1955 In Music ,
Other Events Of 1956 ,
1957 In Music , 1950s In Music and the List Of 'years In Music'
- Cameo-Parkway Records formed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania by Kal Mann & Bernie Lowe .
- Foundation of the Korean piano brand Young Chang .
- 1st Warsaw Autumn International Festival of Contemporary Music (see {Link without Title} )
- January 26 - Buddy Holly 's first recording sessions for Decca Records take place in Nashville, Tennessee
- Roy Orbison signs with Sun Records
- January 28 - Elvis Presley makes his national television debut on ''The Dorsey Brothers Stage Show''
- March 22 - Carl Perkins is injured in a car accident near Wilmington, Delaware and spends several months in the hospital. Perkins had been on his way to New York City to make an appearance on the '' Ed Sullivan show''.
- March 31 - Elvis Presley films a screen test for Paramount Pictures .
- April 3 - Elvis Presley makes his first appearance on ''The Milton Berle Show''
- April 6 - Paramount Pictures signs Elvis Presley to a three picture deal.
- April 7 - The first regularly scheduled nationally broadcast Rock & Roll show, ''Rock 'n Roll Dance Party'', with Alan Freed as host, premieres on the CBS Radio Network.
- April 10 - Nat King Cole is severely beaten by a group of racial segregationists in Birmingham, Alabama while performing
- May 2 - For the first time in '' Billboard Magazine '' history, five singles appear in both the pop and R&B Top Ten charts. They are Elvis Presley 's "Heatbreak Hotel" (#1 pop, #6 R&B), Carl Perkins ' "Blue Suede Shoes" (#4 pop, #3 R&B), Little Richard 's "Long Tall Sally" (#9 pop, #1 R&B), The Platters ' "Magic Touch" (#10 pop, #7 R&B) and Frankie Lymon And The Teenagers ' "Why Do Fools Fall in Love" (#7 pop, #4 R&B). Presley's and Perkins' singles also appeared on the Country And Western Top Ten chart at #1 and #2 respectively
- May 6 - Elvis Presley appears on the '' Milton Berle show''
- May 24 - First ever Eurovision Song Contest
- June 5 - Elvis Presley introduces his new single, '' Hound Dog '', on '' The Milton Berle Show '', scandalizing the audience with his sugestive hip movements.
- July 1 - Elvis Presley appears on the '' Steve Allen show''
- July 9 - Dick Clark hosts '' American Bandstand '' for the first time
- September 9 - Elvis Presley appears on '' The Ed Sullivan Show ''.
- Nat King Cole becomes the first major black performer to host a variety show on national television. '' The Nat King Cole Show '' was first broadcast on November 5, 1956
- December 4 - Elvis Presley , Jerry Lee Lewis , Carl Perkins and Johnny Cash record together at Sun Studios in Memphis, Tennessee . The sessions are later released under the name, the "Million Dollar Quartet"
- December 19 - Breaking the record for the highest number of concurrent singles by a single artist, Elvis Presley holds 9 positions on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Presley would hold the record until 1964 when The Beatles held 14 positions on the chart.
- Elvis Presley emerges as one of the world's first rock stars.
- Aretha Franklin 's musical career begins
- Gene Vincent 's musical career begins
- The Coasters ' musical career begins
- Charlie Rich 's musical career begins
- Bobby Darin 's musical career begins
- Willie Nelson 's musical career begins
- Dalida 's musical career begins on Barclay Records in Europe as (one of) the first biggest "world pop star" and sex symbol and she is the first artist to have her photo on a single in France. 175 000 copies of her big hits "Bambino" are sold in a few weeks.
- Chrysler Corporation provides an in-car turntable 16⅔ rpm record player with 7-inch ultramicrogroove records in its luxury model, the " Imperial ". The machine was developed by Peter Carl Goldmark — the man who invented the 33⅓ rpm long playing (LP) record format
These singles reached the top of Billboard Magazine 's charts in 1956.
