1955 in music
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2008-06-28T09:45:58Z
Pietaster
533049
/* Births */
[[Image:Bo Diddley Prag 2005 02.jpg|thumb|Bo Diddley's chart debut was in 1955]]
==Events==
{{Year nav topic|1955|music}}
*[[January 1]] - [[RCA]] victor announces a marketing plan called "Operation TNT." The label drops the list price on LPs from $5.95 to $3.98, EPs from $4.95 to $2.98, 45 EPs 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 7]] - "Rock Around the Clock" by Bill Haley & His Comets first appears on the British charts.
*[[January 8]] - [[Elvis Presley]]'s third Sun Records single, "Milk Cow Blue Boogie" / "You're a Heartbreaker" released.
*[[January 14]] - In [[New York City]], [[Alan Freed]] produces the first [[rock and roll]] concert.
*[[February 19]] - Dot Records introduces a new singer, [[Pat Boone]], with an advertisement in Billboard magazine calling him "a great new voice"
*[[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
*''[[The Patti Page Show]]'' premieres on NBC
*''[[The Frankie Laine Show]]'' premieres on CBS
*[[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 & His 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.
*[[March 22]] - Decca Records signs DJ Alan Freed as an A&R man.
*[[March 26]] - [[Bill Hayes]] tops the US charts for five weeks with [[The_Ballad_of_Davy_Crockett]] and starts a (fake) [[coonskin cap]] craze.
*[[April 1]] - [[Elvis Presley]]'s fourth Sun Records single: "Baby Let's Play House" / "I'm Left, You're Right, She's Goen" released.
*[[April 17]] - Imperial Records releases "Ain't That a Shame" by [[Fats Domino]]
*[[May 13]] - First riot at an [[Elvis Presley]] concert takes place in Jacksonville, FL
*[[May 14]] - [[Bo Diddley]] makes his US R&B chart debut with his single "[[Bo Diddley (song)|Bo Diddley]]".
*[[May 21]] - [[Chuck Berry]] records his first single, "Maybelline" for [[Chess Records]] in Chicago.
*[[May 22]] - Bridgeport, CT authorities cancel a rock concert to be headlined by [[Fats Domino]] for fear of a riot breaking out.
*[[June 4]] - "Ain't That a Shame" by [[Fats Domino]] beings an 11 week stretch on top of the US R&B charts.
*[[July 6]] - Bo Diddley's second single "Diddley Daddy" makes its US R&B chart debut.
*[[July 9]] - "Rock Around the Clock" becomes the first [[Rock and roll]] single to reach Number One on the American charts
*[[July 23]] - [[Chess Records]] release debut single by [[Chuck Berry]], "[[Maybelline]]". Also that same day Chess releases [[Muddy Waters]]'s "Mannish Boy"
*[[August 17]] - [[Elvis Presley]]'s last Sun Records single - "I Forgot to Remember to Forget" / "[[Mystery Train]]" - released.
*[[August 19]] - WINS radio station in New York City adopts policy of not playing white cover versions of black R&B songs.
*[[August 20]] - [[Chuck Berry]]'s "Maybelline" reaches #1 on R&B charts, ending 11 week reign of "Ain't That a Shame" by [[Fats Domino]].
*[[August 31]] - Sidney Turner of London fined for "creating an abominable noise" for blasting "[[Shake, Rattle, and Roll]]" at top volume.
*[[September 3]] - [[Little Richard]] records "[[Tutti Frutti]]" with significantly cleaned up lyrics (originally "Tutti Frutti, good booty" among other things.
*[[September 26]] - "America's Sweethearts," [[Eddie Fisher (singer)|Eddie Fisher]] and [[Debbie Reynolds]] marry.
*[[October 15]] - [[Elvis Presley]] plays concert in Lubbock, Texas. Opening act is local duo Buddy and Bob. Buddy was future rock star [[Buddy Holly]].
*[[November 12]] - Billboard magazine DJ poll names [[Elvis Presley]] as the most promising new country/western singer.
*[[November 20]] - Bo Diddley makes his debut TV appearance on [[Ed Sullivan]]'s "Toast Of The Town" show on [[CBS]].
*[[November 22]] - Colonel Tom Parker signs [[Elvis Presley]] to [[RCA Records]].
*[[November 26]] - "Sixteen Tons" by [[Tennessee Ernie Ford]] tops the Billboard pop charts.
