Music of the Ages
The 1950s gave us some of the most timeless songs in music history. From soulful ballads to the birth of rock ’n’ roll, this era defined a generation and set the stage for modern music. With that in mind, here are 5 songs we can’t get out of our heads.
1. Earth Angel
Released in 1954, “Earth Angel” by The Penguins became one of the most enduringly popular doo-wop songs of all time. It was a romantic ballad that became a hit for a second time in the mid-1950s. It was often used as a slow-dance song by young lovers during the 1950s. It remains popular with audiences of all ages today.
2. Jailhouse Rock
Elvis Presley’s 1957 song “Jailhouse Rock” is a rock ’n’ roll classic. The energetic beat and rebellious attitude of the song embodied the spirit of the youth culture at the time. It has remained one of the most recognizable rock ’n’ roll songs of all time. The performance of the song in his 1957 movie of the same name launched Elvis’s career as the King of Rock ’n’ Roll.
3. Tutti Frutti
Little Richard’s “Tutti Frutti” was a breath of wild, explosive energy in the earliest days of rock ’n’ roll. Released in 1955, the infectious, playfully lewd tune was an instant hit that changed popular music forever. Its influence can still be heard in rock, pop, and soul.
4. Rock Around the Clock
Bill Haley & His Comets in 1954 gave the world a cultural maelstrom in the form of “Rock Around the Clock.” It is the best-known song that not only is said to have given rock ’n’ roll widespread popularity, but it set young people all over the world dancing, kicking up their heels, and doing what they wanted. To this day, people still turn to the song as an anthem of youthful freedom and the dawning of a new era of music.
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5. Hound Dog
“Hound Dog” was actually first recorded in 1952 by Big Mama Thornton, well before Elvis Presley. Her raspy voice and bluesy delivery added attitude to the raw emotional edge of the song. Thornton’s early rock ’n’ roll classic became a genre standard, and she blazed a trail for women in rock.
