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|work=[[BBC News]]|date=16 October 2003 |accessdate=21 February 2010}}</ref> ''[[New Musical Express]]'' (''NME'') magazine published the United Kingdom record charts for the first time in 1952.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/1234212.stm |title=The Story of the Single |work=[[BBC News]] |publisher=[[BBC|British Broadcasting Corporation]] |date=23 March 2001 |accessdate=19 May 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nme.com/news/various-artists/47828 |title='The Godfather' singer Al Martino dies |work=[[NME|New Musical Express]] |date=14 October 2009 |accessdate=22 May 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.theofficialcharts.com/company_history.php |title=Key dates in the history of the Official UK Charts (archived) |publisher=[[The Official Charts Company]] |accessdate=22 May 2010 |archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20080110032725/http://www.theofficialcharts.com/company_history.php |archivedate = 10 January 2008}}</ref> ''NME'' originally published only a top 12 (although the first chart had a couple of singles that were tied so a top 15 was announced) but this was gradually extended to encompass a top 20 by October 1954.<ref name = "Yorkshire Post">{{cite web |url=http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/features/Top-10-chart-starts-to.921080.jp |title=Top 10 chart starts to sound a little off-key |work=[[Yorkshire Post]] |date=17 January 2005 |accessdate=19 May 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.theofficialcharts.com/history_first-chart.php |title=First ever top 12: 14 November 1952|publisher=The Official Charts Company |accessdate=22 May 2010 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080110144452/http://www.theofficialcharts.com/history_first-chart.php |archivedate=10 January 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.theofficialcharts.com/history_first-top20.php |title=First ever top 20: 01 October 1954 |publisher=The Official Charts Company |accessdate=22 May 2010 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080110144457/http://www.theofficialcharts.com/history_first-top20.php |archivedate=10 January 2008}}</ref> This list shows singles that peaked in the Top 10 of the [[UK Singles Chart]] during [[1952 in British music|1952]], as well as singles which peaked in [[List of UK top 10 singles in 1953|1953]] but were in the top 10 in 1952. The entry date is when the single appeared in the top 10 for the first time (week ending, as published by the Official Charts Company, which is six days after the chart is announced).
|work=[[BBC News]]|date=16 October 2003 |accessdate=21 February 2010}}</ref> ''[[New Musical Express]]'' (''NME'') magazine published the United Kingdom record charts for the first time in 1952.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/1234212.stm |title=The Story of the Single |work=[[BBC News]] |publisher=[[BBC|British Broadcasting Corporation]] |date=23 March 2001 |accessdate=19 May 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nme.com/news/various-artists/47828 |title='The Godfather' singer Al Martino dies |work=[[NME|New Musical Express]] |date=14 October 2009 |accessdate=22 May 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.theofficialcharts.com/company_history.php |title=Key dates in the history of the Official UK Charts (archived) |publisher=[[The Official Charts Company]] |accessdate=22 May 2010 |archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20080110032725/http://www.theofficialcharts.com/company_history.php |archivedate = 10 January 2008}}</ref> ''NME'' originally published only a top 12 (although the first chart had a couple of singles that were tied so a top 15 was announced) but this was gradually extended to encompass a top 20 by October 1954.<ref name = "Yorkshire Post">{{cite web |url=http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/features/Top-10-chart-starts-to.921080.jp |title=Top 10 chart starts to sound a little off-key |work=[[Yorkshire Post]] |date=17 January 2005 |accessdate=19 May 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.theofficialcharts.com/history_first-chart.php |title=First ever top 12: 14 November 1952|publisher=The Official Charts Company |accessdate=22 May 2010 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080110144452/http://www.theofficialcharts.com/history_first-chart.php |archivedate=10 January 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.theofficialcharts.com/history_first-top20.php |title=First ever top 20: 01 October 1954 |publisher=The Official Charts Company |accessdate=22 May 2010 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080110144457/http://www.theofficialcharts.com/history_first-top20.php |archivedate=10 January 2008}}</ref> This list shows singles that peaked in the Top 10 of the [[UK Singles Chart]] during [[1952 in British music|1952]], as well as singles which peaked in [[List of UK top 10 singles in 1953|1953]] but were in the top 10 in 1952. The entry date is when the single appeared in the top 10 for the first time (week ending, as published by the Official Charts Company, which is six days after the chart is announced).