*[[December 15]] - Sun Records releases "Folsom Prison Blues" by [[Johnny Cash]].
*[[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]].
*[[Mirella Freni]] makes her debut as Micaela in ''Carmen'' at Modena.
*[[Eddie Cochran]]'s musical career begins.
*[[Al Green]]'s musical career begins at the age of nine.
*[[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.
*[[The Coasters]] are formed.
==Albums released==
* ''[[At the Cafe Bohemia, Vol. 1]]'' - [[Art Blakey|The Jazz Messengers]]
* ''[[At the Cafe Bohemia, Vol. 2]]'' - The Jazz Messengers
* ''[[Day Dreams]]'' - [[Doris Day]]
* ''[[Blue Moods]]'' - [[Miles Davis]]
* ''[[Cloud 7 (album)|Cloud 7]]'' - [[Tony Bennett]]
* ''[[Concert by the Sea]]'' - [[Erroll Garner]]
* ''[[Dinner in Caracas]]'' - [[Aldemaro Romero]]
* ''Doris Day in Hollywood'' - [[Doris Day]]
* ''Eddie Fisher Sings Academy Award Winning Songs'' - [[Eddie Fisher (singer)|Eddie Fisher]]
* ''Especially for You...'' - [[Teresa Brewer]]
* ''Four Brothers'' - [[The Ames Brothers]]
* ''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 (singer)|Eddie Fisher]]
* ''[[I'm in the Mood for Love (Eddie Fisher album)|I'm in the Mood for Love]]'' - [[Eddie Fisher (singer)|Eddie Fisher]]
* ''In a Blue Mood'' - [[Kay Starr]]
* ''[[In the Land of Hi-Fi (Sarah Vaughan album)|In the Land of Hi-Fi]]'' - [[Sarah Vaughan]]
* ''[[In the Wee Small Hours]]'' - [[Frank Sinatra]]
* ''[[Jazz Spectacular]]'' - [[Frankie Laine]] & [[Buck Clayton]]
* ''[[Julie Is Her Name]]'' - [[Julie London]]
* ''[[Love Me or Leave Me (Doris Day album)|Love Me or Leave Me]]'' - [[Doris Day]]
* ''Lovers' Laine'' - [[Frankie Laine]]
* ''[[Meet Betty Carter and Ray Bryant]]'' - [[Betty Carter]] and [[Ray Bryant]]
* ''Memory Songs'' - [[Jo Stafford]]
* ''[[Miles Davis Volume 1]]'' - Miles Davis
* ''[[Miles Davis Volume 2]]'' - Miles Davis
* ''[[Miles: The New Miles Davis Quintet]]'' - Miles Davis
* ''Moments to Remember'' - [[The Four Lads]]
* ''Music Ala Carte'' - [[The Crew Cuts]]
* ''[[Musings of Miles]]'' - Miles Davis
* ''[[Oklahoma! (soundtrack)|Oklahoma!]]'' - Original Broadway Cast
* ''The One, the Only Kay Starr'' - [[Kay Starr]]
* ''[[Quintet / Sextet]]'' - Miles Davis
* ''[[Rain or Shine (Dick Haymes album)|Rain or Shine]]'' - [[Dick Haymes]]
* ''[[Rock Around the Clock (album)|Rock Around the Clock]]'' - [[Bill Haley & His Comets]]
* ''[[Romance on the Range (album)|Romance on the Range]]'' - [[Patti Page]]
* ''Satch Plays Fats'' - [[Louis Armstrong]]
* ''Shake, Rattle and Roll'' - [[Bill Haley & His Comets]]
* ''[[So Smooth]]'' - [[Perry Como]]
* ''Soft and Sentimental'' - [[Jo Stafford]]
* ''[[Songs from Pete Kelly's Blues]]'' - [[Ella Fitzgerald]], [[Peggy Lee]]
* ''[[Study in Brown]]'' - [[Clifford Brown]] and [[Max Roach]]
* ''[[Swingin' Down Yonder]]'' - [[Dean Martin]]
* ''[[Thelonious Monk plays the Music of Duke Ellington]]'' - [[Thelonious Monk]]
* ''Voice of our Choice'' - [[Guy Mitchell]]
==Biggest hit singles==
The following singles achieved the highest [http://tsort.info/music/yr1955.htm chart positions]
in the set of charts available for 1955.
