TIMELINE

1955

On 27 August, the first edition of The Guinness Book of Records is published, with a preface by co-founders Norris and Ross McWhirter 

1964

1 million books sold across all editions and languages

1969

Neil Armstrong becomes the first man to set foot on the moon

1972

The first series of Record Breakers is filmed for the BBC, hosted by Roy Castle. The first guest is Roger Bannister, talking about becoming the first man to run a mile in under four minutes.

1973

Broadcaster David Frost acquires TV rights for GWR specials

1974

The Guinness Book of Records becomes the biggest-selling copyright book in history with sales totalling 23,950,000!

1975

First licensed product produced: Guinness Game of World Records is launched by Dennis Fischer Toys UK

1976

• The first Guinness Book of Records museum opens in the Empire State Building, New York City
• The Book of Answers launches

1977

British Hit Singles launches

1980

Norris McWhirter is awarded the CBE in the New Year’s Honours List

1984

NASA’s Capt. Bruce McCandless becomes the first person to perform an untethered spacewalk from the space shuttle Challenger

1987

Richard Branson and his pilot Per Lindstrand become the first people to cross the Atlantic in a hot-air balloon

1991

Tim Berners-Lee creates the first ever website: he built it to explain exactly what the World Wide Web is and how to surf it

1996

Guinness Publishing opens in New York City

1997

Andy Green breaks the official land-speed record (measured over one mile) at a speed of 1,227.985 km/h, in Thrust SSC

1998

First original GWR TV programme launches in the US, called Guinness World Records Primetime

1999

• Guinness Publishing Limited is renamed as Guinness World Records (the book also changes its name from The Guinness Book of Records to Guinness World Records)
• First original programme broadcast in the UK, France and Sweden called Guinness World Records, L’Emission Des Records and Guinness Rekord TV respectively. (Original branded productions go on to be available in 19 territories).

2000

Guinnessworldrecords.com website launches

2001

GWR is sold by Diageo (owners of Guinness) to Gullane Entertainment, owners of Thomas the Tank Engine

2002

GWR is sold to HIT Entertainment, owners of Bob the Builder

2003

100,000,000th copy of Guinness World Records is sold

2004

• First annual GWR Day takes place
• H.M Queen Elizabeth II visits Guinness World Records’ London office

2007

GWR Gamer’s Edition launches for the first time

2008

• GWR is sold to Jim Pattison Group
• In  May 2008, Usain Bolt breaks the record for 100-m sprint in a time of 9.72 seconds. He will go on to break his own record twice, in August of that year (9.69 seconds) and again in August 2009 (9.58 seconds)

2009

GWR for Business launches

2010

• GWR Office opens in Tokyo, Japan
• Measuring 828m, the Burj Khalifa in Dubai becomes the world’s tallest building

2011

GWR visits the White House and helps First Lady Michelle Obama launch the “Let’s Jump!” campaign on the South Lawn by adjudicating the record for most people to do jumping jacks in 24 hours – multiple venues (300,265)

2012

• GWR Office opens in Beijing, China
• The GWR Facebook account reaches 1,000,000 followers
• Felix Baumgartner becomes the first person to break the sound barrier in freefall, achieving a top speed of 1,357.6km/h during his 38,969m descent from a high-altitude balloon above New Mexico, USA

2013

• GWR office opens in Dubai, UAE
• Officially Amazing kids’ TV show launches in the UK on CBBC

2014

• 500,000 subscribers reached on YouTube
• GWR KIDS website launches

2015

60th Anniversary of Guinness World Records

2016

1 million subscribers reached on YouTube

2017

Brazilian forward Neymar Jr transfers from FC Barcelona to Paris Saint-Germain for the highest ever single transfer fee of €222 million

2019

15 million followers reached on Facebook 

2020

• 10 million followers reached on TikTok
• 20 million followers reached on Facebook

2021

• 15 million followers reached on TikTok
• Introduction of record titles for under-16s

2022

• GWR Studios launches
• 5 million subscribers reached on Snapchat Discover

2023

• 20 million followers reached on TikTok
• 10 million subscribers reached on YouTube

2024

• 10 million followers reached on Instagram
• 40 million followers reached on Facebook

2025

70th Anniversary of Guinness World Records