Popular 1950s Hit Songs for Weddings
So, you and your dreamboat are getting married? Then why not celebrate going to the chapel with the best music the 1950s had to offer?
What Defines 1950s Music?
The decade that followed the end of World War II brought prosperity and, with that, fun tunes to dance the twist, and more. Sure, the 1950s brought rock and roll which was a natural evolution from jazz. Their parents listened to Big Band and Swing. Partner dancing just kept up its pace.
Ballads were still big in the 1950s, with such crooners as Dean Martin, Perry Como, Frank Sinatra, and Pat Boone. So, what defines 1950s music is the backbeat, great vocals, and a memorable chorus.
Table of Contents:
- 1950s Wedding Songs
- 1950s Wedding Songs Spotify Playlist
- Top 10 1950s Songs
- Questions about 1950s Songs
100 Best 1950s Songs For Your Wedding
1950s wedding song list curated by Matthew Campbell
Last Updated: May 17, 2021
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| Song | Amazon Link | |
|---|---|---|
| Barrett Strong Money (That’s What I Want) 1959, R&B |  | |
| Big Bopper Chantilly Lace 1958, R&B | | |
| Bill Doggett Honky Tonk, Part 1 1956, R&B | | |
| Bill Haley & His Comets Rock Around The Clock 1954, Rock | | |
| Bo Diddley Bo Diddley 1955, R&B | | |
| Bobby Darin Mack The Knife 1959, Pop | | |
| Bobby Darin Splish Splash 1958, Rock | | |
| Bobby Day Rockin’ Robin 1958, Rock | | |
| Bobby Freeman Do You Want To Dance 1958, Pop | | |
| Bobby Helms My Special Angel 1597, Country | | |
| Buddy Holly & the Crickets Peggy Sue 1957, Rock | | |
| Buddy Holly & the Crickets Rave On 1958, Rock | | |
| Buddy Holly & the Crickets That’ll Be The Day 1957, Rock | | |
| Buddy Knox Party Doll 1957, Rockabilly | | |
| Carl Perkins Blue Suede Shoes 1956, R&B | | |
| Champs Tequila 1958, instrumental | | |
| Chuck Berry Johnny B Goode 1958, Rock | | |
| Chuck Berry Rock And Roll Music 1957, Rock | | |
| Chuck Berry Roll Over Beethoven 1956, Rock | | |
| Chuck Willis Hang Up My Rock And Roll Shoes 1958, R&B | | |
| Dale Hawkins Susie Q 1957, Rockabilly | | |
| Danny & the Juniors At The Hop 1957, Doo-Wop | | |
| Danny & the Juniors Rock and Roll is Here To Stay 1958, Doo Wop | | |
| Dean Martin Memories Are Made Of This 1956, Pop | | |
| Debbie Reynolds Tammy 1957, Pop | | |
| Duane Eddy Rebel Rouser 1958, Rockabilly | | |
| Eddie Cochran Summertime Blues 1958, Rockabilly | | |
| El Dorados At My Front Door (Crazy Little Mama) 1955, R&B | | |
| Elvis Presley All Shook Up 1957, Rock | | |
| Elvis Presley Don’t Be Cruel 1956, Rock | | |
| Elvis Presley Hound Dog 1956, Rock | | |
| Elvis Presley I Want You, I Need You, I Love You 1956, Pop | | |
| Elvis Presley Jailhouse Rock 1957, Rock | | |
| Elvis Presley Love Me Tender 1956, Pop | | |
| Everly Brothers All I Have To Do Is Dream 1958, Rock | | |
| Fats Domino Blueberry Hill 1956, R&B | | |
| Fats Domino I’m In Love Again 1956, R&B | | |
| Five Satins In The Still of The Night 1956, Doo-Wop | | |
| Four Aces Love Is A Many-Splendored Thing 1955, Pop | | |
| Frank Sinatra All The Way 1957, Pop | | |
| Frankie Avalon Venus 1959, Pop | | |
| Frankie Ford Sea Cruise 1959, Rock | | |
| Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers The ABC’s Of Love 1956, R&B | | |
| Gene Vincent & the Bluecaps Be-Bop-A-Lula 1956, Rockabilly | | |
| Hank Williams Hey Good Lookin’ 1951, Country | | |
| Hank Williams Jambalaya (On The Bayou) 1952, Country | | |
| Harry Belafonte Banana Boat Song 1956, Mento | | |
| Huey “Piano” Smith & the Clowns Rockin’ Pneumonia & the Boogie Woogie Flu 1957, Rock | | |
| Jerry Butler & the Impressions For Your Precious Love 1958, R&B | | |
| Jerry Lee Lewis Great Balls Of Fire 1957, Rock | | |
| Jerry Lee Lewis Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin On 1957, Rock | | |
| Jimmie Rodgers Kisses Sweeter Than Wine 1957, Folk | | |
| Johnny Ace Pledging My Love 1955, R&B | | |
| Johnny Cash I Walk The Line 1956, Country | | |
| Johnny Mathis Chances Are 1957, Pop | | |
| Johnny Otis Willie & The Hand Jive 1958, R&B | | |
| Laurie London He’s Got The Whole World In His Hands 1958, R&B | | |
| Lavern Baker Jim Dandy 1956, R&B | | |
| LaVern Baker Tweedlee Dee 1955, R&B | | |