Twenty-seven singles were in the top ten in 1952. "[[Takes Two to Tango (song)|Takes Two to Tango]]" by [[Louis Armstrong]], "[[Comes A-Long A-Love]]" by [[Kay Starr]], "[[Cowpuncher's Cantata]]" by [[Max Bygraves]] "[[Walkin' to Missouri]]" by [[Tony Brent]] and "[[Britannia Rag]]" by [[Winifred Atwell]] were all released in 1952 but did not reach their peak until 1953. Nine artists scored multiple entries in the top 10 in 1952. [[Al Martino]], [[Nat King Cole]], [[Guy Mitchell]] and [[Frankie Laine]] were among the many artists who achieved their first UK charting top 10 single in 1952.
Twenty-five singles were in the top ten in 1952. "[[Takes Two to Tango (song)|Takes Two to Tango]]" by [[Louis Armstrong]], "[[Comes A-Long A-Love]]" by [[Kay Starr]], "[[Cowpuncher's Cantata]]" by [[Max Bygraves]] "[[Walkin' to Missouri]]" by [[Tony Brent]] and "[[Britannia Rag]]" by [[Winifred Atwell]] were all released in 1952 but did not reach their peak until 1953. Nine artists scored multiple entries in the top 10 in 1952. [[Al Martino]], [[Nat King Cole]], [[Guy Mitchell]] and [[Frankie Laine]] were among the many artists who achieved their first UK charting top 10 single in 1952.


The first single to reach number-one in the United Kingdom was "[[Here in My Heart]]" by [[Al Martino]]; the song debuted at the top of the charts on 9 November 1952 and spent nine consecutive weeks in that position. It was the only single to top the chart that year.<ref name = "Yorkshire Post" /><ref>{{cite web |url=http://scans.chartarchive.org/UK/1952/01%20-%2015%20November%20-%20NME%20Singles.jpg |title=Announcing the first record Hit Parade |work=[[New Musical Express]] |accessdate=22 May 2010}}</ref>
The first single to reach number-one in the United Kingdom was "[[Here in My Heart]]" by [[Al Martino]]; the song debuted at the top of the charts on 9 November 1952 and spent nine consecutive weeks in that position. It was the only single to top the chart that year.<ref name = "Yorkshire Post" /><ref>{{cite web |url=http://scans.chartarchive.org/UK/1952/01%20-%2015%20November%20-%20NME%20Singles.jpg |title=Announcing the first record Hit Parade |work=[[New Musical Express]] |accessdate=22 May 2010}}</ref>

Revision as of 10:53, 4 August 2018

1950s in music in the UK
Events
←1949
Vera Lynn (pictured in 1973) had the best-selling single of the year, "Auf Wiederseh'n Sweetheart", despite only peaking at number ten. She had a further two top 10 singles in 1952: "The Homing Waltz", which reached number nine, and "Forget Me Not, which peaked at number five.
Al Martino (pictured in 2005) made music history in November when his hit single "Here in My Heart" became the first ever number-one record in the UK Singles Chart. The song spent nine consecutive weeks at the top spot and lasted 18 weeks in the top 10 altogether.

The UK Singles Chart is one of many music charts compiled by the Official Charts Company that calculates the best-selling singles of the week in the United Kingdom.[1] Before 2004, the chart was only based on the sales of physical singles.[2][3] New Musical Express (NME) magazine published the United Kingdom record charts for the first time in 1952.[4][5][6] NME originally published only a top 12 (although the first chart had a couple of singles that were tied so a top 15 was announced) but this was gradually extended to encompass a top 20 by October 1954.[7][8][9] This list shows singles that peaked in the Top 10 of the UK Singles Chart during 1952, as well as singles which peaked in 1953 but were in the top 10 in 1952. The entry date is when the single appeared in the top 10 for the first time (week ending, as published by the Official Charts Company, which is six days after the chart is announced).

Twenty-five singles were in the top ten in 1952. "Takes Two to Tango" by Louis Armstrong, "Comes A-Long A-Love" by Kay Starr, "Cowpuncher's Cantata" by Max Bygraves "Walkin' to Missouri" by Tony Brent and "Britannia Rag" by Winifred Atwell were all released in 1952 but did not reach their peak until 1953. Nine artists scored multiple entries in the top 10 in 1952. Al Martino, Nat King Cole, Guy Mitchell and Frankie Laine were among the many artists who achieved their first UK charting top 10 single in 1952.

