Top 100 Best Songs Of 50s (2022 List) Popular Classic Tracks
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List of Greatest Songs of 50s Decade
The decade of 50s was the decade of Rock and Roll music.Top Artists Like Little Richard,Chuck berry and Elvis Presley were the pioneer musicians who made the rock and roll music famous in 50s.
Other genre that become popular in this decade was Blues,that was made famous by Ray Charles.Also genres like R&B,Jazz,Country,Rock also become people's favorite in this decade.
The death of Buddy holly,Ritchie Valens and J.P. Richardson was one of the most shocking event in the music.The day was later called "The day The Music Died" by Don mclean in his song "American Pie".
This page includes here the 100 greatest songs from the 50s.These songs are selected on the basis of their sales,structure and impact over pop culture.
If you find any of your favorite 50s song missing from the list then do let me know in comments.
Photo Credit : People, Places & Things
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Top 100 Songs of the 50s - Vote Your Favorite Song
Here is the list of 100 greatest 50s songs.
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This List Is Generated By Users,visitors and lovers of 50s music like you.You can vote your favorite song of the 50s in the list.
98. The House of Bamboo By Andy Williams
97. The Man From Laramie By Jimmy Young
96. La Dee Dah By Jackie Dennis
95. Sugar Time By The Maguire Sisters
94. I Dreamed By Beverley Sisters
93. Little Darlin By The Diamonds
92. The Book Of Love By The Monotones
91. Claudette By Roy Orbison
90. Here Comes Summer By Jerry Keller
89. Hully Gully By Olympics
88. Ooby Dooby By Roy Orbison
87. I'm Walking By Rick Nelson
86. Fannie Mae By Buster Brown
85. I Hear You Knocking By Gayle Storm
84. Outside Of Heaven By Eddie Fisher
83. Three Coins In The Fountain By Al Alberts & The Four Aces
82. Since I Don't Have You By The Skyliners
81. It's Only Make Believe By Conway Twitty
80. My Special Angel By Bobby Helms
79. It's Almost Tomorrow By Dream Weavers
78. Oh, What A Night By The Dells
77. Young Love By Tab Hunter
76. Come Go With Me By The Del Vikings
75. It's All In The Game By Tommy Edwards
74. Goodnight, Sweetheart, Goodnight By The Spaniels
73. Memories Are Made Of This By The Everly Brothers
72. Mona Lisa By Conway Twitty
71. Honest I Do By Jimmy Reed
70. Hey, Good Lookin' By Sir Hanks William
69. White Lightning By George Jones
68. Red River Rock By Johnny & The Hurricanes
67. When By The Kalin Twins
66. See You Later Alligator By Billy Hayley And The Comets
65. Lucille By Little Richard
64. Dream Lover By Bobby Darin
63. Rollin' Stone By Muddy Waters
62. Keep On Knockin' By Little Richard
61. The Girl Can't Help It By Little Richard
60. Brown Eyed Handsome Man By Chuck Berry
59. I'm A Man By Bo Diddley
58. Got My Mojo Working By Muddy Waters
57. All Shook Up By Elvis Presley
56. Sweet Little Sixteen By Chuck Berry
55. I've Got A Woman By Ray Charles
54. Mannish Boy By Muddy Waters
53. There Goes My Baby By The Drifters
52. Shake, Rattle & Roll By Big Joe Turner
51. Shout (Part 1 & 2) By The Isley Brothers
50. That's All Right By Elvis Presley
49. Roll Over Beethoven By Chuck Berry
48. Blue Suede Shoes By Carl Perkins
47. Good Golly Miss Molly By Little Richard
46. Jailhouse Rock By Elvis Presley
45. Bo Diddley By Bo Diddley
44. Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On By Jerry Lee Lewis
43. Long Tall Sally By Little Richard
42. Heartbreak Hotel By Elvis Presley
41. Tutti Frutti By Little Richard
40. Hound Dog By Elvis Presley
39. What'd I Say By Ray Charles
38. The Purple People Eater By Sheb Wooley
37. La Bamba By Ritchie Valens
36. Rip It Up By Bill Hayley And The Comets
35. Twilight Time By The Platters
34. Why Do Fools Fall In Love By The Diamonds
33. Mean Little Mama By Roy Orbinson
32. Rumble By Link Wray
31. Oh Boy! By Buddy Holly
30. Shop Around By Smokey Robinson
29. Love Me Tender By Elvis Presley
28. Ain't That A Shame By Fats Dominos
27. Blue Suede Shoes By Elvis Presley
26. C'Mon Everybody By Cochran Eddie
25. I Put A Spell On You By Screamin' Jay Hawkins
24. Wake Up Little Susie By The Everly Brothers
23. Mack The Knife By Bobby Darin
