1959 in music

See also: 1958 in music, other events of 1959, 1960 in music and the list of 'years in music'.

Events

February 3 - News of the February 2 plane crash that killed Buddy Holly, Richie Valens and The Big Bopper becomes widely known. This date becomes known as "The Day The Music Died". Future country star Waylon Jennings was scheduled to be on the plane, but instead gave his seat up to the Big Bopper.
The National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences sponsors the first Grammy Award ceremony for music recorded in 1958.
Berry Gordy, Jr. founds Motown records.
James Brown's musical career begins
Carole King's musical career begins

Albums Released

Kind of Blue - Miles Davis

Top Hits

"Mack The Knife" - Bobby Darin
"A Teenager In Love" - Dion & the Belmonts
"Kansas City" - Wilbur Harrison
"What'd I Say" - Ray Charles
"Love Potion Number Nine" - The Clovers
"La Bamba" - Ritchie Valens
"Poison Ivy" - The Coasters
"Sleepwalk" - Santo & Johnny
"Stagger Lee" - Lloyd Price
"Venus" - Frankie Avalon
"Why" - Frankie Avalon

Births

January 6 - Kathy Sledge, Sister Sledge
January 7 - Kathy Valentine, The Go Go's
January 8 - Paul Hester, Crowded House
January 10 - Curt Kirkwood, Meat Puppets
January 12 - Per Gessle, Roxette
January 14 - Cas Smith, Madness
January 14 - Geoff Tate, Queensryche
January 28 - Dave Sharp, The Alarm
January 29 - Johnny Spampinato, NRBQ
January 30 - Jody Watley
February 3 - Lol Tolhurst, The Cure
February 7 - Brian Travers, UB40
February 14 - Ice-T
February 15 - Ali Campell, UB40
February 25 - Mike Peters, The Alarm
March 16 - Flavor Flav, Public Enemy
March 27 - Andrew Farriss, INXS
March 29 - Perry Farrell, Jane's Addiction
March 31 - Angus Young, AC/DC
April 10 - Brian Setzer, The Stray Cats
April 10 - Babyface
April 21 - Michael Timmins, Cowboy Junkies
April 21 - Robert Smith, The Cure
April 27 - Sheena Easton
May 3 - David Ball, Soft Cell
May 4 - Randy Travis, country singer
May 5 - Ian McCulloch, Echo & The Bunnymen
June 1 - Alan Wilder, Depeche Mode
June 12 - John Linnell, They Might Be Giants
June 19 - Mark DeBarge, DeBarge
June 22 - Alan Anton, Cowboy Junkies
June 24 - Andy McCluskey, Orchestral Maneuvers In The Dark
July 3 - Stephen Pearcy, Ratt
July 5 - Marc Cohn
July 9 - Marc Almond, Soft Cell
July 11 - Richie Sambora, Bon Jovi
July 11 - Suzanne Vega, US singer
August 1 - Joe Elliott, Def Leppard
August 9 - Kurtis Blow
September 14 - Morten Harket, a-ha
September 23 - Lita Ford
October 4 - Chris Lowe, Pet Shop Boys
October 13 - Marie Osmond
October 16 - Gary Kemp, Spandau Ballet
October 23 - Weird Al Yankovic
November 1 - Eddie MacDonald, The Alarm
November 5 - Bryan Adams
November 27 - Charlie Burchill, Simple Minds
November 29 - Steve Hindalong, The Choir, record producer
December 4 - Bob Griffin, The BoDeans

Deaths

February 2 - rock and roll performers Buddy Holly, Richie Valens and The Big Bopper, in a plane crash outside Mason City, Iowa. The news isn't widely known until the next day - The Day The Music Died.
February 14 - Baby Dodds, jazz musician
May 14 - Sidney Bechet, jazz musician
July 15 - Billie Holiday, jazz and blues singer.
August 15 - Blind Willie McTell, blues singer.