1955 in music

List of years in music (Table)
	… 1945 • 1946 • 1947 • 1948 • 1949 • 1950 • 1951 • ; 1952 • 1953 • 1954 – 1955 – 1956 • 1957 • 1958 •; 1959 • 1960 • 1961 • 1962 • 1963 • 1964 • 1965 …
Related time period or subjects
	… 1952 • 1953 • 1954 – 1955 – 1956 • 1957 • 1958 …; … 1920s • 1930s • 1940s – 1950s – 1960s • 1970s • 1980s …; … 19th century – 20th century – 21st century …
	Art Archaeology Architecture Literature Music Science more

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Jump to: navigation, search

Bo Diddley's chart debut was in 1955

[edit] Events

January 1 - RCA victor announces a marketing plan called "Operation TNT." The label drops the list price on LPs from $5.95 to $3.98, EPs from $4.95 to $2.98, 45 EPs from $1.58 to $1.49 and 45's from $1.16 to $.89. Other record labels follow RCA's lead and begin to drop prices as well.
January 7 - "Rock Around the Clock" by Bill Haley & His Comets first appears on the British charts.
January 8 - Elvis Presley's third Sun Records single, "Milk Cow Blue Boogie" / "You're a Heartbreaker" released.
January 14 - In New York City, Alan Freed produces the first rock and roll concert.
February 19 - Dot Records introduces a new singer, Pat Boone, with an advertisement in Billboard magazine calling him "a great new voice"
February 26 - For the first time since they were introduced in 1949, 45 rpm discs begin to outsell the old standard 78s
Kay Starr leaves Capitol to sign with RCA
The Patti Page Show premieres on NBC
The Frankie Laine Show premieres on CBS
March 15 - Colonel Tom Parker becomes Elvis Presley's manager
March 19 - The film Blackboard Jungle premieres in New York City. The film features Bill Haley & His Comets' "Rock Around the Clock" over the opening credits -- the first use of a rock and roll song in a major film. This event causes a groundswell of sales for the recording and is credited with helping to launch in earnest the Rock and Roll Era.
March 22 - Decca Records signs DJ Alan Freed as an A&R man.
March 26 - Bill Hayes tops the US charts for five weeks with The_Ballad_of_Davy_Crockett and starts a (fake) coonskin cap craze.
April 1 - Elvis Presley's fourth Sun Records single: "Baby Let's Play House" / "I'm Left, You're Right, She's Goen" released.
April 17 - Imperial Records releases "Ain't That a Shame" by Fats Domino
May 13 - First riot at an Elvis Presley concert takes place in Jacksonville, FL
May 14 - Bo Diddley makes his US R&B chart debut with his single "Bo Diddley".
May 21 - Chuck Berry records his first single, "Maybelline" for Chess Records in Chicago.
May 22 - Bridgeport, CT authorities cancel a rock concert to be headlined by Fats Domino for fear of a riot breaking out.
June 4 - "Ain't That a Shame" by Fats Domino beings an 11 week stretch on top of the US R&B charts.
July 6 - Bo Diddley's second single "Diddley Daddy" makes its US R&B chart debut.
July 9 - "Rock Around the Clock" becomes the first Rock and roll single to reach Number One on the American charts
July 23 - Chess Records release debut single by Chuck Berry, "Maybelline". Also that same day Chess releases Muddy Waters's "Mannish Boy"
August 17 - Elvis Presley's last Sun Records single - "I Forgot to Remember to Forget" / "Mystery Train" - released.
August 19 - WINS radio station in New York City adopts policy of not playing white cover versions of black R&B songs.
August 20 - Chuck Berry's "Maybelline" reaches #1 on R&B charts, ending 11 week reign of "Ain't That a Shame" by Fats Domino.
August 31 - Sidney Turner of London fined for "creating an abominable noise" for blasting "Shake, Rattle, and Roll" at top volume.
September 3 - Little Richard records "Tutti Frutti" with significantly cleaned up lyrics (originally "Tutti Frutti, good booty" among other things.
September 26 - "America's Sweethearts," Eddie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds marry.
October 15 - Elvis Presley plays concert in Lubbock, Texas. Opening act is local duo Buddy and Bob. Buddy was future rock star Buddy Holly.
November 12 - Billboard magazine DJ poll names Elvis Presley as the most promising new country/western singer.
November 20 - Bo Diddley makes his debut TV appearance on Ed Sullivan's "Toast Of The Town" show on CBS.
November 22 - Colonel Tom Parker signs Elvis Presley to RCA Records.
November 26 - "Sixteen Tons" by Tennessee Ernie Ford tops the Billboard pop charts.
December 15 - Sun Records releases "Folsom Prison Blues" by Johnny Cash.
Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel's musical careers begin as they copyright a song, "The Girl For Me," with the Library of Congress and begin singing together as a duo while still in high school in New York, New York.
Mirella Freni makes her debut as Micaela in Carmen at Modena.
Eddie Cochran's musical career begins.
Al Green's musical career begins at the age of nine.
Clyde McPhatter launches a solo career
Renato Carosone and Nicola Salerno meet and start their songwriting partnership
Italian singers Natalino Otto and Flo Sandon's wed.
The Coasters are formed.

