List of Record Mirror number-one singles

A copy of the Record Mirror's first ever chart, released on 22 January 1955

The Record Mirror is a former British weekly pop music newspaper. From 1955 until 1962, the Record Mirror compiled its own record chart which was used by many national newspapers.^[1] It formed as a rival to the existing chart published by NME. The Mirror 's chart was based on the postal returns from record stores that were financed by the newspaper—rival chart, NME, was based on a telephone poll.^[2] On 22 January 1955, the Mirror compiled its first chart using figures from 24 shops. The first chart-topper was "Mambo Italiano" by Rosemary Clooney, with the newspaper having compiled a Top Ten.^[3] The chart was expanded from a Top Ten to a Top Twenty on 8 October 1955.^[4] In the early 1960s some national newspapers switched to using a chart compiled by Melody Maker and, ultimately, the cost of collecting sales figures by post led to the chart's demise. On 24 March 1962, the paper stopped compiling its own chart and started publishing Record Retailer's Top 50.^[1]

Record charts in the United Kingdom began life on 14 November 1952 when NME imitated an idea started in American Billboard magazine and began compiling a hit parade. Prior to 15 February 1969, when the British Market Research Bureau chart was established, there had been no universally accepted chart. During this time the BBC used aggregated results of charts from the Mirror and other sources to compile the Pick of the Pops chart. However, according to The Official Charts Company and Guinness' British Hit Singles & Albums, the NME is considered the official British singles chart before 10 March 1960. After that date and until 1969 a chart compiled by Record Retailer is considered the official British singles chart.^[5]

Dean Martin's song "Naughty Lady of Shady Lane" was the first to have a number-one in the Record Mirror chart but not to be awarded the top spot in NME 's chart.^[3][6] There are five more songs that, like Martin's, reached number-one on the Record Mirror chart but are not classified as number-one by the UK Singles Chart. Additionally, the Record Mirror and other charts differed about what they classified as the top song of the year. Record Mirror classified The Everly Brothers' "All I Have to Do Is Dream"/"Claudette" as the top single of 1958^[7] while the UK Singles Chart best-selling single of that year was Elvis Presley's "Jailhouse Rock". Furthermore, despite never reaching number-one, Pat Boone's "Love Letters in the Sand" was classified by Record Mirror as the best-selling song of 1957; the song entered the chart at number eleven on 13 July and, later, charted in the top three positions for 9 consecutive weeks.^[8] This is because the top lists for the whole year, were based on a points system. It has to be noted that Tony Jasper's Top 20 book (which takes info from Record Mirror) does actually fall into mistakes between August & December 1958, as Tony says there was no chart for the first week of August, but there was. The charts he prints for 9th Aug onwards are all dated wrongly. The 9th Aug is the 2nd Aug, the 16th is the 9th & so on until 27th Dec 1958, when the dated chart for 27th is actually 20th Dec. He then fails to print the 27th Dec chart. From 1959, he gets it correct again. Though through this mistake, he misses a top 20 entry by Martinas & His Orchestra "Cha Cha Momma Brown", which sneaked into the chart at #18 at the end of December 1958, & then quickly fell out again.

Number-one singles

Key

*	The song did not reach number on the NME (1952–1960) or Record Retailer (1960–1969) charts which are considered by The Official Charts Company as the canonical sources.
†	The song spent a week at number one where it shared the top spot with another song.

