The
UK Singles Chart is a weekly
record chart which for most of its history was based on single sales from Sunday to Saturday in the United Kingdom. Since July 2014 it has also incorporated streaming data, and from 10 July 2015 has been based on a Friday to Thursday week. , 1259 singles have reached number one. The chart was founded in 1952 by Percy Dickins of
New Musical Express (
NME), who telephoned 20 record stores to ask what their top 10 highest-selling singles were. Dickins aggregated the results into a top 12
hit parade, which was topped by "
Here in My Heart" by
Al Martino.
NMEs chart was published each week in its eponymous magazine.