Thanks to Robbie at Haven for this story.

 

The OCC have sanctioned the publication of a book of singles charts from January 1940 (just a few months into World War II) to October 1952, just before the first NME chart was published. Obviously they cannot possibly be wholly accurate but it should be a fascinating read. Fittingly, given the timing, the first number one in this list is We'll Meet Again by the forces' sweetheart herself Vera Lynn. It would also mean that the singer of the first number one is still alive well over 70 years later.

 

http://www.missingcharts.co.uk/

 

Oh wow, this will be a welcome addition to my collection. I just hope the book is the same size as the Million Sellers, as it be so easy to read through.

Am I the only one who's a little bit skeptical about this? It will certainly be an interesting read and I'll almost certainly buy it, but it just seems a bit odd to have come to light now, and very odd that the OCC are involved with something that predates them by between 42 and 54 years. It seems to me convenient that this chart began in the same year as the US Billboard charts, thus making the British and US chart historys now become apparent equals (UK actually just predating the US by a few months!) if this new set of charts become at least partly canonical to future chartologists, and also it's interesting that it was stopped so abruptly when NME began their charts in 1952 (within about 6 weeks based on the foreword on the site linked above) since there would have been no guarantees at that point that NME would continue their charts for any period of time (music papers had, I believe, compiled the odd chart before NME began, and then quietly dropped them again, so it was always possible in the early years that NME would do like wise). The ending in late 1952, at the date NME started their chart, does also mean we can't easily compare this chart and the NME ones to judge whether they seem to roughly concur or not. And lastly, whilst not meaning to be in any way disrespectful about the death of Colin, the guy who compiled all these charts, it also seems a little convenient that they have come to light shortly after his death, and that therefore he is no longer around to give out any real information on how they were compiled.

Despite all my skepticism above though, I am really excited to see these new charts and will buy the book (cash flow permitting), and I hope all my skepticism proves unfounded.

Will be interesting to see how popular White Christmas (and The Christmas Song perhaps?) was.

Am I the only one who's a little bit skeptical about this? It will certainly be an interesting read and I'll almost certainly buy it, but it just seems a bit odd to have come to light now, and very odd that the OCC are involved with something that predates them by between 42 and 54 years. It seems to me convenient that this chart began in the same year as the US Billboard charts, thus making the British and US chart historys now become apparent equals (UK actually just predating the US by a few months!) if this new set of charts become at least partly canonical to future chartologists, and also it's interesting that it was stopped so abruptly when NME began their charts in 1952 (within about 6 weeks based on the foreword on the site linked above) since there would have been no guarantees at that point that NME would continue their charts for any period of time (music papers had, I believe, compiled the odd chart before NME began, and then quietly dropped them again, so it was always possible in the early years that NME would do like wise). The ending in late 1952, at the date NME started their chart, does also mean we can't easily compare this chart and the NME ones to judge whether they seem to roughly concur or not. And lastly, whilst not meaning to be in any way disrespectful about the death of Colin, the guy who compiled all these charts, it also seems a little convenient that they have come to light shortly after his death, and that therefore he is no longer around to give out any real information on how they were compiled.

Despite all my skepticism above though, I am really excited to see these new charts and will buy the book (cash flow permitting), and I hope all my skepticism proves unfounded.

He started compiling them in 1948 and then compiled the earlier charts retrospectively so the start date may well have been chosen to coincide roughly with the start of the US charts.

Knew Colin very well & in actual fact, these charts are much more accurate, then anything that Gambaccini & his cronies, ever decided to use. Though, it was a shame Colin stopped in 1952. He should of continued until the 70s.

 

I believe he used shop orders, to process these charts & also used Woolworths, which no other company did, until July 1975. It will be good to see these again. Many of the #1s mirror the Sheet music charts & they started in the mid 30s.

Am I the only one who's a little bit skeptical about this? It will certainly be an interesting read and I'll almost certainly buy it, but it just seems a bit odd to have come to light now, and very odd that the OCC are involved with something that predates them by between 42 and 54 years. It seems to me convenient that this chart began in the same year as the US Billboard charts, thus making the British and US chart historys now become apparent equals (UK actually just predating the US by a few months!) if this new set of charts become at least partly canonical to future chartologists, and also it's interesting that it was stopped so abruptly when NME began their charts in 1952 (within about 6 weeks based on the foreword on the site linked above) since there would have been no guarantees at that point that NME would continue their charts for any period of time (music papers had, I believe, compiled the odd chart before NME began, and then quietly dropped them again, so it was always possible in the early years that NME would do like wise). The ending in late 1952, at the date NME started their chart, does also mean we can't easily compare this chart and the NME ones to judge whether they seem to roughly concur or not. And lastly, whilst not meaning to be in any way disrespectful about the death of Colin, the guy who compiled all these charts, it also seems a little convenient that they have come to light shortly after his death, and that therefore he is no longer around to give out any real information on how they were compiled.

