Y
1955
1955 in British Music
The first tremors of rock and roll reach British shores as Bill Haley storms the cinemas.
Key Events
- •'Rock Around the Clock' causes riots in cinemas — teenagers dance in the aisles
- •The first proper UK singles chart published by Record Mirror
- •Lonnie Donegan releases 'Rock Island Line' — skiffle goes mainstream
Dominant Genres
Rock & RollSkiffleTraditional PopJazz
Notable Trends
- →Cinema becomes a key driver of music discovery
- →Skiffle: anyone with a washboard and tea-chest bass can start a band
- →The generation gap in music tastes becomes visible for the first time