New Zealand’s singles charts took a while to arrive. The first chart based on sales didn’t arrive until 1975.
Wikipedia lists NZ #1 singles starting in mid-1960, but between 1960 and 1975, these were based on:
i) 1960-1964: The Lever Hit Parade. Hit songs were selected by the show’s producer
ii) 1965-March 1966: there was no recorded chart during this time
iii) March 1966-May 1975: hit songs were determined by votes. The voting was run by the magazine NZ Listener.
New Zealand has always been influenced culturally by the UK and the USA. Over time, I suspect the UK influence has faded and the US influence has grown.
Due to geographic proximity, Australian music is often popular in New Zealand. At times there’s been a cultural cringe about homegrown music. Nevertheless, a number of NZ singles have topped the charts.
I’m planning to (eventually) cover every NZ #1 single on this blog. As you can see, I’ve barely started:
| Artist | Song title | Rating | Reached #1 | Weeks at #1 | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Frank Ifield | Lovesick Blues | 3 | 10/01/1963 | 1 | 1962 |
| Dave Dobbyn and Herbs | Slice of Heaven | 10 | 05/10/1986 | 8 | 1986 |
| Boyz II Men | End of the Road | 8 | 18/10/1992 | 7 | 1992 |
| Crazy Frog | Axel F | 1 | 18/07/2005 | 11 | 2005 |
| Justin Bieber | Love Yourself | 5 | 07/12/2015 | 10 | 2015 |
| Engelbert Humperdinck | The Last Waltz | 6 | 10/11/1967 | 2 | 1967 |
| Michael Nesmith and The First National Band | Joanne | 9 | 25/07/1970 | 1 | 1970 |
| Craig Scott | Star Crossed Lovers | 3 | 12/06/1970 | 4 | 1970 |
| Vengaboys | Boom, Boom, Boom, Boom!! | 1 | 08/08/1999 | 1 | 1999 |
| Chris Brown | With You | 8 | 18/02/2008 | 4 | 2008 |
| Wham! | I’m Your Man | 6 | 16/02/1986 | 1 | 1986 |
| Tony Orlando and Dawn | Tie A Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree | 3 | 01/06/1973 | 10 | 1973 |
| DLT (featuring Che Fu) | Chains | 9 | 04/08/1996 | 4 | 1996 |
| Beyoncé and Shakira | Beautiful Liar | 4 | 23/04/2007 | 1 | 2007 |
| ABBA | Fernando | 9 | 04/06/1976 | 9 | 1976 |
| The Rasmus | In The Shadows | 5 | 23/08/2004 | 1 | 2004 |
| The Supremes | Where Did Our Love Go | 9 | 17/09/1964 | 1 | 1964 |
| Taylor Swift | Is It Over Now? | 8 | 06/11/2023 | 1 | 2023 |
| George Baker Selection | Paloma Blanca | 3 | 01/08/1975 | 5 | 1975 |
| Billy Ocean | Caribbean Queen (No More Love on the Run) | 6 | 09/12/1984 | 6 | 1984 |
| Timmy Trumpet and Savage | Freaks | 2 | 17/09/2014 | 5 | 2014 |
| Fugees | Killing Me Softly | 10 | 02/06/1996 | 3 | 1996 |
| Eminem | Just Lose It | 3 | 03/11/2004 | 5 | 2004 |
| All-4-One | I Swear | 1 | 10/07/1994 | 5 | 1994 |
| Paul Hardcastle | 19 | 9 | 07/07/1985 | 9 | 1985 |
| Bobby Vinton | Blue Velvet | 9 | 17/10/1963 | 3 | 1963 |
| Michael Jackson | Black or White | 7 | 24/11/1992 | 8 | 1992 |
| Jawsh 685 and Jason Derulo | Savage Love (Laxed – Siren Beat) | 4 | 29/06/2020 | 8 | 2020 |
| Procol Harum | A Whiter Shade of Pale | 10 | 11/08/1967 | 1 | 1967 |
| Gnarls Barkley | Crazy | 10 | 29/05/2006 | 7 | 2006 |
| Bruno Mars | Just The Way You Are | 8 | 04/10/2010 | 2 | 2010 |
| Madonna | Into the Groove | 9 | 11/08/1985 | 6 | 1985 |
Wind It Up by Gwen Stefani
3 Wind It Up by Gwen Stefani Topped the NZ chart: for 2 weeks from 25 December 2006. Gwen Stefani…
Party Rock Anthem by LMFAO
5 Party Rock Anthem by LMFAO (featuring Lauren Bennett & GoonRock) Topped the NZ chart: for 11 weeks from 4…
Into the Groove by Madonna
9 Into the Groove by Madonna Topped the NZ chart: for 6 weeks from 11 August 1985. Madonna was one…
Just The Way You Are by Bruno Mars
Every New Zealand #1 single… 8 Just The Way You Are by Bruno Mars Topped the NZ chart: for 2…
Crazy by Gnarls Barkley
Every New Zealand #1 single… 10 Crazy by Gnarls Barkley Topped the NZ chart: for 7 weeks from 29 May…
A Whiter Shade of Pale by Procol Harum
Every New Zealand #1 single… 10 A Whiter Shade of Pale by Procol Harum Topped the NZ chart: for 1…
