Hi my name is Stuart Devoy and for the last 10 years i have been researching every song that has been a hit on the U.K. charts, to find it's songwriter or writers, this means I have researched over 30,000 songs to reach my quest, which was to find who is the most succesful songwriter in the history of the british chart's, beginning in 1952 and being updated to the very latest chart. Within this site we give you the top 100 songwriters of the British charts, there positions being determined by the amount of weeks, their respective works have appeared on the chart, be it through original recordings, cover versions, medleys or samples.  My work first appeared in the 2005 18th edition of Guinness Book of British Hit Singles. I will also be revealing which writers have had the most number one singles, the most hits and many other facts relating to the subject, as well as this there will be pages for individual writers where you will be able to see all of the hits that they have written and what position and how many weeks it spent on the charts. I would also welcome your comments, ideas and requests. Unfortunately the site is not big enough to hold the whole of my database, but if you request a certain piece of information I would be delighted to hopefully give you the answers.

 

 

         A Guide To The Writers Pages

Over the next 100 pages you will find a page dedicated to each songwriter who appears in the Top 100.  On these pages you will see every song they have written that has charted in the U.K. charts, the position it attained and how many weeks it spent on the chart, next to each individual entry there will be a small bracketed number ie; (1), this matches up with the bottom of the page where the co-writers are listed, if there isn't a number by the entry this means that the songwriter who's page you are on was the sole writer of said song. Also you will find a short biography on the writer and below that a box that tells you how many hits, number ones, top ten hits and how many weeks this particular songwriter has spent on the charts.  The numbers to the left of the field are in chronilogical order from their most successful song to their least. Songs that are highlighted in turquoise means that the song is currently on the chart I hope this makes it all clear.

Something new on page 5, it's the world songwriting chart, currently combining the UK & US charts to come up with the top 100.  Work is beginning on other world charts, to add at a later date. Enjoy.

 

 

 

 

 

      Movers & Shakers

 

All figures are correct as of 28th of March 2010, they will now be updated at the end of the year.

Obituaries

Sadly on the 29th of March we said goodbye to Maurice Jarre, he was more known for his film scores than writing hits, with Lawrence of Arabia and Dr. Zhivago being his most famous and winning three oscars to boot.  He was born 13th September 1924 in Lyon, France, and he is the father of Jean-Michel Jarre the electronica pioneer. His U.K. singles chart record so far reads as thus. Three hits and forty two weeks on the chart with the biggest being 'Somewhere My Love' by the Michael Sammes Singers with lyrics by Paul Francis Webster reaching number fourteen in 1966 and spending thirty eight weeks on the chart.  He died in Los Angeles where he had lived for many years.

On the 1st of March Tony Osbourne died in Sydney at the age of eighty six, more known for his musicianship and arranging for others he none the less was still a prolific composer who had wrote two hits they were 'Gone' for Shirley Bassey with J. Lally, and the 'Man From Madrid' written by himself and performed by himself. He was born Edward Benjamin Osbourne in Cambridge on the 29th of June 1922, and his son is the lyricist Gary Osbourne.  In total he wrote 2 hits and spent 6 weeks on the chart, but it was probably as a conductor that he reached his greatest heights with Judy Garland's farewell tour being amongst his credits.

On June 7th Kenny Rankin died in Los Angeles at the age 69 from lung cancer, he was born in Los Angeles on the 10th of February 1940, although raised in Washington Heights, New York.  After appearing on the Tonite Show with Johnny Carson more than twenty times in the States, he released his debut album 'Mind Dusters', which contained his most famous song 'Peaceful' this was a hit in America for Helen Reddy, and gained him his only U.K. hit, when it was recorded by Georgie Fame, it reached number 16 and spent 9 weeks on the chart.  He released a further thirteen long players and his songs were covered by Mel Torme, Carmen Mcrae and Stephen Bishop amongst others.  Such was his standing that Paul Mccartney asked him to perform 'Blackbird', the Beatles classic, when he and John Lennon were inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame.

On June 14th Bob Bogle the lead guitarist with 'The Ventures' died of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in Vancouver, Washington, U.S.A., he was 75 years old having been born on 16th January 1934.  A founding member of the group who's guitar style has influenced many modern greats such as Stevie Ray Vaughan and Joe Walsh.  As a songwriter he only had one hit in Britain when 'The Wiseguys' sampled 'The Ventures' track 'Wild Child' on their song 'Start the Commotion' reaching number 47 and spending 2 weeks on the chart.

On June 25th a true musical legend suddenly passed away, this of course is Michael Jackson, I won't try to compete with the millions of tributes and obituaries that will be written in the next few days, just some facts about his talents as a songwriter.  He to the date of his death had written 58 hits, 7 number ones, 29 top tens and his compositions have spent 608 weeks on the chart, making him the 24th most successful writer in U.K. chart history.  I would fully expect these figures to rise quite rapidly over the coming weeks.

