Editing 1950 in music

{{Short description|none}} <!-- "none" is preferred when the title is sufficiently descriptive; see [[WP:SDNONE]] -->
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2012}}
{{YYYY music|1950}}
{{Year nav topic5|1950|music|radio|television|film}}

[[File:George Lewis clarinet fingers Kubrick 1950.JPG|right|thumb|Clarinetist [[George Lewis (clarinetist)|George Lewis]] in 1950 was prominent in the revived popularity of [[Dixieland|traditional jazz]].]]
This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1950.

==Specific locations==
*[[1950 in British music]]
*[[1950 in Norwegian music]]

==Specific genres==
*[[1950 in country music]]
*[[1950 in jazz]]

==Events==
*[[January 3]] – [[Sam Phillips]] launches [[Sun Records]] at 706 Union Avenue in [[Memphis, Tennessee]].
*[[March 14]] – [[Pablo Casals]] terminates his recording contract with [[RCA Records]] and signs with their chief competitor, [[Columbia Records]].<ref>Anon., "Columbia Records Acquires Casals", ''The New York Times'' (14 March): 21.</ref>
*[[June 26]] – [[Louis Armstrong]] records the first American version of ''[[C'est si bon]]'' with the English lyrics by [[Jerry Seelen]].
*[[August 29]] – The first American Music Competition of the [[Sigma Alpha Iota]] music fraternity is won by Richard Winslow for ''Huswifery'', a choral composition for women's voices.<ref>{{cite news|title=Composer Wins Music Contest|work=The New York Times|date=30 August 1950|page=27}}</ref>
*August – [[Herbert Howells]]' ''[[Hymnus Paradisi]]'' is premiered at the [[Three Choirs Festival]].<ref>{{cite journal|title=Hymnus Paradisi|journal=[[The Musical Times]]|volume=91|issue=1291|pages=352–353|date=September 1950|doi=10.2307/935574|publisher=Musical Times Publications Ltd|jstor=935574}}</ref>
*[[September 24]] – [[Alan Lomax]] sets sail from the United States for London and spends until 1959 recording in Europe for the ''Columbia World Library of Folk and Primitive Music''.
*[[October 1]] – Italian composer [[Luciano Berio]] marries American mezzo-soprano [[Cathy Berberian]].
*[[October 11]] – On temporary release from [[Ellis Island]] pending a deportation decision from U. S. immigration authorities, 20-year-old [[Friedrich Gulda]] makes his [[Carnegie Hall]] debut.<ref>{{cite news|author=[[Howard Taubman]]|title=Gulda Impresses in Piano Program: 20-Year-Old Austrian Artist Shows Great Musical Gifts in Recital at Carnegie Hall|work=[[The New York Times]]|date=12 October 1950|page=51}}</ref>
*November – The [[Eleanor Steber]] Award is won by soprano Willabelle Underwood.<ref>{{cite news|title=Soprano Winds Steber Award|work=The New York Times|date=4 November 1950|page=13}}</ref>
*[[Johann Sebastian Bach]] is reburied in [[St. Thomas Church, Leipzig]].
*[[Malcolm Sargent]] becomes chief conductor of the [[BBC Symphony Orchestra]].<ref>[[Ronald Crichton]], "Sargent, Sir (Harold) Malcolm (Watts)", ''[[The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians]]'', 2nd edition, edited by [[Stanley Sadie]] and [[John Tyrrell (musicologist)|John Tyrrell]] (London: Macmillan, 2001).</ref>
*[[Isaak Dunayevsky]] is named [[People's Artist of the USSR]].
*[[Mitch Miller]] signs as A&R man with Columbia Records.
*[[Patti Page]] becomes the first (and only) artist to have a Number One record on the Pop, R&B and Country charts concurrently.
*Al Cernick is signed to Columbia by [[Mitch Miller]], who changes the singer's name to [[Guy Mitchell]].
*Columbia Records lures [[Jo Stafford]] away from Capitol.
*[[Georgia Gibbs]] leaves the Majestic label and scores her first charting single with Coral.
*Bandleader [[Les Baxter]] founds the school of "Outer Space" exotica.
*[[Sam Cooke]] replaces [[R. H. Harris]] as lead singer of [[The Soul Stirrers]].

==Albums released==
*''[[American Folk Songs (Jo Stafford album)|American Folks Songs]]'' – [[Jo Stafford]]
*''[[Auld Lang Syne (Bing Crosby album)|Auld Lang Syne]]'' – [[Bing Crosby]]
*''[[Autumn in New York (Jo Stafford album)|Autumn in New York]]'' – Jo Stafford
*''Barber Shop Ballads'' – [[The Mills Brothers]]
*''Blue of the Night'' – Bing Crosby
*''[[The Famous 1938 Carnegie Hall Jazz Concert]]'' – [[Benny Goodman]]
*''Christmas Greetings'' – Bing Crosby
*''Cole Porter Songs'' – Bing Crosby
*''Country Feelin'' – [[Dinah Shore]]
*''[[Dedicated to You (Frank Sinatra album)|Dedicated to You]]'' – [[Frank Sinatra]]
*''[[Drifting and Dreaming (album)|Drifting and Dreaming]]'' – Bing Crosby
*''Dulce Patria'' – [[Jorge Negrete]]
*''[[Ella Sings Gershwin]]'' – [[Ella Fitzgerald]]
*''[[Frankie Laine (1950 album)|Frankie Laine]]'' – [[Frankie Laine]]
*''Going My Way'' – Bing Crosby
*''[[Historical America in Song]]'' – [[Burl Ives]]
*''King Cole Trio'' – [[King Cole Trio]]
*''King Cole Trio Volume 2'' – King Cole Trio
*''Live at Carnegie Hall'' – [[Benny Goodman]]
*''Oh! Susanna'' – [[Al Jolson]]
*''[[Patti Page (album)|Patti Page]]'' – [[Patti Page]]
*''Popular Classics for Four Pianos'' – [[Philharmonic Piano Quartet]]
*''[[Porgy and Bess (1950 album)|Porgy and Bess]]'' – Various Artists
*''Sing a Song of Christmas'' – [[The Ames Brothers]]
*''[[Sing and Dance with Frank Sinatra]]'' – [[Frank Sinatra]]
*''Songs By Gershwin'' – Bing Crosby
*''[[Songs of Faith (Jo Stafford album)|Songs of Faith]]'' – Jo Stafford
*''[[Songs for Sunday Evening]]'' – Jo Stafford
*''[[Tea for Two (album)|Tea for Two]]'' – [[Doris Day]]
*''Two Loves Have I'' – [[Frankie Laine]]
*''[[Voice of the Xtabay]]'' – [[Yma Sumac]]
*''[[Young Man with a Horn (soundtrack)|Young Man with a Horn]]'' – Doris Day

==No. 1 hit singles==
These singles reached the top of [[Billboard magazine]]'s charts in 1950.

