1950s Music Artists

The decade of the 1950s is today often characterized as the breakthrough era of Rock and Roll, where various elements of gospel, rhythm and blues, pop, and even country and western music came together to create a completely new sound that captivated the youth of America and around the globe. The earlier part of the decade saw the rise of such artists as Little Richard and Chuck Berry, with his classics “Johnny B. Goode” and “Roll Over Beethoven.” Both artists and many others used rhythm and blues influences to craft an often high energy form of music that had never been seen previously.

By the mid 1950s, Rock and Roll was ubiquitous, from inclusion in films such as “The Blackboard Jungle” (featuring The Comets’ hit single “(We’re Gonna Rock Around the Clock”) to the rise of artists such as Elvis Presley. Presley would go on to become the most successful artist of the decade, as a new form of blended entertainment emerged—Presley became one of the first pop performers to not only record and perform music, but also appear in motion pictures and on television.

Ultimately, Presley would go on to popularize rockabilly, the brand new genre which combined rhythm and blues and country music. The 1954 hit “That’s All Right” essentially launched his career but also this growing new genre. Hits such as “Hearbreak Hotel,” “Blue Suede Shoes,” “Don’t Be Cruel,” and “Hound Dog” dominated the charts for the middle part of the decade. At the same time, country music was enjoying its own brand of new performers, with artists such as Hank Williams, Patsy Cline, and Kitty Wells enjoying hits during this era. Not to be outshined, jazz and blues also rose in popularity in the 1950s, with notable jazz musicians such as John Coltraine, Dizzy Gillespie, Chet Baker, and Thelonious Monk enjoying hits.  

By the end of the decade, the rise of the “teen idol” emerged in full force, with performers such as Neil Sedaka, Bobby Darin, Paul Anka, and Frankie Avalon becoming stars at incredibly young ages. Ricky Nelson, whose debut single “A Teenager’s Romance” rose all the way to the number two spot upon its release in 1957, also enjoyed tremendous popularity not only as a performer, but in his starring role on the classic television show The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet. By 1957, the merge of television and music was complete with the launch of American Bandstand, the popular program which featured not only rock and roll performers with a clean-cut, “All-American” brand, but also ordinary teenagers from around the country dancing to their music as performed.

Sadly, the decade of the 1950s ended in tragedy; with the untimely passing of Ritchie Valens, The Big Bopper, and Buddy Holly in an airplane crash in 1959. Around the same time, Elvis Presley was drafted into the army, temporarily halting his reign as America’s rockabilly darling. He would emerge again, in the 1960s, but in a new form, as music continued to evolve into the next decade.

 

50s Celebrity Musicians & Bands

Find and book celebrity musicians from the 1950s for your wedding, private party, non-profit galas, college party, or corporate event.

A famous 50s band booking price can range from $10,000 to over $1,000,000. Unsure of which band you want? Don’t worry! We can help you find the biggest celebrity name for your budget.