[edit] Albums released

At the Cafe Bohemia, Vol. 1 - The Jazz Messengers
At the Cafe Bohemia, Vol. 2 - The Jazz Messengers
Day Dreams - Doris Day
Blue Moods - Miles Davis
Cloud 7 - Tony Bennett
Concert by the Sea - Erroll Garner
Dinner in Caracas - Aldemaro Romero
Doris Day in Hollywood - Doris Day
Eddie Fisher Sings Academy Award Winning Songs - Eddie Fisher
Especially for You... - Teresa Brewer
Four Brothers - The Ames Brothers
Happy Holiday - Jo Stafford
The Hi-Lo's, I Presume - The Hi-Lo’s
I Cry for You - Johnnie Ray
I Love You - Eddie Fisher
I'm in the Mood for Love - Eddie Fisher
In a Blue Mood - Kay Starr
In the Land of Hi-Fi - Sarah Vaughan
In the Wee Small Hours - Frank Sinatra
Jazz Spectacular - Frankie Laine & Buck Clayton
Julie Is Her Name - Julie London
Love Me or Leave Me - Doris Day
Lovers' Laine - Frankie Laine
Meet Betty Carter and Ray Bryant - Betty Carter and Ray Bryant
Memory Songs - Jo Stafford
Miles Davis Volume 1 - Miles Davis
Miles Davis Volume 2 - Miles Davis
Miles: The New Miles Davis Quintet - Miles Davis
The Misty Miss Christy - June Christy
Moments to Remember - The Four Lads
Music Ala Carte - The Crew Cuts
Musings of Miles - Miles Davis
Oklahoma! - Original Broadway Cast
The One, the Only Kay Starr - Kay Starr
Quintet / Sextet - Miles Davis
Rain or Shine - Dick Haymes
Rock Around the Clock - Bill Haley & His Comets
Romance on the Range - Patti Page
Satch Plays Fats - Louis Armstrong
Shake, Rattle and Roll - Bill Haley & His Comets
So Smooth - Perry Como
Soft and Sentimental - Jo Stafford
Songs of Scotland - Jo Stafford
Songs from Pete Kelly's Blues - Ella Fitzgerald, Peggy Lee
Study in Brown - Clifford Brown and Max Roach
Swingin' Down Yonder - Dean Martin
Thelonious Monk plays the Music of Duke Ellington - Thelonious Monk
Voice of our Choice - Guy Mitchell

[edit] Biggest hit singles

The following singles achieved the highest chart positions in the set of charts available for 1955.

