1960 in music

List of years in music (Table)
… 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 …
Related time period or subjects
… 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 … … 1930s 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s … … 19th century 20th century 21st century …
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Events

• January 14 – Elvis Presley is promoted to Sergeant in the U.S. Army
• February 6 – Songwriter Jesse Belvin dies in an automobile accident in Los Angeles. Belvin was the co-author of "Earth Angel," the Penguins' classic from 1954
• March 5 – Elvis Presley returns home from serving in the US Army.
• March 15 – Jussi Björling suffers a heart attack before a performance at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. He goes on to perform, but dies six months later in Sweden.
• March 29 – The 5th Eurovision Song Contest, held at the Royal Festival Hall, London, is won by France with the song "Tom Pillibi", sung by Jacqueline Boyer.
• Spring – "Skokiaan" by Bill Haley & His Comets becomes the band's final single to make it onto the American sales charts (with the exception of a 1974 reissue of "Rock Around the Clock").
• April 1 – Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr., Elvis Presley, Dean Martin and Mitch Miller film Sinatra's Timex Special for ABC at Miami, Florida's Fountainbleu Hotel
• April 2 – The National Association of Recording Merchandisers presents its first annual awards in Las Vegas, Nevada
• April 4 – RCA Victor Records announces that it will release all pop singles in mono and stereo simultaneously, the first record company to do so. Elvis Presley's single, "Stuck on You," is RCA's first mono/stereo release.
• April 17 – Eddie Cochran, Gene Vincent and Cochran's girlfriend Sharon Sheeley are injured in a car accident near Chippenham, Wiltshire. Cochran dies in a hospital in Bath, England, from severe brain injuries.
• April 20 – Elvis Presley returns to Hollywood for the first time since coming home from Germany to film G.I. Blues
• May 2 – The Drifters' Ben E. King leaves the group and signs a solo record contract with ATCO Records.
• June 30 – Opening of Lionel Bart's Oliver! in the West End.
• August 1 – The Beatles make their debut in Hamburg, Germany. The band at the time included John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, Stu Sutcliffe on bass and Pete Best on drums.
• August 27 – The Louisiana Hayride put on its final radio show.
• November 13 – Sammy Davis, Jr. marries May Britt.
• The last 78rpm records are released in the U.S. and the U.K.
• Ian Lake launches the Music of our Time Festival for unknown composers.
• Dalida receives the Radio Monte Carlo Oscar and the Grand Prix for best Italian song.
• Neil Young founds The Jades with Ken Koblun.
• Ritchie Blackmore's musical career begins.
• Renato Carosone announces his retirement, at the height of his popularity.
• Shivkumar Sharma records his first solo album.

Bands formed

• United States Army Old Guard Fife and Drum Corps (February 23)
• The Beatles

Albums released

• Alone With Dion – Dion
• At Newport – Muddy Waters
• Around Midnight – Julie London
• The Best Of The Crests – The Crests
• Bill Haley and His Comets – Bill Haley & His Comets
• Bill Haley's Jukebox – Bill Haley & His Comets
• Bo Diddley In the Spotlight – Bo Diddley
• Bo Diddley Is a Gunslinger – Bo Diddley
• Boss Tenor – Gene Ammons
• Broadway Playbill – The Hi-Lo's
• Change of the Century – Ornette Coleman
• The Crests Sing All Biggies – The Crests
• Ella in Berlin: Mack the Knife – Ella Fitzgerald
• Ella Fitzgerald Sings Songs from Let No Man Write My Epitaph – Ella Fitzgerald
• Elvis Is Back! – Elvis Presley
• Les enfants du Pirée – Dalida
• Everything Goes!!! – The Four Lads
• Fiorello! – Oscar Peterson
• For the Young at Heart – Perry Como
• The Genius Hits the Road – Ray Charles
• G.I. Blues – Elvis Presley
• Giant Steps – John Coltrane
• Have Guitar Will Travel – Bo Diddley
• Hello, Love – Ella Fitzgerald
• His Hand in Mine – Elvis Presley
• I Gotta Right to Swing – Sammy Davis, Jr.
• It's Everly Time – Everly Brothers
• Jo + Jazz – Jo Stafford
• Joan Baez – Joan Baez
• Julie...At Home – Julie London
• The Last Month of the Year – The Kingston Trio
• Me and My Shadows – Cliff Richard & The Shadows
• More Songs by Ricky – Ricky Nelson
• More Soul – Hank Crawford
• Nice 'n' Easy – Frank Sinatra
• No Cover, No Minimum – Billy Eckstine
• Now, There Was a Song! – Johnny Cash
• Once More with Feeling – Billy Eckstine
• Pre Bird – Charles Mingus
• Ride This Train – Johnny Cash
• Rockin' at the Hops – Chuck Berry
• Show Time – Doris Day
• Sketches of Spain – Miles Davis
• Sings Hank Williams – Johnny Cash
• Sold Out – The Kingston Trio
• String Along – The Kingston Trio
• Swingin' On the Moon – Mel Tormé
• This Is...Brenda – Brenda Lee
• We Insist! - Freedom Now – Max Roach
• What Every Girl Should Know – Doris Day
• Where The Boys Are – Connie Francis
• Ella Wishes You a Swinging Christmas – Ella Fitzgerald
• Wish Upon A Star With Dion & The Belmonts – Dion and the Belmonts

