This release is the latest in the series of "America's Greatest Hits" which over the years has provided annual collections of the biggest hits of each year in the Billboard pop charts. The collection for 1958 is an excellent value 113-track 4-CD set which includes every record that appeared in any version of the Top 10 of the Billboard chart during the year. It was in August of 1958 that the Top 100, Best Sellers in Stores and Most Played By Disc Jockeys charts were merged to form the Hot 100. This set includes every record that appeared in the Top 10 of any of these charts. Every record that appeared in the Cashbox magazine Top 10 is included in this set. Many of the tracks are, inevitably, well-known hits, which went on to score chart success in the UK, but there are no less than 35 tracks which did not make it into the UK charts despite their major US success, including classic tracks by well-known artists alongside more obscure hits by artists that never made any kind of impression in the UK. The whole collection is a highly entertaining trawl through the American music scene of the times, a rather different musical experience from listening to our British Hit Parades collections from the UK charts, which naturally feature a high proportion of home-grown talent. As ever. It's a fascinating and entertaining pot-pourri of pop, as emerging teen idols jostled with R&B acts, new rock 'n' roll stars joined the established big names, vocal groups and instrumentals of all kinds had a field day, and the inevitable and collectable quotient of one-hit wonders and novelty hits maintained the variety. It's an enlightening snapshot of the pop music scene in the USA at a time when the musical landscape was constantly evolving, and it makes for hugely entertaining listening. It is likely to appeal to the many collectors who enjoy these completest anthologies, and will hopefully provide useful programming for the specialist radio programmes which feature pop nostalgia.

Tracklist:

Elvis Presley - Jailhouse Rock
Sam Cooke - You Send Me
The Rays - Silhouettes
The Rays - Daddy Cool
Pat Boone - April Love
Bill Justis - Raunchy
Buddy Holly - Peggy Sue
Danny ; the Juniors - at the Hop
Jerry Lee Lewis ; His Pumping Piano - Great Balls of Fire 1
Jimmie Rodgers - Kisses Sweeter Than Wine 1
Ricky Nelson - Stood Up 1
Bobby Helms - Jingle Bell Rock 1
George Hamilton IV - Why Don't They Understand 1
The Crickets - Oh Boy 1
Frank Sinatra - Witchcraft 1
Silhouettes - Get a Job 1
Billy ; Lillie - la Dee Dah 1
Elvis Presley with the Jordanaires - Don't 1
Elvis Presley with the Jordanaires - I Beg of You 2
Billy Vaughn - Sail Along Silvery Moon 2
McGuire Sisters - Sugartime 2
The Diamonds - the Stroll 2
Royal Teens - Short Shorts 2
Perry Como - Catch a Falling Star 2
Perry Como - Magic Moments 2
Frankie Avalon - Dede Dinah 2
Paul Anka - You Are My Destiny 2
The Crescendos - Oh Julie 2
Jimmie Rodgers - Oh-Oh I'm Falling in Love Again 3
Four Preps - Twenty Six Miles 3
Chuck Berry - Sweet Little Sixteen 3
Pat Boone - Wonderful Time Up There 3
Pat Boone - It's Too Soon to Know 3
Connie Francis - Who's Sorry Now 3
Jimmy McCracklin - the Walk 3
The Champs - Tequila 3
Little Richard - Good Golly Miss Molly 3
Chordettes - Lollipop 3
John Zacherle - Dinner with Drac 4
Andy Williams - Are You Sincere 4
Laurie London - He's Got the Whole World in His Hands 4
Jerry Lee Lewis - Breathless 4
Kathy Linden - Billy (I Always Dream of Bill) 4
Ricky Nelson - Believe What You Say 4
The Platters - Twilight Time 4
The Monotones - Book of Love 4
Huey Piano Smith ; the Clowns - Don't You Just Know It 4
David Seville - Witch Doctor 4
Elvis Presley - Wear My Ring Around Your Neck 5
The Everly Brothers - All I Have to Do Is Dream 5
Art ; Dotty Todd - Chanson D'amour (Song of Love) 5
Perry Como - Kewpie Doll 5
The Four Lads - There's Only One of You 5
Don Gibson - Oh Lonesome Me 5
Dean Martin - Return to Me 5
Nat King Cole - Looking Back 5
Chuck Berry - Johnny B. Goode 5
Pat Boone - Sugar Moon 5
The Four Preps - Big Man 6
Sheb Wooley - Purple People Eater 6
Jimmie Rodgers - Secretly 6
Bobby Freeman - Do You Wanna Dance 6
Chuck Willis - What Am I Living For' 6
The Coasters - Yakety Yak 6
Jan ; Arnie - Jennie Lee 6
Jody Reynolds - Endless Sleep 6
Elvis Presley with the Jordanaires - Hard Headed Woman 6
Perez Prado and His Orch. - Patricia 6
Bobby Darin - Splish Splash 7
Ricky Nelson - Poor Little Fool 7
Duane Eddy ; His Twangy Guitar - Rebel Rouser 7
Pat Boone - If Dreams Came True 7
Patti Page - Left Right Out of Your Heart (Hi Lee Hi Lo Hi Lup Up Up) 7
The Kalin Twins - When 7
Doris Day - Everybody Loves a Lover 7
The Elegants - Little Star 7
Danleers - One Summer Night 7
Jack Scott - My True Love 7
Johnny Otis Show - Willie and the Hand Jive 8
Peggy Lee - Fever 8
Domenico Modugno with Fonit Orchestra - Volare 8
Jimmy Clanton ; His Rockets - Just a Dream 8
Everly Brothers - Bird Dog 8
Poni-Tails - Born Too Late 8
Jimmie Rodgers - Are You Really Mine 8
Frankie Avalon - Gingerbread 8
The Olympics - Western Movies 8
Bobby Day - Rock-In Robin 8
Robin Luke - Susie Darlin 9
Little Anthony ; the Imperials - Tears on My Pillow 9
Tommy Edwards - It's All in the Game 9
The Everly Brothers - Devoted to You 9
Eddie Cochran - Summertime Blues 9
Roger Williams - Near You 9
The Tommy Dorsey Orchestra Starring Warren Covington - Tea for Two Cha Cha 9
Earl Grant - the End 9
Conway Twitty - It's Only Make Believe 9
Cozy Cole - Topsy Pt. 2 9
The Big Bopper - Chantilly Lace 10
The Kingston Trio - Tom Dooley 10
The Teddy Bears - to Know Him Is to Love Him 10
Ricky Nelson - I Got a Feeling 10
Ricky Nelson - Lonesome Town 10
The Playmates - Beep Beep 10
Bobby Darin - Queen of the Hop 10
Elvis Presley with the Jordanaires - One Night 10
Elvis Presley with the Jordanaires - I Got Stung 10
The Everly Brothers - Problems 10
The Platters - Smoke Gets in Your Eyes 11
The Chipmunks - the Chipmunk Song 11
Clyde McPhatter - a Lover's Question 11
Fats Domino - Whole Lotta Loving

UPC: 824046706029
Label: Acrobat
Release Date: 10.1.13
Format: CD

Americas Greatest Hits 1958 - America's Greatest Hits 1958 / Various (CD)