200 ESSENTIAL UK & US #1 SINGLES. Today: 1955 > I-XXV. Continues tomorrow.  
Now that the dust has settled on another year, this is a look back on the 200 #1 singles that have mattered most on the UK and US Top 40 Pop charts. The songs are listed in chronological order from 1955 to the present day, starting with "Rock Around The Clock" at the dawn of the Rock Era.

ROCK AROUND THE CLOCK Bill Haley & His Comets 1955- 8 weeks	ROCK AROUND THE CLOCK Bill Haley & His Comets 1955 - 5 weeks
WHY DO FOOLS FALL IN LOVE?  Frankie Lymon & The Teenagers 1956- 3 weeks	THE GREAT PRETENDER The Platters 1956- 2 weeks
DIANA Paul Anka 1957- 9 weeks	HEARTBREAK HOTEL Elvis Presley 1956- 8 weeks
THAT'LL BE THE DAY  Buddy Holly & The Crickets 1957- 3 weeks	LOVE ME TENDER  Elvis Presley  1956- 5 weeks
GREAT BALLS OF FIRE  Jerry Lee Lewis 1958- 8 weeks	DIANA Paul Anka 1957- 1 week
JAILHOUSE ROCK  Elvis Presley  1958- 3 weeks	THAT'LL BE THE DAY  The Crickets 1957- 1 week
ALL I HAVE TO DO IS DREAM Everly Brothers 1958- 7 weeks	WAKE UP LITTLE SUSIE Everly Brothers 1957- 4 weeks
SMOKE GETS IN YOUR EYES The Platters 1959- 1 week	JAILHOUSE ROCK  Elvis Presley  1957- 7 weeks
APACHE The Shadows 1960- 5 weeks	YOU SEND ME Sam Cooke 1957- 3 weeks
ONLY THE LONELY  Roy Orbison 1960- 2 weeks	YAKETY YAK The Coasters 1958- 1 week
IT'S NOW OR NEVER Elvis Presley 1960- 8 weeks	TOM DOOLEY Kingston Trio 1958- 1 week
RUNAWAY Del Shannon 1961- 3 weeks	TO KNOW HIM IS TO LOVE HIM The Chipmunks 1958- 3 weeks
THE YOUNG ONES Cliff Richard  & The Shadows 1962- 6 weeks	MACK THE KNIFE  Bobby Darin  1959- 9 weeks
I CAN'T STOP LOVING YOU  Ray Charles 1962- 2 weeks	IT'S NOW OR NEVER Elvis Presley 1960- 5 weeks
FROM ME TO YOU The Beatles 1963- 7 weeks	THE TWIST Chubby Checker 1960- 1 week  1961- 2 weeks
SHE LOVES YOU The Beatles 1963- 6 weeks	SAVE THE LAST DANCE FOR ME The Drifters 1960- 3 weeks
YOU'LL NEVER WALK ALONE Gerry & The  Pacemakers 1963- 4 weeks	I WANT TO BE WANTED Brenda Lee 1960- 1 week
GLAD ALL OVER Dave Clark Five 1964- 2 weeks	WILL YOU LOVE ME TOMORROW?  The Shirelles 1961- 2 weeks
YOU'RE MY WORLD Cilla Black 1964- 4 weeks	RUNAWAY Del Shannon 1961- 4 weeks
IT'S OVER Roy Orbison 1964- 2 weeks	HIT THE ROAD JACK Ray Charles 1961- 2 weeks
THE HOUSE OF THE RISING SUN The Animals 1964- 1 week	PLEASE MR POSTMAN The Marvelettes 1961- 1 week
YOU REALLY GOT ME The Kinks 1964- 2 weeks	BREAKING UP IS HARD TO DO Neil Sedaka 1962- 2 weeks
BABY LOVE  The Supremes 1964- 2 weeks	SHERRY Four Seasons 1962- 5 weeks
I'LL NEVER FIND ANOTHER YOU The Seekers 1965- 2 weeks	SURF CITY Jan & Dean 1963- 2 weeks
MR TAMBOURINE MAN The Byrds 1965- 2 weeks	I WANT TO HOLD YOUR HAND The Beatles 1964- 7 weeks