List of UK top-ten singles in 1955

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 had 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 1955, as well as singles which peaked in 1954 and 1956 but were in the top 10 in 1955. 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).

1950s in music in the UK
Events
US country music singer Slim Whitman (pictured in 1968) achieved the best-selling single of 1955 with "Rose Marie". The song lasted 17 weeks in the UK top 10 and spent 11 consecutive weeks at number-one, a chart record which remained unbroken for thirty-six years.
Rock and roll pioneers Bill Haley & His Comets achieved two UK top 10 entries this year, including their signature classic, the iconic rock and roll anthem "Rock Around the Clock", which reached number-one in November. The song would re-enter the top 10 the following year, and would become the first single to sell one million copies in the UK alone.
Legendary American singer Tony Bennett (pictured in 2015) scored his first and only UK top 10 hit in 1955 with his version of "Stranger in Paradise" from the musical Kismet. The record spent two weeks at number-one and lasted 13 weeks in the top 10. Two other versions of the song by Tony Martin and The Four Aces also made the UK top 10, both peaking at number six.

Eighty singles were in the top ten in 1955. Eleven singles from 1954 remained in the top 10 for several weeks at the beginning of the year, while "Meet Me on the Corner" by Max Bygraves, "Suddenly There's a Valley" by Petula Clark and "Twenty Tiny Fingers" by The Stargazers were all released in 1955 but did not reach their peak until 1956. "No One But You" by Billy Eckstine, "The Finger of Suspicion" by Dickie Valentine with The Stargazers and "Heartbeat" by Ruby Murray were the songs from 1954 to reach their peak in 1955. Nineteen artists scored multiple entries in the top 10 in 1955. Bill Haley & His Comets, Malcolm Vaughan, Slim Whitman, Teresa Brewer and Tony Martin were among the many artists who achieved their first UK charting top 10 single in 1955.

The 1954 Christmas number-one, "Let's Have Another Party" by Winifred Atwell, remained at number-one for the first week of 1955. The first new number-one single of the year was "The Finger of Suspicion" by Dickie Valentine with The Stargazers. Overall, fifteen different singles peaked at number-one in 1955, with Dickie Valentine and Jimmy Young (2) having the joint most singles hit that position.

Background

Multiple entries

Eighty singles charted in the top 10 in 1955, with seventy-two singles reaching their peak this year. Nine songs were recorded by several artists with each version reaching the top 10:

Nineteen artists scored multiple entries in the top 10 in 1955. Ruby Murray secured the record for most top 10 hits in 1955 with seven hit singles.

The Stargazers were one of a number of artists with three top-ten entries, including the number-one single "The Finger of Suspicion". Dean Martin, The Four Aces, Johnnie Ray and The Mellomen were among the other artists who had multiple top 10 entries in 1955.

Chart debuts

Twenty-nine artists achieved their first top 10 single in 1955, either as a lead or featured artist. Bill Haley & His Comets and Slim Whitman both had two other entries in their 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.

Artist Number of top 10s First entry Chart position Other entries
Bill Haley & His Comets 2 "Shake, Rattle and Roll" 4 "Rock Around the Clock" (1)
Tennessee Ernie Ford 1 "Give Me Your Word" 1 —
The Ames Brothers 1 "The Naughty Lady of Shady Lane" 6 —
Teresa Brewer 1 "Let Me Go, Lover!" 9 —
The Lancers
Ray Burns 1 "Mobile" 4 —
Johnny Brandon 1 "Tomorrow" 8 —
The Phantoms
Anne Warren 1 "If Anyone Finds This, I Love You" 4 —
Pérez 'Prez' Prado and His Orchestra 1 "Cherry Pink (and Apple Blossom White) (Cerisiers Roses et Pommiers Blancs)" 1 —
Tony Bennett 1 "Stranger in Paradise" 1 —
Eartha Kitt 1 "Under the Bridges of Paris" 7 —
Henri René & His Orchestra
The Crew-Cuts 1 "Earth Angel" 4 —
Tony Martin 1 "Stranger in Paradise" 6 —
The Ink Spots 1 "Melody of Love" 10 —
Al Hibbler 1 "Unchained Melody" 2 —
Les Baxter, His Chorus & Orchestra 1 "Unchained Melody" 1 —
Slim Whitman 2 "Rose Marie" 1 "Indian Love Call" (7)
Malcolm Vaughan 1 "Ev'ry Day of My Life" 5 —
Caterina Valente 1 "The Breeze and I (Andalucía)" 5 —
Werner Müller
Rias Dance Orchestra
Sammy Davis Jr. 1 "Love Me or Leave Me" 8 —
Cyril Stapleton and His Orchestra 1 "Blue Star (The Medic Theme)" 2 —
Julie Dawn
Mitch Miller with His Orchestra & Chorus 1 "The Yellow Rose of Texas" 2 —
The Johnston Brothers 1 "Hernando's Hideaway" 1 —
Pat Boone 1 "Ain't That a Shame" 7 —

