The first ever official singles chart consisted of a Top 12 although there were a total of 15 singles due to joint positions.

It was published by NME.

Here they are:

 

1. Al Martino - Here In My Heart

 

2. Jo Stafford - You Belong To Me

 

3. Nat King Cole - Somewhere Along The Way

 

4. Bing Crosby - Isle Of Innisfree

 

5. Guy Mitchell - Feet Up

 

6. Rosemary Clooney - Half As Much

 

j7. Vera Lynn - Forget Me Not

 

j7. Frankie Laine - High Noon

 

j8. Ray Martin - Blue Tango

 

j8. Doris Day & Frankie Laine - Sugarbush

 

9. Vera Lynn - Homing Waltz

 

10. Vera Lynn - Auf Wiederseh'n Sweetheart

 

j11. Mario Lanza - Because You're Mine

 

j11. Max Bygraves - Cowpunchers Cantata

 

12. Johnnie Ray - Walking My Baby Back Home

 

You can see this & the complete official charts week by week at 5 yearly intervals HERE

I wonder how many sales there were back then - im pretty sure although they were obviously ALL NEW ENTRIES alot of them were older songs that had been recorded a few years before - such as the Vera Lynn tracks.

 

BBC Breakfast did a 'piece' about the 1st Chart & current Chart, this morning.

 

They played the 1st Top 10 to several little kids, & the current Top 10 to several

much older people.

 

The views of both are interesting to hear. The kids are far less tolerant of 1952

Music, than the adults are of 2012 Music.

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-20308367

Yeah saw this earlier but didnt realise that they were talking about the anniversary. The older ones seemed to like Candy lol!

The first ever official singles chart consisted of a Top 12 although there were a total of 15 singles due to joint positions.

It was published by NME.

Here they are:

 

1. Al Martino - Here In My Heart

 

2. Jo Stafford - You Belong To Me

 

3. Nat King Cole - Somewhere Along The Way

 

4. Bing Crosby - Isle Of Innisfree

 

5. Guy Mitchell - Feet Up

 

6. Rosemary Clooney - Half As Much

 

j7. Vera Lynn - Forget Me Not

j7. Frankie Laine - High Noon

 

j8. Ray Martin - Blue Tango

j8. Doris Day & Frankie Laine - Sugarbush

 

9. Vera Lynn - Homing Waltz

 

10. Vera Lynn - Auf Wiederseh'n Sweetheart

 

j11. Mario Lanza - Because You're Mine

j11. Max Bygraves - Cowpunchers Cantata

 

12. Johnnie Ray - Walking My Baby Back Home

 

Vera Lynn is the only one of these I'm sure is still alive.

 

Music from charts in 1952 >>>>> Music from charts in 2012

Rosemary Clooney - Half As Much is my favourite song here :wub:

I wonder how many sales there were back then - im pretty sure although they were obviously ALL NEW ENTRIES alot of them were older songs that had been recorded a few years before - such as the Vera Lynn tracks.

Well it was just not based on sales, Steve.

 

Here's how that chart was compiled.

 

NME take 25 Charts of Top 20 sellers, from 25 Shops.

 

Then, those 25 charts have their positions averaged out.

 

So, 20 points for a #1, 19 for a #2, all the way down to 1 point for a #20.

 

Likely Al Martino achieved 500 points for his #1, at a maximum. The rest is worked out into a top 12, with all ties, making it a top 15 & very close to the Sheet Musc Charts. Which were launched by Melody Maker, before the war. Then given a breather. It was about the end of 1955, when Singles started to overtake Sheet Music.

 

No Radio Station in the UK, broadcasted Singles Charts, until March 1958 (that being the Pick Of The Pops almagamated averaged NME/MM/DISC/Record Mirror top 20s.

 

Radio Luxembourg dropped the Sheet Music Chart, for the NME Top 20 in January 1960. From July 1966, NME supplied them, with a weekend top 20 (different from the one in the paper). From March 1967, Radio Luxembourg used their own made up chart, until 1978, when they began to use the Record Business Top 30.

