List of Billboard number-one singles from 1950 to 1958
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Billboard number-one singles charts preceding the Billboard Hot 100 were updated weekly by Billboard magazine and the leading indicator of popular music for the American music industry since 1940 and until the Billboard Hot 100 chart was established in 1958.
Before the Billboard Hot 100 chart was established in August 1958, Billboard used to publish several weekly charts. Throughout most of the 1950s, the magazine published the following charts to measure a song's popularity:
- Most Played by Jockeys – ranked the most played songs on United States radio stations, as reported by radio disc jockeys and radio stations.
- Most Played in Jukeboxes – ranked the most played songs in jukeboxes across the United States.
- Best Selling Pop Singles (later renamed to Best Selling Singles and then renamed to Best Sellers in Stores) – ranked the biggest selling singles in retail stores, as reported by merchants surveyed throughout the country.
Number ones
- Key
- ♪ – Number-one single of the year
| Reached number one | Artist(s) | Single | Record label | Weeks at number one |
Ref | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950 | ||||||
| 96 | January 7, 1950 | Gene Autry | "Rudolph, The Red-nosed Reindeer" | Columbia | 1 | [1] |
| 97 | January 14, 1950 | The Andrews Sisters | "I Can Dream, Can't I" | Decca | 4 | [2] |
| 98 | February 11, 1950 | The Ames Brothers | "Rag Mop" | Coral | 1 | [3] |
| 99 | February 18, 1950 | Red Foley | "Chattanoogie Shoe Shine Boy" | Decca | 4 | [4] |
| 100 | March 18, 1950 | Teresa Brewer | "Music! Music! Music!" | London | 4 | [5] |
| 101 | April 15, 1950 | Eileen Barton | "If I Knew You Were Comin' I'd've Baked a Cake" | National (local); Mercury (nationwide) | 2 | [6] |
| 102 | April 29, 1950 | Anton Karas | "The Third Man Theme" | London | 11 | [7] |
| 103 | July 15, 1950 | Nat King Cole | "Mona Lisa" | Capitol | 5 | [8] |
| 104 | August 19, 1950 | Gordon Jenkins and The Weavers | "Goodnight Irene"♪ (1950) | Decca | 13 | [9] |
| 105 | November 18, 1950 | Sammy Kaye | "Harbor Lights" | Columbia | 2 | [10] |
| 106 | December 2, 1950 | Phil Harris | "The Thing" | RCA Victor | 4 | [11] |
| 107 | December 30, 1950 | Patti Page | "The Tennessee Waltz" | Mercury | 9 | [12] |
| 1951 | ||||||
| 108 | March 3, 1951 | Perry Como | "If" | RCA Victor | 6 | [13] |
| 109 | March 10, 1951 | Mario Lanza | "Be My Love" | RCA Victor (Red Seal) | 1 | [14] |
| 110 | April 21, 1951 | Les Paul and Mary Ford | "How High The Moon" | Capitol | 9 | [15] |
| 111 | June 23, 1951 | Nat King Cole | "Too Young"♪ (1951) | Capitol | 5 | [16] |
| 112 | July 28, 1951 | Rosemary Clooney | "Come On-a My House" | Columbia | 6 | [17] |
| 113 | September 8, 1951 | Tony Bennett | "Because Of You" | Columbia | 8 | [18] |
| 114 | November 3, 1951 | Tony Bennett | "Cold, Cold Heart" | Columbia | 6 | [19] |
| 115 | December 15, 1951 | Eddy Howard | "Sin (It's No Sin)" | Mercury | 2 | [20] |
| 116 | December 29, 1951 | Johnnie Ray and The Four Lads | "Cry" | Okeh (Columbia) | 11 | [21] |
| 1952 | ||||||
| 117 | March 15, 1952 | Kay Starr | "Wheel Of Fortune" | Capitol | 9 | [22] |
| 118 | May 17, 1952 | Leroy Anderson | "Blue Tango"♪ (1952) | Decca | 5 | [23] |
| 119 | June 21, 1952 | Al Martino | "Here In My Heart" | Capitol | 2 | [24] |
| 120 | July 5, 1952 | Percy Faith | "Delicado" | Columbia | 1 | [25] |
