The Ultimate Averaged Chart - The BBC Chart Re-Imagined

[braindeadpj]

Ronnie Hilton - Yellow Rose of Texas is also a re-entry on the 12/11 chart. He was at 24 on the 15/10 chart.

[braindeadpj]

Why is Record Mirror only 17 songs on the 12/11/1955 chart? Are there missing songs?

[braindeadpj]

Frankie Laine (Humming Bird) and Ronnie Hilton (Yellow Rose of Texas) re-entering is due to NME picking them up 2 weeks after RM had them in the chart... while Bring Your Smile Along re-enters the RM chart.

[MrTibbs]

Why is Record Mirror only 17 songs on the 12/11/1955 chart? Are there missing songs?

No brain, for some unexplained reason the RM chart only had 17 positions that week

[braindeadpj]

Thanks for confirming that the RM chart was only 17 positions that week. Weird - perhaps they didn't get enough varied returns to generate more...

[MrTibbs]

Thanks for confirming that the RM chart was only 17 positions that week. Weird - perhaps they didn't get enough varied returns to generate more...

They would have got lots more records in their returns brain, the dealer charts they used were so varied they could easily have filled 30 positions if they wanted. It just had to be a publishing error I think.

[MrTibbs]

Greetings Pop Pickers

Here is the next Ultimate Averaged Chart for Week Ending November 19th 1955

Here are all '' the uppers, the downers, the just hanging 'arounders '

The Ultimate Averaged Chart - Week Ending November 19th 1955							NME	RM	Total
Last	This		The Sound Survey			Stores	60	52	Points
Week	Week		The Top 26 Singles Chart					20	Scored
2	1	Hernando's Hideaway - The Johnston Brothers					1	3	2136
1	2	Rock Around The Clock - Bill Haley and His Comets					3	1	2120
3	3	The Man From Laramie - Jimmy Young					2	4	2024
5	4	Yellow Rose Of Texas - Mitch Miller					6	2	1888
7	5	Hey There - Rosemary Clooney					4	7	1748
9	6	Let's Have A Ding Dong - Winifred Atwell					8	5	1612
6	7	Hey There - Johnnie Ray (A)					5	9	1584
4	8	Blue Star - Cyril Stapleton					7	8	1516
17	9	Love Is A Many Splendoured Thing - The Four Aces					11	6	1380
8	10	I'll Come When You Call - Ruby Murray					9	11	1240
12	11	Song Of The Dreamer - Johnnie Ray					10		660
19	12	Ain't That A Shame - Pat Boone					20	10	632
10	13	Rose Marie - Slim Whitman					18	13	596
22	14	Meet Me On The Corner - Max Bygraves					19	12	588
23	15	Twenty Tiny Fingers - The Stargazers					13	19	584
11	16	Everywhere - David Whitfield					12		540
18	17	The Breeze And I - Caterina Valente					14		420
16	18	Hernando's Hideaway - Johnnie Ray (B)						14	364
20	19	Yellow Rose Of Texas - Ronnie Hilton					15		360
RE	20	Love Is A Many Splendoured Thing - Nat King Cole						15	312
NEW	20	The Singing Dogs (Medley) - The Singing Dogs						15	312
14	22	Cool Water - Frankie Laine					16		300
15	23	Yellow Rose Of Texas - Gary Miller					17		240
NEW	24	Join In And Sing Again - The Johnston Brothers						17	208
NEW	25	Seventeen - The Fontaine Sisters						18	156
NEW	26	Blue Star - Eve Boswell						20	52
13		Bring Your Smile Along - Frankie Laine
21		Humming Bird - Frankie Laine
24		Love Me Or Leave Me - Sammy Davis Jnr.
24		Cloudburst - Don Lang

[MrTibbs]

So, Bill Haley gets a week at the top before The Johnston Brothers elbow him aside !

Novelty records reach a new low this week with the annoying, yelping, banal, fingers in your ears, Singing Dogs making an appearance. Kids must have been easily pleased back then

[Robbie]

I don't know what's worse, 'The Singing Dogs (Medley)' or the fact that I've just listened to it on youtube...

[Splodj]

So, Bill Haley gets a week at the top before The Johnston Brothers elbow him aside !

Only because NME is given a higher weighting. RM had Haley at the top for 8 weeks.