On August 6th 2009 Willy Deville died of Pancreatic Cancer, although not really known in the U.K. he has worked with an array of performers including Doc Pomus and Mark Knopfler, is music was never easy to catoregize but was steeped in all forms of Americana.  His one and only writing credit was with his band Mink Deville with the song 'Spanish Stroll' which got to number 20 for 9 weeks in 1977.

On the 26th August 2009 sadly one of the great Brill Building songwriters passed away. Born 23^rd October 1940 in Brooklyn New York USA. Ellie Greenwich met future husband Jeff Barry in 1960, together they would go on and compose some of popular music's finest moments, but when they divorced in 1965 this would eventually lead to them dissolving their partnership. After the spilt she concentrated on writing and singing commercials, becoming one of America's most sort after jingle writers, but it's her brilliant work with Barry and Phil Spector that she will be remembered for. She died of a heart attack in New York after being admitted days before with pneumonia. Her impressive songwriting career in the U.K. charts reads like this 29 hits, 1 number one,14 top tens and 302 weeks on the chart.  A true legend.

On September the 16th American songwriter Johnny Mullins died at the age of 86 from Alzheimers disease, he wrote 1 hit record in the UK that being 'Success had made a failure of our home' by Sinead O'Connor which reached 18 for 4 weeks. Born in Exeter, Missouri and spending most of his adult life in Springfield, Missouri where he was a school janitor until he retired in 1983.   He had far more success in the Country music charts and was once nominated for a grammy with Emmylou Harris's rendition of his 'Blue Kentucky Girl'.

On October the 10th Stephen Gately was found dead in Majorca, Spain, at the young age of 33.  He was born on 17th March 1976 in Dublin, he found fame with the boy band Boyzone who for the late nineties were one of the most successful bands in the British charts.  They split in 2000 and he embarked on solo career that never really took off and he tried his hand at acting.  In 2008 Boyzone reformed and released a greatest hits package to limited success.  As a songwriter he wrote 5 hit singles all of which went top 10 and 1 number one, all in all his compositions spent 49 weeks on the chart.

It's with great sadness that we report the death of Britain's first Hip-Hop star, Derek B.  Born Derek Boland in London, on the 15th January 1965. He began DJing when he was just 15 in and around London, and had his first hit with 'Good Groove' in 1988, unfortunatley his career as a hit maker was short lived, but he carried on producing other acts, his songwriting chart perfromance read as thus 3 hits and 15 weeks on the chart.  He died of a heart attack on the 16th of November 2009.

On the 2nd of December Eric Woolfson died, he was the lead singer and lyricist of The Alan Parsons Project, but this was by no means his only achievement.  In the 60's he wrote for many artist's and even wrote with Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd-Webber, later he turned to management where he met Alan Parson's, from there they made over 10 albums and are still a highly respected outfit.  After splitting with Parson's he started writing musical's, a medium that he felt better suited his talents.  He was born in Glasgow on 18th of March 1945 and after a long and brave battle against cancer he finally succumbed, his record on the British Singles Chart reads as thus 2 hits that spent 4 weeks on the chart, but there was much more to this writer than weeks on a chart.

Aaron Schroeder died on December the 2nd after a long battle with alzheimers disease, during his lifetime he wrote over 1500 songs, of which Elvis recorded some of his best known songs.  Born in Brooklyn, New York on the 7th of September 1927 his first success came when Rosemary Clooney recorded his 'At A Sidewalk Penny Arcade', he later moved into production and formed his record company Musicor Records, it has been reported that used questionable methods when conducting business and was sued on many occasions, but this should not diminish his outstanding record as a songwriter. His record read as 27 hits, 9 top tens of which 3 reached number 1 and with 225 weeks on the chart.

Liam Maher was the frontman of the short lived 'Baggy Band' Flowered Up, formed at the time off the rave scene in the late 80's, initially thought to be a southern version of The Stone Roses, their most remembered for having a dancing flower on stage with them.  Maher had had well documented problems with drugs and there were many aborted efforts at comebacks.  He was sadly found dead on the 20th of October 2009, he was 41.  His record of songwriting in the UK charts reads as thus; 5 hits with 17 weeks spent on the chart.

Known as The Rev, Avenged Sevenfold's drummer real name James Sullivan was found dead on the 28th of December 2009 at his home in California, at the tender of age of 28.  He was also in the Avant Garde Metal group Pinkly Smooth.  Formed in 1999 the band have gone onto worldwide success and Sullivan was still a member up until his death, his record of songwriting in the UK charts is as follows, 2 hits 2 weeks spent on the chart.

Willie Mitchell died on 5th of January 2010, 2 weeks after a cardiac arrest.  He had worked closely with Al Green and was a key a figure within the Memphis soul scene, producing and writing some of the finest records of that genre.  Known as 'Papa Willie' he guided Hi Records through it's most succcessful period in the 70's, he was also a hit performer in his own right, a trumpeter, guitarist and bandleader.  He was born onn the 23rd of March 1923 in Ashland, Mississippi but grew up and died in Memphis, his songwriting record in the UK chart is 15 hits, 2 top tens and 68 weeks.

