The UK singles chart is the official record chart in the United Kingdom. Record charts in the UK began life in 1952 when Percy Dickins from New Musical Express (NME) imitated an idea started in American Billboard magazine and began compiling a hit parade. Prior to this, a song's popularity was measured by the sales of sheet music. Initially, Dickins telephoned a sample of around 20 shops asking for a list of the 10 best-selling songs. These results were then aggregated to give a Top 12 chart published in NME on 14 November 1952. The number-one single was "Here in My Heart" by Al Martino.
According to The Official Charts Company and Guinness' British Hit Singles & Albums, the NME is considered the official British singles chart before 10 March 1960. However, until 15 February 1969, when the British Market Research Bureau chart was established, there was no universally accepted chart. Other charts existed and different artists may have placed at number one in charts by Record Mirror, Disc or Melody Maker. Alternatively, some considered the BBC's Pick of the Pops, which averaged all these charts, to be a better indicator of the number-one single.
In terms of number-one singles, Frankie Laine, Guy Mitchell and Elvis Presley were the most successful artists of the 1950s, having four singles reach the top spot. The longest duration of a single at number one was eighteen weeks, achieved by Frankie Laine's "I Believe". "I Believe" still holds the record for the most non-consecutive weeks at the top of the UK Singles Chart. It is believed that the three best-selling records of the decade – Bill Haley & His Comets' "Rock Around the Clock", Paul Anka's "Diana" and Harry Belafonte's "Mary's Boy Child" – all sold over one million copies.
Number-one singles
+Key† Best-selling single of the year‡ Best-selling single of the decade[nb #] The song spent a week at number one where it shared the top spot with another song.
+ArtistSingleRecord labelWeek starting dateWeeks atnumber one "Here in My Heart"Capitol 9 "You Belong to Me" Columbia 1 "Comes A-Long A-Love" Capitol 1 "Outside of Heaven" His Master's Voice 1 Perry Como "Don't Let the Stars Get in Your Eyes" His Master's Voice 5 "She Wears Red Feathers" Columbia 4 "Broken Wings" Decca 1 Decca 1 "I Believe" † Philips 910 with Sally Sweetland "I'm Walking Behind You" His Master's Voice 1 "I Believe" † Philips 611 Mantovani "" Decca 1 "I Believe" † Philips 312 "Look at That Girl" Philips 613 "Hey Joe" Philips 214 "Answer Me" Decca 115 "Answer Me" Philips 7.58 "Answer Me" Decca 0.5116 "Oh Mein Papa" Columbia 917 "I See the Moon" Decca 518 "Secret Love" † Philips 1 "I See the Moon" Decca 119 "Such a Night" Philips 1 "Secret Love" †Philips 820 with Mantovani and his Orchestra "Cara Mia" Decca 91021 "Little Things Mean a Lot" Brunswick 122 "Three Coins in the Fountain"Capitol 323 "Hold My Hand" Vogue 424 "My Son, My Son" Decca 2 "Hold My Hand" Vogue 125 "This Ole House" Philips 126 "Let's Have Another Party" Philips 527 with the Stargazers "" Decca 128 "Mambo Italiano" Philips 1 with the Stargazers "" Decca 2 "Mambo Italiano" Philips 229 "Softly, Softly" Columbia 330 "Give Me Your Word"Capitol 731 Pérez Prado and his Orchestra "Cherry Pink (and Apple Blossom White)" His Master's Voice 232 "Stranger in Paradise" Philips 233 "Cherry Pink (and Apple Blossom White)" Columbia 434 "Unchained Melody" Decca 335 "Dreamboat"His Master's Voice 236 "Rose Marie" † London 1137 "" Decca 438 The Johnston Brothers "Hernando's Hideaway" Decca 239 "Rock Around the Clock" ‡Brunswick 340 "Christmas Alphabet" Decca 3 "Rock Around the Clock" ‡ Brunswick 241 "Sixteen Tons"Capitol 442 "Memories Are Made of This"Capitol 443 "It's Almost Tomorrow" Brunswick 244 "Rock and Roll Waltz" His Master's Voice 1 "It's Almost Tomorrow" Brunswick 145 "" Decca 346 "No Other Love" His Master's Voice 647 "I'll Be Home" † London 548 The Teenagers featuring Frankie Lymon"Why Do Fools Fall in Love" Columbia 349 "Whatever Will Be, Will Be (Que Sera, Sera)" Philips 650 "Lay Down Your Arms"Philips 451 "" Philips 452 "Just Walking in the Rain" Philips 753 "Singing the Blues" Philips 154 Tommy Steele"Singing the Blues" Decca 1 "Singing the Blues" Philips 155 "" Philips 3.54 "Singing the Blues"Philips 0.5156 "Young Love" London 757 "Cumberland Gap"Pye Nixa 558 "Rock-a-Billy" Philips 159 "Butterfly" London 260 "Yes Tonight Josephine" Philips 361 "Gamblin' Man" / "Puttin' On the Style" Pye Nixa 262 "All Shook Up"RCA 763 "Diana" † Columbia 964 "That'll Be the Day" Vogue Coral 365 "Mary's Boy Child" RCA 766 "Great Balls of Fire" London 267 "Jailhouse Rock" † RCA 368 "" Columbia 269 "Magic Moments" RCA 870 "Whole Lotta Woman"MGM 371 "Who's Sorry Now" MGM 672 "On the Street Where You Live"Philips 1.5273 "All I Have to Do Is Dream" / "Claudette" London 6.5774 "When" Brunswick 575 "Stupid Cupid" / "Carolina Moon" MGM 676 "It's All in the Game" MGM 377 Lord Rockingham's XI "Hoots Mon" Decca 378 "It's Only Make Believe" MGM 579 Jane Morgan "" London 180 "One Night" / "I Got Stung" RCA 381 Shirley Bassey "As I Love You" Philips 482 "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes" Mercury 183 "Side Saddle" Columbia 484 "It Doesn't Matter Anymore"Coral 385 "A Fool Such as I" / "I Need Your Love Tonight" RCA 586 "Roulette" Columbia 287 "Dream Lover" London 488 Cliff Richard and the Drifters "Living Doll" † Columbia 689 "Only Sixteen" Top Rank 490 "Here Comes Summer" London 191 "Mack the Knife"London 292 Cliff Richard and the Shadows "Travellin' Light" Columbia 593 "What Do You Want?"Parlophone 2.5394 Emile Ford and the Checkmates "What Do You Want to Make Those Eyes at Me For?"Pye 5.56
By artist The following artists achieved three or more number-one hits during the 1950s. Artists Frankie Laine, Guy Mitchell and Elvis Presley were the most successful acts of the decade in terms of number-one singles, each having four singles reach the top of the chart. In total, Laine spent 32 weeks occupying the top of chart in the 1950s; the next highest was Presley who spent a total of 18 weeks at number one. +ArtistNumber onesWeeks atnumber one432418414311The Stargazers310
By record label
The following record labels had five or more number ones on the UK Singles Chart during the 1950s.
+Record labelNumber onesPhilips20Decca15Columbia12London10His Master's Voice7Capitol6RCA6MGM5
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