- " 11th Hour Melody " w. Carl Sigman m. King Palmer
- " Abbondanza " w.m. Frank Loesser
- " After The Lights Go Down Low " w.m. Alan White & Leroy Lovett
- " Ain't Got No Home " w.m. Clarence Henry
- " Allegheny Moon " w.m. Al Hoffman & Dick Manning
- " Anastasia " w. Paul Francis Webster m. Alfred Newman
- " Anyway You Want Me (That's How I Will Be) " w.m. Aaron Schroeder & Cliff Owens
- " Around The World " w. Harold Adamson m. Victor Young
- " The Banana Boat Song " trad arr. Alan Arkin , Bob Carey & Erik Darling
- " Be-Bop-A-Lula " w.m. Tex Davis & Gene Vincent
- " Bells Are Ringing " w. Betty Comden & Adolph Green m. Jule Styne
- " The Best Of All Possible Worlds " w. Richard Wilbur m. Leonard Bernstein
- " Big D " w.m. Frank Loesser
- " The Birds And The Bees " Mack David , Harry Warren
- " Bloodnock's Rock And Roll Call " T. Carbone
- " Bluebottle Blues " Spike Milligan , Carbone
- " Bo Weevil " w.m. Dave Bartholomew & Antoine "Fats" Domino
- " Boppin' The Blues " w.m. Carl Perkins & Howard Griffin
- " Born To Be With You " w.m. Don Robertson
- " Brown Eyed Handsome Man " Chuck Berry
- " The Bus Stop Song " (aka " A Paper Of Pins ") w.m. Ken Darby
- " Can I Steal A Little Love " w.m. Phil Tuminello
- " Canadian Sunset " w. Norman Gimbel m. Eddie Heywood
- " Chain Gang " w.m. Sol Quasha & Herb Yakus
- " Cindy, Oh Cindy " w.m. Bob Barron & Burt Long
- " Don't Be Cruel " w.m. Otis Blackwell & Elvis Presley
- " Don't Forbid Me " w.m. Charles Singleton
- " Eddie My Love " A. Collins, M. Davis, S. Ling
- " Fever " w.m. Eddie Cooley & John Davenport
- " Flying Sauce r" w. Bill Buchanan & Dickie Goodman
- " Fools Fall In Love " Leiber, Stoller
- " Friendly Persuasion " w. Paul Francis Webster m. Dimitri Tiomkin
- " The Garden Of Eden " w.m. Dennise Haas Norwood
- " Get Me To The Church On Time " w. Alan Jay Lerner m. Frederick Loewe . Introduced by Stanley Holloway in the Musical '' My Fair Lady '' and also performed by Holloway in the 1964 film.
- " Glendora " w.m. Ray Stanley
- " Glitter And Be Gay " w. Richard Wilbut m. Leonard Bernstein
- " The Gnu " Michael Flanders & Donald Swann
- " Good Golly, Miss Molly " w.m. John Marascalco & Robert Blackwell
- " Goodnight My Love " G. Motola, J. Marascalco
- " The Green Door " w. Marvin Moore m. Bob Davie
- " Happy To Make Your Acquaintance " w.m. Frank Loesser
- " The Happy Whistler " m. Don Robertson
- " Heartbreak Hotel " w.m. Mae Boren Axton, Tommy Durden & Elvis Presley
- " Hey! Jealous Lover " w.m. Sammy Cahn , Kay Twomey & Bee Walker
- " High Society Calypso " w.m. Cole Porter
- " The Hippopotamus " Michael Flanders & Donald Swann
- " Honky Tonk " w. Henry Glover m. Bill Doggett , Billy Butler, Shep Shephard & Clifford Scott
- " Hot Diggity " w. m.(adapt) Al Hoffman & Dick Manning
- " A House With Love In It " w. Sylvia Dee m. Sid Lippman
- " (How Little It Matters) How Little We Know (1)" w. Carolyn Leigh m. Philip Springer
- " I Could Have Danced All Night " w. Alan Jay Lerner m. Frederick Loewe . Introduced by Julie Andrews in the Musical '' My Fair Lady ''. Performed in the 1964 film by Marni Nixon dubbing for Audrey Hepburn .
- " I Love You, Samantha " w.m. Cole Porter Introduced by Bing Crosby in the film '' High Society ''.
- " I Walk The Line " w.m. Johnny Cash
- " I Want You, I Need You, I Love You " w. George Mysels m. Ira Kosloff
- " I Was The One " w.m. Claude Demetrius , Bill Peppers , Hal Blair , Aaron Schroeder
- " If I Had My Druthers " w. Johnny Mercer m. Gene De Paul
- " I'm An Ordinary Man " w. Alan Jay Lerner m. Frederick Loewe Introduced by Rex Harrison in the Musical '' My Fair Lady ''
- " I'm Walkin "' w.m. Antoine "Fats" Domino & Dave Bartholomew
- " I'm Walking Backwards For Christmas " Spike Milligan , T. Carbone
- " In The Still Of The Nite " w.m. Fred Parris
- " It Only Hurts For A Little While " w. Mack David m. Fred Spielman
- " It's Not For Me To Say " w. Al Stillman m. Robert Allen
- " I've Grown Accustomed To Her Face " w. Alan Jay Lerner m. Frederick Loewe . Introduced by Rex Harrison in the Musical '' My Fair Lady ''.