The first single to reach number-one in the United Kingdom was "Here in My Heart" by Al Martino; the song debuted at the top of the charts on 9 November 1952 and spent nine consecutive weeks in that position. It was the only single to top the chart that year.[7][10]

Background

Multiple entries

Twenty-five singles charted in the top 10 in 1952, with nineteen singles reaching their peak this year. "Because You're Mine" was recorded by Nat King Cole and Mario Lanza and both versions reached the top 10.

Eight artists scored multiple entries in the top 10 in 1952. American Bing Crosby and British singer Vera Lynn shared the record for most top 10 hits in 1952, both achieving three. One of Crosby's singles, "Zing a Little Zong", was a collaboration with Jane Wyman. This was one of three collaborations to record hit singles in 1952; the others were Doris Day and Frankie Laine ("Sugar Bush", which peaked at number 8), and Johnnie Ray and The Four Lads ("Faith Can Move Mountains", which reached number 7).

Crosby's debut entry in the chart was "Isle of Innisfree" which appeared in the first ever official chart at number four, rising to its peak of number 3 for three weeks from 18 December. His final single this year was "Silent Night, Holy Night", taking number 8 position in the Christmas chart. Wartime singer Vera Lynn had three singles—"The Homing Waltz", "Auf Wiederseh'n Sweetheart" and "Forget Me Not"—in the chart at the same time. "Forget Me Not" was the highest ranking that week at number 7 (it would eventually peak at number 5 the week prior to Christmas). "The Homing Waltz" reached number 9, one place higher than "Auf Wiederseh'n Sweetheart" at number 10.

Al Martino was one of a number of artists with two top-ten entries, including the number-one single "Here in My Heart". Doris Day, Frankie Laine, Johnnie Ray, Jo Stafford and Nat King Cole were the other artists who had multiple top 10 entries in 1952.

Chart debuts

Twenty-three artists achieved their first top 12 single in 1952, either as a lead or featured artist. Of these, six went on to record another hit single that year: Al Martino, Doris Day, Frankie Laine, Jo Stafford, Johnnie Ray and Nat King Cole. Bing Crosby and Vera Lynn both had three other entries in their breakthrough year.

Artist Number of top 12s First entry Chart position Other entries
Al Martino 2 "Here in My Heart" 1 "Take My Heart" (9)
Jo Stafford 2 "You Belong to Me" [A] 1 "Jambalaya (On the Bayou)" (11)
Nat King Cole 2 "Somewhere Along the Way" 3 "Because You're Mine" (6)
Bing Crosby 3 "Isle of Innisfree" 3 "Zing a Little Zong" (10), "Silent Night, Holy Night" (8)
Guy Mitchell 1 "Feet Up" 2 —
Rosemary Clooney 1 "Half as Much" 3 —
Percy Faith & His Orchestra 2 "My Love and Devotion" (10)
Vera Lynn 3 "Forget Me Not" 5 "The Homing Waltz" (9), "Auf Wiederseh'n Sweetheart" (10)
Frankie Laine 2 "High Noon (Do Not Forsake Me)" 7 "Sugar Bush" (8)
Doris Day 2 "Sugar Bush" 8 "My Love and Devotion" (10)
Ray Martin 1 "Blue Tango" 8 —
Her Majesty's Forces 2 "The Homing Waltz" 9 "Auf Wiederseh'n Sweetheart" (10)
Mario Lanza 1 "Because You're Mine" 3 —
Max Bygraves 1 "Cowpuncher's Cantata" [B] 6 —
Johnnie Ray 2 "Walkin' My Baby Back Home" 12 "Faith Can Move Mountains" (7)
The Buddy Cole Quartet 1 —
Kay Starr 1 "Comes A-Long A-Love" [C] 1 —
Jane Wyman 1 "Zing a Little Zong" 10 —
Winifred Atwell 1 "Britannia Rag" [D] 5 —
Mantovani 1 "White Christmas" 6 —
The Four Lads 1 "Faith Can Move Mountains" 7 —
Louis Armstrong 1 "Takes Two to Tango" [E] 6 —
Tony Brent 1 "Walkin' to Missouri" [F] 7 —

Songs from films

Original songs from various films entered the top 12 throughout the year. These included "Because You're Mine" (from Because You're Mine), "Isle of Innisfree" (The Quiet Man) and "Zing a Little Zong" (Just for You).

