Published:  31 January 2026

ISBN: 978-1-7399667-2-0

Format: Paperback

Edition: First

Extent: 646 pages

Dimensions: 234 x 156 mm

RRP: £47.99

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DUE OUT 31 JANUARY 2026.

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The ULTIMATE Encyclopedia

of British Hit LPs

of the '50s and '60s

Julian Barker

Over a decade in the making, this is the ultimate reference work for people who are serious about their music.

Compiled entirely from original sources for maximum accuracy, it focuses on two of the most prolific and eventful decades of the modern popular music era. Decades that ushered in a host of new musical trends like skiffle, rock'n'roll, trad jazz, beat, folk, psychedelia, rock and soul, and witnessed the emergence of groundbreaking new stars like Elvis Presley, the Beatles and the Rolling Stones.

The main part of this encyclopedia is an Artist A-Z containing entries for every hit album by every artist. This is followed by several shorter sections covering Various Artists compilations, stage and studio cast albums, and film, radio and TV soundtracks.

Contains full details of over 1,100 hit LPs including:

   ● Label and mono/stereo catalogue numbers.

   ● Release date, recommended retail price, and details of any special packaging.

   ● Chart entry dates and peak positions attained in all five main UK LP       charts (Disc, Melody Maker, New Musical Express, Record Mirror

      and Record Retailer), as well as Budget LP charts.

   ● Number of weeks on each chart.

   ● Source of the recordings (original US release, etc.).

   ● Track listings, with artist credits where relevant.

Key aspects of chart performance (Most No.1 LPs, Most Weeks at No.1, etc.) are analysed in the Performance Statistics section.

Two comprehensive indexes of artists and song titles, medleys and musical works complete the package.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Julian Barker is a professional music researcher specialising in the 1950s and '60s. He has contributed to a multitude of books and magazines both in the UK and Europe, as well as undertaking numerous one-off projects for authors, newspapers and radio. From 1988 onwards, he also worked part-time as a music archivist and was archive consultant for The Blues Rock Explosion, voted the Sunday Times' best music reference book of 2002.

REVIEWS

"Since the first appearance of the Joel Whitburn (US) and Guinness (UK) books in the 70s, the shelves have grown thick with chart books. Do we really need another one? Well, yes, we do, and this weighty tome (646 pages) is a welcome addition to the genre.

     Recognising that there was no official UK chart until 1969, Barker explores the album listings in all five of the music publications of the era - Disc, Melody Maker, NME, Record Mirror and Record Retailer - shining a light on albums that the OCC and Guinness would have you believe were flops (Rhythm And Blues At The Flamingo, Four Sail, Hollies Sing Hollies, The Magnificent Moodies, Dusty In Memphis and many more).

     Chart nerds will lap up the details - both mono and stereo catalogue numbers, release dates, retail prices, chart performance in each magazine and full track listings for over 1100 albums, a quarter of them fully illustrated. Ever thought that Humble Pie’s debut deserved a higher chart placing? It gets one here. So do Between The Buttons, The Pretty Things, and many others, all rightly changing our perception of the way things were. Barker also includes the budget chart listings, giving chart recognition to those cheapo albums still cluttering up charity shops across the country.

     This should rightly become the go-to reference book for this era."   

Shindig!

"A terrific source book for record enthusiasts interested in 1950s Rock'n'Roll and the 1960s beat years."  Tales From The Woods

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