| 1960s British Rock and Pop Chronology |
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| 1957 |
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| 4 | Guy
Mitchell: "Singing the Blues" [UK #1 for 1 week] Bill Haley and His Comets: "Rock around the Clock" [Brunswick 05317, re-enters charts, UK #22] Bill Haley and His Comets: "Rockin' through the Rye" [Brunswick 05582, re-enters charts, UK #19] |
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| 6 | Ireland: Prime Minister Costello condemns IRA attacks | ||
| 9 | London: Anthony Eden resigns as Prime Minister | ||
| 10 | London: Harold Macmillan becomes Prime Minister | ||
| 11 | Tomy
Steele and the Steelmen: "Singing the Blues" [UK #1 for 1 week] Frankie Vaughan: "Garden of Eden" [Philips PB 660, charts, UK #1] Lonnie Donegan: "Bring a Little Water Sylvie"/"Dead or Alive" [Pye Nixa N 15080, re-entry, UK #7] Gary Miller: "Garden of Eden" [Pye Nixa N 15070, charts, UK # 14] Dick James: "Garden of Eden" [Parlophone R 4255, charts, UK #18] |
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| 12 | Melody Maker: Brighouse, Yorkshire. St. John Ambulance Brigade boys drum and bugle band "shook officers and senior officials at a presentation ceremony by playing credible rock 'n' roll" (p. 6). | ||
| 16 | Liverpool: The Cavern Club opens, with the Merseysippi Jazz Band | ||
| 18 | Guy
Mitchell: "Singing the Blues" [UK #1 for 1 week] Lonnie Donegan: "Don't You Rock Me, Daddy-O" [Pye Nixa N 15080, charts; UK #4] Johnnie Ray: "You Don't Owe Me a Thing" [Philips PB 655, charts, UK #12] Alma Cogan: "You, Me and Us" [HMV POP 284, charts, UK #18] |
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| 19 | Melody Maker, Showtalk, Jack Payne: "In my opinion—though skiffle artists would rather die than admit it's the truth—this huge appeal lies in the fact that a large proportion of these audiences are Rock 'n' Roll fans... For does not skiffle music share three distinctive traits with Rock 'n' Roll—an exaggerated use of guitars, a heavy exaggerated off-beat, and an exaggerated style of mouthing the words?" (p.5) | ||
| 25 | Frankie
Vaughan: "The Garden of Eden" [UK #1 for 4 weeks] David Whitfield: "Adoration Waltz" [Decca F 10833, charts, UK #9] The Vipers Skiffle Group: "Don't You Rock Me Daddy-O" [Parlophone R 4261, charts, UK #10] The Platters: "You'll Never, Never Know"/"It Isn't Right" [Mercury MT 130, charts, UK #22] Fats Domino: "Ain't that a Shame" [London HLU 8173, charts, UK #23] |
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| Other January Artifacts | |||
| London: John Stephen opens his men's clothing shop in Carnaby Street [approximate date] | |||
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| 1 | Frankie
Vaughan: "The Garden of Eden" and Guy Mitchell: "Singing the Blues" share UK #1 for 1 week Bill Haley and His Comets: "Don't Knock the Rock" [London HLF 8371, charts, UK #20] The Beverley Sisters: "I Dreamed" [Decca F 10832, charts, UK #24] Fats Domino: "Honey Chile" [London HLU 8356, charts, UK #29] |
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| 2 | Melody Maker: "Tommy Steele Says, 'I'm a Bit Numb" [press release story about his "discovery"] (p. 3) | ||
| 6 | London: Bill Haley and His Comets begin UK tour with concerts at the Dominion Theater | ||
| 8 | Little
Richard: "Long Tall Sally" [London HLO 8366, charts, UK #3] Johnnie Ray: "Look Homeward Angel" [Philips PB 655, charts, UK #7] Bill Haley and His Comets: "Don't Knock the Rock" [Brunswick 05640, charts, UK #7] The Johnston Brothers: "Give Her My Love" [Decca F 10828, charts, UK # 27] Tony Brent: "Cindy, Oh Cindy" [Columbia DB 3844, re-entry, UK #30] |
