- 1959 (date unknown) .
- January 5 The first sessions for Ella Fitzgerald's George And Ira Gershwin Songbook are held.
- January 22 - Buddy Holly records some acoustic demos in his New York City apartment. These songs would be the last songs recorded by Holly. Songs included "Peggy Sue Got Married," "Crying, Waiting, Hoping," "Learning the Game," "What to Do," "That's What They Say" and "That Makes it Tough."
- February 3 - News of the February 2 plane crash that killed Buddy Holly , Richie Valens and The Big Bopper becomes widely known. This date becomes known as " The Day The Music Died ". Future country star Waylon Jennings was scheduled to be on the plane, but instead gave his seat up to the Big Bopper.
- February 7 - New Orleans Blues and R&B guitarist Eddie Guitar Slim Jones dies of pneumonia in New York City
- April 3 - The BBC bans The Coasters song "Charlie Brown" because of the word "spitball."
- April - The BBC reverses its earlier April 3 decision, and adds The Coasters song "Charlie Brown" to their playlist.
- April 24 - The '' Your Hit Parade '' television series airs its last episode
- May 12
- --- Eddie Fisher marries Elizabeth Taylor
- --- Plácido Domingo makes his stage debut at the Teatro Degollado in Guadalajara as Pascual in ''Marina''.
- Fall - Bill Haley & His Comets end their groundbreaking association with Decca Records , for whom they had recorded since 1954. Their first recording for the label, " Rock Around The Clock " helped usher in the rock and roll era. Haley signs with Warner Bros. Records .
- October 7 - Legendary tenor Mario Lanza dies
- December 14 - Berry Gordy, Jr. purchases the property for Hitsville USA and incorporates Tamla Records, which is soon renamed Motown Records .
- Otto Luening and Vladimir Ussachevsky co-found the Columbia-Princeton Electronic Music Center in New York City.
- The National Academy Of Recording Arts And Sciences sponsors the first Grammy Award ceremony for music recorded in 1958 .
- Dalida receives a Music Oscar for Best Song and a first foreign award (a "Golden Lion" in Berlin ).
- Ornette Coleman plays a legendary and controversial concert at New York 's Five Spot .
- Carole King 's musical career begins
- Roy Orbison signs with Monument Records
- The Supremes ' musical career begins (as "The Primettes")
The following singles achieved the highest chart positions in 1959.
Hot 100 No. 1 Hits Of 1959 (USA)
- " 'Twixt Twelve and Twenty" w.m. Fredda Gold & Aaron Schroeder
- " 77 Sunset Strip " w.m. Mack David & Jerry Livingston
- "All I Need Is The Girl" w. ''
- "Along Came Jones" w.m. Jerry Leiber & Mike Stoller
- "All My Tomorrows" w. Sammy Cahn m. Jimmy Van Heusen, from the film '' A Hole In The Head ''
- "Alvin's Harmonica" w.m. Ross Bagdasarian
- "Angela Jones" w.m. John D. Loudermilk
- "Anyone Would Love You" w.m. Harold Rome . Introduced by Andy Griffith and Dolores Gray in the musical '' Destry Rides Again ''
- "The Battle Of New Orleans" trad arr. Jimmy Driftwood
- "The Best Is Yet to Come" w. Carolyn Leigh m. Cy Coleman
- "Best Of Everything" w. Sammy Cahn m. Lionel Newman, from the film '' The Best Of Everything ''
- "A Big Hunk o' Love" w. m. Aaron Schroeder & Sid Wyche
- "The Big Hurt" w.m. Wayne Shanklin
- "Big Iron" w.m. Marty Robbins
- "Bobby Socks To Stockings" w.m. Richard di Cicco, Russell Faith & Clarence Kehner
- "Boom, Boom Baby" Burgess
- "Breaking Up Is Hard To Do" w.m. Neil Sedaka & Howard Greenfield
- "The Children's Marching Song" trad arr. Malcolm Arnold. Performed by Ingrid Bergman and The Orphans' Chorus in the film '' Inn Of The Sixth Happiness ''
- "China Doll" w.m. Cindy Walker
- "Ciao, Ciao, Bambina" w.(Eng) Mitchell Parish (Ital) Eduardo Verde & Domenico Modugno m. Domenico Modugno
- "Climb Ev'ry Mountain" w. Oscar Hammerstein II m. Richard Rodgers . Introduced by Patricia Neway in the musical '' Sound Of Music ''
- " Come Softly To Me " w.m. Gary Troxel, Barbara Ellis & Gretchen Christopher
- " Delaware " w.m. Irving Gordon
- " Desafinado " w. Newton Mendonça w. (Eng) Jon Hendricks & Jessie Cavanaugh m. Antonio Carlos Jobim
- "Don't You Know" w.m. adapt. Bobby Worth
- "Do-Re-Mi" w. Oscar Hammerstein II m. Richard Rodgers . Introduced by Mary Martin in the musical '' Sound Of Music ''. Sung by Julie Andrews in the film version.