| 121 | July 12, 1952 | Vera Lynn | "Auf Wiederseh'n Sweetheart" | London | 9 | [26] |
| 122 | September 13, 1952 | Jo Stafford | "You Belong To Me" | Columbia | 5 | [27] |
| 123 | October 18, 1952 | Patti Page | "I Went To Your Wedding" | Mercury | 5 | [28] |
| 124 | November 22, 1952 | Johnny Standley | "It's In The Book (parts 1 & 2)" | Capitol | 1 | [29] |
| 125 | November 29, 1952 | Joni James | "Why Don't You Believe Me" | MGM | 4 | [30] |
| 126 | December 27, 1952 | Jimmy Boyd | "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus" | Columbia | 2 | [31] |
| 1953 | ||||||
| 127 | January 10, 1953 | Perry Como | "Don't Let the Stars Get in Your Eyes" | RCA Victor | 5 | [32] |
| 128 | February 14, 1953 | Teresa Brewer | "Till I Waltz Again With You" | Coral | 5 | [33] |
| 129 | March 21, 1953 | Patti Page | "The Doggie In The Window" | Mercury | 8 | [34] |
| 130 | May 16, 1953 | Percy Faith | "The Song From Moulin Rouge (Where Is Your Heart)"♪ (1953) | Columbia | 10 | [35] |
| 131 | July 25, 1953 | Eddie Fisher | "I'm Walking Behind You" | RCA Victor | 2 | [36] |
| 132 | August 8, 1953 | Les Paul and Mary Ford | "Vaya Con Dios (May God Be With You)" | Capitol | 11 | [37] |
| 133 | October 10, 1953 | Stan Freberg | "St. George And The Dragonet" | Capitol | 4 | [38] |
| 134 | November 21, 1953 | Tony Bennett | "Rags To Riches" | Columbia | 6 | [39] |
| 1954 | ||||||
| 135 | January 2, 1954 | Eddie Fisher | "Oh! My Pa-pa (O Mein Papa)" | RCA Victor | 8 | [40] |
| 136 | February 27, 1954 | Doris Day | "Secret Love" | Columbia | 3 | [41] |
| 137 | March 13, 1954 | Jo Stafford | "Make Love To Me!" | Columbia | 3 | [42] |
| 138 | April 10, 1954 | Perry Como | "Wanted" | RCA Victor | 8 | [43] |
| 139 | June 5, 1954 | Kitty Kallen | "Little Things Mean A Lot"♪ (1954) | Decca | 9 | |
| 140 | August 7, 1954 | The Crew Cuts | "Sh-Boom" | Mercury | 7 | |
| 141 | September 25, 1954 | Rosemary Clooney | "Hey There" | Columbia | 6 | |
| 142 | November 6, 1954 | Rosemary Clooney | "This Ole House" | Columbia | 1 | |
| 143 | November 13, 1954 | Eddie Fisher | "I Need You Now" | RCA Victor | 3 | |
| 144 | December 4, 1954 | The Chordettes | "Mr. Sandman" | Cadence | 7 | |
| 1955 | ||||||
| 145 | January 22, 1955 | Joan Weber | "Let Me Go, Lover!" | Columbia | 2 | |
| 146 | February 5, 1955 | The Fontane Sisters | "Hearts Of Stone" | Dot | 1 | |
| 147 | February 12, 1955 | The McGuire Sisters | "Sincerely" | Coral | 6 | |
| 148 | March 26, 1955 | Bill Hayes | "The Ballad Of Davy Crockett" | Cadence | 5 | |
| 149 | April 30, 1955 | Pérez Prado | "Cherry Pink And Apple Blossom White"♪ (1955) | RCA Victor | 10 | |
| 150 | July 9, 1955 | Bill Haley & His Comets | "Rock Around The Clock" | Decca | 8 | |
| 151 | September 3, 1955 | Mitch Miller | "The Yellow Rose of Texas" | Columbia | 6 | |
| 152 | October 15, 1955 | The Four Aces | "Love Is A Many Splendored Thing" | Decca | 2 | |
| 153 | October 29, 1955 | Roger Williams | "Autumn Leaves" | Kapp | 4 | |
| 154 | November 26, 1955 | Tennessee Ernie Ford | "Sixteen Tons" | Capitol | 7 | |
| 1956 | ||||||
| 155 | January 14, 1956 | Dean Martin | "Memories Are Made Of This" | Capitol | 5 | |
| 156 | February 18, 1956 | Kay Starr | "Rock And Roll Waltz" | RCA Victor | 1 | |
| 157 | February 25, 1956 | Nelson Riddle | "Lisbon Antigua" | Capitol | 4 | |
| 158 | March 24, 1956 | Les Baxter | "Poor People Of Paris" | Capitol | 4 | |
| 159 | April 21, 1956 | Elvis Presley | "Heartbreak Hotel"♪ (1956) | RCA Victor | 8 | |