Biggest hit singles

The following singles achieved the highest chart positions in 1960.

#	Artist	Title	Year	Country	Chart Entries
1	Elvis Presley	It's Now Or Never	1960		UK 1 – Feb 2005, US BB 1 – Jul 1960, Canada 1 – Jul 1960, Norway 1 – Sep 1960, Australia 1 of 1960, Australia 1 for 7 weeks Feb 1960, South Africa 1 of 1960, US CashBox 2 of 1960, Germany 2 – Jan 1961, RYM 2 of 1960, US BB 9 of 1960, POP 9 of 1960, Italy 17 of 1960, DDD 19 of 1960, Germany 35 of the 1960s
2	Elvis Presley	Are You Lonesome Tonight?	1960		UK 1 – Jan 1961, US BB 1 – Nov 1960, Canada 1 – Nov 1960, Australia 1 for 8 weeks May 1960, US BB 3 of 1960, Sweden (alt) 3 – Nov 1980, Norway 3 – Jan 1961, POP 3 of 1960, Germany 4 – Feb 1961, RYM 4 of 1960, US CashBox 6 of 1961, Australia 9 of 1960, South Africa 12 of 1960, Holland 15 – Jan 1981, Italy 28 of 1961, DDD 29 of 1960, Global 33 (5 M sold) – 1960, Scrobulate 79 of rock & roll, Germany 215 of the 1960s
3	Chubby Checker	The Twist	1960		US BB 1 – Aug 1960, US BB 1 of 1960, US CashBox 1 of 1962, Canada 1 – Aug 1960, POP 1 of 1960, UK 5 – Nov 1975, South Africa 7 of 1961, DDD 9 of 1960, RYM 12 of 1960, RIAA 32, Italy 38 of 1962, Party 46 of 2007, Acclaimed 140, Germany 396 of the 1960s, Rolling Stone 451
4	The Drifters	Save the Last Dance For Me	1960		US BB 1 – Sep 1960, Canada 1 – Sep 1960, Australia 1 for 3 weeks Apr 1960, UK 2 – Nov 1960, US CashBox 3 of 1960, Norway 3 – Dec 1960, South Africa 9 of 1960, RYM 9 of 1960, DDD 12 of 1960, Australia 13 of 1960, US BB 20 of 1960, POP 20 of 1960, Germany 46 of the 1960s, Rolling Stone 182, Acclaimed 512
5	Johnny Preston	Running Bear	1960		UK 1 – Feb 1960, US BB 1 – Dec 1959, Canada 1 – Dec 1959, Australia 1 for 2 weeks Jul 1959, Norway 2 – Mar 1960, South Africa 3 of 1960, US CashBox 10 of 1960, Australia 16 of 1960, US BB 39 of 1960, POP 39 of 1960, DDD 54 of 1959, RYM 73 of 1959

