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.

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

Biggest hit singles

US No. 1 hit singles

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
• "Hawk-Eye" - 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 & 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

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

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

Classical music

• Arthur Bliss - Violin Concerto
• Henry Cowell - Symphony No. 12
• George Crumb - Diptych for orchestra
• George Crumb - Sonata for solo cello
• Mario Davidovsky - Quintet for Clarinet and Strings
• Mario Davidovsky - 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
• Bohuslav Martinů - Oboe Concerto
• Darius Milhaud - Symphony No. 5
• Darius Milhaud - Symphony No. 6
• Luigi Nono - Il Canto Sospeso, for soli, chorus, and orchestra
• Luigi Nono - Incontri, for 24 instruments
• Walter Piston - Symphony No. 6
• Edmund Rubbra - Piano Concerto
• John Serry, Sr. - American Rhapsody
• Alexandre Tansman - Concerto for Orchestra
• Alexandre Tansman - 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

Opera

• Carlisle Floyd - Susannah
• Dmitri Kabalevsky - Nikita Vershinin

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

Musical films

• Artists And Models released November 7 starring Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis
• As Long as They're Happy starring Jack Buchanan, Janette Scott, Jeannie Carson, Jerry Wayne, Diana Dors and Joan Sims
• The Benny Goodman Story
• Daddy Long Legs
• Gentlemen Marry Brunettes
• The Girl Rush starring Rosalind Russell, Fernando Lamas, Eddie Albert and Gloria DeHaven.
• It's Always Fair Weather
• Jupiter's Darling starring Howard Keel, Esther Williams, Marge Champion and Gower Champion
• King's Rhapsody starring Anna Neagle and Errol Flynn
• Kismet
• Lady and the Tramp     Animated feature
• Love Me or Leave Me
• Oklahoma!
• Pete Kelly's Blues
• The Seven Little Foys
• A Star Is Born

Musical television

• Heidi     television production
• Our Town     television production
• Together With Music     television production

Births

• January 3 - Helen O'Hara, British musician
• January 8 - Mike Reno, Loverboy
• January 13 - Fred White, Earth Wind and Fire
• January 13 - Trevor Rabin, Yes
• January 17 - Steve Earle
• January 19 - Simon Rattle, conductor
• January 26 - Eddie Van Halen, musician
• January 27 - Richard Young, Kentucky Headhunters
• February 18 - Riff Regan, real name Miles Tredinnick, lead singer in London.
• February 23 - Howard Jones
• March 2 - Jay Osmond, The Osmonds
• March 4 - Boon Gould, real name Rowland Charles Gould, guitarist (Level 42)
• March 10 - Bunny DeBarge, DeBarge
• March 15 - Dee Snider, Twisted Sister
• March 31 - Angus Young, AC/DC
• April 13 - Louis Johnson, The Brothers Johnson
• April 17 - Pete Shelley, Buzzcocks
• May 9 - Anne Sofie von Otter
• May 12 - Kix Brooks, Country singer Brooks & Dunn
• May 20 - Steve George, Mr. Mister
• May 20 - Zbigniew Preisner, composer
• May 21 - Stan Lynch, Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers
• May 28 - John McGeoch, Magazine, PiL, and Siouxsie & the Banshees, (d. 2004)
• May 29 - Pascal Dusapin, French composer
• May 30 - Topper Headon, The Clash
• June 7 - Joey Scarbury
• June 23 - Glenn Danzig, lead singer for Danzig
• June 26 - Mick Jones, The Clash
• June 28 - Thomas Hampson, opera singer
• July 4 - John Waite
• July 18 - Terry Chambers, XTC
• July 21 - Howie Epstein, Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers
• August 9 - Benjamin Orr, The Cars
• August 17 - Colin Moulding, XTC
• August 28 - Beres Hammond, reggae singer
• August 29 - Diamanda Galás
• September 3 - Steve Jones, The Sex Pistols
• September 9 - Ivan Smirnov
• September 13 - Andreas Staier, classical harpsichordist and fortepianist
• October 2 - Philip Oakey, Human League
• October 7 - Yo-Yo Ma, cellist
• October 16 - Leonid Desyatnikov, composer
• October 21:
• Fred Hersch, American jazz pianist
• Rich Mullins (+ 1997)
• October 25 - Matthias Jabs, The Scorpions
• October 29 - Kevin Dubrow, Quiet Riot
• November 21 - Kyle Gann, composer, teacher and critic
• November 23 - Ludovico Einaudi, Italian composer and pianist
• November 30 - Billy Idol
• December 6 - Bright Sheng, composer
• December 15 - Paul Simonon, The Clash

Deaths

• February 14 - Charles Cuvillier, composer of operettas
• March 12 - Charlie Parker, Jazz saxophonist, heart failure
• May 4 - George Enescu, composer
• July 25 - Isaak Dunayevsky, conductor and composer
• August 5 - Carmen Miranda, singer
• November 11 - Jerry Ross, songwriter
• November 22 - Joseph Guy Ropartz, composer and conductor
• November 27 - Arthur Honegger, composer
• November 30 - Josip Štolcer-Slavenski, composer
• date unknown
• Oskar Adler, violinist and music critic
• Bessie Brown, blues singer
• Willy Burkhard, composer
• Harry Parr Davies, composer and songwriter
• Vernon Isley, original Isley brother, killed in an accident aged 13
• Annette Mills, partner of "Muffin the Mule"