The first attempt to tabulate the most popular singles in West Germany was made by the magazine "Der Automatenmarkt". The publication began to track jukebox data in late 1953 and listed "Es hängt ein Pferdehalfter an der Wand" as the most played song of December 1953 in the January 1954 issue. 
In April, the magazine issued its first full monthly chart. "Wir, wir, wir haben ein Klavier" by was the first song to top the single chart. By 1959, "Musikmarkt" began to tabulate German record charts based on jukebox plays, physical sales, airplay data and sheet music sales. GfK Entertainment considers the "Musikmarkt" charts as its sole predecessor. The first number-one on the "Musikmarkt" Hit-Parade was by Austrian singer Freddy Quinn. The song furthermore finished as the years best-performing song.