MORE: View every Number 1 single on the UK's Official Chart
Throughout chart history, there's been various routes to getting a Number 1 with your debut single. Winning or doing well on a TV talent show has long been a failsafe way of scoring chart success, with Pop Idol, Fame Academy and The X Factor turning acts such as Gareth Gates, Leona Lewis, and Alexandra Burke into overnight sensations. Will Young's debut single Anything Is Possible/Evergreen from 2001 - his winner's single from the first series of Pop Idol in 2000 - is the 19th best-selling single ever, and the biggest debut since the turn of the century.
Charity singles have often led to debut Number 1stoo, for those lucky enough to be credited by name on them. Many of them actors, the likes of Ruth Jones, Rob Brydon, Matt Lucas and The Kumars have claimed Number 1 hits with their debut recordings under fictional alter-egos. Peter Kay and James Corden went straight to the top of the charts with their first releases too. We even saw a charity song lead to a debut Number 1 in 2020 whenCaptain Tom Moore became the oldest person ever to claim a UK chart topperwith You'll Never Walk Alone.
MORE: EveryOfficial Number 1 debut album of the millennium
Leaving a band and going on to claim a solo Number 1 has been commonplace too, with so much attention behind a newly solo artist. Examples over the last 20 years include Brian McFadden, Cheryl's Fight For This Love, Tulisa's Young, Zayn's Pillowtalk and Harry Styles' Sign Of The Times.
And then, of course, there are those acts who just immediately position themselves as megastars and land a debut Number 1 single, like Arctic Monkeys, Lady Gaga and, ahem, Crazy Frog and Bob The Builder, or the tracks that become a school disco staple from the get go like DJ Casper's Cha Cha Slideor Whigfield's Saturday Night.
See below the 114 debut singles that went to Number 1 this century (Acts in boldare those on the song whose debut single it is)
| DATE* | TITLE | ARTIST | WKS AT NO.1 |
| 19/10/2023 | STRANGERS | KENYA GRACE | 1 |
| 08/09/2022 | B.O.T.A (BADDEST OF THEM ALL) | ELIZA ROSE & INTERPLANETARY CRIMINAL | 2 |
| 14/07/2022 | AFRAID TO FEEL | LF SYSTEM | 8 |
| 20/01/2022 | ABCDEFU | GAYLE | 1 |
| 25/03/2021 | WELLERMAN | NATHAN EVANS/220 KID/BILLEN TED | 2 |
| 21/01/2021 | DRIVERS LICENSE | OLIVIA RODRIGO | 9 |
| 09/07/2020 | SAVAGE LOVE (LAXED - SIREN BEAT) | JAWSH 685 & JASON DERULO | 1 |
| 30/04/2020 | YOU'LL NEVER WALK ALONE | MICHAEL BALL & CAPTAIN TOM MOORE | 1 |
| 25/04/2019 | OLD TOWN ROAD | LIL NAS X | 2 |
| 27/12/2018 | WE BUILT THIS CITY | LADBABY | 1 |
| 06/09/2018 | EASTSIDE | BENNY BLANCO/HALSEY/KHALID | 1 |
| 20/04/2017 | SIGN OF THE TIMES | HARRY STYLES | 1 |
| 11/02/2016 | PILLOWTALK | ZAYN | 1 |
| 31/12/2015 | A BRIDGE OVER YOU | THE LEWISHAM & GREENWICH NHS CHOIR | 1 |
| 17/09/2015 | EASY LOVE | SIGALA | 1 |
| 16/07/2015 | HOUSE EVERY WEEKEND | DAVID ZOWIE | 1 |
| 09/07/2015 | ARE YOU WITH ME | LOST FREQUENCIES | 1 |
