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This is a summary of the year 2012 in British music.
Contents
- January
- February
- March
- April
- May
- June
- July
- August
- September
- October
- November
- December
- ArtistsGroups reformed
- Groups disbanded
- References
The UK Singles Chart and UK Albums Chart are two of many music charts compiled by the Official Charts Company, which calculates the best-selling singles/albums of the week in the United Kingdom. Since 2004 the chart has been based on the sales of both physical singles/albums and digital downloads, with airplay figures excluded from the official chart. A total of 36 singles and 36 albums (4 of which claimed the top spot in 2011) claimed the top spot in 2012.
In 2012, Cover Drive, Gotye, Chris Brown, Carly Rae Jepsen, The Commonwealth Band, Tulisa, Fun., Rita Ora, Rudimental, Maroon 5, will.i.am, Florence + The Machine, Wiley, Sam and the Womp, The Script, Psy, Swedish House Mafia, Labrinth, Gabrielle Aplin and James Arthur have all claimed their first number 1 single as a lead artist. Sia reached the number one position for the first time as a featured artist on David Guetta's single "Titanium", Kimbra appeared on "Somebody That I Used to Know" as a featured artist as did Wiz Khalifa on "Payphone". In the albums chart, Ed Sheeran, Adele, Bruno Mars and Rihanna returned to the top of the charts, having reached number one in 2011 with +, 21, Doo Wops and Hooligans and Talk That Talk. Lana Del Rey, Emeli Sandé, Military Wives, Nicki Minaj, Jack White, Marina and the Diamonds, Justin Bieber, Chris Brown, Conor Maynard, The Vaccines, The xx, Rita Ora, Mumford & Sons, Jake Bugg, Taylor Swift and One Direction have all claimed their first number 1 album.
"Somebody That I Used to Know" by Gotye featuring Kimbra spent the most weeks at number one in the singles with five and Our Version of Events by Emeli Sandé has spent the most weeks at number one in the albums with six.
January
Week 1 (1–7 January) – Week 2 (8–14 January) – Week 3 (15–21 January) – Week 4 (22–28 January)
Coldplay's "Paradise" lifted four places to number one knocking The Military Wives & Gareth Malone's "Wherever You Are" down 3 places to number 4, Ed Sheeran returned to number one for another week atop the album chart with +, knocking Michael Bublé's Christmas down 14 places to number 15.
The following week Flo Rida rose to number one with "Good Feeling" knocking Coldplay down a single place to number 2, Adele's mega-selling album 21 rose to number one knocking Ed Sheeran down 2 places,
Jessie J lifted 7 places to number one with "Domino", Bruno Mars knocked Adele down one place to number 2 with Doo-Wops and Hooligans,
Jessie J remained at number one with "Domino", Adele returned to number one with 21.
February
Week 5 (29 January–4 February) – Week 6 (5–11 February) – Week 7 (12–18 February) – Week 8 (19–25 February)
Cover Drive's "Twilight" debuted at number one knocking Jessie J's "Domino" down 2 places to number 3, Ed Sheeran reclaimed the number one spot with +.
David Guetta’s "Titanium" climbed a place to number one at the beginning of the month, Lana Del Rey debuted at number one in the albums with Born to Die.
Gotye & Kimbra's "Somebody That I Used to Know" rose to number one knocking David Guetta and Sia's "Titanium" down a place to number 2 while Lana Del Rey remained at number one in the albums chart with Born To Die.
DJ Fresh & Rita Ora's "Hot Right Now" entered the chart at number 1 knocking Gotye and Kimbra's "Somebody That I Used To Know" down 2 places to number 3, Emeli Sandé debuted at number one with Our Version Of Events, knocking Lana Del Rey Born To Die down a place to number 2.
March
Week 9 (26 February–3 March) – Week 10 (4–10 March) – Week 11 (11–17 March) – Week 12 (18–24 March) – Week 13 (25–31 March)
Gotye and Kimbra's "Somebody That I Used To Know" returned to number 1 knocking DJ Fresh and Rita Ora's "Hot Right Now" down 2 places to number 3, Adele returned to number one with 21 following a win at the BRIT Awards.
Gotye & Kimbra's "Somebody That I Used to Know" remained at number one for the first three weeks of the month, Emeli Sande returned to number one with Our Version Of Events knocking Adele's "21" down a place to number 2.
Bruce Springsteen's Wrecking Ball debuted at number one.
The Military Wives debut album In My Dreams rose a place to number one, knocking Bruce Springsteen's Wrecking Ball' down four places to number 5.
Katy Perry debuted in pole position with "Part of Me" knocking Gotye & Kimbra's "Somebody That I Used to Know" down 2 place to number 3, Paul Weller debuted at number one with Sonik Kicks.
