1950 in music

File:George Lewis clarinet fingers Kubrick 1950.JPG

Clarinetist George Lewis in 1950 was prominent in the revived popularity of 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>Template:Cite news</ref>
• August – Herbert Howells' Hymnus Paradisi is premiered at the Three Choirs Festival.<ref>Template:Cite journal</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>Template:Cite news</ref>
• November – The Eleanor Steber Award is won by soprano Willabelle Underwood.<ref>Template:Cite news</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 (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 Folks Songs – Jo Stafford
• Auld Lang Syne – Bing Crosby
• 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
• Drifting and Dreaming – Bing Crosby
• Dulce Patria – Jorge Negrete
• Ella Sings Gershwin – Ella Fitzgerald
• 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 – Patti Page
• Popular Classics for Four Pianos – Philharmonic Piano Quartet
• 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
• Songs for Sunday Evening – Jo Stafford
• Tea for Two – Doris Day
• Two Loves Have I – Frankie Laine
• Voice of the Xtabay – Yma Sumac
• Young Man with a Horn – Doris Day

No. 1 hit singles

These singles reached the top of Billboard magazine's charts in 1950.

First week	Number of weeks	Title	Artist
January 7, 1950	1	"Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer"	Gene Autry, 7,000,000 sold by 1969<ref name=GoldenDiscs>Template:Cite book</ref>
January 14, 1950	4	"I Can Dream, Can't I?"	The Andrews Sisters
February 11, 1950	1	"Rag Mop"	The Ames Brothers
February 18, 1950	4	"Chattanoogie Shoe Shine Boy"	Red Foley
March 18, 1950	4	"Music! Music! Music!"	Teresa Brewer
April 15, 1950	2	"If I Knew You Were Comin' I'd've Baked a Cake"	Eileen Barton
April 29, 1950	11	"The Third Man Theme"	Anton Karas, 4,000,000 sold<ref name=GoldenDiscs/>
July 15, 1950	5	"Mona Lisa"	Nat King Cole
August 19, 1950	13	"Goodnight, Irene"	Gordon Jenkins & The Weavers, 2,000,000 sold<ref name=GoldenDiscs/>
November 18, 1950	2	"Harbor Lights"	Sammy Kaye
December 2, 1950	4	"The Thing"	Phil Harris
December 30, 1950	9	"The Tennessee Waltz"	Patti Page

Biggest hit singles

The following songs achieved the highest chart positions in the limited set of charts available for 1950.

#	Artist	Title	Year	Country	Chart entries
1	Nat King Cole	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	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 R&B hits on record

• "Double Crossing Blues" – Johnny Otis with 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
• "Domino" w. (Eng) Don Raye (Fr) Jacques Plante m. Louis Ferrari
• "Freight Train" w. Paul James & Fred Williams m. trad arr. Elizabeth Cotton
• "The French Can-Can Polka" w. Jimmy Kennedy m. Jacques Offenbach
• "From This Moment On" w.m. Cole Porter
• "Frosty the Snowman" w.m. Steve Nelson & Jack Rollins
• "Fugue For Tinhorns" w.m. Frank Loesser
• "Get Out Those Old Records" w.m. Carmen Lombardo & John Jacob Loeb
• "Gone Fishin'" w.m. 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 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" 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 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" adaptation from Chopin's Étude No. 3 in E major, Op. 10. w.m. 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 & William Stein
• "Patricia" w.m. Benny Davis
• "(Remember Me) I'm the One Who Loves You" w.m. Stuart Hamblen
• "The Roving Kind" adapt. w.m. Jessie Cavanaugh & Arnold Stanton
• "Sam's Song" w. Jack Elliott m. Lew Quadling
• "Shot Gun Boogie" w.m. Tennessee Ernie Ford
• "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" w.m. Frank Loesser. Introduced by Stubby Kaye in the musical Guys and Dolls.
• "Sixty Minute Man" w.m. 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" w.m. Charles R. Grean
• "Tzena, Tzena, Tzena" adapt. trad 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

