In 1956, Harry Belafonte made history when his album Belafonte became the first No. 1 on what is now known as the Billboard 200 albums chart.
Billboard first introduced an album chart in 1945, initially featuring only five positions and updated sporadically. By 1955, a biweekly 15-position “Best-Selling Popular Albums” chart had emerged. As album sales surged in the early 1950s, Billboard responded by launching a weekly version on March 24, 1956, with rankings varying between 10 and 30 albums. The very first No. 1 album on this newly established chart was Belafonte. Later that year, the chart was renamed “Best-Selling Pop Albums” and in 1957, it evolved into “Best-Selling Pop LPs.”
Released by RCA Victor in late 1955, Belafonte was the singer’s second studio album and the first to top the Billboard Top Pop Albums chart. It held the No. 1 position for six weeks before being dethroned by Elvis Presley’s self-titled debut album. Blending folk, calypso, and spiritual influences, Belafonte showcased the artist’s distinctive vocal style with tracks like “Waterboy,” “Matilda,” and “Scarlet Ribbons.” The album also featured contributions from esteemed musicians, including guitarist Millard Thomas and members of Tony Scott’s Orchestra.
In his memoir “My Song‘ Belafonte credits his time spent in Jamaica as a child for his creative abilities and references to Jamaican folk songs.
The 11 track set was recorded at the legendary RCA Victor Studios in New York. See full track-list below:
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“Waterboy” (Avery Robinson)
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“Troubles” (Harry Belafonte)
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“Suzanne” (Belafonte, Millard Thomas)
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“Matilda” (Norman Span)
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“Take My Mother Home” (Hall Johnson)
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“Noah” (Belafonte, William Attaway)
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“Scarlet Ribbons” (Jack Segal, Evelyn Danzig)
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“In That Great Gettin’ Up Mornin'” (Norman Luboff, Belafonte)
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“Unchained Melody” (Hy Zaret, Alex North)
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“Jump Down, Spin Around” (Luboff, Belafonte, Attaway)
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“Sylvie” (Huddie Ledbetter, Paul Campbell)
Harry followed up with Calypso later in 1956, which became his second consecutive number-one album on the Billboard Top Pop Albums chart. It held the top spot for a total of 31 weeks before its final week at No. 1 on May 20, 1957. Belafonte’s third studio album under RCA Victor, Calypso became the first LP to sell over one million copies and the album was instrumental in bringing calypso music to a worldwide audience, paving the way for future artists to blend Caribbean sounds with mainstream music.
The album also held a spot in the top ten for 58 weeks and stayed on the U.S. album charts for a total of 99 weeks.
A legendary singer, actor, and civil rights activist, Harry died at age 96 from congestive heart failure at his Manhattan home on April 25, 2023. Born to Jamaican parents in Harlem, he rose to fame during a racially turbulent era in America and used his influence to champion Black rights.
A key supporter of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Belafonte was the largest fundraiser for the civil rights movement and helped finance the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. He also fought against apartheid in South Africa and supported global humanitarian causes, including in Haiti.
Belafonte played a role in history beyond entertainment—his scholarship program enabled Barack Obama Sr. to study in America, where he met the mother of the future U.S. president.
As a trailblazing artist, Belafonte won an Emmy in 1960 for Tonight With Belafonte, the first for a Black performer. However, racial tensions led to conflicts with sponsors, including Revlon and Chrysler-Plymouth, over his collaborations with white artists.
