Music Concert
Jan 2 Dmitri Shostakovich' 2nd Piano concert, premieres in NY
Dmitri Shostakovich
- Jan 6 Gibson patents Flying V Guitar
#1 in the Charts
Jan 10 Jerry Lee Lewis' "Great Balls of Fire" reaches #1 on the UK pop charts
Jerry Lee Lewis
- Jan 23 "Body Beautiful" opens at Broadway Theater NYC for 60 performances
- Feb 3 Royal Teens' "Short Shorts" enters Top 40 chart & peaks at #3
- Feb 4 "Oh, Captain!" opens at Alvin Theater NYC for 192 performances
- Feb 21 "Portotino" opens at Adelphi Theater NYC for 3 performances
- Feb 22 "Portotino" closes at Adelphi Theater NYC after 3 performances
- Mar 12 3rd Eurovision Song Contest: Andre Claveau for France wins singing "Dors, mon amour" in Hilversum
- Mar 15 "Body Beautiful" musical closes at Broadway Theater NYC after 60 performances
Elvis Presley in the Army
Mar 24 Elvis Presley joins the army (serial number 53310761)
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- Apr 3 "Say, Darling" opens at ANTA Theater NYC for 332 performances
- May 12 "Nee Nee Na Na Na Na Nu Nu" by Dicky Doo & The Don'ts hits #40
- May 19 "South Pacific" soundtrack album goes #1 & stays #1 for 31 weeks
- May 24 "New Girl in Town" closes at 46th St Theater NYC after 432 performances
- May 31 Dick Dale invents "surf music" with "Let's Go Trippin"
- Jun 9 "Purple People Eater" by Sheb Wooley hits #1
- Jun 16 "Flip Top Box" by Dicky Doo & The Don'ts hits #46
Album Release
Jun 24 Nina Simone releases her debut jazz album "Little Girl Blue"
Nina Simone
- Jun 30 "No Chemise, Please" by Gerry Grenahan peaks at #24
- Jul 12 "Li'l Abner" closes at St James Theater NYC after 693 performances
- Jul 19 "Oh, Captain!" closes at Alvin Theater NYC after 192 performances
- Aug 3 The Billboard Hot 100 is founded
- Aug 23 Marie Ashton completes playing piano a female record 133 hours
Event of Interest
Aug 29 George Harrison joins The Quarrymen (Lennon-McCartney-Best-Sutcliffe)
George Harrison
Music Single
Aug 29 Cliff Richard and the Drifters release single "Move It", Richards debut single. Credited as 1st British Rock n Roll song.
Cliff Richard
- Sep 29 "Summertime Blues" by Eddie Cochran peaks at #8
- Oct 2 Musical show "Valmouth" 1st produced in London
- Oct 11 "Goldilocks" opens at Lunt Fontanne Theater NYC for 161 performances
- Nov 5 "Maria Golovin" opens at Martin Beck Theater NYC for 5 performances
- Nov 8 "Maria Golovin" closes at Martin Beck Theater NYC after 5 performances
- Nov 11 "La Plume de Ma Tante" opens at Royale Theater NYC for 835 performances
- Dec 1 "Flower Drum Song" opens at St James Theater NYC for 602 performances
- Dec 22 "Chipmunk Song" reaches #1
- Dec 22 "Whoop-Up" opens at Shubert Theater NYC for 56 performances
- Dec 23 "Party with Comden & Green" opens at John Golden NYC for 38 performances
- Dec 25 Alan Freed's Christmas Rock & Roll Spectacular opens
- Dec 28 Chipmunks (Alvin, Simon & Theodore with David Seville) hits #1