Composer	Composition	Date	Location	Performers
Andriessen, Hendrik	Organ Concerto	1950-11-01	Amsterdam	Concertgebouw Orchestra – Monteux<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Boulez, Pierre	Le Soleil des eaux (2nd version, subsequently withdrawn)	1950-07-18	Paris	Joachim, Mollet, Peyron / RTF National Orchestra – Désormière<ref>Template:IRCAM work</ref>
Boulez, Pierre	Piano Sonata No. 2 (1948)	1950-04-29	Paris	Grimaud<ref>Encyclopedia Universalis</ref>
Benjamin Britten	Five Flower Songs	1950-07-23	Darlington Hall, England	Imogen Holst conducting a student choir<ref>Template:IRCAM work</ref>
Cage, John	String Quartet in Four Parts	1950-08-12	Black Mountain, North Carolina	Summer Session Quartet<ref>Black Mountain Studies Journal</ref>
Foss, Lukas	Song of Anguish	1950-03-10	Boston	Boston Symphony – Foss<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Guridi, Jesús	String Quartet No. 2	1950-05-14	Madrid	National Chamber Music Association<ref>Doce Notas</ref>
Hartmann, Karl Amadeus	Adagio (Symphony No. 2)	1950-09-10	Donaueschingen Festival, Germany	SWF Symphony – Rosbaud<ref>Schott Music</ref>
Howells, Herbert	Hymnus Paradisi (1938)	1950-09-07	Gloucester, UK (Three Choirs Festival)	Baillie, William Herbert / London Symphony – Howells<ref>Naxos</ref><ref>Thesis by Martin John Ward for the University of Birmingham, p.75</ref>
Jolivet, André	Concerto for Flute and Strings	1950-01-24	Paris	Rampla / [unknown orchestra and conductor]<ref>Template:IRCAM work</ref>
Khachaturian, Aram	Triumphal Poem	1950-12-09	Moscow	USSR Radio Symphony – Gauk<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Martinu, Bohuslav	Intermezzo for Large Orchestra	1950-12-29	New York City	Louisville Orchestra – Whitney<ref>Naxos Records</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Martinu, Bohuslav	Piano Trio No. 2	1950-05-19	Cambridge, Massachusetts	Liepmann, Finckel, Tucker<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Martinu, Bohuslav	Sinfonietta La Jolla	1950-08-13	San Diego, California	Orchestra of the Musical Arts Society of La Jolla – Sokoloff<ref>Boosey & Hawkes</ref>
Nono, Luigi	Variazioni canoniche sulla serie dell'op. 41 di Schoenberg	1950-08-27	Darmstädter Ferienkurse, Germany	Darmstadt Landestheater Orchestra – Scherchen<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Prokofiev, Sergei	Cello Sonata (1949)	1950-03-01	Moscow	Rostropovich, Richter<ref>Classical Connect</ref>
Searle, Humphrey	Poem for 22 Strings	1950-08-27	Darmstädter Ferienkurse, Germany	Darmstadt Landestheater Orchestra – Scherchen<ref>Darmstädter Ferienkurse, 1946–1966</ref>
Strauss, Richard (d. 1949)	Four Last Songs (1948)	1950-05-22	Royal Albert Hall, London	Flagstad / Philharmonia Orchestra – Furtwängler<ref>Musicweb International</ref>
Villa-Lobos, Heitor	Montanhas de Brasil (Symphony No. 6) (1944)	1950-04-29	Rio de Janeiro	Rio de Janeiro Municipal Theatre Symphony – Villa-Lobos <ref>Historia de la sinfonía</ref>
Villa-Lobos, Heitor	Piano Concerto No. 2 (1948)	1950-04-21	Rio de Janeiro	Template:Ill / Rio de Janeiro Municipal Theatre Symphony – Villa-Lobos<ref>Villa-Lobos, sua obra Template:Webarchive, 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 for orchestra, Op. 27
• Alexander Arutiunian – Concerto for Trumpet and Orchestra
• Arno Babajanian – Heroic Ballade
• Ernest Bloch – Suite hébraïque
• 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 – 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
• 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 ("Wer uns trug mit Schmerzen in dies Leben"), for a cappella choir, Nr. 1/9 (1950)
  • Chöre für Doris, for a cappella choir, Nr. ¹/₁₁ (1950)
  • Drei Lieder, for alto voice and chamber orchestra, Nr. 1/10 (1950)
• Heitor Villa-Lobos –
  • String Quartet No. 12
  • 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
• Aram Khachaturian – Secret Mission (1950 film)
• Leith Stevens - Destination Moon
• Franz Waxman – Sunset Boulevard (film)

Musical theatre

• 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 (Music: Richard Rodgers Lyrics and Book: Oscar Hammerstein II.) London production opened at the Drury Lane Theatre on June 7 and ran for 566 performances.
• Dear Miss Phoebe London production opened at the 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 Music, Lyrics & Book: Edmond Samuels. Australian production opened at the 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 (Music and Lyrics: Cole Porter Book: Dwight Taylor and Reginald Lawrence) Broadway production opened at the New Century Theatre on December 21 and ran for 157 performances.
• Peter Pan Lyrics and Music: Leonard Bernstein. Broadway production opened at the Imperial Theatre on April 24 and ran for 321 performances
• Tickets, Please! Broadway revue opened at the Coronet Theatre on April 27 and ran for 245 performances.

Musical films

File:Dorothy Kirsten-Bing Crosby in Mr. Music trailer.jpg

Dorothy Kirsten and Bing Crosby in "Mr. Music".