{| class="wikitable"
!First week!!Number of weeks!!Title!!Artist
|-
|January 7, 1950||align="center"|1||"[[Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (song)|Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer]]"||[[Gene Autry]], 7,000,000 sold by 1969<ref name=GoldenDiscs>{{Cite book |last=Murrells |first=Joseph |url=http://archive.org/details/bookofgoldendisc00murr |title=The book of golden discs |date=1978 |publisher=London : Barrie & Jenkins |others=Internet Archive |isbn=978-0-214-20512-5}}</ref>
|-
|January 14, 1950||align="center"|4||"[[I Can Dream, Can't I?]]"||[[The Andrews Sisters]]
|-
|February 11, 1950||align="center"|1||"[[Rag Mop]]"||[[The Ames Brothers]]
|-
|February 18, 1950||align="center"|4||"[[Chattanoogie Shoe Shine Boy]]"||[[Red Foley]]
|-
|March 18, 1950||align="center"|4||"[[Music! Music! Music!]]"||[[Teresa Brewer]]
|-
|April 15, 1950||align="center"|2||"[[If I Knew You Were Comin' I'd've Baked a Cake]]"||[[Eileen Barton]]
|-
|April 29, 1950||align="center"|11||"[[The Third Man Theme]]"||[[Anton Karas]], 4,000,000 sold<ref name=GoldenDiscs/>
|-
|July 15, 1950||align="center"|5||"[[Mona Lisa (Nat King Cole song)|Mona Lisa]]"||[[Nat King Cole]]
|-
|August 19, 1950||align="center"|13||"[[Goodnight, Irene]]"||[[Gordon Jenkins]] & [[The Weavers]], 2,000,000 sold<ref name=GoldenDiscs/>
|-
|November 18, 1950||align="center"|2||"[[Harbour Lights (song)|Harbor Lights]]"||[[Sammy Kaye]]
|-
|December 2, 1950||align="center"|4||"[[The Thing (song)|The Thing]]"||[[Phil Harris]]
|-
|December 30, 1950||align="center"|9||"[[The Tennessee Waltz]]"||[[Patti Page]]
|}

==Biggest hit singles==
The following songs achieved the highest [http://tsort.info/music/yr1950.htm chart positions]
in the limited set of charts available for 1950.

{| class="wikitable"
! #
! Artist
! Title
! Year
! Country
! Chart entries
|-
| 1 || [[Nat King Cole]] || [[Mona Lisa (Nat King Cole song)|Mona Lisa]] || 1950 || US || US 1940s 1 – Jun 1950, US 1 for 5 weeks Jul 1950, Oscar in 1950, US BB 2 of 1950, POP 2 of 1950, DDD 4 of 1950, Italy 48 of 1951, RIAA 109, Acclaimed 1292
|-
| 2 || [[Patti Page]] || [[Tennessee Waltz]] || 1950 || US || US 1940s 1 – Nov 1950, US 1 for 9 weeks Dec 1950, US BB 4 of 1950, 6,000,000 sold by 1967<ref name=GoldenDiscs/>
|-
| 3 || [[Phil Harris]] || [[The Thing (song)|The Thing]] || 1950 || US || US 1940s 1 – Nov 1950, US 1 for 4 weeks Dec 1950, Peel list 1 of 1950, US BB 12 of 1950, POP 12 of 1950
|-
| 4 || [[Red Foley]] || [[Chattanoogie Shoe Shine Boy]] || 1950 || US || US 1940s 1 – Jan 1950, US 1 for 4 weeks Feb 1950, DDD 17 of 1950, US BB 18 of 1950, POP 25 of 1950
|-
| 5 || [[Teresa Brewer]] || [[Music! Music! Music!]] || 1950 || US || US 1940s 1 – Feb 1950, US 1 for 4 weeks Mar 1950, US BB 3 of 1950, POP 3 of 1950
|}

==Top hit records==
{{columns-list|colwidth=30em|
*"A-Razz-A-Ma-Tazz" – [[Georgia Gibbs]]
*"[[All My Love (Bolero)]]" – [[Patti Page]]
*"[[:it:Anema e core (brano musicale)|Anema e core]]" – [[Tito Schipa]]
*"[[Are You Lonesome Tonight? (song)|Are You Lonesome Tonight?]]" – [[Al Jolson]]
*"[[Ballin' the Jack]]", recorded by
**[[Georgia Gibbs]]
**[[Danny Kaye]]
*"[[Be My Love]]" – [[Mario Lanza]]
*"[[Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered|Bewitched]]" – [[Doris Day]]
*"Black Lace" – [[Frankie Laine]]
*"Boo-Hoo" – [[Guy Lombardo]] & [[The Lombardo Trio]]
*"[[A Bushel And A Peck]]" – [[Perry Como]] & [[Betty Hutton]]
*"[[Can Anyone Explain? (No, No, No!)]]" – [[The Ames Brothers]]
*"[[Chattanoogie Shoe Shine Boy]]" – [[Red Foley]]
*"[[Count Every Star]]", recorded by
**[[Ray Anthony|Ray Anthony and His Orchestra]]
**[[Dick Haymes]] and [[Artie Shaw]]
**[[Hugo Winterhalter]]
*"Cry Of The Wild Goose" – [[Frankie Laine]]
*"Daddy's Little Girl" – [[The Mills Brothers]]
*"Dear, Dear, Dear" – [[Frankie Laine]]
*"[[Domino (1950 song)|Domino]]" – [[André Claveau]]
*"[[Dream a Little Dream of Me (song)|Dream a Little Dream of Me]]" – [[Frankie Laine]]
*"A Dreamer's Holiday" – [[Buddy Clark]] & [[The Girlfriends]]
*"[[:es:El rancho 'e la Cambicha|El rancho 'e la Cambicha]]" – [[Antonio Tormo]]
*"[[Enjoy Yourself (1948 song)|Enjoy Yourself]]" – [[Guy Lombardo]] ([[Kenny Gardner]] & [[The Lombardo Trio]] vocals)
*"[[Goodnight, Irene]]" – [[The Weavers]]
*"[[Harbour Lights (song)|Harbor Lights]]" – [[Sammy Kaye]]
*"Here Comes Santa Claus" – [[Andrews Sisters]]
*"[[Hymne à l'amour]] (Hymn To Love)" – [[Édith Piaf]]
*"[[I Can Dream, Can't I?]]" – [[The Andrews Sisters]]
*"[[I'll Never Be Free]]", recorded by:
**[[Kay Starr]] and [[Tennessee Ernie Ford]]
**[[Louis Jordan]] and [[Ella Fitzgerald]]
**[[Annie Laurie (musician)|Annie Laurie]] and [[Paul Gayten|Paul Gayten and His Orchestra]]
**[[Dinah Washington]]
*"I Love You For That" – [[Patti Page]] & [[Frankie Laine]]
*"I Wanna Be Loved" – [[The Andrews Sisters]]
*"[[If I Knew You Were Comin' I'd've Baked a Cake]]" – [[Eileen Barton]]
*"[[I'm Movin' On (Hank Snow song)|I'm Movin' On]]" – [[Hank Snow]]
*"[[It Isn't Fair]]" – [[Sammy Kaye]] ([[Don Cornell]] vocal)
*"Let's Go West Again" – [[Al Jolson]]
*"A Man Gets Awfully Lonesome" – [[Frankie Laine]]
*"[[Mona Lisa (Nat King Cole song)|Mona Lisa]]" – [[Nat King Cole]]
*"Music, Maestro, Please" – [[Frankie Laine]]
*"[[Music! Music! Music!]]" – [[Teresa Brewer]]
*"[[My Foolish Heart (song)|My Foolish Heart]], recorded by
**[[Billy Eckstine]]
**[[Gordon Jenkins]]
*"[[My Heart Cries For You]]" – [[Guy Mitchell]]
*"[[Nevertheless (I'm in Love with You)|Nevertheless]]" – [[The Mills Brothers]]
*"[[No Other Love (1950 song)|No Other Love]]" – [[Jo Stafford]]
*"The Old Piano Roll Blues" [[Al Jolson]] & [[The Andrews Sisters]]
*"[[Patricia (1950 song)|Patricia]]" – [[Perry Como]]
*"Peter Cottontail" – [[Gene Autry]]
*"[[Play A Simple Melody]]" – [[Gary Crosby (singer)|Gary Crosby]] & Friend ([[Bing Crosby]])
*"[[Rag Mop]]" – [[The Ames Brothers]]
*"Red Hot Mama" – [[Georgia Gibbs]]
*"[[The Roving Kind (song)|The Roving Kind]]" – [[Guy Mitchell]]
*"[[Sentimental Me]]" – [[The Ames Brothers]]
*"Sleepy Ol' River" – [[Frankie Laine]]
*"[[Someday (You'll Want Me to Want You)|Someday]]", recorded by
**[[The Mills Brothers]]
**[[Vaughn Monroe]]
*"Sometime" – [[The Mariners (band)|The Mariners]]
*"[[Stars and Stripes Forever|Stars & Stripes Forever]]" – [[Frankie Laine]]
*"Swingin' In A Hammock" – [[Guy Lombardo]] ([[Don Rodney]] & [[The Lombardo Trio]] vocals)
*"[[The Tennessee Waltz]]" – [[Patti Page]]
*"[[There's No Tomorrow]]" – [[Tony Martin (entertainer)|Tony Martin]]
*"[[The Thing (song)|The Thing]]" – [[Phil Harris]]
*"Thinking of You" – [[Don Cherry (singer)|Don Cherry]]
*"[[The Third Man Theme]]" from the film ''[[The Third Man]]'', recorded by
**[[Anton Karas]]
**[[Guy Lombardo]]
*"[[With My Eyes Wide Open I'm Dreaming]]" – [[Patti Page]]
}}

