Best Songs of the 50's
The 50's were known for the coexistence of Jazz and Rock and Roll style music. The birth of Rock and Roll was in the mid-50's. Until then the big bands and Jazz style music were most prominent. Vocal artists were also prominent in the 50's with artists such as Dean Martin, Perry Como, Frank Sinatra and Pat Boone.
Rock and Roll music started in the mid-50's and became mainstream with artists such as Bill Haley & His Comets and Elvis Presley. Elvis Presley became the image of 50's rock and roll given the title of "The King of Rock and Roll". Elvis created many hubbubs after pelvis gyrations on TV shows Milton Berle Show and The Ed Sullivan Show. Country and western also grew in popularity with such artists as Hank Williams, Johnny Cash and Porter Wagoner. Carl Perkins fueled a new version of country and western and r&b combined called rockabilly. Hank Williams also helped to popularize Honky Tonk, a style of country music characterized by a style of piano playing emphasizing rhythm more than harmony. It is interesting to note the "tonk" in the word Honky Tonk was taken from a manufacturer of an upright piano.
The 1950's era was the start of color TV and the credit card system in the USA. Although color televisions were being introduced, most shows were seen in the afternoon and evenings in black and white. Popular TV shows included I Love Lucy, The Honeymooners, and The Twilight Zone. Segregation was also made illegal. Space travel became a reality with the Russian Sputnik 1. America also grew by 2 states with the addition of Hawaii and Alaska. Hot fashion trends included men's bomber jackets, bermuda shorts and nipped waist for women. In the early 1950's, there was a major advancement in medicine with the creation of a vaccine to prevent polio. Being former wedding DJs, we've calculated a list of our favorite Songs of the 50's. If you have a special song that you think should be added to our list, please add your song suggestion through the comment section below. Be sure to also check out the song lyric link to find song relevance to what you want for in your song choice. Once decided, we provided a link to iTunes to purchase and Amazon.com to purchase and listen to a sample of each song. Pop culture personalities included James Dean, Mickey Mantle, of the New York Yankees, and Marilyn Monroe.
Our Top 5 50's Era songs for weddings are as follows: 1) Rock Around The Clock - Bill Haley & His Comets, 2) Jerry Lee Lewis - Great Balls Of Fire, 3) Hank Williams - Hey Good Lookin', 4) Elvis Presley - Hound Dog, 5) Carl Perkins - Blue Suede Shoes
Best Songs of the 50's for Weddings
| Song |
Artist |
Format |
Lyrics |
| 16 Candles |
The Crests |
R&B
|
|
|
|
| All I Have To Do Is Dream |
Everly Brothers |
Rock
|
 |
|
|
| All Shook Up |
Elvis Presley |
Rock
|
|
|
|
| All The Way |
Frank Sinatra |
Pop
|
 |
|
|
| April Love |
Pat Boone |
Rock
|
 |
|
|
| At My Front Door (Crazy Little Mama) |
El Dorados |
R&B
|
 |
|
|
| At The Hop |
Danny & the Juniors |
R&B
|
 |
|
|
| Autumn Leaves |
Roger Williams |
New Age
|
- - |
|
|
| Banana Boat Song |
Harry Belafonte |
Reggae
|
|
|
|
| Be-Bop-A-Lula |
Gene Vincent & the Bluecaps |
Rock
|
 |
|
|
| Blue Moon |
The Marcels |
R&B
|
 |
|
|
| Blue Suede Shoes |
Carl Perkins |
Country
|
 |
|
|
| Blueberry Hill |
Fats Domino |
Blues
|
 |
|
|
| Bo Diddley |
Bo Diddley |
Blues
|
 |
|
|
| Book Of Love |
The Monotones |
Rock
|
 |
|
|
| Chances Are |
Johnny Mathis |
Pop
|
|
|
|
| Chantilly Lace |
Big Bopper |
Rock
|
 |
|
|
| Charlie Brown |
The Coasters |
R&B
|
 |
|
|
| Come Go With Me |
The Del-Vikings |
Rock
|
 |
|
|
| Come Softly To Me |
The Fleetwoods |
Rock
|
 |
|
|
| Dance With Me |
The Drifters |
Pop
|
 |
|
|
| Diana |
Paul Anka |
Pop
|
 |
|
|
| Do You Want To Dance |
Bobby Freeman |
Rock
|
 |
|
|
| Don't Be Cruel |
Elvis Presley |
Rock
|
 |
|
|
| Earth Angel |
The Penguins |
Rock
|
 |
|
|
| Fever |
Little Willie John |
R&B
|
 |
|
|
| For Your Precious Love |
Jerry Butler & the Impressions |
R&B
|
 |
|
|
| Gee |
The Crows |
R&B
|
 |
|
|
| Good Golly, Miss Molly |
Little Richard |
Rock
|
|
|
|
