Crooners and Pop Singers, new and established, rule the charts the year Ike is elected President, Queen Elizabeth II is coronated, the Cold War becomes the new normal and “the ’50s” begin. Patti Page eschews overdubbing, PFC Eddie Fisher scores eight top tens while on active duty in the Army and Emo teen sensation Johnnie Ray pushes the Crooner envelope to the point of self-parody—and scores the year’s top hit.

#1 Song of the Year   The top song according to our Chartcrush ranking of all songs that earned the majority of their chart ranking points in the year

Artists of the Year   The top three artists based on all charted songs that spent most of their chart runs in the year

1. Eddie Fisher
2. Jo Stafford
3. Leroy Anderson & His Orchestra

Artist with Most Charting Songs   Artist(s) with the most charting songs during the year (song count in parentheses)

• Eddie Fisher (12)

Average #1 Artist Age   The average of how old artists who scored #1 hits during the year were when their songs first reached #1

• 29.8

#1 Songs   List of #1 songs that earned the majority of their chart ranking points in the year, and (in parentheses), the month the song first hit #1 and the total number of weeks it was #1

1. Johnnie Ray & The Four Lads – Cry (January, 11 wks)
2. Kay Starr – Wheel of Fortune (March, 10 wks)
3. Georgia Gibbs – Kiss of Fire (May, 3 wks)
4. Al Martino – Here in My Heart (June, 5 wks)
5. Vera Lynn – Auf Wiederseh’n Sweetheart (July, 7 wks)
6. Jo Stafford – You Belong to Me (September, 5 wks)
7. Patti Page – I Went to Your Wedding (October, 6 wks)
8. Mills Brothers – The Glow-Worm (November, 3 wks)