==Top R&B hits on record==
*"[[Double Crossing Blues]]" – ''[[Johnny Otis]] with [[Esther Phillips|Little Esther]] & [[The Robins]]''

==Published popular music==
*"Adelaide's Lament" words and music: [[Frank Loesser]]
*"African Bolero" m. [[John Serry Sr.]]
*"American Beauty Rose" w.m. [[Hal David]], Redd Evans & Arthur Altman
*"[[Be My Love]]" w. [[Sammy Cahn]] m. [[Nicholas Brodszky]]
*"[[The Best Thing For You]]" w.m. [[Irving Berlin]]
*"Blind Date" w.m. Sid Robin
*"[[A Bushel And A Peck]]" w.m. [[Frank Loesser]]
*"Candy And Cake" w.m. [[Bob Merrill]]
*"[[Chattanoogie Shoe Shine Boy]]" w.m. Harry Stone & [[Jack Stapp]]
*"Choo'n Gum" w. Mann Curtis m. [[Vic Mizzy]]
*"[[Cold, Cold Heart]]" w.m. [[Hank Williams]]
*"[[The Cry of the Wild Goose]]" w.m. [[Terry Gilkyson]]
*"[[Dearie]]" w.m. [[Bob Hilliard]] & [[David Mann (songwriter)|David Mann]]
* "[[Domino (1950 song)|Domino]]" w. (Eng) [[Don Raye]] (Fr) [[Jacques Plante (lyricist)|Jacques Plante]] m. [[Louis Ferrari]]
*"[[Freight Train (song)|Freight Train]]" w. Paul James & Fred Williams m. trad arr. [[Elizabeth Cotten|Elizabeth Cotton]]
*"The French Can-Can Polka" w. [[Jimmy Kennedy]] m. [[Jacques Offenbach]]
*"[[From This Moment On (Cole Porter song)|From This Moment On]]" w.m. [[Cole Porter]]
*"[[Frosty the Snowman]]" w.m. Steve Nelson & Jack Rollins
*"[[Fugue for Tinhorns|Fugue For Tinhorns]]" w.m. [[Frank Loesser]]
*"Get Out Those Old Records" w.m. [[Carmen Lombardo]] & [[John Jacob Loeb]]
*"[[Gone Fishin' (song)|Gone Fishin']]" w.m. [[Nick Kenny (poet)|Nick Kenny]] & [[Charles Kenny]]
*"[[Guys and Dolls]]" w.m. [[Frank Loesser]]
*"Home Cookin"' w.m. [[Jay Livingston]] & [[Ray Evans]]
*"[[Hoop-Dee-Doo]]" w. [[Frank Loesser]] m. [[Milton De Lugg]]
*"The Hostess With The Mostes' On The Ball" w.m. [[Irving Berlin]]. Introduced by [[Ethel Merman]] in the musical ''[[Call Me Madam]]''
*"[[I Almost Lost My Mind]]" w.m. [[Ivory Joe Hunter]]
*"[[I Didn't Slip, I Wasn't Pushed, I Fell]]" w.m. [[Edward Pola]] & [[George Wyle]]
*"[[I Don't Care If The Sun Don't Shine]]" w.m. [[Mack David]]
* "[[I Leave My Heart in an English Garden]]" w.m. [[Harry Parr-Davies]] and [[Christopher Hassall]] from the musical ''[[Dear Miss Phoebe]]''
*"[[I Taut I Taw a Puddy-Tat|I Tawt I Taw a Puddy Tat]]" w.m. Alan Livingston, [[Billy May]] & Warren Foster
*"[[If I Knew You Were Comin' I'd've Baked A Cake]]" w.m. [[Al Hoffman]], [[Bob Merrill]] & [[Clem Watts]]
*"[[If I Were A Bell]]" w.m. [[Frank Loesser]]
*"I'll Know" w.m. [[Frank Loesser]]
*"[[I'll Never Be Free]]" w.m. [[Bennie Benjamin]] & [[George David Weiss]]
*"[[I'm Movin' On (Hank Snow song)|I'm Movin' On]]" w.m. [[Hank Snow]]
*"It Is No Secret" w.m. [[Stuart Hamblen]]
*"[[It's A Lovely Day Today]]" w.m. [[Irving Berlin]]
*"[[I've Never Been In Love Before]]" w.m. [[Frank Loesser]]
*"Ivory Rag" [[Lou Busch]], Jack Elliott
*"Little White Duck" w.m. Walt Barrows & Bernard Zaritsky
*"[[The Loveliest Night of the Year]]" w. [[Paul Francis Webster]] m. [[Juventino Rosas|Juventino P. Rosas]]
*"[[Luck Be a Lady]]" w.m. [[Frank Loesser]]
*"Lucky Lucky Lucky Me" Berle, Arnold
*"Marry The Man Today" w.m. [[Frank Loesser]]
*"Marrying For Love" w.m. [[Irving Berlin]]
*"[[More I Cannot Wish You]]" w.m. [[Frank Loesser]]
*"[[My Heart Cries For You]]" w.m. [[Carl Sigman]] & [[Percy Faith]]
*"My Time Of Day" w.m. [[Frank Loesser]]
*"[[No Other Love (1950 song)|No Other Love]]" adaptation from Chopin's [[Étude Op. 10, No. 3 (Chopin)|Étude No. 3]] in E major, Op. 10. w.m. [[Bob Russell (songwriter)|Bob Russell]] & [[Paul Weston]]
*"The Old Piano Roll Blues" w.m. [[Cy Coben]]
*"The Oldest Established" w.m. [[Frank Loesser]]
*"[[Orange Colored Sky]]" w.m. [[Milton De Lugg]] & [[Willie Stein|William Stein]]
*"[[Patricia (1950 song)|Patricia]]" w.m. Benny Davis
*"[[(Remember Me) I'm the One Who Loves You]]" w.m. [[Stuart Hamblen]]
*"[[The Roving Kind (song)|The Roving Kind]]" adapt. w.m. Jessie Cavanaugh & Arnold Stanton
*"[[Sam's Song (song)|Sam's Song]]" w. [[John Elliot (songwriter)|Jack Elliott]] m. Lew Quadling
*"Shot Gun Boogie" w.m. [[Tennessee Ernie Ford]]
*"[[Silver Bells (song)|Silver Bells]]" w.m. [[Jay Livingston]] & [[Ray Evans]]. Introduced by [[Bob Hope]] in the 1951 [[Musical film]] ''[[The Lemon Drop Kid]]''.
*"[[Sit Down, You're Rockin' the Boat|Sit Down, You're Rockin' The Boat]]" w.m. [[Frank Loesser]]. Introduced by [[Stubby Kaye]] in the [[musical theatre|musical]] ''[[Guys and Dolls]]''.
*"[[Sixty Minute Man]]" w.m. [[Billy Ward (singer)|Billy Ward]] & Rose Marks
*"[[Sleigh Ride]]" w. [[Mitchell Parish]] m. [[Leroy Anderson]]
*"Sue Me" w.m. [[Frank Loesser]]
*"[[The Syncopated Clock]]" w. [[Mitchell Parish]] m. [[Leroy Anderson]]
*"Take Back Your Mink" w.m. [[Frank Loesser]]. Introduced by [[Vivian Blaine]] in the musical ''[[Guys and Dolls]]''.
*"[[The Thing (song)|The Thing]]" w.m. [[Charles R. Grean]]
*"[[Tzena, Tzena, Tzena]]" adapt. trad [[Hebrew language|Hebrew]] w. (Eng) [[Mitchell Parish]] m. [[Issachar Miron]] & Julius Grossman
*"[[You Don't Have to Be a Baby to Cry]]" w.m. [[Bob Merrill]] & Terry Shand
*"[[You're Just In Love]]" w.m. [[Irving Berlin]]