- "Dream Lover" w.m. Bobby Darin
- "Early In The Morning" adapt Bruce Belland & Glen Larson
- "Edelweiss" w. Oscar Hammerstein II m. Richard Rodgers . Introduced by Mary Martin in the musical '' Sound Of Music ''. Sung by Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer in the film version.
- "El Paso" w.m. Marty Robbins
- "Endlessly" w.m. Clyde Otis & Brook Benton
- "Everything's Coming Up Roses" w. ''. Sung in the film version by Lisa Kirk dubbing for Rosalind Russell .
- "Frankie" w. Howard Greenfield m. Neil Sedaka
- "Game Of Poker" w. Johnny Mercer m. Harold Arlen , from the musical '' Saratoga ''
- "Goodbye Jimmy, Goodbye" w.m. Jack Vaughn
- "Greenfields" w.m. Terry Gilkyson , Rich Dehr & Frank Miller
- "Handy Man" w.m. Otis Blackwell & Jimmy Jones
- "The Hanging Tree" w. Mack David m. Jerry Livingston , Introduced by Marty Robbins in the film '' The Hanging Tree ''
- " Happy Anniversary " w. Al Stillman m. Robert Allen
- "The Happy Organ" w.m. Ken Wood, David Clowney & James Kreigsmann
- " Heartaches By The Number " w.m. Harlan Howard
- "He'll Have To Go" w.m. Joe Allison & Audrey Allison
- " High Hopes " w. Sammy Cahn m. James Van Heusen . Introduced by Frank Sinatra and Eddie Hodges in the film '' A Hole In The Head ''.
- "I Ain't Never" w.m. Mel Tillis
- "I Feel Sorry For The Girl" w.m. Glenn Paxton, Robert Goldman & George Weiss
- "I Know" w.m. Carl Stutz & Edith Lindeman
- "I Need Your Love Tonight" w.m. Sid Wayne & Bix Reichner
- " I Wanna Be Around " w.m. Johnny Mercer & Sadie Vimmerstedt
- "If I Ever Fall In Love Again" w. Peter Wildeblood m. Peter Greenwell
- "I'll Never Fall In Love Again" Johnnie Ray
- "I'm Gonna Get Married" w.m. Lloyd Price & Harold Logan
- "I'm Looking Out The Window" John Jacob Niles, Don Raye
- "I'm Never Gonna Tell" Hoffman, Manning, Markwell
- "In A Little While" w. Marshall Barer m. Mary Rodgers
- "It Doesn't Matter Anymore" w.m. Paul Anka
- "Kansas City" w.m. Jerry Leiber & Mike Stoller
- "Kookie, Kookie" w.m. Irving Taylor
- "Let Me Entertain You" w. ''.
