Top 28 Music Albums of the 1950s
by 
Romanelli 
- Chart updated: 12/25/2025 14:15
- (Created: 12/08/2011 04:54).
- Chart size: 28 albums.
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1959-COLUMBIA
Produced By IRVING TOWNSEND
1. So What
2. Freddie Freeloader
3. Blue In Green
4. All Blues
5. Flamenco Sketches
6. Flamenco Sketches (Alternate Take)
One of the not so few albums by Miles Davis in which he changes the way jazz is played. Kind Of Blue marks the introduction of modal improvisation into his solo work...but more importantly, it's maybe the most beautifully played album of its time. Davis and his twin saxophone attack of John Coltrane and Cannonball Adderly turn in what could be Davis' finest album. This is one record you could listen to for days and never tire of. Every track is as beautiful and stunning as the last.
This is one of the few albums that should be heard by everyone, jazz lover or not. It's simply an amazing work from start to finish, and proof that Miles Davis was maybe our greatest musical treasure. This is a no doubt, all thumbs up, required listen for the fanatics among us. You know who you are. [First added to this chart: 12/08/2011]
Produced By IRVING TOWNSEND
1. So What
2. Freddie Freeloader
3. Blue In Green
4. All Blues
5. Flamenco Sketches
6. Flamenco Sketches (Alternate Take)
One of the not so few albums by Miles Davis in which he changes the way jazz is played. Kind Of Blue marks the introduction of modal improvisation into his solo work...but more importantly, it's maybe the most beautifully played album of its time. Davis and his twin saxophone attack of John Coltrane and Cannonball Adderly turn in what could be Davis' finest album. This is one record you could listen to for days and never tire of. Every track is as beautiful and stunning as the last.
This is one of the few albums that should be heard by everyone, jazz lover or not. It's simply an amazing work from start to finish, and proof that Miles Davis was maybe our greatest musical treasure. This is a no doubt, all thumbs up, required listen for the fanatics among us. You know who you are. [First added to this chart: 12/08/2011]
Year of Release:
1959
Appears in:
Rank Score:
22,089
Rank in 1959:
Rank in 1950s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
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1959 – DEL-FI
Produced By ROBERT KEANE
1. That’s My Little Suzie
2. In A Turkish Town
3. Come On, Let’s Go
4. Donna
5. Boney-Moronie
6. Ooh, My Head
7. La Bamba
8. Bluebirds Over The Mountain
9. Hi-Tone
10. Framed
11. We Belong Together
12. Dooby-Dooby-Wah
How short was the career of Ritchie Valens? From the time he was discovered playing a matinee show in a movie theater up to his sudden death in 1959, his career spanned a total of eight months. When he died, he was just 17 years old. So, how did this kid who was still of high school age, and who never released an album during his lifetime, become such an enduring figure over the last almost 60 years? Part of it was that he had been part of the first real rock and roll tragedy. Valens died in the same plane crash that killed Buddy Holly and The Big Bopper. Part of it was how young he was. And the other part of it was his music. He was, at 17, the one who brought “La Bamba” to the masses, paving the way for a world of Mexican rock and roll (a bigger world than you might think). But he was more than just that song. “Donna” was a song he wrote for his high school sweetheart. And “Come On, Let’s Go” was a surprisingly strong hit as well.
The album Ritchie Valens was released a month after his death. And it’s really the only album by him that’s really necessary. There are a lot of compilations and tracks and scraps swept off of the editing floor out there…this is all you need. Valens wrote half of the songs here, and “La Bamba” is his own arrangement. The album (only 25 minutes long) shows that Valens was not great, but that he was developing, was very talented, and that there was a definite future for him. Unfortunately, this is about all of what exists of his recorded legacy that’s worth hearing. But he is important, because of this music (which influenced a very large number of later musicians). Many of the many compilation albums out there are inferior and contain some cringeworthy tracks. This album is a small, but important part of the evolution of early rock and roll. Was Valens an innovator and a major figure? In many ways, no…not yet. Where was he headed? We’ll never know. [First added to this chart: 09/17/2018]
Produced By ROBERT KEANE
1. That’s My Little Suzie
2. In A Turkish Town
3. Come On, Let’s Go
4. Donna
5. Boney-Moronie
6. Ooh, My Head
7. La Bamba
8. Bluebirds Over The Mountain
9. Hi-Tone
10. Framed
11. We Belong Together
12. Dooby-Dooby-Wah
How short was the career of Ritchie Valens? From the time he was discovered playing a matinee show in a movie theater up to his sudden death in 1959, his career spanned a total of eight months. When he died, he was just 17 years old. So, how did this kid who was still of high school age, and who never released an album during his lifetime, become such an enduring figure over the last almost 60 years? Part of it was that he had been part of the first real rock and roll tragedy. Valens died in the same plane crash that killed Buddy Holly and The Big Bopper. Part of it was how young he was. And the other part of it was his music. He was, at 17, the one who brought “La Bamba” to the masses, paving the way for a world of Mexican rock and roll (a bigger world than you might think). But he was more than just that song. “Donna” was a song he wrote for his high school sweetheart. And “Come On, Let’s Go” was a surprisingly strong hit as well.