==Classical music==

===Premieres===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Composer !! Composition !! Date !! Location !! Performers
|-
| [[Hendrik Andriessen|Andriessen, Hendrik]] || [[Organ Concerto (Andriessen)|Organ Concerto]] || 1950-11-01 || Amsterdam || [[Concertgebouw Orchestra]] – [[Pierre Monteux|Monteux]]<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.brunoklassiek.nl/nl/rco13006-anth-box152 |title=Bruno Klassiek |access-date=June 24, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150624100615/https://www.brunoklassiek.nl/nl/rco13006-anth-box152 |archive-date=June 24, 2015 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
|-
| [[Pierre Boulez|Boulez, Pierre]] || ''[[Le Soleil des eaux]]'' (2nd version, subsequently withdrawn) || 1950-07-18 || Paris || [[Irène Joachim|Joachim]], [[Pierre Mollet|Mollet]], [[Joseph Peyron|Peyron]] / [[Orchestre National de France|RTF National Orchestra]] – [[Roger Désormière|Désormière]]<ref>{{IRCAM work|6982|Pierre Boulez: ''Le Soleil des eaux''}}</ref>
|-
| [[Pierre Boulez|Boulez, Pierre]] || [[Piano sonatas (Boulez)|Piano Sonata No. 2]] (1948) || 1950-04-29 || Paris || [[Yvette Grimaud|Grimaud]]<ref>[http://www.universalis.fr/encyclopedie/boulez-reperes-chronologiques/ Encyclopedia Universalis]</ref>
|-
| [[Benjamin Britten]] || ''[[Five Flower Songs]]'' || 1950-07-23 || [[Darlington Hall]], England || [[Imogen Holst]] conducting a student choir<ref>{{IRCAM work|22805|Benjamin Britten: ''Five Flower Songs''}}</ref>
|-
| [[John Cage|Cage, John]] || ''[[String Quartet in Four Parts]]'' || 1950-08-12 || Black Mountain, North Carolina || [[Summer Session String Quartet|Summer Session Quartet]]<ref>[http://www.blackmountainstudiesjournal.org/wp/?page_id=1276 Black Mountain Studies Journal]</ref>
|-
| [[Lukas Foss|Foss, Lukas]] || ''[[Song of Anguish]]'' || 1950-03-10 || Boston || [[Boston Symphony Orchestra|Boston Symphony]] – [[Lukas Foss|Foss]]<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.bso.org/brands/bso/about-us/historyarchives/archival-collection/world-premieres-at-the-bso/world-premieres-the-1900s.aspx |title=Boston Symphony Orchestra |access-date=May 25, 2017 |archive-date=January 18, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170118212645/http://www.bso.org/brands/bso/about-us/historyarchives/archival-collection/world-premieres-at-the-bso/world-premieres-the-1900s.aspx |url-status=dead }}</ref>
|-
| [[Jesús Guridi|Guridi, Jesús]] || [[String Quartet No. 2 (Guridi)|String Quartet No. 2]] || 1950-05-14 || Madrid || [[Agrupación Nacional de Música de Cámara|National Chamber Music Association]]<ref>[http://www.docenotas.com/115136/el-cuarteto-breton-con-jesus-guridi/ Doce Notas]</ref>
|-
| [[Karl Amadeus Hartmann|Hartmann, Karl Amadeus]] || [[Symphony No. 2 (Hartmann)|''Adagio'' (Symphony No. 2)]] || 1950-09-10 || [[Donaueschingen Festival]], Germany || [[Southwest German Radio Symphony Orchestra|SWF Symphony]] – [[Hans Rosbaud|Rosbaud]]<ref>[http://www.schott-music.com/shop/1/show,34605.html Schott Music]</ref>
|-
| [[Herbert Howells|Howells, Herbert]] || ''[[Hymnus Paradisi]]'' (1938) || 1950-09-07 || Gloucester, UK ([[Three Choirs Festival]]) || [[Isobel Baillie|Baillie]], [[William Herbert (tenor)|William Herbert]] / [[London Symphony Orchestra|London Symphony]] – Howells<ref>[http://www.naxos.com/mainsite/blurbs_reviews.asp?item_code=8.570352&catNum=570352&filetype=About%20this%20Recording&language=English Naxos]</ref><ref>[http://etheses.bham.ac.uk/236/1/Ward06MPhil_A1a.pdf Thesis by Martin John Ward for the University of Birmingham, p.75]</ref>
|-
| [[André Jolivet|Jolivet, André]] || [[Flute Concerto (Jolivet)|Concerto for Flute and Strings]] || 1950-01-24 || Paris || [[Jean-Pierre Rampal|Rampla]] / [unknown orchestra and conductor]<ref>{{IRCAM work|34825|André Jolivet: Flute Concerto}}</ref>
|-
| [[Aram Khachaturian|Khachaturian, Aram]] || ''[[Triumphal Poem (Khachaturian)|Triumphal Poem]]'' || 1950-12-09 || Moscow || [[Tchaikovsky Symphony Orchestra|USSR Radio Symphony]] – [[Alexander Gauk|Gauk]]<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.chantdumonde.com/Publisheditions/catalog/5/CATAKHATCHAV.ANGL1.pdf |title=Le Chant du Monde |access-date=June 30, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150923202246/http://www.chantdumonde.com/Publisheditions/catalog/5/CATAKHATCHAV.ANGL1.pdf |archive-date=September 23, 2015 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
|-
| [[Bohuslav Martinu|Martinu, Bohuslav]] || [[Intermezzo for Large Orchestra (Martinu)|Intermezzo for Large Orchestra]] || 1950-12-29 || New York City || [[Louisville Orchestra]] – [[Robert Whitney (conductor)|Whitney]]<ref>[http://www.naxos.com/mainsite/blurbs_reviews.asp?item_code=FECD-0018&catNum=FECD-0018&filetype=About+this+Recording&language=English Naxos Records]</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.louisvilleorchestra.org/documentary-film-to-premiere-may-20/ |title=Louisville Orchestra |access-date=June 24, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150626114455/https://www.louisvilleorchestra.org/documentary-film-to-premiere-may-20/ |archive-date=June 26, 2015 |url-status=dead |df=mdy-all }}</ref>
|-
| [[Bohuslav Martinu|Martinu, Bohuslav]] || [[Piano Trio No. 2 (Martinu)|Piano Trio No. 2]] || 1950-05-19 || Cambridge, Massachusetts || [[Klaus Liepmann|Liepmann]], [[George Finckel|Finckel]], [[Gregory Tucker (pianist)|Tucker]]<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.classicsonline.com/catalogue/product.aspx?pid=1703312 |title=Classics Online |access-date=June 24, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150626131742/http://www.classicsonline.com/catalogue/product.aspx?pid=1703312 |archive-date=June 26, 2015 |url-status=dead |df=mdy-all }}</ref>
|-
| [[Bohuslav Martinu|Martinu, Bohuslav]] || ''[[Sinfonietta La Jolla]]'' || 1950-08-13 || San Diego, California || [[Orchestra of the Musical Arts Society of La Jolla]] – [[Nikolai Sokoloff|Sokoloff]]<ref>[http://www.boosey.com/pages/cr/catalogue/cat_detail.asp?site-lang=es&musicid=6065 Boosey & Hawkes]</ref>
|-
| [[Luigi Nono|Nono, Luigi]] || ''[[Variazioni canoniche]] sulla serie dell'op. 41 di Schoenberg'' || 1950-08-27 || [[Darmstädter Ferienkurse]], Germany || [[Staatstheater Darmstadt|Darmstadt Landestheater Orchestra]] – [[Hermann Scherchen|Scherchen]]<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.luiginono.it/it/luigi-nono/opere/variazioni-canoniche-sulla-serie-dell-op-41-di-arnold-schoenberg |title=Fondazione Onlus |access-date=June 24, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305122516/http://www.luiginono.it/it/luigi-nono/opere/variazioni-canoniche-sulla-serie-dell-op-41-di-arnold-schoenberg |archive-date=March 5, 2016 |url-status=dead |df=mdy-all }}</ref>
|-
| [[Sergei Prokofiev|Prokofiev, Sergei]] || [[Cello Sonata (Prokofiev)|Cello Sonata]] (1949) || 1950-03-01 || Moscow || [[Mstislav Rostropovich|Rostropovich]], [[Sviatoslav Richter|Richter]]<ref>[http://www.classicalconnect.com/Cello_Music/Prokofiev/Sonata/9726 Classical Connect]</ref>
|-
| [[Humphrey Searle|Searle, Humphrey]] || ''[[Poem for 22 Strings]]'' || 1950-08-27 || [[Darmstädter Ferienkurse]], Germany || [[Staatstheater Darmstadt|Darmstadt Landestheater Orchestra]] – [[Hermann Scherchen|Scherchen]]<ref>[http://issuu.com/internationales-musikinstitut/docs/darmstaedter_ferienkurse_1946-1966 Darmstädter Ferienkurse, 1946–1966]</ref>
|-
| [[Richard Strauss|Strauss, Richard]] (d. 1949) || ''[[Four Last Songs]]'' (1948) || 1950-05-22 || [[Royal Albert Hall]], London || [[Kirsten Flagstad|Flagstad]] / [[Philharmonia Orchestra]] – [[Wilhelm Furtwängler|Furtwängler]]<ref>[http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2007/Apr07/Strauss_Harbin_SBT1410.htm Musicweb International]</ref>
|-
| [[Heitor Villa-Lobos|Villa-Lobos, Heitor]] || [[Symphony No. 6 (Villa-Lobos)|''Montanhas de Brasil'' (Symphony No. 6)]] (1944) || 1950-04-29 || Rio de Janeiro || [[Rio de Janeiro Municipal Theatre Symphony Orchestra|Rio de Janeiro Municipal Theatre Symphony]] – Villa-Lobos <ref>[http://www.historiadelasinfonia.es/historia-2/siglo-xx/villa-lobos/ Historia de la sinfonía]</ref>
|-
| [[Heitor Villa-Lobos|Villa-Lobos, Heitor]] || [[Piano Concerto No. 2 (Villa-Lobos)|Piano Concerto No. 2]] (1948) || 1950-04-21 || Rio de Janeiro || {{ill|João de Souza Lima|pt| João de Sousa Lima |de| João de Souza Lima (Komponist) |ru| Соуза Лима, Жуан де}} / [[Rio de Janeiro Municipal Theatre Symphony Orchestra|Rio de Janeiro Municipal Theatre Symphony]] – Villa-Lobos<ref>''[http://museuvillalobos.org.br/ingles/bancodad/VLSO_1.0.pdf Villa-Lobos, sua obra] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161016170347/http://museuvillalobos.org.br/ingles/bancodad/VLSO_1.0.pdf |date=October 16, 2016 }}'', Version 1.0. (MinC / IBRAM, and the Museu Villa-Lobos, 2009; based on the third edition, 1989): 56–57.</ref>
|-
|}

