Best Albums of the 1950s

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Listed below are the best albums of the 1950s as calculated from their overall rankings in over 56,000 greatest album charts.

Best albums by year or decade

Decade:

Year:

summaryThe best artists of the 1950s were Miles Davis, Dave Brubeck, Frank Sinatra, Charles Mingus, Elvis Presley, Art Blakey, Thelonious Monk, Billie Holiday, The Dave Brubeck Quartet and John Coltrane.

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19.

Birth Of The Cool
Compilation

Miles Davis

Year of Release:

1957

Appears in:

357 charts

Rank Score:

2,454

Rank in 1957:

Rank in 1950s:

Overall Rank:

718

Average Rating:

80 (465 votes)

Comments:

20.

Moanin' In The Moonlight
Compilation

Howlin' Wolf

Year of Release:

1959

Appears in:

303 charts

Rank Score:

2,365

Rank in 1959:

Rank in 1950s:

Overall Rank:

745

Average Rating:

80 (303 votes)

Comments:

53.

Rock Around The Clock
Compilation

Bill Haley And His Comets

Year of Release:

1955

Appears in:

129 charts

Rank Score:

791

Rank in 1955:

Rank in 1950s:

Overall Rank:

2,085

Average Rating:

74 (113 votes)

Comments:

54.

The Best Of Muddy Waters
Compilation

Muddy Waters

Year of Release:

1958

Appears in:

95 charts

Rank Score:

789

Rank in 1958:

Rank in 1950s:

Overall Rank:

2,094

Average Rating:

78 (69 votes)

Comments:

55.

Elvis' Golden Records
Compilation

Elvis Presley

Year of Release:

1958

Appears in:

102 charts

Rank Score:

783

Rank in 1958:

Rank in 1950s:

Overall Rank:

2,113

Average Rating:

81 (100 votes)

Comments:

75.

Genius Of Modern Music
Compilation

Thelonious Monk

Year of Release:

1951

Appears in:

98 charts

Rank Score:

573

Rank in 1951:

Rank in 1950s:

Overall Rank:

2,720

Average Rating:

77 (105 votes)

Comments:

90.

Singin' The Blues
Compilation

B.B. King

Year of Release:

1957

Appears in:

91 charts

Rank Score:

488

Rank in 1957:

Rank in 1950s:

Overall Rank:

3,099

Average Rating:

75 (69 votes)

Comments:

99.

Hank Williams Sings
Compilation

Hank Williams With His Drifting Cowboys

Year of Release:

1951

Appears in:

69 charts

Rank Score:

440

Rank in 1951:

Rank in 1950s:

Overall Rank:

3,375

Average Rating:

75 (59 votes)

Comments:

104.

For LP Fans Only
Compilation

Elvis Presley

Year of Release:

1959

Appears in:

55 charts

Rank Score:

414

Rank in 1959:

Rank in 1950s:

104

Overall Rank:

3,556

Average Rating:

74 (57 votes)

Comments:

106.

Talking Dust Bowl
Compilation

Woody Guthrie

Year of Release:

1950

Appears in:

57 charts

Rank Score:

405

Rank in 1950:

Rank in 1950s:

106

Overall Rank:

3,613

Average Rating:

72 (45 votes)

Comments:

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Total albums: 56. Page 1 of 6

Best Albums of the 1950s composition

Year	Albums	%

1950	41	4%
1951	40	4%
1952	57	6%
1953	62	6%
1954	73	7%
1955	85	9%
1956	114	11%
1957	154	15%
1958	178	18%
1959	196	20%

Artist	Albums	%

Billie Holiday	18	2%
Frank Sinatra	15	2%
Sonny Rollins	15	2%
Miles Davis	15	2%
Various Artists	14	1%
Ella Fitzgerald	13	1%
Elvis Presley	11	1%
Show all

Country	Albums	%

	782	78%
	35	4%
	31	3%
	26	3%
	18	2%
	12	1%
	11	1%
Show all

Compilation?	Albums	%
No	944	94%
Yes	56	6%

Live?	Albums	%
No	963	96%
Yes	37	4%

Soundtrack?	Albums	%
No	974	97%
Yes	26	3%

« View best albums of the 1940sView best albums of the 1960s »

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Best Albums of the 1950s
1. Kind Of Blue by Miles Davis
2. Mingus Ah Um by Charles Mingus
3. Time Out by The Dave Brubeck Quartet
4. Blue Train by John Coltrane
5. Elvis Presley by Elvis Presley
6. In The Wee Small Hours by Frank Sinatra
7. Here's Little Richard by Little Richard
8. The Shape Of Jazz To Come by Ornette Coleman
9. Berry Is On Top by Chuck Berry
10. Art Blakey And The Jazz Messengers by Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers
11. Lady In Satin by Billie Holiday
12. Songs For Swingin' Lovers! by Frank Sinatra
13. Brilliant Corners by Thelonious Monk
14. Somethin' Else by Cannonball Adderley
15. The "Chirping" Crickets by The Crickets
16. Saxophone Colossus by Sonny Rollins
17. Buddy Holly by Buddy Holly
18. Chet Baker Sings by Chet Baker
19. Birth Of The Cool by Miles Davis
20. Moanin' In The Moonlight by Howlin' Wolf