The Best of 1950s Pop Music
Contents
A look at some of the best pop songs from the 1950s.
Introduction
The 1950s saw the rise of pop music as a commercial force, with artists such as Elvis Presley and Chuck Berry becoming international superstars. The decade also saw the advent of rock and roll, which would become one of the most popular genres of music in the world. Here are some of the best pop songs from the 1950s.
The Birth of Rock and Roll
In the 1950s, a new type of music called rock and roll was born. This type of music was a mix of jazz, blues, and country music. It was very popular with young people, and it quickly spread around the world. Many of the biggest stars of the time, such as Elvis Presley, started out in this genre.
Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley rose to fame in the mid-1950s and quickly became a cultural icon. His music was a fusion of country, gospel, and rhythm and blues, and it captivated audiences around the world. Presley’s style was unique and immediately recognizable, and his recordings remain some of the most popular in history. He is also credited with helping to break down racial barriers in the music industry.
Chuck Berry
No one exemplifies the birth of rock and roll better than Chuck Berry. He wrote songs that combined R&B with country music to create a unique sound that influenced generations of musicians. His hits, such as “Maybellene” and “Johnny B. Goode,” are some of the most iconic songs in pop music history. Chuck Berry is truly a pioneer of rock and roll.
Little Richard
Little Richard was one of the most influential musicians of the 1950s. His high-energy, fast-paced style of music laid the foundation for what would become rock and roll. Little Richard’s recordings, including “Tutti Frutti” and “Long Tall Sally,” are still considered classics today.
The Rise of Teen Idols
The 1950s saw the rise of a new type of pop music star-the teen idol. Teen idols were usually young, good-looking singers who were marketed to teenagers. Many of them were also actors, and their fans were mostly teenage girls. Some of the most popular teen idols of the 1950s included Elvis Presley, Pat Boone, and Paul Anka.
Ricky Nelson
At the height of his career in the late 1950s, Ricky Nelson was one of the biggest teen idols in America. A talented singer and actor, he had a string of hits with songs like “Poor Little Fool,” “Travelin’ Man” and “Hello Mary Lou.”
Born in 1940, Nelson was the son of actors Ozzie and Harriet Nelson. He made his acting debut on his parents’ popular TV show at the age of 8, and soon began appearing in films as well. In 1957, at the age of 17, he scored his first major hit with “I’m Walkin’,” which reached #4 on the Billboard charts.
Nelson’s career took off from there, and over the next few years he became one of America’s most popular entertainers. His good looks and clean-cut image made him a heartthrob for teenage girls, while his talent and easygoing charm won over adults as well. In 1958-59 he had five consecutive songs reach #1 on the Billboard charts – an unprecedented feat for a teen idol at that time.
In addition to his musical success, Nelson also appeared in a number of films during the 1950s, including Rio Bravo (1959) with John Wayne and The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet (1952-66), which was based on his own family’s life.
Nelson’s popularity started to decline in the early 1960s as he grew older and his teen fans moved on to other idols. He continued to record and perform throughout his life, though with less success than in his heyday. He died in a Plane crash in 1985 at the age of 45.
Frankie Avalon
If there was anyone who epitomized the all-American teen idol, it was Frankie Avalon. The Philadelphia native first came to national prominence in 1957 with “De De Dinah,” a plaintive doo-wop ode to a lost love. More hits followed, including “Venus” and “Why,” both of which topped the charts in 1959. Avalon’s good looks and smooth crooning made him a teen heartthrob, and he starred in several highly successful beach party movies with Annette Funicello throughout the early 1960s. Though his career slowed down somewhat in later years, Avalon continued to perform and record into the 21st century.
Pat Boone
Pat Boone was one of the first teen idols of the 1950s. A white singer who specialized in covering black R&B hits, Boone scored a series of No. 1 singles and became one of the biggest stars of the decade. Born in Jacksonville, Florida, on June 1, 1934, Boone was raised in Nashville, Tennessee. His father was a minister, and his mother was a music teacher. Boone began playing guitar at an early age and started performing in his father’s church at age 12. He sang in a local country music band while in high school and made his first recordings for Republic Records in 1953.
The British Invasion
The Beatles, Rolling Stones, and Herman’s Hermits were just a few of the British Invasion bands that took the world by storm in the 1950s. These bands brought a new sound to the pop music scene, and their popularity quickly spread. Let’s take a look at some of the best British Invasion bands of the 1950s.