Songs from films

Original songs from various films entered the top 10 throughout the year. These included "Cherry Pink (and Apple Blossom White)" (from Underwater!), "Ready, Willing and Able" (Young at Heart), "Rose Marie" & "Indian Love Call" (Rose Marie), "John and Julie" (John and Juliet), "The Man from Laramie" (The Man from Laramie), "The Yellow Rose of Texas" (Giant) and "Rock Around the Clock" (Blackboard Jungle).

Additionally, "Stranger in Paradise" (from the film Kismet) was covered by several artists who took it into the top 10 (The Four Aces, Tony Bennett and Tony Martin) and "Unchained Melody - nominated for Best Original Song at the Academy Awards for the original version by Todd Duncan - was recorded by Al Hibbler, Jimmy Young and Les Baxter, His Chorus & Orchestra, while "Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing" from the film of the same name entered the charts in a version by The Four Aces featuring Al Alberts. "Hernando's Hideaway" from The Pajama Game reached the top 10 after being released by The Johnston Brothers, and Fats Domino's version of "Ain't That a Shame" - covered by Pat Boone - was used in "Shake, Rattle & Rock!".

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, "Rose Marie" by Slim Whitman is officially recorded as the biggest-selling single of 1955. "Rock Around the Clock" by Bill Haley & His Comets (1) was ranked as the best-selling single of the decade.

