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The Rock Era begins with “Rock Around the Clock” hitting #1 on the Pop charts and upstart labels scoring with “whitewashed” covers of R&B hits. TV passes two-thirds of households and Disney sparks a mass-cultural hysteria with Davy Crockett. Meanwhile, grownups are gearing up at hi-fi shops, buying Easy Listening records and dancing to Mambo, fresh-faced collegiate-styled Male Vocal quartets are all the rage, and Sinatra is back, baby!

#1 Song of the Year   The top song according to our Chartcrush ranking of all songs that earned the majority of their chart ranking points in the year

Artists of the Year   The top three artists based on all charted songs that spent most of their chart runs in the year

1. The Four Aces
2. The McGuire Sisters
3. Al Hibbler

Artist with Most Charting Songs   Artist(s) with the most charting songs during the year (song count in parentheses)

• TIE: The McGuire Sisters/Bill Haley & His Comets (7)

Average #1 Artist Age   The average of how old artists who scored #1 hits during the year were when their songs first reached #1

• 32.9

#1 Songs   List of #1 songs that earned the majority of their chart ranking points in the year, and (in parentheses), the month the song first hit #1 and the total number of weeks it was #1

1. The Chordettes – Mr. Sandman (December ’54, 5 wks)
2. Joan Weber – Let Me Go, Lover! (January, 4 wks)
3. The Fontane Sisters – Hearts of Stone (February, 1 wk)
4. The McGuire Sisters – Sincerely (February, 8 wks)
5. Bill Hayes – The Ballad of Davy Crockett (April, 4 wks)
6. Perez “Prez” Prado & His Orchestra, trumpet Billy Regis – Cherry Pink and Apple Blossom White (May, 9 wks)
7. Bill Haley & His Comets – (We’re Gonna) Rock Around the Clock (July, 8 wks)
8. Mitch Miller Orchestra & Chorus – The Yellow Rose of Texas (September, 7 wks)
9. Four Aces feat. Al Alberts – Love Is a Many Splendored Thing (October, 6 wks)
10. “Tennessee” Ernie Ford – Sixteen Tons (December, 6 wks)

Records are sounding much, much better thanks to vinyl and the brand new LP and 45 formats, and recordings are getting more sophisticated thanks to another innovation: the record producer! Big Band Swing is extinct and Jazz is off into Bebop-land, but “Sweet Bands” are making good-timey records, emotive Crooners and Pop Singers are making waves, and Country-Western is breaking through.

#1 Song of the Year   The top song according to our Chartcrush ranking of all songs that earned the majority of their chart ranking points in the year

Artists of the Year   The top three artists based on all charted songs that spent most of their chart runs in the year

1. Perry Como
2. Russ Morgan & His Orchestra
3. Vaughn Monroe & His Orchestra

Artist with Most Charting Songs   Artist(s) with the most charting songs during the year (song count in parentheses)

• Perry Como (12)

Average #1 Artist Age   The average of how old artists who scored #1 hits during the year were when their songs first reached #1

• 36.4

#1 Songs   List of #1 songs that earned the majority of their chart ranking points in the year, and (in parentheses), the month the song first hit #1 and the total number of weeks it was #1

1. Evelyn Knight & The Stardusters – A Little Bird Told Me (January, 7 wks)
2. Blue Barron & His Orchestra, vocal Ensemble – Cruising Down the River (March, 6 wks)
3. Russ Morgan & His Orchestra, vocal The Skylarks – Cruising Down the River (April, 3 wks)
4. Vaughn Monroe & His Orchestra, vocal Vaughn Monroe & Quartet – Riders in the Sky (A Cowboy Legend) (May, 13 wks)
5. Russ Morgan & His Orchestra, vocal The Skylarks – Forever and Ever (May, 1 wk)
6. Perry Como – Some Enchanted Evening (August, 4 wks)
7. Vic Damone – You’re Breaking My Heart (August, 5 wks)
8. Vaughn Monroe & His Orchestra, vocal Vaughn Monroe & The Moon Men – Someday (You’ll Want Me to Want You) (September, 1 wk)
9. Frankie Laine with Jud Conlon’s Rhythmaires – That Lucky Old Sun (October, 8 wks)
10. Frankie Laine & The Muleskinners – Mule Train (December, 6 wks)
11. The Andrews Sisters – I Can Dream, Can’t I? (January ’50, 4 wks)

Pop is trending younger and more international the year before Beatlemania and The Supremes sweep the nation as the Baby Boom starts coming of age. Girl Groups are everywhere, Surf and Hot Rod sounds become California’s hot new cultural export, and Americans turn to Pop to soothe the shock of the JFK assassination at year’s end.

#1 Song of the Year   The top song according to our Chartcrush ranking of all Hot100 songs that earned the majority of their chart ranking points in the year

Artists of the Year   The top three artists based on all charted songs during the calendar year

1. The Beach Boys
2. Chubby Checker
3. Ray Charles

Artist with Most Charting Songs   Artist(s) with the most Hot100 charting songs during the year (song count in parentheses)

• Rick Nelson (9)

Average #1 Artist Age   The average of how old artists who scored #1 Hot100 hits during the year were when their songs first reached #1

• 25.2 years

#1 Songs   List of Hot100 #1 songs that earned the majority of their chart ranking points in the year, and (in parentheses), the month the song first hit #1 and the total number of weeks it was #1

1. Steve Lawrence – Go Away Little Girl (January, 2 wks)
2. The Rooftop Singers – Walk Right In (January, 2 wks)
3. Paul & Paula – Hey Paula (February, 3 wks)
4. The 4 Seasons – Walk like a Man (March, 3 wks)
5. Ruby & The Romantics – Our Day Will Come (March, 1 wk)
6. The Chiffons – He’s So Fine (March, 4 wks)
7. Little Peggy March – I Will Follow Him (April, 3 wks)
8. Jimmy Soul – If You Wanna Be Happy (May, 2 wks)
9. Lesley Gore – It’s My Party (June, 2 wks)
10. Kyu Sakamoto – Sukiyaki (June, 3 wks)
11. The Essex – Easier Said than Done (July, 2 wks)
12. Jan & Dean – Surf City (July, 2 wks)
13. The Tymes – So Much in Love (August, 1 wk)
14. Little Stevie Wonder – Fingertips – Pt 2 (August, 3 wks)
15. The Angels – My Boyfriend’s Back (August, 3 wks)
16. Bobby Vinton – Blue Velvet (September, 3 wks)
17. Jimmy Gilmer & The Fireballs – Sugar Shack (October, 5 wks)
18. Nino Tempo & April Stevens – Deep Purple (November, 1 wk)
19. Dale & Grace – I’m Leaving It Up to You (November, 2 wks)
20. The Singing Nun (Soeur Sourire) – Dominique (December, 4 wks)