#	Artist	Title	Year	Chart Entries
1	Bill Haley & His Comets	Rock Around the Clock	1955	UK 1 - Oct 1955, US BB 1 - May 1955, US BB 1 of 1955, DDD 1 of 1954, POP 1 of 1955, Italy 3 of 1957, Global 4 (20 M sold) - 1954, Europe 5 of the 1950s, Scrobulate 8 of rock & roll, RIAA 12, Germany 17 - Jun 1968, Holland 27 - Jun 1968, 41 in 2FM list, Acclaimed 49, AFI 50, Rolling Stone 158, Party 180 of 1999
2	Tennessee Ernie Ford	Sixteen Tons	1955	UK 1 - Jan 1956, US BB 1 - Nov 1955, Australia 1 for 6 weeks May 1955, RYM 13 of 1955, US BB 20 of 1955, POP 20 of 1955, DDD 49 of 1955, RIAA 83, Acclaimed 276
3	Four Aces	Love is a Many Splendoured Thing	1955	US BB 1 - Aug 1955, Oscar in 1955, UK 2 - Nov 1955, Peel list 2 of 1955, Italy 3 of 1956, US BB 9 of 1955, POP 9 of 1955, RYM 29 of 1955
4	Chuck Berry	Maybellene	1955	RYM 1 of 1955, DDD 2 of 1955, US BB 5 - Aug 1955, US BB 6 of 1955, POP 6 of 1955, Scrobulate 17 of rock & roll, Rolling Stone 18, Acclaimed 99
5	Frank Sinatra	Love & Marriage	1955	US BB 2 of 1955, POP 2 of 1955, UK 3 - Jan 1956, US BB 5 - Nov 1955, Holland 9 - Apr 1991, RYM 16 of 1955, Scrobulate 47 of relaxing, Europe 83 of the 1950s

[edit] US No. 1 hit singles

These singles reached the top of US Billboard magazine's charts in 1955.

First week	Number of weeks	Title	Artist
January 22, 1955	2	"Let Me Go, Lover"	Joan Weber
February 5, 1955	1	"Hearts of Stone"	Fontane Sisters
February 12, 1955	6	"Sincerely"	McGuire Sisters
March 26, 1955	5	"The Ballad Of Davy Crockett"	Bill Hayes
April 30, 1955	8	"Unchained Melody"	Les Baxter
July 9, 1955	10	"Rock Around The Clock"	Bill Haley & his Comets
September 3, 1955	5	"Yellow Rose Of Texas"	Mitch Miller
October 8, 1955	1	"Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing"	The Four Aces
October 15, 1955	1	"Yellow Rose Of Texas"	Mitch Miller
October 22, 1955	1	"Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing"	The Four Aces
October 29, 1955	1	"Autumn Leaves"	Roger Williams
November 5, 1955	4	"Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing"	The Four Aces
November 26, 1955	7	"Sixteen Tons"	Tennessee Ernie Ford