Top-ten singles
Key
Symbol Meaning
‡ Single peaked in 1954 but still in chart in 1955.
♦ Single released in 1955 but peaked in 1956.
(#) 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
Singles in 1954
9 September 1954 16 "Hold My Hand" ‡ [A] Don Cornell 1 14 October 1954 5
21 October 1954 13 "This Ole House" ‡ [B] Rosemary Clooney 1 2 December 1954 1
12 "My Son, My Son" ‡ Vera Lynn and Frank Weir 1 11 November 1954 2
4 November 1954 10 "Rain Rain Rain" ‡ [C] Frankie Laine & The Four Lads 8 4 November 1954 3
25 November 1954 14 "No One But You" Billy Eckstine 3 20 January 1955 2
2 December 1954 7 "Let's Have Another Party" ‡ Winifred Atwell 1 9 December 1954 5
7 "Santo Natale (Merry Christmas)" ‡ David Whitfield 2 9 December 1954 5
9 December 1954 9 "I Still Believe" ‡ Ronnie Hilton 3 23 December 1954 3
23 December 1954 3 "Let's Get Together No. 1" ‡ The Big Ben Banjo Band 6 23 December 1954 2
14 "The Finger of Suspicion" Dickie Valentine with The Stargazers 1 13 January 1955 3
13 "Heartbeat" Ruby Murray 3 3 February 1955 1
Singles in 1955
13 January 1955 11 "Mambo Italiano" Rosemary Clooney & The Mellomen 1 20 January 1955 3
6 "Mr. Sandman" Dickie Valentine 5 10 February 1955 1
8 "Shake, Rattle and Roll" Bill Haley & His Comets 4 27 January 1955 2
20 January 1955 3 "I Can't Tell a Waltz from a Tango" Alma Cogan 6 27 January 1955 1
1 "Mr. Sandman" The Four Aces featuring Al Alberts 9 20 January 1955 1
3 February 1955 17 "Softly, Softly (La tamise et mon jardin)" Ruby Murray 1 24 February 1955 3
18 "Give Me Your Word" [D] Tennessee Ernie Ford 1 17 March 1955 7
10 February 1955 4 "The Naughty Lady of Shady Lane" The Ames Brothers 6 17 February 1955 1
6 "The Naughty Lady of Shady Lane" [E] Dean Martin 5 10 March 1955 1
24 February 1955 4 "Let Me Go, Lover!" [F] Teresa Brewer with The Lancers 9 24 February 1955 2
3 March 1955 3 "Happy Days and Lonely Nights" Ruby Murray 6 3 March 1955 1
10 March 1955 2 "Beyond the Stars" David Whitfield with Mantovani and His Orchestra 8 10 March 1955 1
5 "Let Me Go, Lover!" Dean Martin 3 31 March 1955 1
17 March 1955 5 "A Blossom Fell" Nat King Cole 3 24 March 1955 1
5 "Mobile" Ray Burns 4 24 March 1955 1
24 March 1955 2 "Let Me Go, Lover!" Ruby Murray 5 24 March 1955 1
31 March 1955 8 "(I'm Always Hearing) Wedding Bells" Eddie Fisher 5 7 April 1955 1
2 "Tomorrow" Johnny Brandon & The Phantoms 8 31 March 1955 1
1 "A Blossom Fell" Dickie Valentine 9 31 March 1955 1
7 "If Anyone Finds This, I Love You" Ruby Murray and Anne Warren 4 14 April 1955 2
7 April 1955 14 "Cherry Pink (and Apple Blossom White) (Cerisiers Roses et Pommiers Blancs)" Pérez 'Prez' Prado and His Orchestra 1 5 May 1955 2
3 "Prize of Gold" Joan Regan 6 14 April 1955 1
14 April 1955 3 "Under the Bridges of Paris" Dean Martin 6 21 April 1955 2
1 "A Blossom Fell" Ronnie Hilton 10 14 April 1955 1
21 April 1955 17 "Cherry Pink (and Apple Blossom White) (Cerisiers Roses et Pommiers Blancs)" Eddie Calvert 1 2 June 1955 4
3 "Ready, Willing and Able" [G] Doris Day 7 21 April 1955 1
13 "Stranger in Paradise (from Kismet)" Tony Bennett with Percy Faith & His Orchestra & Chorus 1 19 May 1955 2