Top hits on record

• "Alley Oop" – Hollywood Argyles
• "Apache" – The Shadows
• "Are You Lonesome Tonight?" – Elvis Presley
• "As Long As He Needs Me" – Shirley Bassey
• "Beyond the Sea" – Bobby Darin
• "Burning Bridges" – Jack Scott
• "But Not For Me" – Ella Fitzgerald
• "Calcutta" – Lawrence Welk
• "Cathy's Clown" – The Everly Brothers
• "Chain Gang" – Sam Cooke
• "Corinna, Corinna" – Ray Peterson
• "Dance With Me" – The Drifters
• "Dreamin' " – Johnny Burnette
• "El Paso" – Marty Robbins
• "Everybody's Somebody's Fool" – Connie Francis
• "Exodus" – Ferrante & Teicher
• "Fall in Love With You" – Cliff Richard and The Shadows
• "Georgia on My Mind" – Ray Charles
• "Good Timin'" – Jimmy Jones
• "Greenfields" – The Brothers Four
• "I'll Stay Single" – Jerry Lordan
• "I'm Sorry" – Brenda Lee
• "Itsi Bitsi Petit Bikini" – Dalida
• "It's Now or Never" – Elvis Presley
• "Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini" – Brian Hyland
• "I Love You" – Cliff Richard and The Shadows
• "I Want to Be Wanted" – Brenda Lee
• "Johnny Rocco" – Marty Wilde
• "L'Arlequin de Tolède" – Dalida
• "Les Enfants du Pirée" – Dalida
• "Mama" – Connie Francis
• "Man of Mystery"/"The Stranger" – The Shadows
• "Mission Bell" – Donnie Brooks
• "Mule Skinner Blues" – The Fendermen
• "My Heart Has a Mind of Its Own" – Connie Francis
• "Nine Times Out of Ten" – Cliff Richard and The Shadows
• "North To Alaska" – Johnny Horton
• "Only The Lonely" – Roy Orbison
• "Ooh Poo Pah Doo" – Jessie Hill
• "'O Sole Mio" – Dalida
• "Over You" – Aaron Neville
• "Paper Roses" – Anita Bryant
• "Please Don't Tease" – Cliff Richard and The Shadows
• "Please, Mr. Custer" – Larry Verne
• "Robot Man" – Connie Francis
• "Romantica" – Dalida
• "Rubber Ball" – Bobby Vee
• "Running Bear" – Johnny Preston
• "Save the Last Dance for Me" – The Drifters
• "She's My Baby" – Johnny O'Keefe
• "Shop Around" – The Miracles
• "Sink the Bismarck" – Johnny Horton
• "Sixteen Reasons" – Connie Stevens
• "Starry Eyed" – Michael Holliday
• "Stay" – Maurice Williams and the Zodiacs
• "T'Aimer Follement" – Dalida
• "Tall Oak Tree" – Dorsey Burnette
• "Teen Angel" – Mark Dinning
• "Tell Laura I Love Her" – Ray Peterson
• "A Thousand Stars" – Kathy Young with The Innocents
• "Today's Teardrops" – Roy Orbison, written by Gene Pitney
• "True Love Ways" – Buddy Holly
• "The Twist" – Chubby Checker
• "A Voice in the Wilderness" – Cliff Richard and The Shadows
• "Valentino" – Connie Francis
• "Walk, Don't Run" – The Ventures
• "Walking to New Orleans" – Fats Domino
• "Way Down Yonder In New Orleans" – Freddy Cannon
• "What In the World's Come Over You" – Jack Scott
• "Where or When" – Dion and the Belmonts
• "Why" – Frankie Avalon
• "Wild Cat" – Gene Vincent
• "Wild One" – Bobby Rydell
• "You're Sixteen" – Johnny Burnette
• "You Talk Too Much" – Joe Jones

See also: Hot 100 No. 1 Hits of 1960 (USA)

