SoundsXP Message Boards - Indie, Indiepop, Nu-Folk and Alt-Country Forums

Off the top of my head...

Elvis Presley
obviously did more to popularise Rock & Roll than any one.

Ray Charles
Included for bringing together blues, rhythm & blues, gospel, pop and even country in ways never done before.

Chuck Berry
for songs that provided the template for generations to come

James Brown
ahead of the game, even then

Little Richard
the wildest of them all.

Hank Williams
died in '53, but as much an influence as any rock and roller

Muddy Waters
I prefer Howlin' Wolf, but Muddy was more popular

Link Wray
Rumble was probably the first record to use a deliberately distorted guitar, opening the way for numerous garage bands, punk rock & heavy metal

Buddy Holly
Hugely popular and a big influence on the likes of The Beatles

Sam Cooke
The biggest gospel star of the 50s, whose secular recordings were a huge influence on the likes of Otis Redding and just about every other male soul singer to emerge in the early 60s

I've followed BJ's lead in the 60s strand and only included performing artists, so no Sam Phillips or Leiber/Stoller. Also considered Ike Turner, credited in the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame for the first Rock & Roll record, Rocket 88 (arguable), but also a prolific session player (as well as performer in his own right) and talent spotter who worked for among others Sun Records. Probably should have included at least one rockabilly singer, maybe Charlie Feathers as the influence of rockabilly and country on rock and roll is often forgotten at the expense of the influence of R&B.

_________________
Curmudgeonly Rock 'n' Roll time traveller from ye olden days

2nd verse same as the 1st...

_________________
Definitely isn't inbred...has the GCSEs to prove it!

REVOLUTION PURITY LOVE SUICIDE ACCURACY

http://www.thesoundofconfusion.com

_________________
Curmudgeonly Rock 'n' Roll time traveller from ye olden days

2nd verse same as the 1st...

_________________
Definitely isn't inbred...has the GCSEs to prove it!

REVOLUTION PURITY LOVE SUICIDE ACCURACY

http://www.thesoundofconfusion.com

_________________
Curmudgeonly Rock 'n' Roll time traveller from ye olden days

2nd verse same as the 1st...

_________________
Definitely isn't inbred...has the GCSEs to prove it!

REVOLUTION PURITY LOVE SUICIDE ACCURACY

http://www.thesoundofconfusion.com

_________________
Alas, not actually Gryff Rhys Jones...

"Little Jack Horner sitting on the corner
With no shoes and clothes
This aint funny, but he took his money
And sniffed it up his nose"

_________________
Americana & Alt-Country live music promotion in Sheffield
http://www.wagonwheelmedia.co.uk

_________________
Definitely isn't inbred...has the GCSEs to prove it!

REVOLUTION PURITY LOVE SUICIDE ACCURACY

http://www.thesoundofconfusion.com

_________________
Definitely isn't inbred...has the GCSEs to prove it!

REVOLUTION PURITY LOVE SUICIDE ACCURACY

http://www.thesoundofconfusion.com

NME have just done a top 100 songs of the 50s. It's actually a pretty good list.

http://www.nme.com/list/100-best-songs- ... 50s/262449

There are definitely some omissions but I suppose different people will pick different things. If I had to pick 2 that should be in there, these should both have been top 10.

Teddy Bears - To Know Him Is To Love Him

Not only did it launch Spector's career but it's such a beautiful song and the vocal is utterly amazing.

The Wailers - Dirty Robber

They were the first garage band. Without them the 60s would have sounded different and they started what would later morph into punk.

_________________
Definitely isn't inbred...has the GCSEs to prove it!

REVOLUTION PURITY LOVE SUICIDE ACCURACY

http://www.thesoundofconfusion.com

Perry Como. Huge influence on loads of different bands and an absolute giant in the 50's!!!

_________________
Jarvis Cocker or David Bowie or AVB or Johnny Borrell, she isn't picky

Cavey Cocker, Cup Cake Queen, Saint Thomas.

The NME list is unremarkable (though Rock Around the Clock doesn't belong anywhere but in a list of milquetoast rock'n'roll alongside Pat Boone) and you can tell it's been thrown together by some google monkey who just couldn't really give a shit (and whenever I see Priya Elan's byline I usually avoid his borderline illiterate prose).

Just off the top of my head, I'd add My Funny Valentine by Chet Baker (the lack of jazz suggests the compiler just bothered to google "rock and roll 1950s"), Walking After Midnight by Patsy Cline, Sea Cruise by Frankie Ford, the Big Bopper's Chantilly Lace, Richie Valens' La Bamba, Easy Snappin' by Theophlus Beckford (first ska record) and Huey Piano Smith's Rockin Pneumonia and the Boogie Woogie Flu. And there'd be loads of stuff that is comped on things like Songs The Cramps Taught Us that should go on there too!

_________________
Alas, not actually Gryff Rhys Jones...

"Little Jack Horner sitting on the corner
With no shoes and clothes
This aint funny, but he took his money
And sniffed it up his nose"

It does look a bit like a wikipedia job. Still, most of those are good tunes but it doesn't dig very deep.

_________________
Definitely isn't inbred...has the GCSEs to prove it!

REVOLUTION PURITY LOVE SUICIDE ACCURACY

http://www.thesoundofconfusion.com

_________________
Tall, moustachioed alcoholic - plays firewood with a bow.

_________________
Definitely isn't inbred...has the GCSEs to prove it!

REVOLUTION PURITY LOVE SUICIDE ACCURACY

http://www.thesoundofconfusion.com

_________________
If Ian Curtis had lived, and enjoyed the ale…

- -