 

BBC LIGHT PROGRAMME continued with Average charts. Dropping Record Mirror in May 1960, so they just averaged NME, DISC & MELODY MAKER. On the 31st March, the average featured NME, DISC, MELODY MAKER & Record Retailer. Though Record Retailer was slated for having small polls of just 30 shops & separated hidden tied positions, whilst other papers had 75, 100 & 150 polled shops. Melody Maker swallowed up DISC's chart in 1967. So the BBC average used NME, DISC & RECORD RETAILER. A mistake in NME in August 1968, led to a wrong 3 way tie, on the BBC Top 30.

 

This led to the forming a first computerised sales panel chart on 11th Feb 1969. Though this was also open to many short falls of returns, right up to the mid 70s. It wasn't really accepted by most people, until mid 1971.

 

If anyone starts talking about Official Charts, before 1969...Then, they are LYING! Coz, there wasn't one.

 

 

Very informative, Dave. Thanks.

1. Al Martino - Here In My Heart

 

2. Jo Stafford - You Belong To Me

 

3. Nat King Cole - Somewhere Along The Way

 

4. Bing Crosby - Isle Of Innisfree

 

5. Guy Mitchell - Feet Up

 

6. Rosemary Clooney - Half As Much

 

j7. Vera Lynn - Forget Me Not

j7. Frankie Laine - High Noon

 

j8. Ray Martin - Blue Tango

j8. Doris Day & Frankie Laine - Sugarbush

 

9. Vera Lynn - Homing Waltz

 

10. Vera Lynn - Auf Wiederseh'n Sweetheart

 

j11. Mario Lanza - Because You're Mine

j11. Max Bygraves - Cowpunchers Cantata

 

12. Johnnie Ray - Walking My Baby Back Home

 

 

Vera Lynn is the only one of these I'm sure is still alive.

 

One out - Doris Day is also still alive

 

Al Martino died 2009 aged 82 -- He also had a massive hit in 1972 -- remember Spanish Eyes

Jo Stafford died 2008 aged 90

Nat King Cole died 1965 aged 45

Bing Crosby died 1977 aged 74

Guy Mitchell died 1999 aged 72

Rosemary Clooney died 2002 aged 74

Vera Lynn - now 95

Frankie Laine died 2007 aged 93

Ray Martin died 1998 aged 69

Doris Day - now 88

Mario Lanza died 1959 aged 42

Max Bygraves died 2012 aged 89

Johnnie Ray died 1990 aged 63

Well it was just not based on sales, Steve.

 

Here's how that chart was compiled.

 

NME take 25 Charts of Top 20 sellers, from 25 Shops.

 

Then, those 25 charts have their positions averaged out.

 

So, 20 points for a #1, 19 for a #2, all the way down to 1 point for a #20.

 

Likely Al Martino achieved 500 points for his #1, at a maximum. The rest is worked out into a top 12, with all ties, making it a top 15 & very close to the Sheet Musc Charts. Which were launched by Melody Maker, before the war. Then given a breather. It was about the end of 1955, when Singles started to overtake Sheet Music.

 

No Radio Station in the UK, broadcasted Singles Charts, until March 1958 (that being the Pick Of The Pops almagamated averaged NME/MM/DISC/Record Mirror top 20s.

 

Radio Luxembourg dropped the Sheet Music Chart, for the NME Top 20 in January 1960. From July 1966, NME supplied them, with a weekend top 20 (different from the one in the paper). From March 1967, Radio Luxembourg used their own made up chart, until 1978, when they began to use the Record Business Top 30.

 

BBC LIGHT PROGRAMME continued with Average charts. Dropping Record Mirror in May 1960, so they just averaged NME, DISC & MELODY MAKER. On the 31st March, the average featured NME, DISC, MELODY MAKER & Record Retailer. Though Record Retailer was slated for having small polls of just 30 shops & separated hidden tied positions, whilst other papers had 75, 100 & 150 polled shops. Melody Maker swallowed up DISC's chart in 1967. So the BBC average used NME, DISC & RECORD RETAILER. A mistake in NME in August 1968, led to a wrong 3 way tie, on the BBC Top 30.

 

This led to the forming a first computerised sales panel chart on 11th Feb 1969. Though this was also open to many short falls of returns, right up to the mid 70s. It wasn't really accepted by most people, until mid 1971.