Despite all my skepticism above though, I am really excited to see these new charts and will buy the book (cash flow permitting), and I hope all my skepticism proves unfounded.

Indeed.

Where has this suddenly popped up from? I was never aware that there were any record charts at all prior to November 1952, 'missing' or otherwise. Sheet music charts yes, but this chart is for 78s. It struck me too that it begins in 1940, the same year as Billboard and indeed conveniently stops just before the 'real' chart begins.

So are these charts going to become canonical and reshuffle the official '500th #1', '1,000th #1' etc.? :unsure:

So are these charts going to become canonical and reshuffle the official '500th #1', '1,000th #1' etc.? :unsure:

Well that was all nonsense anyway. If they were going to start anywhere, it has to be February 11th 1969 & the first Sales based chart of British Market Research Bureau. Not some rubbish points based thing of all the others. They just never worked.

Cynicism doesn't answer my question!

I wonder if it will change the sales as well, if that's possible.

This sort of stuff would be rejected by "Wikipedia" as "original research"!

I've been told that the biggest UK Singles Chart Act, from 1940 to October 1952, was Bing Crosby.

 

This is shown in the Book, apparently.

 

I'm not surprised. He had about 41 USA No.1 Hits from 1927 to 1948. With 27 of them pre-dating 1940 & Billboard.

 

In Australia, he had about 29 No.1 Hits from 1943 to 1957. With 24 of them from 1943 to 1949. Until 1949 the Australian

Charts were Monthly. In 1945 he was No.1 from February to December. There were 7 No.1's in that time, & all were by him.

 

So, if someone were to combine the Data in the Missing Charts Book, with November 1952 to 2013 Chart History, we may well

find that Bing Crosby has more No.1's than Elvis Presley, (21), & The Beatles, (17).

Edited September 9, 201311 yr by zeus555

Any more news on the publication date of this? I believe it was meant to be early November, but amazon says it doesn't know when or if it will become available, so has it been delayed or shelved?

Any more news on the publication date of this? I believe it was meant to be early November, but amazon says it doesn't know when or if it will become available, so has it been delayed or shelved?

I was wondering about this myself last week. It just doesn't look like the book is ever going to appear. It looks like it was originally due to be published in August and this was pushed back to November but the website in the first post hasn't been updated for months.

 

I know someone who knows the Book's Compiler, & on Friday I asked him if he knows when

it will be published. He told me that it is still due to come out this Month. (Even though Amazon

say they may never get it in stock).

 

I did find an on-line Book Shop that said they were getting it in, but they wanted £28 for it!

Will be interesting to see how popular White Christmas (and The Christmas Song perhaps?) was.

 

 

Wasnt White Christmas released on the 1/1/42? Ie in January?

 

I think The Christmas Song was released in 1948 but didnt become popular until the new Nat version in 1963?? We would also beable to add classic xmas songs to the xmas no1 list like Rudolf the Red Nosed Reindeer & a few others released in the 1940s!

It can't have been released on 1/1/42 - the first version wasn't even recorded until March that year with the version we are now familiar with coming from a March 1947 recording session.

£28 [/b]for it!

 

 

According to the preorder page connected to the linked page above the cover price is £30, so that would actually be a slightly better deal!

 

Also looking more closely at the linked oage I've noticed there is also a £15 CD being release with various 40s tracks on them (possibly some/all the new charttoppers?).

It can't have been released on 1/1/42 - the first version wasn't even recorded until March that year with the version we are now familiar with coming from a March 1947 recording session.

 

 

Just checked it - Cosby performed it on NBC radio on xmas day 1941 & then recorded a copy with an orchastra for Decca records in May 1942 then it was released in July 1942 as part of an album for the film Holiday Inn. It topped the Billboard chart from October 1942 until the new year (11 weeks) heavily rotated by soldiers at war because it reminded them of home due to the lyrics. It was reissued and topped the charts in xmas 1945 & 1946 having 3 seperate runs at no1!!

 

It doesnt specify its uk chart history although we all know it entered the xmas chart in 1977 when he died at no 5, no69 in 1985, no 29 in 1998 & no 42 on downloads in 2007!!