===Compositions===
*[[Hendrik Andriessen]] – Concerto for Organ and Orchestra
*[[Malcolm Arnold]] – ''[[English Dances (Arnold)|English Dances]]'' for orchestra, Op. 27
*[[Alexander Arutiunian]] – [[Trumpet Concerto (Arutiunian)|Concerto for Trumpet and Orchestra]]
*[[Arno Babajanian]] – ''Heroic Ballade''
*[[Ernest Bloch]] – ''Suite hébraïque'' <!--possibly 1951, remove from this list?-->
*[[Karl-Birger Blomdahl]] – Symphony No. 3 ''Facetter''
*[[Pierre Boulez]] –
**''[[Polyphonie X]]''
**''Le soleil des eaux'', for soprano, chorus and orchestra (second version)
*[[John Cage]] – ''[[String Quartet in Four Parts]]''
*[[Carlos Chávez]] – [[Violin Concerto (Chávez)|Concerto for Violin and Orchestra]]
*[[Jani Christou]] – First Symphony
*[[Arnold Cooke]] – Trio for Violin, Viola and Cello
*[[George Crumb]] – ''A Cycle of Greek Lyrics'' for voice and piano
*[[Henri Dutilleux]] – ''Blackbird'' for piano
*[[Jesús Guridi]] – String Quartet in A minor
*[[Eivind Groven]]
**''Hjalarljod Overture'', Op. 38
**Piano Concerto, Op. 39a
*[[Karl Amadeus Hartmann]] – Symphony No. 5 ''Symphonie Concertante''
*[[Hans Henkemans]] – Concerto for Violin and Orchestra
*[[Vagn Holmboe]] – Symphony No. 7
*[[Wojciech Kilar]] – ''Toccata'' for piano
*[[Ernst Krenek]] – Suite for String Trio ''Parvula Corona Musicalis''
*[[Bohuslav Martinů]] –
**Concerto No. 2 for two violins and orchestra
**Duo No. 2, for Violin and Viola
**Intermezzo for Large Orchestra
**Sinfonietta ''La Jolla'', in A major, for piano and chamber orchestra
**Trio No. 2, for violin, cello, and piano, in D minor
*[[Luigi Nono]] – ''Variazioni canoniche sulla serie dell’op.41 di A. Schönberg'', for chamber orchestra
*[[Vincent Persichetti]] – Divertimento for Band
*[[Allan Pettersson]] – First Concerto for Strings
*[[Walter Piston]] – [[Symphony No. 4 (Piston)|Symphony No.4]]
*Theodor Rogalski – ''Three Romanian Dances'' for orchestra
*[[Arnold Schoenberg]] –
**Psalm 130 "De profundis", Op. 50b
**Modern Psalm, Op. 50c (unfinished)
**''[[Style and Idea]]'' (collection of essays and other works, translated by [[Dika Newlin]])
*[[Humphrey Searle]] – ''Poem for 22 Strings''
*[[John Serry Sr.]] –
** ''Eight Accordion Quartet Arrangements''
**''La Culebra'', for flute & accordion
**''African Bolero'', for flute & accordion
*[[Karlheinz Stockhausen]] –
**''[[Choral (Stockhausen)|Choral]]'' ("Wer uns trug mit Schmerzen in dies Leben"), for a cappella choir, Nr. 1/9 (1950)
**''[[Chöre für Doris]]'', for a cappella choir, Nr. <sup>1</sup>/<sub>11</sub> (1950)
**''[[Drei Lieder (Stockhausen)|Drei Lieder]]'', for alto voice and chamber orchestra, Nr. 1/10 (1950)
*[[Heitor Villa-Lobos]] –
** [[String Quartet No. 12 (Villa-Lobos)|String Quartet No. 12]]
** [[Symphony No. 8 (Villa-Lobos)|Symphony No. 8]]

