The UK Singles Chart is one of many music charts compiled by the Official Charts Company that calculates the best-selling singles of the week in the United Kingdom. Before 2004, the chart was only based on the sales of physical singles. New Musical Express (NME) magazine had published the United Kingdom record charts for the first time in 1952. NME originally published only a top 12 (although the first chart had a couple of singles that were tied so a top 15 was announced) but this was gradually extended to encompass a top 20 by October 1954. This list shows singles that peaked in the Top 10 of the UK Singles Chart during 1955, as well as singles which peaked in 1954 and 1956 but were in the top 10 in 1955. The entry date is when the single appeared in the top 10 for the first time (week ending, as published by the Official Charts Company, which is six days after the chart is announced).
Eighty-one singles were in the top ten in 1955. Ten singles from 1954 remained in the top 10 for several weeks at the beginning of the year, while "Meet Me on the Corner" by Max Bygraves, "Never Do a Tango with an Eskimo" by Alma Cogan, "Suddenly There's a Valley" by Petula Clark and "Twenty Tiny Fingers" by The Stargazers were all released in 1955 but did not reach their peak until 1956. "No One But You" by Billy Eckstine, "The Finger of Suspicion" by Dickie Valentine with The Stargazers and "Heartbeat" by Ruby Murray were the songs from 1954 to reach their peak in 1955. Nineteen artists scored multiple entries in the top 10 in 1955. Bill Haley & His Comets, Malcolm Vaughan, Slim Whitman, Teresa Brewer and Tony Martin were among the many artists who achieved their first UK charting top 10 single in 1955.
The 1954 Christmas number-one, "Let's Have Another Party" by Winifred Atwell, remained at number-one for the first week of 1955. The first new number-one single of the year was "The Finger of Suspicion" by Dickie Valentine with The Stargazers. Overall, fifteen different singles peaked at number-one in 1955, with Dickie Valentine and Jimmy Young (2) having the joint most singles hit that position.
Background Multiple entries Eighty-one singles charted in the top 10 in 1955, with seventy-one singles reaching their peak this year. Nine songs were recorded by several artists with each version reaching the top 10:
"A Blossom Fell" – Dickie Valentine, Nat King Cole, Ronnie Hilton "Cherry Pink (and Apple Blossom White)" – Eddie Calvert, Pérez 'Prez' Prado and His Orchestra "Hey There" – Johnnie Ray, Rosemary Clooney "Let Me Go, Lover!" – Dean Martin, Ruby Murray, Teresa Brewer with The Lancers "Mr. Sandman" – Dickie Valentine, The Four Aces "Stranger in Paradise" – The Four Aces, Tony Bennett, Tony Martin "The Naughty Lady of Shady Lane" – The Ames Brothers, Dean Martin "Unchained Melody" – Al Hibbler, Jimmy Young, Les Baxter "Under the Bridges of Paris" – Dean Martin, Eartha Kitt
Nineteen artists scored multiple entries in the top 10 in 1955. Ruby Murray secured the record for most top 10 hits in 1955 with seven hit singles.
The Stargazers were one of a number of artists with three top-ten entries, including the number-one single "The Finger of Suspicion". Dean Martin, The Four Aces, Johnnie Ray and The Mellomen were among the other artists who had multiple top 10 entries in 1955.
Chart debuts Twenty-seven artists achieved their first top 10 single in 1955, either as a lead or featured artist. Bill Haley & His Comets and Slim Whitman both had two other entries in their breakthrough year.
The following table (collapsed on desktop site) does not include acts who had previously charted as part of a group and secured their first top 10 solo single.
