Dalida, awarded a gold record in 1957
Events
- January 5 - Renato Carosone and his band start their American tour in Cuba.
- January 6 - Elvis Presley makes final appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show.
- January 16 - The Cavern Club opens in Liverpool, England
- Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel name themselves Tom and Jerry and begin their recording career, signing with Sid Prosen of Big Records. Their first single, "Hey, Schoolgirl", backed with "Dancin' Wild", hit #49 on the Billboard pop charts. Garfunkel was Tom Graph (so called because he like to write the pop charts out on graph paper) and Simon was Jerry Landis, a pseudonym he used during his early 1960s solo recordings. They toured for eighteen months before retiring to become college students and then reforming in 1963 as Simon and Garfunkel.
- February 8 - Bo Diddley records his songs "Hey Bo Diddley" and "Mona" (aka "I Need You Baby").
- March - Chicago's Cardinal Stritch bans all rock and roll and rhythm and blues music from Catholic-run schools, saying that "its rhythms encourage young people to behave in a hedonistic manner."
- March 19 - Elvis Presley purchases a mansion in Memphis, Tennessee and calls it Graceland
- July 6 - John Lennon and Paul McCartney (The Beatles) first meet at St. Peter's Church garden fete in Liverpool, England.
- August 5 - American Bandstand begins its 30 year syndicated run on US network television
- September 19 - Dalida is the first artist to be awarded a gold record in France for 300 000 sales of "Bambino". That year, she's also the first female recording artist to have her own fan club.
- Leonard Bernstein completes work on West Side Story.
- American Bandstand premieres on television.
- The Casals Festival is founded in Puerto Rico.
- Pat Boone stars in his first two Hollywood motion pictures: Bernadine and April Love (film)
- Whatever Will Be, Will Be (Que Sera, Sera) from 1956's Alfred Hitchcock suspense film, The Man Who Knew Too Much, wins the Academy Award for Best Song. Sung by Doris Day in the film, it proved to be one of her biggest hit records as well.
- When Nat King Cole's television show is unable to get a sponsor, Frankie Laine becomes the first artist to cross TV's color line. Becoming the first white artist to appear as a guest, foregoing his usual salary of $10,000.00 as Cole's sustainer show only paid scale. Other top performers followed suit, including Mel Tormé and Tony Bennett, but despite an increase in ratings, the show still fails to pick up a national sponsor.
- Jerry Lee Lewis' musical career begins
- Patsy Cline's musical career begins.
- Jerry Butler's musical career begins
- Gorni Kramer debuts on Italian television
- Maria Callas is introduced to Greek shipping magnate Aristotle Onassis.
Albums released
Biggest hit singles
The following songs achieved the highest chart positions in the charts of 1957.
| # |
Artist |
Title |
Year |
Country |
Chart Entries |
| 1 |
Elvis Presley |
Jailhouse Rock |
1957 |
 |
UK 1 - Jan 1958, US BB 1 - Oct 1957, US BB 1 of 1957, Canada 1 - Oct 1957, DDD 1 of 1957, POP 1 of 1957, Europe 2 of the 1950s, Scrobulate 2 of rockabilly, RYM 3 of 1957, Holland 5 - Jan 1974, France 10 - Dec 1971, US CashBox 11 of 1957, South Africa 11 of 1958, AFI 21, Global 33 (5 M sold) - 1957, Party 54 of 1999, Italy 60 of 1958, Rolling Stone 67, Acclaimed 192, Belgium 214 of all time |
| 2 |
Paul Anka |
Diana |
1957 |
 |
UK 1 - Aug 1957, US BB 1 - Jul 1957, Canada 1 - Jul 1957, Australia 1 for 8 weeks Jun 1957, Italy 2 of 1958, Poland 9 - Apr 1989, US CashBox 13 of 1957, US BB 14 of 1956, POP 14 of 1956, Europe 17 of the 1950s, RYM 17 of 1957, Global 33 (5 M sold) - 1957, DDD 36 of 1957 |
| 3 |
Elvis Presley |
All Shook Up |
1957 |
 |
UK 1 - Jun 1957, US BB 1 - Apr 1957, Canada 1 - May 1957, RYM 5 of 1957, US CashBox 8 of 1957, DDD 11 of 1957, Scrobulate 12 of rock & roll, US BB 13 of 1957, POP 13 of 1957, Holland 33 - Jan 2005, Global 33 (5 M sold) - 1957, Europe 78 of the 1950s, Party 179 of 2007, Rolling Stone 352, Acclaimed 835 |
| 4 |
Jerry Lee Lewis |
Great Balls of Fire |
1957 |
 |
UK 1 - Dec 1957, RYM 1 of 1957, US BB 2 - Dec 1957, Canada 2 - Dec 1957, DDD 5 of 1957, US BB 14 of 1958, POP 14 of 1958, South Africa 15 of 1958, Holland 27 - Sep 1989, Scrobulate 63 of oldies, RIAA 64, Europe 76 of the 1950s, Acclaimed 86, Rolling Stone 96, Party 242 of 1999 |
| 5 |
Danny & The Juniors |
At the Hop |
1957 |
 |
US BB 1 - Dec 1957, Canada 1 - Dec 1957, UK 3 - Jan 1958, US BB 3 of 1958, POP 3 of 1958, South Africa 6 of 1958, US CashBox 10 of 1958, RYM 11 of 1957, DDD 21 of 1957, Europe 73 of the 1950s, RIAA 250, Acclaimed 728 |
US No. 1 hit singles
These singles reached the top of US Billboard magazine's charts in 1957.