| Little Richard Good Golly, Miss Molly 1958, Rock | | |
| Little Richard Keep A Knockin’ 1957, Rock | | |
| Little Richard Tutti Frutti 1955, Rock | | |
| Little Willie John Fever 1956, Rock | | |
| Mickey & Sylvia Love Is Strange 1956, Rock | | |
| Moonglows Sincerely 1954, R&B | | |
| Pat Boone April Love 1957, Pop | | |
| Paul Anka Diana 1957, Pop | | |
| Paul Anka Put Your Head On My Shoulder 1959, Pop | | |
| Phil Phillips Sea Of Love 1959, R&B | | |
| Platters Smoke Gets In Your Eyes 1958, Doo-Wop | | |
| Ray Charles I’ve Got A Woman 1954, R&B | | |
| Ray Charles What’d I Say 1959, R&B | | |
| Ritchie Valens La Bamba 1958, Rock | | |
| Roger Williams Autumn Leaves 1955, Pop | | |
| Sam Cooke You Send Me 1957, R&B | | |
| Santo and Johnny Sleep Walk 1959, Instrumental | | |
| Shirley & Lee Let The Good Times Roll 1956, R&B | | |
| Sonny James Young Love 1957, Country | | |
| Teddy Bears To Know Him is To Love Him 1958, Pop | | |
| The Chordettes Lollipop 1958, Pop | | |
| The Chords Sh-Boom 1954, Doo-Wop | | |
| The Clovers Love Potion No. 9 1959, R&B | | |
| The Coasters Charlie Brown 1959, Doo-Wop | | |
| The Coasters Searchin’ 1957, Rock | | |
| The Crests 16 Candles 1958, Doo-Wop | | |
| The Crows Gee 1953, Doo-Wop | | |
| The Del-Vikings Come Go With Me 1956, Doo-Wop | | |
| The Diamonds Little Darlin’ 1957, Doo-Wop | | |
| The Diamonds The Stroll 1957, Doo-Wop | | |
| The Drifters Dance With Me 1959, R&B | | |
| The Elegants Little Star 1958, Doo-Wop | | |
| The Flamingos I Only Have Eyes For You 1959, Doo-Wop | | |
| The Fleetwoods Come Softly To Me 1959, Pop | | |
| The Isley Brothers Shout 1959, R&B | | |
| The Monotones Book Of Love 1958, Rock | | |
| The Penguins Earth Angel 1954, Doo-Wop | | |
| The Platters Only You 1955, Doo-Wop | | |
| The Spaniels Goodnight Sweetheart, Goodnight 1954, R&B | | |
| Thurston Harris Little Bitty Pretty One 1957, Doo-Wop | | |
| Tommy Edwards It’s All in The Game 1958, Pop | | |
| Wilbert Harrison Kansas City 1959, R&B | | |
Top 5 Best 1950s Songs for Weddings
- “Unforgettable” by Nat King Cole
- “That’s Amore” by Dean Martin
- “I Walk The Line” by Johnny Cash
- “Shout” by The Isley Brothers
- “Jailhouse Rock” by Elvis Presley
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Backup on the Backbeat – A Little about 1950s Songs
Rock and roll music started in the mid-1950s and became mainstream with artists such as Bill Haley & His Comets and Elvis Presley. Elvis Presley became the image of Best 1950s Music. That decade made him “The King of Rock and Roll.”
Elvis ruffled the feathers of the squares after his pelvis gyrations on The Ed Sullivan Show. That kind of dancing was never shown on television before. Rock and Roll didn’t dominate the 1950s, however. Country and Western grew in popularity with such artists as Hank Williams, Johnny Cash, and Porter Wagoner. Carl Perkins fueled a new version of country and western and R&B combined called rockabilly. Arguably, there was quite a bit of crossover.
Hank Williams also helped to popularize Honky Tonk, a style of country music characterized by a style of piano playing emphasizing rhythm more than harmony. (Does this remind you of jazz? It should) It is interesting to note the “tonk” in the word Honky Tonk was taken from a manufacturer of an upright piano.
1950s Pop Culture
In the 1950s, we saw the popularization of television, dance shows, and even the credit card system in the USA. Although color televisions were being introduced, most shows were seen in the afternoon and evenings in black and white.
Popular TV shows included I Love Lucy, The Honeymooners, and The Twilight Zone. Segregation was also made illegal. Space travel became a reality with the Russian Sputnik 1. America also grew by 2 States with the addition of Hawaii and Alaska. That was a lot of change. Sound stressful? Yeah, dance it out.
Hot fashion trends included men’s bomber jackets (WWII), Bermuda shorts, and a nipped waist for women. In the early 1950s, there was a major advancement in medicine with the creation of a vaccine to prevent polio. So you can see, Daddy-O, why people wanted to splish splash, rock around the clock, and do the jailhouse rock.
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