The 1950s in music

Who ruled the 1950s? Ricky Nelson was Artist of the Decade on the Billboard Hot 100 and Elvis Presley on the UK Singles Chart. Every #1 song of the 1950s, the biggest songs and the top artists.

Billboard Hot 100

Artist of the Decade 1950s

Ricky Nelson

15 crowns · 25 weeks among the top five artists · Era Power 169

Top artists of the 1950s
#	Artist	Era Power	Crowns	Top-five weeks
1	Ricky Nelson	169	15	25
2	Frankie Avalon	156	1	17
3	The Everly Brothers	152	9	23
4	Bobby Darin	146	7	19
5	Connie Francis	137	6	14
6	Lloyd Price	135	0	21
7	Paul Anka	124	1	21
8	Elvis Presley	108	8	10
9	Tommy Edwards	108	0	14
10	Fats Domino	107	3	5

Artist of the Year, 1950s
Year	Artist	Crowns
1958	The Everly Brothers	9
1959	Lloyd Price	0

Every #1 song of the 1950s23 songs reached #1 on the Billboard Hot 100
First week at #1	Song	Artist	Weeks at #1
Aug 4, 1958	Poor Little Fool	Ricky Nelson	2
Aug 18, 1958	Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blu (Volaré)	Domenico Modugno	5
Aug 25, 1958	Little Star	The Elegants	1
Sep 29, 1958	It's All In The Game	Tommy Edwards	6
Nov 10, 1958	It's Only Make Believe	Conway Twitty	2
Nov 17, 1958	Tom Dooley	The Kingston Trio	1
Dec 1, 1958	To Know Him, Is To Love Him	The Teddy Bears	3
Dec 22, 1958	The Chipmunk Song	The Chipmunks & David Seville	4
Jan 19, 1959	Smoke Gets In Your Eyes	The Platters	3
Feb 9, 1959	Stagger Lee	Lloyd Price	4
Mar 9, 1959	Venus	Frankie Avalon	5
Apr 13, 1959	Come Softly To Me	The Fleetwoods	4
May 11, 1959	The Happy Organ	Dave "Baby" Cortez	1
May 18, 1959	Kansas City	Wilbert Harrison	2
Jun 1, 1959	The Battle Of New Orleans	Johnny Horton	6
Jul 13, 1959	Lonely Boy	Paul Anka	4
Aug 10, 1959	A Big Hunk O' Love	Elvis Presley & The Jordanaires	2
Aug 24, 1959	The Three Bells	The Browns	4
Sep 21, 1959	Sleep Walk	Santo & Johnny	2
Oct 5, 1959	Mack The Knife	Bobby Darin	9
Nov 16, 1959	Mr. Blue	The Fleetwoods	1
Dec 14, 1959	Heartaches By The Number	Guy Mitchell	2
Dec 28, 1959	Why	Frankie Avalon	1

Biggest songs of the 1950sSongs that entered the chart in the 1950s, by Record Power
#	Song	Artist	Peak	Weeks	Record Power
1	Jingle Bell Rock	Bobby Helms	#2	67	139.2
2	Mack The Knife	Bobby Darin	#1	26	65.2
3	He'll Have To Go	Jim Reeves	#2	23	53.2
4	It's All In The Game	Tommy Edwards	#1	22	52.4
5	The Battle Of New Orleans	Johnny Horton	#1	21	52.4
6	To Know Him, Is To Love Him	The Teddy Bears	#1	23	49.8
7	Tom Dooley	The Kingston Trio	#1	21	49.7
8	Mr. Blue	The Fleetwoods	#1	20	47.7
9	Donna	Ritchie Valens	#2	23	47.1
10	It's Only Make Believe	Conway Twitty	#1	21	46.2
11	Smoke Gets In Your Eyes	The Platters	#1	19	46.1
12	Venus	Frankie Avalon	#1	28	44.7
13	Running Bear	Johnny Preston	#1	27	44.7
14	Rock-in Robin	Bobby Day	#2	21	44.2
15	Heartaches By The Number	Guy Mitchell	#1	20	43.7
16	El Paso	Marty Robbins	#1	22	43.4
17	A Lover's Question	Clyde McPhatter	#6	24	43.2
18	Bird Dog	The Everly Brothers	#2	18	42.8
19	Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blu (Volaré)	Domenico Modugno	#1	16	41.7
20	Stagger Lee	Lloyd Price	#1	21	41.7

UK Singles Chart

Artist of the Decade 1950s

Elvis Presley

49 crowns · 103 weeks among the top five artists · Era Power 646

Top artists of the 1950s
#	Artist	Era Power	Crowns	Top-five weeks
1	Elvis Presley	646	49	103
2	Frankie Laine	577	36	90
3	Pat Boone	509	13	65
4	Lonnie Donegan	503	8	45
5	David Whitfield	410	4	39
6	Guy Mitchell	397	19	62
7	Perry Como	377	18	50
8	Nat King Cole	358	5	36
9	Johnnie Ray	355	9	44
10	Bill Haley And His Comets	351	18	49

