POPULAR SONG CHARTS OF THE 50's

Popular Song Charts OF The Fifties About Music of the Fifties... Things You need To Know Rock and Roll, Jazz and Doo Wop evolved from the Blues, which came from the African-American community in the decades after slavery with gospel, spirituals, work songs, and chants which, with the addition of some instruments, became Rhythm and Blues. It's a much longer story than you can find on a web page, so check These books out. Cleveland radio Dee-Jay Alan Freed was credited with inventing the phrase 'Rock and Roll,' but was unable to copyright the term. He was pushed out of the radio and TV industry over Payola - basically taking bribes to play some records over others. The 1978 film American Hot Wax was a fictionalized version of his life. Frank Sinatra was not a big fan of rock and roll music at first. He called it "The most brutal, ugly, desperate, vicious form of expression it has been my misfortune to hear." On a related note, Frank Sinatra has not been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. In the 1950s, many songs by black artists were performed and then out-played on the radio by white artists. One of the first songs to break that barrier was Only You, by the Platters (#5), beating out the Hilltoppers (#8). Conversely, Harry Belafonte's Calypso album edged out Elvis' Elvis Presley to be the first million-selling album, in 1956. Bing Crosby had his last hit in 1956, True Love, which he sang with Grace Kelly (#3). Who was Bing Crosby? To start with, he's the 'old guy' who sang Little Drummer Boy/Peace on Earth with David Bowie in 1977. To get perspective, Elvis Presley wanted to be like Frank Sinatra, while Frank Sinatra WISHED he was Bing Crosby. Bing had 36 #1 songs, and 317 in the top 40. Elvis had 18 #1's and 114 top 40 hits. The Beatles had 20 #1's and 'only' 52 top 40 hits. Bing Crosby outscored both Elvis & The Beatles on the charts, combined! The Day The Music Died: February 3, 1959 Outside of Clear Lake, Iowa, Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and J. P. "The Big Bopper" Richardson, and pilot Roger Peterson died in a plane crash. "Three Stars" by Tommy Dee was a tribute song for the trio of rock stars, as was 1972's America Pie by Don McLean. The 50s' Bubblegum Pop Hits 1. Rock Around The Clock - Bill Haley and His Comets 2. Put Your Head On My Shoulder - Paul Anka 3. School Day - Chuck Berry 4. Oh Boy! - Buddy Holly 5. Rockin Robin - Bobby Day 6. Charlie Brown - The Coasters 7. Bird Dog - The Everly Brothers 8. The Children's Marching Song (Knick Knack Taddy Whack) - Mitch Miller 9. The Ballad Of Davy Crockett - Bill Hayes 10. Hot Diggity (Dog Ziggity Boom) - Perry Como The Fifties' Songs That Mom and Dad Hated 1. Wake Up Little Suzie - The Everly Bothers 2. Great Balls of Fire - Jerry Lee Lewis 3. Tutti Fruitti - Little Richard 4. Rumble - Link Wray 5. Yakety Yak - Coasters 6. Love For Sale - Billie Holiday 7. Ragtime Cowboy Joe - The Chipmunks 8. Endless Sleep - Jody Reynolds 9. Standing On The Corner (Watching All The Girls Go By) - Four Lads 10. Tequila! - Champs The 50s' Songs That Everybody Hated 1. The Happy Organ - Dave "Baby" Cortez 2. Hot Diggity (Dog Ziggity Boom) - Perry Como 3. Beep Beep - The Playmates 4. Lonely Boy - Paul Anka 5. Banana Boat Song - Steve Lawrence 6. Teen-Age Crush - Tommy Sands 7. Kookie Kookie (Lend Me Your Comb) - Connie Stevens with Edd Byrnes 8. Dance With Me, Henry - Georgia Gibbs 9. Western Movies - The Olympics 10. Seven Little Girls Sitting In The Back Seat - Paul Evans The Fifties's Dance hall Music Hits 1. Rock Around The Clock - Bill Haley and His Comets 2. Rock and Roll is Here To Stay - Danny & the Juniors 3. Blueberry Hill - Fats Domino 4. At The Hop - Danny and the Juniors 5. Little Bitty Pretty One - Thurston Harris 6. Blue Suede Shoes - Carl Perkins 7. All Shook Up - Elvis Presley 8. Little Darlin' - The Diamonds 9. Come Go With Me - Dell-Vikings 10. Kansas City - Wilbert Harrison 11. Love Is Strange - Mickey and Sylvia 12. Be-Bop-A-Lula - Gene Vincent 13. Peggy Sue - Buddy Holly 14. School Day - Chuck Berry 15. What'd I Say - Ray Charles 16. The Stroll - The Diamonds 17. I'm Walkin' - Fats Domino 18. Goody Goody - Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers 19. Yakety Yak - The Coasters 20. Chantilly Lace - Big Bopper The 50s' Party Rock Hits 1. Don't Be Cruel/Hound Dog - Elvis Presley 2. Whole Lot Of Shakin' Going On - Jerry Lee Lewis 3. Maybellene - Chuck Berry 4. Long Tall Sally - Little Richard 5. Johnny B. Goode - Chuck Berry 6. Rock and Roll Music - Chuck Berry 7. Blue Suede Shoes - Carl Perkins 8. Do You Want To Dance - Bobby Freeman 9. Book Of Love - Monotones 10. Rockin Robin - Bobby Day     More 1959-1964 Oldies Here     More 1964 - 1969 Oldies Here The Fifties' Best Known Doo Wop Songs 1. Earth Angel - Penguins 2. In The Still Of The Night - Five Satins 3. I Only Have Eyes For You - The Flamingos 4. At The Hop - Danny and the Juniors 5. Little Star - Elegants 6. Little Darlin' - Diamonds 7. A Teenager In Love - Dion & the Belmonts 8. 16 Candles - The Crests 9. Come Go With Me - Del-Vikings 10. Gee - The Crows     The Top 100 Doo Wop Hits The 50s' Best Loved Top 15 Slow jams 1. Sea Of Love - Phil Phillips 2. Earth Angel - The Penguins 3. Chances Are - Johnny Mathis 4. Sleepwalk - Santo and Johnny 5. You Send Me - Sam Cooke 6. In The Still of The Night - Five Satins 7. It's All in The Game - Tommy Edwards 8. Only You (And You Alone) - The Platters 9. Put Your Head On My Shoulder - Paul Anka 10. Come Softly To Me - the Fleetwoods 11. It's Just a Matter of Time - Brook Benton 12. I Only Have Eyes For You - Flamingos 13. All the Way - Frank Sinatra 14. Love Is A Many Splendored Thing - Four Aces 15. April Love - Pat Boone The 25 Fifties' Songs That You Need To make Your Collection Complete 1. The ABC's Of Love - Frankie Lymon & the Teenagers 2. Mack The Knife - Bobby Darin 3. Stood Up - Ricky Nelson 4. Book Of Love - Monotones 5. The Banana Boat Song (Day-O) - Harry Belafonte 6. That'll Be The Day - Buddy Holly and the Crickets 7. The Great Pretender - Platters 8. Whispering Bells - The Dell Vikings 9. Tonite Tonite - The Mello-Kings 10. Little Girl Of Mine - Cleftones 11. Yakety Yak - The Coasters 12. Cry - Johnny Ray 13. Love Potion No. 9 - Clovers 14. Rocket 88 - Jackie Brenston 15. Woo-Hoo - Rock-A-Teens 16. Sorry (I Ran All The Way Home) - Impalas 17. Mr. Sandman - The Chordettes 18. Bo Diddley - Bo Diddley 19. I Wonder Why - Dion & the Belmonts 20. Bony Maronie - Larry Williams 21. Hey Good Lookin' - Hank Williams 