Legendary Cajun singer songwriter Bobby Charles Guidry collapsed and died at his home on  January 14th 2010, he was in remission from cancer and also suffered from diabetes.  Born on 21st February 1938 in Abbeville, Louisiana, he was responsible for writing many of Rock 'n' Roll's finest moments, including 'It Keeps Rainin'', by Fats Domino and 'See You Later Alligator' by Bill Haley amongst others.  His record in the UK charts is 7 hits, 3 top tens with 75 weeks on the chart. 

Pauly Fuemana was the lead singer with OMC, their song 'How Bizarre' was a worldwide smash in 1995.  Born in Otara, New Zealand on the 8th of February 1969 of half Niuean and half Maori descent, he sadly died on the 31st of January 2010 after a short illness. His record as a writer on the UK chart is as follows 2 hits, 1 top ten and 17 weeks on the chart.

February the 6th saw Britian lose one our most respected and loved jazz musician's in the form of Johnny Dankworth, born in Woodford, Essex on the 20th September 1927 to a musical family.  He went on to record with some of the greatest Jazz artist's in history including Charlie Parker, he was married to singer Cleo Laine and was knighted in 2006.  His songwriting record in the UK chart only has one hit when his 'Modesty Blaise' was sampled by the Gorillaz on their hit 'Rock The House, this reached number 18 and stayed 8 weeks on the chart.

Doug Fieger was the lead singer of one off pop music's finest moments with The Knacks 'My Sharona', he co-wrote it with lead guitarist Berton Averre, and it became a worldwide smash.  They were never quite able to match this success, although he never stopped performing, most notably singing lead on two Was Not Was tracks in the early eighties.  He was born in Detroit on the 20th of August 1952, and was diagnosed with cancer 5 years ago, which he bravely fought until his death on Valentines Day 2010.  His songwriting record in the UK singles charts was 3 hits 1 top ten and a total of 14 weeks on the chart.

Lolly Vegas was the lead singer and guitarist with native Indian rock Redbone, his real surname is Vasquez.  Redbones big hit in the UK was 'The Witch Queen of New Orleans' which reached number 2 1971, in America there biggest hit was 'Come and Get Your Love' this was a hit in the UK by The Real Mccoy in 1995.  He suffered a stroke in 1995 which he never fully recovered eventually succumbing to Lung Cancer, dying in his sleep in Reseda, California.  His record in the UK singles chart is 2 hits, 1 top ten with 16 weeks on the chart.

On the 1st of April 2010 British music lost one of it's most engaging personalities, Malcolm Maclaren had been a clothes designer and boutique owner when he become The Sex Pistols manager, and later Bow Wow Wow and before they made it really Adam & the Ants.  He followed this in the 1980's with his own recording career, taking in many different genres, he died in Switzerland of Cancer.  His songwriting record in the UK singles chart is as follows 30 hits, 1 number 1 with 168 weeks on the chart.

April 19th 2010 saw the untimely death of Guru (Keith Elam) formerly of Gang Star at the age of 48.  A highly influential and very well regarded rapper he died from a multiple myeloma, he was born in Massachusetts on July 17th 1961 and his songwriting record reads as thus 9 hits with 19 weeks spent on  the chart.

Heavy metal lost one it's favourite sons on May 16th 2010, that being Ronnie James Dio, who at certain stages of his life was lead vocalist with Elf, Rainbow, Black Sabbath and Dio. Born Ronald James Padavona in Portsmouth, New Hampshire on the 10th of July 1942, he changed his name to Dio after the notorious gangster Johnny Dio, he died of stomach cancer in Houston, Texas.  His songwriting brought him 16 hits with 59 weeks spent on the chart.

Paul Gray the bassist with Slipknot died of apparent natural causes on 24th may 2010, also known as the pig, he was notorious for wearing grotesque masks whilst performing, he was bor in LA on 8th April 1972, but relocated with his parents to Iowa whilst a child.  His record for songwriting in the UK singles chart is 8 hits 25 weeks represented.

Stuart Cable former drummer with the Stereophonics has died at his home in Wales on the 7th of June 2010, apparently from choking on his own vomit.  He was an original member of the group but was sacked in 2003, he went onto enjoy a successful media career after, born 19th of May 1970 in Aberdare, Wales, he was sadly only 40 when he died. His songwriting record in the UK charts reads 17 hits 8 of which were top 10, with 107 weeks on the chart.

Harvey Fuqua was an original member of the famed soul group The Moonglows, it was after leaving the group that he married Gwen Gordy, sister of Motown founder Berry.  In fact Fuqua was an important component from the early days of Motown, as a songwriter, talent scout and producer.  He was born July 27th 1929 in Louisville, Kentucky and died in Detroit, Michigan on July 6th 2010 weeks before his eightieth birthday.  His songwriting stats in the UK charts reads as thus 11 hits with 1 reaching the top 10, spending 73 weeks on the chart.

 

 

                          Links

www.davemcaleer.com/

www.lhprecords.com/