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;"
! <big>#</big>
! <big>Artist</big>
! <big>Title</big>
! Year
! Country
! Chart Entries
|-
| 1 || [[Bill Haley & His Comets]] || [[Rock Around the Clock]] || 1955 || {{flagicon|US}} || UK 1 - Oct 1955, US BB 1 - May 1955, US BB 1 of 1955, DDD 1 of 1954, POP 1 of 1955, Italy 3 of 1957, Global 4 (20 M sold) - 1954, Europe 5 of the 1950s, Scrobulate 8 of rock & roll, RIAA 12, Germany 17 - Jun 1968, Holland 27 - Jun 1968, 41 in 2FM list, Acclaimed 49, AFI 50, Rolling Stone 158, Party 180 of 1999
|-
| 2 || [[Tennessee Ernie Ford]] || [[Sixteen Tons]] || 1955 || {{flagicon|US}} || UK 1 - Jan 1956, US BB 1 - Nov 1955, Australia 1 for 6 weeks May 1955, RYM 13 of 1955, US BB 20 of 1955, POP 20 of 1955, DDD 49 of 1955, RIAA 83, Acclaimed 276
|-
| 3 || [[The Four Aces|Four Aces]] || [[Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing (song)|Love is a Many Splendoured Thing]] || 1955 || {{flagicon|US}} || US BB 1 - Aug 1955, Oscar in 1955, UK 2 - Nov 1955, Peel list 2 of 1955, Italy 3 of 1956, US BB 9 of 1955, POP 9 of 1955, RYM 29 of 1955
|-
| 4 || [[Chuck Berry]] || [[Maybellene]] || 1955 || {{flagicon|US}} || RYM 1 of 1955, DDD 2 of 1955, US BB 5 - Aug 1955, US BB 6 of 1955, POP 6 of 1955, Scrobulate 17 of rock & roll, Rolling Stone 18, Acclaimed 99
|-
| 5 || [[Frank Sinatra]] || [[Love & Marriage]] || 1955 || {{flagicon|US}} || US BB 2 of 1955, POP 2 of 1955, UK 3 - Jan 1956, US BB 5 - Nov 1955, Holland 9 - Apr 1991, RYM 16 of 1955, Scrobulate 47 of relaxing, Europe 83 of the 1950s
|}
==US No. 1 hit singles==
These singles reached the top of US [[Billboard magazine]]'s charts in 1955.
{| border="1" cellpadding="2"
!First week!!Number of weeks!!Title!!Artist
|-
|[[January 22]], [[1955]]||align="center"|2||"[[Let Me Go, Lover]]"||[[Joan Weber]]
|-
|[[February 5]], [[1955]]||align="center"|1||"[[Hearts of Stone]]"||[[Fontane Sisters]]
|-
|[[February 12]], [[1955]]||align="center"|6||"[[Sincerely (song)|Sincerely]]"||[[McGuire Sisters]]
|-
|[[March 26]], [[1955]]||align="center"|5||"[[The Ballad Of Davy Crockett]]"||[[Bill Hayes]]
|-
|[[April 30]], [[1955]]||align="center"|8||"[[Unchained Melody]]"||[[Les Baxter]]
|-
|[[July 9]], [[1955]]||align="center"|10||"[[Rock Around The Clock]]"||[[Bill Haley]] & his Comets
|-
|[[September 3]], [[1955]]||align="center"|5||"[[Yellow Rose Of Texas]]"||[[Mitch Miller]]
|-
|[[October 8]], [[1955]]||align="center"|1||"[[Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing (song)|Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing]]"||[[The Four Aces]]
|-
|[[October 15]], [[1955]]||align="center"|1||"[[Yellow Rose Of Texas]]"||[[Mitch Miller]]
|-
|[[October 22]], [[1955]]||align="center"|1||"[[Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing (song)|Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing]]"||[[The Four Aces]]
|-
|[[October 29]], [[1955]]||align="center"|1||"[[Autumn Leaves (song)|Autumn Leaves]]"||[[Roger Williams]]
|-
|[[November 5]], [[1955]]||align="center"|4||"[[Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing (song)|Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing]]"||[[The Four Aces]]