22. Why Do Fools Fall In Love - Frankie Lymon & the Teenagers 23. Red River Rock - Johnny and the Hurricanes 24. Work With Me Annie - Hank Ballard & The Midnighters 25. Sincerely - Moonglows The 50s' Big Money Songs and/or One Hit Wonders 1. Donna/ La Bamba - Richie Valens 2. Sea of Love - Phil Phillips 3. Blue Suede Shoes - Carl Perkins 4. Sorry (I Ran All The Way Home) - Impalas 5. Trickle, Trickle - the Videos 6. Silhouettes - The Rays 7. To Know Him, Is To Love Him - The Teddy Bears 8. Mr. Lee - Bobbettes 9. Sea Cruise - Frankie Ford 10. Woo-Hoo - Rock-A-Teens The Late Fifties' Biggest # 1 Hits According To Billboard 1. Don't Be Cruel/Hound Dog - Elvis Presley (1956) - 11 weeks 2. Cherry Pink and Apple Blossom White - Perez Prado (1955) - 10 weeks 3. Sincerely - The McGuire Sisters (1955) - 10 weeks 4. Singing The Blues - Guy Mitchell (1956) - 10 weeks 5. Mack The Knife - Bobby Darin (1959) - 9 weeks 6. All Shook Up - Elvis Presley (1957) - 9 weeks 7. Rock Around The Clock - Bill Haley and His Comets (1955) - 8 weeks 8. The Wayward Wind - Gogi Grant (1956) - 8 weeks 9. Sixteen Tons - "Tennessee" Ernie Ford (1955) - 8 weeks 10. Heartbreak Hotel - Elvis Presley (1956) - 8 weeks The Early Fifties' Biggest # 1 Hits According To Billboard 1. The Tennesse Waltz - Patti Page (1950) -13 Weeks 2. Goodnight Irene - Gordon Jenkins and the Weavers (1950) - 13 Weeks 3. You Belong To Me - Jo Stafford (1952) - 12 Weeks 4. Vaya Con Dios - Les Paul and Mary Ford (1953) - 11 weeks 5. Third Man Theme - Anton Karas (1950) - 11 weeks 6. Third Man Theme - Guy Lombardo (1950) - 11 weeks 7. Cry - Johnny Ray (1951) - 11 weeks 8. Because of You - Tony Bennett (1951) - 10 weeks 9. Wheel of Fortune - Kay Starr (1952) - 10 weeks 10. Song From 'Moulin Rouge' Where Is Your Heart - Percy Faith (1953) - 10 weeks The 50s' Most Naughty Songs 1. Sixty Minute Man - The Dominoes 2. It Ain't The Meat - The Swallows 3. (When We Are Dancing) I Get Ideas - Louis Armstrong 4. Baby Let's Play House - Elvis Presley 5. Big Ten-Inch Record - Moose Jackson 6. Get Hot Or Go Home - John Kerby 7. I Got A Rocket In My Pocket - Jimmy Lloyd 8. (I Love To Play Your Piano) Let Me Bang Your Box - The Toppers With Orchestra 9. Whistle Bait - Lorrie And Larry Collins 10. Whole Lot of Shakin' Going On - Jerry Lee Lewis The 50s' Songs About Death, Heaven, UFOs, Aliens, Murder & End of the World 1. 13 Women - Bill Haley and His Comets 2. Purple People Eater - Sheb Wolley 3. Stagger Lee - Lloyd Price 4. A Wonderful Time Up There - Pat Boone 5. The Blob - The Five Blobs 6. The Flying Saucer - Buchanan & Goodman 7. El Paso - Marty Robbins 8. Endless Sleep - Jody Reynolds 9. Little Blue Man - Betty Johnson 10. Car Crash - The Cadets The 50s' Best (?) Novelty & Comedy Songs & Recordings 1. Purple People Eater - Sheb Wolley 2. Banana Boat (Day-O) - Stan Freberg 3. Alvin's Harmonica - The Chipmonks 4. Stranded In The Jungle - The Cadets (or The Jayhawks) 5. The Naughty Lady Of Shady Lane - The Ames Brothers 6. The Flying Saucer - Buchanan & Goodman 7. The Thing - Phil Harris 8. What It Was, Was Football - Andy Griffith 9. Uh! Oh! - The Nutty Squirrels 10. Nuttin For Christmas - cracked the top 40 in 1955 by Art Mooney & Barry Gordon, Joe Ward, Ricky Zahnd, The Fontane Sisters and Stan Freberg in 1955.