- "Like Young" m. Andre Previn
- "Lipstick On Your Collar" w. Eddie Lewis m. George Goehring
- "Little Donkey" w.m. Eve Boswell
- "The Little Drummer Boy" w.m. adapt. Henry Onorati, Katherine Davis & Harry Simeone
- "Little Tin Box" w. Sheldon Harnick m. Jerry Bock
- "The Little White Bull" Lionel Bart , Michael Pratt, Jimmy Bennett
- "Living Doll" w.m. Lionel Bart
- "Lock Up Your Daughters" w. Lionel Bart m. Laurie Johnson
- "Lonely Blue Boy" F & B Wiseman
- "Lonely Boy" w.m. Paul Anka
- "Lonely Goatherd" w. Oscar Hammerstein II m. Richard Rodgers . Introduced by Mary Martin and the children in the musical '' Sound Of Music ''. Performed by Julie Andrews in the film version.
- "Lonely Street" w.m. Carl Belew , Kenny Sowder & W. S. Stevenson
- "Love Potion Number Nine" w.m. Jerry Leiber & Mike Stoller
- "Love Will Find Out The Way" w.m. Glenn Paxton, Robert Goldman & George Weiss
- "Lullaby In Ragtime" w.m. Sylvia Fine . Introduced by Danny Kaye in the film '' The Five Pennies ''.
- "The M.T.A." w.m. adapt. Jacqueline Steiner & Bess Hawes
- "Maria" w. Oscar Hammerstein II m. Richard Rodgers . Introduced by Patricia Neway , Muriel O'Malley , Elizabeth Howell and Karen Shepard in the musical '' Sound Of Music ''.
- "Marina" w.(Eng) Ray Maxwell m. Rocco Granata
- "The Mating Game" w. Lee Adams m. Charles Strouse. Theme song from the film '' The Mating Game ''
- "May You Always" w.m. Larry Markes & Dick Charles
- "Memphis" w.m. Chuck Berry
- "Merely Marvellous" w. Dorothy Fields m. Arthur Hague. Introduced by Gwen Verdon in the musical '' Redhead ''.
- " Milord " w. (Eng) B. G. Lewis (Fr) Joseph Mustacchi m. Marguerite Monnot
- "Morgen" w. (Eng) Noel Sherman (Ger) Peter Mosser m. Peter Mosser
- " Mr. Blue " w.m. Dewayne Blackwell
- "My Favourite Things" w. Oscar Hammerstein II m. Richard Rodgers . Introduced by Patricia Neway and Mary Martin in the musical '' Sound Of Music ''. Performed in the film version by Julie Andrews .
- "My Heart Is An Open Book" w. Hal David m. Lee Pockriss
- "My Wish Came True" w.m. Ivory Joe Hunter
- "Oh! Carol" w. Howard Greenfield m. Neil Sedaka
- "Only Love Me" w. (Eng) Mann Curtis (Ital) Pinchi m. V. Panzuti
- "Only Sixteen" w.m. Barbara Campbell
- "Personality" w.m. Lloyd Price & Harold Logan
- "Pick Me Up On Your Way Down" w.m. Harlan Howard
- "Pillow Talk" w.m. Buddy Pepper & Inez James. Introduced by Doris Day and Rock Hudson in the film of the Same Name .
- "La Plume De Ma Tante" w.m. Al Hoffman & Dick Manning
- "Poison Ivy" w.m. Jerry Leiber & Mike Stoller
- "Politics And Poker" w. Sheldon Harnick m. Jerry Bock . Introduced by Howard Da Silva in the musical '' Fiorello ''.
- "Promise Me A Rose" w.m. Bob Merrill , from the musical '' Take Me Along ''
- "Put Your Head On My Shoulder" w.m. Paul Anka
- "Quiet Village" m. Les Baxter
- "Red River Rock" trad arr. Tom King, Ira Mack & Fred Mendelsohn
- "Ring-A-Ling-A-Lario" w.m. Gerry Grant, Arthur Kent & Joe Reisman
- "Rose's Turn" w. ''.
- "Roulette" m. Trevor H. Stanford
- "Running Bear" w.m. J. P. Richardson
- "The Same Old Me" F. Owen
- "Sea Of Love" w.m. George Khoury & Phil Baptiste
- "See You In September" w. Sid Wayne m. Sherman Edwards
- "Seven Little Girls Sitting In The Back Seat" w. Bob Hilliard m. Lee Pockriss
- "Shout" O'Kelly Isley , Ronald Isley , Rudolph Isley
- "Shy" w. Marshall Barer m. Mary Rodgers
- "Side Saddle" m. Trevor H. Stanford
- "Sixteen Going On Seventeen" w. Oscar Hammerstein II m. Richard Rodgers . Introduced by Laurie Peters and Brian Davies in the musical '' Sound Of Music ''.