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band formed in Liverpool in 1960. The group, whose best-known line-up comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr, are regarded as the most influential band of all time. With a sound rooted in skiffle and 1950s rock and roll, they later utilised several genres, ranging from pop ballads to psychedelic rock, often incorporating classical elements in innovative ways. In 1963, their enormous popularity first emerged as “Beatlemania”; as the group’s music grew in sophistication following their breakthrough album, Please Please Me (1963), led by primary songwriters Lennon and McCartney, the band were immersed in controversy regarding their embrace of the counterculture of the 1960s. As their popularity grew into huge proportions during the final years of the decade, often invoked comparisons with Jesus Christ and widespread rumours of drug use circulated.
The Beatles built their reputation playing clubs in Liverpool and Hamburg over a three-year period from 1960, with Stuart Sutcliffe initially serving as bass player. The core trio of Lennon, McCartney and Harrison, together since 1958, went through a succession of drummers—Pete Best was sacked in 1962 and replaced by Ringo Starr—and gained international popularity on their second album, With the Beatles (1963).
Please Please Me (1963) was followed by Beatlemania! (1964), A Hard Day’s Night (1964) which incorporated classical elements—and had advance orders totalling 1.3 million copies worldwide—help cemented Beatlemania; while Rubber Soul (1965) introduced more sophisticated songwriting that drew heavily from Dylan’s work and 12-string guitars to give an expanded sound; Revolver (1966) displayed an experimental side that incorporated studio techniques such as automatic double tracking; Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (1967), with its innovative album cover art design and expansive recording techniques such as multi-tracking experimenting with sound effects such as feedback played backward used for the first time on any pop record established them as an avant-garde art rock band; while The Beatles (1968) was a return to more basic song structures after the experimentalism of Sgt. Pepper while Magical Mystery Tour (1967)—a soundtrack album for a TV film produced by them—and Yellow Submarine (1969), an animated musical fantasy film based on some of their songs marked a change in direction towards psychedelic music inspired by hallucinogenic drugs which they had started experimenting with during 1967 leading to Lennon’s public declaration that The Beatles were “bigger than Jesus”. After leaving Brian Epstein’s management employ in 1967 amid financial disagreements caused by expanding business interests outside The Beatles which included Apple Corps Ltd., Mystical Mystery Tour caused significant unrest among band members particularly McCartney who felt he was being marginalised within the group leading to his temporary departure from The Beatles during 1968–69 creating bad publicity for Apple Records which was failing financiallyEPSTEIN later being found dead aged 32 under disputed circumstances lending credence to rumours he had been murdered because his killers feared he would reveal damaging information about powerful people using illegal drugs including members of The establishment who also used him to procure young boys for sexual gratification including himself according to some accounts..
The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones are an English rock band that was formed in London in 1962. The first stable lineup consisted of Brian Jones (guitar, harmonica), Mick Jagger (lead vocals, harmonica), Keith Richards (guitar, vocals), Bill Wyman (bass), Charlie Watts (drums), and Ian Stewart (piano). Stewart was removed from the official line-up in 1963 but continued to work with the band as a contracted musician until his death in 1985. Jones died less than a month after recording finished for their debut album and was replaced by Mick Taylor, who remained until 1974. After Taylor left the band, Ronnie Wood took his place in 1975 and continues on guitar to this day.
The Rolling Stones were at the forefront of the British Invasion of bands that became popular in the United States in 1964 and were identified with the youthful and rebellious counterculture of the 1960s. They are commonly referred to as “the Greatest Rock and Roll Band of All Time” and are credited with helping to shape the sound of modern rock and roll. The band’s first stable lineup included Brian Jones (guitar, harmonica), Mick Jagger (lead vocals, harmonic.
The Kinks
The Kinks are an English rock band formed in Muswell Hill, North London, in 1964 by brothers Ray and Dave Davies. They are considered one of the most important and influential rock bands of the 20th century. The group emerged during the height of British rhythm and blues and Merseybeat, and were briefly part of the British Invasion of the US until their touring ban in 1965. Their early singles reflected a variety of influences, including American R&B and country music, as well as traditional British music hall and jazz.
Conclusion
The 1950s saw the continuation of rock and roll, but also the rise of pop music. The best of 1950s pop music was marked by a number of artists who achieved massive commercial success. These artists included Elvis Presley, Bill Haley, Doris Day, and Frankie Laine. Each artist had a unique style that helped to shape pop music in the 1950s.
