Fats Domino: "Everybody started calling my music rock and roll, but it wasn't anything but the same rhythm and blues I'd been playing down in New Orleans." In the early 1950's R&B or what was originally referred to as "race records" combined with country music and other genres to produce the new sound of rock and roll. Below are 30 R&B records from 1950 to 1955 presented in chronological order. For more information about the Pre-Elvis era, click on the button to the right.

 
title artist week debuted
I Almost Lost My Mind Ivory Joe Turner 12/1/49
Rocket 88 Jackie Brenston 4/1/51
Sixty Minute Man The Dominoes 5/1/51
Cry Johnnie Ray 11/9/51
Lawdy Miss Clawdy Lloyd Price 4/1/52
Hound Dog Willie Mae Thornton 3/14/53
Crying In The Chapel The Orioles 7/13/53
Money Honey Clyde McPhatter 8/15/53
Such a Night Clyde McPhatter 1/6/54
Work With Me Annie Hank Ballard & the Midnighters 2/13/54
Goodnight Sweetheart, Goodnight The Spaniels 3/14/54
Gee The Crows 3/27/54
Shake, Rattle and Roll Joe Turner 4/12/54
Honey Love The Drifters 5/10/54
Sh-Boom The Chords 6/19/54
Oh What a Dream Ruth Brown 7/11/54
Hearts of Stone The Charms 11/27/54
Sincerely The Moonglows 11/1/54
Tweedlee Dee LaVern Baker 11/1/54
Dim Dim The Lights Bill Haley & the Comets 11/20/54
I've Got a Woman Ray Charles 12/1/54
The Wallflower Etta James 1/1/55
Earth Angel The Penguins 1/8/55
Bo Diddley Bo Diddley 3/1/55
Pledging My Love Johnny Ace 3/5/55
Rock Around the Clock Bill Haley & the Comets 5/14/55
I Hear You Knocking Smiley Lewis 7/1/55
Ain't That a Shame Fats Domino 7/9/55
Maybellene Chuck Berry 8/13/55
Only You The Platters 10/1/55