• 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.
• Canzoni per le strade, starring Luciano Taioli and Antonella Lualdi
• Cinderella, animated film featuring the voice of Ilene Woods and Verna Felton.
• Come Dance with Me featuring Anne Shelton and Anton Karas
• Cossacks of the Kuban (Kubanskie kazaki), starring Vladlen Davydov and Marina Ladynina
• Fancy Pants starring Bob Hope and Lucille Ball
• Hamara Ghar, starring Meena Kumari and Durga Khote<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• 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, starring Aleksandr Borisov
• My Blue Heaven, starring Betty Grable and Dan Dailey<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
• Pagan Love Song starring Esther Williams and Howard Keel
• 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 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 starring Fred Astaire, Red Skelton and Vera Ellen, and featuring Helen Kane dubbing for Debbie Reynolds.
• The Chocolate Girl (La petite chocolatière), starring Giselle Pascal, Claude Dauphin and Henri Genès<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
• The Daughter of Rosie O'Grady, starring June Haver and Gordon MacRae<ref>Template:Cite news</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 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, American composer
• January 5 – Chris Stein, guitarist and co-founder of 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
  • Bill Cunningham, American bass and keyboard player
  • Luis Alberto Spinetta, "father of Argentine rock" (died 2012)
  • Danny Federici (E Street Band)
• January 26 – Paul Pena, singer, songwriter and guitarist (died 2005)
• January 28 – Bob Hay, American singer-songwriter
• January 29 – Max Carl, American singer-songwriter, guitarist and keyboard player (Grand Funk Railroad)
• February 1 – Mike Campbell, American guitarist, songwriter and producer (Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers and Mudcrutch)
• February 2 – Ross Valory, American rock bass player (Journey and The Storm)
• February 3 – John Schlitt, American Christian rock singer (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)
• February 13 – Peter Gabriel, singer and composer (Genesis)
• February 14 – Roger Fisher, American guitarist (Heart and Alias)
• February 15 – David Brown, bass guitarist (Santana) (died 2000)
• February 16 – Roman Tam, Chinese Cantopop singer (died 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)
  • Billy Steinberg, American songwriter (Madonna, The Veronicas, Cyndi Lauper)

March – April

• March 2 – Karen Carpenter, singer (died 1983)
• March 11 – Katia Labèque, pianist
• March 20 – Carl Palmer, drummer (Emerson, Lake & Palmer, 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, rock keyboardist (Genesis)
  • Maria Ewing, operatic soprano (died 2022)
• March 28 – Claudio Lolli, Italian novelist, singer and songwriter (died 2018)<ref>Template:Cite web</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 – Wilie Colón, Puerto Rican salsa musician

May – June

• May 2 – Lou Gramm (Foreigner)
• May 3 – Mary Hopkin, singer
• May 4 – 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
  • Ronnie Dyson, singer and actor (died 1990)
  • Michael Monarch (Steppenwolf)
• June 19 – Ann Wilson (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, Detective, and World Classic Rockers)
• July 10 – Greg Kihn, rock musician, radio personality and novelist.
• July 12 – Eric Carr (Kiss) (died 1991)
• July 14 – Gwen Guthrie, singer-songwriter (died 1999)
• July 18 – Glenn Hughes (Village People) (died 2001)
• July 19 – Freddy Moore, singer-songwriter
• July 23 – Blair Thornton (Bachman–Turner Overdrive)
• August 12 – Kid Creole, American singer
• August 13 – Pluto Shervington, Jamaican reggae singer (died 2024)
• August 18 – Dennis Elliott, British rock drummer (Foreigner)
• August 25 – Willy DeVille, American singer and songwriter (died 2009)

September – October

• September 10 – Joe Perry, guitarist (Aerosmith)
• September 14 – Paul Kossoff, guitarist (Free) (died 1976)
• September 17 – Fee Waybill rock singer-songwriter (The Tubes)
• September 27 – Linda Lewis, singer (died 2023)
• October 1 – Elpida, singer
• October 2 – Mike Rutherford, musician and songwriter (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) (died 2011)
• November 11 – Jim Peterik (Ides of March, 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, Blue Öyster Cult, Manic Eden, and Queensrÿche)
• November 20 – 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 [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) (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 – 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, Swedish composer (born 1879)
• April 3 – Kurt Weill, composer in many styles (born 1900)<ref>Template:Cite book</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)<ref>Template:Cite encyclopedia</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, 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 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 disease)<ref>Prince of Pianists | Lipatti | Classical Music | Mark Ainley Template:Webarchive</ref>
• December 9 – Georg Hann, operatic bass-baritone (born 1897)
• December 22 – Julius Weismann, German composer and conductor (born 1879)
• December 26 – 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>Template:Cite book</ref>