To celebrate 60 years of the official charts in 2012, here's one of those interesting lists. The biggest selling single of each year since 1952.
[Bear in mind though....it's the total in each year. That means a single may have sold more across two consecutive years than what's listed but wouldn't get listed here].
| YEAR | SINGLE | ARTIST |
| 1952 | AUF WIEDERSEHEN (SWEETHEART) | VERA LYNN |
| 1953 | I BELIEVE | FRANKIE LAINE |
| 1954 | SECRET LOVE | DORIS DAY |
| 1955 | ROSE MARIE | SLIM WHITMAN |
| 1956 | I'LL BE HOME | PAT BOONE |
| 1957 | DIANA | PAUL ANKA |
| 1958 | JAILHOUSE ROCK | ELVIS PRESLEY |
| 1959 | LIVING DOLL | CLIFF RICHARD |
| 1960 | IT'S NOW OR NEVER | ELVIS PRESLEY |
| 1961 | WOODEN HEART | ELVIS PRESLEY |
| 1962 | I REMEMBER YOU | FRANK IFIELD |
| 1963 | SHE LOVES YOU | BEATLES |
| 1964 | CAN'T BUY ME LOVE | BEATLES |
| 1965 | TEARS | KEN DODD |
| 1966 | GREEN GREEN GRASS OF HOME | TOM JONES |
| 1967 | RELEASE ME | ENGELBERT HUMPERDINCK |
| 1968 | HEY JUDE | BEATLES |
| 1969 | SUGAR SUGAR | ARCHIES |
| 1970 | THE WONDER OF YOU | ELVIS PRESLEY |
| 1971 | MY SWEET LORD | GEORGE HARRISON |
| 1972 | AMAZING GRACE | ROYAL SCOTS DRAGOON GUARDS |
| 1973 | TIE A YELLOW RIBBON | DAWN FEATURING TONY ORLANDO |
| 1974 | TIGER FEET | MUD |
| 1975 | BYE BYE BABY | BAY CITY ROLLERS |
| 1976 | SAVE YOUR KISSES FOR ME | BROTHERHOOD OF MAN |
| 1977 | MULL OF KINTYRE | WINGS |
| 1978 | RIVERS OF BABYLON/BROWN GIRL IN THE RING | BONEY M |
| 1979 | BRIGHT EYES | ART GARFUNKEL |
| 1980 | DON'T STAND SO CLOSE TO ME | THE POLICE |
| 1981 | DON’T YOU WANT ME | HUMAN LEAGUE |
| 1982 | COME ON EILEEN | DEXY'S MIDNIGHT RUNNERS |
| 1983 | KARMA CHAMELEON | CULTURE CLUB |
| 1984 | DO THEY KNOW IT'S CHRISTMAS ? | BAND AID |
| 1985 | THE POWER OF LOVE | JENNIFER RUSH |
| 1986 | DON'T LEAVE ME THIS WAY | COMMUNARDS |
| 1987 | NEVER GONNA GIVE YOU UP | RICK ASTLEY |
| 1988 | MISTLETOE & WINE | CLIFF RICHARD |
| 1989 | RIDE ON TIME | BLACK BOX |
| 1990 | UNCHAINED MELODY | THE RIGHTEOUS BROTHERS |
| 1991 | (EVERYTHING I DO) I DO IT FOR YOU | BRYAN ADAMS |
| 1992 | I WILL ALWAYS LOVE YOU | WHITNEY HOUSTON |
| 1993 | I'D DO ANYTHING FOR LOVE (BUT I WON'T DO THAT) | MEATLOAF |
| 1994 | LOVE IS ALL AROUND | WET WET WET |
| 1995 | UNCHAINED MELODY/WHITE CLIFFS... | ROBSON & JEROME |
| 1996 | KILLING ME SOFTLY | FUGEES |
| 1997 | SOMETHING ABOUT THE WAY YOU LOOK / CANDLE IN THE WIND | ELTON JOHN |
| 1998 | BELIEVE | CHER |
| 1999 | BABY ONE MORE TIME | BRITNEY SPEARS |
| 2000 | CAN WE FIX IT | BOB THE BUILDER |
| 2001 | IT WASN'T ME | SHAGGY FT RIKROK |
| 2002 | ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE / EVERGREEN | WILL YOUNG |
| 2003 | WHERE IS THE LOVE | BLACK EYED PEAS |
| 2004 | DO THEY KNOW IT'S CHRISTMAS ? | BAND AID 20 |
| 2005 | (IS THIS THE WAY) TO AMARILLO | TONY CHRISTIE FT. PETER KAY |
| 2006 | CRAZY | GNARLS BARKLY |
| 2007 | BLEEDING LOVE | LEONA LEWIS |
| 2008 | HALLELUJAH | ALEXANDRA BURKE |
| 2009 | POKER FACE | LADY GAGA |
| 2010 | LOVE THE WAY YOU LIE | EMINEM FT RIHANNA |
| 2011 | SOMEONE LIKE YOU | ADELE |
Source and thanks: Official Charts Company
