1951 in music


This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1951.

Specific locations

Specific genres

Events

Albums released

US No 1 hit singles

These singles reached the top of US Billboard magazine's charts in 1951.
First weekNumber of weeksTitleArtist
March 3, 19511"If"Perry Como
March 10, 19511"Be My Love"Mario Lanza
March 17, 19515"If"Perry Como
April 21, 19519"How High the Moon"Les Paul & Mary Ford
June 23, 19515"Too Young"Nat King Cole
July 28, 19516"Come On-a My House"Rosemary Clooney
September 8, 19518"Because of You"Tony Bennett
November 3, 19516"Cold, Cold Heart"Tony Bennett
December 15, 19512"(It's No) Sin"Eddy Howard
December 29, 195111"Cry"Johnnie Ray & The Four Lads

Biggest hit singles

The following songs achieved the highest
in the limited set of charts available for 1951.
#ArtistTitleYearCountryChart entries
1Johnnie RayCry1951USUS 1940s 1 – Dec 1951, US 1 for 11 weeks Dec 1951, US BB 2 of 1951, DDD 4 of 1951, RYM 5 of 1951, POP 6 of 1952, Italy 68 of 1955, Acclaimed 1084
2Nat King ColeUnforgettable1951USUS BB 1 of 1952, POP 1 of 1952, RYM 4 of 1951, US 1940s 14 – Nov 1951, DDD 25 of 1951, Europe 63 of the 1950s, Scrobulate 78 of vocal, WXPN 500
3Les Paul & Mary FordHow High the Moon1951USUS 1940s 1 – Mar 1951, US 1 for 9 weeks Apr 1951, DDD 10 of 1951, US BB 12 of 1951, POP 12 of 1951, RYM 19 of 1951, RIAA 317, Acclaimed 514
4Nat King ColeToo Young1951USUS 1940s 1 – Apr 1951, US 1 for 5 weeks Jun 1951, POP 1 of 1951, DDD 5 of 1951, RYM 10 of 1951
5Mario LanzaBe My Love1951USUS 1940s 1 – Dec 1950, US 1 for 1 weeks Mar 1951, US BB 9 of 1951, POP 9 of 1951, Europe 79 of the 1950s, RYM 137 of 1951

Top R&B hits on record

Published popular music

[Classical music]

Compositions

[Opera]

Film

[Musical theater]

And So To Bed London production opened at the New Theatre on October 17 and ran for 323 performancesFlahooley Broadway production opened at the Broadhurst Theatre on May 14 and ran for 40 performances.Gay's The Word London production opened at the Saville Theatre on February 16 and ran for 504 performancesThe King and I – Broadway production opened at the St. James Theatre on March 29 and ran for 1,246 performancesKiss Me, Kate – London production opened at the Coliseum on March 8 and ran for 501 performancesMake a Wish Broadway production opened at the Winter Garden Theatre on April 18 and ran for 102 performances. Starred Nanette Fabray.Oklahoma! first German production Paint Your Wagon – Broadway production opened at the Shubert Theatre on November 12 and ran for 289 performancesPenny Plain – London productionSee You Later London production opened at the Watergate Theatre on October 3.Seventeen Broadway production opened at the Broadhurst Theatre on June 21 and ran for 182 performancesSouth Pacific – London productionTop Banana Broadway production opened at the Winter Garden Theatre on November 1 and ran for 350 performances.A Tree Grows in Brooklyn Broadway production opened at the Alvin Theatre on April 19 and ran for 267 performancesTwo On The Aisle – Broadway production opened at the Mark Hellinger Theatre on July 19 and ran for 279 performancesZip Goes A Million (Book: Eric Maschwitz Words: Eric Maschwitz Music: George Posford – London production opened at the Palace Theatre on October 20 and ran for 544 performances. Starring George Formby, Sara Gregory & Warde Donovan. Directed by Charles Hickman

[Musical film]s

Alice In Wonderland An American In Paris starring Gene Kelly, Leslie Caron, Oscar Levant, Georges Guétary and Nina FochCall Me Mister starring Betty Grable and Dan DaileyExcuse My Dust starring Red Skelton, Monica Lewis, Sally Forrest, Macdonald Carey and William Demarest. Dirested by Roy Rowland.The Great Caruso Here Comes the Groom released September 20 starring Bing Crosby and Jane Wyman.The Lemon Drop Kid starring Bob Hope and Marilyn Maxwell.Lullaby Of Broadway starring Doris Day and Gene NelsonMr. Imperium starring Lana Turner and Ezio PinzaOn Moonlight Bay starring Doris Day and Gordon MacRaeOn the Riviera starring Danny Kaye, Gene Tierney and Corinne CalvetPurple Heart Diary starring Frances Langford, Judd Holdren, Ben Lessy and Tony Romano. Directed by Richard Quine.Rich, Young and Pretty starring Jane Powell, Danielle Darrieux, Wendell Corey, Vic Damone and Una MerkelRoyal Wedding starring Fred Astaire and Jane PowellShow Boat The Strip starring Mickey Rooney and featuring Louis ArmstrongTwo Tickets to Broadway released November 20 starring Janet Leigh, Tony Martin, Gloria DeHaven, Ann Miller and Bob Crosby.

Births

Deaths