The first chart was on 16th November 1952 when Percy Dickens of New Musical Express polled various record stores to determine the most popular sales.

The best seller for this first chart (at the time, a Top 12) was Al Martino's 'Here In My Heart'. Rock 'n' Roll was still a few years off and sales were low, but over the following five years, the chart would be extended to a Top 30 and Record Mirror would launch an albums chart.