|-
|[[November 26]], [[1955]]||align="center"|7||"[[Sixteen Tons]]"||[[Tennessee Ernie Ford]]
|}
==Top hits on record==
*"[[Ain't That A Shame]]" - [[Pat Boone]]
*"[[Arrivederci Roma]]" - [[Georgia Gibbs]]
*"[[Band Of Gold (1955 song)|Band Of Gold]]" - [[Don Cherry (singer/golfer)|Don Cherry]]
*"[[A Blossom Fell]]" - [[Nat King Cole]]
*"[[The Crazy Otto Medley]]" - [[Johnny Maddox]]
*"[[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]]
*"[[Gum Drop]]" - [[The Crew Cuts]]
*"[[The Great Pretender]]" - [[The Platters]]
*"[[Hawk-Eye (song)|Hawk-Eye]]" - [[Frankie Laine]]
*"[[He (song)|He]]", recorded by
**[[Al Hibbler]]
**[[McGuire Sisters]]
*"[[Heart (song)|Heart]]" - [[Eddie Fisher (singer)|Eddie Fisher]]
*"[[How Important Can It Be?]]" - [[Joni James]]
*"[[Hummingbird (song)|Hummingbird]]", recorded by
**[[Frankie Laine]]
**[[Les Paul and Mary Ford]]
*"[[I Hear You Knocking]]" – [[Gale Storm]]
*"[[I Need You Now]]" - [[Eddie Fisher (singer)|Eddie Fisher]]
*"[[I Want You To Be My Baby]]" - [[Georgia Gibbs]]
*"[[If I Give My Heart to You]]", recorded by
**[[Doris Day]]
**[[Denise Lor]]
*"[[In The Beginning (1954 song)|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 (song)|Love Is A Many-Splendored Thing]]" - [[The Four Aces]] featuring [[Al Alberts]]
*"[[Love Me Or Leave Me (song)|Love Me Or Leave Me]]" - [[Doris Day]]
*"[[Maybelline (song)|Maybelline]]" - [[Chuck Berry]]
*"[[Melody of Love]]" - [[Billy Vaughn]]
*"[[Memories Are Made Of This]]" - [[Dean Martin]]
*"[[Moments to Remember]]" - [[The Four Lads]]
*"[[My Friend]]" - [[Frankie Laine]]
*"[[Never Look Back]]" - [[Doris Day]]
*"[[Only You (And You Alone)]]" - [[The Platters]]
*"[[Playmates (song)|Playmates]]" - [[The Fontane Sisters]]
*"[[Rock Around The Clock]]" - [[Bill Haley & His Comets]]
*"[[Rock And Roll Waltz]]" - [[Kay Starr]]
*"[[Same Old Saturday Night]]" - [[Frank Sinatra]]
*"[[Seventeen (song)|Seventeen]]" - [[The Fontane Sisters]]
*"[[Sincerely (song)|Sincerely]]" – [[McGuire Sisters]]
*"[[Sixteen Tons]]", recorded by
**[[Tennessee Ernie Ford]]
**[[Frankie Laine]]
*"[[Smack Dab In The Middle]]" - [[The Mills Brothers]]
*"[[Song Of Seventeen]]" - [[Petty King]]
*"[[Speedo]]" - [[The Cadillacs]]
*"[[Stars Fell On Alabama]]" - [[Frankie Laine]] & [[Buck Clayton]]
*"[[Suddenly There's A Valley]]" - [[Gogi Grant]]
*"[[Teenage Prayer]]" – [[Gale Storm]]
*"[[That Old Feeling (song)|That Old Feeling]]", recorded by
**[[Frankie Laine]] & [[Buck Clayton]]
**[[Patti Page]]
*"[[That's All I Want from You]]" - [[Jaye P. Morgan]]
*"[[Tweedle Dee]]" - [[Georgia Gibbs]]
*"[[Unchained Melody]]", recorded by
**[[Les Baxter]]
**[[Roy Hamilton]]
**[[Al Hibbler]]
*"[[A Woman in Love]]" - [[Frankie Laine]]
*"[[The Yellow Rose Of Texas]]" - [[Mitch Miller]] & The Gang
*"[[You Are My Love (1955 song)|You Are My Love]]" - [[Joni James]]
==Top R&B and Country Hits on record==
*"Ain't That A Shame" - [[Fats Domino]]
*"[[Earth Angel (Will You Be Mine)|Earth Angel]]" - [[Penguins]]
*"Flip, Flop & Fly" - [[Joe Turner]]
*"[[Tweedle Dee]]" - [[LaVern Baker]]
