Step back with Vintage Rock as we select the 50 Greatest Albums of the 1950s, a decade that reshaped sound, style, and culture forever…
Words by Michael Stephens

At the hop. The milkshake bar. The coffee shop. Fifties kids weren’t hanging around big radiograms in these places… here the DJ or a jukebox of 45s was king. ‘Long Players’ of the day were by Nat ‘King’ Cole and Frank Sinatra and the pride of parents, so when early rock’n’roll LPs did arrive they were often little more than 12″ compilations of those super-quick 45rpm vinyl thrills. Just with a bigger picture. But they sure served well, as not every young rocker could snap up every essential single (in the UK, they were all too often imports only) and they showed rock’n’roll could compete in a ‘grown-ups’ market.

Without the need to flip a disc every three minutes, here’s Vintage Rock’s 50 greatest LPs of the 50s: mega hits, underground round-ups, unimaginative titles, curious cash-ins and more. It all proved rock’n’roll was here for the long haul…

The 50 Greatest Albums Of The 1950 - Screamin Jay Hawkins

50 At Home With Screamin’ Jay Hawkins – Screamin’  Jay Hawkins (Epic, 1958)

Jalacy Hawkins wasn’t like other rockers. His idol was Paul Robeson, he joined the Army aged 13, and later claimed to have fathered 75 children. The madness started with this voodoo-dunked dish of originals (I Put A Spell On YouYellow Coat) and mystical covers (I Love ParisGive Me My Boots And Saddle). Screamin’ Jay Hawkins’ home is a great place to visit… only the insane would live there.

Odetta

49 Odetta Sings Ballads And Blues – Odetta (Tradition, 1957)

An LP that wasn’t granted a non-US release until much later, this debut nevertheless shows a mercurial talent. Odetta was ‘folk blues’ if anything (inspiring Bob Dylan’s early work), and many of these trad songs came to prominence via her remarkable voice. No leg-quivering or hip-shaking goin’ on, but the likes of Easy Rider and God’s Gonna Cut You Downillustrate the roots of the rockin’ tree.

Roy Brown

48 Battle Of The Blues – Roy Brown And Wynonie Harris (King, 1958)

Early exponents of ‘jump blues’, Brown and Harris were more of a pathway than the final destination, but this collection of early-50s cuts has much to recommend it: Brown’s gospel fire and Harris’s declamations make for a perfect soundtrack to a whiskey-drenched after-hours shindig. Boogie At MidnightGood Rockin’ Tonight and Bloodshot Eyes sum it all up. Sadly, they were ahead of their time.

Howlin wolf

47 Moanin’ In The Moonlight – Howlin’ Wolf (Chess, 1959)

It didn’t get a UK release until 1964 (thus having a massive impact on UK R&Bers The Rolling Stones and The Yardbirds), but The Wolf’s Chess debut compilation still bares its teeth. How Many More YearsSmokestack Lightnin’Evil and I Asked for Water (She Gave Me Gasoline) became essential set texts of Chicago blues – removed from rockabilly, sure, but it was primal 50s music at its most potent.

The 50 Greatest Albums Of The 1950 - Louis Prima

46 The Wildest! – Louis Prima (Capitol, 1956)

Prima’s gumbo of jazz, blues, R&B and gibberish nonsense is at its most lovable here: a veritable hits outing that contained Just a Gigolo/ I Ain’t Got Nobody (And Nobody Cares For Me)Oh MarieJump, Jive An’ WailBuona Sera. and more, all cut live at the Sahara Hotel And Casino in Las Vegas. It’s jazz, in truth, but its bombastic swing was potent for rockers, too, and this sort of funtime set for all ages will never age.

The 50 Greatest Albums Of The 1950 - Cliff Richard

45 Cliff – Cliff Richard (Columbia, 1959)

Brits struggled in the US until the 60s – selling rockin’ coals to Newcastle was like selling cars to Detroit. But home-grown pride made for huge stars in the UK, and Cliff was actually a decent disc. It had “the usual” covers, but backed by the The Drifters (nee The Shadows) in front of a live London crowd, Cliff rocked pretty hard. Livin’ Doll’s frothy pop success at 1959’s end would point in a new direction.