- " Ivory Tower " w.m. Jack Fulton & Lois Steele
- " Joey, Joey, Joey " w.m. Frank Loesser
- " Jubilation T. Cornpone " w. Johnny Mercer m. Gene De Paul. Introduced by Stubby Kaye in the Musical '' Li'l Abner ''.
- " Juke Box Baby " w. Noel Sherman m. Joe Sherman
- " Just In Time " w. Betty Comden & Adolph Green m. Jule Styne . Introduced by Judy Holliday and Sydney Chaplin in the Musical '' Bells Are Ringing ''
- " Knee Deep In The Blues " w.m. Melvin Endsley
- " Lay Down Your Arms " w.(Eng) Paddy Roberts (Swed) Ake Gerhard m. Ake Gerhard & Leon Land
- " Let The Good Times Roll " w.m. Leonard Lee
- " Long Before I Knew You " w. Betty Comden & Adolph Green m. Jule Styne . Introduced by Judy Holliday and Sydney Chaplin in the musical '' Bells Are Ringing ''
- " Long Tall Sally " w.m. Enotris Johnson, Richard Penniman & Robert A. Blackwell
- " Look Homeward Angel " w.m. Wally Gold
- " Love Me Tender " w. Elvis Presley & Vera Matson m. George R. Poulton
- " Love Me " w.m. Jerry Leiber & Mike Stoller
- " Lucky Lips " w.m. Jerry Leiber & Mike Stoller
- " The Magic Touch " w.m. Buck Ram
- " Mama From The Train " w.m. Irving Gordon
- " Mama, Teach Me To Dance " w.m. Al Hoffman & Dick Manning
- " Mangos " w.m. Sid Wayne & Dee Libbey
- " Maria " w. Stephen Sondheim m. Leonard Bernstein
- " Marianne " w.m. Terry Gilkyson , Frank Miller & Richard Dehr
- " Married I Can Always Get " w.m. Gordon Jenkins
- " Mary's Boy Child " w.m. Jester Hairston
- " Mind If I Make Love To You " w.m. Cole Porter . Introduced by Frank Sinatra in the film '' High Society ''
- " The Money Tree " w. Cliff Ferre m. Mark McIntyre
- " Moonlight Gambler " w. Bob Hilliard m. Philip Springer
- " More " w. Tom Glazer m. Alex Alstone
- " The Most Happy Fella " w.m. Frank Loesser
- " Mutual Admiration Society " w. Matt Dubey m. Harold Karr. Introduced by Ethel Merman and Virginia Gibson in the musical '' Happy Hunting ''
- " My Heart Is So Full Of You " w.m. Frank Loesser
- " My Lucky Charm " Sammy Cahn & Nicholas Brodszky
- " Namely You " w. Johnny Mercer m. Gene De Paul
- " Now You Has Jazz " w.m. Cole Porter . Introduced by Bing Crosby and Louis Armstrong in the film '' High Society ''.
- " Oh What A Nite " w.m. Marvin Junior & John Funches
- " On The Street Where You Live " w. Alan Jay Lerner m. Frederick Loewe . Introduced by Michael King in the Musical '' My Fair Lady ''.
- " Our Language Of Love " w.m. Monte Norman, David Heneker, Julian More, Alexander Breffort & Marguerite Monnot
- " The Party's Over " w. Betty Comden & Adolph Green m. Jule Styne . Introduced by Judy Holliday in the Musical '' Bells Are Ringing ''.
- " The Portuguese Washerwomen " (Original title "Las Lavanderas De Portugal") m. André Popp & Roger Lucchesi
- " Que Sera, Sera " w.m. Jay Livingston & Ray Evans
- " The Rain In Spain " w. Alan Jay Lerner m. Frederick Loewe . Introduced by Julie Andrews , Rex Harrison and Robert Coote in the Musical '' My Fair Lady ''.
- " Rock With The Caveman " Steele, Pratt, Lionel Bart , Frank Chacksfield
- " Roll Over Beethoven " w.m. Chuck Berry
- " A Rose And A Baby Ruth " w.m. John D. Loudermilk
- " Round And Round " w.m. Lou Stallman & Joe Shapiro
- " Shape Of Things " w.m. Sheldon Harnick
- " Show Me " w. Alan Jay Lerner m. Frederick Loewe . Introduced by Julie Andrews in the Musical '' My Fair Lady ''
- " Singing The Blues " w.m. Melvin Endsley
- "( A Little Boy Called) Smiley " Clyde Collins
- " Soft Summer Breeze " w. Judy Spencer m. Eddie Heywood
- " Somebody Up There Likes Me " w. Sammy Cahn m. Bronislau Kaper
- " Somebody Somewhere " w.m. Frank Loesser
- " Song For A Summer Night " w.m. Robert Allen
- " Standing On The Corner " w.m. Frank Loesser . Introduced by Shorty Long , Alan Gilbert , John Henson and Roy Lazarus in the Musical '' The Most Happy Fella ''.