28 April 1955 2 "Under the Bridges of Paris" Eartha Kitt with Henri René & His Orchestra 7 28 April 1955 1
14 "Earth Angel" The Crew-Cuts 4 19 May 1955 3
5 May 1955 10 "Stranger in Paradise (from Kismet)" Tony Martin 6 5 May 1955 1
12 May 1955 1 "Melody of Love" The Ink Spots 10 12 May 1955 1
19 May 1955 5 "If You Believe" [H] Johnnie Ray with Percy Faith & His Orchestra 7 26 May 1955 2
26 May 1955 11 "Unchained Melody" Al Hibbler 2 16 June 1955 4
2 June 1955 13 "Unchained Melody" Jimmy Young 1 30 June 1955 3
3 "Stranger in Paradise (from Kismet)" The Four Aces featuring Al Alberts 6 9 June 1955 1
2 "Unchained Melody" [I] Les Baxter, His Chorus & Orchestra 10 2 June 1955 2
9 June 1955 13 "Dreamboat" Alma Cogan 1 21 July 1955 2
23 June 1955 6 "Where Will the Dimple Be?" Rosemary Clooney & The Mellomen 6 30 June 1955 1
7 July 1955 8 "I Wonder" Dickie Valentine 4 21 July 1955 1
14 July 1955 13 "Evermore" Ruby Murray 3 28 July 1955 3
17 "Cool Water" Frankie Laine with The Mellomen 2 11 August 1955 5
21 July 1955 17 "Rose Marie" (#1) [D] Slim Whitman 1 4 August 1955 11
4 August 1955 8 "Ev'ry Day of My Life" Malcolm Vaughan 5 8 September 1955 1
16 "Ev'rywhere" David Whitfield 3 29 September 1955 1
11 August 1955 9 "Strange Lady in Town" Frankie Laine 6 18 August 1955 2
18 August 1955 10 "Learnin' the Blues" Frank Sinatra 2 1 September 1955 5
1 September 1955 4 "Indian Love Call" [J] Slim Whitman 7 1 September 1955 1
9 "The Breeze and I (Andalucía)" Caterina Valente with Werner Müller and the Rias Dance Orchestra 5 15 September 1955 2
8 September 1955 3 "John and Julie" Eddie Calvert 6 8 September 1955 2
22 September 1955 5 "Close the Door" The Stargazers 6 6 October 1955 1
29 September 1955 11 "The Man from Laramie" Jimmy Young 1 20 October 1955 4
1 "Love Me or Leave Me" Sammy Davis Jr. 8 29 September 1955 1
6 October 1955 8 "Blue Star (The Medic Theme)" Cyril Stapleton and His Orchestra with Julie Dawn 2 27 October 1955 2
13 October 1955 12 "The Yellow Rose of Texas" Mitch Miller with His Orchestra & Chorus 2 11 November 1955 1
20 October 1955 7 "Hey There" Rosemary Clooney 4 24 November 1955 1
27 October 1955 20 "Rock Around the Clock" [K] Bill Haley & His Comets 1 1 December 1955 5
6 "Hey There" Johnnie Ray 5 17 November 1955 2
9 "Hernando's Hideaway" The Johnston Brothers 1 17 November 1955 2
10 November 1955 3 "I'll Come When You Call" Ruby Murray 6 17 November 1955 1
17 November 1955 9 "Let's Have a Ding Dong" Winifred Atwell 3 8 December 1955 1
24 November 1955 1 "Song of the Dreamer" Johnnie Ray 10 24 November 1955 1
1 December 1955 11 "Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing" The Four Aces featuring Al Alberts 2 1 December 1955 2
4 "Ain't That a Shame" Pat Boone 7 15 December 1955 1
8 "Twenty Tiny Fingers" ♦ The Stargazers 4 12 January 1956 1
8 December 1955 6 "Christmas Alphabet" Dickie Valentine 1 22 December 1955 3
8 "Meet Me on the Corner" ♦ Max Bygraves 2 12 January 1956 1
15 December 1955 5 "Suddenly There's a Valley" ♦ [L] Petula Clark 7 12 January 1956 1
22 December 1955 2 "When You Lose the One You Love" David Whitfield with Mantovani and His Orchestra 7 22 December 1955 1
29 December 1955 3 "Hawkeye" Frankie Laine 7 29 December 1955 2