| 09/05/2015 | CHEERLEADER (FELIX JAEHN REMIX) | OMI | 4 |
| 25/04/2015 | SEE YOU AGAIN | WIZ KHALIFA FT. CHARLIE PUTH | 2 |
| 27/12/2014 | SOMETHING I NEED | BEN HAENOW | 1 |
| 11/10/2014 | ALL ABOUT THAT BASS | MEGHAN TRAINOR | 1 |
| 09/08/2014 | RUDE | MAGIC! | 1 |
| 26/07/2014 | ME AND MY BROKEN HEART | RIXTON | 1 |
| 19/07/2014 | IT'S MY BIRTHDAY | WILL.I.AM FT. CODY WISE | 1 |
| 21/06/2014 | GHOST | ELLA HENDERSON | 2 |
| 07/06/2014 | I WANNA FEEL | SECONDCITY | 1 |
| 05/04/2014 | SHE LOOKS SO PERFECT | 5 SECONDS OF SUMMER | 1 |
| 01/02/2014 | RATHER BE | CLEAN BANDIT FT. JESS GLYNNE | 4 |
| 28/12/2013 | SKYSCRAPER | SAM BAILEY | 1 |
| 16/11/2013 | LOOK RIGHT THROUGH | STORM QUEEN | 1 |
| 02/11/2013 | ROYALS | LORDE | 1 |
| 27/04/2013 | WAITING ALL NIGHT | RUDIMENTAL FT. ELLA EYRE | 1 |
| 16/02/2013 | THRIFT SHOP | MACKLEMORE & RYAN LEWIS FT. WANZ | 1 |
| 15/12/2012 | IMPOSSIBLE | JAMES ARTHUR | 4 |
| 08/12/2012 | THE POWER OF LOVE | GABRIELLE APLIN | 1 |
| 01/09/2012 | BOM BOM | SAM & THE WOMP | 1 |
| 09/06/2012 | FEEL THE LOVE | RUDIMENTAL FT. JOHN NEWMAN | 1 |
| 12/05/2012 | YOUNG | TULISA | 1 |
| 25/02/2012 | HOT RIGHT NOW | DJ FRESH FT. RITA ORA | 1 |
| 31/12/2011 | WHEREVER YOU ARE | MILITARY WIVES/GARETH MALONE | 1 |
| 24/12/2011 | CANNONBALL | LITTLE MIX | 1 |
| 08/10/2011 | LOCA PEOPLE | SAK NOEL | 1 |
| 01/10/2011 | NO REGRETS | DAPPY | 1 |
| 24/09/2011 | WHAT MAKES YOU BEAUTIFUL | ONE DIRECTION | 1 |
| 27/08/2011 | DON'T GO | WRETCH 32 FT. JOSH KUMRA | 1 |
| 13/08/2011 | SWAGGER JAGGER | CHER LLOYD | 1 |
| 16/07/2011 | LOUDER | DJ FRESH FT. SIAN EVANS | 1 |
| 23/04/2011 | PARTY ROCK ANTHEM | LMFAO/LAUREN BENNETT/GOONROCK | 4 |
| 25/12/2010 | WHEN WE COLLIDE | MATT CARDLE | 3 |
| 11/09/2010 | PLEASE DON'T LET ME GO | OLLY MURS | 1 |
| 07/08/2010 | ALL TIME LOW | THE WANTED | 1 |
| 31/07/2010 | WE NO SPEAK AMERICANO | YOLANDA BE COOL VS D CUP | 1 |
| 24/07/2010 | AIRPLANES | B.O.B FT. HAYLEY WILLIAMS | 1 |
| 19/06/2010 | SHOUT | SHOUT FT. DIZZEE & JAMES CORDEN | 2 |
| 29/05/2010 | NOTHIN' ON YOU | B.O.B FT. BRUNO MARS | 1 |
| 01/05/2010 | ONCE | DIANA VICKERS | 1 |
| 13/03/2010 | PASS OUT | TINIE TEMPAH | 2 |
| 30/01/2010 | FIREFLIES | OWL CITY | 3 |
| 16/01/2010 | REPLAY | IYAZ | 2 |
| 02/01/2010 | THE CLIMB | JOE MCELDERRY | 1 |
| 31/10/2009 | FIGHT FOR THIS LOVE | CHERYL COLE | 2 |
| 15/08/2009 | NEVER LEAVE YOU | TINCHY STRYDER FT. AMELLE BERRABAH | 1 |
| 25/07/2009 | BEAT AGAIN | JLS | 2 |
| 20/06/2009 | MAMA DO | PIXIE LOTT | 1 |
| 21/03/2009 | ISLANDS IN THE STREAM | VANESSA JENKINS (RUTH JONES)& BRYN WEST (ROB BRYDON) FT. TOM JONES & ROBIN GIBB | 1 |
| 14/03/2009 | RIGHT ROUND | FLO RIDA FT. KESHA | 1 |
| 17/01/2009 | JUST DANCE | LADY GAGA | 3 |
| 27/12/2008 | HALLELUJAH | ALEXANDRA BURKE | 3 |
| 12/07/2008 | DANCE WIV ME | DIZZEE RASCAL FT. CALVIN HARRIS & CHROME | 4 |
| 29/12/2007 | WHEN YOU BELIEVE | LEON JACKSON | 3 |
| 08/09/2007 | BEAUTIFUL GIRLS | SEAN KINGSTON | 4 |