 

If anyone starts talking about Official Charts, before 1969...Then, they are LYING! Coz, there wasn't one.

 

If anyone starts talking about Official Charts, before 1969...Then, they are LYING! Coz, there wasn't one.

 

The charts used for Guinness Book Of British Hit Singles were known as the official charts as follows:

It used the NME charts until 4 March 1960.

With its issue of 10 March 1960, Record Retailer became a weekly magazine and started a chart showing the top 50 records in sales.

The publication was relaunched on 18 March 1972 as Music Week and it still publishes the Official Chart Company charts is used to to the present day.

 

From 1962 until April 1991 the now defunct Record Mirror magazine printed the official charts.

The charts used for Guinness Book Of British Hit Singles were known as the official charts as follows:

It used the NME charts until 4 March 1960.

With its issue of 10 March 1960, Record Retailer became a weekly magazine and started a chart showing the top 50 records in sales.

The publication was relaunched on 18 March 1972 as Music Week and it still publishes the Official Chart Company charts is used to to the present day.

 

From 1962 until April 1991 the now defunct Record Mirror magazine printed the official charts.

They were not known as Official Charts until 1969. No Official existed before then. When will you understand that? All are you just hypnotised, by what is put around today? The only reason Guiness chose NME & Record Retailer was because they were the first to increase to a Top 30 & Top 50. It didn't make them official. There wasn't an official chart. You could say the chart the BBC always used was official too...but it wasn't until 69 & even then (like I explained it wasn't fully excepted, until 1971).

 

I know. I lived through the 50s & 60s & followed the charts. You didn't even see Record Retailer in the shops. HMV displayed the Melody Maker Chart or the EMI Chart (depending on store). No radio station played out Record Retailer's chart, no Newspapers carried it. Even Billboard used the same Weekend NME chart, as Radio Luxembourg. Why wasn't it used by anyone? Because it had a very very low sample. Not even worth a mention. That's the real reason, they dumped their own chart to put money into the company of the British Market Research Bureau, along with the BBC, to make a more "proper" chart, as they knew their own charts, were not very well compiled, like the BBC's.

 

You call yourself "Europe's Biggest Music Fan", but don't even know the real British history of charts. The only thing true, that you've said is that NME were the first to publish a Record Chart, but it wasn't based on actual sales, anyway. No chart was. Until 69. Before that it was averages & points for the lot...even Record Retailer used an average points system, not disimilar to the BBC, who just lumped the lot together for a better idea, even though slightly flawed.

 

All you have in you "Guiness Book Of Hit Singles" is a decided chart in 1977, by an American, A local Radio DJ & a couple of lyricists. Which is fact. In actual fact, that book should of featured every chart position, of every charting single from NME, DISC, MELODY MAKER, RECORD MIRROR & RECORD RETAILER, up until 1969 & then (only then) switched to the British Market Research Bureau chart...but they didn't & even Gambaccini, admits that. But he's more bothered about appearing on various pop pundit shows (usually after someone has died) instead of getting his act together by doing a proper chart book.

Edited November 13, 201212 yr by davetaylor

Dave: you may be interested to know that the OCC have now acknowledged that there was no official chart until 1969, in the Million Sellers book that has just been published. The book does discuss the situation in the 60s where various charts were compiled and none carried the title of being an official chart. The BBC chart is also discussed. Indeed the author of the OCC book does say that the Record Retailer chart became a retrospective official chart.

 

The Guinness Book Of British Hit Singles (the original publication from 1977, not subsequent editions) never attempted to pretend that the Record Retailer chart was an official chart but the massive success of the book created a myth that it was THE chart of record. However in subsequent editions the authors did little to discourage the general belief that the book was based around an official chart for the 1960s.

 

Edit: I've added this as an addendum rather than editing my above post. I think the acknowledgement by the OCC that the Record Retailer chart wasn't the official chart for the 1960s may have been in the "60 Years Of The Official Singles Chart" supplement (published by the OCC) that was included in the Music Week issue dated 9 November 2012. I read both the OCC book and the OCC Music Week supplement on the same day last week so I can't remember which publication stated that. I'll check out which one it was tomorrow though I now believe it may have been the latter publication.

