1954 in music

Events

• July 5 - Elvis Presley has his first commercial recording session. He sang That's All Right (Mama) and Blue Moon of Kentucky.
• Record companies deliver 7 inch 45 rpm record singles to radio stations instead of 78s
• Les Paul commissions Ampex to build the first eight track tape recorder, at his own expense.
• The Drifters form
• The Everly Brothers form
• The Isley Brothers form
• Carl Perkins' musical career begins
• Pat Boone's musical careers begin
• May 10 - Bill Haley and his Comets' "Rock Around the Clock" released

Albums Released

• "Louis Armstrong Plays W. C. Handy" - Louis Armstrong

Top Hits

• "Sh-Boom" - Crew-Cuts[?]
• "Mr. Sandman" - Chordettes[?]
• "Three Coins In The Fountain" - Four Aces[?]
• "That's All Right" - Elvis Presley
• "Work With Me Annie" - Hank Ballard & the Midnighters[?]
• "Shake Rattle And Roll" - Joe Turner
• "Goodnight Sweetheart Goodnight" - Spaniels[?]
• "I'm Your Hoochie Coochie Man" - Muddy Waters
• "Sincerely" - McGuire Sisters[?]
• "The Things That I Used To Do" - Guitar Slim[?]
• "Hearts Of Stone" - Fontane Sisters[?], Jewels[?]
• "Oh! My Pa-Pa" - Eddie Fisher[?]
• "Secret Love" - Doris Day
• "Make Love to Me" - Jo Stafford[?]

Births

• January 25 - Richard Finch[?], K.C. and the Sunshine Band
• February 1 - Mike Campbell[?], Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers[?]
• February 18 - John Travolta, Saturday Night Feaver[?]
• February 20 - Jon Brant[?], Cheap Trick
• March 27 - Wally Stocker[?], The Babys[?]
• March 28 - Reba McEntire
• March 31 - Tony Brock[?], The Babys[?]
• April 5 - Peter Case
• April 13 - Jimmy Destri[?], Blondie
• April 17 - Michael Sembello[?]
• May 1 - Ray Parker, Jr.[?]
• May 20 - Jimmie Henderson[?], Black Oak Arkansas[?]
• June 3 - Dan Hill[?]
• June 5 - Nicko McBrain[?], Iron Maiden
• June 8 - Greg Ginn, punk guitarist and member of Black Flag
• June 13 - Robert Donaldson[?], Bo Donaldson & The Heywoods[?]
• June 15 - Terri Gibbs[?]
• August 11 - Joe Jackson, British singer
• August 17 - Eric Johnson
• August 25 - Elvis Costello
• September 14 - Barry Cowsill[?]
• October 3 - Stevie Ray Vaughan
• October 9 - James Fearnley[?], The Pogues
• October 12 - Michael Roe, guitarist, lead singer of The 77s
• October 21 - Eric Faulkner[?], Bay City Rollers
• November 4 - Chris Difford[?], Squeeze
• November 9 - Dennis Stratton[?], Iron Maiden
• November 10 - Mario Cipollina[?], Huey Lewis & The News[?]
• November 23 - Bruce Hornsby[?]
• December 11 - Jermaine Jackson[?], The Jackson 5
• December 25 - Annie Lennox
• December 25 - Robin Campbell[?], UB40
• Marty Dieckmeyer, Daniel Amos
• Marc Ribot[?], guitarist, Sam Phillips, Elvis Costello, others

Deaths

• May 19 - Charles Ives, American composer
• November 30 - Wilhelm Furtwängler, conductor