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| 13 | London: Cyril Davies and Alexis Korner perform at the Roundhouse, recording Blues at the Roundhouse. | ||
| 15 | Guy
Mitchell: "Knee Deep in the Blues" [Philips PB 669, charts, UK #3] Shirley Bassey: "Banana Boat Song" [Philips PB 668, charts, UK #8] Tommy Steele and the Steelmen: "Knee Deep in the Blues" [Decca F 10849, charts, UK #15] Elvis Presley: "Mystery Train" [HMV POP 295, charts, UK #25] |
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| NME: "The American Invasion Is On!" | |||
| 16 | BBC: 6.5 Special premiers | ||
| 22 | Tab
Hunter: "Young Love" [UK #1 for 7 weeks] Winifred Atwell: "Let's Rock 'n Roll" [Decca F 10852, charts, UK #24] Little Richard: "Tutti Frutti" [London HLO 8366, charts, UK #29] |
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| 22 | London: Phillip becomes Prince of the United Kingdom | ||
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| 3 | Edmonton, Regal Cinema: Bill Haley and His Comets perform for an audience that includes Harry Webb (soon to adopt the performance name, Cliff Richard) | ||
| 6 | Britain: plan for nuclear energy production adopted | ||
| Ghana: Gold Coast and Togoland, former British colonies, unifiy and become an independent state | |||
| 8 | Little
Richard: "She's Got It" [London HLO 8382, charts, UK #15] Elvis Presley: "Rip It Up" [HMV POP 305, charts, UK #27] |
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| 15 | Little
Richard: "The Girl Can't Help It" [London HLO 8382, charts, UK #9] Norman Wisdom: "Wisdom of a Fool" [Columbia DB 3903, charts, UK #13] Vera Lynn: "The Faithful Hussar (Don't Cry My Love)" [Decca F 10846, charts, UK #29] |
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| 22 | The Vipers Skiffle Group: "Cumberland Gap" [Parlophone R 4289, charts, UK #10] | ||
| 25 | Rome: European Economic Community (Common Market) forms with the signing of the Treaty of Rome | ||
| 29 | Frankie
Lymon and the Teenagers: "I'm Not a Juvenile Delinquent" [Columbia DB
3878, charts, UK #12] Ronnie Carroll: "The Wisdom of a Fool" [Philips PB 667, charts, UK #20] Fats Domino: "Blue Monday" [London HLP 8377, charts, UK #23] Alma Cogan: "Whatever Lola Wants" [HMV POP 317, charts, UK #26 |
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| 5 | Lonnie
Donegan: "Cumberland Gap" [Pye Nixa N 15087, charts, UK #1] Max Bygraves: "Heart" [Decca F 10862, charts, UK #14] David Whitfield: "I'll Find You" [Decca F 10864, charts, UK #27] |
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| 12 | Lonnie
Donegan: "Cumberland Gap" [UK #1 for 5 weeks] Charles McDevitt Skiffle Group featuring Nancy Whiskey: "Freight Train" [Oriole CB 1352, charts, UK #5] Malcolm Vaughan: "The World Is Mine" [HMV POP 303, charts, UK #26] |
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| 19 | Frankie
Lymon and the Teenagers: "Baby Baby" [Columbia DB 3878, charts, UK #4] Fats Domino: "I'm Walkin'" [London HLP 8407, charts, UK #19] The Johnston Brothers: "Heart" [Decca F 10860, charts, UK #23] Tommy Steel and the Steelmen: "Singing the Blues" [Decca F 10819, re-enters, UK #24] |
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| 20 | Government announces intention to end further conscription under the National Service Acts after 1960 | ||
| 26 | Guy Mitchell: "Rock-a-Billy" [Philips PB 685, charts, UK #1] | ||
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| 3 | Tommy
Steele and the Steelmen: "Butterfingers" [Decca F 10877, charts, UK #8] Jimmy Young: "Round and Round" [Decca F 10875, charts, UK #30] |