April
Week 14 (1–7 April) – Week 15 (8–14 April) – Week 16 (15–21 April) – Week 17 (22–28 April) – Week 18 (29 April–5 May)
Chris Brown debuted at number one with "Turn Up The Music", knocking Katy Perry's "Part Of Me" down 3 places to number 4, Madonna's MDNA debuted at number one knocking Paul Weller's Sonik Kicks down 9 places to number 10.
Carly Rae Jepsen debuted at number one with "Call Me Maybe", and stayed there for four consecutive weeks, knocking Chris Brown down 4 places to number 5 with "Turn Up The Music", Nicki Minaj debuted in pole position with Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded knocking Madonna's MDNA down 6 places to number 7.
Adele returned to number one with 21for two weeks, knocking Nicki Minaj's Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded down a place to number 2.
May
Week 18 (29 April–5 May) – Week 19 (6–13 May) – Week 20 (13–19 May) – Week 21 (20–26 May) – Week 22 (27 May–2 June)
Jack White debuted at number one with Blunderbuss, knocking Adele's "21" down a place to number 2.
Tulisa's "Young" entered the singles chart at number 1 ending Carly Rae Jepsen's four-week stint at number one with "Call Me Maybe" which dropped a place to number 2. "Young" was then named the fastest selling debut single of the year so far, selling 122,000 copies in its first week. Marina & the Diamonds entered the album chart at number one with Electra Heart knocking Jack White's "Blunderbuss" down 2 places to number 3.
Rita Ora and Tinie Tempah's team-up "R.I.P." debuted at number one, knocking Tulisa's "Young" down a place to number 2. Keane entered at number one with Strangeland knocking Marina & the Diamonds' Electra Heart down 12 places to number 13. Both singles and albums stayed on top for consecutive two weeks.
June
Week 22 (27 May–2 June) – Week 23 (3–9 June) – Week 24 (10–16 June) – Week 25 (17–23 June) – Week 26 (24–30 June)
Fun. and Janelle Monáe's "We Are Young" rose to number one, knocking Rita Ora and Tinie Tempah's "R.I.P" down 3 places to number 4, Emeli Sandé returned to number one with Our Version Of Events, knocking Keane's Strangeland down 5 places to number 6.
Rudimental and John Newman's "Feel the Love" debuted at number 1 knocking Fun. and Janelle Monáe's "We Are Young" down a single place to number 2. Gary Barlow & The Commonwealth Band debuted at number one with Sing and stayed there for three weeks, knocking Emeli Sande down 5 places to number 6 with Our Version Of Events.
Gary Barlow & The Commonwealth Band rose to number one with '"Sing" knocking Rudimental and John Newman's "Feel The Love" down 3 places to number 4.
Cheryl Cole entered the chart at number one with "Call My Name", knocking Gary Barlow & The Commonwealth Band's "Sing" down 2 places to number 3.
Maroon 5 and Wiz Khalifa's "Payphone" debuted at number one knocking Cheryl's "Call My Name" down a place to number 2, Justin Bieber entered at number one with Believe, knocking Gary Barlow & The Commonwealth Band's Sing down 5 places to number 6.
July
Week 27 (1–7 July) – Week 28 (8–14 July) – Week 29 (15–21 July) – Week 30 (22–28 July)
will.i.am & Eva Simons' "This Is Love" debuted at number 1, knocking Maroon 5 and Wiz Khalifa's "Payphone" down a place to number 2, Linkin Park debuted at number one with Living Things, knocking Justin Bieber's Believe down 3 places to number 4.
Maroon 5 and Wiz Khalifa's "Payphone" rose back to number one, knocking will.i.am and Eva Simons "This Is Love" down 2 places to number 3, Chris Brown's Fortune debuted at number, knocking Linkin Park's Living Things down 2 places to number 3.
Florence + the Machine's "Spectrum (Say My Name)" rose 102 places to number one for three consecutive weeks, knocking Maroon 5 down a place to number 2, Newton Faulkner's Write It On Your Skin entered at number one knocking Chris Brown's Fortune down 4 places to number 5.
Elton John's and Pnau's Good Morning to the Night entered at number one knocking Newton Faulkner's Write It On Your Skin down 10 places to number 11.
August
Week 31 (29 July–4 August) – Week 32 (5–11 August) – Week 33 (12–18 August) – Week 34 (19–25 August)
Plan B's iLL Manors knocking Elton John and Pnau's Good Morning to the Night down 9 places to number 10.
Wiley's "Heatwave" debuted at number one and stayed there for two consecutive weeks, knocking Florence and the Machine's "Spectrum (Say My Name)" down two places to number 3, Conor Maynard entered the album chart at number one with Contrast knocking Plan B's iLL Manors down a place to number 2.
Rihanna returned to number one with Talk That Talk, but on the lowest sales since charts began with less than 10,000 copies sold, knocking Conor Maynard's Contrast down 5 places to number 6.