Contents
1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962

No.	Artist[nb 1]	Single[nb 1]	Reached number one[nb 1]	Weeks at number one[nb 1]
1955
1	Clooney, RosemaryRosemary Clooney	"Mambo Italiano"	22 January 1955	3
2	Martin, DeanDean Martin	"Naughty Lady of Shady Lane"*	12 February 1955	1
3	Ford, Tennessee ErnieTennessee Ernie Ford	"Give Me Your Word"	19 February 1955	3
4	Murray, RubyRuby Murray	"Softly, Softly"	12 March 1955	1
re	Ford, Tennessee ErnieTennessee Ernie Ford	"Give Me Your Word"	19 March 1955	6
5	Bennett, TonyTony Bennett	"Stranger in Paradise"	7 May 1955	6
6	Hibbler, AlAl Hibbler	"Unchained Melody"*	11 June 1955	4
7	Cogan, AlmaAlma Cogan	"Dreamboat"	9 July 1955	2
8	Whitman, SlimSlim Whitman	"Rose Marie"	23 July 1955	9
9	Laine, FrankieFrankie Laine	"Cool Water"*	1 October 1955	1
10	Young, JimmyJimmy Young	"Man from Laramie, TheThe Man from Laramie"	8 October 1955	5
11	Haley, BillBill Haley	"Rock Around the Clock"	12 November 1955	8
1956
12	Ford, Tennessee ErnieTennessee Ernie Ford	"Sixteen Tons"	14 January 1956	5
13	Busch, LouLou Busch	"Zambesi"*	18 February 1956	2
14	Martin, DeanDean Martin	"Memories Are Made of This"	3 March 1956	2
15	The Dream Weavers	"It's Almost Tomorrow"	17 March 1956	3
16	Atwell, WinifredWinifred Atwell	"Poor People of Paris, TheThe Poor People of Paris"	7 April 1956	5
17	Hilton, RonnieRonnie Hilton	"No Other Love"	12 May 1956	4
18	Boone, PatPat Boone	"I'll Be Home"	9 June 1956	6
19	Lymon, FrankieFrankie Lymon and The Teenagers	"Why Do Fools Fall in Love"	21 July 1956	3
20	Day, DorisDoris Day	"Whatever Will Be, Will Be"	11 August 1956	6
21	Shelton, AnneAnne Shelton	"Lay Down Your Arms"	22 September 1956	4
22	Laine, FrankieFrankie Laine	"Woman In Love"	20 October 1956	3
23	Ray, JohnnieJohnnie Ray	"Just Walking in the Rain"	10 November 1956	7
1957
24	Mitchell, GuyGuy Mitchell	"Singing the Blues"	5 January 1957	2
25	Steele, TommyTommy Steele	"Singing the Blues"	19 January 1957	1
re	Mitchell, GuyGuy Mitchell	"Singing the Blues"	26 January 1957	1
26	Vaughan, FrankieFrankie Vaughan	"Garden of Eden, TheThe Garden of Eden"	2 February 1957	3
27	Hunter, TabTab Hunter	"Young Love"	23 February 1957	7
28	Donegan, LonnieLonnie Donegan	"Cumberland Gap"	13 April 1957	4
29	Williams, AndyAndy Williams	"Butterfly"	11 May 1957	5
30	Ray, JohnnieJohnnie Ray	"Yes Tonight Josephine"	8 June 1957	4
31	Donegan, LonnieLonnie Donegan	"Gamblin' Man"	6 July 1957	1
32	Presley, ElvisElvis Presley	"All Shook Up"	13 July 1957	7
33	Anka, PaulPaul Anka	"Diana"	31 August 1957	8
34	The Crickets	"That'll Be the Day"	26 October 1957	4
35	Belafonte, HarryHarry Belafonte	"Mary's Boy Child"	23 November 1957	5
1958
36	Johnny Otis Show	"Ma He's Making Eyes at Me"*	4 January 1958	2
37	Lewis, Jerry LeeJerry Lee Lewis	"Great Balls of Fire"	18 January 1958	1
38	Presley, ElvisElvis Presley	"Jailhouse Rock"	25 January 1958	3
39	Holliday, MichaelMichael Holliday	"Story of My Life, TheThe Story of My Life"	15 February 1958	2
40	Como, PerryPerry Como	"Magic Moments" / "Catch a Falling Star"	1 March 1958	7
41	Rainwater, MarvinMarvin Rainwater	"Whole Lotta Woman"	19 April 1958	4
42	Francis, ConnieConnie Francis	"Who's Sorry Now"	17 May 1958	6
43	The Everly Brothers	"All I Have to Do Is Dream" / "Claudette"	28 June 1958	9
44	The Kalin Twins	"When"	30 August 1958	5
45	Francis, ConnieConnie Francis	"Carolina Moon" / "Stupid Cupid"	4 October 1958	5