Ronnie Hawkins

44 Ronnie Hawkins – Ronnie Hawkins (Roulette, 1959)

Most rock historians best know ‘The Hawk’ as mentor and collaborator of Robbie Robertson and The Band, but in the last throes of rockabilly the sharp-suited Canadian cut this feisty debut. Hawkins mostly wrote his own songs, and here romps through some rare rockin’ gold, including Mary Lou (“She took my Cadillac car”), My Gal Is Red Hot and a cover of Chuck Berry’s Forty Days.

The 50 Greatest Albums Of The 1950 - Marty Wilde

43 Wilde About Marty – Marty Wilde (Philips, 1959)

Like Cliff, Marty Wilde had enough class to be a credible UK rocker, and wrote some of his own, too. He had a crack studio band here – guitarist Big Jim Sullivan, plus a pre-Shadows Brian “Licorice” Locking on bass and drummer Brian Bennett – giving sturdiness to High School ConfidentialSplish Splash, Arthur Crudup’s So Glad You’re Mine and All American Boy. His own Bad Boy made the US chart in 1960.

The 50 Greatest Albums Of The 1950 - Esquerita

42 Esquerita! – Esquerita (Capitol, 1959)

With his skyscraping pompadour, Eskew Reeder Jr was a template for Little Richard… and possibly wilder. This bold and brassy debut arrived after Richard had stolen a march, however, and similarly girl-themed numbers such as Hey Miss Lucy and I’m Battie Over Hattie put a dent in his piano lid. Original copies are highly collectable, but best-ofs are still must-haves: early rockin’ at its day-glo brightest.

41 I’m Jimmy Reed – Jimmy Reed (Vee-Jay, 1958)

Reed’s soft soulful vocals married to Chicago blues wasn’t rock’n’roll in name, but was nevertheless a huge influence on Elvis, Dion, The Rolling Stones and beyond. His often languid shuffles didn’t always make for dancing music and he didn’t look like a star, but the croon of his You Got Me Crying or the boogieing Ain’t That Lovin’ You Baby could woo both the guys and gals. A key blues/soul/R&B LP.

40 Rock & Roll – Ruth Brown (Atlantic, 1957)

Ruth Brown here completed her move from big-band chanteuse to innuendo-happy rock’n’roller with ease, cementing her standing in the sisterhood of sassy female bad-asses. Daddy DaddyWild Wild Young Men and (Mama) He Treats Your Daughter Mean were bawdy and brazen, and good reasons why Atlantic was known as ‘the house that Ruth built’. She famously toured until she was 78: here’s a crucial introduction to her indefatigable spirit.

The Clyde McPhatter Story

39 Clyde McPhatter & The Drifters – Clyde McPhatter & The Drifters (Atlantic, 1956)

This compilation LP appeared a year after Clyde McPhatter had left the group he founded: the general public was still playing catch-up! But for fans who weren’t around to buy the singles assembled here when they first came out, this is awesome. From rocker Money Honey to ballad Warm Your Heart and jump blues What’cha Gonna Do? it was the perfect primer for McPhatter’s solo career.

Coasters album

38 The Coasters – The Coasters (ATCO, 1957)

More of a marketing concept than a musical one, this LP compiles over four years of songs and two distinct line-ups (some tracks were originally released as by The Robins). But The Coasters’ early brand of R&B/rock’n’roll is irresistible, and testimony to producers Leiber And Stoller’s vision: Searchin’Riot In Cell Block #9 and Turtle Dovin’ are stitches in the very fabric of adolescent rock’n’roll.

