National charts did not begin in Canada until the launch of RPM Magazine in 1964. Below, from Oh Canada What a Feeling A Musical Odyssey by Martin Melhuish are lists of popular songs in Canada through the 1950s. We have also included big hits by Canadian artists that made the year-end charts of U.S. Billboard Magazine with their year-end positions on the chart.
1950
Guy Lombardo & His Royal Canadians: Enjoy Yourself, The Third Man Theme, Dearie, Our Little Ranch House, All My Love, Harbour Lights, Tennessee Waltz.
Daddy’s Little Girl, Dick Todd
I’m Movin’ On, Hank Snow
1951
Guy Lombardo & His Royal Canadians: If, Because of You
1952
Cry, Johnnie Ray & The Four Lads (#3)
Delicado, Percy Faith (#10)
Please Mr. Sun, Johnnie Ray & The Four Lads (#30)
Guy Lombardo & His Royal Canadians: Crazy Heart, Blue Tango, Auf Wiederseh’n Sweetheart, Half as Much
Gisele MacKenzie: La Fiacre, Adios, Don’t Let the Stars Get In Your Eyes.
1953
The Song from Moulin Rouge, Percy Faith (#1)
Norman Brooks: Hello Sunshine, You Shouldn’t Have Kissed Me the First Time, Somebody Wonderful
Seven Lonely Days, Gisele MacKenzie
‘Til I Waltz Again with You, Dick Todd
1954
Sh-Boom, The Crew-Cuts (#4)
Hernando’s Hideaway, Guy Lombardo & His Royal Canadians
I Don’t Hurt Anymore, Hank Snow
1955
Moments to Remember, The Four Lads (#17)
Hard to Get, Gisele MacKenzie (#26)
My Boy Flat Top, Dorothy Collins
The Crew-Cuts: Earth Angel, Ko Ko Mo, Don’t Be Angry, Chop Chop Boom, A Story Untold, Gum Drop, Angels in the Sky
The Man in the Raincoat, Priscilla Wright
1956
No, Not Much, The Four Lads (#20)
Standing on the Corner, The Four Lads (#29)
Seven Days, Dorothy Collins
The Crew-Cuts: Mostly Martha, Seven Days
The Diamonds: Why Do Fools Fall in Love, The Church Bells May Ring, Love Love Love, Soft Summer Breeze, Ka-Ding-Dong
The Four Lads: My Little Angel, A House with Love In It, The Bus Stop Song
Graduation Day, The Rover Boys
1957
Little Darlin’, The Diamonds (#3)
Diana, Paul Anka (#24)
Young Love, The Crew-Cuts
The Diamonds: Words of Love, Zip Zip, Silhouettes
The Four Lads: Who Needs You, I Just Don’t Know, Put a Light in the Window
1958
The Stroll, The Diamonds (#48)
Paul Anka: You Are My Destiny, Crazy Love, Let the Bells Keep Ringing, The Teen Commandments
The Diamonds: High Sign, Kathy-O, Walking Along
The Four Lads: There’s Only One of You, Enchanted Island, The Mocking Bird
The Swingin’ Shepherd Blues, Moe Koffman
Jack Scott: My True Love, Leroy, With Your Love, Goodbye Baby
1959
Lonely Boy, Paul Anka (#5)
Put Your Head On My Shoulder (#12)
Paul Anka: My Heart Sings, I Miss You So, It’s Time to Cry
She Say, The Diamonds
The Way I Walk, Jack Scott
What about Hank Snow’s I’m Movin On
It was popular in 1950. There was no Billboard year-end chart for that year.