The Top 50 Albums of the 1950s

1950-1959: Top 50 Albums

The 1950s was an interesting transitional era in the history of music. While it is most associated with rock and roll now, the decade was also marked by plenty of classic showtunes and jazz collections. Crooners and big bands were on their way out, but that didn’t stop Frank Sinatra from releasing some of the most impactful music to shape the development of the album. This list reflects the diversity of the decade. Note: there are compilations included in this list, as long as they didn’t go past the 1950s. You can check out the top albums of all time or for other decades by clicking here. Miles Davis Kind of Blue (1959) Richard Rodgers (music) & Oscar Hammerstein II (lyrics) South Pacific (soundtrack, 1958) Elvis Presley The Sun Sessions (archives, recorded 1954-55, released 3/76) Alan Jay Lerner/Frederick Loewe (composers) My Fair Lady (cast album, 1956) Elvis Presley Elvis Presley (aka Rock ‘N’ Roll) (1956) Leonard Bernstein/Stephen Sondheim (composers) West Side Story (cast, 1957) Richard Rodgers (music) & Oscar Hammerstein II (lyrics) The Sound of Music (cast album, 1959) Frank Sinatra Songs for Swingin’ Lovers! (1956) Hank Williams 40 Greatest Hits (compilation: 1947-53, released 1978) Richard Rodgers (music) & Oscar Hammerstein II (lyrics) The King and I (soundtrack, 1956) Elvis Presley Golden Records (compilation: 1956-58) Harry Belafonte Calypso (1956) Dave Brubeck Time Out (1959) Meredith Willson (composer) The Music Man (cast, 1957) Frank Sinatra In the Wee Small Hours (1955) Pyotor Il’yich Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No. 1 (1958) Richard Rodgers (music) & Oscar Hammerstein II (lyrics) Oklahoma! (soundtrack, 1955) Bing Crosby The Definitive Collection (compilation: 1931-57, released 2006) Mario Lanza The Student Prince (soundtrack, 1954) George & Ira Gershwin (composers) An American in Paris (classical, soundtrack released 1951) Henry Mancini The Music from Peter Gunn (soundtrack, 1959) Howlin’ Wolf Moanin’ in the Moonlight (compilation: 1951-59, released in 1959) Duke Ellington At Newport (live, 1956) Little Richard Here’s Little Richard (1957) Ornette Coleman The Shape of Jazz to Come (1959) Buddy Holly & the Crickets 20 Golden Greats (compilation: 1956-58, released 1978) Charles Mingus Ah Um (1959) Miles Davis Birth of the Cool (recorded 1950, released 1957) John Coltrane Giant Steps (recorded 1959, released 1960) Guy Lombardo The Band Played On (compilation: 1927-50, released 2002) Jerome Kern (music) & Oscar Hammerstein II (lyrics) Show Boat (soundtrack, 1951) Elvis Presley Elvis’ Christmas Album (1957) Buddy Holly & the Crickets The Chirping Crickets (1957) Sonny Rollins Saxophone Colossus (1956) Alan Lerner & Frederick Loewe (composers) Gigi (soundtrack, 1958) Various Artists The First Rock and Roll Record (box set: 1916-56, released 2011) Jane Froman With a Song in My Heart (soundtrack, 1952) Elvis Presley The King of Rock and Roll: The Complete ‘50s Masters (box set: 1953-58, released 1992) Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Cole Porter Songbook (1956) Jackie Gleason Music for Lovers Only (1952) The Kingston Trio At Large (1959) Richard Rodgers (music) & Oscar Hammerstein II (lyrics) The King and I (cast, 1951) Frank Loesser (composer) Guys and Dolls (cast, 1950) Johnny Mathis Johnny’s Greatest Hits (1958) Richard Rodgers (music) & Oscar Hammerstein II (lyrics) Carousel (soundtrack, 1956) Elvis Presley Loving You (soundtrack, 1957) Irving Berlin (music & lyrics) Annie Get Your Gun (soundtrack, 1950) Jule Styne (music) & Stephen Sondheim (lyrics) Gypsy (cast album, 1959) Nacio Herb Brown & Arthur Freed Singin’ in the Rain (soundtrack, 1952) John Coltrane Blue Train (1957) Resources and Related Links: Dave’s Music Database “Top Albums by Decade” Dave’s Music Database: “Year-End Album Awards” Dave’s Music Database “Top 100 Albums of All Time” Dave’s Music Database: “Top 1000 Albums of All Time” Dave’s Music Database: “Top 100 Songs of Each Decade” First posted 3/8/2013; last updated 8/29/2024.