The 50 Greatest Albums Of The 1950 - rock and roll forever

37 Rock & Roll Forever – Various Artists (Atlantic, 1956)

An early multi-artist primer from Atlantic, this 14-tracker included Joe Turner, LaVern Baker, The Clovers and T-Bone Walker alongside bigger stars such as Ray Charles, Ruth Brown and Clyde McPhatter. More for the casual fan, really, but a landmark given that the likes of Go, Johnny, Go! and High School Confidential(movies) didn’t get soundtrack releases. They could have called it ‘Now That’s What I Call Rock’n’Roll: Volume 1’.

Dedicated To You - The “5” Royales

36 Dedicated To You – The “5” Royales (King, 1957)

Something of a ‘lost’ LP of the 50s, Dedicated To You saw the North Carolina doo-wop/R&B quintet on fire, with Lowman Pauling giving Ike Turner a run for his money on sizzling guitar. Straight-up rockers (Messin’ Up) mix with more gospel-y excursions (Someone Made You For Me) in a heady brew. Sadly, they won more favour with other musicians (Eric Clapton, Steve Cropper) than the record-buying public in these later days.

The 50 Greatest Albums Of The 1950 - midnighters

35 Their Greatest Hits – The Midnighters (Federal, 1956)

Hank Ballard was already being billed as primarily a solo star by the time his band’s early hits were collected on this compilation, but that didn’t diminish the LP’s impact. Annie’s Aunt FannieAnnie Had A Baby and Work With Me, Annie– banned by radio – are all included, providing a crucial link between R&B and rock’n’roll. As is The Twist, which Chubby Checker took to global prominence.

Elvis Christmas Album

34 Elvis’ Christmas Album – Elvis Presley (RCA, 1957)

Split between rockers and bluesy numbers like Santa Claus Is Back In TownBlue Christmas, perennials White Christmas and Silent Night and straight-ahead gospel favourites such as I Believe and Take My Hand, Precious Lord, this was actually a bold move. It’s since spawned a whole genre, of course (for better or for worse), but it’s a yule platter that can still sound fresh in summer. He’d won over everyone by now.

33 Please, Please, Please – James Brown And The Famous Flames (King, 1958)

It was 1964 before this JB LP got a UK release, but even then his raw, impassioned R&B sounded explosive. Essentially a compilation of early 45s (not all hits), it wasn’t total genius, but for its range and scope – from the begging soul of the title cut to the rock’n’roll of Chonnie-On-Chon – it was the sound of dy-na-miiite being primed. The next decade would see Brown crowned Soul Brother #1.

Bo Diddley

32 Bo Diddley – Bo Diddley (Chess, 1958)

If there was criticism from oldsters that rock’n’roll all sounded the same, Bo Diddley was reliably on hand to say: “Yes, it does. Great!” This debut LP hoovered up eight of his first nine singles – all to the irresistible big Bo beat – in a slavish devotion to primal blues and rockin’, instantly making him one of the true innovators of rock. Its basic message? “Rockin’ is great. Bo is great”. It’s just infectiously great.

The 50 Greatest Albums Of The 1950 - Ray_Charles_-_same_(front)

31 Ray Charles – Ray Charles (Atlantic, 1957)

One of Atlantic’s earliest LPs, Ray Charles (later retitled Hallelujah I Love Her So, with better mastering) is a genuine classic. Weighted in favour of the singer’s own compositions, it compiles previous hits but this single 14-track dose proves just how masterful Charles was. With legend Jerry Wexler guiding his rich, orchestral sound, Ray was streets ahead of many other bangers and howlers of the era. More than just rock.

The 50 Greatest Albums Of The 1950 - Johnny Cash blue guitar

30 Johnny Cash With His Hot And Blue Guitar! – Johnny Cash (Sun, 1957) 

A legendary release in the Memphis Sun canon, this debut already boasted four hits (I Walk the LineCry! Cry! Cry!So Doggone Lonesome and Folsom Prison Blues) on release, but other tracks (Rock Island LineWreck Of The Old ’97) chug satisfyingly with Johnny Cash and The Tennessee Three’s hillbilly/proto-rockabilly sound. Near perfect and the start of an astounding cross-genre career.