- "Sleep Walk" m. Ann Farina, Johnny Farina & Santo Farina
- "Small World" w. ''
- "Some People" w. ''.
- "Sorry, I Ran All The Way Home" w.m. Harry Giosasi & Artie Zwirn
- " The Sound Of Music " w. Oscar Hammerstein II m. Richard Rodgers . Introduced by Mary Martin in the musical '' Sound Of Music ''. Performed in the film version by Julie Andrews .
- "Strange Are The Ways Of Love" w. Ned Washington m. Dimitri Tiomkin , from the film western '' The Young Land ''
- "Summertime Love" w.m. Frank Loesser
- "Sweet Nothin's" Ronnie Self
- "Take Me Along" w.m. Bob Merrill . Introduced by Jackie Gleason and Walter Pidgeon in the musical '' Take Me Along ''.
- " Tall Paul " w.m. Bob Roberts, Bob Sherman & Dick Sherman
- "Tallahassee Lassie" w.m. Frank C. Slay Jr, Bob Crewe & Frederick A. Picariello
- "Teen Angel" w.m. Jean Surrey & Red Surrey
- "A Teenager In Love" w.m. Jerome "Doc" Pomus & Mort Shuman
- "There Goes My Baby" w.m. Benjamin Nelson, Lover Patterson, George Treadwell, Jerry Leiber & Mike Stoller
- "This Magic Moment" w.m. Doc Pomus & Mort Shuman
- "Three Steps To Heaven" Eddie Cochran
- "The Tijuana Jail" w.m. Denny Thompson
- " 'Til I Kissed You" w.m. Don Everly
- "Till Tomorrow" w. Sheldon Harnick m. Jerry Bock . Introduced by Ellen Hanley in th emusical '' Fiorello ''.
- "Time And The River" w.m. Aaron Schroeder & Wally Gold
- "''
- "Tomboy" w.m. Joe Farrell & Jim Conway
- "Too Long At The Fair" w.m. Billy Barnes
- "Tucumcari" Olofson, McIntyre
- "The Untouchables" m. Nelson Riddle .
- "Venus" w.m. Ed Marshall
- "Waterloo" w.m. John D. Loudermilk & Marijohn Wilkin
- "We Got Love" w. Kal Mann m. Bernie Lowe
- "What Do You Want?" Les Vandyke
- "What'd I Say" w.m. Ray Charles
- "When Did I Fall In Love?" w. Sheldon Harnick m. Jerry Bock . Introduced by Ellen Hanley in the musical '' Fiorello ''.
- "Why" w. Bob Marcucci m. Peter De Angelis
- "The Wonder Of You" w.m. Baker Knight
- "Wonderful You" Stallman, Jacobson
- "A Worried Man" w.m. Dave Guard & Tom Glazer
- "You'll Never Get Away From Me" w. ''.
- "You're Starting To Get To Me" Sammy Cahn , James Van Heusen , from the film '' Say One For Me ''
- '' Expresso Bongo ''
- '' The Five Pennies '' starring Danny Kaye
- '' Go, Johnny, Go '' starring Jimmy Clanton and Sandy Stewart , and featuring Chuck Berry , Jackie Wilson , Ritchie Valens , The Cadillacs , Jo-Ann Campbell , The Flamingos and Eddie Cochran .