*"Folsom Prison Blues" - [[Johnny Cash]]
==Published popular music==
* "[[Adelaide (1955 song)|Adelaide]]" w.m. [[Frank Loesser]]
* "[[Ain't That A Shame]]" w.m. [[Fats Domino|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 (1955 song)|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 (1955 song)|Blue Monday]]" w.m. [[Fats Domino|Antoine "Fats" Domino]] & [[Dave Bartholomew]]
* "[[Blue Star (song)|Blue Star]]" w. [[Edward Heyman]] m. [[Victor Young]]
* "[[Blue Suede Shoes]]" w.m. [[Carl Perkins]]
* "[[Bo Diddley]]" w.m. [[Bo Diddley|Ellas McDaniel]]
* "[[Charlie Brown (song)|Charlie Brown]]" w.m. [[Jerry Leiber]] & [[Mike Stoller]]
* "[[Christmas Alphabet]]" [[Buddy Kaye]], [[Jules Loman]]
* "[[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 (song)|He]]" w. Jack Mullan m. Jack Richards
* "He's a Tramp" w.m. [[Peggy Lee]] and [[Sonny Burke]]. Introduced by Peggy Lee in the animated film ''[[Lady and the Tramp]]''
* "[[Heart (song)|Heart]]" w.m. [[Richard Adler]] & [[Jerry Ross (composer)|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. [[Fats Dominio|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 (song)|Love Is A Many-Splendored Thing]]" w. [[Paul Francis Webster]] m. [[Sammy Fain]]
* "[[Maybelline (song)|Maybelline]]" w.m. [[Chuck Berry]], Russ Frato & [[Alan Freed]]
* "[[Memories Are Made Of This]]" w.m. [[Terry Gilkyson]], Rich Dehr & [[Frank Miller (singer)|Frank Miller]]
* "[[Mind If I Make Love To You]]" w.m. [[Cole Porter]]
* "[[Moments To Remember]]" w. [[Al Stillman]] m. [[Robert Allen (songwriter)|Robert Allen]]
* "[[Mr. Wonderful (song)|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 (songwriter)|Robert Allen]]
* "[[Once-A-Year Day]]" w.m. [[Richard Adler]] & [[Jerry Ross (composer)|Jerry Ross]] from the musical ''[[The Pajama Game]]''
* "An Occasional Man" w.m. Ralph Blane & Hugh Martin. Introduced by [[Gloria DeHaven]] in the film ''[[The Girl Rush]]''
* "[[Paper Roses]]" w. Janice Torre m. Fred Spielman
* "[[Pet Me Poppa]]" w.m. [[Frank Loesser]]
* "[[Pete Kelly's Blues (song)|Pete Kelly's Blues]]" w. [[Sammy Cahn]] m. [[Ray Heindorf]]
* "[[Relax-Ay-Voo]]" [[Sammy Cahn]] & [[Arthur Schwartz]]
* "Robin Hood" w.m. [[Carl Sigman]]. Theme song of the Television series starring [[Richard Greene]].
* "[[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 (composer)|Jerry Ross]]
* "[[The Siamese Cat Song]]" w.m. [[Peggy Lee]] & [[Sonny Burke]]. Introduced by [[Peggy Lee]] in the animated film ''[[Lady and the Tramp]]''.
* "[[A Sleepin' Bee]]" w. [[Truman Capote]] & Harold Arlen m. [[Harold Arlen]]. Introduced in the [[musical theater|musical]] ''[[House of Flowers (musical)|House of Flowers]]'' by [[Diahann Carroll]], [[Ada Moore]], [[Dolores Harper]] and [[Enid Mosier]]
* "[[Smokey Joe's Cafe]]" w.m. [[Jerry Leiber]] & [[Mike Stoller]]
* "[[Softly, Softly (song)|Softly, Softly]]" Pierre Dudan, Paddy Roberts & Mark Paul
* "[[Something's Gotta Give (song)|Something's Gotta Give]]" w.m. [[Johnny Mercer]]. Introduced by [[Fred Astaire]] in the [[musical film]] ''[[Daddy Long Legs (film)|Daddy Long Legs]]''.