22. Everyday By Buddy Holly
21. Hoochie Coochie Man By Muddy Waters
20. Bye Bye Love By The Everly Brothers
19. Don't Be Cruel By Elvis Presley
18. Peggy Sue By Buddy Holly
17. Folsom Prison Blues By Johnny Cash
16. I Can't Stop Loving You By Ray Charles
15. Rave On By Buddy Holly
14. All I Have To Do Is Dream By The Everly Brothers
13. Rock And Roll Music By Chuck Berry
12. Great Balls Of Fire By Jerry Lee Lewis
11. Blueberry Hill (Original Version)
10. Georgia On My Mind By Ray Charles
9. That'll Be The Day By Buddy Holly
8. Tequila By The Champs
7. Walkin' After Midnight By Patsy Cline
6. Hit The Road Jack By Ray Charles
5. Sh-Boom By The Chords
4. Not Fade Away By Buddy Holly
3. Be Bop A Lula By Gene Vincent
2. I Walk The Line By Johnny Cash
1. Johnny B. Goode By Chuck Berry
Top 10 Musician From the 50s
1. Ray Charles
2. Elvis Presley
3. Chuck Berry
4. Little Richard
5. Buddy Holly
6. Muddy Waters
7. Johnny Cash
8. The Everly Brothers
9. The Isley Brothers
10. Carl Perkins
Don't forget to check the Top 10 albums of the 50s.
# 10. The "Chirping" Crickets - By Buddy Holly
Label: Brunswick – 07822-13136-2
Format: CD, Album, Remastered
Country: US
Released: 1991
Genre: Rock & Roll, Pop
Style: Country-Rockabilly
I have decided to start this review with a very rare unpublished photo of Buddy Holly. This is the only picture which was not included in the "Buddy" book by Ellis Amburn. It was taken during early February 1958 when Buddy visited Sam Phillip's studio Sun Records in Memphis Tennessee. At that time he had cut his first record at Phillips' own studio but was unsatisfied by the final result. He came back for another try and although he left again without signing any contract he got signed at Decca
# 9. Moanin' In The Moonlight - By Howlin Wolf
From mid-1954 through early-1960 Howlin' Wolf recorded almost exclusively for Chess Records in Chicago, and his best work is to be found among the more than 100 tracks which made up this material (he also did some fine session work during this period for other labels such as RPM and Checker). His associates in these recording sessions included some of the finest names in blues and rock 'n roll : Willie Johnson, Hubert Sumlin, Jody Williams, Otis Spann, Fred Below and Little
# 8. I Walk the Line - By Johnny Cash
"I Walk the Line" is a song written and originally recorded by Johnny Cash.
It was released in October 1957 as the B-side to "Get Rhythm." The song reached # 23 on the Billboard Bubbling Under Hot 100 Chart later that year. The single's A-side, "Get Rhythm", reached #17 on the Billboard Country Singles chart.
The song was reissued in 1983 through Legacy Records, an independent label partially funded by CBS Records (now Sony Music). The reissue peaked at #65 on the country charts. It features different cover art than other reissues of his music.
Cash wrote the song about one of his early girlfriends who left him because he had become too obsessed with his career.
This song has been played on many radio stations throughout the United States, although some radio stations have given it little airplay. The lyrics are largely autobiographical, reflecting Cash's realization that his life was moving in a direction different from that of his sweetheart. Johnny wrote this song about Vivian Liberto, whom he married on August 7, 1954 after knowing her for only one month while serving in the Air Force at Landsberg West Germany.
The band U2 covered "I Walk the Line" during their Vertigo Tour stop at Slane Castle in Ireland and released an up-close live version of the track on DVD exclusively at Target stores in November 2005. Their version is much more dramatic than the original recording
# 7. Ella & Louis - By Ella & Louis
When he was recording his first album for the new label, Harry Whitaker told Louis that of all the male singers on record at that time - Johnnie Ray, Frank Sinatra, Vic Damone - only Tony Bennett came close to matching Louis' unique style. "There are two great stylists in popular music," he said. "Tony Bennett and you."
"I appreciate that," Louis replied. And then added with a smile, "But I think Tony Bennett is greater." It wasn't modesty; it was an honest appraisal of who's who among singers...