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, "Auf Wiederseh'n Sweetheart" by Vera Lynn is officially recorded as the biggest-selling single of 1952.

Top-ten singles

Key
Symbol Meaning
♦ Single released in 1952 but peaked in 1953.
(#) Year-end best-selling single.
Entered The date that the single first appeared in the chart.
Peak Highest position that the single reached in the UK Singles Chart.
Entered
(week ending) 		Weeks
in
top
10 		Single Artist Peak Peak reached
(week ending) 		Weeks
at
peak
20 November 1952 18 "Here in My Heart" [G] Al Martino 1 20 November 1952 9
19 "You Belong to Me" ♦ Jo Stafford 1 22 January 1953 1
7 "Somewhere Along the Way" Nat King Cole 3 20 November 1952 1
12 "Isle of Innisfree" Bing Crosby 3 4 December 1952 3
10 "Feet Up" Guy Mitchell 2 27 November 1952 1
9 "Half as Much" Rosemary Clooney with Percy Faith & His Orchestra 3 27 November 1952 3
6 "Forget Me Not" [H] Vera Lynn 5 18 December 1952 1
7 "High Noon (Do Not Forsake Me)" Frankie Laine 7 20 November 1952 2
8 "Sugar Bush" [I] Doris Day & Frankie Laine 8 20 November 1952 3
4 "Blue Tango" [J] Ray Martin and His Concert Orchestra 8 20 November 1952 1
3 "The Homing Waltz" Vera Lynn with Sailors, Soldiers and Airmen of Her Majesty's Forces 9 20 November 1952 2
1 "Auf Wiederseh'n Sweetheart" (#1) Vera Lynn with Soldiers and Airmen of Her Majesty's Forces 10 20 November 1952 1
24 "Because You're Mine" Mario Lanza 3 11 December 1952 3
8 "Cowpuncher's Cantata" ♦ [K] Max Bygraves 6 29 January 1953 1
27 November 1952 1 "Take My Heart" Al Martino 9 27 November 1952 1
2 "My Love and Devotion" Doris Day with Percy Faith & His Orchestra 10 27 November 1952 2
11 December 1952 16 "Comes A-Long A-Love" ♦ Kay Starr 1 29 January 1953 1
2 "Zing a Little Zong" Bing Crosby & Jane Wyman 10 11 December 1952 1
18 December 1952 6 "Britannia Rag" ♦ [L] Winifred Atwell 5 29 January 1953 1
25 December 1952 3 "White Christmas" Mantovani and His Orchestra 6 25 December 1952 2
4 "Because You're Mine" [M] Nat King Cole 6 25 December 1952 2
3 "Faith Can Move Mountains" [N] Johnnie Ray and The Four Lads 7 25 December 1952 2
2 "Silent Night, Holy Night" Bing Crosby 8 25 December 1952 2
10 "Takes Two to Tango" ♦ Louis Armstrong 6 29 January 1953 1
7 "Walkin' to Missouri" ♦ [O] Tony Brent 7 15 January 1953 1

Entries by artist

Guy Mitchell's debut UK chart entry from November 1952, "Feet Up" was also the first single to peak at number two in Britain. It had a total of 10 weeks inside the top 12.
Nat King Cole was a two-time entrant to the top 12 in the first year of the UK charts. "Somewhere Along the Way" charted highest at number three.
Bing Crosby achieved three UK top 12 entries this year, the most successful of which was "Isle of Innisfree", which reached number three in December.
See also: List of UK Singles Chart number ones of the 1950s § 1952

The following table shows artists who achieved two or more top 12 entries in 1952, including singles that reached their peak in 1953. The figures include both main artists and featured artists. The total number of weeks an artist spent in the top ten in 1952 is also shown.

