JUSTIN BIEBER CLAIMS HIS 50th UK HIT SINGLE AND HIS 5th UK NUMBER 1

Just when you though it was safe to listen to the charts again, Justin Bieber has returned to claim his 5th UK Number 1 single.  It also happens to be his 50th UK hit single, becoming just the 23rd artist (16th solo artist) to have that many hits.

He also breaks Rihanna's record, set just last year, of the youngest artist to reach 50 hit singles - Bieber is 23 years and 73 days compared to Rihanna's 27 years 351 days when she had her 50th hit single.  

The first person to have their 50th hit aged less than 30 was Elvis Presley (who else), who had his 50th hit single in August 1964 at the age of 29 years and 26 days.  This record was broken just 5 years later by Cliff Richard (again, who else), who was 28 years and 333 days when he had his 50th hit in September 1969.

Cliff held the record for more than 40 years until Rihanna took it last year, and now Bieber has reduced it further.

In terms of his chart career, only two other chart acts have reached 50 hits in a shorter time from their chart debut - the Glee Cast who had their 50th hit a mere 1 year and 34 days after their chart debut, and Drake, who beats Bieber's 7 years and 117 days by just two weeks.

As for his 5 Number Ones, only 3 artists have been younger when they had their fifth chart topper - Cliff Richard was 21 years and 91 days, Britney was 22 years 206 days and Rihanna was 22 years and 329 days.

So well done to the Biebermeister, and here he is with that fifth Number One, "I'm The One".