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1956:

The year end charts as published by Billboard each year were necessarily limited.  In order to publish the chart the last week of December, the magazine stopped including rankings effectively the final week of November.  In some cases, this caused records whose popularity crossed over from one year to another to be underrated.  In some cases, these records ended up on the year end chart for two different years.  In some cases, the records were not included in either chart in spite of significant popularity.  The “Elvis Era Power Ranking” is an effort to correct this oversight by including all the weeks a record was on the charts, not just the weeks of a particular year.  The rating is based on the record's performance in the top twenty: 20 points for being #1, 19 for #2, etc. In the case of the “cross-over” records, whether a record is included in the chart for the year it first entered or the year it last charted, the record was assigned the year in which it enjoyed its highest popularity.  In some cases, there were records that were so closely split that they were included on two year end charts.
Click on the buttons below to access details about each particular set of rankings:
 

The biggest difference between the 1956 Billboard end of year chart and the EE chart is the record at #1. "The Green Door" was Billboard's #19 for 1956 and #44 for 1957. With its combined record, that extended from 10/6/1956 to 2/23/1957, Jim Lowe's "The Green Door" made the #1 rank for 1956.

There are sixteen records that are included in the EE 1956 Top 100 that debuted in 1955.  One of those, “I Hear You Knocking” by Gale Storm, actually peaked at #2 on December 17, 1955, but remained in the top twenty for the first seven weeks of 1956.  Storm’s recording was ranked #20 on the 1955 year end “Top Singles” chart by Billboard but was absent from the 1956 list. “Sixteen Tons” by Tennessee Ernie Ford did much better on the EE chart as it had entered the top ten on November 12th, 1955 and had actually been the #1 song the final six weeks of 1955.  It continued to hold the top position for the first two weeks of 1956 and achieved the #3 rank by EE as opposed to the #22 rank it was awarded by Billboard in 1956 and the #13 it achieved in 1955.  “Love and Marriage” was ignored by the 1956 Billboard year end chart.  Frank Sinatra’s recording was in the top twenty for the final nine weeks of 1955, peaking at #5 on December 31st.  After dropping to #8 on January 7th, it bounced back to the #5 spot on January 14th and didn’t leave the top twenty until February 18th.  This stretch of popularity produced a #33 ranking on the EE chart.

Two records had significant popularity in 1956, but actually peaked in 1957.  “True Love” by Bing Crosby and Grace Kelly achieved its highest ranking in 1957 after beginning success on the chart in 1956.  Debuting on November 13th, it was in the top twenty for eleven weeks.  It peaked at #4 the first week of 1957 and spent seven more weeks in the top twenty, earning a #21 year end ranking by EE as opposed to its #44 Billboard position. Guy Mitchell’s #1 song, “Singing the Blues" was recognized by  Billboard as #40 in 1956 and would rank it #7 in 1957.  The split is quite justified as “Singing the Blues” was in the top twenty for ten weeks in 1956 and for eleven weeks in 1957.  It reached #1 initially on December 1st, 1956 and held the top spot for the first six weeks of 1957.  It will be included in the 1957 EE ranking. 

Another record that improves significantly in the 1956 EE rankings is “Blueberry Hill” by Fats Domino.  It reached #4 on the Billboard Top 100 on December 12th, its ninth week in the top twenty.  It remained in the top twenty for the first eight weeks of 1957.  The dual success produced Billboard rankings of 41 for 1956 and 48 for 1957.  When the entire record of the song’s success is calculated, it ends up as the #16 song for 1956.  The inclusion in 1956 is somewhat arbitrary as “Blueberry Hill”’s chart success was nearly evenly split between ’56 and ’57.  Being a “cross-over” record also hurt its ranking by Cashbox (#39 for both ’56 and ’57) and Gilbert & Theroux (totally ignored both years).

The chart below is sortable by clicking on the column header.