Entries by artist
See also: List of UK Singles Chart number ones of the 1950s § 1955
US singer and actress Rosemary Clooney achieved four UK top 10 entries this year. She scored her second number-one single in January with "Mambo Italiano", while her first chart-topper from October 1954, "This Ole House", remained in the top 10 for several weeks at the start of this year.
London-born singer Alma Cogan (pictured in 1963) had two songs in the UK top 10 in 1955, including her only number-one single, "Dreamboat", which hit the top spot for two weeks in July.

The following table shows artists who achieved two or more top 10 entries in 1955, including singles that reached their peak in 1954 or 1956. The figures include both main artists and featured artists. The total number of weeks an artist spent in the top ten in 1955 is also shown.

Entries Artist Country of origin Weeks Singles
7 Ruby Murray [M]  United Kingdom 56 "Evermore", "Happy Days and Lonely Nights", "Heartbeat", "If Anyone Finds This, I Love You", "I'll Come When You Call", "Let Me Go, Lover!", "Softly, Softly (La tamise et mon jardin)"
5 Dickie Valentine [M] 31 "A Blossom Fell", "Christmas Alphabet", "The Finger of Suspicion", "I Wonder", "Mr. Sandman"
4 David Whitfield [N] 22 "Beyond the Stars", "Ev'rywhere", "Santo Natale (Merry Christmas)", "When You Lose the One You Love"
Frankie Laine [N]  United States 31 "Cool Water", "Hawkeye", "Rain Rain Rain", "Strange Lady in Town"
Rosemary Clooney [N] 29 "Hey There", "Mambo Italiano", "This Ole House", "Where Will The Dimple Be?"
3 Al Alberts 9 "Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing", "Mr. Sandman", "Stranger in Paradise"
Dean Martin 14 "Let Me Go, Lover!", "The Naughty Lady of Shady Lane", "Under the Bridges of Paris"
The Four Aces 9 "Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing", "Mr. Sandman", "Stranger in Paradise"
Johnnie Ray 12 "Hey There," "If You Believe", "Song of the Dreamer"
The Mellomen 34 "Cool Water", "Mambo Italiano", "Where Will the Dimple Be?"
The Stargazers [O]  United Kingdom 22 "Close the Door", "The Finger of Suspicion", "Twenty Tiny Fingers"
2 Alma Cogan 16 "Dreamboat", "I Can't Tell a Waltz from a Tango"
Bill Haley & His Comets  United States 18 "Rock Around the Clock", "Shake, Rattle and Roll"
Eddie Calvert  United Kingdom 20 "Cherry Pink (and Apple Blossom White) (Cerisiers Roses et Pommiers Blancs)", "John and Julie"
Jimmy Young 24 "The Man from Laramie", "Unchained Melody"
Mantovani and His Orchestra  Italy 4 "Beyond the Stars", "When You Lose the One You Love"
Percy Faith  Canada 18 "If You Believe", "Stranger in Paradise"
Ronnie Hilton [N]  United Kingdom 6 "A Blossom Fell", "I Still Believe"
Slim Whitman  United States 21 "Indian Love Call", "Rose Marie"
Winifred Atwell [N]  Trinidad and Tobago 9 "Let's Have Another Party", "Let's Have a Ding Dong"

Notes
  • a "Hold My Hand" re-entered the top 10 at number 7 on 13 January 1955 (week ending).
  • b "This Ole House" re-entered the top 10 at number 5 on 4 November 1954 (week ending) for 10 weeks and at number 10 on 20 January 1955 (week ending) for 2 weeks.
  • c "Rain Rain Rain" re-entered the top 10 at number 9 on 16 December 1954 (week ending) for 4 weeks and at number 8 on 27 January 1955 (week ending).
  • d "Give Me Your Word" is recorded as the best-selling single of the year by some sources but the Official Charts Company lists "Rose Marie" as its best-seller.[10]
  • e "The Naughty Lady of Shady Lane" (Dean Martin version) re-entered the top 10 at number 7 on 24 March 1955 (week ending).
  • f "Let Me Go Lover" (Teresa Brewer with The Lancers version) re-entered the top 10 at number 10 on 24 March 1955 (week ending).
  • g "Ready, Willing and Able" re-entered the top 10 at number 9 on 21 April 1955 (week ending) for 2 weeks.
  • h "If You Believe" re-entered the top 10 at number 8 on 9 June 1955 (week ending) for 3 weeks.
  • i "Unchained Melody" (Les Baxter version) re-entered the top 10 at number 10 on 30 June 1955 (week ending).
  • j "Indian Love Call" re-entered the top 10 at number 10 on 13 October 1955 (week ending).
  • k "Rock Around the Clock" re-entered the top 10 at number 8 on 18 October 1956 (week ending) for 5 weeks.
  • l "Suddenly There's a Valley" re-entered the top 10 at number 9 on 29 December 1955 (week ending) for 4 weeks.
  • m Figures includes single that first charted in 1954 but peaked in 1955.
  • n Figure includes single that peaked in 1954.
  • o Figure includes single that peaked in 1956.

See also

References

General

  • "Six decades of singles charts". The Official Charts Company. Archived from the original on 3 March 2011. Retrieved 18 January 2018.

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. 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". The Official Charts Company. Archived from the original on 10 January 2008. Retrieved 22 May 2010.CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  7. "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. "1950s Singles Chart Archive". everyHit.com. Retrieved 9 February 2018.
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