[edit] Top hits on record

"Ain't That A Shame" - Pat Boone
"Arrivederci Roma" - Georgia Gibbs
"Band Of Gold" - Don Cherry
"A Blossom Fell" - Nat King Cole
"The Crazy Otto Medley" - Johnny Maddox
"Cherry Pink And Apple Blossom White" – Perez Prado
"Cool Water" - Frankie Laine
"Croce Di Oro" - Patti Page
"Cry Me a River" - Julie London
"Dance With Me, Henry" - Georgia Gibbs
"Danger! Heartbreak Ahead" - Jaye P. Morgan
"Darling, Je Vous Aime Beaucoup" - Nat King Cole
"Earth Angel" - The Crew Cuts
"Gum Drop" - The Crew Cuts
"The Great Pretender" - The Platters
"Hawkeye" - Frankie Laine
"He", recorded by
- Al Hibbler
- McGuire Sisters
"Heart" - Eddie Fisher
"How Important Can It Be?" - Joni James
"Hummingbird", recorded by
- Frankie Laine
- Les Paul and Mary Ford
"I Hear You Knocking" – Gale Storm
"I Need You Now" - Eddie Fisher
"I Want You To Be My Baby" - Georgia Gibbs
"If I Give My Heart to You", recorded by
- Doris Day
- Denise Lor
"In The Beginning" - Frankie Laine
"It's A Sin To Tell A Lie" - Somethin' Smith and the Redheads
"Let Me Go, Lover" - Joan Weber
"Let's Go Fishin'" - Frankie Laine & Jimmy Boyd
"Love Is A Many-Splendored Thing" - The Four Aces featuring Al Alberts
"Love Me Or Leave Me" - Doris Day
"Maybelline" - Chuck Berry
"Melody of Love" - Billy Vaughn
"Memories Are Made Of This" - Dean Martin
"Moments to Remember" - The Four Lads
"My Friend" - Frankie Laine
"Never Look Back" - Doris Day
"Only You (And You Alone)" - The Platters
"Playmates" - The Fontane Sisters
"Rock Around The Clock" - Bill Haley & His Comets
"Rock And Roll Waltz" - Kay Starr
"Same Old Saturday Night" - Frank Sinatra
"Seventeen" - The Fontane Sisters
"Sincerely" – McGuire Sisters
"Sixteen Tons", recorded by
- Tennessee Ernie Ford
- Frankie Laine
"Smack Dab In The Middle" - The Mills Brothers
"Song Of Seventeen" - Petty King
"Speedo" - The Cadillacs
"Stars Fell On Alabama" - Frankie Laine & Buck Clayton
"Suddenly There's A Valley" - Gogi Grant
"Teenage Prayer" – Gale Storm
"That Old Feeling", recorded by
- Frankie Laine & Buck Clayton
- Patti Page
"That's All I Want from You" - Jaye P. Morgan
"Tweedle Dee" - Georgia Gibbs
"Unchained Melody", recorded by
- Les Baxter
- Roy Hamilton
- Al Hibbler
"A Woman in Love" - Frankie Laine
"The Yellow Rose Of Texas" - Mitch Miller & The Gang
"You Are My Love" - Joni James

[edit] Top R&B and Country Hits on record

"Ain't That A Shame" - Fats Domino
"Earth Angel" - Penguins
"Flip, Flop & Fly" - Joe Turner
"Tweedle Dee" - LaVern Baker
"Folsom Prison Blues" - Johnny Cash

