๐ถ
1950s Music Trivia
Discover mind-blowing 1950s music facts that will shock every rock and roll fan! From Elvis's first single to the birth of doo-wop and the legendary payola scandal - prepare to be amazed by the decade that changed music forever.
Filter by Difficulty
Questions (150 of 150)
๐ดhard
Which Lubbock, Texas recording studio is where Buddy Holly recorded many of his early demos?
๐ขeasy
What style of vocal harmony music, featuring groups like The Platters, became hugely popular in the 1950s?
๐ขeasy
Which Johnny Cash song released in 1956 became his first number one country hit?
๐ขeasy
What Bill Haley & His Comets song is widely considered one of the first rock and roll hits?
๐ขeasy
What Chuck Berry hit, released in 1958, became one of rock and roll's most iconic guitar anthems?
๐กmedium
What guitar brand did Buddy Holly famously play, helping make it an icon of rock and roll?
๐ดhard
What was the original name of The Quarrymen, the Liverpool skiffle group that would eventually become The Beatles?
๐ขeasy
What genre blending country and rock became popular in the 1950s, pioneered by artists like Carl Perkins?
๐ขeasy
What Elvis Presley hit topped the charts in 1956 and shares its name with a dog breed?
๐กmedium
What song did Little Richard release in 1955 that opened with the famous nonsense syllables 'A-wop-bop-a-loo-bop'?
๐ขeasy
Which sibling duo had a huge hit with 'Bye Bye Love' in 1957?
๐ขeasy
What Bo Diddley song, released in 1955, introduced a beat that became one of rock's most copied rhythms?
๐ขeasy
Which record label, founded by Sam Phillips in Memphis, launched Elvis Presley's career?
๐ขeasy
What was the name of the famous music venue in Nashville that hosted the Grand Ole Opry during the 1950s?
๐ดhard
Which song did Elvis Presley record as the B-side of 'That's All Right' at Sun Studio in 1954?
๐กmedium
What label did Ray Charles record for when he released 'I Got a Woman' in 1954?
๐ขeasy
What famous Cleveland disc jockey is credited with popularizing the term 'rock and roll'?
๐ดhard
What was the name of the Decca Records producer who recorded Bill Haley's 'Rock Around the Clock' in 1954?
๐ดhard
Which Leiber and Stoller song for The Coasters in 1959 satirized an incompetent detective?
๐กmedium
What nickname was given to the group of early Sun Records artists including Elvis, Jerry Lee Lewis, Johnny Cash, and Carl Perkins?
๐กmedium
Which songwriter duo wrote 'Hound Dog,' 'Jailhouse Rock,' and 'Stand By Me' among many other 1950s hits?
๐ขeasy
What was the Everly Brothers' biggest hit of 1957, reaching number one on both pop and country charts?
๐ขeasy
Which 1950s rock and roll pioneer was nicknamed 'The Killer'?
๐กmedium
Which gospel-turned-pop singer released 'You Send Me' on Keen Records in 1957?
๐กmedium
Which producer is credited with developing the Wall of Sound technique in the late 1950s?
๐กmedium
What was the name of the influential blues artist who recorded 'Mannish Boy' for Chess Records in 1955?
๐ดhard
Which 1956 Screamin' Jay Hawkins performance prop became his trademark on stage?
๐กmedium
What Fats Domino hit was actually recorded in 1949 but became a crossover smash when re-released in the mid-1950s?
๐ขeasy
What Fats Domino song became one of the best-selling singles of the 1950s with over 5 million copies sold?
๐ขeasy
What Patsy Cline song released in 1957 became her breakthrough country hit?
๐ดhard
How many copies did Elvis Presley's 'Hound Dog' / 'Don't Be Cruel' double A-side sell in 1956?
๐กmedium
In what year did Buddy Holly and the Crickets release 'That'll Be the Day'?
๐ดhard
What was the name of the venue in Mason City, Iowa where Buddy Holly played his last concert on February 2, 1959?
๐ดhard
Which Willie Dixon song, recorded by Muddy Waters in 1957, became a blues standard covered by countless rock bands?
๐ดhard
What was the highest chart position reached by Buddy Holly's 'Peggy Sue' on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1957?
๐ดhard
Which 1958 Coasters song featured a spoken-word comedic bridge about 'Why is everybody always picking on me'?
๐ขeasy
What Elvis Presley ballad released in 1956 shares its name with a term of affection?
๐ขeasy
What Buddy Holly song contains the lyric 'All of my love, all of my kissing' and was released in 1957?
๐กmedium
What was the name of Elvis Presley's manager who guided his career throughout the 1950s?
๐กmedium
How old was Ritchie Valens when he died in the 1959 plane crash?
๐กmedium
Which 1957 Little Richard song features the lyric 'She's got everything that Uncle John needs'?
๐ขeasy
What 1957 Elvis Presley song includes the lyric 'You ain't never caught a rabbit' and became a signature concert closer?
๐ดhard
What instrument did session musician King Curtis play on many Atlantic Records hits in the late 1950s?
๐ดhard
Which 1957 Buddy Knox song was the first record on the Roulette label to reach number one?
๐กmedium
What country did Elvis Presley serve in during his military service from 1958 to 1960?
๐กmedium
Which Elvis Presley song was his first number one hit on the Billboard pop chart in 1956?
๐ขeasy
What Buddy Holly and the Crickets song became a number one hit in the United States in 1957?
๐ดhard
Which 1958 Kingston Trio folk song became the first folk hit to reach number one, foreshadowing the folk revival?
๐ดhard
Which obscure doo-wop group recorded 'In the Still of the Night' in 1956, later featured in the film 'Dirty Dancing'?
๐ดhard
Which 1958 novelty hit by David Seville featured sped-up vocals and spawned a cartoon franchise?
๐ขeasy
What 1950s TV show hosted by Dick Clark became the premier showcase for popular music acts?
๐กmedium
What 1958 instrumental hit by The Champs features a mariachi-influenced melody and a shouted title?
๐กmedium
Which Link Wray instrumental from 1958 is often cited as the first song to use power chords and distortion?
๐ขeasy
Which Carl Perkins song, later covered by Elvis, is considered one of the first rockabilly classics?
๐ขeasy
What dance craze, popularized by Chubby Checker, swept America in the late 1950s and early 1960s?
๐กmedium
What was the name of Elvis Presley's home in Memphis that he purchased in 1957?
๐ดhard
Which guitar amplifier brand did Buddy Holly use that helped define the early rock and roll sound?
๐กmedium
What was the Big Bopper's real name, the artist who died alongside Buddy Holly in 1959?
๐กmedium
Which 1950s scandal involved record companies paying disc jockeys to play certain songs on the radio?
๐กmedium
In what city did Sun Records operate, launching the careers of Elvis, Johnny Cash, and Jerry Lee Lewis?
๐ขeasy
What was the name of Buddy Holly's backing band?
๐ขeasy
Which television show gave Elvis Presley massive national exposure in 1956, drawing 60 million viewers?
๐ดhard
What was Elvis Presley's army serial number during his military service from 1958 to 1960?
๐ขeasy
Which Coasters song released in 1958 humorously describes a student avoiding schoolwork?
๐ดhard
What was the original working title of Little Richard's 'Tutti Frutti' before producer Bumps Blackwell cleaned up the lyrics?
๐ดhard
What was the name of the television show on which Carl Perkins was scheduled to appear when his car accident occurred in 1956?
๐กmedium
Which legendary guitarist played on many of Chuck Berry's Chess Records sessions in the 1950s?
๐กmedium
In what year did Elvis Presley record 'That's All Right' at Sun Studio in Memphis?
๐ขeasy
Which music format, played at 45 revolutions per minute, became the standard for singles in the 1950s?
๐ดhard
What was the name of Bo Diddley's signature rectangular-shaped custom electric guitar?
๐กmedium
What Philadelphia TV station originally aired American Bandstand as a local show before it went national?
๐ดhard
How many Sun Records singles did Elvis Presley release before moving to RCA Victor?
๐กmedium
Which instrumental guitar piece by Santo and Johnny topped the charts for two weeks in 1959?
๐กmedium
Which Eddie Cochran song released in 1958 captured teenage frustration and became a rock anthem?
๐กmedium
What Jackie Wilson song released in 1957 was written by Berry Gordy Jr. before he founded Motown?
๐ดhard
What was the name of Bill Haley's band before they became the Comets?
๐ขeasy
What type of guitar did Chuck Berry famously play while doing his signature duck walk?
๐กmedium
Which 1959 hit by The Fleetwoods features a dreamy vocal arrangement and the repeated lyric 'Come softly darling'?
๐ขeasy
What was Elvis Presley's first commercially released single in 1954?
๐ดhard
What was the name of the Memphis DJ who first played Elvis Presley's 'That's All Right' on the radio in 1954?
๐ดhard
How many weeks did Elvis Presley's 'Don't Be Cruel' stay at number one on the Billboard pop chart in 1956?
๐กmedium
What record label signed the Everly Brothers and released their biggest 1950s hits?
๐ขeasy
What Ritchie Valens hit, sung partly in Spanish, became a massive crossover hit in 1958?
๐กmedium
What was the name of Scotty Moore's role in Elvis Presley's original trio at Sun Records?
๐ดhard
How much did RCA Victor pay Sun Records to acquire Elvis Presley's contract in 1955?
๐ดhard
Which 1957 Jerry Lee Lewis single was recorded in a single take at Sun Studio?
๐ดhard
What was the exact date of the plane crash that killed Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and The Big Bopper?
๐กmedium
Which 1959 Frankie Avalon ballad about a celestial body reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100?
๐ขeasy
What tragic event on February 3, 1959 killed Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and The Big Bopper?
๐กmedium
Which Larry Williams song from 1957 was later covered by The Beatles on their early albums?
๐กmedium
What Johnny Ace song became a posthumous hit after the singer's death on Christmas Day 1954?
๐ดhard
Which 1956 Cleftones doo-wop hit about romantic affection was later featured in the soundtrack of the film 'Goodfellas'?
๐กmedium
What was Ritchie Valens' real full name before he shortened it for his stage career?
๐ดhard
Which songwriter penned 'Great Balls of Fire' for Jerry Lee Lewis in 1957?
๐ดhard
Which Flamingos recording from 1959 is considered one of the greatest doo-wop performances ever recorded?
๐ดhard
What year was the Grammy Awards ceremony first held, recognizing recordings from the late 1950s?
๐กmedium
What was the name of the plane that crashed on February 3, 1959, killing Buddy Holly?
๐กmedium
What was the name of the bass player in Elvis Presley's original Sun Records trio alongside Scotty Moore?
๐ดhard
What was the name of the pilot who flew the plane that crashed on February 3, 1959, killing Buddy Holly?
๐ดhard
What was the catalog number of Elvis Presley's first Sun Records single 'That's All Right'?
๐ขeasy
What Drifters song released in 1959 features a lush orchestral arrangement and became a doo-wop classic?
๐ดhard
Which 1958 hit by The Monotones features the repeated lyric 'Who wrote the book of love'?
๐ขeasy
Which country is the birthplace of the skiffle craze that influenced 1950s British rock music?
๐กmedium
Which 1950s vocal group recorded 'Sh-Boom' in 1954, one of the first doo-wop songs to cross over to pop?
๐กmedium
Which influential Chicago record label released songs by Chuck Berry and Muddy Waters in the 1950s?
๐กmedium
Which 1959 Bobby Darin song won the Grammy for Record of the Year in 1960?
๐ขeasy
Which city is most closely associated with the birth of rock and roll in the 1950s?
๐ขeasy
Which 1955 movie featured 'Rock Around the Clock' in its opening credits, helping popularize rock and roll?
๐ขeasy
Which 1950s artist was known as 'The Father of Rock and Roll' for hits like 'Maybellene'?
๐ขeasy
Which instrument did Jerry Lee Lewis famously play while performing 'Great Balls of Fire'?
๐ดhard
Which 1954 vocal group hit by The Spaniels is considered one of the earliest doo-wop ballads?
๐ดhard
Which New Orleans studio, run by Cosimo Matassa, recorded hits by Fats Domino and Little Richard?
๐ดhard
What record label did Little Richard record his biggest 1950s hits for, including 'Tutti Frutti' and 'Long Tall Sally'?
๐ขeasy
Which Elvis Presley film, released in 1957, featured the hit title song and a famous dance sequence?
๐ขeasy
Which Buddy Holly song, released in 1957, featured the famous opening hiccup vocal style?
๐ดhard
Which 1955 Tennessee Ernie Ford song about coal mining stayed at number one for eight weeks?
๐กmedium
Which Drifters singer's solo career took off in 1959 with 'There Goes My Baby'?
๐ดhard
What was the name of the Alan Freed concert at the Brooklyn Paramount that drew over 15,000 fans in 1957?
๐ดhard
What was the original recording speed of the first 'Rock Around the Clock' single by Bill Haley in 1954?
๐ขeasy
Which 1958 novelty song about a flying purple creature became a surprise number one hit?
๐ขeasy
What Gene Vincent song released in 1956 became a rock and roll classic with its driving beat?
๐กmedium
Which 1950s instrumental by Duane Eddy pioneered the 'twangy guitar' sound and reached the top ten in 1958?
๐กmedium
Which 1959 Wilbert Harrison song about a Missouri city became a number one rhythm and blues hit?
๐ขeasy
Which female vocal group had a hit with 'Mr. Sandman' in 1954?
๐ขeasy
What nickname was given to February 3, 1959, the day three rock stars died in a plane crash?
๐กmedium
What was the Billboard chart position of 'Rock Around the Clock' by Bill Haley & His Comets in 1955?
๐ดhard
What was the address of Sun Studio in Memphis where Elvis made his first recordings?
๐ดhard
Which 1956 Gene Vincent recording session at Capitol Records in Nashville produced 'Be-Bop-a-Lula' as a B-side?
๐กmedium
Which female blues singer originally recorded 'Hound Dog' in 1953 before Elvis Presley made it famous?
๐ขeasy
Who was nicknamed the 'King of Rock and Roll' after exploding onto the music scene in the 1950s?
๐ดhard
What was the name of the session at Sun Studio on December 4, 1956, where Elvis, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Carl Perkins jammed together?
๐ดhard
How old was Frankie Lymon when 'Why Do Fools Fall in Love' hit number one in 1956?
๐กmedium
What Connie Francis hit became her first number one single in 1958?
๐กmedium
Which 1959 Lloyd Price song about a gambling man reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100?
๐ขeasy
Which Ray Charles song, released in 1959, helped pioneer the soul music genre?
๐ขeasy
Which vocal group sang 'Earth Angel,' one of the defining doo-wop songs of the 1950s?
๐ขeasy
Which New Orleans pianist had a string of 1950s hits including 'Ain't That a Shame'?
๐ดhard
What Harlem venue hosted Alan Freed's rock and roll shows and was famous for its Apollo Amateur Night?
๐กmedium
What type of music venue, featuring a coin-operated record player, was the most common place teenagers heard music in the 1950s?
๐ขeasy
Which Platters song reached number one in 1955 and became one of the most covered songs of the decade?
๐ดhard
Which 1955 Chuck Berry song was inspired by a country song called 'Ida Red' and became his first hit?
๐ดhard
Which guitarist released the instrumental 'Rumble' in 1958, the only instrumental ever banned from radio for being too menacing?
๐ขeasy
What Sam Cooke song released in 1957 crossed over from gospel to become a pop hit?
๐กmedium
Which crooner had the best-selling single of 1956 with 'Memories Are Made of This'?
๐ขeasy
Which Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers song became a hit in 1956 when Lymon was just 13 years old?
๐กmedium
Which Everly Brothers hit released in 1958 spent five weeks at number one on the pop chart?
๐กmedium
What Platters ballad reached number one in 1958 and was originally a 1933 Jerome Kern standard?
๐ดhard
Which 1956 Screamin' Jay Hawkins song was so theatrical it was banned by many radio stations?
๐ดhard
What was the original name of The Drifters before Clyde McPhatter formed them in 1953?
๐ขeasy
Which 1950s singer was known for his wild piano playing and hits like 'Tutti Frutti'?
0%
0/0
๐Click here to share your score
Explore More Trivia
Find other topics and categories to test your knowledge