| First week |
Number of weeks |
Title |
Artist |
| February 9, 1957 |
1 |
"Don't Forbid Me" |
Pat Boone |
| February 16, 1957 |
6 |
"Young Love" |
Tab Hunter |
| March 30, 1957 |
3 |
"Butterfly" |
Andy Williams |
| April 20, 1957 |
8 |
"All Shook Up" |
Elvis Presley |
| July 10, 1957 |
5 |
"Love Letters In The Sand" |
Pat Boone |
| July 15, 1957 |
7 |
"Teddy Bear" |
Elvis Presley |
| September 2, 1957 |
5 |
"Tammy" |
Debbie Reynolds |
| October 7, 1957 |
2 |
"Honeycomb" |
Jimmie Rodgers |
| October 21, 1957 |
2 |
"Wake Up Little Susie" |
The Everly Brothers |
| November 4, 1957 |
6 |
"Jailhouse Rock" |
Elvis Presley |
| December 9, 1957 |
3 |
"You Send Me" |
Sam Cooke |
| December 30, 1957 |
1 |
"April Love" |
Pat Boone |
Top hits on record
- "All Shook Up" - Elvis Presley
- "An Affair To Remember" - Nat King Cole
- "And That Reminds Me" - Della Reese
- "Almost In Your Arms (Love Theme From Houseboat) - Sophia Loren
- "April Love" - Pat Boone
- "Around The World" - Nat King Cole
- "Bernadine" - Pat Boone
- "Black Slacks" - Joe Bennett & the Sparkletones
- "Blue Starr" - Kay Starr
- "Blueberry Hill" - Fats Domino
- "Buenas Noches Mi Amor" - Dalida
- "Butterfly" - Andy Williams
- "Bye Bye Love" - Everly Brothers
- "Chances Are" - Johnny Mathis
- "Come Go With Me" - The Dell-Vikings, one of the first integrated groups
- "Crazy Street" - Matys Brothers (some sources say 1958)
- "Dark Moon" - Gale Storm
- "Deep Purple" - Billy Ward & The Dominoes
- "Diana" - Paul Anka
- "Everyday" - Buddy Holly
- "Fascination", recorded by
- "Forbidden Fruit" - Anita Ellis
- "Four Walls" - Jim Reeves
- "Gonna Find Me a Bluebird" - Marvin Rainwater
- "Great Balls Of Fire" - Jerry Lee Lewis
- "The Greater Sin" - Frankie Laine
- "Gunfight At the OK Corral" - Frankie Laine
- "Happy, Happy Birthday, Baby" - The Tune Weavers
- "Hey, Schoolgirl" - Tom and Jerry
- "Histoire d'un amour" - Dalida
- "Honeycomb" - Jimmie Rodgers
- "Hoot Owl" - Guy Mitchell
- "How High The Moon" - Pat Suzuki
- "I'm Sorry" - The Platters
- "I'm Walking The Floor Over You" - Georgia Gibbs
- "It's Not For Me To Say" - Johnny Mathis
- "Kisses Sweeter Than Wine" - Jimmie Rodgers
- "Last Train to San Fernando" - Johnny Duncan (huge hit in the UK)
- "Little Darlin' " - Diamonds, a parody cover of a rhythm and blues hit
- "The Lonesome Road" - Frankie Laine
- "Starlight" Jack Huddle
- "Look Homeward, Angel" - Johnnie Ray
- "Love Letters In The Sand" - Pat Boone
- "Loving You" - Elvis Presley
- "Lucille" - Little Richard
- "Maman, la plus belle du monde" - Dalida
- "My Special Angel" - Bobby Helms
- "Not Fade Away" - Buddy Holly
- "Oh Boy" - Buddy Holly
- "Old Cape Cod" - Patti Page
- "Party Doll" - Buddy Knox
- "Peggy Sue" - Buddy Holly
- "Pink Champagne" - The Tyrones
- "Quand on n'a que l'amour" - Dalida
- "Queen Of The Senior Prom" - The Mills Brothers
- "Raunchy" - Bill Justis