* "[[Speedoo]]" w.m. Esther Navarro
* "[[Stereophonic Sound]]" w.m. [[Cole Porter]] from the [[Musical theater|musical]] ''[[Silk Stockings]]''
* "[[A Story Untold]]" Leroy Griffin
* "[[Suddenly There's A Valley]]" w.m. Chuck Meyer & Biff Jones
* "[[(Love Is) The Tender Trap]]" w. [[Sammy Cahn]] m. [[James Van Heusen]]. Introduced by [[Frank Sinatra]] in the film ''[[The Tender Trap (film)|The Tender Trap]]''.
* "[[Theme From "East Of Eden"]]" m. Leonard Rosenman
* "[[Tina Marie]]" w.m. [[Bob Merrill]]
* "[[Tutti Frutti (song)|Tutti Frutti]]" w.m. [[Richard Penniman]], D. La Bostrie & Joe Lubin
* "[[Two Lost Souls]]" w.m. [[Richard Adler]] & [[Jerry Ross (composer)|Jerry Ross]]. Introduced by [[Gwen Verdon]] and [[Stephen Douglass]] in the [[musical theater|musical]] ''[[Damn Yankees]]''
* "[[Unchained Melody]]" w. [[Hy Zaret]] m. [[Alex North]]
* "[[Wake The Town And Tell The People]]" w. [[Sammy Gallop]] m. [[Jerry Livingston]]
* [[The Wallflower (Dance with Me, Henry)|"The Wallflower" (aka "Dance With Me Henry"]]) w.m. [[Johnny Otis]], [[Hank Ballard]] & [[Etta James]]
* "[[Whatever Lola Wants]]" w.m. [[Richard Adler]] & [[Jerry Ross (composer)|Jerry Ross]]. Introduced by [[Gwen Verdon]] in the [[musical theater|musical]] ''[[Damn Yankees]]''. Gwen also performed the song in the [[1958 in music|1958]] film version.
* "[[Why Do Fools Fall In Love?]]" w.m. [[Frankie Lymon]] & George Goldner
* "[[A Woman in Love]]" w.m. [[Frank Loesser]]
* "[[You Are My Love (1955 song)|You Are My Love]]" w.m. Jimmie Nabbie
* "[[You Don't Know Me]]" w.m. [[Cindy Walker]] & [[Eddy Arnold]]
* "[[You're Sensational]]" w.m. [[Cole Porter]]. Introduced by [[Frank Sinatra]] in the [[musical film]] ''[[High Society]]''
==[[European classical music|Classical music]]==
*[[Arthur Bliss]] - Violin Concerto
*[[Henry Cowell]] - Symphony No. 12
*[[George Crumb]] - Diptych for orchestra
*[[George Crumb]] - Sonata for solo cello
*[[Mario Davidovsky]] - Quintet for Clarinet and Strings
*[[Mario Davidovsky]] - ''Suite Sinfonica Para "El Payaso"'' for orchestra
*[[Einar Englund]] - Piano Concerto No. 1
*[[Ferenc Farkas]] - ''Bukki Varlatok''
*[[Hans Werner Henze]] - Symphony No. 4
*[[Alan Hovhaness]] - Symphony No. 2 ''Mysterious Mountain''
*[[Witold Lutosławski]] - ''Dance Preludes'' (2nd version for clarinet and chamber group)
*[[Bohuslav Martinů]] - ''The Epic of Gilgamesh''
*[[Bohuslav Martinů]] - Oboe Concerto
*[[Darius Milhaud]] - Symphony No. 5
*[[Darius Milhaud]] - Symphony No. 6
*[[Luigi Nono]] - ''Il Canto Sospeso'', for soli, chorus, and orchestra
*[[Luigi Nono]] - ''Incontri'', for 24 instruments
*[[Walter Piston]] - Symphony No. 6
*[[Edmund Rubbra]] - Piano Concerto
*[[John Serry, Sr.]] - ''American Rhapsody''
*[[Alexandre Tansman]] - Concerto for Orchestra
*[[Alexandre Tansman]] - Capriccio for Orchestra
*[[Michael Tippett]] - Sonata for Four Horns
*[[Ernst Toch]] - Symphony No. 3
*[[Ralph Vaughan Williams]] - Symphony No. 8
*[[William Walton]] - ''Johannesburg Festival Overture''
