Rock Around The Clock was Bill Haley & His Comets’ only UK and US No.1 hit – it also reached the top spot in Australia
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It may only have been 2:08 minutes in length, but – with Bill Haley’s distinctive count-in “One, two, three o’clock, four o’clock, rock” – the disc had a long-lasting and momentous impact across the world. Subject of a series of significant firsts, it was the earliest rock’n’roll recording to earn a gold record and top the pop charts in both the UK and US.
It was No.1 on the Billboard for eight weeks, peaking at No.3 on the R’n’B charts. Out on Brunswick Records in the UK, the song’s original release made it the first million-selling single in Britain. Over in Australia, issued on Festival Records, it was feted as the biggest-selling recording there at the time. Similarly, Rock Around The Clock scorched up the charts around the world.