The Birth of Rock N’ Roll
The fifties was a great era of music and great accomplishments of new artists that arrived on the scene during this fabulous decade. We have compiled a list of the 50s top 100 songs from 1950-1959, so you will know which song what the most popular in this era.
Artists like Elvis Presley, Pat Boone, Perry Como, Gale Storm, Connie Francis, and Patti Page, and many others that you could listen to all day long. Each of these had great hits of their own that you can remember plus many more.
Elvis created an hysteria when he would shake his hips while performing his songs. He was banned by many TV and radio managers in doing live performances. However, he became the king of “Rock N Roll” despite all of this because his fans just loved his music. Elvis went on to record eighteen #1 hits. Only the Beatles have more with 20 in the Rock N Roll era.
Many of you may remember going to the local soda fountain and ordering your favorite malt or milk shake and putting a nickel in the jukebox and listening to your selections, I do.
In unrelated news, now there is a way to preserve your vinyl records and convert them to the CD format. Click here for more information.
The ranking of the top 100 songs was determined by the following formula:
- Highest peak position.
- Number of weeks at the peak position.
- Number of weeks in the top 10.
- Number of weeks in the top 40.
- Total weeks charted.
To determine the all-time most popular song it must have spent the most time in the #1 position using our formula above.
Some interesting facts:
-
Picture of a 1950’s Juke Box To make the top 100, each song had to be a #1 hit and hold that position for at least 3 weeks or more.
- Elvis Presley has the most songs in the list with seven. Patti Page and Perry Como each tie with four.
- The total number of #1 songs that peaked at this position during this decade was 148.
- The biggest selling record was The Tennessee Waltz by Patti Page in 1950, with 6 million copies sold.
- Bill Doggett’s “Honky Tonk Parts 1 & 2” and “Wonderful! Wonderful!” by Johnny Mathis, spent the most weeks on the charts with 39.
- Elvis Presley has the only double sided number 1 hit Don’t Be Cruel/Hound Dog where both the A and B sides went to number 1 in 1956 and is ranked at #4 on this chart. The Beatles, repeated this feat in 1968, with “Come Together“, “Something” both went to number 1 for one week.
- The year 1956 had the most hit songs with 13 and 1950 came in second with 12.
- The 45 RPM record dominates the decade and 78’s become a thing of the past.
- In order for a song to make this chart, it had to be at #1 for 3 weeks.
- For a song to make the top 10, it had to be at #1 for 10 weeks or more.
The list will show the rank, title, artist, peak weeks and year the song was released. Note: An (I) after a song is an instrumental.
Rank Title/Artist Peak Weeks () Year
- The Tennessee Waltz / Patti Page (13) 1950
- Goodnight Irene / The Weavers (13) 1950
- You Belong To Me / Jo Stafford (12) 1952
- Don’t Be Cruel/Hound Dog / Elvis Presley (11) 1956
- Vaya Con Dios (May God Be With You / Les Paul & Mary Ford (11) 1953
- The Third Man Theme (I) / Anton Karas (11) 1950
- The Third Man Theme (I) / Guy Lambardo (11) 1950
- Cry / Johnnie Ray (11) 1951
- Cherry Pink & Apple Blossom White (I) / Perez Prado (10) 1955
- Sincerely / McGuire Sisters (10) 1955
- Singing The Blues / Guy Mitchell (10) 1956
- Because Of You / Tony Bennett (10) 1951
- Wheel Of Fortune / Kay Starr (10) 1952
- Song From “Moulin Rouge” / Percy Faith (10) 1953
- I Went To Your Wedding / Patti Page (10) 1952
- If I Knew You Were Coming I’d’ve Baked A Cake/Eileen Barton (10) 1950
- Mack The Knife / Bobby Darin (9) 1959
- All Shook Up / Elvis Presley (9) 1957
- Little Things Mean A Lot / Kitty Kallen (9) 1954
- How High The Moon / Les Paul & Mary Ford (9) 1951
- Auf Wiederseh’n Sweetheart / Vera Lynn (9) 1952
- Sh-Boom / Crewcuts (9) 1954
- Rock Around The Clock / Bill Halley & His Comets (8) 1955
- You You You / Ames Brothers (8) 1953
- Rags To Riches / Tony Bennett (8) 1953
- If / Perry Como (8) 1951
- The Doggie In The Window / Patti Page (8) 1953
- Come On-A My House / Rosemary Clooney (8) 1951
- Sin / Eddy Howard (8) 1951
- The Wayward Wind / Gogi Grant (8) 1956
- Sixteen Tons / Tennessee Ernie Ford (8) 1955
- Heartbreak Hotel / Elvis Presley (8) 1956
- Wanted / Perry Como (8) 1954
- Oh! My Papa / Eddie Fisher (8) 1954
- Chattanoogie Shoe Shine Boy / Red Foley (8) 1950
- Love Letters In The Sand / Pat Boone (7) 1957
- I’m Walking Behind You / Eddie Fisher (7) 1953
- Make Love To Me! / Jo Stafford (7) 1954
- Till I Waltz Again With You / Teresa Brewer (7) 1953
- Mr. Sandman / Chordettes (7) 1954
- Kiss Of Fire / Georgia Gibbs (7) 1952
- Jailhouse Rock / Elvis Presley (7) 1957
- (Let Me Be Your) Teddy Bear / Elvis Presley (7) 1957
- At The Hop / Danny & The Juniors (7) 1958
- Love Is A Many-Splendored Thing / Four Aces (6) 1955
- Rock And Roll Waltz / Kay Starr (6) 1956
- The Yellow Rose Of Texas / Mitch Miller (6) 1955
- The Poor People Of Paris / Les Baxter (6) 1956
- Memories Are Made Of This / Dean Martin (6) 1956
- April Love / Pat Boone (6) 1957
- The Battle Of New Orleans / Johnny Horton (6) 1959
- Young Love / Tab Hunter (6) 1957
- It’s All In The Game / Tommy Edwards (6) 1958
- The Purple People Eater / Sheb Wooley (6) 1958
- Hey There / Rosemary Clooney (6) 1954
- Cold, Cold Heart / Tony Bennett (6) 1951
- Mona Lisa / Nat “King” Cole (6) 1950
- Why Don’t You Believe Me / Joni James (6) 1952
- Tammy / Debbie Reynolds (5) 1957
- The Ballad Of Davy Crockett / Bill Hayes (5) 1955
- Love Me Tender / Elvis Presley (5) 1956
- My Prayer / Platters (5) 1956
- All I Have To Do Is Dream / Everly Brothers (5) 1958
- Tequila (I) / Champs (5) 1958
- Don’t / Elvis Presley (5) 1958
- Venus / Frankie Alavon (5) 1959
- Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blu (Volare) / Domenico Modugno (5) 1958
- Blue Tango (I) / Leroy Anderson (5) 1952
- Too Young / Nat “ King” Cole (5) 1951
- I Can Dream Can’t I / Andrews Sisters (5) 1950
- All My Love / Patti Page (5) 1950
- Don’t Let The Stars Get In Your Eyes / Perry Como (5) 1953
- The Thing / Phil Harris (5) 1950
- Autumn Leaves (I) / Roger Williams (4) 1955
- Lisbon Antigua (I) / Nelson Riddle (4) 1956
- Harbor Lights / Sammy Kaye (4) 1950
- I Almost Lost My Mind / Pat Boone (4) 1956
- Honeycomb / Jimmie Rogers (4) 1957
- Secret Love / Doris Day (4) 1954
- No Other Love / Perry Como (4) 1953
- Sugartime / McGuire Sisters (4) 1958
- Let Me Go Lover / Joan Weber (4) 1955
- Wake Up Little Susie / Everly Brothers (4) 1957
- Music! Music! Music! / Teresa Brewer (4) 1950
- Stagger Lee / Lloyd Price (4) 1959
- The Three Bells / The Browns (4) 1959
- Lonely Boy / Paul Anka (4) 1959
- He’s Got The Whole World In His Hands / Laurie London (4) 1958
- Come Softly To Me / Fleetwoods (4) 1959
- The Chipmunk Song / Chipmunks (4) 1958
- St. George And The Dragnet / Stag Freberg (4) 1953
- The Green Door / Jim Lowe (3) 1956
- Dance With Me Henry / Georgia Gibbs (3) 1955
- Moonglow (I) / Morris Stoloff (3) 1956
- Hearts Of Stone / Fontane Sisters (3) 1955
- You Send Me / Sam Cooke (3) 1957
- This Ole House / Rosemary Clooney (3) 1954
- Half As Much / Rosemary Clooney (3) 1952
- I Need You Now / Eddie Fisher (3) 1954
- The Glow Worm / Mills Brothers (3) 1952
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