125+ Rockin’ Dance Songs from the 50s & 60s

50s 60s music

Modern music has certainly come a long way and much of what we hear today came from the seeds planted in the 1950s and 1960s. Before grunge, house, and disco, there was rock n roll! 

There were pioneers everywhere from Elvis Presley to the Beatles and thankfully their peers took their lead and made people all around the world dance to a new sound. In the fifties, people Bopped, Hand Jived, Cha-Chaed and performed the Swing and we still do thanks to the people here (we have split this up a bit to cover a few subgenres).

Rock & Roll

ArtistSongYear
Rolling Stones(I can’t get no) Satisfaction1965
Elvis Presley(Let’s have a) Party1957
The BeatlesA Hard Day’s Night1964
The KinksAll-day and All of the Night1964
Beach BoysBarbara Ann1965
Everly BrothersBird Dog1958
Elvis PresleyBlue Suede Shoes1956
Everly BrothersBye Bye Love1957
Neil SedakaCalendar Girl1960
Beach BoysCalifornia Girls1965
The BeatlesCan’t Buy Me love1964
The Big BopperChantilly Lace1958
Ritchie ValensC’mon Let’s Go1959
Elvis PresleyDon’t Be Cruel1957
The CoastersDown in Mexico1956
Roy OrbisonDream Baby1962
Bobby DarinDream Lover1959
The BeatlesDrive My Car1965
Beach BoysFun Fun Fun1964
Rolling StonesGet Off of My Cloud1965
Little RichardGood Golly Miss Molly1956
Beach BoysGood Vibrations1966
Jerry Lee LewisGreat Balls of Fire1957
Jim LoweGreen Door1956
Beach BoysHelp me Rhonda1965
Elvis PresleyHound Dog1956
Beach BoysI Get Around1964
The BeatlesI Want to Hold Your hand1963
Rolling StonesIt’s All Over Now1964
Buddy HollyIt’s So Easy!1958
Elvis PresleyJailhouse Rock1957
Chuck BerryJohnny B Goode1958
Ritchie ValensLa Bamba1958
The Shangri-lasLeader of the Pack1964
Chubby CheckerLet’s Twist Again1961
Beach BoysLittle Deuce Coupe1963
Cliff RichardLivin’ Doll1959
Little RichardLong Tall Sally1956
Richard BerryLouie Louie1955
The Clovers/The searchersLove Potion No.91959/1964
Buddy HollyMaybe Baby1957
Roy OrbisonMean Woman Blues1963
The BeatlesMoney (that’s what I want)1963
Tommy James & The ShondellsMony Mony1968
Cliff RichardMove It1958
Bobby DarinMultiplication1961
Buddy HollyOh Boy!1957
The CoastersPoison Ivy1959
Buddy HollyRave On1958
Bill HaleyRip It Up1956
Chuck BerryRock and Roll Music1957
Bill HaleyRock Around the Clock1955
Bobby DayRockin’ Robin1958
Chuck BerryRoll Over Beethoven1956
Rolling StonesRoute 661964
DionRunaround Sue1961
Del ShannonRunaway1961
The BeatlesSaw Her Standing there1963
Bill HaleySee You later, Alligator1956
Bill HaleyShake Rattle and Roll1954
Jonny Kid and the PiratesShakin All Over1960
The BeatlesShe loves you1963
Little RichardSlippin and Slidin1956
Bobby DarinSplish Splash1958
Beach BoysSurfin’ Safari1962
Beach BoysSurfin’ USA1963
Buddy HollyThat’ll Be the Day1957
Elvis PresleyThat’s Alright Mama1954
Chubby CheckerThe Twist1958
DionThe Wanderer1961
Nancy SinatraThese Boots Are Made for Walkin’1966
Little RichardTutti Frutti1955
The BeatlesTwist and Shout1964
Sam CookeTwistin’ the night away1962
Everly BrothersWake Up Little Susie1957
The AnimalsWe Gotta Get Out of This Place1965
Jerry Lee LewisWhole Lotta Shakin Goin’ On1957
Roy OrbisonWorking for the Man1962
Beach BoysWouldn’t it be Nice1966
Chuck BerryYou Never Can Tell1964
The KinksYou Really Got Me1964

Australian Rock & Roll

ArtistSongYear
Lonni LeeAin’t it So1959
EasybeatsFriday on My Mind1967
EasybeatsGood Times1968
Col Joye and the Joy BoysOh Yeah, Uh Huh1959
Billy Thorpe and the AztecsPoison Ivy1964
Normie RoweShakin All Over1965
Johnny O’KeefeShe’s My Baby1959
EasybeatsShe’s So Fine1965
Johnny O’KeefeShout!1959
Johnny O’KeefeSing (and tell the blues so long)1962
Johnny O’KeefeThe Wild One1958

Surf & Instrumental

ArtistSongYear
The AtlanticsBombora1962
Link WrayRumble1958
Dick DaleMisirlou1962
The TornadoesTelstar1962
ChampsTequila1958
The ChantaysPipeline1962
The ShadowsApache1960
The VenturesHawaii Five-01968
The VenturesWipeout1963

Blues, Soul & Funk

ArtistSongYear
Fats DominoAin’t That a Shame1955
Fats DominoBlueberry Hill1956
Bo DiddleyBo Diddley1958
John lee HookerBoom Boom1962
Martha and the VandellasDancing in the Street1965
Solomon BurkeEverybody Needs Somebody to Love1964
Ray CharlesHit the Road Jack1961
Ray CharlesI Got a Woman1954
James BrownI Got you/I feel Good1965
Fats DominoI’m Walkin’1957
Wilson PicketIn the Midnight Hour1965
Louis PrimaJust a Gigolo1956
Fats DominoKansas City1963
The SupremesKeep me Hanging on1966
Lloyd PriceLawdy Miss Clawdy1952
Bo DiddleyMona1957
Wilson PicketMustang Sally1967
James BrownPapa’s Got a Brand New Bag1965
Lloyd PricePersonality1959
Aretha FranklinRespect1967
The SupremesStop! In the Name of Love1965
Ray CharlesWhat’d I Say1959
Bo DiddleyWho do You Love?1956
The SupremesYou Can’t Hurry Love1966

More of a modern rock & roll lover? Enjoy these 50 rock & roll gems. You can enjoy the playlist on Spotify below at your next wedding function:


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