Published popular music

• "Ain't That A Kick In The Head?" w. Sammy Cahn m. Jimmy Van Heusen
• "Alley-Oop"     w.m. Dallas Frazier
• "Apache"     m. Jerry Lordan
• "Artificial Flowers"     w. Sheldon Harnick m. Jerry Bock from the musical Tenderloin
• "As Long as He Needs Me" w.m. Lionel Bart from the musical Oliver!
• "Because They're Young"     w. Aaron Schroeder & Wally Gold m. Don Costa
• "Bellyup To The Bar, Boys"     w.m. Meredith Willson
• "Bonanza!"     w.m. Jay Livingston & Ray Evans
• "Calcutta"     w. Lee Pockriss & Paul Vance m. Heino Gaze
• "Calendar Girl"     w. Howard Greenfield m. Neil Sedaka
• "Camelot"     w. Alan Jay Lerner m. Frederick Loewe
• "Cathy's Clown"     w.m. Don Everly & Phil Everly
• "Chain Gang"     w.m. Sam Cooke
• "Corinna, Corinna"     adapt with new w. Mitchell Parish
• " 'D' In Love"     Sid Tepper, Joeseph C. Bennett
• "Dis-Donc, Dis-Donc"     w. (Eng) Julian Moore, David Heneker & Monty Norman (Fr) Alexandre Breffort m. Marguerite Monnot
• "Do You Mind"     w.m. Lionel Bart
• "Dolce Far Niente"     w.m. Meredith Willson
• "Eee-o-Eleven" w. Sammy Cahn m. Jimmy Van Heusen
• "Emotions"      w.m. Mel Tillis & Ramsey Kearney
• "Everybody's Somebody's Fool"     w. Howard Greenfield m. Jack Keller
• "Exodus"     w. Charles E. (Pat) Boone m. Ernest Gold
• "Faraway Boy"     w.m. Frank Loesser
• "Fings Ain't Wot They Used To Be"     w.m. Lionel Bart
• "Follow Me"     w. Alan Jay Lerner m. Frederick Loewe
• "Footsteps"     w.m. Barry Mann & Hank Hunter
• "Give A Little Whistle"     w. Carolyn Leigh m. Cy Coleman
• "Good Timin'"     w.m. Fred Tobias & Clint Ballard, Jr.
• "Goodness Gracious Me"     D. Lee, H. Kretzmer
• "The Green Leaves Of Summer"     w. Paul Francis Webster m. Dimitri Tiomkin
• "Happy-Go-Lucky Me"     w.m. Paul Evans
• "He Will Break Your Heart"     w.m. Jerry Butler, Calvin Carter & Curtis Mayfield
• "Hennesey" m. Sonny Burke. Theme music to the television series Hennesey starring Jackie Cooper.
• "Hey, Look Me Over!"     w. Carolyn Leigh m. Cy Coleman
• "Hey You with the Crazy Eyes" w. Sammy Cahn m. Jimmy Van Heusen. Introduced by Frankie Vaughan in the film Let's Make Love
• "How To Handle A Woman"     w. Alan Jay Lerner m. Frederick Loewe. Introduced by Richard Burton in the musical Camelot
• "I Ain't Down Yet"     w.m. Meredith Willson. Introduced by Tammy Grimes and Harve Presnell in the musical The Unsinkable Molly Brown. Performed in the 1964 film version by Debbie Reynolds and Harve Presnell.
• "I Can See It"     w.Tom Jones m. Harvey Schmidt
• "I Gotta Know"     w.m. Paul Evans & Matt Williams
• "I Loved You Once In Silence"     w. Alan Jay Lerner m. Frederick Loewe
• "I Want to Be Wanted"     w. (Eng) Kim Gannon (Ital) A. Testa m. Pino Spotti
• "I Wonder What The King Is Doing Tonight"     w. Alan Jay Lerner m. Frederick Loewe
• "I'd Do Anything"     w.m. Lionel Bart
• "If Ever I Would Leave You"     w. Alan Jay Lerner m. Frederick Loewe
• "I'll Be There"     w.m. Bobby Darin
• "I'm Sorry"     w.m. Ronnie Self & Dub Allbritten
• "Irma La Douce"     w. (Eng) Julian More, David Heneker & Monty Norman (Fr) Alexandre Breffort m. Marguerite Monnot
• "It Depends On What You Pay"     w.Tom Jones m. Harvey Schmidt
• "It's Now or Never"     w.m. adapt. Aaron Schroeder & Wally Gold
• "Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini"     w. Paul Vance & Lee Pockriss m. Brian Hyland
• "Jump Over"     w.m. Frank C. Slay Jr & Bob Crewe
• "Just Come Home"     w. (Eng) Carl Sigman (Fr) Édith Piaf m. Marguerite Monnot
• "Kids"     w. Lee Adams m. Charles Strouse
• "Last Date"     m. Floyd Cramer
• "Let's Think About Living"     w.m. Boudleaux Bryant
• "Little Boy Lost"     w.m. Johnny Ashcroft & Tony Withers
• "A Lot Of Livin' To Do"     w. Lee Adams m. Charles Strouse
• "The Lusty Month Of May"     w. Alan Jay Lerner m. Frederick Loewe
• "The Magnificent Seven"     m. Elmer Bernstein
• "Make Someone Happy"     w. Betty Comden & Adolph Green m. Jule Styne
• "A Million to One"     w.m. Phil Medley
• "Mission Bell"     w.m. William Michael
• "Mister Custer"     w.m. Fred Darian, Al De Lory & Joseph Van Winkle
• "Money (That's What I Want)"     w.m. Janie Bradford & Berry Gordy, Jr.
