These are the top 100 songs of 1956 and the top 50 artists of 1956. On this page you will find two different chart types.
Official Billboard Top 100 Songs of 1956
This is Billboards official top 100 songs of 1956 also known as the Hot 100 of 1956 . To identify the Billboard chart, either the artist’s name or chart position will appear in RED.
Nolan Method (1956 cumulative points only)
The second Nolan Method chart is formulated using 1956 cumulative points only measured from December 1955 to November 1956 . To identify the Nolan Method 1956 chart, either the artist’s name or chart position will appear in GREEN.
Nolan Method Explained
The Nolan Method was formulated by lead Top40Weekly contributor Jarrett Nolan.
Using an inverse point-based system, songs earn points for each position that they’re in within the Top 40. Songs at #1 earn 40 points all the way down to 1 point at #40.
A song can earn bonus points if it debuts on the chart within the Top 40. If a song debuts between #11 and #40, the corresponding points for that position would be double with 10 points added.
Example: A song entering the chart at #38, earns 3 points. This would be doubled to 6 points plus 10 making the total score for that week 16 points.
If a song debuts within the Top 10, its entry points would be doubled with 20 points added.
Example: A song debuts on the chart at #1 earning 40 points. The points are doubled to 80 plus 20 for entering in the top 10 giving the song a 100 total for that week.
Bonus points can only be earned on a song’s debut week within the 40.
We welcome to you to join our Top40Weekly Forum to discuss the charts with like-minded enthusiasts.
Page Contents
Top 100 Songs of 1956 (side by side with Nolan Method)
Side by Side of Both Top 100 Songs of 1956
Top 50 Artists of 1956 (side by side with Nolan Method)
Top 100 Songs 1956
This list is a side by side of Billboard’s top songs of 1956 and Jarrett Nolan’s cumulative point method (aka the Nolan Method).
These top 100 songs of 1956 were created using data between December 1955 to the last week of November 1956 .
Billboard’s Hot 100 Year-end Of 1956
Billboard’s HOT 100 Songs are derived from radio airplay, sales data, and streaming data. RED.
This year’s most popular songs across all genres, ranked by radio airplay audience impressions as measured by Nielsen Music, sales data as compiled by Nielsen Music and streaming activity data provided by online music sources during the charts dated November 24, 1955, to November 16, 1956 .
The Nolan Method: Top 40 Weekly Year-end Of 1956
The Nolan Method totals all points accrued from all songs that entered the Billboard Hot 100 Top 40 from December 1, 1955 through November 30, 1956 . In the case of collaborations, each credited artist was given the total points a song earned. GREEN.
A song’s peak position is in parentheses after the title. If there is an asterisk next to the peak, it means that the song was still upwardly mobile as of the cutoff – November 30, 1956.
| 1 | Heartbreak Hotel (#1) Elvis Presley | Lisbon Antigua (#2) Nelson Riddle |
| 2 | Don’t Be Cruel (#1) Elvis Presley | The Wayward Wind (#1) Gogi Grant |
| 3 | Lisbon Antigua (#2) Nelson Riddle | Heartbreak Hotel (#1) Elvis Presley |
| 4 | My Prayer (#1) The Platters | Que Sera, Sera (Whatever Will Be, Will Be) (#2) Doris Day |
| 5 | The Wayward Wind (#1) Gogi Grant | (The) Rock and Roll Waltz (#1) Kay Starr |
| 6 | The Poor People of Paris (#1) Les Baxter | My Prayer (#1) The Platters |
| 7 | Que Sera, Sera (Whatever Will Be, Will Be) (#2) Doris Day | Moonglow & Theme from Picnic (#2) Morris Stoloff |
| 8 | Hound Dog (#2) Elvis Presley | The Poor People of Paris (#1) Les Baxter |
| 9 | Memories Are Made of This (#1) Dean Martin | The Great Pretender (#1) The Platters |
| 10 | (The) Rock and Roll Waltz (#1) Kay Starr | Memories Are Made of This (#1) Dean Martin |
