This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1959.

Specific locations

Specific genres

Events

Albums released (in alphabetical order)

Biggest hit singles

The following songs achieved the highest chart positions in the charts of 1959.

Top hits on record (in alphabetical order)

• "A Big Hunk o' Love" – Elvis Presley • "A Boy Without a Girl" – Frankie Avalon • "All for the Love of a Girl" – Johnny Horton • "(All of a Sudden) My Heart Sings" – Paul Anka • "Among My Souvenirs" – Connie Francis • "The Battle of New Orleans" – Johnny Horton • "Beachcomber" – Jo Ann Campbell • "Beyond the Sea" – Bobby Darin • "The Big Hurt" – Toni Fisher • "Billy Bayou" – Jim Reeves • "Bobby Sox to Stockings" – Frankie Avalon • "Ciao, Ciao Bambina" – Dalida • "C'mon Everybody" – Eddie Cochran • "Come Softly to Me" – The Fleetwoods • "Crying, Waiting, Hoping" – Buddy Holly • "Don't You Know?" – Della Reese • "Donna" – Ritchie Valens • "Dream Lover" – Bobby Darin • "Driftin" – The Drifters (B-side to "Jet Black") • "Dynamite" – Cliff Richard and The Shadows • "El Paso" – Marty Robbins • "Enchanted" – The Platters • "Expresso Bongo" (EP) – Cliff Richard and The Shadows • "First Name Initial" – Annette • "(Now and Then There's) A Fool Such as I" – Elvis Presley • "Feelin' Fine" – The Drifters • "Forty Miles of Bad Road" – Duane Eddy • "Goodbye Baby" – Jack Scott • "Goodbye Jimmy, Goodbye" – Kathy Linden • "Gotta Travel On" – Billy Grammer • "The Happy Organ" – Dave "Baby" Cortez • "Heartaches by the Number" – Guy Mitchell • "He'll Have to Go" – Jim Reeves • "Hey Little Girl" - Dee Clark • "High Hopes" – Frank Sinatra • "How About That" - Dee Clark • "I'm Blue Again" – Patsy Cline • "I Only Have Eyes for You" – The Flamingos • "I Really Really Love You" – Jo Ann Campbell • "It Doesn't Matter Anymore" – Buddy Holly • "It Was I" – Skip & Flip • "It's All in the Game" – Tommy Edwards • "It's Just a Matter of Time" – Brook Benton • "It's Only The Good Times" – Tommy Edwards • "I've Had It" – The Bell Notes • "I Wanna Be Loved" – Ricky Nelson • "J'ai rêvé" – Dalida • "Jet Black" – The Drifters • "Just Ask Your Heart" – Frankie Avalon • "Just a Little Too Much" – Ricky Nelson • "Just Keep It Up" - Dee Clark • "Kansas City" – Wilbert Harrison • "Kissin' Time" – Bobby Rydell • "Kookie, Kookie (Lend Me Your Comb)" – Edward Byrnes and Connie Stevens • "La Bamba" – Ritchie Valens • "Let's Jump the Broomstick" – Brenda Lee • "Lipstick on Your Collar" – Connie Francis • "Livin' Lovin' Doll" – Cliff Richard and The Drifters • "Living Doll" – Cliff Richard and The Drifters • "Lonely Boy" – Paul Anka • "Lonely Street" – Andy Williams • "Lonesome Fella" – The Shadows (B-side to "Saturday Dance") • "Lonesome Town" – Ricky Nelson • "Love in Portofino (A San Cristina)" – Dalida • "Love Potion Number Nine" – The Clovers • "M.T.A." – The Kingston Trio • "Mack the Knife" – Bobby Darin • "Manhattan Spiritual" – Reg Owen Orchestra • "Mean Streak" – Cliff Richard and The Drifters • "Mr. Blue" – The Fleetwoods • "Misty" – Johnny Mathis • "My Happiness" – Connie Francis (released in 1958). • "Morgen" – Ivo Robic • "My Heart Is an Open Book" – Carl Dobkins Jr. • "Never Be Anyone Else But You" – Ricky Nelson • "Never Mind" – Cliff Richard and The Drifters (B-side to "Mean Streak") • "Non Dimenticar" – Nat King Cole • "Peggy Sue Got Married" – Buddy Holly • "Personality" – Lloyd Price • "Peter Gunn" – Duane Eddy, Ray Anthony and His Orchestra • "Pillow Talk" – Doris Day • "Pink Shoe Laces – Dodie Stevens • "Poison Ivy" – The Coasters • "Poor Jenny" – The Everly Brothers • "Plenty Good Lovin" – Connie Francis • "Put Your Head on My Shoulder" – Paul Anka • "Raining in My Heart" – Buddy Holly • "Roberta" – Frankie Ford • "Rockin' Mother" – Frankie Laine • "Rocks and Gravel" – Frankie Laine • "Rummy Polka" – Matys Brothers • "Running Bear" – Johnny Preston • "Saturday Dance" – The Shadows • "Sea Cruise" – Frankie Ford • "Sea of Love" – Phil Phillips • "Since I Don't Have You" – The Skyliners • "Sleep Walk" – Santo & Johnny • "Small World" – Johnny Mathis • "So Fine" – The Fiestas • "So Many Ways" – Brook Benton • "Some Kind-A Earthquake" – Duane Eddy • "Sorry (I Ran All the Way Home)" – The Impalas • "Stagger Lee" – Lloyd Price • "Sweeter Than You" – Ricky Nelson • "Sweet Nothin's" – Brenda Lee • "Take a Message to Mary"– The Everly Brothers • "Tall Oak Tree" – Dorsey Burnette • "Tallahassee Lassie" – Freddy Cannon • "A Teenager in Love" – Dion and the Belmonts • "That's Why (I Love You So)" – Jackie Wilson • "The Three Bells" – The Browns • "There Goes My Baby" – The Drifters • "The Tijuana Jail" – The Kingston Trio • "(Till) I Kissed You" – The Everly Brothers • "Till There Was You" – Anita Bryant • "Travellin' Light – Cliff Richard and The Shadows (B-side to "Dynamite") • "(If You Cry) True Love, True Love"/"Dance with Me" – The Drifters • "The Twist" – Hank Ballard • "Venus" – Frankie Avalon • "The Village of St. Bernadette" – Andy Williams • "What About Us" – The Coasters • "What a Difference a Day Makes" – Dinah Washington • "What Am I Living For" – Ernest Tubb • "What'd I Say" – Ray Charles • "Where the Boys Are" – Connie Francis • "Why" – Frankie Avalon • "A Worried Man" – The Kingston Trio • "Yep!" – Duane Eddy

Published popular music

Other notable songs

Classical music

Premieres

Compositions

Opera

Film

Jazz

Musical theater

Musical films

Births

Deaths

Awards

Eurovision Song Contest

Grammy Awards

Pulitzer Prize for Music