• "Mountain of Love"     w.m. Harold Dorman
• "Mr Lucky"     m. Henry Mancini
• "Much More"     w. Tom Jones m. Harvey Schmidt
• "My Heart Has a Mind of Its Own"     w. Howard Greenfield m. Jack Keller
• "My Home Town"     w.m. Paul Anka
• "My Old Man's A Dustman"     Lonnie Donegan, P. Buchanan, B. Thorn, R. Beaumont
• "My Shoes Keep Walking Back To You"     L. Ross, Bob Wills
• "Never On Sunday"     w. (Eng) Billy Towne (Greek) Manos Hadjidakis m. Manos Hadjidakis
• "Nice 'N' Easy"     w. Marilyn Keith & Alan Bergman m. Lew Spence
• "North to Alaska"     w.m. Mike Phillips
• "O Dio Mio"     w.m. Al Hoffman & Dick Manning
• "One Boy"     w. Lee Adams m. Charles Strouse
• "One Last Kiss"     w. Lee Adams m. Charles Strouse
• "One Of Us (Will Weep Tonight)"     w.m. Clint Ballard Jr & Fred Tobias
• "Only The Lonely"     w.m. Roy Orbison & Joe Melson
• "La Pachanga"     w. (Eng) Jeanne Pollack (Sp) Eduardo Davidson m. Eduardo Davidson
• "Pepe"     H. Wittstatt, D. Langdon
• "Plant A Radish"     w. Tom Jones m. Harvey Schmidt
• "Please Don't Tease"     B. Welch, P. Chester
• "Please Help Me, I'm Falling"     w.m. Don Robertson & Hal Blair
• "Poetry in Motion"     w.m. Paul Kauffman & Mike Anthony
• "Portrait Of My Love"     w. David West m. Cyril Ornadel
• "Puppy Love"     w.m. Paul Anka
• "Put On A Happy Face"     w. Lee Adams m. Charles Strouse
• "Round And Round"     w.Tom Jones m. Harvey Schmidt
• "Rubber Ball"     w.m. Anne Orlowski & Aaron Schroeder
• "Run Samson Run"     w. Howard Greenfield m. Neil Sedaka
• "Sailor"     w. (Eng) Alan Holt (Ger) Fini Busch m. Werner Scharfenberger
• "Save The Last Dance For Me"     w.m. Doc Pomus & Mort Shuman
• "The Second Time Around"     w. Sammy Cahn m. Jimmy Van Heusen. Introduced by Bing Crosby in the film High Time.
• "Shazam!"     w.m. Duane Eddy & Lee Hazlewood
• "She Wears My Ring"     w.m. Felice & Boudleaux Bryant
• "She's My Baby"     Turnbull, Moffat, Finch
• "Sink the Bismark"     w.m. Tillman Franks & Johnny Horton
• "Sixteen Reasons"     w.m. Bill Post & Doree Post
• "So Sad (To Watch Good Love Go Bad)"     w.m. Don Everly
• "Soon It's Gonna Rain"     w. Tom Jones m. Harvey Schmidt
• "Spanish Harlem"     Jerry Leiber, Phil Spector
• "Stairway to Heaven"     w. Howard Greenfield m. Neil Sedaka
• "Starbright"     w.m. Lee Pockriss & Paul Vance
• "Stay"     w.m. Maurice Williams
• "Stuck on You"     w.m. Aaron Schroeder & J. Leslie McFarland
• "Swingin' School"     w. Kal Mann m. Bernie Lowe & Dave Appell
• "T.L.C. Tender Love And Care"     Lehman, Lebowsky, Clarke
• "A Taste of Honey"     w. Ric Marlow m. Bobby Scott
• "Tell Laura I Love Her"     w.m. Jeff Barry & Ben Raleigh
• "Theme from A Summer Place"     m. Max Steiner
• "Theme from The Apartment"     m. Charles Williams
• "Theme from The Unforgiven"     w. Ned Washington m. Dimitri Tiomkin
• "They Were You"      w.Tom Jones m. Harvey Schmidt
• "Tie Me Kangaroo Down, Sport"     w.m. Rolf Harris
• "Togetherness"     w.m. Russell Faith
• "Try to Remember"     w. Tom Jones m. Harvey Schmidt
• "The Twist"     w.m. Hank Ballard
• "Twistin' USA"     w.m. Kal Mann
• "Two Of A Kind"     w.m. Bobby Darin & Johnny Mercer
• "The Village Of St. Bernadette"     w.m. Eula Parker
• "Wake Me When It's Over"     w. Sammy Cahn m. Jimmy Van Heusen
• "Walk, Don't Run"     w.m. Johnny Smith
• "Walking Away Whistling"     w.m. Frank Loesser
• "Walking to New Orleans"     w.m. Bobby Charles
• "What Do The Simple Folk Do?"     w. Alan Jay Lerner m. Frederick Loewe
• "What Takes My Fancy"     w. Carolyn Leigh m. Cy Coleman
• "When Will I Be Loved"     w.m. Phil Everly
• "Who Will Buy?"     w.m. Lionel Bart
• "Wild One"     w.m. Bernie Lowe, Kal Mann & Dave Appell
• "Will You Love Me Tomorrow"     Carole King, Gerry Goffin
• "Wings of a Dove"     Robert B. "Bob" Ferguson, Sr.
• "Wonderful World"     w.m. B. Campbell
• "Wooden Heart"     w.m. adapt. Fred Wise, Ben Weisman, Kay Twomey & Bert Kaempfert
• "(In The Summertime) You Don't Want My Love"     w.m. Roger Miller
• "You Talk Too Much"     w.m. Joe Jones & Reginald Hall
• "Young Emotions"     w. Mack David m. Jerry Livingston
• "You're Sixteen"     w.m. Richard M. Sherman & Robert B. Sherman

