best is, as judged by me).

Oh, and two other things:
1) 'The Fifty Number Ones Project' is the best name I can come up with for this. Any better suggestions gratefully accepted.
2) Can you design me a logo? Something like a circle with a ‘50’ in it would be fabulous. If the circle looked like a vinyl record or a CD, even better. I have neither the artistic skill, nor the computing skill to do this, but I know there are talents out there...
· link