Spookily this period reminds me of early BMRB, with RM having the strong number ones at the top for longer. In the 50s NME had 14 non-RM number ones, whereas RM had only 7 non-NME number ones. And when the other 2 charts arrive they tend to agree more with RM.

[MrTibbs]

Only because NME is given a higher weighting. RM had Haley at the top for 8 weeks.

Spookily this period reminds me of early BMRB, with RM having the strong number ones at the top for longer. In the 50s NME had 14 non-RM number ones, whereas RM had only 7 non-NME number ones. And when the other 2 charts arrive they tend to agree more with RM.

In a purely points averaged chart (such as the BBC) both would have been equal #1 with lots of other tied positions as well so that is where the weighting comes into its own. At this point I still believe the NME had the edge on store percentage as the RM Top 20 was still fairly new and bedding in whereas NME was well established.

The beauty of the other charts arriving is that they will balance later anomalies out as to which charts they agree with therefore giving a more balanced result than any one chart so the difference between NME and RM becomes more irrelevant.

[Splodj]

I suppose 60/52 is a fair weighting for this time, but I think sometimes you need look at the overall pattern of behaviour to assess who was 'right'. Also I believe postal returns are better than phone calls, which is one of the reasons I rate MM over NME in the 60s. (There is a difference between getting into a routine of completing a return every week and compiling something in case you are called.)

Some things Alan Smith said on this forum:

"By 1956 Record Mirror was sampling over 60 record stores ..."

"The Record Mirror postal returned sampling was as large as NME's phoning system; in fact it was probably larger in some weeks as it often ranged to more than 60 returns in the late 1950s"

However he also said they had difficulties towards the end of their run sampling 40-60 in 1960/1.

[braindeadpj]

I expect 18-20 that is missing from RM last week (12/11/1955) would include Frankie Laine (Cool Water) and The Johnston Brothers (Hey There), but not sure about the 3rd track - possibly Nat King Cole (Love is a Many Splendoured Thing). Of course no way of knowing the order.....

[MrTibbs]

Greetings Pop Pickers

Here is the next Ultimate Averaged Chart for Week Ending November 26th 1955

Here are all '' the uppers, the downers, the just hanging 'arounders '

The Ultimate Averaged Chart - Week Ending November 26th 1955							NME	RM	Total
Last	This		The Sound Survey			Stores	60	52	Points
Week	Week		The Top 26 Singles Chart					20	Scored
2	1	Rock Around The Clock - Bill Haley and His Comets					1	1	2240
9	2	Love Is A Many Splendoured Thing - The Four Aces					2	2	2128
1	3	Hernando's Hideaway - The Johnston Brothers (A)					3	4	1964
4	4	Yellow Rose Of Texas - Mitch Miller					7	3	1776
3	5	The Man From Laramie - Jimmy Young					5	6	1740
6	6	Let's Have A Ding Dong - Winifred Atwell					4	9	1644
5	7	Hey There - Rosemary Clooney					6	7	1628
12	8	Ain't That A Shame - Pat Boone					9	5	1552
15	9	Twenty Tiny Fingers - The Stargazers					10	8	1336
7	10	Hey There - Johnnie Ray (A)					7	12	1308
8	11	Blue Star - Cyril Stapleton					13	10	1052
14	12	Meet Me On The Corner - Max Bygraves					11	13	1016
NEW	13	When You Lose The One You Love - David Whitfield and Mantovani					17	11	760
NEW	14	Christmas Alphabet - Dickie Valentine					12	18	696
10	15	I'll Come When You Call - Ruby Murray					14		420
RE	16	Hey There - The Johnston Brothers						14	364
11	17	Song Of The Dreamer - Johnnie Ray					15		360
NEW	18	Hawkeye - Frankie Laine					20	16	320
16	19	Everywhere - David Whitfield						15	312
20	20	The Singing Dogs (Medley) - The Singing Dogs					16		300
13	21	Rose Marie - Slim Whitman						17	208
NEW	22	Suddenly There's A Valley - Petula Clark					18		180
RE	23	I'll Never Stop Loving You - Doris Day					19		120
NEW	24	Suddenly There's A Valley - Lee Lawrence						19	104
NEW	25	Twenty Tiny Fingers - The Coronets					20		60
26	26	Blue Star - Eve Boswell						20	52
18		Hernando's Hideaway - Johnnie Ray (B)
17		The Breeze And I - Caterina Valente
19		Yellow Rose Of Texas - Ronnie Hilton
22		Cool Water - Frankie Laine
23		Yellow Rose Of Texas - Gary Miller
20		Love Is A Many Splendoured Thing - Nat King Cole
24		Join In And Sing Again - The Johnston Brothers
25		Seventeen - The Fontaine Sisters

[MrTibbs]

Bill Haley returns to the top of the chart but is being pressed hard by The Four Aces leaping to #2.