[edit] Published popular music

"Adelaide" w.m. Frank Loesser
"Ain't That A Shame" w.m. Antoine Domino & Dave Bartholomew
"Ain't That Lovin' You Baby" w.m. Jimmy Reed
"All At Once You Love Her" w. Oscar Hammerstein II m. Richard Rodgers
"Arrivederci Roma" w. (Eng) Carl Sigman m. Renato Ranucci
"Ballad Of Davy Crockett" w. Tom Blackburn m. George Bruns
"Banana Boat (Day O)" trad West Indies arr. William Attaway and Irving Burgie (aka Lord Burgess)
"Band Of Gold" w. Bob Musel m. Jack Taylor
"The Bible Tells Me So" w.m. Dale Evans
"Black Denim Trousers And Motorcycle Boots" w.m. Jerry Leiber & Mike Stoller
"Blue Monday" w.m. Antoine "Fats" Domino & Dave Bartholomew
"Blue Star" w. Edward Heyman m. Victor Young
"Blue Suede Shoes" w.m. Carl Perkins
"Bo Diddley" w.m. Ellas McDaniel
"Charlie Brown" w.m. Jerry Leiber & Mike Stoller
"Christmas Alphabet" Buddy Kaye, Jules Loman
"Dance With Me, Henry" w.m. Johnny Otis, Hank Ballard & Etta James aka "Wallflower"
"Domani" w. Tony Velona m. Ulpio Minucci
"Don't Be Angry" w.m. Nappy Brown, Rose Marie McCoy & Fred Mendelsohn
"Dreamboat" w.m. Jack Hoffman
"Dungaree Doll" w. Ben Raleigh m. Sherman Edwards
"Folsom Prison Blues" w.m. Johnny Cash
"The Great Pretender" w.m. Buck Ram
"Hallelujah I Love Her So" w.m. Ray Charles
"He" w. Jack Mullan m. Jack Richards
"He's a Tramp" w.m. Peggy Lee and Sonny Burke. Introduced by Peggy Lee in the animated film Lady and the Tramp
"Heart" w.m. Richard Adler & Jerry Ross
"Hey, Mister Banjo" w.m. Freddy Morgan & Norman Malkin
"I Hear You Knocking" w.m. Dave Bartholomew & Pearl King
"I Never Has Seen Snow" w. Truman Capote & Harold Arlen m. Harold Arlen
"I'm In Love Again" w.m. Antoine Domino & Dave Bartholomew
"In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning" w. Bob Hilliard m. Dave Mann
"Innamorata" w. Jack Brooks m. Harry Warren Introduced by Dean Martin in the film Artists And Models
"It's Almost Tomorrow" w. Wade Buff m. Gene Adkinson
"Jamaica Farewell" w.m. Lord Burgess
"Jim Dandy" w.m. Lincoln Chase
"Ko Ko Mo (I Love You So)" w.m. Forest Wilson, Jake Porter & Eunice Levy
"Learnin' The Blues" w.m. Dolores Vicki Silvers
"Life Could Not Better Be" w.m. Sylvia Fine & Sammy Cahn. Introduced by Danny Kaye in the film The Court Jester.
"Little One" w.m. Cole Porter
"Love and Marriage" w. Sammy Cahn m. James Van Heusen
"Love Is A Many-Splendored Thing" w. Paul Francis Webster m. Sammy Fain
"Maybelline" w.m. Chuck Berry, Russ Frato & Alan Freed
"Memories Are Made Of This" w.m. Terry Gilkyson, Rich Dehr & Frank Miller
"Mind If I Make Love To You" w.m. Cole Porter
"Moments To Remember" w. Al Stillman m. Robert Allen
"Mr. Wonderful" w.m. Jerry Bock, George David Weiss & Larry Holofcener
"My Boy - Flat Top" w.m. Boyd Bennett & John Young Jr
"No, Not Much" w. Al Stillman m. Robert Allen
"Once-A-Year Day" w.m. Richard Adler & Jerry Ross from the musical The Pajama Game
"An Occasional Man" w.m. Ralph Blane & Hugh Martin. Introduced by Gloria DeHaven in the film The Girl Rush
"Paper Roses" w. Janice Torre m. Fred Spielman
"Pet Me Poppa" w.m. Frank Loesser
"Pete Kelly's Blues" w. Sammy Cahn m. Ray Heindorf
"Relax-Ay-Voo" Sammy Cahn & Arthur Schwartz
"Robin Hood" w.m. Carl Sigman. Theme song of the Television series starring Richard Greene.
"The Rock And Roll Waltz" w. Dick Ware m. Shorty Allen
"Rock-A-Beatin' Boogie" w.m. Bill Haley
"Same Old Saturday Night" w. Sammy Cahn m. Frank Reardon
"See You Later Alligator" w.m. Robert Guidry
"Seven-And-A-Half Cents" w.m. Richard Adler & Jerry Ross
"The Siamese Cat Song" w.m. Peggy Lee & Sonny Burke. Introduced by Peggy Lee in the animated film Lady and the Tramp.
"A Sleepin' Bee" w. Truman Capote & Harold Arlen m. Harold Arlen. Introduced in the musical House of Flowers by Diahann Carroll, Ada Moore, Dolores Harper and Enid Mosier
"Smokey Joe's Cafe" w.m. Jerry Leiber & Mike Stoller
"Softly, Softly" Pierre Dudan, Paddy Roberts & Mark Paul
"Something's Gotta Give" w.m. Johnny Mercer. Introduced by Fred Astaire in the musical film Daddy Long Legs.
"Speedoo" w.m. Esther Navarro
"Stereophonic Sound" w.m. Cole Porter from the musical Silk Stockings
"A Story Untold" Leroy Griffin
"Suddenly There's A Valley" w.m. Chuck Meyer & Biff Jones
"(Love Is) The Tender Trap" w. Sammy Cahn m. James Van Heusen. Introduced by Frank Sinatra in the film The Tender Trap.
"Theme From "East Of Eden"" m. Leonard Rosenman
"Tina Marie" w.m. Bob Merrill
"Tutti Frutti" w.m. Richard Penniman, D. La Bostrie & Joe Lubin
"Two Lost Souls" w.m. Richard Adler & Jerry Ross. Introduced by Gwen Verdon and Stephen Douglass in the musical Damn Yankees
"Unchained Melody" w. Hy Zaret m. Alex North
"Wake The Town And Tell The People" w. Sammy Gallop m. Jerry Livingston
"The Wallflower" (aka "Dance With Me Henry") w.m. Johnny Otis, Hank Ballard & Etta James
"Whatever Lola Wants" w.m. Richard Adler & Jerry Ross. Introduced by Gwen Verdon in the musical Damn Yankees. Gwen also performed the song in the 1958 film version.
"Why Do Fools Fall In Love?" w.m. Frankie Lymon & George Goldner
"A Woman in Love" w.m. Frank Loesser
"You Are My Love" w.m. Jimmie Nabbie
"You Don't Know Me" w.m. Cindy Walker & Eddy Arnold
"You're Sensational" w.m. Cole Porter. Introduced by Frank Sinatra in the musical film High Society

