1955 in music

Contents

1 Events

2 Albums released

3 No. 1 hit singles

4 Top hits on record

5 Top R&B and Country Hits on record

6 Published popular music

11 Musical television

12 Births

13 Deaths

Events

January 1 - RCA victor announces a marketing plan called "Operation TNT." The label drops the list price on LP's from $5.95 to $3.98, EP's from $4.95 to $2.98, 45 EP's 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 14 - In New York City, Alan Freed produces the first rock and roll concert.
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
March 5 - Elvis Presley makes his first television appearance on a program called Louisiana Hayride.
The Patti Page Show premieres on NBC
The Frankie Laine Show premieres on CBS
March 7 - Carl Perkins' single "Blue Suede Shoes" enters the R&B charts, marking the first time a Country music artist has made it on the R&B charts.
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 and the 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.
July 9 - "Rock Around the Clock" becomes the first Rock and roll single to reach Number One on the American charts
September 26 - "America's Sweethearts," Eddie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds marry.
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.
Johnny Cash's musical career begins
Patsy Cline's musical career begins
Eddie Cochran's musical career begins
Little Richard's musical career begins
John Coltrane's musical career begins
Al Green's musical career begins
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

Albums released

Day Dreams - Doris Day
Doris Day In Hollywood - Doris Day
Eddie Fisher Sings Academy Award Winning Songs - Eddie Fisher
Especially For You... - Teresa Brewer
Exactly Like You - The Ames Brothers
Four Brothers - The Ames Brothers
Frankie - Frank Sinatra
Happy Holidays - 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
Jazz Spectacular - Frankie Laine & Buck Clayton
Love After Midnight" - Patti Page
Lovers' Laine - Frankie Laine
Memory Songs - Jo Stafford
Moments To Remember - The Four Lads
Music Ala Carte - The Crew Cuts
The One, The Only Kay Starr - Kay Starr
Our Town - Frank Sinatra
Romance On The Range - Patti Page
Satch Plays Fats - Louis Armstrong
Songs For Swingin' Lovers! - Frank Sinatra
Soft And Sentimental - Jo Stafford
Voice Of Our Choice - Guy Mitchell
Swing Easy - Frank Sinatra
Young At Heart - Doris Day & Frank Sinatra

No. 1 hit singles

These singles reached the top of 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"	Four Aces
October 15, 1955	1	"Yellow Rose Of Texas"	Mitch Miller
October 22, 1955	1	"Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing"	Four Aces
October 29, 1955	1	"Autumn Leaves"	Roger Williams
November 5, 1955	4	"Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing"	Four Aces

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
"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
"The Great Pretender" - The Platters
"Hawk-Eye" - Frankie Laine
"He" - Al Hibbler
"He" - McGuire Sisters
"Heart" - Eddie Fisher
"How Important Can It Be?" - Joni James
"Hummingbird" - Frankie Laine
"Hummingbird" - 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" - Doris Day
"If I Give My Heart To You" - 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
"Memories Are Made Of This" - Dean Martin
"My Friend" - Frankie Laine
"Never Look Back" - Doris Day
"Only You (And You Alone)" - The Platters
"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" - Tennessee Ernie Ford
"Sixteen Tons" - Frankie Laine
"Smack Dab In The Middle" - The Mills Brothers
"Song Of Seventeen" - Petty King
"Stars Fell On Alabama" - Frankie Laine & Buck Clayton
"Suddenly There's A Valley" - Gogi Grant
"Teenage Prayer" – Gale Storm
"That Old Feeling" - Frankie Laine & Buck Clayton
"That Old Feeling" - Patti Page
"Tweedle Dee" - Georgia Gibbs
"Unchained Melody" - Les Baxter
"Unchained Melody" - Roy Hamilton
"Unchained Melody" - Al Hibbler
"A Woman In Love" - Frankie Laine
"The Yellow Rose Of Texas" - Mitch Miller & The Gang

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 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
"Cry Me A River" w.m. Arthur Hamilton
"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
"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
"Maybellene" 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
"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
"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
"A Sleepin' Bee" w. Truman Capote & Harold Arlen m. Harold Arlen
"Smokey Joe's Café" w.m. Jerry Leiber & Mike Stoller
"Softly, Softly" Pierre Dudan, Paddy Roberts & Mark Paul
"Something's Gotta Give" w.m. Johnny Mercer
"Speedoo" w.m. Esther Navarro
"Stereophonic Sound" w.m. Cole Porter
"A Story Untold" Leroy Griffin
"Suddenly There's A Valley" w.m. Chuck Meyer & Biff Jones
"The Tender Trap" w. Sammy Cahn m. James Van Heusen
"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
"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
"Why Do Fools Fall In Love?" w.m. Frankie Lymon & George Goldner
"A Woman In Love" w.m. Frank Loesser
"You Don't Know Me" w.m. Cindy Walker & Eddy Arnold
"You're Sensational" w.m. Cole Porter

Classical music

Mario Davidovsky - Quintet for Clarinet and Strings
Mario Davidovsky - Suite Sinfonica Para "El Payaso" for orchestra
Einar Englund - Piano Concerto
Ferenc Farkas - Bukki Varlatok
Alan Hovhaness - Symphony no. 2 - "Mysterious Mountain"
Bohuslav Martinu - The Epic of Gilgamesh
Franz Waxman - Sinfonietta for Strings and Timpani

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
The Pajama Game (Richard Adler and Jerry Ross) - London production
Phoenix '55 Broadway production
Pipe Dream (Rodgers & Hammerstein) - Broadway production
Plain And Fancy Broadway production
Seventh Heaven Broadway production
Shoestring Revue Broadway production
Silk Stockings Broadway production
Wonderful Town (Leonard Bernstein, Betty Comden and Adolph Green) - London production