1980 in British music McLean's cover of Roy Orbison's "Crying". The Ska and Mod revivals reached their peak this year, with strong chart showings by The Jam, The Specials and Madness. 1970s favourites ABBA and Blondie both had their last years as chart heavyweights, clocking up 5 No.1 singles between them. David Bowie scored his second No.1 this year, while the death of John Lennon at the end of the year gave him his first chart topper (and would dominate the early months of 1981). Kate Bush became the first British female artist to have a No.1 album, and The Police finished the year
UK Albums Chart most weeks at number one by a female solo artist (and by a solo artist of either gender) with 23 weeks, 11 of which were consecutive (which is also a record for a female artist). Blossoms' "self-titled album" holds the record for having the lowest one-week sales while at the top of the chart in the modern era, when it was number one the week of 19 August 2016 on sales of only 7,948 copies. The fastest selling "debut" albums (first-week sales): Sam Smith holds the record for most weeks spent in the Top 10 by a debut album with