29 Rock With Bill Haley And The Comets – Bill Haley And His Comets (Essex, 1954) 

This compilation of ’52-’53 sides was notable as the first r’n’r LP: it wasn’t released in the UK until 1962, on Pye, as Rock The Joint. As all tracks are previous to Rock Around The Clock, it’s not a ‘hits collection’ as such, but boasts crucial recordings of rock’n’roll’s infancy, Haley-style: Live It Up!Fractured and Crazy Man, Crazy were the only tracks to even chart in the US.

The 50 Greatest Albums Of The 1950 - Fats Domino 1

28 Rock And Rollin’ With Fats Domino – Fats Domino (Imperial, 1956)

Like fellow Nawlins legend Louis Armstrong, Fats Domino added some fun zip to the blues and R&B that lay at the beginning of rock. Of these 1949-’55 cuts, All By Myself and Ain’t It A Shame were previous hits: Tired Of Crying and Bo Weevil kept up the momentum. It all made for an irresistible long-playing introduction.

27 Shout! – The Isley Brothers (RCA Victor, 1959)

Almost like two mini-albums back-to-back, Shout! opened with reworked spirituals of the bros’ gospel roots (When The Saints Go Marching In and WC Handy’s St. Louis Blues) before Side Two flourished with a selection of their own songs (the title track and Respectable standing out). More soul than r’n’r, but the effervescent stompers made a huge impact nevertheless: The nascent Beatles were fans, and Lulu took Shout! popwards in the 1960s.

26 Oh! Suzy-Q – Dale Hawkins (Chess, 1958)

Chess was strictly black not white until the arrival of Bobby Charles’ See You Later Alligator (1956) and this cracker by the wiry Dale (cousin of Ronnie) Hawkins. Notable for introducing future Elvis guitar-slinger James Burton, it also boasts cameos from Scotty Moore and DJ Fontana. But it’s the songs – the title cut, Don’t Treat Me This Way and the goofy See You Soon Baboon – that make for a classic.

Frankie Lymon and the teenagers

25 The Teenagers Featuring Frankie Lymon – The Teenagers (Gee, 1956)

The first LP on Gee Records was one of the longest of the day and was a work of sure-fire quality. It led with big hits such as Why Do Fools Fall In Love? and I Want You To Be My Girl, but also had a rich seam of tracks that wooed a young audience seeking to understand the mysteries of love. It was all cut within nine months and remained in print for years, itself a rarity.

24 The Genius Of Ray Charles Ray Charles (Atlantic, 1959) 

Unbelievably his seventh LP release since 1957, this saw Ray break out from R&B: the first half is big-band songs, and the second side is strings-backed ballads. Each side contains a Louis Jordan tribute (Let The Good Times Roll and Don’t Let The Sun Catch You Cryin’), plus there’s the poignant Am I Blue? and Come Rain Or Come Shine. It’s not really rockin’, but Charles’ voice sounds superb throughout.

23 A Date With Elvis – Elvis Presley (RCA, 1959) 

In the confusing world of early rock’n’roll LPs, ADWE was another confusion. It boasted a photo of him in uniform as Private Presley but went back into the Sun vault, when he was simply the Memphis Flash. It’s essentially ‘The Best Of The Sun Years: Distilled’, but with cuts like Good Rockin’ TonightMilkcow Blues BoogieBaby Let’s Play House et al, he’s rarely been compiled in such thrilling fashion.

singin to my baby

22 Singin’ To My Baby – Eddie Cochran (Liberty, 1957) 

An odd one: while Eddie Cochran became famous for proto-punkabilly romps, STMB is more genteel – crooning Elvis-style ballads and pop, and it’s mostly covers. But it does boast the raw rocker Completely Sweet, plus Sittin’ In The Balcony and Cradle Baby, doo-wop poppers where his guitar skills shine. As long as you don’t expect the glorious raw raggedness of Jeannie, Jeannie, Jeannie, Summertime Blues, C’mon Everybody or Somethin’ Else, Eddie’s only completed LP offers rewards.

