The Ultimate 1950s Bracket
Sixteen of the biggest songs of the 1950s (1956–59) go head to head. Pick a winner in every match, crown your champion, then submit to see how everyone else voted.
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How the seeds were chosen
The year-end No. 1s of the 1950s are the top seeds, in order of year, followed by each year's No. 2, then No. 3, until there are sixteen different songs. Seed 1 plays seed 16, seed 8 plays seed 9, and so on, as in a sports tournament. ▶ plays a 30-second preview, so you can settle a tough match by ear.
| Seed | Song | Artist | Year-end finish |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Heartbreak Hotel | Elvis Presley | No. 1 of 1956 |
| 2 | All Shook Up | Elvis Presley | No. 1 of 1957 |
| 3 | Volare (Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blu) | Domenico Modugno | No. 1 of 1958 |
| 4 | The Battle Of New Orleans | Johnny Horton | No. 1 of 1959 |
| 5 | Don't Be Cruel | Elvis Presley | No. 2 of 1956 |
| 6 | Love Letters In The Sand | Pat Boone | No. 2 of 1957 |
| 7 | All I Have To Do Is Dream / Claudette | The Everly Brothers | No. 2 of 1958 |
| 8 | Mack The Knife | Bobby Darin | No. 2 of 1959 |
| 9 | Lisbon Antigua | Nelson Riddle | No. 3 of 1956 |
| 10 | Little Darlin' | The Diamonds | No. 3 of 1957 |
| 11 | Don't / I Beg Of You | Elvis Presley | No. 3 of 1958 |
| 12 | Personality | Lloyd Price | No. 3 of 1959 |
| 13 | My Prayer | The Platters | No. 4 of 1956 |
| 14 | Young Love | Tab Hunter | No. 4 of 1957 |
| 15 | Witch Doctor | David Seville | No. 4 of 1958 |
| 16 | Venus | Frankie Avalon | No. 4 of 1959 |