The album Ritchie Valens was released a month after his death. And it’s really the only album by him that’s really necessary. There are a lot of compilations and tracks and scraps swept off of the editing floor out there…this is all you need. Valens wrote half of the songs here, and “La Bamba” is his own arrangement. The album (only 25 minutes long) shows that Valens was not great, but that he was developing, was very talented, and that there was a definite future for him. Unfortunately, this is about all of what exists of his recorded legacy that’s worth hearing. But he is important, because of this music (which influenced a very large number of later musicians). Many of the many compilation albums out there are inferior and contain some cringeworthy tracks. This album is a small, but important part of the evolution of early rock and roll. Was Valens an innovator and a major figure? In many ways, no…not yet. Where was he headed? We’ll never know. [First added to this chart: 09/17/2018]
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[First added to this chart: 11/10/2012]
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[First added to this chart: 02/10/2023]
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[First added to this chart: 02/13/2022]
Year of Release:
1959
Appears in:
Rank Score:
7,054
Rank in 1959:
Rank in 1950s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
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- #Sponsored
[First added to this chart: 01/28/2018]
Year of Release:
1959
Appears in:
Rank Score:
6,392
Rank in 1959:
Rank in 1950s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
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[First added to this chart: 05/06/2014]
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1959 – ATLANTIC
Produced By NESUHI ERTEGUN
1. Lonely Woman
2. Eventually
3. Peace
4. Focus On Sanity
5. Congeniality
6. Chronology
One of the more influential albums in jazz, and a great way to end the fifties into the future of the sixties and beyond. Ornette Coleman’s third album helped pave the way for avant- garde jazz, and his quartet (Don Cherry on cornet, Charlie Haden on bass and drummer Billy Higgins, along with Coleman on alto saxophone) are exceptional. The songs all feature sections of free improvisation, and the album made Coleman a leader in jazz. The centerpiece here is “Lonely Woman”, which became one of his best known songs. The Shape Of Jazz To Come is not a perfect album, but the doors it opened and what it led to are hugely important.
Coleman stayed prolific until the late 90’s, and passed away in 2015. He spent the sixties expanding his free jazz sound, then dabbled in fusion by adding electric instruments in the seventies. He’s not as big as Davis, Coltrane, Mingus…but his place in jazz history is secure, and that’s in large part thanks to this album. Free jazz can be difficult, but if you have the patience for it, the rewards can be massive. This is the best album by Coleman, and a must have if the avant-garde side of jazz means anything to you. It’s not for everyone, but it is important, excellent, and set the stage for large amounts of the music that was to come after it. [First added to this chart: 11/07/2022]
Produced By NESUHI ERTEGUN
1. Lonely Woman
2. Eventually
3. Peace
4. Focus On Sanity
5. Congeniality
6. Chronology
One of the more influential albums in jazz, and a great way to end the fifties into the future of the sixties and beyond. Ornette Coleman’s third album helped pave the way for avant- garde jazz, and his quartet (Don Cherry on cornet, Charlie Haden on bass and drummer Billy Higgins, along with Coleman on alto saxophone) are exceptional. The songs all feature sections of free improvisation, and the album made Coleman a leader in jazz. The centerpiece here is “Lonely Woman”, which became one of his best known songs. The Shape Of Jazz To Come is not a perfect album, but the doors it opened and what it led to are hugely important.
Coleman stayed prolific until the late 90’s, and passed away in 2015. He spent the sixties expanding his free jazz sound, then dabbled in fusion by adding electric instruments in the seventies. He’s not as big as Davis, Coltrane, Mingus…but his place in jazz history is secure, and that’s in large part thanks to this album. Free jazz can be difficult, but if you have the patience for it, the rewards can be massive. This is the best album by Coleman, and a must have if the avant-garde side of jazz means anything to you. It’s not for everyone, but it is important, excellent, and set the stage for large amounts of the music that was to come after it. [First added to this chart: 11/07/2022]
Year of Release:
1959
Appears in:
Rank Score:
3,865
Rank in 1959:
Rank in 1950s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album
- #Sponsored
[First added to this chart: 12/05/2024]
Year of Release:
1959
Appears in:
Rank Score:
3,492
Rank in 1959:
Rank in 1950s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album
- #Sponsored
[First added to this chart: 12/25/2025]
Year of Release:
1959
Appears in:
Rank Score:
700
Rank in 1959:
Rank in 1950s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Total albums: 10. Page 1 of 1
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Top 28 Music Albums of the 1950s composition
| Year | Albums | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 0 | 0% | |
| 1951 | 0 | 0% | |
| 1952 | 1 | 4% | |
| 1953 | 0 | 0% | |
| 1954 | 0 | 0% | |
| 1955 | 3 | 11% | |
| 1956 | 3 | 11% | |
| 1957 | 8 | 29% | |
| 1958 | 3 | 11% | |
| 1959 | 10 | 36% |
| Artist | Albums | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
|||
| Elvis Presley | 4 | 14% | |
| Frank Sinatra | 3 | 11% | |
| Miles Davis Quintet | 2 | 7% | |
| Miles Davis | 2 | 7% | |
| Dizzy Gillespie | 2 | 7% | |
| Count Basie | 1 | 4% | |
| Yma Sumac | 1 | 4% | |
| Show all | |||
Top 28 Music Albums of the 1950s chart changes
| New entries |
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| At Newport by Dizzy Gillespie |
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Top 28 Music Albums of the 1950s ratings
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| Rating | Date updated | Member | Chart ratings | Avg. chart rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ! | 08/20/2020 19:50 | Chrispeater | 138 | 82/100 |
| ! | 10/14/2015 00:05 | FourMinerz | 2 | 55/100 |
| ! | 12/08/2011 02:20 |  Triple Seis | 1,251 | 79/100 |
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