100 Greatest Songs From 1956

Criteria: These songs from 1956 were chosen and ranked based on their initial and lasting popularity, and on their impact on the overall scope of musical history.

Note: Yearly song lists go by earliest 'release date' (Single, Album, or Country of first release). Not necessarily the year a song peaked in the U.S. charts.

1. Hound Dog
Elvis Presley
2. Long Tall Sally
Little Richard
3. Blue Suede Shoes
Carl Perkins / Elvis Presley
4. Don't Be Cruel
Elvis Presley
5. Be-Bop-A-Lula
Gene Vincent & the Bluecaps
6. Roll Over Beethoven
Chuck Berry
7. In The Still Of The Nite
Five Satins
8. Blueberry Hill
Fats Domino
9. Please, Please, Please
James Brown & the Famous Flames
10. I Walk The Line
Johnny Cash & the Tennessee Two
11. Heartbreak Hotel
Elvis Presley
12. Fever
Little Willie John
13. The Train Kept-A-Rollin
Johnny Burnette Trio
14. Come Go With Me
Del-Vikings
15. Let The Good Times Roll
Shirley & Lee
16. Rip It Up
Little Richard
17. Honky Tonk
Bill Doggett
18. Blue Monday
Fats Domino
19. Jim Dandy
Lavern Baker
20. Oh What A Nite
Dells
21. My Prayer
Platters
22. Who Do You Love
Bo Diddley
23. Brown-Eyed Handsome Man
Chuck Berry
24. Ready Teddy
Little Richard
25. Honey Don't
Carl Perkins
26. I'm In Love Again
Fats Domino
27. Little Girl Of Mine
Cleftones
28. A Thousand Miles Away
Heartbeats
29. I've Got You Under My Skin
Frank Sinatra
30. Tear It Up
Johnny Burnette Trio
31. Drown In My Own Tears
Ray Charles
32. I Put A Spell On You
Screamin' Jay Hawkins
33. Love Is Strange
Mickey & Sylvia
34. Goodnight My Love
Jesse Belvin
35. Day-O (Banana Boat Song)
Harry Belafonte
36. Stranded In The Jungle
Cadets
37. Slippin' And Slidin'
Little Richard
38. I Promise To Remember
Frankie Lymon & the Teenagers
39. One Hand Loose
Charlie Feathers
40. Race With The Devil
Gene Vincent & the Bluecaps
41. Boppin' The Blues
Carl Perkins
42. My Baby Left Me
Elvis Presley
43. Smokestack Lightnin'
Howlin' Wolf
44. My Blue Heaven
Fats Domino
45. Ooby Dooby
Roy Orbison
46. Without Love (There Is Nothing)
Clyde McPhatter
47. The Girl Can't Help It
Little Richard
48. Honey Hush
Johnny Burnette Trio
49. Singing The Blues
Guy Mitchell
50. Woman Love
Gene Vincent & the Bluecaps

51. Too Much Monkey Business
Chuck Berry
52. Corrine, Corrina
Joe Turner
53. All Mama's Children
Carl Perkins
54. Ain't Got No Home
Clarence "Frogman" Henry
55. Diddy Wah Diddy
Bo Diddley
56. Hallelujah I Love Her So
Ray Charles
57. I Want You, I Need You, I Love You
Elvis Presley
58. It's Too Late
Chuck Willis
59. The Closer You Are
Channels
60. You Gave Me Peace Of Mind
Spaniels
61. Treasure Of Love
Clyde McPhatter
62. The ABC's Of Love
Frankie Lymon & the Teenagers
63. Since I Met You Baby
Ivory Joe Hunter
64. Bluejean Bop
Gene Vincent & the Bluecaps
65. Devil Or Angel
Clovers
66. Get Rhythm
Johnny Cash & the Tennessee Two
67. One Night
Smiley Lewis
68. Party Doll
Buddy Knox
69. Ruby Baby
Drifters
70. You Can't Catch Me
Chuck Berry
71. Rock And Roll Ruby
Warren Smith
72. Crazy Arms
Ray Price / Jerry Lee Lewis
73. Out Of Sight, Out Of Mind
Five Keys
74. Trying To Get To You
Elvis Presley
75. Up On The Mountain
Magnificents
76. You've Got Me Dizzy
Jimmy Reed
77. Church Bells May Ring
Willows
78. (You've Got) The Magic Touch
Platters
79. Candy
Big Maybelle
80. Your Promise To Be Mine
Drifters
81. Love Me
Elvis Presley
82. I'll Be Home
Flamingos
83. Share
Frankie Lymon & the Teenagers
84. Rubber Biscuit
Chips
85. The Woo Woo Train
Valentines
86. Ubangi Stomp
Warren Smith
87. I Ain't Got You
Billy Boy
88. The Angels Sang
Solitaires
89. Please Say You Want Me
Schoolboys
90. Jump, Jive An' Wail
Louis Prima
91. Bottle To The Baby
Charlie Feathers
92. You Ain't Treatin' Me Right
Mac Curtis
93. I Want You To Be My Girl
Frankie Lymon & the Teenagers
94. Forty Days And Forty Nights
Muddy Waters
95. Dixie Fried
Carl Perkins
96. Bacon Fat
Andre Williams
97. Just A Gigalo-I Ain't Got Nobody
Louis Prima
98. Young Love
Sonny James
99. Love Me Tender
Elvis Presley
100. The Way You Look Tonight
Jaguars
20 more worth mentioning.
101. The Fool
Sanford Clark
102. So Long
Fats Domino
103. Anyway That You Want Me
Elvis Presley
104. Down In Mexico
Coasters
105. Can't We Be Sweethearts
Cleftones
106. Castle In The Sky
Bop-Chords
107. The Girl I Love
Cadillacs
108. When I'm With You
Moonglows
109. Your Way
Heartbeats
110. Just Walking In The Rain
Johnnie Ray
111. The Flying Saucer
Buchanan & Goodman
112. When My Dreamboat Comes Home
Fats Domino
113. I'm Not A Juvenile Delinquent
Frankie Lymon & the Teenagers
114. Confidential
Sonny Knight
115. Lonely Avenue
Ray Charles
116. I Can't Quit You Baby
Otis Rush
117. Sweet Little Angel
B.B. King
118. Don't Forbid Me
Pat Boone
119. The Green Door
Jim Lowe
120. See Saw
Moonglows
DigitalDreamDoor Editor Picks for 1956
An unheralded great record from 1956
Bruce's choice:
* Down At Big Mamma's House
Rex Hale
Adam's choice:
* Uncloudy Day
Staple Singers
    1955   |   1957














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Last Updated: 2009-07-20