- "Reet Petite" - Jackie Wilson
- "Remember You're Mine" - Pat Boone
- "Rock-A-Billy" - Guy Mitchell
- "Rock-A-Bye Baby Blues" - Brenda Lee
- "Rock and Roll Music" - Chuck Berry
- "Round and Round" - Perry Como
- "Rumble" -- Link Wray, early feedback, only instrumental ever banned
- "Searchin' " - The Coasters
- "Shangri-La" - The Four Coins
- "Silent Lips" - Georgia Gibbs
- "So Rare" - Jimmy Dorsey
- "Stardust" - Nat King Cole
- "Sugar Moon" - Pat Boone
- "Sugartime" - McGuire Sisters
- "Tammy", recorded by
- "Teddy Bear" - Elvis Presley
- "That'll Be the Day" - The Crickets, Buddy Holly's group
- "3:10 To Yuma" - Frankie Laine
- "Too Much" - Elvis Presley
- "Too Young To Have A Broken Heart" - Gayla Peevey
- "Treat Me Nice" - Elvis Presley
- "The Twelfth Of Never" - Johnny Mathis
- "Tu n'as pas très bon caractère" - Dalida
- "Tutti Frutti" - Little Richard
- "Up Above My Head" - Johnnie Ray and Frankie Laine
- "Wake Up Little Susie" - The Everly Brothers
- "Walkin' After Midnight" - Patsy Cline
- "When I Fall in Love" - Nat King Cole
- "White Silver Sands - Don Rondo
- "Who Needs You" - The Four Lads
- "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On" - Jerry Lee Lewis
- "Why Baby, Why" - Pat Boone
- "Willie and the Hand Jive" - Johnny Otis
- "Witchcraft" - Frank Sinatra
- "Wonderful! Wonderful!" - Johnny Mathis
- "You Know How It Is" - Frankie Laine
- "You Send Me" - Sam Cooke
- "Young Blood" - The Coasters, a two-sided hit with "Searchin"'
- "Young Love", recorded by
Published popular music
- "According To My Heart" w.m. Gary Walker
- "An Affair To Remember" w. Harold Adamson & Leo McCarey m. Harry Warren
- "After School" w.m. Dick Wolf & Warren Nadel
- "All Shook Up" w.m. Otis Blackwell & Elvis Presley
- "All The Way" w. Sammy Cahn m. James Van Heusen
- "Almost Paradise" m. Norman Petty
- "Alone (Why Must I Be Alone)" w. Selma Craft m. Morton Craft
- "America" w. Stephen Sondheim m. Leonard Bernstein
- "April Love" w. Paul Francis Webster m. Sammy Fain
- "Are You Sincere?" w.m. Wayne Walker
- "At The Hop" w.m. Artie Singer, Johnny Medora & Dave White
- "Be-Bop Baby" w.m. Pearl Lenghurst
- "Bernadine" w.m. Johnny Mercer
- "Black Slacks" w.m. Joe Bennett & Jimmy Denton
- "Bony Moronie" w.m. Larry Williams
- "The Book Of Love" w.m. Warren Davies, George Malone & Charles Patrick
- "Boy On A Dolphin" w.(Eng) Paul Francis Webster (Greek) Jean Fermanoglou m. Takis Morakis
- "Build Your Love (On A Strong Foundation)" O. Jones
- "Butterfly" w.m. Anthony September
- "Bye Bye Love" w.m. Felice & Boudleaux Bryant
- "Ca, C'est L'Amour" w.m. Cole Porter
- "Catch A Falling Star" w.m. Lee Pockriss & Paul Vance
- "Chances Are" w. Al Stillman m. Robert Allen
- "Chantez, Chantez" w. Albert Gamse m. Irving Fields
- "Cocoanut Sweet" w. E. Y. Harburg m. Harold Arlen
- "Come Fly With Me" Sammy Cahn, James Van Heusen
- "Come Go With Me" w.m. Clarence E. Quick
- "Cool" w. Stephen Sondheim m. Leonard Bernstein
- "Could This Be Magic" w.m. Hiram Johnson & Richard Blandon
- "Dark Moon" w.m. Ned Miller
- "The Day The Rains Came" w.(Eng) Carl Sigman (Fr) Pierre Delanoë m. Gilbert Bécaud
- "Diana" w.m. Paul Anka
- "Do I Love You Because You're Beautiful?" w. Oscar Hammerstein II m. Richard Rodgers
- "Everyday" Charles Hardin, Norman Petty
- "Four Walls" w.m. George Campbell & Marvin Moore
- "From a Jack to a King" w.m. Ned Miller
- "Gee, Officer Krupke" w. Stephen Sondheim m. Leonard Bernstein from the musical West Side Story
- "Gigi" w. Alan Jay Lerner m. Frederick Loewe
- "The Girl with the Golden Braids" m. Eddie Snyder w. Stanley J. Kahan
- "Goodnight My Someone" w.m. Meredith Willson
- "Got-Ta Have Something In The Bank, Frank" Bob Hilliard, Mort Garson
- "Great Balls Of Fire" w.m. Jack Hammer & Otis Blackwell
- "A Handful Of Songs" Tommy Steele, Lionel Bart & Michael Pratt
- "Happy, Happy Birthday Baby" w.m. Margo Sylvia & Gilbert Lopez
- "Hey Schoolgirl" w. Art Garfunkel m. Paul Simon
- "Hula Love" adapted by Buddy Knox from the 1911 song "My Hula Hula Love"
- "I Can't Stop Loving You" w.m. Don Gibson
- "I Feel Pretty" w. Stephen Sondheim m. Leonard Bernstein
- "I Just Don't Know" w. Joe Stone m. Robert Allen
- "I Like Your Kind Of Love" Melvin Endsley
- "I'm Sorry" w.m. Buck Ram
- "In My Own Little Corner" w. Oscar Hammerstein II m. Richard Rodgers
- "In The Middle Of An Island" w.m. Ted Varnick & Nick Acquaviva
- "Island In The Sun" w.m. Harry Belafonte & Irving L. Burgie
- "It's Good To Be Alive" w.m. Bob Merrill
- "Ivy Rose" w.m. Al Hoffman & Dick Manning
- "Jailhouse Rock" w.m. Jerry Leiber & Mike Stoller
- "Jingle Bell Rock" w.m. Joseph Beal & James Boothe
- "Joey's Song" m. Joe Reisman
- "Just Between You And Me" w.m. Lee Cathy & Jack Keller
- "Just Born" w.m. Luther Dixon & Billy Dawn Smith
- "Let It Be Me" w.(Eng) Mann Curtis (Fr) Pierre Delanoë m. Gilbert Bécaud
- "Lida Rose" w.m. Meredith Willson
- "Liechtensteiner Polka" w.(Eng) Joseph Seener w.m. Edmund Koetscher & Rudi Lindt
- "Lips Of Wine" w. Shirley Wolfe m. Sy Soloway
- "Little Biscuit" w. E. Y. Harburg m. Harold Arlen
- "The Little Blue Man" w.m. Fred Ebb & Paul Klein
- "Little Darlin' " w.m. Maurice Williams
- "Loving You" w.m. Jerry Leiber & Mike Stoller
- "Lucille" w.m. Richard Penniman & Albert Collins
- "Magic Moments" w. Hal David m. Burt Bacharach
- "Mama Look A Booboo" w.m. Lord Melody
- "Marching Along To The Blues" w.m. Mel Green
- "Marian The Librarian" w.m. Meredith Willson
- "Mean Woman Blues" w.m. Claude Demetrius
- "Mi Casa, Su Casa" w.m. Al Hoffman & Dick Manning
- "Moonlight Swim" w. Sylvia Dee m. Ben Weisman
- "Mr Lee" w.m. Heather Dixon, Helen Gathers, Emma Ruth Pought, Laura Webb & Jannie Pought
- "My Heart Reminds Me" (aka "And That Reminds Me") w. (Eng) Al Stillman m. Camillo Bargoni
- "My Little Baby" w.m. Joe Shapiro and Lou Stallman
- "My Special Angel" w.m. Jimmy Duncan
- "My White Knight" w.m. Meredith Willson
- "Napoleon" w. E. Y. Harburg m. Harold Arlen
- "A New-Fangled Tango" w. Matt Dubey m. Harold Carr
- "Ninety-Nine Ways" w.m. Anthony September
- "Oh Boy!" w.m. Sunny West, Norman Petty & Bill Tilghman
- "Oh, Lonesome Me" w.m. Don Gibson
- "Old Cape Cod" w.m. Claire Rothrock, Milt Yakus & Allan Jeffrey
- "One Hand, One Heart" w. Stephen Sondheim m. Leonard Bernstein
- "Party Doll" w.m. Jimmy Bowen & Buddy Knox
- "Passing Strangers" Mel Mitchell, Stanley Applebaum
- "Peggy Sue" w.m. Jerry Allison, Norman Petty & Buddy Holly
- "Pretend You Don't See Her" w.m. Steve Allen
- "Proceed With Caution" Wilson Stone
- "Promise Her Anything" w.m. Roy Alfred
- "The Pub With No Beer" w.m. Gordon Parsons
- "Put A Light In The Window" w. Rhoda Roberts m. Kenny Jacobson
- "Rainbow" w.m. Russ Hamilton
- "Raunchy" m. William E. Justis Jr & Sidney Manker
- "Reet Petite" T. Carlo, Berry Gordy
- "Remember You're Mine" Bernie Lowe, Kal Mann
- "Rock And Roll Music" w.m. Chuck Berry
- "Rock-A-Billy" w.m. Woody Harris & Eddie V. Deane
- "Sadder But Wiser Girl For Me" w.m. Meredith Willson
- "Santa, Bring My Baby Back (To Me)" w.m. Claude Demetrius & Aaron Schroeder
- "Sayonara" w.m. Irving Berlin
- "School Day" w.m. Chuck Berry
- "Searchin' " w.m. Jerry Leiber & Mike Stoller
- "Send For Me" w.m. Ollie Jones
- "Seventy-Six Trombones" w.m. Meredith Willson
- "She Was Only Seventeen" w.m. Marty Robbins
- "Shiralee" w.m. Tommy Steele
- "Short Fat Fanny" Larry Williams
- "Silhouettes" w.m. Frank Slay & Bob Crewe
- "Something's Coming" w. Stephen Sondheim m. Leonard Bernstein
- "Somewhere" w. Stephen Sondheim m. Leonard Bernstein, Introduced by Reri Grist in the musical West Side Story
- "The Song Of Raintree County" w. Paul Francis Webster & Raymond Egan m. Richard Whiting
- "The Story Of My Life" w. Hal David m. Burt Bacharach
- "The Stroll" w.m. Nancy Lee & Clyde Otis
- "Tammy" w. Jay Livingston m. Ray Evans. Introduced by Debbie Reynolds in the film Tammy and the Bachelor
- "Teddy Bear" w.m. Kal Mann & Bernie Lowe. Introduced by Elvis Presley in the film Loving You
- "Tele Vee Shun" Stan Freberg
- "Ten Minutes Ago" w. Oscar Hammerstein II m. Richard Rodgers
- "That'll Be The Day" w.m. Buddy Holly, Norman Petty & Jerry Allison
- "Till" w.m. Carl Sigman, Charles Sananes & Pierre Buisson
- "Till There Was You" w.m. Meredith Willson. Introduced by Robert Preston and Barbara Cook in the musical The Music Man
- "Tonight" w. Stephen Sondheim & Leonard Bernstein m. Leonard Bernstein
- "Tonite, Tonite" W. Nobles
- "Treat Me Nice" w.m. Jerry Leiber & Mike Stoller
- "Trouble (In River City)" w.m. Meredith Willson. Introduced by Robert Preston in the musical The Music Man.
