Chart Of All Time - 1956

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by Tom Eames

1956 was yet again a year in which the chart changed, when the Top 20 became a Top 30, and this change would stay the same until early 1960. The year began with Bill Haley & His Comets hanging on to their No. 1 position for another two weeks with "Rock Around The Clock", and guess what, that isn't the end for the classic rock anthem, and the start of a cracking year for the band. Afterwards, Tennessee Ernie Ford earned himself another No. 1 single with "16 Tons" which stayed there for four weeks.

Dean Martin then scored a No. 1 with the famous "Memories Are Made Of This" for four weeks also. This was then overtaken by one of the biggies of the year, the one hit wonders, The Dreamweavers with "It's Almost Tomorrow", which despite only three weeks at the top, it spent 14 weeks in the top 10. The reason for being a one hit wonder? They couldnt find anyone to record their song, so they formed their own group and recorded it themselves. It payed off! After a short stay at the top, but long runner throughout the year, Kay Starr's "Rock & Wall Waltz", Winifred Atwell got to the top with "The Poor People Of Paris". Songs around this time which hang around for ages but didn't get to the top included Lou Busch's "Zambesi", and Hilltoppers' "Only You And You Alone".

Bill Haley & His Comets returned to the charts with "See You Later Alligator", and Skiffle had arrived in the chart scene even more when Lonnie Donegan, one of the biggest acts of the 1950s, did extremely well with top 5 hit "Stewball". Ronnie Hilton then served six weeks at the top with "No Other Love", a song which Perry Como got to No. 1 with in America three years previously. Mel Torme spent many weeks near the top with "Mountain Greenery".

Then came along not only the second best charting song of the year, but the best selling single of 1956, Pat Boone's "I'll Be Home". Despite having many top 10 hits and being of the best charting acts of the 1950s, this was Pat's only No. 1. Bill Haley's best song of the year was "The Saints Rock N Roll" which got to No. 5 and spent 24 weeks on the chart. Funnymen The Goons went into the charts this year with "I'm Walking Backwards For Christmas" (not released at Christmas, in fact Summer). Frankie Lymon & The Teenagers then had a No. 1 with the fun, "Why Do Fools Fall In Love?", the first ever R&B record to top the charts.

1956 was also quite important for the fact that perhaps the best charting artist of all time scored his first ever singles. Elvis Presley didn't just have one succesful song this year, he had quite a few in his first charting year, being the second most succesful charting artist of the year behind Bill Haley & His Comets. The first was "Heartbreak Hotel", which hit No. 2 and stayed in the chart for quite a long time. His next best one of the year was the classic "Hound Dog" which also peaked at No. 2. His other biggies of the year were "Blue Moon" and "I Want You I Need You I Love You".

The most succesful charting single of the year though went to Doris Day yet again (she had the same success in 1954) with the classic "Whatever Will Be Will Be (Que Sera Sera)" which stayed at the top for six weeks. Anne Shelton had four weeks at No. 1 with "Lay Down Your Arms". Frankie Laine had yet another good year when "A Woman In Love" had four weeks at No. 1, a song from "Guys & Dolls", and was also his last ever No. 1. Bill Haley & His Comet's long runner "Rock Around The Clock" returned to chart at the end of the year and hung around for a few more weeks after the movie "Rock Around The Clock" appeared at cinemas.

The Platters had their first hit with "The Great Pretender". Nat 'King' Cole had the best charting single of the year that didn't make Top 10 with "Love Me As Though There Were No Tomorrow", the Goons had another hit with the comedy classic "Ying Tong Song", and the year's Christmas No.  went to Johnnie Ray's "Just Walking In The Rain", which stayed there for seven weeks.

Here are the 20 best charting singles of the year:

Here are the ten most successfully charting artists of 1956: