we always had a lot of fun with this one
the birth of cool and the birth of rock
and roll
welcome to watchmojo.com and today we’ll
be counting down our picks for the top
10 Billboard chart topping rock songs of
the 1950s
for this list we focused on rock songs
that reached number one on the Billboard
charts while making a definitive mark on
50s pop culture
what is now known as the Billboard Hot
100 did not exist for the majority of
the 50s so for the purposes of this list
we’re only considering those rock songs
that topped either the top 100 the
bestsellers in stores or after August
1958 the Hot 100 that was song like
great balls of fire is one of the
best-selling singles of all time it only
topped the country chart in the US and
therefore it will not be making our list
the gracious great balls of fire
number ten at the hop Danny and the
junior managing to stop and a mist
rolling at the hop it’s a rock and roll
doo-wop classic and our number 10 pick
the song describes the dance scene
popular with the teenagers of the 1950’s
and thanks to its fast tempo and bouncy
melody the single no doubt took the
music industry by storm
hitting number 1 on the top 100 as well
as the R&B bestsellers list at the hop
prove that Danny and the juniors had an
enormous crossover hit on their hands
number nine sleepwalk Santo and Johnny a
rare instrumental hit on the Billboard
Hot 100 this 1959 track was written by
brother Santo & Johnny’s Farina after
waking up one night at 2:00 in the
morning featuring some killer slide
guitar and a bass line that is as dreamy
as dreams themselves sleepwalk is an
early precursor to the surf rock genre
as well as a timeless classic that just
never gets old
covered by artists old and new there’s
no denying the influence that sleepwalk
has had on the rock genre as well as the
influence that Santo and Johnny has had
on the music industry and your luck will
hold around on ground in your hearts to
song number eight round and round Perry
Como
a song that you just can’t help but tap
your feet to Perry Como created a pop
inspired phenomenon when he released
this classic track in 1957
written by songwriters Joe Shapiro and
loose Stallman round and round proved to
be comas last billboard number one song
but it was certainly one of his best
while it only lasted a week at number
one on the bestsellers in stores list it
is certainly a highlight and a decade
full of hit songs and multi talented
artists listen my baby here number seven
Heartbreak Hotel Elvis Presley
very cool only very bad voice the look
the moves Elvis Presley had it all back
in the mid 50s and it was this song that
caused parents and their children to
shake their head for completely
different reasons
inspired by a news report of a suicide
note reading I walk a lonely Street
Heartbreak Hotel eventually inspired a
young George Harrison to audition for
The Beatles and left a lasting imprint
on another young boy that would
eventually front Led Zeppelin
beautiful only you could die
Elvis’s first major hit spent seven
weeks at number one on the top 100 and
less than a year later all shook up held
the top spot for eight
Green
number six all I have to do is dream the
Everly Brothers game changer
who doesn’t love this song well
according to the Billboard charts of
1958 nobody as all I have to do is dream
reach number one across the board even
on the country charts for crying out
loud
anytime night or day with golden boy
looks and angelic voices the Everly
Brothers produced one of the most
acclaimed pop singles of all time which
Stephen Colbert and Elvis Costello once
performed live on a 2010 episode of The
Colbert Report written by Felice and
boot lo Bryant all I have to do his
dream came one year after another
chart-topping collaboration in wake up
little Suzy
number five that’ll be the day the
crickets Oh that’ll be the day inspired
by the John Wayne film The Searchers
Buddy Holly and his band collectively
wrote a love song about a man cynical
take on his girls threats
however due to the lead singers existing
record contract the crickets were
ultimately given the performing credit
for the next year and a half
Buddy Holly emerged as a transformative
rock star until the 1959 plane crash
that took his life
but his legacy indoors as that’ll be the
day became the first recording of four
lovable lads from Liverpool known as the
quarry man otherwise known as the
Beatles the day I see such a number for
Jailhouse Rock Elvis Presley gone
through a party in the county jail the
prison band was there they began to wait
for the king of rocks third feature film
the songwriting duo of Leiber and
Stoller penned a comedic two-and-a-half
minute number that became a definitive
Elvis hit all rim shot you want purple
okay everybody
in fact America was so overwhelmed by
presidents dynamic performance that most
didn’t recognize the overt homoerotic
lyrics of Jailhouse Rock shift and Henry
Santa bugs for heaven’s sake the ones
milking mountains has to make a break
Bobby tarnish in 10 he said next Nick
I’m gonna stick around a while again my
kid
whatever the case it became an iconic
production in the history of rock and
roll and was quite the feather in the
cap of Elvis to discuss with his fellow
soldiers over the next two years in the
US Army Band number 3 tequila the champs
it’s been proven that Americans will
completely lose their minds anytime a
rock song references alcohol and in 1958
this track made a nation of rebels
without a cause to get down to a sexy
mambo beat
you don’t hear many people talking about
the musical history of the Champs today
but their song has long been a staple of
American pop culture and dive-bar
jukeboxes tequila is essential for any
party playlist and way back when it was
not only topping the pop chart but the
R&B charts as well this one’s called
rock around the clock bill hayley23
macaca
number 2 rock around the clock Bill
Haley & his comets in a time when
America was on the verge of a cultural
revolution this song infused an unknown
groove into the bodies of millions
Hey it was 1954 and when rock around the
clock hit the radio teenagers weren’t
exactly hip to shakin their hips and you
damn well know their parents weren’t
either
as one of the most well known rock and
roll songs ever recorded rock around the
clock paved the way for a crazy new
brand of music while it was the
italian-american sunny day that first
recorded the song Bill Haley & his
comets introduced it to a larger
audience that was undoubtedly ready to
rock
this is where we normally have honorable
mentions but there aren’t any this time
around so on to our top pick number one
hound dog Elvis Presley in the early 50s
a couple of teenage songwriters made a
blues singer by the name of Willie Mae
Big Mama Thornton and while the latter
would never quite reach the same success
again the combo known as Leiber and
Stoller went on to write numerous chart
toppers for the king himself
hound dog is widely recognized as the
song that sparked a rock and roll
revolution as Elvis’s wailing vocals and
classic performances embodied what a
young generation of Americans were
experiencing individual freedom you
ain’t no just as the original recording
was slightly altered for a new audience
generations upon generations would later
alter rock music to reflect their own
reality and it all began with this Elvis
classic
so do you agree with our selections what
is your favorite chart-topping rock song
of the 50s for more mind-blowing top 10s
published every day be sure to subscribe
to watchmojo.com well I feel now man
the birth of cool and the birth of rock
and roll
welcome to watchmojo.com and today we’ll
be counting down our picks for the top
10 Billboard chart topping rock songs of
the 1950s
for this list we focused on rock songs
that reached number one on the Billboard
charts while making a definitive mark on
50s pop culture
what is now known as the Billboard Hot
100 did not exist for the majority of
the 50s so for the purposes of this list
we’re only considering those rock songs
that topped either the top 100 the
bestsellers in stores or after August
1958 the Hot 100 that was song like
great balls of fire is one of the
best-selling singles of all time it only
topped the country chart in the US and
therefore it will not be making our list
the gracious great balls of fire
number ten at the hop Danny and the
junior managing to stop and a mist
rolling at the hop it’s a rock and roll
doo-wop classic and our number 10 pick
the song describes the dance scene
popular with the teenagers of the 1950’s
and thanks to its fast tempo and bouncy
melody the single no doubt took the
music industry by storm
hitting number 1 on the top 100 as well
as the R&B bestsellers list at the hop
prove that Danny and the juniors had an
enormous crossover hit on their hands
number nine sleepwalk Santo and Johnny a
rare instrumental hit on the Billboard
Hot 100 this 1959 track was written by
brother Santo & Johnny’s Farina after
waking up one night at 2:00 in the
morning featuring some killer slide
guitar and a bass line that is as dreamy
as dreams themselves sleepwalk is an
early precursor to the surf rock genre
as well as a timeless classic that just
never gets old
covered by artists old and new there’s
no denying the influence that sleepwalk
has had on the rock genre as well as the
influence that Santo and Johnny has had
on the music industry and your luck will
hold around on ground in your hearts to
song number eight round and round Perry
Como
a song that you just can’t help but tap
your feet to Perry Como created a pop
inspired phenomenon when he released
this classic track in 1957
written by songwriters Joe Shapiro and
loose Stallman round and round proved to
be comas last billboard number one song
but it was certainly one of his best
while it only lasted a week at number
one on the bestsellers in stores list it
is certainly a highlight and a decade
full of hit songs and multi talented
artists listen my baby here number seven
Heartbreak Hotel Elvis Presley
very cool only very bad voice the look