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| 10 | Johnnie
Ray: "Yes, Tonight Josephine" [Philips PB 686, charts, UK #1] Elvis Presley: "Too Much" [HMV POP 330, charts, UK #6] Malcolm Vaughan: "Chapel of Roses" [HMV POP 325, charts, UK #13] |
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| 17 | Guy
Mitchell: "Rock-a-Billy" [UK #1 for 1 week] The Platters: "I'm Sorry" [Mercury MT 145, charts, UK #18] |
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| 24 | Andy
Williams: "Butterfly" [UK #1 for 2 weeks] Russ Hamilton: "We Will Make Love" [Oriole CB 1359, charts, UK #2] Ronnie Hilton: "Around the World" [HMB POP 338, charts, UK #4] Bing Crosby: "Around the World" [Brunswick 05674, charts, UK #5] Peggy Lee: "Mr. Wonderful" [Brunswick 05671, charts, UK #5] |
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| 31 | The King
Brothers: "A White Sport Coat" [Parlophone R 4310, charts, UK #6] Gracie Fields: "Around the World" [Columbia DB 3953, charts, UK #8] Mantovani: "Around the World" [Decca F 10888, charts, UK #20] The Vipers Skiffle Group: "Streamline Train" [Parlophone R 4308, charts, UK #23] |
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| Other May Artifacts | |||
| San Francisco: Police confiscate copies of Allen Ginsberg's Howl and Other Poems | |||
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| 1 | Lonnie Donegan: "Gamblin' Man"/"Putting on the Style" [Pye Nixa N 10593, charts, UK #1] | ||
| 7 | Johnnie
Ray: "Yes Tonight, Josephine" [UK #1 for 3 weeks] Lonnie Donegan: "Putting on the Style" [enters UK charts; UK #1] Terry Dene: "A White Sport Coat" [Decca F 10895, charts, UK #18] |
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| 14 | Elvis
Presley: "All Shook Up" [HMV POP 359, charts, UK #1] Charles McDevitt Skiffle Group featuring Nancy Whiskey: "Greenback Dollar" [Oriole CB 1371, charts, UK #28] |
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| 21 | Vera
Lynn: "Travellin' Home" [Decca F 10903, charts, UK #20] Chuck Berry: "School Day" [1st UK chart entry, UK #24] |
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| 28 | Lonnie
Donegan: "Gamblin' Man" / "Putting on the Style" [UK #1 for 2 weeks] Little Richard: "Lucille" [London HLO 8446, charts, UK #10] Tony Brent: "Dark Moon" [Columbia DB 3950, charts, UK #17] |
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| 5 | Don Lang and His Frantic Five: "School Day" [HMV POP 350, charts, UK #26] | ||
| 6 | Melody Maker: Chas McDevitt and Nancy Whisky unable to get performances in New York (p. 1) | ||
| London: Althea Gibson (US) is first black woman to win at Wimbleton | |||
| 12 | Elvis
Presley: "All Shook Up" [UK #1 for 7 weeks] Elvis Presley: "Teddy Bear" [RCA 1013, charts, UK #3] |
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| 19 | Terry
Dene: "Start Movin'" [Decca F 10914, charts, UK # 15] Fats Domino: "Valley of Tears" [London HLP 8449, charts, UK #25] Cyril Stapleton: "Forgotten Dreams" [Decca F 10912, charts, UK #27] Gary Miller: "Wonderful, Wonderful" [Pye Nixa N 15094, charts, UK # 29] |
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| Nevada: Shot John (air-to-air nuclear missle test) | |||
| 26 | Petula
Clark: "With All My Heart" [Pye Nixa N 15096, charts, UK #4] Guy Mitchell: "In the Middle of a Dark, Dark Night"/"Sweet Stuff" [Philips PB 712, charts, UK #25] |
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| Other July Artifacts | |||
| 20 Arundel Gardens, Portobello Road Market: Joe Meek sets up his first recording studio in a shared flat. | |||