David Whitfield accompanied by Mantovani had a lengthy 10 week residence at #1 in 1954 with Cara Mia. They have teamed up again and storm this week's chart with the highest new entry at #13.
One place behind Dickie Valentine gets festive and hopes to end the year as he started, with a #1.

[MrTibbs]

Greetings Pop Pickers

Here is the next Ultimate Averaged Chart for Week Ending December 3rd 1955

Here are all '' the uppers, the downers, the just hanging 'arounders '

The Ultimate Averaged Chart - Week Ending December 3rd 1955							NME	RM	Total
Last	This		The Sound Survey			Stores	60	52	Points
Week	Week		The Top 24 Singles Chart					20	Scored
1	1	Rock Around The Clock - Bill Haley and His Comets					1	1	2240
2	2	Love Is A Many Splendoured Thing - The Four Aces					2	2	2128
6	3	Let's Have A Ding Dong - Winifred Atwell					3	3	2016
14	4	Christmas Alphabet - Dickie Valentine					4	6	1800
9	5	Twenty Tiny Fingers - The Stargazers					7	4	1724
3	6	Hernando's Hideaway - The Johnston Brothers (A)					5	8	1636
4	7	Yellow Rose Of Texas - Mitch Miller					6	7	1628
8	8	Ain't That A Shame - Pat Boone					8	5	1612
5	9	The Man From Laramie - Jimmy Young					10	10	1232
7	10	Hey There - Rosemary Clooney					11	9	1224
12	11	Meet Me On The Corner - Max Bygraves					9	12	1188
11	12	Blue Star - Cyril Stapleton					13	11	1000
10	13	Hey There - Johnnie Ray					11	16	860
18	14	Hawkeye - Frankie Laine					17	13	656
22	15	Suddenly There's A Valley - Petula Clark					14	19	524
RE	16	Cloudburst - Don Lang					18	15	492
16	17	Hey There - The Johnston Brothers (B)						14	364
13	18	When You Lose The One You Love - David Whitfield and Mantovani					15		360
20	19	The Singing Dogs (Medley) - The Singing Dogs					16		300
15	20	I'll Come When You Call - Ruby Murray						17	208
NEW	21	Caribbean - Mitchell Torok						18	156
24	22	Suddenly There's A Valley - Lee Lawrence					19		120
NEW	23	Seventeen - Frankie Vaughan					20		60
23	24	I'll Never Stop Loving You - Doris Day						20	52
17		Song Of The Dreamer - Johnny Ray
19		Everywhere - David Whitfield
21		Rose Marie - Slim Whitman
25		Twenty Tiny Fingers - The Coronets
26		Blue Star - Eve Boswell

[MrTibbs]

Greetings Pop Pickers

Here is the next Ultimate Averaged Chart for Week Ending December 10th 1955

Here are all '' the uppers, the downers, the just hanging 'arounders '