Artist Number of top 10s First entry Chart position Other entriesBill Haley & His Comets2"Shake, Rattle and Roll"4"(We're Gonna) Rock Around the Clock" (1)Tennessee Ernie Ford1"Give Me Your Word"1—1"The Naughty Lady of Shady Lane"6—Teresa Brewer1"Let Me Go, Lover!"9—Ray Burns1"Mobile"4—Johnny Brandon1"Tomorrow"8—Anne Warren1"If Anyone Finds This, I Love You"4—Pérez 'Prez' Prado and His Orchestra1"Cherry Pink (and Apple Blossom White) (Cerisier rose et pommier blanc)"1—Tony Bennett1"Stranger in Paradise"1—Eartha Kitt1"Under the Bridges of Paris"7—1"Earth Angel"4—Tony Martin1"Stranger in Paradise"6—1"Melody of Love"10—Al Hibbler1"Unchained Melody"2—Les Baxter, His Chorus & Orchestra1"Unchained Melody"1—Slim Whitman2"Rose Marie"1"Indian Love Call" (7)Malcolm Vaughan1"Ev'ry Day of My Life"5—Caterina Valente1"The Breeze and I"5—Sammy Davis Jr.1"Love Me or Leave Me"8—Cyril Stapleton and His Orchestra1"Blue Star"2—Julie DawnMitch Miller1"The Yellow Rose of Texas"2—1"Hernando's Hideaway"1—Pat Boone1"Ain't That a Shame"7—1"Join In and Sing Again"9—
Songs from films Original songs from various films entered the top 10 throughout the year. These included "Cherry Pink (and Apple Blossom White)" (from Underwater!), "Ready, Willing and Able" (Young at Heart), "Rose Marie" & "Indian Love Call" (Rose Marie), "John and Julie" (John and Juliet), "The Man from Laramie" (The Man from Laramie), "The Yellow Rose of Texas" (Giant) and "Rock Around the Clock" (Blackboard Jungle).
Additionally, "Stranger in Paradise" (from the film Kismet) was covered by several artists who took it into the top 10 (The Four Aces, Tony Bennett and Tony Martin) and "Unchained Melody - nominated for Best Original Song at the Academy Awards for the original version by Todd Duncan - was recorded by Al Hibbler, Jimmy Young and Les Baxter, His Chorus & Orchestra, while "Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing" from the film of the same name entered the charts in a version by The Four Aces featuring Al Alberts. "Hernando's Hideaway" from The Pajama Game reached the top 10 after being released by The Johnston Brothers, and Fats Domino's version of "Ain't That a Shame" - covered by Pat Boone - was used in "Shake, Rattle & Rock!".
Best-selling singles Until 1970 there was no universally recognised year-end best-sellers list. However in 2011 the Official Charts Company released a list of the best-selling single of each year in chart history from 1952 to date. According to the list, "Rose Marie" by Slim Whitman is officially recorded as the biggest-selling single of 1955. "Rock Around the Clock" by Bill Haley & His Comets (1) was ranked as the best-selling single of the decade.
Top-ten singles Key SymbolMeaning‡Single peaked in 1954 but still in chart in 1955.♦Single released in 1955 but peaked in 1956.(#)Year-end best-selling single.EnteredThe date that the single first appeared in the chart.PeakHighest position that the single reached in the UK Singles Chart.
Entered(week ending) Weeksintop10 Single Artist Peak Peak reached(week ending) WeeksatpeakSingles in 195416"Hold My Hand" ‡ Don Cornell1513"This Ole House" ‡ Rosemary Clooney1112"My Son, My Son" ‡Vera Lynn1210"Rain Rain Rain" ‡ Frankie Laine & The Four Lads8314"No One But You" Billy Eckstine327"Let's Have Another Party" ‡ Winifred Atwell157"Santo Natale (Merry Christmas)" ‡David Whitfield259"I Still Believe" ‡Ronnie Hilton3314"The Finger of Suspicion" Dickie Valentine with The Stargazers1313"Heartbeat" Ruby Murray31Singles in 195511"Mambo Italiano" Rosemary Clooney & The Mellomen136"Mr. Sandman" Dickie Valentine518"Shake, Rattle and Roll" Bill Haley & His Comets423"I Can't Tell a Waltz from a Tango" Alma Cogan611"Mr. Sandman" 9117"Softly, Softly" Ruby Murray1318"Give Me Your Word" Tennessee Ernie Ford174"The Naughty Lady of Shady Lane" 616"The Naughty Lady of Shady Lane" Dean Martin514"Let Me Go, Lover!" Teresa Brewer with The Lancers923"Happy Days and Lonely Nights" Ruby Murray612"Beyond the Stars" David Whitfield with Mantovani & His Orchestra815"Let Me Go, Lover!" Dean Martin315"A Blossom Fell" Nat King Cole315"Mobile" Ray Burns412"Let Me Go, Lover!" Ruby