| Goodnight Sweetheart, Goodnight |
The Spaniels |
R&B
|
|
|
|
| Great Balls Of Fire |
Jerry Lee Lewis |
Rock
|
|
|
|
| Hang Up My Rock And Roll Shoes |
Chuck Willis |
R&B
|
 |
|
|
| He's Got The Whole World In His Hands |
Laurie London |
Pop
|
 |
|
|
| Hey Good Lookin' |
Hank Williams |
Country
|
|
|
|
| Honky Tonk, Part 1 |
Bill Doggett |
R&B
|
- - |
|
|
| Hound Dog |
Elvis Presley |
Rock
|
|
|
|
| I Only Have Eyes For You |
The Flamingos |
Pop
|
 |
|
|
| I Walk The Line |
Johnny Cash |
Country
|
|
|
|
| I Want You, I Need You, I Love You |
Elvis Presley |
Rock
|
 |
|
|
| I'm In Love Again |
Fats Domino |
Blues
|
 |
|
|
| In The Still of The Night |
Five Satins |
R&B
|
 |
|
|
| It's All in The Game |
Tommy Edwards |
R&B
|
 |
|
|
| I've Got A Woman |
Ray Charles |
R&B
|
 |
|
|
| Jailhouse Rock |
Elvis Presley |
Oldies
|
|
|
|
| Jambalaya (On The Bayou) |
Hank Williams |
Country
|
 |
|
|
| Jim Dandy |
Lavern Baker |
R&B
|
 |
|
|
| Johnny B Goode |
Chuck Berry |
Oldies
|
|
|
|
| Kansas City |
Wilbert Harrison |
R&B
|
 |
|
|
| Keep A Knockin' |
Little Richard |
R&B
|
 |
|
|
| Kisses Sweeter Than Wine |
Jimmie Rogers |
Country
|
 |
|
|
| La Bamba |
Ritchie Valens |
Oldies
|
|
|
|
| Let The Good Times Roll |
Shirley & Lee |
R&B
|
 |
|
|
| Little Bitty Pretty One |
Thurston Harris |
R&B
|
 |
|
|
| Little Darlin' |
The Diamonds |
R&B
|
 |
|
|
| Little Star |
The Elegants |
Rock
|
 |
|
|
| Lollipop |
The Chordettes |
Rock
|
 |
|
|
| Love Is A Many-Splendored Thing |
Four Aces |
Vocal
|
 |
|
|
| Love Is Strange |
Mickey & Sylvia |
R&B
|
 |
|
|
| Love Me Tender |
Elvis Presley |
Oldies
|
|
|
|
| Love Potion No. 9 |
The Clovers |
Rock
|
 |
|
|
| Mack The Knife |
Bobby Darin |
Oldies
|
|
|
|
| Memories Are Made Of This |
Dean Martin |
Oldies
|
 |
|
|
| Money (That's What I Want) |
Barrett Strong |
R&B
|
|
|
|
| My Special Angel |
Bobby Helms |
Country
|
 |
|
|
| Only You |
The Platters |
Oldies
|
|
|
|
| Party Doll |
Buddy Knox |
Rock
|
 |
|
|
| Peggy Sue |
Buddy Holly & the Crickets |
Rock
|
 |
|
|
| Pledging My Love |
Johnny Ace |
R&B
|
 |
|
|
| Put Your Head On My Shoulder |
Paul Anka |
Pop
|
 |
|
|
| Rave On |
Buddy Holly & the Crickets |
Rock
|
 |
|
|
| Rebel Rouser |
Duane Eddy |
Oldies
|
- -
|
|
|
| Rock and Roll is Here To Stay |
Danny & the Juniors |
Rock
|
 |
|
|
| Rock And Roll Music |
Chuck Berry |
Rock
|
 |
|
|
| Rock Around The Clock |
Bill Haley |
Oldies
|
|
|
|
| Rockin' Robin |
Bobby Day |
Oldies
|
|
|
|
| Rocking Pneumonia & the Boogie Woogie Flu |
Huey "Piano" Smith & the Clowns |
R&B
|
 |
|
|
| Roll Over Beethoven |
Chuck Berry |
Rock
|
 |
|
|
| Sea Cruise |
Frankie Ford |
Rock
|
 |
|
|
| Sea Of Love |
Phil Phillips |
Rock
|
 |
|
|
| Searchin' |
The Coasters |
R&B
|
 |
|
|
| Sh-Boom |
The Chords |
R&B
|
 |
|
|
| Shout |
The Isley Brothers |
Oldies
|
|
|
|
| Sincerely |
Moonglows |
R&B
|
 |
|
|
| Sleep Walk |
Santo and Johnny |
Instrumental
|
- - |
|
|
| Smoke Gets In Your Eyes |
Platters |
Oldies
|
|
|
|
| Splish Splash |
Bobby Darin |
Rock
|
 |
|
|
| Summertime Blues |
Eddie Cochran |
Oldies
|
|
|
|
| Susie Q |
Dale Hawkins |
Rock
|
 |
|
|
| Tammy |
Debbie Reynolds |
Pop
|
 |
|
|
| Tequila |
Champs |
Oldies
|
- -
|
|
|
| That'll Be The Day |
Buddy Holly & The Crickets |
Oldies
|
|
|
|
| The ABC's Of Love |
Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers |
Pop
|
 |
|
|
| The Stroll |
The Diamonds |
Oldies
|
 |
|
|
| To Know Him is To Love Him |
Teddy Bears |
Rock
|
 |
|
|
| Tutti Frutti |
Little Richard |
R&B
|
 |
|
|
| Tweedlee Dee |
LaVern Baker |
R&B
|
 |
|
|
| Venus |
Frankie Avalon |
Rock
|
 |
|
|
| What'd I Say |
Ray Charles |
R&B
|
|
|
|
| Whole Lot Of Shakin' Goin On |
Jerry Lee Lewis |
Rock
|
 |
|
|
| Willie & The Hand Jive |
Johnny Otis |
Oldies
|
|
|
|
| You Send Me |
Sam Cooke |
R&B
|
|
|
|
| Young Love |
Sonny James |
Rock
|
 |
|
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Best 50s songs list is updated periodically throughout the year. If you have a song that you think should be included, please add your song suggestion through the comment section below.

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