Other notable songs

• "Al Watan Al Akbar" w.m. Mohammed Abdel Wahab
• "Dance of the Yi People" (instrumental) by Wang Huiran
• "Et maintenant" w. Pierre Delanoë m. Gilbert Bécaud
• "Nous les amoureux" w. Maurice Vidalin m. Jacques Datin
• "Pyar Kiya To Darna Kiya" w.m. Naushad
• "Saba you rise from the ocean" w.m. Christina Maria Jeurissen
• "Uno dei tanti" w. Mogol m. Carlo Donida Labati
• "La Vache à mille francs" w.m. Jean Poiret

Classical music

• William Alwyn – Piano Concerto No. 2
• Malcolm Arnold – Symphony No. 4
• Mario Davidovsky – Contrastes No. 1 for string orchestra and electronic sounds
• Lukas Foss –
  • Concerto, for five improvising instruments
  • Time Cycle, for soprano and orchestra
• Jakov Gotovac – Plesovi od Bunjevaca
• Krzysztof Penderecki – Threnody for the Victims of Hiroshima
• Walter Piston – Symphony No. 7
• Dmitri Shostakovich –
  • String Quartet No.7 in E flat major, Op.108
  • String Quartet No. 8 in C minor, Op.110
• Karlheinz Stockhausen –
  • Carré, for 4 orchestras and choirs
  • Kontakte, for piano, percussion, and electronic sounds, or electronic sounds alone
• William Walton – Symphony No. 2
• Mieczyslaw Weinberg – Sinfonietta No. 2

Opera

• Du Mingxin – Women Generals of the Yangs
• Lukas Foss – Introductions and Goodbyes (a nine minute opera, libretto by Gian Carlo Menotti, composed 1959, premiered on May 5, 1960)
• Luigi Nono – Intolleranza 1960