- '' Li'l Abner ''
- '' The Lady Is A Square '' starring Anna Neagle , Frankie Vaughan , Janette Scott , Anthony Newley and Wilfrid Hyde-White
- '' Porgy And Bess ''
- '' Say One For Me '' starring Bing Crosby
- '' Tommy The Toreador '' starring Tommy Steele
- January 3 - Curt Bisquera
- January 6 - Kathy Sledge , Sister Sledge
- January 7 - Kathy Valentine , The Go-Go's
- January 8 - Paul Hester , Crowded House
- January 10 - Curt Kirkwood , Meat Puppets
- January 12 - Per Gessle , Roxette
- January 14 - Chas Smash , Madness
- January 14 - Geoff Tate , Queensrÿche
- January 17 - Susanna Hoffs , The Bangles
- January 28 - Dave Sharp , The Alarm
- January 29 - Johnny Spampinato , NRBQ
- January 30 - Jody Watley
- February 3 - Lol Tolhurst , The Cure
- February 7 - Brian Travers , UB40
- February 15 - Ali Campbell , UB40
- February 25 - Mike Peters , The Alarm
- March 16 - Flavor Flav , Public Enemy
- March 27 - Andrew Farriss , INXS
- March 29 - Perry Farrell , Jane's Addiction
- April 10 - Brian Setzer , The Stray Cats
- April 10 - Babyface
- April 21 - Michael Timmins , Cowboy Junkies
- April 21 - Robert Smith , The Cure
- April 27 - Sheena Easton
- May 3 - David Ball , Soft Cell
- May 4 - Randy Travis , country singer
- May 5 - Ian McCulloch , Echo & The Bunnymen
- May 20 - Susan Cowsill , The Cowsills , Continental Drifters
- June 1 - Alan Wilder , Depeche Mode
- June 12 - John Linnell , They Might Be Giants
- June 19 - Mark DeBarge , DeBarge
- June 22 - Alan Anton , Cowboy Junkies
- June 24 - Andy McCluskey , Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark
- July 3 - Stephen Pearcy , Ratt
- July 5 - Marc Cohn
- July 9 - Marc Almond , Soft Cell
- July 11 - Richie Sambora , Bon Jovi
- July 11 - Suzanne Vega , American singer
- August 1 - Joe Elliott , Def Leppard
- August 9 - Kurtis Blow
- September 14 - Morten Harket , A-ha
- October 4 - Chris Lowe , Pet Shop Boys
- October 13 - Marie Osmond
- October 16 - Gary Kemp , Spandau Ballet
- October 23 - "Weird Al" Yankovic
- November 1 - Eddie MacDonald , The Alarm
- November 5 - Bryan Adams
- November 27 - Charlie Burchill , Simple Minds
- November 29 - Steve Hindalong , The Choir , Record Producer
- December 4 - Bob Griffin , The BoDeans
- January 6 - José Enrique Pedreira , composer
- February 3 - rock and roll performers Buddy Holly , Richie Valens and The Big Bopper , in a plane crash outside Mason City, Iowa . The news isn't widely known until the next day - The Day The Music Died .
- February 7 - Eddie Guitar Slim Jones , blues guitarist
- February 12 - George Antheil , pianist and composer
- February 14 - Baby Dodds , jazz musician
- February 18 - Erich Zeisl , composer
- February 28 - Maxwell Anderson , lyricist
- March 1 - Mack Gordon , songwriter
- March 15 - Lester Young , jazz musician
- May 14 - Sidney Bechet , Jazz musician
- June 9 - Sonnie Hale , English actor and singer
- July 14 - Grock , musical clown
- July 15
- --- Ernest Bloch , composer
- --- Billie Holiday , jazz and blues singer.
- August 15 - Blind Willie McTell , blues singer.
- August 16 - Wanda Landowska , harpsichordist
- August 28 - Bohuslav Martinů , composer
- September 1 - Jack Norworth , singer and songwriter
- September 6 - Kay Kendall , musical comedy actress
- September 17 - Omer Simeon , jazz musician
- September 21 - Agnes Nicholls , operatic soprano
- September 22 - Josef Matthias Hauer , composer
- September 25 - Helen Broderick , Broadway star
- October 7 - Mario Lanza , operatic tenor
- November 7 - Alberto Guerrero , pianist and composer
- November 17 - Heitor Villa-Lobos , composer.
- November 22 - Sam M. Lewis , US lyricist
- November 26 - Albert Ketèlbey , composer, conductor and pianist
- December 20 - Gilda Gray , dancer
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