Vera Lynn achieved the best-selling single of 1952, "Auf Wiederseh'n Sweetheart", although it only peaked at number ten. She had a further two top 10 singles this year: "The Homing Waltz", which reached number nine, and "Forget Me Not", which peaked at number five.In November of this year, Al Martino secured the first ever number-one record in the UK Singles Chart with "Here in My Heart", which spent nine consecutive weeks at the top of the chart.
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.[1] Before 2004, the chart was only based on the sales of physical singles.[2][3]New Musical Express (NME) magazine published the United Kingdom record charts for the first time in 1952.[4][5][6]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.[7][8][9] This list shows singles that peaked in the Top 10 of the UK Singles Chart during 1952, as well as singles which peaked in 1953 but were in the top 10 in 1952. 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).[10]
The first single to reach number-one in the United Kingdom was "Here in My Heart" by Al Martino; the song debuted at the top of the charts on 20 November 1952 and spent nine consecutive weeks in that position.[14][15] It was the only single to top the chart that year.[7][16]
Background
Multiple entries
Twenty-three singles charted in the top 10 in 1952, with nineteen singles reaching their peak this year. "Because You're Mine" was recorded by Nat King Cole and Mario Lanza and both versions reached the top 10.
Eight artists scored multiple entries in the top 10 in 1952. American singer Bing Crosby and Britain's Vera Lynn shared the record for most top 10 hits in 1952 with three hit singles each, the first artists to ever do so. In addition, all of these entries were in the chart at the same time.[10] "Forget Me Not" was the highest ranking that week at number 7 (it would eventually peak at number 5 the week prior to Christmas). "The Homing Waltz" reached number 9, one place higher than "Auf Wiederseh'n Sweetheart" at number 10.[17]
Bing Crosby's three entries included a version of the Christmas classic "Silent Night", released as "Silent Night, Holy Night".[18]
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, "Auf Wiederseh'n Sweetheart" by Vera Lynn is officially recorded as the biggest-selling single of 1952.[26]
Top-ten singles
Key
Symbol
Meaning
♦
Single released in 1952 but peaked in 1953.
(#)
Year-end best-selling single.
Entered
The date that the single first appeared in the chart.
Peak
Highest position that the single reached in the UK Singles Chart.
The following table shows artists who achieved two or more top 10 entries in 1952, including singles that reached their peak in 1953. The figures include both main artists and featured artists. The total number of weeks an artist spent in the top ten in 1952 is also shown.
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