The 50 Greatest Albums Of The 1950 - sam cooke 1958

21 Sam Cooke – Sam Cooke (Keen, 1958)

Released as Songs By Sam Cooke in his native US (on the Keen label), this opens with You Send Me and also includes Summertime, though many hits didn’t appear on LPs. With backing from the Bumps Blackwell Orchestra throughout, this collection still represents the best of early Sam Cooke before he really hit his 60s stride. His catalogue was often repackaged: a mint original of this can fetch £50.

The 50 Greatest Albums Of The 1950 - Chuck Berry after school session

20 After School Session – Chuck Berry (Chess, 1957)

The title of this 1957 release was misleading, implying some unique recording: it is, in fact, just a compilation of Berry’s first seven A-side and B-side 45s. But with quality cuts such as Brown Eyed Handsome Man and School Days, it might be churlish to complain. Chess were late to the albums game, but if you were also late to Chuck – who wrote every song himself – this was the near-perfect lesson.

The 50 Greatest Albums Of The 1950 - Carl Perkins

19 Whole Lotta Shakin’Carl Perkins (Columbia, 1958) 

It boasts a consistently fine 12 songs, but Perkins’ first LP for his new label Columbia is something of an oddity: it actually contains re-recordings of his vital Sun singles and tracks. At the time, it may have confused record buyers, and even now you’d be better off picking up a comprehensive best-of collection. But for completists of original 50s LPs – and there are many – it’s pretty much a must-have.

1956 Bluejean Bop! - Gene Vincent and His Blue Caps (L.P U.K Mono Capitol 764)

18 Bluejean Bop! – Gene Vincent And His Blue Caps (Capitol, 1956)

Cut in a hurry in a sprint to catch the exploding Elvis, any failings of Bluejean Bop! – rushed recording, scattershot material – actually turn out to be a saving grace. It sounds like a live band tearing it up… and that’s pretty much what it is. Gene Vincent’s howling vocals and the influential twang of guitarist Cliff Gallup render the songwriting somewhat inconsequential, as rock’s big money – energy – is the prime currency here.

Ricky Nelson 1958 album cover

17 Ricky Nelson – Ricky Nelson (Imperial, 1958)

Ricky Nelson was a mirror of Elvis early on: his first LPs being a reverse of The King’s in Ricky and then Ricky Nelson. But this second outing proved that the TV star had real rockabilly roots, employing James Burton on guitar and writing his own hits (Don’t Leave Me This Way). He still, perhaps, fell between stools of teen idol and bona fide rocker, but this is nevertheless a strong and enduring set.

Ritchie Valens

16 Ritchie Valens – Ritchie Valens (Del-Fi, 1959)

A none more tragic rock’n’roller, 17-year-old Valens had only released two 45s when he was killed on The Day The Music Died. This posthumous platter collected the best cuts he’d laid down – La Bamba (of course), DonnaDooby Dooby Wah, a beautiful Bluebirds Over The Mountain and more. Hispanic America remains a rockabilly hotbed and Valens is a major reason why: there’s no guessing how big he could’ve been.

The 50 Greatest Albums Of The 1950 - fats domino

15 This Is Fats Domino! – Fats Domino (Imperial, 1956) 

Fats was pumping out tracks by the time he’d been in the biz for a decade. Here, everything gelled. Blueberry Hill had been a significant hit for Glenn Miller in 1940, but Fats’ fingers made it his own. The boogieing Honey Chile and Blue Monday crossed over to pop, and down and dirty deep cuts such as Reelin’ And Rockin’ and The Fat Man’s Hop kept his key audience thrilled. Don’t confuse with the This Is Fats album!

14 Dance Album Of Carl Perkins – Carl Perkins (Sun, 1957)

Unsung hero of rockabilly though Perkins was, he never delivered a notable smash album – not even this, despite the presence of Blue Suede Shoes. It was rush-released after Perkins departed for Columbia, and felt like a cash-in: it’s a shame, as the quality of Gone, Gone, GoneHoney Don’tEverybody’s Trying to Be My Baby and Matchbox is undeniable. Fact is: Elvis took CP’s best song, and then stole his thunder.