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| 1 | The United States and Canada create the North American Air Defense Command (NORAD) | ||
| 2 | Ronnie Hilton: "Wonderful, Wonderful" [HMV POP 364, charts, UK #27] | ||
| 3 | Melody Maker: "Crombie Quits Rock 'n' Roll" [disbands the Rockets after 6 August] (p. 16) | ||
| 5 | ABC-TV: American Bandstand' makes its network debut | ||
| Baikonur Cosmodrome, Tyuratam, Kazaksthan, U.S.S.R.: the Soviet Union successfully tests a rocket booster | |||
| 9 | The King Brothers: "In the Middle of an Island" [Parlophone R 4338, charts, UK #19] | ||
| 12 | London: Council on Prices, Productivity, and Incomes established | ||
| 16 | Tommy Steele and the Steelmen: "Water, Water"/"Handful of Songs" [Decca F 10923, charts, UK #5] | ||
| 23 | Shirley Bassey: "Fire Down Below" [Philips PB 723, charts, UK#30] | ||
| 24 | Melody Maker: Customs Seize American Disks [destined for Doug Dobell's shop in Brighton] | ||
| 25 | Moscow: The Soviet Union announces it has successfully tested an intercontinental ballistic missile. | ||
| 30 | Paul
Anka: "Diana" [UK #1 for 9 weeks] Elvis Presley: "Paralysed" [HMV POP 378, charts, UK #8] Tommy Steele and the Steelmen: "Shiralee" [Decca F 10896, charts, UK #11] |
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| 3 | London: Report of the Departmental Committee on Homosexual Offences and Prostitution recommends that homosexuality no longer be considered criminal | ||
| 4 | Little Rock, Arkansas: Gov. Orval Faubus calls out the National Guard to prevent nine black students from entering Central High School | ||
| 5 | New York: Westrex demonstrates a system for stereo disks. | ||
| Jack Kerouac publishes On the Road | |||
| 6 | Johnnie
Ray: "Build Your Love" [Philips PB 721, charts, UK #17] Shirley Bassey: "You You Romeo" [Philips PB 723, charts, UK #29] |
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| 9 | Washington, D.C.: President Eisenhower signs the first civil rights bill to pass Congress since Reconstruction | ||
| 13 | Little Richard: "Jenny Jenny" [London HLO 8470, charts, UK #11] | ||
| 18 | Mountain View, California: Eight lab workers walk off their jobs because their employer had decided not to continue research on silicon-based semiconductors. The workers would found Intel. | ||
| 19 | The Bank of England raises the Prime Lending Rate to 7% | ||
| The United States conducts its first underground nuclear test, in the Nevada desert | |||
| 20 | Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers: "Goody Goody" [Columbia DB 3983, charts, UK #24] | ||
| 25 | Little Rock, Arkansas: 9 black students integrate Central High School | ||
| 27 | The
Crickets: "That'll Be the Day" [Vogue Coral Q 72279, charts, UK #1] Jerry Lee Lewis: "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On" [London HLS 8457, first UK chart, UK #8] Russ Hamilton: "Wedding Ring" [Oriole CB 1388, charts, UK #20] |
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| Other September Artifacts | |||
| Lonnie Donegan: "My Dixie Darling"/"I'm Just a Rolling Stone" [UK re; chrt 11 Oct; UK #10] | |||
| The Crickets: "That'll Be the Day" [US re; US-UK #1] | |||
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| 3 | San Francisco: charges dismissed against Allen Ginsberg's Howl and Other Poems | ||
| 4 | Elvis Presley: "Party" [RCA 1020, charts, UK #2] | ||
| Baikonur Cosmodrome, Tyuratam, Kazaksthan, U.S.S.R.: the Soviet Union launches Sputnik, the first man-made satellite, into orbit | |||
| 11 | Jim Dale:
"Be My Girl" [Parlophone R 4343, charts, UK #2] Lonnie Donegan: "My Dixie Darling" [Pye Nixa N 15108, charts, UK #10] Guy Mitchell: "Call Rosie on the Phone" [Philips PB 743, charts, UK #17] |