==Opera==
*[[Luigi Dallapiccola]] – ''Job''
*[[Norman Dello Joio]] – ''The Triumph of Saint Joan''
*[[Lukas Foss]] – ''[[The Jumping Frog of Calaveras County]]'' (opera in two scenes, libretto by Jean Karsavina, premiered on May 18, 1950, at Indiana University)
*[[Vittorio Giannini]] – ''[[The Taming of the Shrew]]''
*[[Gian Carlo Menotti]] – ''[[The Consul]]''

==Film==
*[[Georges Auric]] - ''[[Orpheus (film)|Orpheus]]''
*[[Aram Khachaturian]] – ''[[Secret Mission (1950 film)]]''
*[[Leith Stevens]] - ''[[Destination Moon (film)|Destination Moon]]''
*[[Franz Waxman]] – ''[[Sunset Boulevard (film)]]''

==Jazz==
{{Main|1950 in jazz}}

==Musical theatre==
* ''[[Alive and Kicking (musical)|Alive and Kicking]]'' – Broadway revue opened at the [[Winter Garden Theatre]] on January 17 and ran for 46 performances
* ''[[Call Me Madam]]'' (Music and Lyrics: [[Irving Berlin]] Book: [[Howard Lindsay]] and [[Russel Crouse]].) Broadway production opened at the [[Imperial Theatre]] on October 12 and ran for 644 performances.
*''[[Carousel (musical)|Carousel]]'' (Music: [[Richard Rodgers]] Lyrics and Book: [[Oscar Hammerstein II]].) [[West End theatre|London]] production opened at the [[Theatre Royal, Drury Lane|Drury Lane Theatre]] on June 7 and ran for 566 performances.
* ''[[Dear Miss Phoebe]]'' London production opened at the [[Phoenix Theatre (London)|Phoenix Theatre]] on October 13 and ran for 283 performances
*''[[Guys and Dolls]]'' (Music and Lyrics: [[Frank Loesser]] Book: [[Abe Burrows]] & [[Jo Swerling]]). Broadway production opened at the [[46th Street Theatre]] on November 24 and ran for 1200 performances.
*''[[The Highwayman (musical)|The Highwayman]]'' Music, Lyrics & Book: Edmond Samuels. Australian production opened at the [[King's Theatre, Melbourne|Kings Theatre, Melbourne]] on November 18
* ''[[Michael Todd's Peep Show]]'' Broadway revue opened at [[Winter Garden Theatre]] on June 28 and ran for 278 performances.
*''[[Out of This World (musical)|Out Of This World]]'' (Music and Lyrics: [[Cole Porter]] Book: [[Dwight Taylor (writer)|Dwight Taylor]] and Reginald Lawrence) [[Broadway theatre|Broadway]] production opened at the [[New Century Theatre]] on December 21 and ran for 157 performances.
*''[[Peter Pan (1950 musical)|Peter Pan]]'' Lyrics and Music: [[Leonard Bernstein]]. Broadway production opened at the [[Imperial Theatre (Broadway)|Imperial Theatre]] on April 24 and ran for 321 performances
* ''[[Tickets, Please!]]'' Broadway revue opened at the [[Eugene O'Neill Theatre|Coronet Theatre]] on April 27 and ran for 245 performances.

==Musical films==
[[File:Dorothy Kirsten-Bing Crosby in Mr. Music trailer.jpg|right|thumb|[[Dorothy Kirsten]] and [[Bing Crosby]] in "''Mr. Music''".]]
*''[[Annie Get Your Gun (film)|Annie Get Your Gun]]'' (music and lyrics by [[Irving Berlin]]), starring [[Betty Hutton]], [[Howard Keel]], [[Louis Calhern]] and [[Keenan Wynn]].
*''[[Bhai Bahen]]'', starring [[Geeta Bali]] and [[Bharat Bhushan Bhalla|Bharat Bhushan]].
*''[[Canzoni per le strade]]'', starring [[Luciano Taioli]] and [[Antonella Lualdi]]
*''[[Cinderella (1950 film)|Cinderella]]'', animated film featuring the voice of [[Ilene Woods]] and [[Verna Felton]].
*''[[Come Dance with Me (1950 film)|Come Dance with Me]]'' featuring [[Anne Shelton (singer)|Anne Shelton]] and [[Anton Karas]]
*''Cossacks of the Kuban (Kubanskie kazaki)'', starring [[Vladlen Davydov]] and [[Marina Ladynina]]
*''[[Fancy Pants (film)|Fancy Pants]]'' starring [[Bob Hope]] and [[Lucille Ball]]
*''[[Hamara Ghar (1950 film)|Hamara Ghar]]'', starring [[Meena Kumari]] and [[Durga Khote]]<ref>{{cite web | title=Hamara Ghar : Lyrics and video of Songs from the Movie Hamara Ghar (1950) | website=HindiGeetMala | date=2016-10-17 | url=http://www.hindigeetmala.net/movie/hamara_ghar_1950.htm | access-date=2016-12-20}}</ref>
*''[[I'll Get By (film)|I'll Get By]]'' starring [[June Haver]], [[Gloria DeHaven]] and [[Dennis Day]], and featuring [[Harry James]].
*''[[Mr. Music]]'' starring [[Bing Crosby]] and featuring [[Peggy Lee]], [[Groucho Marx]] and [[Dorothy Kirsten]].
*''[[Mussorgsky (film)|Mussorgsky]]'', starring [[Aleksandr Borisov (actor)|Aleksandr Borisov]]
*''[[My Blue Heaven (1950 film)|My Blue Heaven]]'', starring [[Betty Grable]] and [[Dan Dailey]]<ref>{{Cite news|title=Grable to appear in ''Blue Heaven'': Star Ends Hold-Out Against the Fox Studios|work=The New York Times|date=October 19, 1949|page=37}}</ref>
*''[[Pagan Love Song]]'' starring [[Esther Williams]] and [[Howard Keel]]
*''[[Samsaram (1950 film)|Samsaram]]'', starring [[N. T. Rama Rao]], [[Akkineni Nageswara Rao]] and [[Lakshmirajyam]]<ref>''Naati 101 Chitralu S. V. Rama Rao'', Kinnera Publications, Hyderabad, 2006, pp. 54–55.</ref>
* ''[[Singing Guns]]'' released February 28 starring [[Vaughn Monroe]], [[Ella Raines]], [[Walter Brennan]] and [[Ward Bond]]
* ''[[Tea for Two (film)|Tea For Two]]'' starring [[Doris Day]] and [[Gordon MacRae]]
* ''[[There's a Girl in My Heart]]'' starring [[Lee Bowman]], [[Elyse Knox]], [[Gloria Jean]] and [[Peggy Ryan]]
*''[[Three Little Words (film)|Three Little Words]]'' starring [[Fred Astaire]], [[Red Skelton]] and Vera Ellen, and featuring [[Helen Kane]] dubbing for [[Debbie Reynolds]].
*''[[The Chocolate Girl (1950 film)|The Chocolate Girl (La petite chocolatière)]]'', starring [[Giselle Pascal]], [[Claude Dauphin (actor)|Claude Dauphin]] and [[Henri Genès]]<ref>{{cite book|author=Goble, Alan|title=The Complete Index to Literary Sources in Film|publisher=Walter de Gruyter|date=1999|page=176}}</ref>
*''[[The Daughter of Rosie O'Grady]]'', starring [[June Haver]] and [[Gordon MacRae]]<ref>{{cite news|last=Crowther|first=Bosley|author-link=Bosley Crowther|date=March 31, 1950|title=The Screen in Review|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|page=43}}</ref>
*''[[The Toast of New Orleans]]'' starring [[Kathryn Grayson]] and [[Mario Lanza]]
*''[[Two Weeks With Love]]'' starring [[Jane Powell]], [[Ricardo Montalbán]], [[Louis Calhern]], [[Debbie Reynolds]] and [[Carleton Carpenter]].
*''[[The West Point Story (film)|The West Point Story]]'' starring [[James Cagney]], [[Virginia Mayo]], [[Doris Day]] and [[Gordon MacRae]]