The Ultimate Averaged Chart - Week Ending December 10th 1955							NME	RM	Total
Last	This		The Sound Survey			Stores	60	52	Points
Week	Week		The Top 26 Singles Chart					20	Scored
1	1	Rock Around The Clock - Bill Haley and The Comets					1	1	2240
4	2	Christmas Alphabet - Dickie Valentine					2	3	2076
2	3	Love Is A Many Splendoured Thing - The Four Aces					3	2	2068
3	4	Let's Have A Ding Dong - Winifred Atwell					4	5	1852
5	5	Twenty Tiny Fingers - The Stargazers					5	4	1844
8	6	Ain't That A Shame - Pat Boone					7	6	1620
11	7	Meet Me On The Corner - Max Bygraves					6	8	1576
7	8	Yellow Rose Of Texas - Mitch Miller					8	7	1508
14	9	Hawkeye - Frankie Laine					12	9	1164
15	10	Suddenly There's A Valley - Petula Clark					9	14	1084
18	11	When You Lose The One You Love - David Whitfield and Mantovani					11	12	1068
6	12	Hernando's Hideaway - The Johnstone Brothers (A)					10	15	972
10	13	Hey There - Rosemary Clooney					16	11	820
19	14	The Singing Dogs (Medley) - The Singing Dogs					13	17	688
12	15	Blue Star - Cyril Stapleton					15	16	620
16	16	Cloudburst - Don Lang						10	572
13	17	Hey There - Johnnie Ray					14		420
17	18	Hey There - The Johnstone Brothers (B)						13	416
NEW	19	On With The Motley - Harry Secombe					17		240
NEW	20	The Very First Christmas Of All - Ruby Murray						17	208
23	21	Seventeen - Frankie Vaughan					18		180
NEW	22	Let's Get Together Again - The Big Ben Banjo Band					19		120
9	23	The Man From Laramie - Jimmy Young						19	104
NEW	24	Suddenly There's A Valley - Jo Stafford					20		60
RE	25	Seventeen - The Fontaine Sisters						20	52
22	25	Suddenly There's A Valley - Lee Lawrence						20	52
20		I'll Come When You Call - Ruby Murray
21		Caribbean - Mitchell Torok
24		I'll Never Stop Loving You - Doris Day

[Splodj]

In NME a fast fall for Jimmy Young - 2, 5, 10, out!

I understand that in 56 they outsourced their chart compilation activity for some years, perhaps from when the Top 30 began, but have seen very little written about this. I wonder why they didn't keep it 'in house'.

[Robbie]

In NME a fast fall for Jimmy Young - 2, 5, 10, out!

I understand that in 56 they outsourced their chart compilation activity for some years, perhaps from when the Top 30 began, but have seen very little written about this. I wonder why they didn't keep it 'in house'.

I have read that an outside organisation compiled the chart for "auditing" purposes though I don't know if this would be from as early as 1956. If that was the reason for doing so in 1956 maybe it was to protect the integrity of the chart by having it independently compiled (independently audited makes it sound more official and important).

[membranemusic]

I would just like to add my note of appreciation of your work Mr Tibbs: it's wonderful stuff, including the debate from other contributors.

[MrTibbs]

I would just like to add my note of appreciation of your work Mr Tibbs: it's wonderful stuff, including the debate from other contributors.

Thanks membrane and glad you enjoy this too. Yeah I agree, I also enjoy reading comments and contributions from the other guys who view the thread and posts

[MrTibbs]

Greetings Pop Pickers

Here is the next Ultimate Averaged Chart for Week Ending December 17th 1955

Here are all '' the uppers, the downers, the just hanging 'arounders '

The Ultimate Averaged Chart - Week Ending December 17th 1955							NME	RM	Total
Last	This		The Sound Survey			Stores	60	52	Points
Week	Week		The Top 28 Singles Chart					20	Scored
1	1	Rock Around The Clock - Bill Haley and His Comets					2	1	2180
2	2	Christmas Alphabet - Dickie Valentine					1	3	2136
3	3	Love Is A Many Splendoured Thing - The Four Aces					3	2	2068
4	4	Let's Have A Ding Dong - Winifred Atwell					4	4	1904
5	5	Twenty Tiny Fingers - The Stargazers					5	5	1792
7	6	Meet Me On The Corner - Max Bygraves					5	7	1688
6	7	Ain't That A Shame - Pat Boone					10	6	1440
8	8	Yellow Rose Of Texas - Mitch Miller					9	8	1396
9	9	Hawkeye - Frankie Laine					11	9	1224
11	10	When You Lose The One You Love - David Whitfield and Mantovani					7	14	1204
10	11	Suddenly There's A Valley - Petula Clark					12	10	1112
12	12	Hernando's Hideaway - The Johnston Brothers (A)					8		780
14	13	The Singing Dogs (Medley) - The Singing Dogs					13	20	532
20	14	The Very First Christmas Of All - Ruby Murray						11	520
NEW	15	The Shifting Whispering Sands - Billy Vaughan						12	468
25	16	Suddenly There's A Valley - Lee Lawrence					14		420
16	17	Cloudburst - Don Lang						13	416
NEW	18	Suddenly There's A Valley - Julius La Rosa						14	364
24	19	Suddenly There's A Valley - Jo Stafford					15		360
19	20	On With The Motley - Harry Secombe					16		300
RE	21	Join In And Sing Again - The Johnston Brothers						16	260
NEW	22	Twenty Tiny Fingers - Alma Cogan					17		240
15	23	Blue Star - Cyril Stapleton						17	208
21	24	Seventeen - Frankie Vaughan					18		180
NEW	25	The Bluebell Polka - Jimmy Shand						18	156
NEW	26	Arrivederci Darling - Anne Shelton					19		120
18	27	Hey There - The Johnston Brothers (B)						19	104
NEW	28	Old Pianna Rag - Dickie Valentine					20		60
13		Hey There - Rosemary Clooney
17		Hey There - Johnnie Ray
22		Let's Get Together Again - The Big Ben Banjo Band
23		The Man From Laramie - Jimmy Young
25		Seventeen - The Fontaine Sisters