Murray518"(I'm Always Hearing) Wedding Bells" Eddie Fisher512"Tomorrow" Johnny Brandon & The Phantoms811"A Blossom Fell" Dickie Valentine917"If Anyone Finds This, I Love You" Ruby Murray & Anne Warren4214"Cherry Pink (and Apple Blossom White)" Pérez 'Prez' Prado & His Orchestra123"Prize of Gold" Joan Regan613"Under the Bridges of Paris" Dean Martin621"A Blossom Fell" Ronnie Hilton10117"Cherry Pink (and Apple Blossom White)" Eddie Calvert143"Ready, Willing and Able" Doris Day7113"Stranger in Paradise" Tony Bennett122"Under the Bridges of Paris" Eartha Kitt7114"Earth Angel" 4310"Stranger in Paradise"Tony Martin611"Melody of Love" 1015"If You Believe" Johnnie Ray7211"Unchained Melody" Al Hibbler2413"Unchained Melody" Jimmy Young133"Stranger in Paradise"612"Unchained Melody" Les Baxter10213"Dreamboat" Alma Cogan126"Where Will the Dimple Be?" Rosemary Clooney & The Mellomen618"I Wonder" Dickie Valentine4113"Evermore" Ruby Murray3317"Cool Water" Frankie Laine with The Mellomen2517"Rose Marie" (#1) Slim Whitman1118"Ev'ry Day of My Life" Malcolm Vaughan5116"Ev'rywhere" David Whitfield319"Strange Lady in Town" Frankie Laine6210"Learnin' the Blues" Frank Sinatra254"Indian Love Call" Slim Whitman719"The Breeze and I" Caterina Valente523"John and Julie" Eddie Calvert625"Close the Door" The Stargazers6111"The Man from Laramie" Jimmy Young141"Love Me or Leave Me" Sammy Davis Jr.818"Blue Star" Cyril Stapleton Orchestra with Julie Dawn2212"The Yellow Rose of Texas" Mitch Miller 217"Hey There" Rosemary Clooney4120"Rock Around the Clock" Bill Haley & His Comets156"Hey There" Johnnie Ray529"Hernando's Hideaway" 123"I'll Come When You Call" Ruby Murray619"Let's Have a Ding Dong" Winifred Atwell311"Song of the Dreamer" Johnnie Ray10111"Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing" 224"Ain't That a Shame" Pat Boone718"Twenty Tiny Fingers" ♦The Stargazers416"Christmas Alphabet" Dickie Valentine138"Meet Me on the Corner" ♦Max Bygraves215"Suddenly There's a Valley" ♦ Petula Clark712"When You Lose the One You Love" David Whitfield with Mantovani & His Orchestra713"Hawkeye" Frankie Laine721"Join In and Sing Again" & The George Chisholm Sour-Note Six913"Never Do a Tango with an Eskimo" ♦Alma Cogan62
Entries by artist
The following table shows artists who achieved two or more top 10 entries in 1955, including singles that reached their peak in 1954 or 1956. The figures include both main artists and featured artists. The total number of weeks an artist spent in the top ten in 1955 is also shown.
Entries Artist Weeks Singles 7Ruby Murray 56"Evermore", "Happy Days and Lonely Nights", "Heartbeat", "If Anyone Finds This, I Love You", "I'll Come When You Call", "Let Me Go, Lover!", "Softly, Softly" 5Dickie Valentine 31"A Blossom Fell", "Christmas Alphabet", "The Finger of Suspicion", "I Wonder", "Mr. Sandman" 4David Whitfield 22"Beyond the Stars", "Ev'rywhere", "Santo Natale (Merry Christmas)", "When You Lose the One You Love"Frankie Laine 31"Cool Water", "Hawkeye", "Rain Rain Rain", "Strange Lady in Town"Rosemary Clooney 29"Hey There", "Mambo Italiano", "This Ole House", "Where Will The Dimple Be?" 3Alma Cogan16"Dreamboat", "I Can't Tell a Waltz from a Tango", "Never Do a Tango with an Eskimo"Dean Martin14"Let Me Go, Lover!", "The Naughty Lady of Shady Lane", "Under the Bridges of Paris"9"Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing", "Mr. Sandman", "Stranger in Paradise"Johnnie Ray12"Hey There," "If You Believe", "Song of the Dreamer"34"Cool Water", "Mambo Italiano", "Where Will the Dimple Be?"The Stargazers 22"Close the Door", "The Finger of Suspicion", "Twenty Tiny Fingers" 2Bill Haley & His Comets18"Rock Around the Clock", "Shake, Rattle and Roll"Eddie Calvert20"Cherry Pink (and Apple Blossom White)", "John and Julie"Jimmy Young24"The Man from Laramie", "Unchained Melody"Mantovani4"Beyond the Stars", "When You Lose the One You Love"Ronnie Hilton 6"A Blossom Fell", "I Still Believe"Slim Whitman21"Indian Love Call", "Rose Marie"Winifred Atwell 9"Let's Have Another Party", "Let's Have a Ding Dong"
Notes
"Hold My Hand" re-entered the top 10 at number 7 on 13 January 1955 (week ending).