1957 in British Music

The Story of 1957

Skiffle peaked, but rock 'n' roll proper was taking hold. Lonnie Donegan ruled the charts with 'Cumberland Gap' and 'Gamblin' Man' – his jug-band energy proving enormously popular. But the real breakthrough was the emergence of homegrown rockers who looked and sounded British. Tommy Steele was still going strong, but now there was competition: Cliff Richard made his first television appearance in 1957, though stardom was still a year away. The BBC was starting to take youth culture seriously, with 'Six-Five Special' launching as the first TV show dedicated to teenage music. Meanwhile, imports of American rock were accelerating – Little Richard, Jerry Lee Lewis and Elvis Presley all charted heavily. British teenagers were developing distinct tastes, and the charts reflected a nation in transition. The trad jazz of Chris Barber sat alongside the raucous skiffle of Donegan and the increasingly sophisticated pop of American vocal groups. Britain's music industry doubled down on finding the next teenage sensation, and the machinery of pop stardom – managers, producers, TV appearances – was being built from scratch.