The 50 Greatest Albums Of The 1950 - go bo diddley

13 Go Bo Diddley – Bo Diddley (Checker, 1959)

For his first ‘proper’ album release, Bo bangs out the ceaseless rhythm, choppy guitars, self-aggrandisement and hard-dancin’ numbers all over again. It wasn’t hits all the way, but Don’t Let It GoThe Great GrandfatherWillie And Lillie and Crackin’ Up are all the work of a very singular pioneer in early rock’n’roll, and great fun at the same time. Bo’s creed? If it ain’t broke, play it again and again ’til it is broke.

The 50 Greatest Albums Of The 1950 - jerry-lee-lewis-high-school-confidential-sun

12 Jerry Lee Lewis – Jerry Lee Lewis (Sun, 1958)

The Killer’s first LP is a curious mixture, as Sam Phillips pulled songs from his repertoire, including weepies It All DependsFools Like Me and Goodnight Irene. The real draw were rockers such as Put Me DownMatchboxUbangi Stomp and High School Confidential, as well as fevered workings of Jambalaya and When The Saints Go Marching In. It’s only a partial ‘hits’ record, but it’s still essential.

The 50 Greatest Albums Of The 1950 - everly bros

11 The Everly Brothers – The Everly Brothers (Cadence, 1958)

Songs remained the same on many early LPs: hence The Everly Brothers’ debut had reworkings of Gene Vincent’s Be-Bop-A-Lula, Ray Charles’ This Little Girl Of Mine and Little Richard’s Rip It Up. But the Kentucky boys’ close harmonies and pop/country leanings added much life, and married to original hits Bye Bye Love and Wake Up Little Susiethey were fresh in their own right, expanding the sound of early rock’n’roll. They’d get even better, though…

The 50 Greatest Albums Of The 1950 - Little Richard

10 Little Richard – Little Richard (Specialty, 1958)

For Richard’s eponymous second LP, Specialty Records decided the Georgia Peach might win over a few outraged parents by introducing some trad tunes. Problem was, when Richard got hold of Baby Face and By The Light Of The Silvery Moon, they still sounded rather deranged. Elsewhere, LucilleGood Golly Miss Molly and The Girl Can’t Help It howled with menace and cemented his reputation as rock’s wackiest wildman.

The 50 Greatest Albums Of The 1950 - Bill Haley

09 Rock Around The Clock – Bill Haley And His Comets (Decca, 1955) 

With a smash under his belt, Haley – newly signed to Decca – delivered a truly popular compilation LP… an expansion of his Shake, Rattle And Roll 10″. It boasts parping humdinger Burn That Candle and Razzle-Dazzle, alongside the title-track, making it as good a rockin’ party as you could get, bar Elvis. The notion of a ‘long-player’, rather than just a collection of 45s, was still some way off, but the customers didn’t care.

The 50 Greatest Albums Of The 1950 - Buddy

08 Buddy Holly – Buddy Holly (Coral, 1958)

The boy from Lubbock had the benefit of being signed as both a Cricket (to Brunswick) and a solo artist (to Coral). His standalone debut – the last new recordings he released – wasn’t as rocky as The Crickets, but Peggy Sue, I’m Gonna Love You TooListen To MeEverydayWords Of Love and Rave On would became standards. Some of the 50s’ finest songs are here.

07 Elvis – Elvis Presley (RCA Victor, 1956)

The King’s second 1956 LP might not be his most famous, but it was more thought-out and consistently fine. By now, he was probably the most celebrated singer on the planet, bar Sinatra, and he duly delivered. The songs were largely familiar to most rock devotees: Little Richard’s Long Tall SallyReady Teddy, and Rip It Up, plus there was a sign of future crooning on First In Line and the sentimental Old Shep.