- "The Twelfth Of Never" adapt. (folk song) w. Paul Francis Webster m. Jerry Livingston
- "Twenty-Six Miles" w.m. Bruce Bell & Glen Larson
- "A Very Special Love" w.m. Robert Allen
- "Wake Up Little Susie" w.m. Felice & Boudleaux Bryant
- "Walking Along" Sam Weiss, Winston Willis
- "White Silver Sands" w.m. Charles G. Matthews & Gladys Reinhardt
- "A White Sport Coat" w.m. Marty Robbins
- "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On" w.m. Dave Williams & Sunny David
- "Whole Lotta Woman" w.m. Marvin Rainwater
- "Why Baby Why" w.m. Luther Dixon & Larry Harrison
- "Why Don't They Understand?" Jack Fishman, Joe Henderson
- "Wild Is The Wind" w. Ned Washington m. Dimitri Tiomkin
- "Wind In The Willows" Wecht, Singer, Singer
- "Witchcraft" w. Carolyn Leigh m. Cy Coleman
- "Wonderful! Wonderful!" w. Ben Raleigh m. Sherman Edwards
- "Yellow Bird" w.m. Alan Bergman, Marilyn Keith & Norman Luboff
- "Yes Tonight, Josephine" w.m. Winfield Scott & Dorothy Goodman
- "You Need Hands" w.m. Roy Irwin
- "You Send Me" w.m. L. C. Cooke
Classical music
Births
- January 4 - Patty Loveless
- January 19 - Mickey Virtue, UB40
- January 23 - Earl Falconer, UB40
- January 26 - Norman Hassan, UB40
- January 27 - Janick Gers, Iron Maiden
- February 2 - Tony Butler, Big Country
- February 19 - Falco, classical and rock musician
- February 27 - Adrian Smith, musician, Iron Maiden
- February 28
- March 12 - Marlon Jackson, The Jackson 5
- March 21 - John Whitfield, conductor
- March 26 - Paul Morley, music journalist
- April 12 - Vince Gill
- April 16, Michael Quarles - Classical and Rock Musician
- May 2 - Markus Stockhausen, trumpeter and composer
- May 10 - Sid Vicious, punk musician
- May 18 - Michael Cretu, musician
- May 27 - Siouxsie Sioux, Siouxsie & the Banshees
- June 11 - Jamaaladeen Tacuma
- June 22 - Gary Beers, INXS
- June 26 - Patty Smyth
- July 3 - Laura Branigan
- July 30 - Christopher Miller, known as Rat Scabies, drummer
- August 18 - Ron Strykert, Men at Work
- August 21 - Budgie, Siouxsie & the Banshees
- August 31 - Glenn Tilbrook, Squeeze
- August 31 - Gina Schock, The Go-Go's
- September 1 - Gloria Estefan, singer
- September 1 - Jon Moss, London, Culture Club
- September 22 - Johnette Napolitano, Concrete Blonde
- September 22 - Nick Cave
- October 5 - Lee Thompson, Madness
- October 7 - Michael W. Smith
- October 19 - Karl Wallinger, World Party
- October 21 - Steve Lukather, Toto
- October 21 - Julian Cope, singer
- October 3 - Kelly Marie, singer
- October 28 - Stephen Morris, New Order
- November 1 - Lyle Lovett
- November 5 - Mike Score, A Flock of Seagulls
- November 8 - Porl Thompson, The Cure
- November 24 - Chris Hayes, Huey Lewis and The News
- December 9 - Donny Osmond, singer
- December 9 - Steve Taylor, singer, record producer
- December 10 - Paul Hardcastle
- December 12 - Sheila E.
- December 20
- December 25 - Shane MacGowan, The Pogues
- date unknown
Deaths
- January - Gertie Gitana, music hall entertainer
- January 16 - Arturo Toscanini, conductor
- January 18 - George Girard, jazz trumpeter
- February 7 - Rudolph Réti, pianist, composer and musicologist
- February 16 - Józef Hofmann, pianist and composer
- March 8 - Othmar Schoeck, composer
- March 13 - Lena Ashwell, Forces entertainer
- March 24 - Carson Robison, country music singer and songwriter
- April 15 - Pedro Infante, actor and singer
- May 9 - Ezio Pinza, Italian singer and actor
- June 6 - Kulyash Baiseitova, opera singer
- June 12 - Jimmy Dorsey, big band leader
- July 7 - Hiski Salomaa, folk singer and songwriter
- July 9 - Alexander Goedicke, pianist and composer
- July 16 - Serge Chaloff, saxophonist
- August 28 - Erik Tuxen, conductor, composer and arranger
- September 1 - Dennis Brain, horn virtuoso (in unexplained car accident)
- September 11 - Petar Stojanović, violinist and composer
- September 20 - Jean Sibelius, composer
- October 20 - Jack Buchanan, Scottish singer, dancer, actor and director
- October 23 - Abe Lyman, US bandleader, composer and drummer
- November 4 - Joseph Canteloube, composer
- November 20 - Beniamino Gigli, operatic tenor
- December 19 - Abolhasan Saba, instrumentalist
- December 20 - Walter Page, jazz musician
- December 21 - Eric Coates, composer
- date unknown
Awards
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