Rita Ora debuted at number one with "How We Do (Party)" knocking Wiley's "Heatwave" down one place to number 2, while Emeli Sande returned to number one with Our Version Of Events for two consecutive weeks, knocking Rihanna's Talk That Talk down 7 places to number 8.
September
Week 35 (26 August–1 September) – Week 36 (2–8 September) – Week 37 (9–15 September) – Week 38 (16–22 September) – Week 39 (23–29 September)
Sam and the Womp debuted at number one with "Bom Bom", knocking Rita Ora's "How We Do (Party)" down a place to number 2.
Little Mix's "Wings" entered at number 1, knocking Sam and the Womp's "Bom Bom" down a place to number 2, Rita Ora entered the albums at number one with ORA knocking Emeli Sande down one place to number 2
Ne-Yo's Let Me Love You (Until You Learn to Love Yourself) entered at number one, knocking Little Mix's "Wings" down 3 places to number 4, The Vaccines debuted at number one with Come of Age knocking Rita Ora's ORA down 2 places to number 3.
The Script and will.i.am climbed to number one for two consecutive weeks with "Hall of Fame" knocking Ne-Yo's "Let Me Love You (Until You Learn to Love Yourself)" down 2 places to number 3, The xx debuted at number one with Coexist knocking The Vaccines' Come Of Age down 5 places to number 6.
The Killers' Battle Born debuted at number one knocking The xx's Coexist down 3 places to number 4.
October
Week 40 (30 September–6 October) – Week 41 (7–13 October) – Week 42 (14–20 October) – Week 43 (21–27 October) – Week 44 (28 October–3 November)
Psy's "Gangnam Style" climbed to number one knocking The Script and will.i.am's "Hall of Fame" down a place to number 2, Mumford & Sons' Babel entered at number one knocking The Killers' Battle Born down 3 places to number 4.
Rihanna's "Diamonds" entered the chart at number 1, knocking Psy's "Gangnam Style" down a place to number 2, Muse's The 2nd Law entered at number one, knocking Mumford & Sons' Babel down a place to number 2.
Swedish House Mafia and John Martin entered at number one with "Don't You Worry Child" knocking Rihanna's "Diamonds" down 3 places to number 4, Mumford & Sons' Babel returned to number one, knocking Muse's The 2nd Law down 2 places to number 3.
Calvin Harris and Florence Welch's second collab single Sweet Nothing entered at number one, knocking Swedish House Mafia's "Don't You Worry Child" down a place to number 2, Jake Bugg debuted at number one with his self-titled debut album Jake Bugg.
November
Week 44 (28 October–3 November) – Week 45 (4–10 November) – Week 46 (11–17 November) – Week 47 (18–24 November)
Labrinth and Emeli Sandé's "Beneath Your Beautiful" rose to the summit, knocking Calvin Harris and Florence Welch's "Sweet Nothing" down 2 places to number 3, Taylor Swift's Red debuted at number one, knocking Jake Bugg's self-titled debut album down 2 places to number 3.
Robbie Williams' "Candy" entered at number 1, knocking Labrinth and Emeli Sande's "Beneath Your Beautiful" down a place to number 2, Calvin Harris debuted at number one with 18 Months, knocking Taylor Swift's Red down 4 places to number 5
Robbie Williams' "Candy" remained atop the chart for a second week, Williams also debuted at number one with Take the Crown, knocking Calvin Harris' 18 Months down 3 places to number 4.
One Direction entered at number one with "Little Things", knocking Robbie Williams' "Candy" down 5 places to number 6, they also debuted at number one in the albums chart with Take Me Home knocking Williams' Take The Crown down 4 places to number 5.
Olly Murs and Flo Rida's team-up single "Troublemaker" debuted at number one and stayed there for two consecutive weeks, knocking One Direction's "Little Things" down 2 places to number 3, Rihanna's Unapologetic debuted at number one knocking One Direction's Take Me Home down a place to number 2.
December
Week 48 (25 November–2 December) – Week 49 (2–8 December) – Week 50 (9–15 December) – Week 51 (16–22 December) – Week 52 (23–29 December)
Olly Murs debuted at number one with Right Place Right Time and stayed there for two consecutive weeks.
Gabrielle Aplin's version of "The Power of Love" rose to number 1.
James Arthur debuted at number 1 his cover of Shontelle's "Impossible", knocking Gabrielle Aplin's "The Power of Love" down 3 places to number 4, Bruno Mars debuted at number one with Unorthodox Jukebox, knocking Olly Murs' Right Place Right Time down a place to number two.
The Justice Collective's version of "He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother", released in aid of the families of the 96 people who lost their lives during the 1989 Hillsborough Disaster,debuted at number 1, becoming 2012's Christmas Number One and knocked James Arthur's "Impossible" down a place to number 2, Emeli Sande returned to number one with Our Version Of Events for the rest of the month, knocking Bruno Mars' Unorthodox Jukebox down 3 places to number 4.
Artists/Groups reformed
Groups disbanded
Notes: