List of UK singles chart number ones of the 1950s

The UK singles chart is the official record chart in the United Kingdom. Record charts in the UK began life in 1952 when Percy Dickins from New Musical Express (NME) imitated an idea started in American Billboard magazine and began compiling a hit parade. Prior to this, a song's popularity was measured by the sales of sheet music. Initially, Dickins telephoned a sample of around 20 shops asking for a list of the 10 best-selling songs. These results were then aggregated to give a Top 12 chart published in NME on 14 November 1952. However, until 15 February 1969, when the British Market Research Bureau chart was established, there was no universally accepted chart. Other charts existed and different artists may have placed at number one in charts by Record Mirror, Disc or Melody Maker. Alternatively, some considered the BBC's Pick of the Pops, which averaged all these charts, to be a better indicator of the number-one single. It is believed that the three best-selling records of the decade – Bill Haley & His Comets' "Rock Around the Clock", Paul Anka's "Diana" and Harry Belafonte's "Mary's Boy Child" – all sold over one million copies.

Number-one singles

thumb|upright|[[Elvis Presley in a publicity photo for "Jailhouse Rock" which was the best-selling single of 1958. Presley had three other number ones in the 1950s.]]

thumb|upright|[[Al Martino's "Here in My Heart" was the first ever number-one single and held the top spot for nine weeks.]]

thumb|upright|[[Bill Haley & His Comets had the biggest-selling single of the decade with "Rock Around the Clock".]]

thumb|upright|[[Doris Day had two number-one singles in the 1950s, one of which, "Secret Love", was the best-selling record of 1954.]]

thumb|upright|[[Cliff Richard achieved his first two number-one singles in the latter half of 1959.]]

{|class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="font-size:90%;"

|+Key

!scope=row style="background-color:#FFFF99" |†

| Best-selling single of the year

!scope=row style="background-color:lightblue" |‡

| Best-selling single of the decade

!scope=row style="background-color:lightgreen; white-space:nowrap" |[[#Notes|[nb #]]]

| The song spent a week at number one where it shared the top spot with another song.

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!scope=col|

!scope=col|Artist

!scope=col|Single|group=nb|name=RecordLabel

!scope=col|Week starting date However, the old Official Chart Company lists chart weeks prior to 5 February 1960 as ending on a Friday.|name="JointDec53"|group="nb"

!scope=row style="text-align:center;"|

| || "Answer Me"

| Decca || ||align="center" bgcolor="lightgreen"|0.51|name="JointJun58"|group="nb"

!scope=row style="text-align:center;"|73

| || "All I Have to Do Is Dream" / "Claudette"

| London || ||align="center" bgcolor="lightgreen"|6.57|name="JointDec59"|group="nb"

!scope=row style="text-align:center;"|94

| Emile Ford and the Checkmates || "What Do You Want to Make Those Eyes at Me For?"

|Pye || ||align="center" bgcolor="lightgreen"|5.56