| 11 | Moonglow & Theme from Picnic (#2) Morris Stoloff | Allegheny Moon (#2) Patti Page |
| 12 | The Great Pretender (#1) The Platters | I Almost Lost My Mind (#1) Pat Boone |
| 13 | I Almost Lost My Mind (#1) Pat Boone | Don’t Be Cruel (#1) Elvis Presley |
| 14 | I Want You, I Need You, I Love You (#3) Elvis Presley | Hot Diggity (Dog Ziggity Boom) (#2) Perry Como |
| 15 | Love Me Tender (#1) Elvis Presley | Sixteen Tons (#1) Tennessee Ernie Ford |
| 16 | Hot Diggity (Dog Ziggity Boom) (#2) Perry Como | Hound Dog (#2) Elvis Presley |
| 17 | Canadian Sunset (#2) Eddie Heywood & Hugo Winterhalter | Canadian Sunset (#2) Eddie Heywood & Hugo Winterhalter |
| 18 | Blue Suede Shoes (#3) Carl Perkins | I Want You, I Need You, I Love You (#3) Elvis Presley |
| 19 | Green Door (#1) Jim Lowe | No, Not Much (#3) The Four Lads |
| 20 | No, Not Much (#3) The Four Lads | Blue Suede Shoes (#3) Carl Perkins |
| 21 | Honky Tonk (#2) Bill Doggett | Moonglow & Theme from Picnic (#4) George Cates |
| 22 | Sixteen Tons (#1) Tennessee Ernie Ford | Band of Gold (#5) Don Cherry |
| 23 | Just Walkin’ in the Rain (#2) Johnnie Ray | Ivory Tower (#6) Cathy Carr |
| 24 | Allegheny Moon (#2) Patti Page | It’s Almost Tomorrow (#8) the Dream Weavers |
| 25 | I’m in Love Again (#5) Fats Domino | I’ll Be Home (#5) Pat Boone |
| 26 | Tonight You Belong to Me (#6) Patience and Prudence | Standing on the Corner (#3) The Four Lads |
| 27 | Be-Bop-A-Lula (#9) Gene Vincent | I’m in Love Again (#5) Fats Domino |
| 28 | Why Do Fools Fall in Love (#7) Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers | Born to Be with You (#5) The Chordettes |
| 29 | Standing on the Corner (#3) The Four Lads | I Hear You Knocking (#2) Gale Storm |
| 30 | The Flying Saucer (#7) Buchanan & Goodman | Moments to Remember (#3) the Four Lads |
| 31 | Moonglow & Theme from Picnic (#4) Ivory Tower (#6) | A Tear Fell (#7) Teresa Brewer |
| 32 | Better Now (#3) Post Malone | Why Do Fools Fall in Love (#7) Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers |
| 33 | See You Later Alligator (#6) Bill Haley & His Comets | Tonight You Belong to Me (#6) Patience and Prudence |
| 34 | I’ll Be Home (#5) Pat Boone | (You’ve Got) The Magic Touch (#4) The Platters |
| 35 | On the Street Where You Live (#8) Vic Damone | He (#7) Al Hibbler |
| 36 | (You’ve Got) The Magic Touch (#4) The Platters | It Only Hurts for a Little While (#15) The Ames Brothers |
| 37 | Born to Be with You (#5) The Chordettes | Honky Tonk (#2) Bill Doggett |
| 38 | Band of Gold (#5) Don Cherry | See You Later Alligator (#6) Bill Haley & His Comets |
| 39 | More (#16) Perry Como | Love and Marriage (#5) Frank Sinatra |
| 40 | Singing the Blues (#4*) Guy Mitchell | Only You (And You Alone) (#5) The Platters |
| 41 | Blueberry Hill (#6*) Fats Domino | On the Street Where You Live (#8) Vic Damone |
| 42 | The Fool (#9) Sanford Clark | Dungaree Doll (#7) Eddie Fisher |
| 43 | The Happy Whistler (#9) Don Robertson | Canadian Sunset (#8) Andy Williams |
| 44 | True Love (#6*) Bing Crosby & Grace Kelly | Autumn Leaves (#1) Roger Williams |
| 45 | Long Tall Sally (#13) Little Richard | Just Walkin’ in the Rain (#2) Johnnie Ray |
| 46 | A Sweet Old Fashioned Girl (#11) Teresa Brewer | A Sweet Old Fashioned Girl (#11) Teresa Brewer |
| 47 | Transfusion (#13) Nervous Norvus | Soft Summer Breeze (#12) Eddie Heywood |
| 48 | It Only Hurts for a Little While (#15) The Ames Brothers | More (#16) Perry Como |
| 49 | A Tear Fell (#7) Teresa Brewer | Moritat (A Theme from the Three Penny Opera) (#9) the Dick Hyman Trio |
| 50 | Rock Island Line (#10) Lonnie Donegan | The Happy Whistler (#9) Don Robertson |
Side by Side Comparison
This list is a side by side comparison of both top songs of 1956 charts.
Songs are listed in alphabetically according to the artist or band’s name.
