Charts Company published album chart histories for each year from 1956 to 1977, researched by historian Sharon Mawer, and included an updated list of the top ten best-selling albums for each year based on the new research. The updated top ten for 1976 is shown in the table below. Bands formed Elvis Costello & the Attractions The Jam The Clash The Cure The Damned Generation X Madness UK Subs Bands disbanded Soft Machine The Pretty Things Argent Deep Purple (they reform in 1984) Classical Music: new works Benjamin Britten - Welcome Ode for young people's voices and orchestra Jonathan Harvey - I Love the Lord Alun Hoddinott - A Contemplation upon Flowers Daniel Jones - Dance Fantasy William Mathias - Zodiac Trio William Walton - Varii Capricci Opera Peter Maxwell Davies - The Martyrdom of St Magnus Iain Hamilton - Tamberlaine (radio) Film and Incidental music John Addison - Swashbuckler (US film). Musical films Bugsy Malone The Slipper and the Rose Births 16 January - Stuart Fletcher (The Seahorses) 21 January - Emma Bunton, singer (Spice Girls) and actress 8 March - Gareth Coombes (Supergrass) 15 March - Roger Ratajczak, singer (Code Red) 17 March - Stephen Gately, Irish singer (Boyzone) (died 2009) 3 April - Will Mellor, singer and actor 6 April - James Fox, singer-songwriter 18 April - Sean Maguire, singer and actor 8 May - Ian "H" Watkins (Steps) 10 May - Stuart Braithwaite, singer-songwriter and guitarist (Mogwai) 2 June - Tim Rice-Oxley (Keane) 13 June Jason "J" Brown, singer (5ive) Kym Marsh, singer (Hear'Say) 19 June - James Hearn, singer (Ultra) 22 June - Gordon Moakes (Bloc Party) 3 July - Shane Lynch, Irish singer (Boyzone) 10 July - Philip Howard, pianist and composer 28 July - David Oliver, singer (Point Break) 12 August - Stuart MacRae, composer 16 September - Tina Barrett, singer (S Club 7) 18 September - Adam Mates, Irish singer (OTT) 1 October - Richard Oakes, guitarist (Suede) 29 October - Mark Sheehan, Irish singer and guitarist (Mytown, The Script) 16 November - Dan Black (The Servant) 12 December - Dan Hawkins, English guitarist, songwriter, and producer (The Darkness and Stone Gods) 29 December - Brett Adams, singer (Point Break) Deaths 5 January - Mal Evans, Beatles' former roadie and patron of Badfinger, 40 (shot) 8 January - George Baker, singer, 90 13 January - Isolde Menges, violinist, 82 19 March -