EE Rank BB Rank title artist Top Twenty Points highest ranking Weeks in Top 20 Weeks in Top Forty week debuted Date Highest Rank
1 19 The Green Door Jim Lowe 324 1 21 22 1956 9 29 1956 11 3
2 3 Lisbon Antigua Nelson Riddle 319 1 21 24 1955 12 31 1956 3 3
3 22 Sixteen Tons Tennessee Ernie Ford 304 1 18 19 1955 11 12 1956 1 7
4 2 Don't Be Cruel Elvis Presley 303 1 19 23 1956 8 4 1956 9 15
5 5 The Wayward Wind Gogi Grant 288 1 19 22 1956 5 5 1956 6 23
6 9 Memories Are Made of This Dean Martin 284 1 17 19 1955 12 3 1956 1 14
7 23 Just Walking in the Rain Johnnie Ray 283 2 20 23 1956 9 8 1956 10 27
8 12 The Great Pretender The Platters 279 1 18 19 1955 12 24 1956 2 18
9 10 Rock and Roll Waltz Kay Starr 278 1 17 20 1956 1 7 1956 2 25
10 1 Heartbreak Hotel Elvis Presley 276 1 18 22 1956 3 10 1956 5 1
11 6 The Poor People of Paris Les Baxter 274 1 17 20 1956 2 18 1956 3 24
12 7 Whatever Will Be, Will Be Doris Day 261 2 19 22 1956 7 7 1956 8 18
13 4 My Prayer The Platters 257 1 16 20 1956 7 7 1956 8 18
14 15 Love Me Tender Elvis Presley 255 1 16 19 1956 10 20 1956 11 17
15 11 Moonglow And Theme From Picnic Morris Stoloff 244 1 17 22 1956 4 21 1956 6 23
16 41 Blueberry Hill Fats Domino 244 2 19 21 1956 10 13 1956 12 22
17 13 I Almost Lost My Mind Pat Boone 242 1 17 19 1956 6 9 1956 8 4
18 17 Canadian Sunset Hugo Winterhalter 235 2 18 23 1956 7 28 1956 10 20
19 20 I Hear You Knocking Gale Storm 232 2 18 17 1955 10 22 1955 12 17
20 24 Allegheny Moon Patti Page 218 2 17 22 1956 6 16 1956 8 18
21 44 True Love Bing Crosby & Grace Kelly 217 3 18 22 1956 10 6 1957 1 5
22 16 Hot Diggity Perry Como 214 1 14 20 1956 3 24 1956 5 1
23 8 Hound Dog Elvis Presley 213 1 16 23 1956 8 4 1956 9 8
24 20 No, Not Much The Four Lads 211 2 16 19 1956 1 28 1956 4 14
25 21 Honky Tonk (Part 2) Bill Doggett 204 2 16 22 1956 8 20 1956 10 13
26 14 I Want You, I Need You, I Love You Elvis Presley 183 1 16 19 1956 6 2 1956 7 28
27 25 He Al Hibbler 182 4 20 22 1955 10 15 1955 10 29
28 18 Blue Suede Shoes Carl Perkins 181 2 14 17 1956 3 10 1956 5 1
29 38 Band of Gold Don Cherry 170 4 16 18 1955 12 10 1956 1 21
30 26 Tonight You Belong to Me Patience & Prudence 165 4 14 17 1956 8 25 1956 9 22
31 34 I'll Be Home Pat Boone 164 4 15 18 1956 2 4 1956 3 31
32 31 Moonglow and Theme From Picnic George Cates 162 4 15 19 1956 4 21 1956 6 2
33 29 Love & Marriage Frank Sinatra 161 5 15 15 1955 11 5 1956 1 14
34 29 Standing on the Corner The Four Lads 160 3 13 18 1956 4 28 1956 6 23
35 33 See You Later Alligator Bill Haley & the Comets 149 6 13 15 1956 1 14 1956 2 18
36 32 Ivory Tower Cathy Carr 148 2 13 18 1956 4 7 1956 5 19
37 51 It's Almost Tomorrow The Dream Weavers 148 7 15 21 1955 11 12 1956 1 28
38 28 Why Do Fools Fall in Love Frankie Lymon & the Teenagers 143 6 13 16 1956 2 18 1956 3 24
39 37 Born To Be With You The Chordettes 142 5 13 17 1956 6 2 1956 7 21
40 36 Magic Touch The Platters 138 4 12 16 1956 3 31 1956 5 19
41 53 Hey Jealous Lover Frank Sinatra 136 3 14 17 1956 11 3 1956 12 22
42 25 I'm in Love Again Fats Domino 135 3 12 18 1956 5 5 1956 7 14
43 52 Friendly Persuasion Pat Boone 124 5 13 17 1956 9 22 1956 11 24
44 49 A Tear Fell Teresa Brewer 123 7 14 17 1956 3 3 1956 5 1
45 57 A Rose And A Baby Ruth George Hamilton IV 111 6 11 14 1956 11 17 1956 12 22
46 56 Dungaree Doll Eddie Fisher 111 7 12 16 1955 12 24 1956 1 28
47 35 On the Street Where You Live Vic Damone 101 4 12 16 1956 6 2 1956 7 14
48 68 Teenage Prayer Gale Storm 100 6 12 12 1955 12 24 1956 1 21
49 55 Canadian Sunset Andy Williams 100 8 12 17 1956 8 18 1956 9 22