==Births==

===January – February===
*[[January 1]]
**[[Morgan Fisher]] ([[Mott the Hoople]])
**[[Steve Ripley]] ([[The Tractors]])
*[[January 3]] – [[Beth Anderson (composer)|Beth Anderson]], American composer
*[[January 5]] – [[Chris Stein]], guitarist and co-founder of [[Blondie (band)|Blondie]]
*[[January 7]] – [[Juan Gabriel]], singer (died 2016)
*[[January 9]] – [[David Johansen]], proto-punk singer ([[New York Dolls]]) (died 2025)
*[[January 21]] – [[Billy Ocean]], singer
*[[January 23]]
**<!--January 23-->[[Bill Cunningham (musician)|Bill Cunningham]], American bass and keyboard player
**<!--January 23-->[[Luis Alberto Spinetta]], "father of Argentine rock" (died 2012)
**<!--January 23-->[[Danny Federici]] ([[E Street Band]])
*[[January 26]] – [[Paul Pena]], singer, songwriter and guitarist (died 2005)
*[[January 28]] – [[Bob Hay (musician)|Bob Hay]], American singer-songwriter
*[[January 29]] – [[Max Carl]], American singer-songwriter, guitarist and keyboard player (Grand Funk Railroad)
*[[February 1]] – [[Mike Campbell (musician)|Mike Campbell]], American guitarist, songwriter and producer ([[Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers]] and [[Mudcrutch]])
*[[February 2]] – [[Ross Valory]], American rock bass player ([[Journey (band)|Journey]] and [[The Storm (American band)|The Storm]])
*[[February 3]] – [[John Schlitt]], American Christian rock singer ([[Petra (band)|Petra]] and [[Head East]])
*[[February 6]] – [[Natalie Cole]], African American singer, daughter of [[Nat King Cole]] (died 2015)
*[[February 12]] – [[Steve Hackett]], guitarist and composer ([[Genesis (band)|Genesis]])
*[[February 13]] – [[Peter Gabriel]], singer and composer (Genesis)
*[[February 14]] – [[Roger Fisher (guitarist)|Roger Fisher]], American guitarist ([[Heart (band)|Heart]] and [[Alias (band)|Alias]])
*[[February 15]] – [[David Brown (American musician)|David Brown]], bass guitarist ([[Carlos Santana|Santana]]) (died 2000)
*[[February 16]] – [[Roman Tam]], Chinese [[Cantopop]] singer (died [[2002 in music|2002]])
*[[February 19]] – [[Andy Powell]], rock guitarist ([[Wishbone Ash]])
*[[February 20]] – [[Walter Becker]], jazz rock bass guitarist, songwriter and record producer ([[Steely Dan]]) (died 2017)
*February 24 – [[Pappo]], Argentinian rock musician (died 2005)
*[[February 26]]
** [[Jonathan Cain]], rock musician ([[Journey (band)|Journey]])
** [[Billy Steinberg]], American songwriter ([[Madonna]], [[The Veronicas]], [[Cyndi Lauper]])

===March – April===
*[[March 2]] – [[Karen Carpenter]], singer (died 1983)
*[[March 11]] – [[Katia and Marielle Labèque|Katia Labèque]], pianist
*[[March 20]] – [[Carl Palmer]], drummer ([[Emerson, Lake & Palmer]], [[Asia (band)|Asia]])
*[[March 21]] – [[Roger Hodgson]] ([[Supertramp]])
*[[March 22]] – [[David Golub]], pianist and conductor (died 2000)
*[[March 26]] – [[Teddy Pendergrass]], singer (died 2010)
*[[March 27]]
**[[Tony Banks (musician)|Tony Banks]], rock keyboardist ([[Genesis (band)|Genesis]])
**[[Maria Ewing]], operatic soprano (died 2022)
*[[March 28]] – [[Claudio Lolli]], Italian novelist, singer and songwriter (died [[2018 in music|2018]])<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ciao.it/Lolli_Claudio__Opinione_314293|title=Info on ciao.it|website=Ciao.it|access-date=August 17, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150923203352/http://www.ciao.it/Lolli_Claudio__Opinione_314293|archive-date=September 23, 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref>
*[[April 5]] – [[Agnetha Fältskog]], singer ([[ABBA]])
*[[April 12]]
**[[David Cassidy]], singer (died 2017)
**[[Ivar Frounberg]], Danish composer and organist
*[[April 22]] – [[Peter Frampton]], singer
*[[April 24]] – [[Rob Hyman]] ([[The Hooters]])
*[[April 25]] – [[Steve Ferrone]] ([[Average White Band]])
*[[April 28]] – [[Willie Colón|Wilie Colón]], Puerto Rican salsa musician

===May – June===
*[[May 2]] – [[Lou Gramm]] ([[Foreigner (band)|Foreigner]])
*[[May 3]] – [[Mary Hopkin]], singer
*[[May 4]] – [[Darryl Hunt (musician)|Darryl Hunt]] ([[The Pogues]]) (died 2022)
*[[May 7]] – [[Prairie Prince]], American rock drummer and graphic artist
*[[May 9]] – [[Tom Petersson]] ([[Cheap Trick]])
*[[May 12]] – [[Billy Squier]], singer-songwriter and guitarist
*[[May 13]]
**[[Stevie Wonder]], singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist
**[[Danny Kirwan]], guitarist ([[Fleetwood Mac]]) (died 2018)
*[[May 16]] – [[Ray Condo]], singer, saxophonist, and guitarist (died 2004)
*[[May 18]] – [[Mark Mothersbaugh]] ([[Devo]])
*[[May 20]] – [[Victor Lewis]], American jazz drummer, composer, and educator
*[[May 22]] – [[Bernie Taupin]], lyricist
*[[May 29]] – [[Rebbie Jackson]], singer
*[[May 24]] – [[Terry Scott Taylor]], record producer
*[[June 1]] – [[Graham Russell]] ([[Air Supply]])
*[[June 3]] – [[Suzi Quatro]], rock singer
*[[June 5]]
**<!--June 5-->[[Ronnie Dyson]], singer and actor (died 1990)
**<!--June 5-->[[Michael Monarch]] ([[Steppenwolf (band)|Steppenwolf]])
*[[June 19]] – [[Ann Wilson]] ([[Heart (band)|Heart]])
*[[June 21]] – [[Joey Kramer]] ([[Aerosmith]])

===July – August===
*[[July 4]] – [[Tonio K]], American singer-songwriter
*[[July 5]]
**[[Huey Lewis]], singer and songwriter
**[[Michael Monarch]], American guitarist, songwriter, and producer ([[Steppenwolf (band)|Steppenwolf]], [[Detective (band)|Detective]], and [[World Classic Rockers]])
*[[July 10]] – [[Greg Kihn]], rock musician, radio personality and novelist.
*[[July 12]] – [[Eric Carr]] ([[Kiss (band)|Kiss]]) (died 1991)
*[[July 14]] – [[Gwen Guthrie]], singer-songwriter (died 1999)
*[[July 18]] – [[Glenn Hughes (Village People)|Glenn Hughes]] ([[Village People]]) (died 2001)
*[[July 19]] – [[Freddy Moore]], singer-songwriter
*[[July 23]] – [[Blair Thornton]] ([[Bachman–Turner Overdrive]])
*[[August 12]] – [[Kid Creole & the Coconuts|Kid Creole]], American singer
*[[August 13]] – [[Pluto Shervington]], Jamaican reggae singer (died 2024)
*[[August 18]] – [[Dennis Elliott]], British rock drummer ([[Foreigner (band)|Foreigner]])
*[[August 25]] – [[Willy DeVille]], American singer and songwriter (died 2009)

===September – October===
*[[September 10]] – [[Joe Perry (musician)|Joe Perry]], guitarist ([[Aerosmith]])
*[[September 14]] – [[Paul Kossoff]], guitarist ([[Free (band)|Free]]) (died 1976)
*[[September 17]] – [[Fee Waybill]] rock singer-songwriter ([[The Tubes]])
*[[September 27]] – [[Linda Lewis]], singer (died 2023)
*[[October 1]] – [[Elpida (singer)|Elpida]], singer
*[[October 2]] – [[Mike Rutherford]], musician and songwriter ([[Genesis (band)|Genesis]])
*[[October 8]] – [[Robert Kool Bell]], singer ([[Kool and The Gang]])
*[[October 12]] – [[Lowell Lo]], Hong Kong singer-songwriter, actor and film composer
*[[October 20]] – [[Tom Petty]], rock singer-songwriter and guitarist (died 2017)
*[[October 24]] - [[May Pang]],  American former music executive. She worked for John Lennon and Yoko Ono as a personal assistant and production coordinator.

