Is there any online resources compiling James Hamilton's Record Mirror charts from 20 years ago?

His taste is commendably broad and fascinatingly singular. He picks out a lot of hits well ahead of time, but is sometimes dismissive of future classics (Young Hearts Run Free springs to mind), and raves about long forgotten flops, e.g. multiple releases by his beloved Dooley Silverspoon.

New feature alert: a full alphabetical list, Guinness Book of Hit Singles-style, of all Disco Chart entries from 1975 to 1979, with highest positions and weeks on chart.

https://jameshamiltonsdiscopage.com/chart-archive/a-full-list-of-all-record-mirror-uk-disco-chart-entries-1975-1979/

I've also tabulated the longest runners in the Disco Chart. The table is often strikingly non-canonical.

https://jameshamiltonsdiscopage.com/chart-archive/longest-running-entries-on-record-mirror-uk-disco-chart-1975-1979/

oh God, this whole blog. Spotify black hole here I come.

surprising to see some of those charting so well! and all the older hits randomly showing up, several of which would seem to be headscratchers for disco. i don't suppose enough detail was shown directly on the chart (catalog #s etc.) to ascertain whether those were reissues, special mixes or what?

The chart was more pop-orientated in its earlier years, hence a lot of totally non-disco stuff charted high. For example, even in late 1977, Tom Robinson's "2-4-6-8 Motorway" managed to stay at #1 for four weeks. There was a shift of emphasis in spring 1978, when the number of contributing DJs rose dramatically and the chart expanded to a Top 90. By the end of 1978, the chart was purged of all but the very biggest pop hits, but even these charted much lower.

Errrrrrrr....

Andy Cameron
Ally’s Tartan Army / I Wanna Be A Punk Rocker (Klub) — 11 March 1978: 36, 1

People danced to it!

Laurel & Hardy
The Trail Of The Lonesome Pine (United Artists) — 3 January 1976: 9, 1

So, James Hamilton's Record Mirror columns will be coming out in book form next autumn: a 900-page hardback, no less. We've got a VERY well known person to write the introduction. It is all very exciting.

Oh great! Please update when available to buy!

I certainly will.

I see it as a UK equivalent of that Vince Aletti book in certain respects.

oh nice - congrats mike!