1950s in music

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This article lists the major events in popular music in the 1950s.

Contents 1 Rock 2 Blues 3 R&B 4 Pop 5 Other 6 See also 7 References

[edit] Rock

• Rock 'n' Roll popularizes with the help of Elvis Presley and Bill Haley.
• The Big Bopper, Buddy Holly, and Richie Valens are killed in a tragic plane crash in 1959.
• Many artists of the 1950s provide popular songs considered today as candidates for the first rock and roll song. Domino provides The Fat Man in 1949 while Rocket 88 is another popular candidate.^[1]
• Songs about automobiles begin to popularize as cars become more powerful. Rocket 88 and Jaguar and Thunderbird are major examples.
• Bill Haley's Rock Around The Clock becomes the first major rock hit
• Elvis Presley becomes a phenomenal success. His raunchy performance on The Ed Sullivan Show is censored by only showing him from the waist up.^[2]
• Carl Perkins records the original version of Blue Suede Shoes^[3]
• Big Joe Turner records the original Shake, Rattle, and Roll^[4]
• Johnny B. Goode is first recorded in 1958 by Chuck Berry

[edit] Blues

• Ray Charles and Fats Domino help bring blues into the popular music scene. Domino provides a boogie-woogie style that heavily influences rock 'n' roll.
• Big Mama Thornton provides the original versions of Hound Dog and Ball and Chain^[5]

[edit] R&B

• Stax Records is founded.^[6]

[edit] Pop

• The pop stars of the 1940s continue to see success.
• Teen Idols such as Fabian come into popularity in the late 1950s^[7]
• Jazz declines in popularity as rock 'n' roll enters the mainstream
• Doo Wop enters the pop charts. Its popularity soon spawns the parody Who Put the Bomp
• Novelty songs come into popularity, such as Beep Beep

[edit] Other

• Richie Valens provides a Latin music hit with La Bamba
• Country music sees increased success due to the rise of rockabilly
• American Bandstand debuts^[8]

[edit] See also

• 1960s in music

[edit] References