[edit] Classical music

Arthur Bliss - Violin Concerto
Henry Cowell - Symphony No. 12
George Crumb
- Diptych for orchestra
- Sonata for solo cello
Mario Davidovsky
- Quintet for Clarinet and Strings
- Suite Sinfonica Para "El Payaso" for orchestra
Einar Englund - Piano Concerto No. 1
Ferenc Farkas - Bukki Varlatok
Hans Werner Henze - Symphony No. 4
Alan Hovhaness - Symphony No. 2 Mysterious Mountain
Witold Lutosławski - Dance Preludes (2nd version for clarinet and chamber group)
Bohuslav Martinů
- The Epic of Gilgamesh
- Oboe Concerto
Darius Milhaud
- Symphony No. 5
- Symphony No. 6
Luigi Nono
- Il Canto Sospeso, for soli, chorus, and orchestra
- Incontri, for 24 instruments
Walter Piston - Symphony No. 6
Edmund Rubbra - Piano Concerto
John Serry, Sr. - American Rhapsody
Alexandre Tansman
- Concerto for Orchestra
- Capriccio for Orchestra
Michael Tippett - Sonata for Four Horns
Ernst Toch - Symphony No. 3
Ralph Vaughan Williams - Symphony No. 8
William Walton - Johannesburg Festival Overture
Franz Waxman - Sinfonietta for Strings and Timpani
Iannis Xenakis - Pithoprakta for orchestra

[edit] Opera

Carlisle Floyd - Susannah
Dmitri Kabalevsky - Nikita Vershinin

[edit] Musical theater

The Amazing Adele Philadelphia production
Ankles Aweigh Broadway production
Catch A Star Broadway production
Damn Yankees (Richard Adler and Jerry Ross) - Broadway production
Kismet London production opened at the Stoll Theatre on April 20 and ran for 648 performances
The Pajama Game (Richard Adler and Jerry Ross) - London production opened at the Coliseum on October 13 and ran for 501 performances
Phoenix '55 Broadway production
Pipe Dream (Rodgers & Hammerstein) - Broadway production
Plain and Fancy Broadway production
Romance in Candlelight London production opened at the Piccadilly Theatre on September 15 and ran for 53 performances
Seventh Heaven Broadway production opened at the ANTA Playhouse on May 26 and ran for 44 performances
Shoestring Revue Broadway production
Silk Stockings Broadway production
Wonderful Town (Leonard Bernstein, Betty Comden and Adolph Green) - London production opened at the Princes Theatre on February 24 and ran for 207 performances