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| New York: Westrex gives a public demonstration of its stereo disk system | |||
| 12 | Canada: Elizabeth II begins a state visit | ||
| 18 | Elvis Presley: Got a Lot o' Livin' to Do" [RCA 1020, charts, UK #17] | ||
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| 1 | The
Crickets: "That'll Be the Day" [UK #1 for 3 weeks] The Kaye Sisters and Frankie Vaughan: "Gotta Have Something in the Bank, Frank" [Philips PB 751, charts, UK #8] Elvis Presley: "Loving You" [RCA 1013, charts, UK #24] Elvis Presley: "Trying to Get to You" [HMV POP 408, charts, UK #16] |
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| 3 | Kazaksthan, U.S.S.R.: The Soviet Union launches Sputnik 2 into orbit with the dog Laika on board | ||
| 5 | London: Government announces that women will be admitted to the House of Lords | ||
| 8 | Elvis Presley: "Lawdy Miss Clawdy" [HMV POP 408, charts, UK #15] | ||
| 14 | London: Elizabeth II announces the end of debutante presentation at court | ||
| 15 | Elvis
Presley: "Santa Bring My Baby Back to Me" [RCA 1025, charts, UK #7] Petula Clark: "Alone" [Pye Nixa N 15112, charts, UK #8] |
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| 17 | BBC: 6.5 Special broadcasts from the 2i's coffee bar | ||
| 22 | Harry
Belafonte: "Mary's Boy Child" [UK #1 for 7 weeks] The Johnny Otis Show: "Ma, He's Making Eyes at Me" [Capitol CL 14794, charts, UK #2] The Southlanders: "Alone" [Decca F 10946, charts, UK #17] Tommy Steele and the Steelmen: "Hey You" [Decca F 10941, charts, UK #28] |
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| 25 | President Eisenhower suffers a stroke | ||
| 29 | Malcolm
Vaughan: "My Special Angel" [HMV POP 419, charts, UK #3] Little Richard: "Keep a Knockin'" [London HLO 8509, charts, UK #21] Russ Conway: "Party Pops" [Columbia DB 4031, charts, UK #24] |
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| Other November Artifacts | |||
| The
Crickets: "Oh Boy"/"Not Fade Away" [US re; US #6; UK #3] Buddy Holly: "Peggy Sue" [US release] |
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| 6 | Winifred
Atwell: "Let's Have a Ball" [Decca F 10956, charts, UK #4] Buddy Holly: "Peggy Sue" [Coral Q 72293, charts, UK #6] The King Brothers: "Wake Up Little Susie" [Parlophone R 4367, charts, UK #22] |
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| 18 | Pennsylvania: The Shippingport Atomic Power Station—the first civilian nuclear plant producing electricity—goes on line. | ||
| 20 | Jerry
Lee Lewis: "Great Balls of Fire" [London HLS 8529, charts, UK #1] Jimmie Rodgers: "Kisses Sweeter than Wine" [Columbia DB 4052, charts, UK #7] Frankie Vaughan: "Kisses Sweeter than Wine" [Philips PB 775, charts, UK #8] Lonnie Donegan: "Jack o' Diamonds" / "Ham 'n' Eggs" [Pyle Nixa 7N 15116, charts; UK #14] |
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| 27 | The
Crickets: "Oh Boy" [Coral Q 72298, charts, UK #3] Dickie Valentine: "Snowbound for Christmas" [Decca F 10950, charts, UK #28] |
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| Other 1957 Artifacts | |||
| Ian Fleming publishes From Russia, with Love | |||
| Bayreuth, Germany: Grundig produces its TK830 portable tape recorder | |||
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| 1960s British Rock and Pop Chronology | |||
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| This site is a living document. I welcome corrections and suggestions. Gordon Thompson, Department of Music, Skidmore College | |||
| Copyright © 1995 — 9 January, 2007 , Gordon Thompson |