Musical theater

• Bye Bye Birdie (Lee Adams and Charles Strouse) – Broadway production opened at the Martin Beck Theatre on April 14 and ran for 607 performances
• Camelot (Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe) – Broadway production opened at the Majestic Theatre on December 3 and ran for 873 performances
• Do-Re-Mi     Broadway production opened at the St. James Theatre on December 26 and ran for 400 performances
• The Fantasticks     Off-Broadway production opened at the Sullivan Street Playhouse on May 3 and ran for 17,162 performances
• Flower Drum Song (Rodgers & Hammerstein) – London production opened at the Palace Theatre on March 24 and ran for 464 performances
• From A to Z     Broadway revue opened at the Plymouth Theatre on April 20 and ran for 21 performances
• Greenwillow Broadway production opened at the Alvin Theatre on March 8 and ran for 97 performances
• Hooray For Daisy London production opened at the Lyric, Hammersmith on December 20. Starring Eleanor Drew and Robin Hunter.
• Irma La Douce     Broadway production opened at the Plymouth Theatre on September 29 and ran for 524 performances
• Oh, Kay!     Off Broadway revival opened at the East 74th Street Theatre on April 16 and ran for 119 performances.
• Oliver! (Lionel Bart) – London production opened at the New Theatre on June 30 and ran for 2618 performances
• Parade     Broadway revue opened at the Players Theatre on January 20 and ran for 95 performances
• Tenderloin     Broadway production opened at the 46th Street Theatre on October 17 and ran for 216 performances.
• The Unsinkable Molly Brown (Meredith Willson) – Broadway production opened at the Winter Garden Theatre on November 3 and ran for 532 performances
• Valmouth     Off Broadway production opened at the York Playhouse on October 6 and ran for 14 performances

Musical films

• Barsaat Ki Raat starring Madhubala
• Bells Are Ringing starring Judy Holliday, Dean Martin and Eddie Foy Jr.
• Can-Can starring Frank Sinatra, Shirley MacLaine, Maurice Chevalier, Louis Jourdan and Juliet Prowse
• Cinderfella starring Jerry Lewis
• G.I. Blues starring Elvis Presley and Juliet Prowse
• High Time released September 16, starring Bing Crosby, Fabian, Tuesday Weld and Yvonne Craig.
• Let's Make Love starring Marilyn Monroe, Yves Montand and Frankie Vaughan
• Ocean's Eleven

Births

• January 3 - Mikuláš Škuta, pianist and composer
• January 4 – Michael Stipe, lead singer for the rock band R.E.M.
• January 8 – Dave Weckl, jazz fusion drummer
• January 20 – Scott Thunes, bass player
• January 22 – Michael Hutchence, vocalist for INXS (d. 1997)
• January 26 – Charlie Gillingham (Counting Crows)
• January 31 – George Benjamin, composer
• February 3 – Tim Chandler (Daniel Amos, The Swirling Eddies)
• February 4 – Tim Booth, British rock singer (James)
• February 18 – Gazebo, singer
• February 19 – William Holly Johnson, singer (Frankie Goes to Hollywood)
• February 20 – Kee Marcello, Swedish rock guitarist (Easy Action, Europe)
• February 27 – Paul Humphreys (Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark)
• March 4 – Thierry Pastor, French singer
• March 12 – Maki Nomiya, Japanese singer (Pizzicato Five)
• March 13 – Adam Clayton, bassist of rock band U2
• April 4 – Jane Eaglen, Wagnerian soprano
• April 21 – John Maher, drummer for Buzzcocks, Flag of Convenience, The Invisible Girls
• April 23 – Steve Clark, guitarist (Def Leppard) (d. 1991)
• April 26 – Roger Taylor, English rock musician (Duran Duran)
• May 6 – John Flansburgh, American rock musician (They Might Be Giants)
• May 10 – Bono, lead singer of U2
• June 1 – Simon Gallup, bassist of The Cure
• June 2 – Tony Hadley, vocalist of Spandau Ballet
• June 6 – Steve Vai, American guitarist
• June 8 – Mick Hucknall, vocalist of Simply Red
• June 10 – Mark-Anthony Turnage, composer
• June 12 – Meredith Brooks, American singer
• June 14 – Gary Husband, drummer, pianist and composer
• June 20 – John Taylor, bassist of Duran Duran
• June 22 – Alexander Shchetynsky, composer
• July 3 – Vince Clarke, English rock songwriter (Depeche Mode, Yazoo, Erasure)
• July 22
  • John Prior, Australian composer-producer-drummer (Matt Finish)
  • Jon Oliva, American vocalist and pianist (Savatage)
• July 23 - Billy Rutherford, Scottish singer-songwriter, musician and record producer (Riders of the Dark)
• July 28 – Chris Reece, drummer (Social Distortion)
• August 1 – Chuck D, Public Enemy
• August 7 – Jacquie O'Sullivan, Bananarama
• August 26 – Branford Marsalis, jazz musician
• August 31 – Chris Whitley, singer-songwriter (d. 2005)
• September 1 – Joseph Williams, singer and film composer
• September 4 – Kim Thayil, Soundgarden
• September 8 – David Steele, Fine Young Cannibals
• September 22 – Joan Jett, The Runaways
• October 7 – Kyosuke Himuro, Japanese singer (Boøwy)
• October 19 – Daniel Woodgate, Madness
• October 22 – Cris Kirkwood, Meat Puppets
• October 30
  • Joey Belladonna (Anthrax)
  • Alfred Hill, composer
• November 14 - Tom Judson, American musical theatre actor
• November 15 - Keith Washington, American singer
• November 18 – Kim Wilde, singer and gardender (daughter of Marty Wilde)
• November 19 – Matt Sorum, American drummer of Guns N' Roses, Velvet Revolver and The Cult
• November 25 – Amy Grant, singer-songwriter and actress
• December 2 – Rick Savage (Def Leppard)
• December 5 – Osvaldo Golijov, composer
• date unknown
  • Greg Flesch (Daniel Amos, The Swirling Eddies)
  • Priti Paintal, East Indian composer, performer, music producer and promoter