Entries Artist Country of origin Weeks Singles
3 Bing Crosby  Vereinigte Staaten 9 "Isle of Innisfree", "Silent Night, Holy Night", "Zing a Little Zong"
Vera Lynn  Vereinigtes Königreich 10 "Auf Wiederseh'n Sweetheart", "Forget Me Not", "The Homing Waltz"
2 Al Martino  Vereinigte Staaten 7 "Here in My Heart", "Take My Heart"
Doris Day 7 "My Love and Devotion", "Sugar Bush"
Frankie Laine 11 "High Noon (Do Not Forsake Me)", "Sugar Bush"
Her Majesty's Forces  Vereinigtes Königreich 3 "Auf Wiederseh'n Sweetheart", "The Homing Waltz"
Johnnie Ray  Vereinigte Staaten 2 "Faith Can Move Mountains", "Walkin' My Baby Back Home"
Jo Stafford [P] 7 "Jambalaya (On the Bayou)", "You Belong to Me"
Nat King Cole 7 "Because You're Mine", "Somewhere Along the Way"
Percy Faith & His Orchestra  Kanada 8 "Half as Much", "My Love and Devotion"

Notes

  • a "You Belong to Me" reached its peak of number one on 22 January 1953 (week ending).
  • b "Cowpuncher's Cantata" reached its peak of number six on 29 January 1953 (week ending).
  • c "Comes A-Long A-Love" reached its peak of number one on 29 January 1953 (week ending).
  • d "Britannia Rag" reached its peak of number five on 29 January 1953 (week ending).
  • e "Takes Two to Tango" reached its peak of number six on 29 January 1953 (week ending).
  • f "Walkin' to Missouri" reached its peak of number seven on 15 January 1953 (week ending).
  • g "Here in My Heart" was the first ever number-one single in the UK Singles Chart.
  • h "Forget Me Not" re-entered the top 12 at number 7 on 4 December 1952 (week ending) for 5 weeks.
  • i "Sugarbush" re-entered the top 12 at number 8 on 11 December 1952 (week ending) for 6 weeks.
  • j "Blue Tango" re-entered the top 12 at number 12 on 4 December 1952 (week ending) for 2 weeks.
  • k "Cowpuncher's Cantanta" re-entered the top 12 at number 8 on 8 January 1953; at number 6 on 29 January 1953 (week ending) for 5 weeks and at number 10 on 12 March 1953 (week ending).
  • l "Britannia Rag" re-entered the top 12 at number 12 on 15 January 1953 (week ending) for 5 weeks.
  • m "Because You're Mine" re-entered the top 12 at number 10 on 29 January 1953 (week ending) and at number 11 on 19 February 1953 (week ending).
  • n "Faith Can Move Mountains" re-entered the top 12 at number 9 on 15 January 1953 (week ending).
  • o "Walkin' to Missouri" re-entered the top 12 at number 7 on 15 January 1953 (week ending) for 5 weeks.
  • p Figure includes single that peaked in 1953.



See also

References

Allgemein

  • "Six decades of singles charts". The Official Charts Company. Archived from the original on 3 March 2011. Retrieved 18 January 2018. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  • Osborne, Roger (1995). The Complete NME Singles Charts (2nd edition). Boxtree Limited.
  • Osborne, Roger; Rees, Daffyd; Lazell, Barry (1992). 40 Years of NME Charts. Boxtree Limited.

Specific

  1. ^ "The Official UK Charts Company". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
  2. ^ Roberts, David (2005). Guinness World Records: British Hit Singles and Albums (18th edition). Guinness World Records Limited. p. 14. ISBN 1-904994-00-8.
  3. ^ "New singles formats to save the charts". BBC News. 16 October 2003. Retrieved 21 February 2010.
  4. ^ "The Story of the Single". BBC News. British Broadcasting Corporation. 23 March 2001. Retrieved 19 May 2010.
  5. ^ "'The Godfather' singer Al Martino dies". New Musical Express. 14 October 2009. Retrieved 22 May 2010.
  6. ^ "Key dates in the history of the Official UK Charts (archived)". The Official Charts Company. Archived from the original on 10 January 2008. Retrieved 22 May 2010.
  7. ^ a b "Top 10 chart starts to sound a little off-key". Yorkshire Post. 17 January 2005. Retrieved 19 May 2010.
  8. ^ "First ever top 12: 14 November 1952". The Official Charts Company. Archived from the original on 10 January 2008. Retrieved 22 May 2010.
  9. ^ "First ever top 20: 01 October 1954". The Official Charts Company. Archived from the original on 10 January 2008. Retrieved 22 May 2010.
  10. ^ "Announcing the first record Hit Parade". New Musical Express. Retrieved 22 May 2010.
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