Events in 1955
- Elvis Presley performed at Robinson Auditorium in Little Rock, Arkansas, as part of the All-Star Jamboree tour.
- Bill Haley filed a lawsuit against Dave Miller, founder of Essex Records, over unpaid royalties from earlier recordings.
- Elvis Presley performed at the Municipal Hall Auditorium in Camden, Arkansas, at 7:00 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. as part of the All-Star Jamboree. Other performers included Webb Pierce, Red Sovine, Bud Deckelman, Charlie Feathers, and Wanda Jackson.
- Elvis Presley performed at the eighth annual Country Music Jamboree at Overton Park Shell in Memphis. Others appearing included Webb Pierce, Sonny James, Johnny Cash and Wanda Jackson. The concert drew more than 4,000 people.
- Elvis Presley performed at River Stadium in Batesville, Arkansas, as part of the 12th annual White River Carnival. He performed songs including “That's All Right,” “Blue Moon of Kentucky,” “Good Rocking Tonight” and “Baby Let's Play House.”
- “A Fool for You” by Ray Charles and his group reached No. 1 on the R&B chart.
- Bill Haley & His Comets vystoupili v pořadu The Ed Sullivan Show se skladbou „Rock Around the Clock“.
- Elvis Presley vystoupil v Magnolia Gardens v Houstonu a následně v klubu Cook's Hoedown v Houstonu.
- Drummer D.J. Fontana, who occasionally performed with Elvis Presley, became a regular member of his backing band.
- Elvis Presley performed at the Mayfair Building in Tyler, Texas. This marked the beginning of a week-long tour with Jim Ed and Maxine Brown.
- English drummer and percussionist Charlie Morgan was born in London. He worked with Tom Robinson Band, Kate Bush, Elton John, Orleans, Paul McCartney and Tina Turner, among others.
- Chuck Berry's “Maybellene” entered the Billboard Top 100 at No. 13, two weeks after reaching the Top 10 on the Billboard R&B chart, and later climbed to No. 5. The song is now regarded as one of the pioneering rock 'n' roll singles.
- Elvis Presley performed at Baseball Park in Gladewater, Texas, during a tour with The Browns. Approximately 20 people attended the concert.
- Elvis performed at the Municipal Auditorium in Shreveport as part of Louisiana Hayride. The concert began at 8:00 p.m.
- Savoy Records announced that artists wishing to record cover versions of songs had to obtain permission from the US Copyright Office. The company also revised its royalty system, with royalties now to be calculated according to the number of records manufactured rather than simply those sold.
- At a meeting in Memphis with manager Bob Neal, Colonel Tom Parker and his father Vernon Presley, he signed a new contract that appointed Parker as a “special adviser” with control over virtually every aspect of Elvis's career. On the same day, Mitch Miller of RCA Victor rejected a proposal to offer $20,000 to acquire Elvis, saying that no singer was worth that amount.
- English multi-instrumentalist, singer and songwriter Colin Moulding was born in Swindon. He became known as a member of XTC.
- Elvis Presley released the single “I Forgot to Remember to Forget / Mystery Train”, which later became his first No. 1 hit. It remained at the top of the country chart for five weeks.
- Pete Seeger testified before the House Un-American Activities Committee, where he was asked whether he had performed for communists. Seeger stated that he had sung for Americans of all political beliefs and that he was proud never to have refused to sing to any audience regardless of its religion, skin color or circumstances in life.
- Elvis performed at the Municipal Auditorium in Shreveport as part of Louisiana Hayride. The show began at 8:00 p.m.
- Sun Records released the song “I Forgot to Remember to Forget”. Billboard published a review of it and predicted that it would receive considerable attention. The song reached No. 1 on the Billboard National Country Music Chart and No. 4 on the Billboard Most Played By Jockeys chart in February 1956, bringing Elvis his first nationwide publicity and success.
- “Maybellene” by Chuck Berry debuted on the charts.
- Saxophonist and composer Alan Wilkinson was born in Ilford, England.
- Elvis Presley performed at Spudder Park in Wichita Falls, Texas, beginning a week-long tour with several performers from Louisiana Hayride: Bill Mack & Band, Johnny Horton, Betty Amos, David Houston, Sonny Crammer, Ray Gallman, Tillman Franks, and Willie Birdbrain. The performance began at 8:15 p.m.
- Elvis Presley performed at the Bryan Saddle Club rodeo (Brazos County Rodeo Arena) in Bryan, Texas. A flatbed truck served as the stage.
- Elvis Presley performed at the Davy Crockett High School football stadium in Conroe, Texas, before approximately 700 people. Also on the bill were Mary McCoy, Johnny Horton, Betty Amos, David Houston, Sonny Crammer, Ray Gallman, Tillman Franks, Willie Birdbrain and George Jones.
- Jeffrey Daniel, R&B singer of Shalamar, was born in Los Angeles, California. The group became known for songs including „The Second Time Around“ and „A Night to Remember“ and helped introduce body-popping to the U.K.
- Elvis performed “I Forgot To Remember To Forget” at the Sportcenter in Austin, Texas. The concert began at 8:00 p.m. and was part of the Louisiana Hayride Tour. Other performers included Johnny Horton, Betty Amos, David Houston, Dalton & Lulu Jo, Sonny Crammer, Ray Gallman, Tillman Franks and Willie Birdbrain.
- Elvis Presley performed at Baseball Park in Gonzales, Texas. He was joined by Johnny Horton, Betty Amos, David Houston, Sonny Crammer, Ray Gallman, Tillman Franks and Willie Birdbrain.
- Elvis Presley performed at the Municipal Auditorium in Shreveport, Louisiana, as part of the Louisiana Hayride program.
- The song “Ain't That A Shame” reached No. 10 on the US pop chart and became the first R&B song to reach the Top 10. Three weeks later, Pat Boone's cover version reached No. 1.
- Fourteen-year-old Emmett Till was murdered in Money, Mississippi, by two white men because he spoke to a white woman. His story later inspired Bob Dylan’s song “The Death Of Emmett Till” and Emmylou Harris’s “My Name Is Emmett Till”.
- Chuck Berry reached No. 5 on the U.S. pop chart with "Maybellene", while the song spent eleven weeks at No. 1 on the rhythm and blues chart.
- A London judge fined Sidney Turner three pounds and ten shillings for "creating an awful noise" after he threatened his neighbors that he would "drive them mad". From 2:00 to 4:30 p.m., he played Bill Haley and His Comets' "Shake Rattle & Roll" as loudly as possible.
- Alan Freed's first annual rock 'n' roll party began at the Paramount Theater in Brooklyn, New York. The lineup included Chuck Berry, Tony Bennett, The Nutmegs, The Rhythmettes, The Cardinals and The Four Voices.
- Bassist and singer Bruce Foxton of The Jam was born in Woking, England.
- Elvis Presley performed at Pontchartrain Beach amusement park in New Orleans alongside other performers, including Mrs. Jimmy Rogers, Jim Reeves, Al Terry, Jack Cardwell, Jimmy Swan, Ernie Chaffin, Ann Raye, Ray Parker and Hillbilly Evans. Elvis and the Blue Moon Boys performed in New Orleans.
- A rock 'n' roll enthusiast was fined $9.80 at a London court after playing Bill Haley's “Shake Rattle and Roll” at full volume all day and neighbors complained.