Deaths

• January 2 – Leila Megane, mezzo-soprano, 68
• January 5 – Jakob van Domselaer, composer, 69
• January 18 – Gladys Bentley, blues singer, 52 (pneumonia)
• January 24 – Edwin Fischer, pianist and conductor, 73
• January 25 – Rutland Boughton, composer, 82
• February 2 – Jenő Huszka, composer of operettas, 84
• February 3
  • Ace Brigode, bandleader, 67
  • Fred Buscaglione, Italian singer, musician and songwriter, 38 (car accident)
• February 6 – Jesse Belvin, singer, pianist and songwriter, 27 (car accident)
• February 9 – Ernő Dohnányi, pianist, conductor and composer, 82
• February 12 – Bobby Clark, US comedian and singer, 71
• March 4 – Leonard Warren, baritone, operatic baritone (cerebral hemorrhage)
• March 16 – Billy Garland, blues guitarist, singer and songwriter, 41 (car accident)
• March 30 – Fabian Andre, composer, 50
• April 10 – Arthur Benjamin, composer, 66
• April 17 – Eddie Cochran, rock & roll singer, 21 (road accident)
• April 24 – Carl Braun, operatic bass, 73
• May 8 – Hugo Alfvén, violinist, conductor and composer, 88
• May 12 – Cecil Armstrong Gibbs, composer, 70
• May 13 – Gid Tanner, country music star, 74
• May 14 – Lucrezia Bori, operatic soprano, 72
• July 18 – Foster Reynolds, instrument manufacturer, 75 (heart attack at work)
• July 24 – Hans Albers, actor and singer, 69
• August 9 – Louis Cahuzac, clarinettist and composer, 80
• August 23 – Oscar Hammerstein II, librettist and director of many musicals, 65
• September 3 – Joseph Lamb, ragtime composer, 72
• September 8 – Oscar Pettiford, jazz musician and composer, 37
• September 9 – Jussi Björling, operatic tenor, 49 (heart attack)
• September 13 – Leo Weiner, music teacher, 75
• September 24 – Mátyás Seiber, composer, 55 (car accident)
• October 19 – Günter Raphael, composer, 57
• October 20 – Denise Orme, music hall performer, 75
• October 30 – Alfred Hill, composer and conductor, 90
• November 2 – Dimitris Mitropoulos, pianist, conductor and composer, 64
• November 5 – Johnny Horton, American country singer, 35 (car accident)
• December 4 – Walter Goehr, composer, 57
• December 7 – Clara Haskil, pianist, 65
• December 10 – Mado Robin, singer, 41 (cancer)
• date unknown
  • Lawrence Duhé, jazz musician
  • Oliphant Chuckerbutty, organist and composer
  • Lorenzo Herrera, singer and composer

Awards

Grammy Awards

• Record of the Year: "Theme From A Summer Place" – Percy Faith
• Album of the Year: Button Down Mind – Bob Newhart
• Song of the Year: – "Theme From Exodus" – Ernest Gold, songwriter

Eurovision Song Contest

• Eurovision Song Contest 1960