| 18/08/2007 | WITH EVERY HEARTBEAT | ROBYN WITH KLEERUP | 1 |
| 31/03/2007 | I'M GONNA BE (500 MILES) | THE PROCLAIMERS FT. BRIAN POTTER & ANDY PIPKIN (MATT LUCAS) | 3 |
| 27/01/2007 | GRACE KELLY | MIKA | 5 |
| 30/12/2006 | A MOMENT LIKE THIS | LEONA LEWIS | 4 |
| 15/07/2006 | SMILE | LILY ALLEN | 2 |
| 10/06/2006 | I WISH I WAS A PUNK ROCKER (WITH FLOWERS IN MY HAIR) | SANDI THOM | 1 |
| 08/04/2006 | CRAZY | GNARLES BARKLEY | 9 |
| 25/03/2006 | NO TOMORROW | ORSON | 1 |
| 11/03/2006 | IT'S CHICO TIME | CHICO | 2 |
| 18/02/2006 | THUNDER IN MY HEART AGAIN | MECK FT. LEO SAYER | 2 |
| 31/12/2005 | THAT'S MY GOAL | SHAYNE WARD | 4 |
| 29/10/2005 | I BET YOU LOOK GOOD ON THE DANCEFLOOR | ARCTIC MONKEYS | 1 |
| 04/06/2005 | AXEL F | CRAZY FROG | 4 |
| 26/03/2005 | (IS THIS THE WAY TO) AMARILLO | TONY CHRISTIE FT. PETER KAY | 7 |
| 29/01/2005 | GOODIES | CIARA FT. PETEY PABLO | 1 |
| 08/01/2005 | AGAINST ALL ODDS | STEVE BROOKSTEIN | 1 |
| 18/09/2004 | REAL TO ME | BRIAN MCFADDEN | 1 |
| 21/08/2004 | BABYCAKES | 3 OF A KIND | 1 |
| 24/07/2004 | LOLA'S THEME | SHAPESHIFTERS | 1 |
| 22/05/2004 | F.U.R.B. (F U RIGHT BACK) | FRANKEE | 3 |
| 24/04/2004 | F**K IT (I DON'T WANT YOU BACK) | EAMON | 4 |
| 10/04/2004 | FIVE COLOURS IN HER HAIR | MCFLY | 2 |
| 20/03/2004 | CHA CHA SLIDE | DJ CASPER | 1 |
| 21/02/2004 | WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM MY FRIENDS/MEASURE OF A MAN | SAM & MARK | 1 |
| 07/02/2004 | TAKE ME TO THE CLOUDS ABOVE | LMC V U2 | 2 |
| 17/01/2004 | ALL THIS TIME | MICHELLE | 3 |
| 27/12/2003 | MAD WORLD | MICHAEL ANDREWS & GARY JULES | 3 |
| 14/06/2003 | BRING ME TO LIFE | EVANESCENCE | 4 |
| 22/03/2003 | SPIRIT IN THE SKY | GARETH GATES FT. THE KUMARS | 2 |
| 25/01/2003 | STOP LIVING THE LIE | DAVID SNEDDON | 2 |
| 28/12/2002 | SOUND OF THE UNDERGROUND | GIRLS ALOUD | 4 |
| 09/11/2002 | HEAVEN | DJ SAMMY & YANOU FT. DO | 1 |
| 19/10/2002 | THE KETCHUP SONG (ASEREJE) | LAS KETCHUP | 1 |
| 31/08/2002 | CROSSROADS | BLAZIN' SQUAD | 1 |
| 10/08/2002 | COLOURBLIND | DARIUS | 2 |
| 11/05/2002 | KISS KISS | HOLLY VALANCE | 1 |
| 30/03/2002 | UNCHAINED MELODY | GARETH GATES | 4 |
| 09/03/2002 | ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE/EVERGREEN | WILL YOUNG | 3 |
| 08/12/2001 | GOTTA GET THRU THIS | DANIEL BEDINGFIELD | 2 |
| 27/10/2001 | BECAUSE I GOT HIGH | AFROMAN | 1 |
| 02/06/2001 | DO YOU REALLY LIKE IT? | DJ PIED PIPER & THE MASTERS OF CEREMONIES | 1 |
| 24/03/2001 | PURE AND SIMPLE | HEAR'SAY | 3 |
| 13/01/2001 | TOUCH ME | RUI DA SILVA FT. CASSANDRA | 1 |
| 23/12/2000 | CAN WE FIX IT? | BOB THE BUILDER | 3 |
| 16/09/2000 | LADY (HEAR ME TONIGHT) | MODJO | 2 |
| 24/06/2000 | YOU SEE THE TROUBLE WITH ME | BLACK LEGEND | 1 |
| 20/05/2000 | DON'T CALL ME BABY | MADISON AVENUE | 1 |
| 06/05/2000 | BOUND 4 DA RELOAD (CASUALTY) | OXIDE & NEUTRINO | 1 |
©2020 Official Charts Company. All rights reserved.
*Date is week ending the first week the single reached Number 1
