📰 Best Selling 30 Singles & Albums – Chart : Dec. 1970

A comprehensive chart page from Sounds magazine shows McGuinness Flint’s “When I’m Dead and Gone” at No. 1 on the singles chart, with T. Rex’s “Ride a White Swan” climbing into the Top 10 at No. 12, signalling the first major chart breakthrough for the emerging glam sound.

The album chart is led by Andy Williams’ *Greatest Hits*, followed by Simon & Garfunkel’s *Bridge Over Troubled Water* and a Tamla Motown compilation, reflecting the diverse commercial landscape at the end of 1970.

This December 26, 1970 Sounds chart summary captures British music on the cusp of a major transformation — the final weeks of the 1960s era giving way to the louder, flashier glam rock explosion that would dominate the new decade.

🗞 Sounds

📅 Date: December 26, 1970

⏱ Length: 5 min read

📰 Key Highlights

• McGuinness Flint’s “When I’m Dead and Gone” holding the No. 1 position on the singles chart

• T. Rex’s “Ride a White Swan” rising to No. 12, an early indicator of glam’s chart potential

• Andy Williams’ *Greatest Hits* topping the albums chart

• Strong presence of folk-rock, soul compilations, and established artists alongside emerging acts

• Data supplied by the British Market Research Bureau/Record Retailer

📰 Overview

Published in the December 26, 1970 issue of Sounds, this chart page provides a snapshot of UK singles and albums sales in the final weeks of 1970. It reflects a transitional moment in British popular music, with traditional pop and folk-rock still dominating while the first sparks of glam rock (via T. Rex) begin to appear in the Top 30.

📰 Source Details

Publication / Venue: Sounds

Date: December 26, 1970

Format: Chart listing

Provenance Notes: Verified directly from the preserved magazine page; clean, tabular layout with bold “BEST SELLING 30” headers and ranked lists.

📰 The Story

On the singles chart, McGuinness Flint’s “When I’m Dead and Gone” sits at No. 1, with Dave Edmunds’ “I Hear You Knocking” at No. 2. T. Rex’s “Ride a White Swan” makes a notable appearance at No. 12, marking one of the earliest significant chart entries for what would become the glam rock movement. Other entries include classics like “You’ve Got Me Dangling on a String” and Elvis Presley tracks, showing the mix of pop, soul, and rock at the time.

The album chart is headed by Andy Williams’ *Greatest Hits*, with Simon & Garfunkel’s *Bridge Over Troubled Water* and Tamla Motown compilations also performing strongly. The presence of T. Rex and other rock acts hints at the shifting tastes that would define the 1970s.

📰 Visual Archive

Clean, text-heavy chart layout with bold black headers “BEST SELLING 30 SINGLES” and “BEST SELLING 30 ALBUMS.” The page features ranked lists with artist, title, and label details in a clear, structured format typical of early-1970s music weeklies.

Caption: Sounds magazine chart page for the week ending December 26, 1970, showing T. Rex’s “Ride a White Swan” at No. 12 on the singles chart.

📰 Related Material

See tabs at foot of page

📰 Closing Notes

This December 1970 Sounds chart page is a fascinating transitional document. While established artists still ruled the upper reaches, T. Rex’s rising position with “Ride a White Swan” hinted at the glam explosion that would soon transform the British charts and youth culture in the years ahead.

#1970Charts #TRex #RideAWhiteSwan #SoundsMagazine #McGuinnessFlint #GlamRock

📝 Copyright Notice

All magazine scans, photographs, and original text excerpts referenced in this entry remain the property of their respective copyright holders. This Chronicle entry is a transformative, non-commercial archival summary created for historical documentation and educational reference. No ownership of the original material is claimed or implied.

McGuinness Flint’s folk-rock gem climbs to #1 – the ultimate “I’m outta here” anthem!

McGuinness Flint’s When I'm Dead and Gone rises one place to number one on the UK Singles Chart as published in Sounds, December 26, 1970.

The British folk-rock band released "When I'm Dead and Gone" in 1970 (not 1972) as their debut single on Capitol Records – a bittersweet, banjo-driven kiss-off that topped the charts with its catchy melody and wry lyrics.

McGuinness Flint, a British folk-rock band, released "When I'm Dead and Gone" in 1970 (not 1972) as their debut single on Capitol Records. Formed by Tom McGuinness and Hughie Flint (both ex-Manfred Mann), alongside songwriters Benny Gallagher and Graham Lyle, the band blended folk, rock, and country influences. The song, written by Gallagher and Lyle, is an upbeat, reflective tune about legacy and mortality, driven by catchy melodies and tight harmonies.

Recorded at Olympic Studios in London, it featured a lively mix of acoustic guitars, piano, and a distinctive fiddle, giving it a rootsy, pub-rock feel. The single hit #2 on the UK Singles Chart in 1970 and stayed in the charts for 15 weeks, just missing the top spot. It also reached #47 on the US Billboard Hot 100. Its success helped their debut album, McGuinness Flint, chart at #11 in the UK. The song’s enduring appeal lies in its singalong quality and optimistic take on a heavy subject.