Artist of the Year, 1950s
Year	Artist	Crowns
1952	Bing Crosby	4
1953	Frankie Laine	26
1954	Frankie Laine	10
1955	Ruby Murray	15
1956	Bill Haley And His Comets	16
1957	Elvis Presley	25
1958	Elvis Presley	9
1959	Russ Conway	21

Every #1 song of the 1950s94 songs reached #1 on the UK Singles Chart
First week at #1	Song	Artist	Weeks at #1
Nov 14, 1952	Here In My Heart	Al Martino	9
Jan 16, 1953	You Belong to Me	Jo Stafford	1
Jan 23, 1953	Comes A-Long A-Love	Kay Starr	1
Jan 30, 1953	Outside of Heaven	Eddie Fisher	1
Feb 6, 1953	Don't Let the Stars Get in Your Eyes	Perry Como and the Ramblers	5
Mar 13, 1953	She Wears Red Feathers	Guy Mitchell	4
Apr 10, 1953	Broken Wings	Stargazers	1
Apr 17, 1953	(How Much Is) That Doggie in the Window	Lita Roza	1
Apr 24, 1953	I Believe	Frankie Laine	18
Jun 26, 1953	I'm Walking Behind You	Eddie Fisher & Sally Sweetland	1
Aug 14, 1953	The Song from the Moulin Rouge	Mantovani	1
Sep 11, 1953	Look at That Girl	Guy Mitchell	6
Oct 23, 1953	Hey Joe	Frankie Laine	2
Nov 6, 1953	Answer Me	David Whitfield	2
Nov 13, 1953	Answer Me	Frankie Laine	8
Jan 8, 1954	Oh Mein Papa	Eddie Calvert	9
Mar 12, 1954	I See the Moon	Stargazers	6
Apr 16, 1954	Secret Love	Doris Day	9
Apr 30, 1954	Such a Night	Johnnie Ray	1
Jul 2, 1954	Cara Mia	David Whitfield & Mantovani	10
Sep 10, 1954	Little Things Mean a Lot	Kitty Kallen	1
Sep 17, 1954	Three Coins in the Fountain	Frank Sinatra	3
Oct 8, 1954	Hold My Hand	Don Cornell	5
Nov 5, 1954	My Son My Son	Vera Lynn	2
Nov 26, 1954	This Ole House	Rosemary Clooney	1
Dec 3, 1954	Let's Have Another Party	Winifred Atwell	5
Jan 7, 1955	The Finger of Suspicion	Dickie Valentine & Stargazers	3
Jan 14, 1955	Mambo Italiano	Rosemary Clooney & the Mellomen	3
Feb 18, 1955	Softly Softly	Ruby Murray	3
Mar 11, 1955	Give Me Your Word	Tennessee Ernie Ford	7
Apr 29, 1955	Cherry Pink and Apple Blossom White	Perez Prado	2
May 13, 1955	Stranger in Paradise	Tony Bennett	2
May 27, 1955	Cherry Pink and Apple Blossom White	Eddie Calvert	4
Jun 24, 1955	Unchained Melody	Jimmy Young	3
Jul 15, 1955	Dreamboat	Alma Cogan	2
Jul 29, 1955	Rose Marie	Slim Whitman	11
Oct 14, 1955	The Man from Laramie	Jimmy Young	4
Nov 11, 1955	Hernando's Hideaway	Johnston Brothers	2
Nov 25, 1955	Rock Around The Clock	Bill Haley And His Comets	5
Dec 16, 1955	Christmas Alphabet	Dickie Valentine	3
Jan 20, 1956	Sixteen Tons	Tennessee Ernie Ford	4
Feb 17, 1956	Memories Are Made of This	Dean Martin	4
Mar 16, 1956	It's Almost Tomorrow	Dreamweavers	3
Mar 30, 1956	Rock and Roll Waltz	Kay Starr	1
Apr 13, 1956	The Poor People of Paris	Winifred Atwell	3
May 4, 1956	No Other Love	Ronnie Hilton	6
Jun 15, 1956	I'll Be Home	Pat Boone	5
Jul 20, 1956	Why Do Fools Fall in Love ft Frankie Lymon	Teenagers feat. Frankie Lymon	3
Aug 10, 1956	Whatever Will Be Will Be (Que Sera Sera)	Doris Day	6
Sep 21, 1956	Lay Down Your Arms	Anne Shelton	4
Oct 19, 1956	A Woman in Love	Frankie Laine	4
Nov 16, 1956	Just Walkin' in the Rain	Johnnie Ray	7
Jan 4, 1957	Singing the Blues	Guy Mitchell	3
Jan 11, 1957	Singing the Blues	Tommy Steele and the Steelmen	1
Jan 25, 1957	The Garden of Eden	Frankie Vaughan	4
Feb 22, 1957	Young Love	Tab Hunter	7
Apr 12, 1957	Cumberland Gap	Lonnie Donegan	5
May 17, 1957	Rock-A-Billy	Guy Mitchell	1
May 24, 1957	Butterfly	Andy Williams	2
Jun 7, 1957	Yes Tonight Josephine	Johnnie Ray	3
Jun 28, 1957	Gamblin' Man/Putting on the Style	Lonnie Donegan	2
Jul 12, 1957	All Shook Up	Elvis Presley	7
Aug 30, 1957	Diana	Paul Anka	9
Nov 1, 1957	That'll Be the Day	The Crickets	3
Nov 22, 1957	Mary's Boy Child	Harry Belafonte	7
Jan 10, 1958	Great Balls of Fire	Jerry Lee Lewis	2
Jan 24, 1958	Jailhouse Rock	Elvis Presley	3
Feb 14, 1958	The Story of My Life	Michael Holliday	2
Feb 28, 1958	Magic Moments	Perry Como	8
Apr 25, 1958	Whole Lotta Woman	Marvin Rainwater	3
May 16, 1958	Who's Sorry Now	Connie Francis	6
Jun 27, 1958	On the Street Where You Live	Vic Damone	2
Jul 4, 1958	All I Have to Do Is Dream/Claudette	The Everly Brothers	7
Aug 22, 1958	When	Kalin Twins	5
Sep 26, 1958	Stupid Cupid/Carolina Moon	Connie Francis	6
Nov 7, 1958	It's All In The Game	Tommy Edwards	3
Nov 28, 1958	Hoots Mon	Lord Rockingham's XI	3
Dec 19, 1958	It's Only Make Believe	Conway Twitty	5
Jan 23, 1959	The Day The Rains Came	Jane Morgan	1
Jan 30, 1959	One Night/I Got Stung	Elvis Presley	3
Feb 20, 1959	As I Love You	Shirley Bassey	4
Mar 20, 1959	Smoke Gets In Your Eyes	The Platters	1
Mar 27, 1959	Side Saddle	Russ Conway	4
Apr 24, 1959	It Doesn't Matter Anymore	Buddy Holly	3
May 15, 1959	A Fool Such as I/I Need Your Love Tonight	Elvis Presley	5
Jun 19, 1959	Roulette	Russ Conway	2
Jul 3, 1959	Dream Lover	Bobby Darin	4
Jul 31, 1959	Living Doll	Cliff Richard and The Drifters	6
Sep 11, 1959	Only Sixteen	Craig Douglas	4
Oct 9, 1959	Here Comes Summer	Jerry Keller	1
Oct 16, 1959	Mack The Knife	Bobby Darin	2
Oct 30, 1959	Travellin' Light	Cliff Richard And The Shadows	5
Dec 4, 1959	What Do You Want?	Adam Faith	3
Dec 25, 1959	What Do You Want to Make Those Eyes at Me For?	Emile Ford and the Checkmates	1

