1955 in music

Events

• January 1 - RCA victor announces a marketing plan called "Operation TNT." The label drops the list price on LP's from $5.95 to $3.98, EP's from $4.95 to $2.98, 45 EP's from $1.58 to $1.49 and 45's from $1.16 to .89 cents. Other record labels follow RCA's lead and begin to drop prices as well.
• January 14 - In New York City, Alan Freed produces the first rock and roll concert.
• February 26 - For the first time since they were introduced in 1949, 45 rpm discs begin to outsell the old standard 78s
• March 5 - Elvis Presley makes his first television appearance on a program called Louisiana Hayride.
• March 7 - Carl Perkins' single "Blue Suede Shoes" enters the R&B charts, marking the first time a Country music artist has made it on the R&B charts.
• March 15 - Colonel Tom Parker[?] becomes Elvis Presley's manager
• Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel's musical careers begin as they copyright a song, "The Girl For Me," with the Library of Congress and begin singing together as a duo while still in high school in New York, New York.
• Johnny Cash's musical career begins
• Patsy Cline's musical career begins
• Eddie Cochran's musical career begins
• Little Richard's musical career begins
• John Coltrane's musical career begins
• Al Green's musical career begins
• Clyde McPhatter launches a solo career

Albums Released

• "Satch Plays Fats" - Louis Armstrong

Top Hits

• "Earth Angel" - Penguins
• "Maybelline" - Chuck Berry
• "Only You (And You Alone)" - The Platters
• "Ain't That A Shame" - Fats Domino
• "Ain't That A Shame" - Pat Boone
• "I Got A Woman" - Ray Charles
• "Tweedlee Dee" - LaVern Baker
• "Sixteen Tons" - Tennessee Ernie Ford
• "Flip Flop Fly" - Joe Turner
• ""Let Me Go Lover" - Joan Weber[?]

Births

• January 8 - Mike Reno[?], Loverboy[?]
• January 13 - Fred White[?], Earth Wind and Fire[?]
• January 13 - Trevor Rabin[?], Yes
• January 17 - Steve Earle
• January 19 - Simon Rattle, conductor
• January 27 - Richard Young[?], Kentucky Headhunters[?]
• March 2 - Jay Osmond[?], The Osmonds[?]
• March 10 - Bunny DeBarge[?], DeBarge[?]
• March 15 - Dee Snider[?], Twisted Sister[?]
• May 20 - Steve George[?], Mr. Mister[?]
• May 21 - Stan Lynch[?], Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers
• May 30 - Nicky Headon[?], The Clash
• February 23 - Howard Jones
• April 13 - Louis Johnson[?], The Brothers Johnson[?]
• April 17 - Pete Shelley[?] Buzzcocks
• June 7 - Joey Scarbury[?]
• June 20 - Michael Anthony, Van Halen
• July 4 - John Waite[?]
• July 18 - Terry Chambers[?], XTC
• July 21 - Howie Epstein[?], Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers
• August 9 - Benjamin Orr[?], The Cars
• August 17 - Colin Moulding[?], XTC
• September 3 - Steve Jones, The Sex Pistols
• September 28 - George Lynch[?], Dokken
• October 2 - Philip Oakley[?], Human League
• October 10 - David Lee Roth[?], Van Halen
• October 21 - Rich Mullins (+ 1997)
• October 29 - Kevin Dubrow[?], Quiet Riot
• November 30 - Billy Idol,
• December 15 - Paul Simonon[?], The Clash

Deaths

• March 12 - Charlie Parker, Jazz saxophonis, heart failure
• November 27 - Arthur Honegger, composer