Johnny Burnette and the Rock 'n' Roll Trio Album

06 Johnny Burnette And The Rock ‘N Roll Trio – Johnny Burnette And The Rock ‘N Roll Trio (Coral, 1956)

Beefy slap bass, buzzsaw guitar and Burnette’s howlin’ made for the rawest of Memphis rockabilly. At just 26 minutes (it was a 10″ LP in the UK) it staggers in, punches you in the face, and swaggers out. Honey HushRock Billy BoogieAll By Myself and The Train Kept A-Rollin’ took a while to become classics… and the fractious, fightin’ trio had split before true fame. Who cares? This rocks.

The 50 Greatest Albums Of The 1950s Gene Vincent

05 Gene Vincent And His Blue Caps – Gene Vincent And His Blue Caps (Capitol, 1957)

Just four months after Bluejean Bop!, Gene and Co were ushered back into Owen Bradley’s studio in Nashville. Guitarist Cliff Gallup had left mid-1956, but was persuaded to return by producer Ken Nelson for these sessions, and it was game on: this was a raucous step up from …Bop!, with Gallup’s You Better Believe, alongside other originals (Cruisin’Hold Me, Hug Me, Rock Me) among the Blue Caps’ finest recordings.

The 50 Greatest Albums Of The 1950s Buddy Holly

04 The “Chirping” Crickets – The Crickets (Brunswick, 1957) 

There wasn’t a great divide between The Crickets’ and Buddy Holly’s solo recordings, except perhaps a little more collective looseness, more backing vox and rockin’ abandon. The “Chirping” Crickets had That’ll Be The DayOh, Boy!Not Fade AwayMaybe Baby and I’m Looking For Someone To Love, making it 24-carat gold. Just 12 songs and 25 minutes long, it would nevertheless help shape the next decade of rock music.

The 50 Greatest Albums Of The 1950s - Berry On Top

03 Chuck Berry Is On Top – Chuck Berry (Chess, 1959) 

Another distilled package, but by now Berry was famous enough to need no photo on the front cover. You could almost call this ‘Berry’s Best’ if you wished: MaybelleneCarolSweet Little Rock & RollerLittle QueenieRoll Over BeethovenJohnny B. Goode… the master’s dazzling wordplay and guitar 101 take centre stage on a five-star roundup of four years. String-twisters and rockin’ poets of the 60s were bedazzled.

The 50 Greatest Albums Of The 1950 Here_s Little Richard

02 Here’s Little Richard – Little Richard (Specialty, 1957) 

Richard had been releasing 45s for four years before this debut LP, but the shock wasn’t much diminished: Tutti FruttiRip It Up and Jenny, Jenny still teeter on the edge of insanity (for the time). In truth, Fats Domino’s piano stylings informed a lot here, but Richard’s flamboyance still landed like an alien in a satin suit. This is the most howlin’ rock’n’roll debut LP ever made.

The 50 Greatest Albums Of The 1950 - Elvis Presley

01 Elvis Presley – Elvis Presley (RCA Victor, 1956)

At the risk of driving down a cul-de-sac called Semantics Street, Elvis Presley wasn’t The King’s finest album… but it was his greatest. With three tracks from a Nashville session, four from New York, and five previously unreleased Sun sides, it was a mish-mash – running the gamut from Blue Suede Shoes to Blue Moon – and released as quickly as possible to capitalise on Presley’s soaring status. RCA had only signed ‘the boy’ (his dad had to sign the contract) in November 1955, and this debut was out by March 1956.

Some thought Elvis couldn’t make the transition to ‘grown up’ LPs on any scale, and his notoriety from TV after its release was what truly tipped him into public fame. But with its irrepressible covers and iconic cover, Elvis Presley soon became legendary – rock’n’roll’s first national No.1 LP and a million-seller. His voice got richer later, though kudos to his band for such killer takes across different styles: from rockabilly, blues and R&B to country and pop… every facet of future Elvis, except gospel, is here. This wasn’t just a landmark rock’n’roll LP of the 50s, it’s a singular and significant monument of the 20th century.

Words by Michael Stephens

Read More: The Vintage Rock Top 101 Rockabilly Tracks