Top 10 Billboard Chart Topping Rock Songs of the 50s

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 50s. For this list, we focused on pop songs that reached #1 on the Billboard charts while making a definitive mark on '50s pop culture. What is now known as the Billboard Hot 100 did not yet exist for the majority of the 1950s. So, for the purposes of this list, we're only considering those rock songs that topped either the Top 100, the Best Sellers in Stores or - after August 1958 - the Hot 100. Though a song like “Great Balls of Fire” is one of the best-selling singles of all-time, it only topped the Country chart in the U.S and therefore it will not be making our list. #10: “At the Hop” (1957) Danny & the Juniors It’s a rock ‘n’ roll doo-wop classic and our number 10 pick! The song describes the dance scene popular with the teenagers of the '50s, and thanks to its fast tempo and bouncy melody, the single no doubt took the music industry by storm. Hitting number one on the Top 100 as well as the R&B Best Sellers list, “At the Hop” proved that Danny & the Juniors had an enormous crossover hit on their hands. #9: “Sleep Walk” (1959) Santo & Johnny A rare instrumental hit on the Billboard Hot 100, this 1959 track was written by brothers Santo and Johnny 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, “Sleep Walk” 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 “Sleep Walk” has had on the rock genre as well as the influence that Santo & Johnny has had on the music industry. #8: “Round and Round” (1957) 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 Lou Stallman, “Round and Round” proved to be Como’s last Billboard number one song, but it was certainly one of his best! While it only lasted a week at number one on the Best Sellers in Stores list, it is certainly a highlight in a decade full of hit songs and multi-talented artists! #7: “Heartbreak Hotel” Elvis Presley (1956) The Voice. The Look. The Moves. Elvis Presley had it all back in the mid-fifties, 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. Elvis’ first major hit spent seven weeks at #1 on the Top 100, and less than a year later, “All Shook Up” held the top spot for eight. #6: “All I Have to Do Is Dream” (1958) The Everly Brothers Who DOESN’T love this song? Well, according to the Billboard charts of 1958 – nobody, as “All I Have to Do is Dream” reached #1 across the board, even on the country charts for cryin’ out loud. 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 Boudleaux Bryant, “All I Have to Do is Dream” came one year after another chart-topping collaboration in “Wake Up Little Susie”. #5: “That’ll Be the Day” (1957) The Crickets Inspired by the John Wayne film “The Searchers,” Buddy Holly and his band collectively wrote a love song about a man’s cynical take on his girl’s threats. However, due to the lead singer’s existing recording 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 endures as “That’ll Be The Day” became the first recording of four lovable lads from Liverpool known as “The Quarrymen,” otherwise known as “The Beatles”. #4: “Jailhouse Rock” (1957) Elvis Presley For the King of Rock’s third feature film, the songwriting duo of Leiber & Stoller penned a comedic, two and a half minute number that became a definitive Elvis hit. In fact, America was so overwhelmed by Presley’s dynamic performance, that most didn’t recognize the overt homoerotic lyrics of “Jailhouse Rock.” Whatever the case, it became an iconic production in the history or 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 U.S. Army. #3: “Tequila” (1958) The Champs It’s been proven that Americans will completely lose their mind any time a rock song references alcohol, and in 1958, this track made a nation of rebels without a cause 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 an essential for any party playlist, and way back when it was not only topping the pop chart, but the R&B chart as well. #2: “Rock Around the Clock” (1954) 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 shaking 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 Sonny Dae that first recorded the song, Bill Haley and His Comets introduced it to a larger audience that was undoubtedly ready to rock. This is where we'd normally have honorable mentions, but there aren't any this time around. On to our top pick! #1: “Hound Dog” Elvis Presley (1956) In the early 50s, a couple of teenage songwriters met a blues singer by the name of Willy 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 n roll revolution, as Elvis’ wailing vocals and classic performances embodied what a young generation of Americans were experiencing: individual freedom. 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? 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