Air Week: September 29-October 5, 2025

Atlantic Records, Pt. 11 – 1956

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Atlantic Records was the most influential, significant and important independent record label to come out of the late-1940s, during a time when there were many great, small indie labels being born. What gave Atlantic the advantage over Specialty, Chess, Modern, Vee-Jay, Exclusive, King, etc is the breadth of material, variety of music styles and the sheer number of hit records that led to the Rock n’ Roll explosion of the mid-1950s. Matt The Cat and the “Juke In The Back” present this behemoth, 14 part series celebrating the first 10 years of Atlantic’s existence: 1947-57. This week in part eleven, we’ll focus on 1956. It’s the first year that Rock n’ Roll was solidly placed in the mainstream of popular music. Atlantic began to soften and smooth out its rough R&B sound a bit during 1956 and onward, in order to appeal to the new Rock n’ Roll audience. Joe Turner scored his only pop hit with “Corrine Corrina,” which hit #41 Pop and #2 R&B and The Drifters continued to chart without Clyde McPhatter as “Ruby Baby” and “I Got To Get Myself A Woman” feature Johnny Moore handing the lead. Chuck Willis makes his Atlantic debut this year with “It’s Too Late,” while Ivory Joe Hunter scores his 4th and final #1 single as an Atlantic artist. His 3 previous chart-toppers were waxed for MGM and Pacific Records. Clyde McPhatter and Ray Charles also top the charts this year, while Ruth Brown has a very quiet 1956, chart-wise. So buckle in and prepare yourself for an in-depth, 14 part look at the history of Atlantic Records, which could also be described as a look at the history of American Music itself.

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