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1972 in British music
...| 1970s in music in the UK |
| Events |
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| By location |
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| By genre |
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This is a summary of 1972 in music in the United Kingdom, including the official charts from that year.
Events
- 20 January – The premiere of Pink Floyd's The Dark Side of the Moon at the Dome, Brighton, is halted by technical difficulties. The Dark Side of the Moon would be played in its entirety the following night, but it would be a full year before the album was released.
- 21 January – Keith Richards jumps on stage to jam with Chuck Berry at the Hollywood Palladium but is ordered off for playing too loud. Berry later claims that he did not recognise Richards and would not have booted him off the stage if he had known who he was.
- 9 February – Paul McCartney's new band, Wings, make their live debut at the University of Nottingham. It is McCartney's first public concert since the Beatles' 1966 US tour.
- 13 February – Led Zeppelin's concert in Singapore is cancelled when government officials will not let them off the aeroplane because of their long hair.
- 19 February – Paul McCartney's single "Give Ireland Back to the Irish" (which was inspired by the "Bloody Sunday" massacre in Ireland on 30 January 1972) is banned by the BBC.
- 25 March – The 17th Eurovision Song Contest is held in the Usher Hall, Edinburgh, Scotland. The only time (as of 2021) Scotland has hosted the contest.
- 16 April – Electric Light Orchestra make their live debut at the Fox and Greyhound pub in Park Lane, Croydon, England.
- 2 May – Stone the Crows lead guitarist Les Harvey is electrocuted on stage during a show in Swansea, Wales, by touching a poorly connected microphone. Harvey died in a hospital a few hours later. The band's lead singer, Maggie Bell, Harvey's longtime girlfriend, was also hospitalised, having collapsed on stage after the incident.
- 1 June – premiere of Harrison Birtwistle's The Triumph of Time in London.[1]
- 12 July – first performance of Peter Maxwell Davies's opera Taverner at the Royal Opera House.[1]
- 7 September – The UK premiere of Carré for four orchestras and four choirs by Karlheinz Stockhausen takes place at the Proms.
- 8 October – David Hughes is taken ill while singing the role of Pinkerton in Madam Butterfly in London. He completes the performance but dies shortly afterwards of heart failure.[2]
Number Ones
Singles
| Date[3] | Single | Artist |
|---|---|---|
| 8 January | "I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing (In Perfect Harmony)" |
The New Seekers |
| 15 January | ||
| 22 January | ||
| 29 January | ||
| 5 February | "Telegram Sam" | T. Rex |
| 12 February | ||
| 19 February | "Son of My Father" | Chicory Tip |
| 26 February | ||
| 4 March | ||
| 11 March | "Without You" | Nilsson |
| 18 March | ||
| 25 March | ||
| 1 April | ||
| 8 April | ||
| 15 April | "Amazing Grace" | The Pipes and the Drums and the Military Band of the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards |
| 22 April | ||
| 29 April | ||
| 6 May | ||
| 13 May | ||
| 20 May | "Metal Guru" | T. Rex |
| 27 May | ||
| 3 June | ||
| 10 June | ||
| 17 June | "Vincent" | Don McLean |
| 24 June | ||
| 1 July | "Take Me Bak 'Ome" | Slade |
| 8 July | "Puppy Love" | Donny Osmond |
| 15 July | ||
| 22 July | ||
| 29 July | ||
| 5 August | ||
| 12 August | "School's Out" | Alice Cooper |
| 19 August | ||
| 26 August | ||
| 2 September | "You Wear It Well" | Rod Stewart |
| 9 September | "Mama Weer All Crazee Now" | Slade |
| 16 September | ||
| 23 September | ||
| 30 September | "How Can I Be Sure" | David Cassidy |
| 7 October | ||
| 14 October | "Mouldy Old Dough" | Lieutenant Pigeon |
| 21 October | ||
| 28 October | ||
| 4 November | ||
| 11 November | "Clair" | Gilbert O'Sullivan |
| 18 November | ||
| 25 November | "My Ding-a-Ling" | Chuck Berry |
| 2 December | ||
| 9 December | ||
| 16 December | ||
| 23 December | "Long Haired Lover from Liverpool" | Little Jimmy Osmond |
| 30 December |
Albums
| Date[4] | Album | Artist |
|---|---|---|
| 8 January | Electric Warrior | T. Rex |
| 15 January | ||
| 22 January | ||
| 29 January | Concert for Bangla Desh | Various Artists |
| 5 February | Electric Warrior | T. Rex |
| 12 February | ||
| 19 February | Neil Reid | Neil Reid |
| 26 February | ||
| 4 March | ||
| 11 March | Harvest | Neil Young |
| 18 March | Paul Simon | Paul Simon |
| 25 March | Fog on the Tyne | Lindisfarne |
| 1 April | ||
| 8 April | ||
| 15 April | ||
| 22 April | Machine Head | Deep Purple |
| 29 April | ||
| 6 May | Prophets, Seers & Sages: The Angels of the Ages / My People Were Fair and Had Sky in Their Hair... But Now They're Content to Wear Stars on Their Brows |
T. Rex |
| 13 May | Machine Head | Deep Purple |
| 20 May | Bolan Boogie | T. Rex |
| 27 May | ||
| 3 June | ||
| 10 June | Exile on Main St. | The Rolling Stones |
| 17 June | 20 Dynamic Hits | Various Artists |
| 24 June | ||
| 1 July | ||
| 8 July | ||
| 15 July | ||
| 22 July | ||
| 29 July | ||
| 5 August | ||
| 12 August | 20 Fantastic Hits | |
| 19 August | ||
| 26 August | ||
| 2 September | ||
| 9 September | ||
| 16 September | Never a Dull Moment | Rod Stewart |
| 23 September | ||
| 30 September | 20 Fantastic Hits | Various Artists |
| 7 October | 20 All-Time Greats of the 50s | |
| 14 October | ||
| 21 October | ||
| 28 October | ||
| 4 November | ||
| 11 November | ||
| 18 November | ||
| 25 November | ||
| 2 December | 25 Rockin' and Rollin' Greats | |
| 9 December | ||
| 16 December | ||
| 23 December | 20 All-Time Greats of the 50s | |
| 30 December |