46	The Everly Brothers	"Bird Dog"*	8 November 1958	3
47	Lord Rockingham's XI	"Hoots Mon"	29 November 1958	4
48	Twitty, ConwayConway Twitty	"It's Only Make Believe"	26 December 1958	4
1959
49	Presley, ElvisElvis Presley	"One Night" / "I Got Stung"	24 January 1959	5
50	The Platters	"Smoke Gets in Your Eyes"	28 February 1959	5
51	Conway, RussRuss Conway	"Side Saddle"	4 April 1959	2
52	Holly, BuddyBuddy Holly	"It Doesn't Matter Anymore"	18 April 1959	2
53	Presley, ElvisElvis Presley	"Fool Such As I, AA Fool Such As I" / "I Need Your Love Tonight"	2 May 1959	7
54	Conway, RussRuss Conway	"Roulette"	20 June 1959	1
55	Darin, BobbyBobby Darin	"Dream Lover"	27 June 1959	^[nb 2]5[nb 2]
56	Richard, CliffCliff Richard	"Living Doll"	1 August 1959	^[nb 2]4[nb 2]
57	Douglas, CraigCraig Douglas	"Only Sixteen"	29 August 1959	7
58	Richard, CliffCliff Richard	"Travellin' Light"	17 October 1959	7
59	Faith, AdamAdam Faith	"What Do You Want?"	5 December 1959	5
1960
60	Ford, EmileEmile Ford	"What Do You Want to Make Those Eyes at Me For?"	9 January 1960	2
61	Newley, AnthonyAnthony Newley	"Why"	23 January 1960	6
62	Faith, AdamAdam Faith	"Poor Me"	5 March 1960	1
63	Preston, JohnnyJohnny Preston	"Running Bear"	12 March 1960	2
64	Donegan, LonnieLonnie Donegan	"My Old Man's a Dustman"	26 March 1960	5
65	The Everly Brothers	"Cathy's Clown"	30 April 1960	9
66	Jones, JimmyJimmy Jones	"Good Timin'"	2 July 1960	4
67	Richard, CliffCliff Richard	"Please Don't Tease"	30 July 1960	3
68	The Shadows	"Apache"	20 August 1960	6
69	Valance, RickyRicky Valance	"Tell Laura I Love Her"	1 October 1960	2
70	Orbison, RoyRoy Orbison	"Only the Lonely"	15 October 1960	3
71	Presley, ElvisElvis Presley	"It's Now or Never"	5 November 1960	^[nb 3]9[nb 3]
1961
72	Tillotson, JohnnyJohnny Tillotson	"Poetry in Motion"	7 January 1961	3
73	Presley, ElvisElvis Presley	"Are You Lonesome Tonight?"	28 January 1961	4
74	The Everly Brothers	"Walk Right Back"	25 February 1961	4
75	Presley, ElvisElvis Presley	"Wooden Heart"	25 March 1961	3
76	The Allisons	"Are You Sure?"*	15 April 1961	2
re	Presley, ElvisElvis Presley	"Wooden Heart"	29 April 1961	^[nb 4] †1 †[nb 4]
77	The Temperance Seven	"You're Driving Me Crazy"	29 April 1961	^[nb 4] †2 †[nb 4]
78	The Marcels	"Blue Moon"	13 May 1961	2
79	Shannon, DelDel Shannon	"Runaway"	27 May 1961	^[nb 5] †1 †[nb 5]
80	Presley, ElvisElvis Presley	"Surrender"	27 May 1961	^[nb 5] †5 †[nb 5]
re	Shannon, DelDel Shannon	"Runaway"	1 July 1961	1
81	The Everly Brothers	"Temptation"	8 July 1961	4
82	Kane, EdenEden Kane	"Well I Ask You"	5 August 1961	1
83	Shapiro, HelenHelen Shapiro	"You Don't Know"	12 August 1961	2
84	Leyton, JohnJohn Leyton	"Johnny Remember Me"	26 August 1961	5
85	The Shadows	"Kon-Tiki"	30 September 1961	1
86	The Highwaymen	"Michael Row the Boat"	7 October 1961	1
87	Shapiro, HelenHelen Shapiro	"Walkin' Back to Happiness"	14 October 1961	4
88	Presley, ElvisElvis Presley	"His Latest Flame"	11 November 1961	3
89	Vee, BobbyBobby Vee	"Take Good Care of My Baby"*	2 December 1961	1
90	Vaughan, FrankieFrankie Vaughan	"Tower of Strength"	9 December 1961	4
1962
91	Bilk, AckerAcker Bilk	"Stranger on the Shore"*	6 January 1962	1
92	Richard, CliffCliff Richard	"Young Ones, TheThe Young Ones"	20 January 1962	5
93	Presley, ElvisElvis Presley	"Rock-A-Hula Baby" / "Can't Help Falling in Love"	24 February 1962	4

