This release continues the series of 4CD sets which comprises selected annual collections of the biggest US country hits of each year, and this expanded edition provides a fuller picture of the year than our existing 2CD set devoted to 1955 (ADDCD3014).

This great-value 108-track collection covers the year of 1955, during which time Billboard published three charts devoted to Country & Western Records – Best Sellers In Stores, Most Played in Juke Boxes and Most Played by Disc Jockeys - and it comprises every record which peaked in the Top 15 of those charts during the year. The pop landscape was about to undergo significant changes, with the advent of rock ‘n’ roll and rockabilly presaged during the year just by a couple of Elvis Presley records and one by Johnny Cash featuring in the Top 15. Apart from them, the familiar names still dominated the scene, some of them having long-running No. 1s during the year, notably Webb Pierce, Eddy Arnold, Carl Smith, Tennessee Ernie Ford, Hank Snow and Faron Young and others like Kitty Wells and Hank Thompson having several big hits, while artists like Jim Reeves were introducing new strands to the music with the development of the smoother “new Nashville” sound around this time, with vocal choruses instead of fiddles and steel guitars.

Needless to say there are also one or two highly collectable obscurities among the many one-hit wonders. It’s a fascinating and entertaining musical snapshot of the country scene as the music industry entered a dynamic new musical era, and with an in-depth 12,000+ word booklet with background notes on every record as well as full discographical and chart information, it gives a solid overview of the most popular country music of the year.

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