Most visits to No.1 for a UK single with the same performers

Comedians David Baddiel and Frank Skinner (b. Christopher Collins) and the Ian Broudie-fronted pop/rock group The Lightning Seeds (all UK) have topped the UK’s Official Singles Chart on four occasions with two different versions of their rousing soccer anthem “Three Lions”. The original version, released in the build-up to England hosting the 1996 UEFA European Football Championship, debuted at No.1 on 1 June 1996 and returned to the top spot (in the same chart run) five weeks later, on 6 July 1996, as England made it all the way to the semi-finals before their defeat to Germany on penalties. Between 20 June and 4 July 1998, as France hosted the 1998 FIFA World Cup, a re-recorded version of the song, “3 Lions ‘98”, spent three consecutive weeks at No.1 before England were eliminated in the Round of 16 by Argentina – again on penalties. Finally, on 19 July 2018, the original “Three Lions” climbed 23 places to No.1 as football fever gripped the nation once again with England’s run to the semi-finals of the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. Their extra-time heartbreak against Croatia sent the track tumbling to No.97 the following week.

The original “Three Lions” has enjoyed 13 separate chart runs in the UK to date (as of August 2024), with its No.1 billing in 1996 and 2018 joined by chart appearances to coincide with England’s participation at World Cups or European Championships in 2002 (peak: 16), 2006 (peak: nine), 2010 (peak: 10), 2012 (peak: 77), 2014 (peak: 27), 2016 (peak: 84), 2021 (peak: four), 2022 (peak: 20) and 2024 (peak: eight). Briefly, in both 1996 and 2002, “Three Lions” returned to the Official Singles Chart after dropping off the list.

At the conclusion of the 2024 Euros, beaten finalists England had extended the song’s memorable lyric “30 years of hurt never stopped me dreaming” to an unenviable 58 years by failing to win a World Cup or European Championship since their much-heralded triumph on home soil at the 1966 World Cup.

“Singing the Blues”, “I Believe”, Unchained Melody” and “Do They Know It’s Christmas?” have all topped the UK singles chart four times, but at least two different artists (or group of artists) have taken each song to No.1.