| 160 | June 16, 1956 | Gogi Grant | "The Wayward Wind" | Era | 6 | |
| 161 | July 28, 1956 | Elvis Presley | "I Want You, I Need You, I Love You" | RCA Victor | 1 | |
| 162 | August 4, 1956 | The Platters | "My Prayer" | Mercury | 2 | |
| 163 | August 18, 1956 | Elvis Presley | "Don't Be Cruel" / "Hound Dog" | RCA Victor | 11 | |
| 164 | November 3, 1956 | Elvis Presley | "Love Me Tender" | RCA Victor | 5 | |
| 165 | December 8, 1956 | Guy Mitchell | "Singing The Blues" | Columbia | 9 | |
| 1957 | ||||||
| 166 | February 9, 1957 | Elvis Presley | "Too Much" | RCA Victor | 3 | |
| 167 | March 2, 1957 | Tab Hunter | "Young Love" | Dot | 4 | |
| 168 | March 30, 1957 | Buddy Knox | "Party Doll" | Roulette | 1 | |
| 169 | April 6, 1957 | Perry Como | "Round And Round" | RCA Victor | 1 | |
| 170 | April 13, 1957 | Elvis Presley | "All Shook Up"♪ (1957) | RCA Victor | 8 | |
| 171 | June 8, 1957 | Pat Boone | "Love Letters In The Sand" | Dot | 5 | |
| 172 | July 13, 1957 | Elvis Presley | "(Let Me Be Your) Teddy Bear" | RCA Victor | 7 | |
| 173 | August 31, 1957 | Debbie Reynolds | "Tammy" | Coral | 3 | |
| 174 | September 14, 1957 | Paul Anka | "Diana" | ABC-Paramount | 1 | |
| 175 | September 28, 1957 | The Crickets | "That'll Be The Day" | Brunswick | 1 | |
| 176 | October 5, 1957 | Jimmie Rodgers | "Honeycomb" | Roulette | 2 | |
| 177 | October 19, 1957 | The Everly Brothers | "Wake Up Little Susie" | Cadence | 1 | |
| 178 | October 26, 1957 | Elvis Presley | "Jailhouse Rock" | RCA Victor | 7 | |
| 179 | December 7, 1957 | Sam Cooke | "You Send Me" | Keen | 2 | |
| 180 | December 28, 1957 | Pat Boone | "April Love" | Dot | 2 | |
| 1958 | ||||||
| 181 | January 11, 1958 | Danny & the Juniors | "At The Hop" | ABC-Paramount | 5 | |
| 182 | February 15, 1958 | Elvis Presley | "Don't" | RCA Victor | 5 | |
| 183 | March 22, 1958 | The Champs | "Tequila" | Challenge | 5 | |
| 184 | April 26, 1958 | The Platters | "Twilight Time" | Mercury | 1 | |
| 185 | May 3, 1958 | David Seville | "Witch Doctor" | Liberty | 2 | |
| 186 | May 17, 1958 | The Everly Brothers | "All I Have To Do Is Dream" | Cadence | 4 | |
| 187 | June 14, 1958 | Sheb Wooley | "The Purple People Eater" | MGM | 6 | |
| 188 | July 26, 1958 | Elvis Presley | "Hard Headed Woman" | RCA Victor | 2 | |
Statistics by decade
By artist
The following artists achieved three or more number-one hits during the 1950–1958. A number of artists had number-one singles on their own as well as part of a collaboration.
| Artist | Number-one hits |
|---|---|
| Elvis Presley | 10 |
| Perry Como | 4 |
| Patti Page | 3 |
| Rosemary Clooney | 3 |
| Eddie Fisher | 3 |
| Tony Bennett | 3 |
Artists by total number of weeks at number-one
The following artists were featured in top of the chart for the highest total number of weeks during the 1950–1958.
| Artist | Weeks at number-one |
|---|---|
| Elvis Presley | 57 |
| Patti Page | 22 |
| Tony Bennett | 20 |
| Perry Como | 20 |
| Les Paul and Mary Ford | 20 |
| Rosemary Clooney | 13 |
| Eddie Fisher | 13 |
Songs by total number of weeks at number-one
The following songs were featured in top of the chart for the highest total number of weeks during the 1950–1958.
| 13 | "Goodnight Irene" | Gordon Jenkins and The Weavers |
| 11 | "Don't Be Cruel" / "Hound Dog" | Elvis Presley |
| 11 | "Vaya Con Dios" | Les Paul and Mary Ford |
| 11 | "Cry" | Johnnie Ray and The Four Lads |
| 11 | "The Third Man Theme" | Anton Karas |