*[[Franz Waxman]] - Sinfonietta for Strings and Timpani
*[[Iannis Xenakis]] - ''Pithoprakta'' for orchestra
==[[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 (composer)|Jerry Ross]]) - Broadway production
* ''[[Kismet (musical)|Kismet]]'' London production opened at the [[Stoll Theatre]] on [[April 20]] and ran for 648 performances
* ''[[The Pajama Game]]'' (Richard Adler and Jerry Ross) - London production opened at the [[London Coliseum|Coliseum]] on [[October 13]] and ran for 501 performances
* ''[[Phoenix '55]]'' Broadway production
* ''[[Pipe Dream (musical)|Pipe Dream]]'' ([[Richard Rodgers|Rodgers]] & [[Oscar Hammerstein II|Hammerstein]]) - Broadway production
* ''[[Plain And Fancy]]'' Broadway production
* ''[[Romance in Candlelight]]'' London production opened at the [[Piccadilly Theatre]] on [[September 15]] and ran for 53 performances
* ''[[Seventh Heaven (1955 musical)|Seventh Heaven]]'' Broadway production opened at the [[ANTA Playhouse]] on [[May 26]] and ran for 44 performances
* ''[[Shoestring Revue]]'' Broadway production
* ''[[Silk Stockings]]'' Broadway production
* ''[[Wonderful Town]]'' ([[Leonard Bernstein]], [[Betty Comden]] and [[Adolph Green]]) - London production opened at the [[Princes Theatre]] on [[February 24]] and ran for 207 performances
==[[Musical film]]s==
*''[[Artists And Models]]'' released [[November 7]] starring [[Dean Martin]] and [[Jerry Lewis]]
* ''[[As Long as They're Happy]]'' starring [[Jack Buchanan]], [[Janette Scott]], [[Jeannie Carson]], [[Jerry Wayne]], [[Diana Dors]] and [[Joan Sims]]
* ''[[The Benny Goodman Story]]''
* ''[[Daddy Long Legs (film)|Daddy Long Legs]]''
* ''[[Gentlemen Marry Brunettes]]''
* ''[[The Girl Rush]]'' starring [[Rosalind Russell]], [[Fernando Lamas]], [[Eddie Albert]] and [[Gloria DeHaven]].
* ''[[It's Always Fair Weather]]''
* ''[[Jupiter's Darling]]'' starring [[Howard Keel]], [[Esther Williams]], [[Marge Champion]] and [[Gower Champion]]
* ''[[King's Rhapsody]]'' starring [[Anna Neagle]] and [[Errol Flynn]]
* ''[[Kismet (1955 film)|Kismet]]''
* ''[[Lady and the Tramp]]'' Animated feature
* ''[[Love Me or Leave Me (film)|Love Me or Leave Me]]''
* ''[[Oklahoma! (film)|Oklahoma!]]''
* ''[[Pete Kelly's Blues (film)|Pete Kelly's Blues]]''
* ''[[The Seven Little Foys]]''
* ''[[A Star Is Born (1954 film)|A Star Is Born]]''
==[[Musical television]]==
* '' [[Heidi]]'' television production
* '' [[Our Town]]'' television production
* '' [[Together With Music]]'' television production
==Births==
*[[January 3]] - [[Helen O'Hara]], British musician
*[[January 8]] - [[Mike Reno]], [[Loverboy]]
*[[January 13]] - [[Fred White (musician)|Fred White]], [[Earth Wind and Fire]]
*[[January 13]] - [[Trevor Rabin]], [[Yes (band)|Yes]]
*[[January 17]] - [[Steve Earle]]
*[[January 19]] - [[Simon Rattle]], conductor
*[[January 26]] - [[Eddie Van Halen]], musician
*[[January 27]] - [[Richard Young (musician)|Richard Young]], [[Kentucky Headhunters]]
*[[February 18]] - [[Riff Regan]], real name [[Miles Tredinnick]], lead singer in [[London (band)|London]].