[MrTibbs]

Greetings Pop Pickers

Here is the next Ultimate Averaged Chart for Week Ending December 24th 1955

Here are all '' the uppers, the downers, the just hanging 'arounders '

The Ultimate Averaged Chart - Week Ending December 24th 1955							NME	RM	Total
Last	This		The Sound Survey			Stores	60	52	Points
Week	Week		The Top 28 Singles Chart					20	Scored
2	1	Christmas Alphabet - Dickie Valentine					1	2	2188
1	2	Rock Around The Clock - Bill Haley and The Comets					2	1	2180
3	3	Love Is A Many Splendoured Thing - The Four Aces					3	3	2016
6	4	Meet Me On The Corner - Max Bygraves					4	5	1852
4	5	Let's Have A Ding Dong - Winifred Atwell					5	4	1844
5	6	Twenty Tiny Fingers - The Stargazers					6	6	1680
11	7	Suddenly There's A Valley - Petula Clark					9	8	1396
9	8	Hawkeye - Frankie Laine					7	11	1360
8	9	Yellow Rose Of Texas - Mitch Miller					8	10	1352
7	10	Ain't That A Shame - Pat Boone					14	7	1148
10	11	When You Lose The One You Love - David Whitfield and Mantovani					10	15	972
14	12	The Very First Christmas Of All - Ruby Murray						9	624
12	13	Hernando's Hideaway - The Johnston Brothers					11		600
19	14	Suddenly There's A Valley - Jo Stafford					12		540
NEW	15	Never Do A Tango With An Eskimo - Alma Cogan (A)					13		480
21	16	Join In And Sing Again - The Johnston Brothers						12	468
16	17	Suddenly There's A Valley - Lee Lawrence					15	19	464
15	18	The Shifting Whispering Sands - Billy Vaughan						13	416
17	19	Cloudburst - Don Lang						14	364
NEW	20	Seventeen - Boyd Bennett					16		300
18	21	Suddenly There's A Valley - Julius La Rosa						16	260
20	22	On With The Motley - Harry Secombe					17		240
NEW	23	Tina Marie - Perry Como						17	208
26	24	Arrivederci Darling - Anne Shelton					18		180
NEW	25	Pickin' A Chicken - Eve Boswell						18	156
NEW	26	Someone On Your Mind - Jimmy Young					19		120
25	27	The Bluebell Polka - Jimmy Shand					20	20	112
27	28	Old Pianna Rag - Dickie Valentine					20		60
13		The Singing Dogs (Medley) - The Singing Dogs
24		Seventeen - Frankie Vaughan
23		Blue Star - Cyril Stapleton
22		Twenty Tiny Fingers - Alma Cogan (B)

[MrTibbs]

I would just like to add my note of appreciation of your work Mr Tibbs: it's wonderful stuff, including the debate from other contributors.

It is indeed a lot of work membrane, but the comments and debate are becoming less and less. Apart from my own posts just three since Monday so a lot of interest has waned . At one time that was a poor result for just one day.

[BrainDamageII]

It is indeed a lot of work membrane, but the comments and debate are becoming less and less. Apart from my own posts just three since Monday so a lot of interest has waned . At one time that was a poor result for just one day.

I think the problem is there are not many people who were around at the time who read this thread. Looking at the songs in these charts there are very very few played on the radio apart from the obvious. Once we get to the third chart and the Elvis era I'm sure the comments will increase.

Keep going, these charts are fantastic.