Marty Wilde today secured the rare feat of chart success as a singer and songwriter across eight consecutive decades on the Official Albums and Singles Chart in the UK. His album ‘Running Together’, released last week, enters the UK albums chart at number 75, marking his first chart appearance this decade.
It means that Marty’s hit-making talents have landed him success in the Official Chart Top 100 in every decade since the 1950s – as a credited performer in the 1950s, 60s, 90s, 00s, 10s and 20s, scoring six Top 10 singles and 2 Top 20 albums in his own name. Plus, in the 1970s Marty also tasted chart success as a songwriter with hits he penned for Peter Shelley (‘Love Me, Love My Dog’, number 3 in 1975) and in the 1980s for his daughter Kim Wilde (‘Kids In America’, ‘Cambodia’, ‘Love Blonde’ and ‘Four Letter Word’, to name but a few) plus Hot Chocolate’s ‘You’ll Never Be So Wrong’ in May 1981.
This feat also means that Marty’s chart success has spanned almost the entire duration of the charts themselves. The first-ever singles chart was published in November 1952 and the first Albums Chart came along in 1956, and Marty’s impressive career spans most of the charts’ lifetime – from the birth of rock n roll in the 1950s and his debut chart entry, ‘Endless Sleep’ (July 1958), right through to the present day.
The remarkable achievement comes just in time to celebrate National Album Day tomorrow, 10 October, for which Marty is an official ambassador this year.
The new album was written and recorded alongside Marty’s two daughters, Kim and Roxanne Wilde, as well as with additional input from his son Ricky.
Martin Talbot, chief executive, Official Charts Company said: “Congratulations to Marty Wilde, who confirms himself as one of the UK’s all-time greats with this very special achievement. It is quite something to be a hitmaker in any decade, so to do so across eight separate decades is quite remarkable.”
Speaking on his impressive chart success, Marty Wilde, who, together with Kim Wilde, is a National Album Day Ambassador, said: “What an honour to make the eight-decade mark, and what a journey it’s been since those first-ever charts way back in the ‘50s. I was inspired from the moment I heard Elvis Presley’s voice, and a year after he hit No1 in the UK charts, I found my debut single ‘Endless Sleep’ had shot to number 4. Now to receive this accolade as I release my new album ‘Running Together’, which I’ve recorded with my daughters Kim and Roxanne Wilde – I’m the happiest and luckiest man alive.”
Gennaro Castaldo, speaking on behalf of National Album Day and the BPI, comments: “This is a uniquely remarkable achievement by Marty Wilde that is hard to see ever happening again, and which further underlines his legendary status as one of Britain’s great pop icons.”