50 39 More Perry Como 98 4 11 14 1956 6 16 1956 7 14
51 43 The Happy Whistler Don Robertson 89 6 11 14 1956 5 5 1956 6 2
52 46 A Sweet Old Fashioned Girl Teresa Brewer 85 7 11 16 1956 6 16 1956 8 18
53 58 Cindy, Oh Cindy Eddie Fisher 84 10 11 17 1956 10 20 1956 12 29
54 56 Only You The Hilltoppers 79 8 11 13 1955 11 12 1955 11 26
55 61 Ivory Tower Gale Storm 77 6 11 14 1956 5 5 1956 5 26
56 27 Be-Bop-a-Lula Gene Vincent 77 7 10 15 1956 3 24 1956 8 4
57 66 Theme Song From Song For a Summer Night Mitch Miller 75 8 9 12 1956 8 11 1956 9 29
58 30 The Flying Saucer Buchanan & Goodman 73 3 7 10 1956 8 11 1956 9 8
59 42 The Fool Sanford Clark 70 7 10 15 1956 8 11 1956 9 22
60 60 Moritat (Theme From Threepenny Opera) Dick Hyman 62 8 18 15 1956 1 28 1956 3 3
61 54 Soft Summer Breeze Eddie Heywood 62 11 12 18 1956 7 21 1956 10 6
62 63 Cindy Oh Cindy Vince Martin & The Tarriers 58 9 10 15 1956 10 13 1956 11 24
63 76 Juke Box Baby Perry Como 57 10 7 10 1956 3 10 1956 4 7
64 87 Moritat (Theme From Threepenny Opera) Richard Hayman 53 11 18 11 1956 2 11 1956 3 3
65 50 Rock Island Line Lonnie Donegan 52 8 7 11 1956 3 31 1956 5 1
66 48 It Only Hurts For A Little While The Ames Brothers 50 11 13 20 1956 5 19 1956 6 23
67 65 Angels in the Sky The Crew Cuts 48 11 10 15 1955 12 17 1956 2 4
68 64 Ivory Tower Otis Williams & The Charms 45 11 8 15 1956 4 14 1956 5 12
69
Nuttin' For Christmas Art Mooney Orchestra 44 6 4 4 1955 12 17 1956 1 7
70 67 Why Do Fools Fall in Love Gale Storm 42 8 9 14 1956 3 3 1956 3 24
71 62 Garden of Eden Joe Valino 42 12 9 14 1956 10 27 1956 12 15
72 71 Mama From the Train Patti Page 38 11 8 12 1956 11 3 1956 12 29
73 77 Are You Satisfied Rusty Draper 35 11 7 12 1955 12 31 1956 2 4
74 84 Eddie My Love Fontane Sisters 35 11 7 11 1956 3 17 1956 4 7
75
Go On With The Wedding Patti Page 35 11 5 8 1956 1 14 1956 2 4
76 83 Tutti-Frutti Pat Boone 33 12 5 10 1956 2 4 1956 2 18
77 59 You Don't Know Me Jerry Vale 33 14 8 17 1956 7 28 1956 9 29
78 45 Long Tall Sally Little Richard 32 6 7 12 1956 4 7 1956 5 12
79 77 Cry Me A River Julie London 30 9 8 13 1955 12 3 1955 12 17
80 69 Picnic The McGuire Sisters 29 13 7 12 1956 5 19 1956 6 16
81 47 Transfusion Nervous Norvus 26 8 5 9 1956 6 9 1956 6 23
82 80 Glendora Perry Como 25 8 6 12 1956 6 23 1956 8 4
83 70 After the Lights Go Down Low Al Hibbler 24 10 5 12 1956 8 25 1956 9 22
84
Chain Gang Bobby Scott 23 15 5 10 1956 1 21 1956 2 18
85 79 You'll Never Never Know The Platters 22 11 6 12 1956 10 6 1956 11 10
86 96 Tonight You Belong to Me Lawrence Welk 14 15 4 10 1956 9 29 1956 11 3
87 74 Walk Hand in Hand Tony Martin 13 10 2 11 1956 5 26 1956 6 30
88 75 Why Do Fools Fall in Love The Diamonds 13 12 4 11 1956 3 17 1956 4 7
89
When the White Lilacs Bloom Again Helmut Zacharias 13 12 4 7 1956 9 8 1956 9 29
90 88 Night Lights Nat King Cole 12 11 3 10 1956 11 3 1956 12 8
91 72 That's All There Is to That Nat King Cole 10 16 5 12 1956 7 21 1956 8 4
92 99 Bo Weevil Teresa Brewer 7 17 3 10 1956 3 10 1956 4 7
93
Eddie My Love The Chordettes 7 18 3 9 1956 3 10 1956 3 31
94
Long Tall Sally Pat Boone 6 8 2 9 1956 4 28 1956 5 12
95
Mary's Boy Child Harry Belafonte 6 12 1 3 1956 12 29 1957 1 5
96 97 Lay Down Your Arms The Chordettes 6 16 2 10 1956 10 13 1956 11 17
97
Stranded in the Jungle The Cadets 5 15 2 7 1956 7 21 1956 7 28
98 81 I Walk the Line Johnny Cash 5 17 3 11 1956 10 20 1956 11 10
99 73 Band of Gold Kit Carson 4 11 1 11 1955 12 31 1956 2 18
100 95 I Want You to Be My Girl Frankie Lymon & the Teenagers 4 13 1 11 1956 5 12 1956 6 9