Events

• January 1 - RCA victor announces a marketing plan called "Operation TNT." The label drops the list price on LPs from $5.95 to $3.98, EPs from $4.95 to $2.98, 45 EPs from $1.58 to $1.49 and 45's from $1.16 to $.89. Other record labels follow RCA's lead and begin to drop prices as well.
• January 7 - "Rock Around the Clock" by Bill Haley & His Comets first appears on the British charts.
• January 8 - Elvis Presley's third Sun Records single, "Milk Cow Blue Boogie" / "You're a Heartbreaker" released.
• January 14 - In New York City, Alan Freed produces the first rock and roll concert.
• February 19 - Dot Records introduces a new singer, Pat Boone, with an advertisement in Billboard magazine calling him "a great new voice"
• February 26 - For the first time since they were introduced in 1949, 45 rpm discs begin to outsell the old standard 78s
• Kay Starr leaves Capitol to sign with RCA
• The Patti Page Show premieres on NBC
• The Frankie Laine Show premieres on CBS
• March 15 - Colonel Tom Parker becomes Elvis Presley's manager
• March 19 - The film Blackboard Jungle premieres in New York City. The film features Bill Haley & His Comets' "Rock Around the Clock" over the opening credits -- the first use of a rock and roll song in a major film. This event causes a groundswell of sales for the recording and is credited with helping to launch in earnest the Rock and Roll Era.
• March 22 - Decca Records signs DJ Alan Freed as an A&R man.
• March 26 - Bill Hayes tops the US charts for five weeks with The_Ballad_of_Davy_Crockett and starts a (fake) coonskin cap craze.
• April 1 - Elvis Presley's fourth Sun Records single: "Baby Let's Play House" / "I'm Left, You're Right, She's Goen" released.
• April 17 - Imperial Records releases "Ain't That a Shame" by Fats Domino
• May 13 - First riot at an Elvis Presley concert takes place in Jacksonville, FL
• May 14 - Bo Diddley makes his US R&B chart debut with his single "Bo Diddley".
• May 21 - Chuck Berry records his first single, "Maybelline" for Chess Records in Chicago.
• May 22 - Bridgeport, CT authorities cancel a rock concert to be headlined by Fats Domino for fear of a riot breaking out.
• June 4 - "Ain't That a Shame" by Fats Domino beings an 11 week stretch on top of the US R&B charts.
• July 6 - Bo Diddley's second single "Diddley Daddy" makes its US R&B chart debut.
• July 9 - "Rock Around the Clock" becomes the first Rock and roll single to reach Number One on the American charts
• July 23 - Chess Records release debut single by Chuck Berry, "Maybelline". Also that same day Chess releases Muddy Waters's "Mannish Boy"
• August 17 - Elvis Presley's last Sun Records single - "I Forgot to Remember to Forget" / "Mystery Train" - released.
• August 19 - WINS radio station in New York City adopts policy of not playing white cover versions of black R&B songs.
• August 20 - Chuck Berry's "Maybelline" reaches #1 on R&B charts, ending 11 week reign of "Ain't That a Shame" by Fats Domino.
• August 31 - Sidney Turner of London fined for "creating an abominable noise" for blasting "Shake, Rattle, and Roll" at top volume.
• September 3 - Little Richard records "Tutti Frutti" with significantly cleaned up lyrics (originally "Tutti Frutti, good booty" among other things.
• September 26 - "America's Sweethearts," Eddie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds marry.
• October 15 - Elvis Presley plays concert in Lubbock, Texas. Opening act is local duo Buddy and Bob. Buddy was future rock star Buddy Holly.
• November 12 - Billboard magazine DJ poll names Elvis Presley as the most promising new country/western singer.
• November 20 - Bo Diddley makes his debut TV appearance on Ed Sullivan's "Toast Of The Town" show on CBS.
• November 22 - Colonel Tom Parker signs Elvis Presley to RCA Records.
• November 26 - "Sixteen Tons" by Tennessee Ernie Ford tops the Billboard pop charts.
• December 15 - Sun Records releases "Folsom Prison Blues" by Johnny Cash.
• 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.
• Mirella Freni makes her debut as Micaela in Carmen at Modena.
• Eddie Cochran's musical career begins.
• Al Green's musical career begins at the age of nine.
• Clyde McPhatter launches a solo career
• Renato Carosone and Nicola Salerno meet and start their songwriting partnership
• Italian singers Natalino Otto and Flo Sandon's wed.
• The Coasters are formed.

Albums released

Voice of our Choice - Guy Mitchell

Biggest hit singles

The following singles achieved the highest chart positions in the set of charts available for 1955.

#	Artist	Title	Year	Country	Chart Entries
1	Bill Haley & His Comets	Rock Around the Clock	1955		UK 1 - Oct 1955, US BB 1 - May 1955, US BB 1 of 1955, DDD 1 of 1954, POP 1 of 1955, Italy 3 of 1957, Global 4 (20 M sold) - 1954, Europe 5 of the 1950s, Scrobulate 8 of rock & roll, RIAA 12, Germany 17 - Jun 1968, Holland 27 - Jun 1968, 41 in 2FM list, Acclaimed 49, AFI 50, Rolling Stone 158, Party 180 of 1999
2	Tennessee Ernie Ford	Sixteen Tons	1955		UK 1 - Jan 1956, US BB 1 - Nov 1955, Australia 1 for 6 weeks May 1955, RYM 13 of 1955, US BB 20 of 1955, POP 20 of 1955, DDD 49 of 1955, RIAA 83, Acclaimed 276
3	Four Aces	Love is a Many Splendoured Thing	1955		US BB 1 - Aug 1955, Oscar in 1955, UK 2 - Nov 1955, Peel list 2 of 1955, Italy 3 of 1956, US BB 9 of 1955, POP 9 of 1955, RYM 29 of 1955
4	Chuck Berry	Maybellene	1955		RYM 1 of 1955, DDD 2 of 1955, US BB 5 - Aug 1955, US BB 6 of 1955, POP 6 of 1955, Scrobulate 17 of rock & roll, Rolling Stone 18, Acclaimed 99
5	Frank Sinatra	Love & Marriage	1955		US BB 2 of 1955, POP 2 of 1955, UK 3 - Jan 1956, US BB 5 - Nov 1955, Holland 9 - Apr 1991, RYM 16 of 1955, Scrobulate 47 of relaxing, Europe 83 of the 1950s

US No. 1 hit singles

These singles reached the top of US Billboard magazine's charts in 1955.

First week	umber of weeks	itle	rtist
January 22, 1955	2	"Let Me Go, Lover"	Joan Weber
February 5, 1955	1	"Hearts of Stone"	Fontane Sisters
February 12, 1955	6	"Sincerely"	McGuire Sisters
March 26, 1955	5	"The Ballad Of Davy Crockett"	Bill Hayes
April 30, 1955	8	"Unchained Melody"	Les Baxter
July 9, 1955	10	"Rock Around The Clock"	Bill Haley & his Comets
September 3, 1955	5	"Yellow Rose Of Texas"	Mitch Miller
October 8, 1955	1	"Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing"	The Four Aces
October 15, 1955	1	"Yellow Rose Of Texas"	Mitch Miller
October 22, 1955	1	"Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing"	The Four Aces
October 29, 1955	1	"Autumn Leaves"	Roger Williams
November 5, 1955	4	"Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing"	The Four Aces
November 26, 1955	7	"Sixteen Tons"	Tennessee Ernie Ford

Top hits on record