Multiple entries

One-hundred and four singles charted in the top 10 in 1961, with ninety-two singles reaching their peak this year. Three songs were recorded by several artists with each version reaching the top 10:

• "Michael, Row the Boat Ashore" - The Highwaymen (version known as "Michael"), Lonnie Donegan (version known as "Michael, Row the Boat")
• "Rubber Ball" - Bobby Vee, Marty Wilde
• "Sailor" - Anne Shelton, Petula Clark

Twenty-eight artists scored multiple entries in the top 10 in 1961. The Shadows secured the record for most top 10 hits in 1961 with nine hit singles, four of which were with Cliff Richard.

The Everly Brothers was one of a number of artists with two top-ten entries, including the number-one single "Walk Right Back"/"Ebony Eyes". Craig Douglas, Eden Kane, Matt Monro, Petula Clark and The Temperance Seven were among the other artists who had multiple top 10 entries in 1961.

Chart debuts

Twenty-eight artists achieved their first top 10 single in 1961, either as a lead or featured artist. Of these, seven went on to record another hit single that year: Clarence "Frogman" Henry, Del Shannon, Eden Kane, John Leyton, Karl Denver, Matt Monro and The Temperance Seven. Helen Shapiro achieved two more chart hits in 1961. Bobby Vee had three other entries in his breakthrough year.

The following table (collapsed on desktop site) does not include acts who had previously charted as part of a group and secured their first top 10 solo single.

Songs from films

Original songs from various films entered the top 10 throughout the year. These included "Wooden Heart (Muss i denn)" (from G.I. Blues), "Theme from Exodus" (Exodus), "Where the Boys Are" (Where the Boys Are), "The Frightened City" (The Frightened City), "Climb Ev'ry Mountain" (The Sound of Music), "Wild in the Country" (Wild in the Country), "When the Girl in Your Arms Is the Girl in Your Heart" (The Young Ones) and "The Time Has Come" (What a Whopper)

Additionally, the original Spanish language version of "Perfidia" sung by Desi Arnaz featured in the 1941 film Father Takes a Wife. Duane Eddy covered the title song to the comedy film Pepe. Shirley Jones had been responsible for the version on the soundtrack. American songwriter Hoagy Carmichael's recording of "(Up a) Lazy River" (simply called "Lazy River" when released by Bobby Darin) was briefly heard in the 1946 film The Best Years of Our Lives, as well as the 1959 film Hey Boy! Hey Girl!. The Marcels' version of "Blue Moon" was referenced in the Disney animated short-film A Symposium on Popular Songs. "You'll Never Know" was first introduced in the 1943 film Hello, Frisco, Hello, sung by Alice Faye, winning the Academy Award for Best Original Song at that year's ceremony.

Elvis Presley covered "What'd I Say", originally by Ray Charles, and it featured in the 1964 film Viva Las Vegas. "Mexicali Rose" appeared in the 1939 film of the same name. Similarly, "You Must Have Been a Beautiful Baby" was on the soundtrack the previous year to the film Hard to Get. "Moon River" was written for Breakfast at Tiffany's to be performed by Audrey Hepburn. Johnny Burnette's song "You're Sixteen" would later feature prominently in the 1973 film American Graffiti.

Best-selling singles

Until 1970 there was no universally recognised year-end best-sellers list. However, in 2011 the Official Charts Company released a list of the best-selling single of each year in chart history from 1952 to date. According to the list, "Wooden Heart" by Elvis Presley is officially recorded as the biggest-selling single of 1961.