Savage Love (Laxed – Siren Beat) by Jawsh 685 and Jason Derulo
Every New Zealand #1 single… 4 Savage Love (Laxed – Siren Beat) Topped the NZ chart: for 8 weeks from…
Black or White by Michael Jackson
Every New Zealand #1 single… 7 Black or White by Michael Jackson Topped the NZ chart: for 8 weeks from…
Blue Velvet by Bobby Vinton
Every New Zealand #1 single… 9 Blue Velvet by Bobby Vinton Topped the NZ chart: for 3 weeks from 17…
19 by Paul Hardcastle
Every New Zealand #1 single… 9 19 by Paul Hardcastle Topped the NZ chart: for 5 weeks from 7 July…
I Swear by All-4-One
Every New Zealand #1 single… 1 I Swear by All-4-One Topped the NZ chart: from 10 July 1994 for five…
Just Lose It by Eminem
Every New Zealand #1 single… 3 Just Lose It by Eminem Topped the NZ chart: from 5 November 2004 for…
Killing Me Softly by Fugees
Every New Zealand #1 single… 10 Killing Me Softly by Fugees Topped the NZ chart: from 2 June 1996 for…
Freaks by Timmy Trumpet and Savage
Every New Zealand #1 single… 2 Freaks by Timmy Trumpet and Savage Topped the NZ chart: from 17 November 2014…
Caribbean Queen (No More Love on the Run) by Billy Ocean
Every New Zealand #1 single… 6 Caribbean Queen (No More Love on the Run) by Billy Ocean Topped the NZ…
Paloma Blanca by George Baker Selection
Every New Zealand #1 single… 3 Paloma Blanca by George Baker Selection Topped the NZ chart: from 1 August 1975…
Is It Over Now? by Taylor Swift
Every New Zealand #1 single… 8 Is It Over Now? Topped the NZ chart: from 6 November 2023 for 1…
Where Did Our Love Go by The Supremes
Every New Zealand #1 single… 9 Where Did Our Love Go Topped the NZ chart: for 1 week from 17…
In The Shadows by The Rasmus
Every New Zealand #1 single… 5 In the Shadows Topped the NZ chart: for 1 week from 23 August 2004.…
Fernando by ABBA
Every New Zealand #1 single… 9 Fernando Topped the NZ chart: from 4 June 1976 for 9 weeks 1976 was…
Beautiful Liar by Beyoncé and Shakira
Every New Zealand #1 single… 4 Beautiful Liar Topped the NZ chart: from 23 April 2007 for 1 week Beyoncé…
Chains by DLT (featuring Che Fu)
Every New Zealand #1 single… 9 Chains Topped the NZ chart: from 4 August 1996 for 5 weeks ‘Chains’ is…
Tie A Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree by Tony Orlando and Dawn
Every New Zealand #1 single… 3 Tie A Yellow Ribbon Round the Old Oak Tree Topped the NZ chart: from…
I’m Your Man by Wham!
Every New Zealand #1 single… 6 I’m Your Man Topped the NZ chart: from 16 February 1986 for 1 week…
With You by Chris Brown
Every New Zealand #1 single… 8 With You Topped the NZ chart: from 18 February 2008 for 4 weeks Chris…
Boom, Boom, Boom, Boom!! by Vengaboys
Every New Zealand #1 single… 1 Boom, Boom, Boom, Boom!! Topped the NZ chart: from 8 August 1999 for 1…
Star Crossed Lovers by Craig Scott
Every New Zealand #1 single… 3 Star Crossed Lovers Topped the NZ chart: from 12 June 1970 for 4 weeks…
Joanne by Michael Nesmith and The First National Band
Every New Zealand #1 single… 9 Joanne Topped the NZ chart: from 25 December 1970 for 1 week. One of…
The Last Waltz by Engelbert Humperdinck
Every New Zealand #1 single… 6 The Last Waltz Topped the NZ chart: from 10 November 2015 for 2 weeks.…
Love Yourself by Justin Bieber
Every New Zealand #1 single… 5 Love Yourself by Justin Bieber Topped the NZ chart: from 7 December 2015 for…
End of the Road by Boyz II Men
Every New Zealand #1 single… 8 End of the Road by BOYZ II MEN Topped the NZ chart: from 18…
Axel F by Crazy Frog
Every New Zealand #1 single… 1 Axel F by Crazy Frog Topped the NZ chart: from 18 July 2005 for…
Lovesick Blues by Frank Ifield
Every New Zealand #1 single… Lovesick Blues by Frank Ifield Topped the NZ chart: 10 January 1963 for 1 week.…
Slice of Heaven by Dave Dobbyn and Herbs
Every New Zealand #1 single… Slice of Heaven by Dave Dobbyn and Herbs Topped the NZ chart from 5 October…
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