Louis Armstrong recorded for major labels throughout most of his career but had more success during the latter part when he began recording for Decca in conjunction with MCA.
# 6. In the Wee Small Hours - By Frank Sinatra
Frank Sinatra's newest album, "In The Wee Small Hours," is his first collection of slow-tempo songs. Recorded with several studio orchestras, it brings together for the first time Columbia recordings made between 1944 and 1950 by three separate groups, each under the distinguished leadership of Axel Stordahl.
Ever since Mr. Sinatra inaugurated the solo singing career which has now reached its sixth year, he has been establishing an artistic identity so firm that it could never be confused with any other singer's. His personality has become so much a part of American musical heritage that when anyone thinks about him at all he calls up visions of restless nights, lonely streets and elusive romance. This should be no great surprise because that was what
# 5. Kind Of Blue - By Miles Davis
Early in the year 1957 Miles Davis, who is known as one of the four giants of jazz together with Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington and Charlie Parker , released his first album with Columbia.
It was not " Birth Of The Cool" (1957), which made him internationally known, but rather the dark sounding record named " Kind Of Blue" (released August 17th. 1959). With this album he created a sound that became an example for many others to follow.
Although it wasn't his first collaboration with arranger Gil Evans ("Porgy And Bess", "Sketches Of Spain") or pianist Bill Evans (they both can be found on his second public success "orgy And Bess"),
# 4. The Genius Hits the Road - By Ray Charles
The Genius Hits the Road is the second studio album released by American soul singer, musician and composer Ray Charles. The LP was recorded with his band at the time called Raelettes between 1960 and 1961 in New Orleans, Louisiana. It was produced by Quincy Jones.
This record also featured the first collaboration of Charles with songwriter Bert Keyes who wrote most of songs on this record including "Leave My Woman Alone", which would be later covered by Jimi Hendrix.
The album is divided in two parts: one with mainly blues-oriented compositions and another with R&B ballads.
The Genius Hits the Road went to number four on Billboard's Pop Albums chart upon its release in 1962.
Charles
# 3. Chuck Berry Is On Top - By Chuck Berry
The album that started it all. Chuck Berry is on Top, recorded in 1959 at Chess Studios in Chicago, was the first full-length studio album by Chuck Berry, released by Chess Records in July of 1960. Despite its title, not all tracks were actually number one hits. The track listing varied between versions of the album released in different countries. "School Day" and "Sweet Little Sixteen" are included here as they were early top ten hits for Berry around the time this record was made.
The songs are written mostly by Berry with help from either Johnnie Johnson or Willie Dixon, though Dixon's contributions have never been officially credited because he was under contract to Checker Records at that time.[citation needed] (Berry would
# 2. Here's Little Richard - By Little Richard
# 1. Elvis Presley - By Elvis Presley
Shout about your favorite 50s song or singer - Share your thoughts,comments,suggestions or just say "hi"
Ronald Tucker from Louisville, Kentucky on June 26, 2013:
My favorite song from the 50's has to be Nat King Coles "Mona Lisa"...some songs are burned in our memories like tattoos on the body...they are with us for a very long time!
Beverly Rodriguez from Albany New York on May 02, 2013:
I love Heartbreak Hotel! I really enjoyed your lens. It brings back a lot of memories.
jerbo63 on December 15, 2012:
Do you remember "Endless Sleep". What a grat oldie!
anonymous on December 13, 2012:
Loved just about all the songs from the 50's!
anonymous on August 27, 2012:
Hound Dog and Jailhouse Rock were the first hard rock songs in popular music and still sound good played against hard rock decades later whereas Johnny B Good, as good as it was, had country insinuated into it. Why music pundits pick it as number 1 Rock song of the 50's is beyond me.
nyclittleitaly on March 10, 2012:
There are so many where can I begin. The Crests, the Marcels, the Drifters, the Platters. and the list goes on and on.
emmakeynes on March 07, 2012:
Fantastic lens!
Lemming13 on February 19, 2012:
My favourite fifties song is Blue Moon, by the Marcels (with Promised Land by Chuck Berry a close second). Great lens.
Samrsmiley on November 03, 2011:
Another great lens! I have a Johnny Cash one you may be interested in.
MrAverageGuy on August 07, 2011:
Great job here. Proper rock 'n' roll is what we like.
sandydez on July 02, 2011:
Great list on 50s songs
thesuccess2 on June 03, 2011:
Nostalgia, these songs shook up society in a way that will never be possible again