Edited November 13, 201212 yr by Robbie

The OCC's 60 years supplement does acknowledge that the first chart worthy of the label "official" was published in February 1969. I think I also saw something to that effect when browsing the Million Sellers book so it may be in both.

 

The problem with expunging everything before 1969 from chart records is that the Beatles would almost disappear from singles chart history which would look rather odd. The figures may not be wholly accurate but surely they deserve to be seen as the most successful chart act of all time.

Thanks Robbie & Suedehead.

 

Like I previously argued though, it would of been better if all positions from NME, Melody Maker, Disc, Record Mirror, Record Retailer & the BBC charts were all noted in the Guiness Books. I believe a book of US chart positions, did this with Billboard & Cashbox etc, in the 80s & was quite well put together.

 

Clive Solomans "Record Hits" was a bit short of that in the UK in 1976, though it did cover E.P.s from Melody Maker & listed Record Mirror positions too.

 

I think a better book could be put together, to feature all the above chart positions & indeed include the Sheet Music positions too, as they practically ran alongside records quite well abeit a few instrumental pieces, that sold better on the Sheet Music circuit, like "Forgotten Dreams" for instance in 1957. Certainly Melody Maker did start a Sheet Music chart, in the late 30s, but the War came along & it stopped it.

Dave: you may be interested to know that the OCC have now acknowledged that there was no official chart until 1969, in the Million Sellers book that has just been published. The book does discuss the situation in the 60s where various charts were compiled and none carried the title of being an official chart. The BBC chart is also discussed. Indeed the author of the OCC book does say that the Record Retailer chart became a retrospective official chart.

 

The Guinness Book Of British Hit Singles (the original publication from 1977, not subsequent editions) never attempted to pretend that the Record Retailer chart was an official chart but the massive success of the book created a myth that it was THE chart of record. However in subsequent editions the authors did little to discourage the general belief that the book was based around an official chart for the 1960s.

 

Edit: I've added this as an addendum rather than editing my above post. I think the acknowledgement by the OCC that the Record Retailer chart wasn't the official chart for the 1960s may have been in the "60 Years Of The Official Singles Chart" supplement (published by the OCC) that was included in the Music Week issue dated 9 November 2012. I read both the OCC book and the OCC Music Week supplement on the same day last week so I can't remember which publication stated that. I'll check out which one it was tomorrow though I now believe it may have been the latter publication.

 

 

Im gutted my WH Smith in belfast didnt have any of last weeks MW - was their a history of the charts or anything like that? :(

Im gutted my WH Smith in belfast didnt have any of last weeks MW - was their a history of the charts or anything like that? :(

Actually Easons had 4 copies of Music Week on sale yesterday, but none of them had the Chart Supplement. I was told that they were not sent to Belfast. The staff told me an alternative explanation might be that they were stolen!

They have asked their supplier to send over a copy of Music Week with the supplement. So phone up Easons and order one.

 

I have downloaded the digital pdf copy of Music Week but there was no supplement in it.

Can you download a pdf of the supplement if you are a Music Week subscriber?

 

Can you download a pdf of the supplement if you are a Music Week subscriber?

 

 

No you can't download the supplement which is a pain, I suggest to contact MW and say you didn't receive the supplement with the main magazine, I'm sure they send one to you. If the mag came shrinkwrapped I don't think the supplement would have been stolen, its more of a case they forgot to slip one in, it has happened to me with free CDs, somehow it was not included within the mag.

Ive never once got the cds in the belfast WHSmith/Easons - they never arrive and ive asked them too but they dont know what im talking about!

 

Actually Easons had 4 copies of Music Week on sale yesterday, but none of them had the Chart Supplement. I was told that they were not sent to Belfast. The staff told me an alternative explanation might be that they were stolen!

They have asked their supplier to send over a copy of Music Week with the supplement. So phone up Easons and order one.

 

I have downloaded the digital pdf copy of Music Week but there was no supplement in it.

Can you download a pdf of the supplement if you are a Music Week subscriber?

 

 

Was that last weeks copy?