1951 in music

Events

• September 11 - The Rake's Progress[?], an opera by Igor Stravinsky with libretto by W. H. Auden and Chester Kallman[?], premieres in Venice, conducted by the composer
• Disc jockey Alan Freed uses the term rock and roll to describe R&B, in an effort to introduce the music to a broader white audience.
• The release of "Rocket 88", a song by Jackie Brenston and the Delta Cats. Some music historians consider this record to be the first rock and roll recording.
• Ray Charles' musical career begins
• Charlie Rich[?]'s musical career begins
• Big Mama Thornton[?]'s musical career begins
• Bobby Blue Bland's musical career begins

Records Released

• Rocket 88 - Jackie Brenston and his Delta Cats
• Sixty-Minute Man - Dominoes
• Cry - Johnny Ray[?]
• It's All In the Game - Tommy Edwards[?]
• The Glory Of Love - Five Keys[?]

Top Hits

Births

• January 6 - Kim Wilson[?], The Fabulous Thunderbirds
• January 9 - Crystal Gayle[?]
• January 15 - Martha Davis[?], The Motels[?]
• January 19 - Dewey Bunnell[?], America
• January 27 - Brian Downey[?], Thin Lizzy
• January 27 - Seth Justman[?], J. Geils Band[?]
• January 30 - Phil Collins
• January 31 - Phil Manzanera[?], Roxy Music
• January 31 - K.C. (Harry Wayne Casey[?]), K.C. and the Sunshine Band
• February 9 - Dennis Thomas[?], Kool and the Gang
• February 12 - Gil Moore[?], Triumph
• February 15 - Melissa Manchester
• March 4 - Chris Rea[?]
• March 17 - Scott Gorham[?], Thin Lizzy
• March 20 - Jimmy Vaughan[?], The Fabulous Thunderbirds
• March 21 - Russell Thompkins Jr.[?], The Stylistics
• March 21 - Conrad Lozano[?], Los Lobos
• March 23 - Phil Keaggy, guitarist, singer
• April 3 - Mel Schacher[?], ? and the Mysterians, Grand Funk Railroad
• April 7 - Janis Ian
• April 12 - Alex Briley[?], The Village People
• April 13 - Peabo Bryson[?]
• April 13 - Max Weinberg, Late Night with Conan O'Brien, E Street Band
• April 20 - Luther Vandross
• April 22 - Paul Carrack[?], Ace[?], Squeeze, Mike & the Mechanics[?]
• April 27 - Ace Frehley, Kiss
• May 3 - Christopher Cross
• May 4 - Jackie Jackson[?], The Jackson Five
• May 8 - Philip Bailey[?], Earth Wind and Fire[?]
• May 10 - Ronald Banks[?], The Dramatics[?]
• May 16 - Jonathan Richman
• June 3 - Deniece Williams[?]
• June 10 - Ed McTaggart, Daniel Amos, The Road Home
• June 12 - Brad Delp[?], Boston
• June 12 - Bun E. Carlos, Cheap Trick
• June 15 - Steve Walsh[?], Kansas
• July 1 - Fred Schneider[?], The B52's[?]
• July 5 - Huey Lewis[?]
• July 11 - Bonnie Pointer[?], The Pointer Sisters[?]
• August 2 - Andrew Gold[?]
• August 3 - John Graham[?], Earth, Wind and Fire
• August 13 - Dan Fogelberg[?]
• August 19 - John Deacon, Queen
• August 20 - Phil Lynott[?], Thin Lizzy
• August 23 - Mark Hudson[?], The Hudson Brothers[?]
• August 25 - Rob Halford, Judas Priest
• August 28 - Wayne Osmond[?], The Osmonds[?]
• September 2 - Mik Kaminski[?], Electric Light Orchestra
• September 7 - Chrissie Hynde[?], The Pretenders
• September 19 - Daneil Lanois[?]
• September 22 - David Coverdale[?], Deep Purple, Whitesnake
• October 2 - Sting
• October 6 - Kevin Cronin[?], REO Speedwagon
• October 7 - John Cougar Mellencamp
• October 8 - Johnny Ramone[?], The Ramones
• October 13 - John Ford Coley[?], England Dan & John Ford Coley[?]
• October 20 - Alan Greenwood[?], Foreigner
• October 26 - Maggie Roche[?], The Roches[?]
• October 27 - K.K. Downing, Judas Priest
• November 1 - Ronald Bell[?], Kool and the Gang
• November 13 - Bill Gibson[?], Huey Lewis & The News[?]
• November 27 - Kevin Kavanaugh[?], Southside Johnny and The Asbury Jukes[?]
• November 29 - Barry Goudreau[?], Boston
• December 4 - Gary Rossington[?], Lynyrd Skynyrd, Rossington-Collins Band[?]
• December 10 - Johnny Rodriguez[?]
• December 16 - Robben Ford
• December 21 - Nick Gilder[?]
• December 23 - Johnny Contardo[?], Sha Na Na[?]
• December 26 - Paul Anthony Quinn[?], Saxon[?]
• December 26 - John Scofield
• December 29 - Yvonne Elliman[?]
• December 31 - Tom Hamilton[?], Aerosmith
• December 31 - George Thorogood
• Mark Heard, American singer, songwriter

Deaths

• July 13 - Arnold Schoenberg, Austrian composer
• August 15 - Artur Schnabel, pianist