Biggest songs of the 1950sSongs that entered the chart in the 1950s, by Record Power
#	Song	Artist	Peak	Weeks	Record Power
1	I Believe	Frankie Laine	#1	36	119.5
2	Rock Around The Clock	Bill Haley And His Comets	#1	36	94.2
3	Secret Love	Doris Day	#1	29	90.6
4	Side Saddle	Russ Conway	#1	30	80.3
5	The Happy Wanderer	Obernkirchen Children's Choir	#2	26	78.8
6	Cara Mia	David Whitfield & Mantovani	#1	25	77.4
7	Terry's Theme from 'Limelight	Frank Chacksfield	#2	24	76.1
8	Give Me Your Word	Tennessee Ernie Ford	#1	24	73.1
9	Because You're Mine	Mario Lanza	#3	24	70.4
10	Little Things Mean a Lot	Kitty Kallen	#1	23	70.2
11	The Song from the Moulin Rouge	Mantovani	#1	23	70.2
12	True Love	Bing Crosby & Grace Kelly	#4	27	69.8
13	Diana	Paul Anka	#1	25	69.7
14	Who's Sorry Now	Connie Francis	#1	25	68.4
15	I'll Be Home	Pat Boone	#1	24	67.6
16	Softly Softly	Ruby Murray	#1	23	67.5
17	Hound Dog	Elvis Presley	#2	25	67.3
18	Oh Mein Papa	Eddie Calvert	#1	21	67.2
19	Cool Water	Frankie Laine & the Mellomen	#2	22	65.5
20	Living Doll	Cliff Richard and The Drifters	#1	23	64.9

Artist of the Decade and the rankings are the ChartReign Power model: the artist with the most chart power over the decade, not the most #1s. Crowns are weeks crowned Artist of the Week. How it works