===November – December===
*[[November 1]] – [[Dan Peek]] ([[America (band)|America]]) (died 2011)
*[[November 11]] – [[Jim Peterik]] ([[Ides of March (band)|Ides of March]], [[Survivor (band)|Survivor]])
*[[November 12]] – [[Barbara Fairchild]], American singer-songwriter
*[[November 18]]
**[[Graham Parker]], British singer-songwriter
**[[Rudy Sarzo]], Cuban-American bass player ([[Quiet Riot]], [[Whitesnake]], [[Dio (band)|Dio]], [[Blue Öyster Cult]], [[Manic Eden]], and [[Queensrÿche]])
*[[November 20]] – [[Gary Green (musician)|Gary Green]] ([[Gentle Giant]])
*[[November 21]]
**[[Marie Bergman]], Eurovision singer
**[[Livingston Taylor]], singer-songwriter
*[[November 22]]
**[[Tina Weymouth]], American musician, singer-songwriter, bassist ([[Talking Heads]], [[Tom Tom Club]])
**[[Steven Van Zandt]] (aka "Little Steven", "Miami Steve") ([[E Street Band]])
*[[December 1]] – [[Richard Keith (Keith Thibodeaux)|Richard Keith]] [birth name Keith Thibodeaux], American drummer and actor
*[[December 5]] – [[Camarón de la Isla]], flamenco singer
*[[December 6]] – [[Joe Hisaishi]], Japanese composer and director
*[[December 8]] – [[Dan Hartman]], singer-songwriter (died 1994)
*[[December 9]] – [[Joan Armatrading]], singer-songwriter
*[[December 20]] – [[Arturo Márquez]], composer
*[[December 25]] – [[Rockdrigo González]], folk & rock singer-songwriter (died in earthquake 1985)
*[[December 28]] – [[Alex Chilton]] ([[Box Tops]], [[Big Star (band)|Big Star]]) (died 2010)

==Deaths==
*[[January 1]] – [[Kate Carney]], English singer and comedian (born 1869)
*[[January 2]] – [[Theophrastos Sakellaridis]], Greek composer and conductor (born 1883)
*[[January 13]] – [[Dimitrios Semsis]], Greek violinist (born 1883)
*[[January 28]] – [[Kansas Joe McCoy]], American blues musician and songwriter (born 1905)
*[[February 10]] – [[Armen Tigranian]], Armenian composer (born 1879)
*[[February 26]] – Sir [[Harry Lauder]], Scottish singer, comedian and songwriter (born 1870)
*[[February 28]] – [[E. A. Couturier|Ernst Abert Couturier]], cornet virtuoso, composer, inventor and instrument manufacturer (born 1869)
*[[March 2]] – [[Milton Schwarzwald]], film director and composer (born 1891)
*[[March 8]] – [[Jaroslav Kocián]], violinist, composer and teacher (born 1883)
*[[April 2]] – [[Adolf Wiklund (musician)|Adolf Wiklund]], Swedish composer (born 1879)
*[[April 3]] – [[Kurt Weill]], composer in many styles (born 1900)<ref>{{cite book|last=Mercado|first=Mario R.|title=Kurt Weill: A Guide to His Works|publisher=Kurt Weill Foundation for Music|year=1989}}</ref>
*[[April 8]] – [[Vaslav Nijinsky]], ballet dancer (born 1889/90)
*[[April 23]] – [[Gemma Bellincioni]], operatic soprano (born 1864)
*[[April 27]] — [[Karl Straube]], German organist (born [[1873 in music|1873]])<ref>{{Cite encyclopedia|title=Straube, Karl|encyclopedia=Deutsche Biographie|url=https://www.deutsche-biographie.de/sfz106765.html|access-date=2021-08-30|language=de}}</ref>
*[[May 7]] – [[Bertha "Chippie" Hill]], blues singer and vaudeville performer (born 1905)
*[[May 13]] – [[Pauline de Ahna]], operatic soprano (born 1863)
*[[May 27]] – [[Auguste Aramini]], French singer (born 1875)
*[[June 9]] – [[Joe Burke (composer)|Joe Burke]], pianist and composer (born 1884)
*[[June 26]] – [[Antonina Nezhdanova]], coloratura soprano (born 1873)
*[[July 1]] – [[Émile Jaques-Dalcroze]], developer of [[eurhythmics]] (born 1865)
*[[July 7]] – [[Fats Navarro]], jazz musician (born 1923)
*[[July 11]] – [[Buddy DeSylva]], songwriter (born 1895)
*[[July 26]] – [[Papa Charlie McCoy]], blues musician (born 1909)
*[[July 30]] – [[Guilhermina Suggia]], cellist (born 1885)
*[[August 3]] – [[Georg Høeberg]], composer and conductor (born 1872)
*[[August 8]] – [[Nikolai Myaskovsky]], Soviet composer and teacher of [[Poland|Polish]] birth (born 1881)
*[[August 26]] – [[Giuseppe De Luca]], operatic baritone (born 1876)
*[[September 5]] – [[Al Killian]], trumpeter and bandleader (born 1916)
*[[September 20]] – [[Georges Mager]], trumpet player (born 1885)
*[[October 11]] – [[Emil Votoček]], chemist, composer and music theorist (born 1862)
*[[October 15]] – [[Clément Doucet]], pianist (born 1895)
*[[October 23]] – [[Al Jolson]], singer and actor (born 1886)
*[[October 26]] – [[Evelyn Suart]], English pianist (born 1881)
*[[November 20]] – [[Francesco Cilea]], opera composer (born 1866)
*[[November 23]] – [[Percival Mackey]], English pianist, composer and bandleader (born 1894)
*[[December 2]] – [[Dinu Lipatti]], Romanian pianist and composer (born 1917; [[Hodgkin's lymphoma|Hodgkin's disease]])<ref>[http://www.markainley.com/music/classical/lipatti/prince_of_pianists.html Prince of Pianists | Lipatti | Classical Music | Mark Ainley<!-- Bot generated title -->] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151022165810/http://www.markainley.com/music/classical/lipatti/prince_of_pianists.html |date=October 22, 2015 }}</ref>
*[[December 9]] – [[Georg Hann]], operatic bass-baritone (born 1897)
*[[December 22]] – [[Julius Weismann]], German composer and conductor (born 1879)
*[[December 26]] – [[Ben Black (composer)|Ben Black]], songwriter and impresario (born 1889)
*[[December 28]] – [[Charles L. Johnson]], composer of ragtime and popular music (born 1876)
*[[December 31]] – [[Charles Koechlin]], composer and teacher (born 1867)
*''date unknown''
**[[Jaime de Angulo]], ethnomusicologist (born 1887)
**[[Edouard Espinosa]], dancer, choreographer and teacher (born 1871)
**[[Cenobio Hernandez]], composer (born 1863)
**[[Ray Perry]], jazz musician (born 1915)<ref>{{cite book|title=Musician, Player and Listener|publisher=Amordian Press|year=1978|page=45}}</ref>

==Notes==
{{reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:1950 In Music}}
[[Category:1950 in music| ]]
[[Category:20th century in music]]
[[Category:Music by year]]