- " Sweet Heartaches " w.m. Nat Simon & Jimmy Kennedy
- " A Sweet Old Fashioned Girl " w.m. Bob Merrill
- " A Tear Fell " w.m. Eugene Randolph & Dorian Burton
- " Teen Age Crush " w.m. Audrey Allison & Joe Allison
- " Theme From Picnic " w. Steve Allen m. George Duning
- " There's Never Been Anyone Else But You " w. Paul Francis Webster m. Dimitri Tiomkin
- " This Could Be The Start Of Something " w.m. Steve Allen
- " This Is What I Call Love " w. Matt Dubey m. Harold Karr
- " A Thousand Miles Away " J. Shephard, N. H. Miller
- " Too Close For Comfort " w. Larry Holofcener & George David Weiss m. Jerry Bock
- " Too Much " w.m. Lee Rosenberg & Bernard Weinman
- " A Town Like Alice " w.m. Letty Katts
- " Transfusion " w.m. Jimmy Drake
- " True Love " w.m. Cole Porter . Introduced by Bing Crosby and Grace Kelly in the film '' High Society ''.
- " Two Different Worlds " w. Sid Wayne m. Al Frisch
- " Walk Hand In Hand " w.m. Johnny Cowell
- " Warm All Over " w.m. Frank Loesser
- " The Wayward Wind " w.m. Stan Lebowsky & Herb Newman
- " When Sunny Gets Blue " w. Jack Segal m. Marvin Fisher
- " Who Needs You " w. Al Stillman m. Robert Allen
- " Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? " w.m. Cole Porter . Introduced by Celeste Holm and Frank Sinatra in the film '' High Society ''.
- " With A Little Bit Of Luck " w. Alan Jay Lerner m. Frederick Loewe . Introduced by Stanley Holloway in the Musical '' My Fair Lady ''.
- " Without You " w. Alan Jay Lerner m. Frederick Loewe . Introduced by Julie Andrews in the Musical '' My Fair Lady ''.
- " Wouldn't It Be Loverly? " w. Alan Jay Lerner m. Frederick Loewe . Introduced by Julie Andrews in the Musical '' My Fair Lady ''. Performed in the 1964 film by Marni Nixon dubbing for Audrey Hepburn .
- " Wringle, Wrangle " w.m. Stan Jones. Introduced by Fess Parker in the film '' Westward Ho, The Wagons! ''
- " Written On The Wind " w.m. Sammy Cahn & Victor Young
- " Ying Tong Song " w.m. Spike Milligan
- " Young Love " w.m. Carole Joyner & Ric Cartey
- January 3 - Julie Miller , singer
- January 4 - Bernard Albrecht/Summer , Joy Division , New Order
- January 17 - Paul Young
- January 25 - Andy Cox , The Beat , Fine Young Cannibals
- January 31 - Johnny Rotten , The Sex Pistols
- February 3 - Lee Renaldo , Sonic Youth
- February 13 - Peter Hook , Joy Division , New Order
- March 2 - John Cowsill , The Cowsills
- March 12 - Steve Harris , Iron Maiden
- May 9 - John Jay Ruskin , Fiddle player
- May 25 - Sugar Minott , singer
- June 6 - Kenny G
- June 23 - Glenn Danzig , leader of Danzig
- July 15 - Ian Curtis , Joy Division
- July 20 - Paul Cook , The Sex Pistols
- August 27 - Glen Matlock , The Sex Pistols
- September 10 - Siobhan Fahey
- September 22 - Debby Boone
- September 30 - Basia
- October 2 - Freddie Jackson
- October 23 - Dwight Yoakam
- October 25 - Matthias Jabs , The Scorpions
- November 4 – Igor Talkov , Russian singer/songwriter (d. 1991 )
- December 6 - Peter Buck , R.E.M.
- December 8 - Warren Cuccurullo of Missing Persons , Duran Duran
- December 23 - Dave Murray , Iron Maiden
- December 28 - Nigel Kennedy , violinist
- January 4 - Alexander Gretchaninoff , composer
- January 5 - Mistinguett
- January 27 - Erich Kleiber , conductor
- February 18 - Gustave Charpentier , composer
- March 11 - Sergei Vasilenko , Russia n composer
- June 11 - Frankie Trumbauer , US saxophonist, bandleader and sometime singer
- June 23 - Reinhold Glière , composer
- September 27 - Gerald Finzi , composer
- October 1 - Albert Von Tilzer
- October 19 - Isham Jones , US bandleader and composer
- November 24 - Guido Cantelli , conductor
- November 26 - Tommy Dorsey
- December 7 - Henry Fillmore
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