the moves Elvis Presley had it all back
in the mid 50s and it was this song that
caused parents and their children to
shake their head for completely
different reasons
inspired by a news report of a suicide
note reading I walk a lonely Street
Heartbreak Hotel eventually inspired a
young George Harrison to audition for
The Beatles and left a lasting imprint
on another young boy that would
eventually front Led Zeppelin
beautiful only you could die
Elvis’s first major hit spent seven
weeks at number one on the top 100 and
less than a year later all shook up held
the top spot for eight
Green
number six all I have to do is dream the
Everly Brothers game changer
who doesn’t love this song well
according to the Billboard charts of
1958 nobody as all I have to do is dream
reach number one across the board even
on the country charts for crying out
loud
anytime night or day with golden boy
looks and angelic voices the Everly
Brothers produced one of the most
acclaimed pop singles of all time which
Stephen Colbert and Elvis Costello once
performed live on a 2010 episode of The
Colbert Report written by Felice and
boot lo Bryant all I have to do his
dream came one year after another
chart-topping collaboration in wake up
little Suzy
number five that’ll be the day the
crickets Oh that’ll be the day inspired
by the John Wayne film The Searchers
Buddy Holly and his band collectively
wrote a love song about a man cynical
take on his girls threats
however due to the lead singers existing
record contract the crickets were
ultimately given the performing credit
for the next year and a half
Buddy Holly emerged as a transformative
rock star until the 1959 plane crash
that took his life
but his legacy indoors as that’ll be the
day became the first recording of four
lovable lads from Liverpool known as the
quarry man otherwise known as the
Beatles the day I see such a number for
Jailhouse Rock Elvis Presley gone
through a party in the county jail the
prison band was there they began to wait
for the king of rocks third feature film
the songwriting duo of Leiber and
Stoller penned a comedic two-and-a-half
minute number that became a definitive
Elvis hit all rim shot you want purple
okay everybody
in fact America was so overwhelmed by
presidents dynamic performance that most
didn’t recognize the overt homoerotic
lyrics of Jailhouse Rock shift and Henry
Santa bugs for heaven’s sake the ones
milking mountains has to make a break
Bobby tarnish in 10 he said next Nick
I’m gonna stick around a while again my
kid
whatever the case it became an iconic
production in the history of rock and
roll and was quite the feather in the
cap of Elvis to discuss with his fellow
soldiers over the next two years in the
US Army Band number 3 tequila the champs
it’s been proven that Americans will
completely lose their minds anytime a
rock song references alcohol and in 1958
this track made a nation of rebels
without a cause to get down to a sexy
mambo beat
you don’t hear many people talking about
the musical history of the Champs today
but their song has long been a staple of
American pop culture and dive-bar
jukeboxes tequila is essential for any
party playlist and way back when it was
not only topping the pop chart but the
R&B charts as well this one’s called
rock around the clock bill hayley23
macaca
number 2 rock around the clock Bill
Haley & his comets in a time when
America was on the verge of a cultural
revolution this song infused an unknown
groove into the bodies of millions
Hey it was 1954 and when rock around the
clock hit the radio teenagers weren’t
exactly hip to shakin their hips and you
damn well know their parents weren’t
either
as one of the most well known rock and
roll songs ever recorded rock around the
clock paved the way for a crazy new
brand of music while it was the
italian-american sunny day that first
recorded the song Bill Haley & his
comets introduced it to a larger
audience that was undoubtedly ready to
rock
this is where we normally have honorable
mentions but there aren’t any this time
around so on to our top pick number one
hound dog Elvis Presley in the early 50s
a couple of teenage songwriters made a
blues singer by the name of Willie Mae
Big Mama Thornton and while the latter
would never quite reach the same success
again the combo known as Leiber and
Stoller went on to write numerous chart
toppers for the king himself
hound dog is widely recognized as the
song that sparked a rock and roll
revolution as Elvis’s wailing vocals and
classic performances embodied what a
young generation of Americans were
experiencing individual freedom you
ain’t no just as the original recording
was slightly altered for a new audience
generations upon generations would later
alter rock music to reflect their own
reality and it all began with this Elvis
classic
so do you agree with our selections what
is your favorite chart-topping rock song
of the 50s for more mind-blowing top 10s
published every day be sure to subscribe
to watchmojo.com well I feel now man
Please follow and like us: