List of top-ten songs for the 1950s in Mexico

This is a list of the 10 most popular songs in Mexico for each year between 1950 and 1960, as published in the book "El Sound Track de la vida cotidiana", by Fernando Mejía Barquera.

Ranchera music, generally associated with rural Mexico but popular in urban areas as well, got a considerable boost from the massive popularity of Pedro Infante (an actor and ranchera singer who was present on the Mexican music charts from the beginning of the decade until his death in 1957) and the emergence of songwriter José Alfredo Jiménez (who, after writing many hit songs for other ranchera singers, eventually began to record his own songs).

[2][3] This genre became so popular with Mexican audiences that many Cuban performers (such as the aforementioned Pérez Prado and Beny Moré) moved to Mexico and appeared in Mexican movies, and it also paved the way for other Cuban musicians (such as the Sonora Matancera) who played genres other than mambo to find success in Mexico.

[5] The year 1960 marked the beginning of a new era, with the appearance of the first nationwide rock and roll hits: "La hiedra venenosa" (a cover of The Coasters' "Poison Ivy") by Los Rebeldes del Rock, and "La plaga" (a cover of Little Richard's "Good Golly, Miss Molly") by Los Teen Tops, paving the way for rock and roll music (usually through Spanish-language covers of American and British songs) to become the dominant genre in the Mexican charts of the 60s.

The following year-end charts were elaborated by Mejía Barquera, based on weekly charts that were published on the magazine Selecciones musicales as compiled on Roberto Ayala's 1962 book "Musicosas: manual del comentarista de radio y televisión"; those charts were, according to Ayala, based on record sales, jukebox plays, radio and television airplay, and sheet music sales[a].

Ranchera singer and movie star Pedro Infante was the most successful performer of the 50s in Mexico; he recorded at least twenty-six of the songs that appear on the Mexican year-end charts throughout the decade until his death in 1957.
Ranchera songwriter José Alfredo Jiménez was the most successful composer of the 50s, as nine of his songs appear on the year-end charts throughout the decade.
Cuban bandleader Dámaso Pérez Prado was the greatest exponent of the mambo craze that swept Mexico in the 50s.
One of the most emblematic female ranchera singers of the 50s, Lola Beltrán recorded at least five of the songs that appear on the year-end charts throughout the decade.
The lyrics of " Bonito y sabroso ", performed by Cuban singer Beny Moré (pictured), talk about Mexicans' appreciation of mambo music at the time, and describes Mexico City and Havana as being "sister cities". [ 8 ]