Youngest male artist to debut at No.1 on the UK Official Singles Chart
- Who
- Gareth Gates
- What
- 17:261 year(s):day(s)
- Where
- United Kingdom
- When
- 23 March 2002
Pop Idol finalist Gareth Gates (UK, b. 12 July 1984) was 17 years 261 days old when his cover of "Unchained Melody" entered the UK Official Singles Chart at No.1 on 30 March 2002.
"Unchained Melody" spent four consecutive weeks at No.1 and 38 weeks in the UK Top 100.
On 30 March 2002, "Unchained Melody" dethroned "Anything Is Possible"/"Evergreen", the debut release by Will Young, who had narrowly beaten Gates to the inaugural Pop Idol crown just weeks earlier. The live final attracted more than 13 million viewers on ITV.
"Unchained Melody" was the first song to top the UK Official Singles Chart on four separate occasions, having also been a No.1 hit for Jimmy Young in 1955, The Righteous Brothers in 1990 and Robson & Jerome in 1995 (as a double A-side with "White Cliffs of Dover").