Key:
- RED – Official Billboard Top 100 Songs of 1956
- GREEN – Nolan Method 1956 cumulative points only
| He (#7) | — | 35 |
| Al Hibbler | ||
| Canadian Sunset (#8) | — | 43 |
| Andy Williams | ||
| Honky Tonk (#2) | 21 | 37 |
| Bill Doggett | ||
| See You Later Alligator (#6) | 33 | 38 |
| Bill Haley & His Comets | ||
| True Love (#6*) | 44 | — |
| Bing Crosby & Grace Kelly | ||
| The Flying Saucer (#7) | 30 | — |
| Buchanan & Goodman | ||
| Blue Suede Shoes (#3) | 18 | 20 |
| Carl Perkins | ||
| Ivory Tower (#6) | 32 | 23 |
| Cathy Carr | ||
| Memories Are Made of This (#1) | 9 | 10 |
| Dean Martin | ||
| Band of Gold (#5) | 38 | 22 |
| Don Cherry | ||
| The Happy Whistler (#9) | 43 | 50 |
| Don Robertson | ||
| Que Sera, Sera (Whatever Will Be, Will Be) (#2) | 7 | 4 |
| Doris Day | ||
| Dungaree Doll (#7) | — | 42 |
| Eddie Fisher | ||
| Soft Summer Breeze (#12) | — | 47 |
| Eddie Heywood | ||
| Canadian Sunset (#2) | 17 | 17 |
| Eddie Heywood & Hugo Winterhalter | ||
| Don’t Be Cruel (#1) | 2 | 13 |
| Elvis Presley | ||
| Heartbreak Hotel (#1) | 1 | 3 |
| Elvis Presley | ||
| Hound Dog (#2) | 8 | 16 |
| Elvis Presley | ||
| I Want You, I Need You, I Love You (#3) | 14 | 18 |
| Elvis Presley | ||
| Love Me Tender (#1) | 15 | — |
| Elvis Presley | ||
| Blueberry Hill (#6*) | 41 | — |
| Fats Domino | ||
| I’m in Love Again (#5) | 25 | 27 |
| Fats Domino | ||
| Love and Marriage (#5) | — | 39 |
| Frank Sinatra | ||
| Why Do Fools Fall in Love (#7) | 28 | 32 |
| Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers | ||
| I Hear You Knocking (#2) | — | 29 |
| Gale Storm | ||
| Be-Bop-A-Lula (#9) | 27 | — |
| Gene Vincent | ||
| Moonglow & Theme from Picnic (#4) | 31 | 21 |
| George Cates | ||
| The Wayward Wind (#1) | 5 | 2 |
| Gogi Grant | ||
| Singing the Blues (#4*) | 40 | — |
| Guy Mitchell | ||
| Green Door (#1) | 19 | — |
| Jim Lowe | ||
| Just Walkin’ in the Rain (#2) | 23 | 45 |
| Johnnie Ray | ||
| (The) Rock and Roll Waltz (#1) | 10 | 5 |
| Kay Starr | ||
| The Poor People of Paris (#1) | 6 | 8 |
| Les Baxter | ||
| Long Tall Sally (#13) | 45 | — |
| Little Richard | ||
| Rock Island Line (#10) | 50 | — |
| Lonnie Donegan | ||
| Moonglow & Theme from Picnic (#2) | 11 | 7 |
| Morris Stoloff | ||
| Lisbon Antigua (#2) | 3 | 1 |
| Nelson Riddle | ||
| Transfusion (#13) | 47 | — |
| Nervous Norvus | ||
| I Almost Lost My Mind (#1) | 13 | 12 |
| Pat Boone | ||
| I’ll Be Home (#5) | 34 | 25 |
| Pat Boone | ||
| Tonight You Belong to Me (#6) | 26 | 33 |
| Patience and Prudence | ||
| Allegheny Moon (#2) | 24 | 11 |
| Patti Page | ||
| Hot Diggity (Dog Ziggity Boom) (#2) | 16 | 14 |
| Perry Como | ||
| More (#16) | 39 | 48 |
| Perry Como | ||
| Autumn Leaves (#1) | — | 44 |
| Roger Williams | ||
| The Fool (#9) | 42 | — |
| Sanford Clark | ||
| Sixteen Tons (#1) | 22 | 15 |
| Tennessee Ernie Ford | ||
| A Sweet Old Fashioned Girl (#11) | 46 | 46 |
| Teresa Brewer | ||
| A Tear Fell (#7) | 49 | 31 |
| Teresa Brewer | ||
| It Only Hurts for a Little While (#15) | 48 | 36 |
| The Ames Brothers | ||
| Born to Be with You (#5) | 37 | 28 |
| The Chordettes | ||
| Moritat (A Theme from the Three Penny Opera) (#9) | — | 49 |
| the Dick Hyman Trio | ||
| It’s Almost Tomorrow (#8) | — | 24 |
| the Dream Weavers | ||
| Moments to Remember (#3) | — | 30 |
| the Four Lads | ||
| No, Not Much (#3) | 20 | 19 |
| The Four Lads | ||
| Standing on the Corner (#3) | 29 | 26 |
| The Four Lads | ||
| (You’ve Got) The Magic Touch (#4) | 36 | 34 |
| The Platters | ||
| My Prayer (#1) | 4 | 6 |
| The Platters | ||
| Only You (And You Alone) (#5) | — | 40 |
| The Platters | ||
| The Great Pretender (#1) | 12 | 9 |
| The Platters | ||
| On the Street Where You Live (#8) | 35 | 41 |
| Vic Damone |