Notes

1. The names, singles, dates and duration of the number-ones are from the Record Mirror.^{[2][3][4][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27]}
2. Due to a newspaper strike, Record Mirror was not published from 27 June to 8 August 1959; however, the chart details were released retrospectively.^[2]
3. This includes the week of 24 December 1960 when no Record Mirror was published.
4. Elvis Presley's "Wooden Heart" and The Temperance Seven's "You're Driving Me Crazy" were classified jointly as number one on 29 April 1961. The following week "You're Driving Me Crazy" claimed the number-one spot outright.
5. Elvis Presley's "Surrender" and Del Shannon's "Runaway" were classified jointly as number one on 27 May 1961. The following week "Surrender" claimed the number-one spot outright.

References

1. Smith, Alan. "50s & 60s UK Charts – The Truth!". Dave McAleer's website. Retrieved 4 November 2010.
2. Smith, Alan. "Every No.1 in the 1960s is listed from all the nine different magazine charts!". Dave McAleer's website. Retrieved 4 November 2010.
3. "January – June 1955". Record Mirror. Retrieved 15 May 2010.
4. "July – November 1955". Record Mirror. Retrieved 15 May 2010.
5. "Key Dates in the History of the Official UK. Although there isn't really an Official Chart for this period & the BBC own compiled chart was the one, everyone excepted. Charts". The Official Charts Company. Archived from the original on 10 January 2008. Retrieved 16 May 2010.
6. "Number 1 Singles – 1950s". The Official Charts Company. Archived from the original on 30 April 2008. Retrieved 16 May 2010.
7. "October – December 1958". Record Mirror. Retrieved 15 May 2010.
8. "November – December 1957". Record Mirror. Retrieved 15 May 2010.
9. "November – December 1955". Record Mirror. Retrieved 15 May 2010.
10. "April – July 1956". Record Mirror. Retrieved 15 May 2010.
11. "July – October 1956". Record Mirror. Retrieved 15 May 2010.
12. "October – December 1956". Record Mirror. Retrieved 15 May 2010.
13. "January – April 1957". Record Mirror. Retrieved 15 May 2010.
14. "April – July 1957". Record Mirror. Retrieved 15 May 2010.
15. "July – November 1957". Record Mirror. Retrieved 15 May 2010.
16. "January – April 1958". Record Mirror. Retrieved 15 May 2010.
17. "April – July 1958". Record Mirror. Retrieved 15 May 2010.
18. "July – October 1958". Record Mirror. Retrieved 15 May 2010.
19. "January – April 1959". Record Mirror. Retrieved 15 May 2010.
20. "April – August 1959". Record Mirror. Retrieved 15 May 2010.
21. "August – November 1959". Record Mirror. Retrieved 15 May 2010.
22. "December 1959". Record Mirror. Retrieved 15 May 2010.
23. "January – February 1960". Record Mirror. Retrieved 15 May 2010.
24. "February – May 1960". Record Mirror. Retrieved 15 May 2010.
25. "June – September 1960". Record Mirror. Retrieved 15 May 2010.
26. "September – December 1960". Record Mirror. Retrieved 15 May 2010.
27. "December 1960". Record Mirror. Retrieved 15 May 2010.