*[[February 23]] - [[Howard Jones (musician)|Howard Jones]]
*[[March 2]] - [[Jay Osmond]], [[The Osmonds]]
*[[March 4]] - [[Boon Gould]], real name [[Rowland Charles Gould]], guitarist ([[Level 42]])
*[[March 10]] - [[Bunny DeBarge]], [[DeBarge]]
*[[March 15]] - [[Dee Snider]], [[Twisted Sister]]
*[[March 31]] - [[Angus Young]], [[AC/DC]]
*[[April 13]] - [[Louis Johnson]], [[The Brothers Johnson]]
*[[April 17]] - [[Pete Shelley]], [[Buzzcocks]]
*[[May 9]] - [[Anne Sofie von Otter]]
*[[May 12]] - [[Kix Brooks]], Country singer [[Brooks & Dunn]]
*[[May 20]] - [[Steve George (keyboardist)|Steve George]], [[Mr. Mister]]
*[[May 20]] - [[Zbigniew Preisner]], composer
*[[May 21]] - [[Stan Lynch]], [[Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers]]
*[[May 28]] - [[John McGeoch]], [[Magazine (band)|Magazine]], [[PiL]], and [[Siouxsie & the Banshees]], (d. [[2004]])
*[[May 29]] - [[Pascal Dusapin]], [[France|French]] composer
*[[May 30]] - [[Topper Headon]], [[The Clash]]
*[[June 7]] - [[Joey Scarbury]]
*[[June 23]] - [[Glenn Danzig]], lead singer for [[Danzig]]
*[[June 26]] - [[Mick Jones (The Clash)|Mick Jones]], [[The Clash]]
*[[June 28]] - [[Thomas Hampson (baritone)|Thomas Hampson]], opera singer
*[[July 4]] - [[John Waite]]
*[[July 18]] - [[Terry Chambers]], [[XTC]]
*[[July 21]] - [[Howie Epstein]], [[Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers]]
*[[August 9]] - [[Benjamin Orr]], [[The Cars]]
*[[August 17]] - [[Colin Moulding]], [[XTC]]
*[[August 28]] - [[Beres Hammond]], reggae singer
*[[August 29]] - [[Diamanda Galás]]
*[[September 3]] - [[Steve Jones (musician)|Steve Jones]], [[The Sex Pistols]]
*[[September 9]] - [[Ivan Smirnov (guitarist)|Ivan Smirnov]]
*[[September 13]] - [[Andreas Staier]], classical harpsichordist and fortepianist
*[[October 2]] - [[Philip Oakey]], [[Human League]]
*[[October 7]] - [[Yo-Yo Ma]], cellist
*[[October 16]] - [[Leonid Desyatnikov]], composer
*[[October 21]]:
** [[Fred Hersch]], American jazz pianist
** [[Rich Mullins]] (+ [[1997]])
*[[October 25]] - [[Matthias Jabs]], [[The Scorpions]]
*[[October 29]] - [[Kevin Dubrow]], [[Quiet Riot]]
*[[November 21]] - [[Kyle Gann]], composer, teacher and critic
*[[November 23]] - [[Ludovico Einaudi]], Italian composer and pianist
*[[November 30]] - [[Billy Idol]]
*[[December 6]] - [[Bright Sheng]], composer
*[[December 15]] - [[Paul Simonon]], [[The Clash]]
==Deaths==
*[[February 14]] - [[Charles Cuvillier]], composer of operettas
*[[March 12]] - [[Charlie Parker]], Jazz saxophonist, heart failure
*[[May 4]] - [[George Enescu]], composer
*[[July 25]] - [[Isaak Dunayevsky]], conductor and composer
*[[August 5]] - [[Carmen Miranda]], singer
*[[November 11]] - [[Jerry Ross (composer)|Jerry Ross]], songwriter
*[[November 22]] - [[Joseph Guy Ropartz]], composer and conductor
*[[November 27]] - [[Arthur Honegger]], composer
*[[November 30]] - [[Josip Štolcer-Slavenski]], composer
*''date unknown''
**[[Oskar Adler]], violinist and music critic
**[[Bessie Brown]], blues singer
**[[Willy Burkhard]], composer
**[[Harry Parr Davies]], composer and songwriter
**[[Vernon Isley]], original [[Isley Brothers|Isley brother]], killed in an accident aged 13
**[[Annette Mills]], partner of "Muffin the Mule"
[[Category:1955 in music|*]]
[[cs:1955 v hudbě]]
[[fr:1955 en musique]]
[[pl:1955 w muzyce]]
[[pt:1955 na música]]
[[ru:1955 год в музыке]]
[[sv:Musikåret 1955]]