This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1962.
Specific locations 1962 in British music 1962 in Japanese music 1962 in Norwegian music
Specific genres 1962 in country music 1962 in jazz
Events January 1 – The Beatles and Brian Poole and the Tremeloes both audition at Decca Records in London. Decca has the option of signing one group only. The Beatles are rejected, perhaps because they come from Liverpool and the others are Dagenham-based, nearer London. January 5 – The first album on which The Beatles play, My Bonnie, as backing to Tony Sheridan (recorded the previous June in Hamburg and produced by Bert Kaempfert), is released by Polydor. January 24 – Brian Epstein signs a contract to manage The Beatles. February 16 – Conductor Bruno Walter, the day before his death, ends his last letter with: "Despite all the dark experiences of today I am still confident that Palestrina will remain. The work has all the elements of immortality".Liner notes to the Rafael Kubelik/Nicolai Gedda/Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau DG recording. March 18 – The 7th Eurovision Song Contest, held at Villa Louvigny in Luxembourg City, is won by France with the song "Un premier amour", performed by Isabelle Aubret. March 19 – Bob Dylan releases his debut album, Bob Dylan, in the United States, featuring mostly folk standards. April 6 – New York Philharmonic concert of April 6, 1962: Leonard Bernstein causes controversy with his remarks before a concert featuring Glenn Gould with the New York Philharmonic, when he (Bernstein) announces that although he disagrees with Gould's slow tempi in Brahms' Piano Concerto No. 1, he finds Gould's ideas fascinating and will conduct the piece anyway. Bernstein's action receives a withering review from The New York Times music critic Harold C. Schonberg. April 7 – Mick Jagger and Keith Richards meet Brian Jones at The Ealing Club, a blues club in London. April 12 – A recording is made of Bob Dylan's concert at the Town Hall, in New York City by Columbia Records. (Columbia eventually release the recording of "Tomorrow is a Long Time" from this concert.) April 24 – Bob Dylan begins recording The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan in New York. May 29 – The 4th Annual Grammy Awards are held in Chicago, Los Angeles and New York. Henry Mancini wins the most awards with five, including Record of the Year and Song of the Year for his song "Moon River". Judy Garland's Judy at Carnegie Hall wins Album of the Year, while Peter Nero wins Best New Artist. June 6 – The Beatles play their first session at EMI's Abbey Road Studios in London, having signed with the Parlophone label on May 9. June 19 – The film version of the musical The Music Man is released in the United States by Warner Bros. August 2 – Robert Allen Zimmerman legally changes his name to Bob Dylan in the New York Supreme Court. August 16 – The Beatles fire drummer Pete Best and replace him with Ringo Starr. August 17 – Instrumental single "Telstar", written and produced by Joe Meek for English band The Tornados, is released in the UK. On December 22 it will be the first recording by a British group ever to reach the top spot on the Billboard Top 100 in the United States, proving to be a precursor to the British Invasion. August 18 – The Beatles play their first live engagement with the line-up of John, Paul, George and Ringo, at Hulme Hall, Port Sunlight, UK. August 20 – Albert Grossman becomes Bob Dylan's manager. August 23 – John Lennon marries Cynthia Powell in an unpublicised register office ceremony at Mount Pleasant, Liverpool, with Paul McCartney as best man. September 21 – New Musical Express, the British music magazine, publishes a story about two 13-year-old schoolgirls, Sue and Mary, releasing a disc on Decca and adds "A Liverpool group, The Beatles, have recorded 'Love Me Do' for Parlophone Records, set for October 5 release." September 22 – Bob Dylan appears for the first time at Carnegie Hall in New York City as part of a hootenanny including the first public performance of "A Hard Rain's a-Gonna Fall". September 23 – Opening concert at the New York Philharmonic's new home, Philharmonic Hall at Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, conducted by Leonard Bernstein and broadcast live on television across the United States by NBC. The opening work, Aaron Copland's specially commissioned Connotations, sends "shock waves through the world of music". Other commissions featured include Darius Milhaud's Overture Philharmonique and Samuel Barber's Andromache's Farewell for soprano and orchestra. The following day, John Browning premières Barber's Piano Concerto at the venue and on October 4 William Schuman's Symphony No. 8 is premièred here. October 5 – The Beatles' first single in their own right, "Love Me Do"/"P.S. I Love You", is released in the UK on EMI's Parlophone label. October 14 – Italian tenor Sergio Franchi makes his American TV debut on The Ed Sullivan Show. October 17 – The Beatles make their first televised appearance, on Granada television's local news programme People and Places in the north of England. October 20 – Peter, Paul and Mary's self-titled debut album reaches No. 1 on the Billboard 200 album chart. October 21 – Sergio Franchi makes his American concert debut at Carnegie Hall (sans microphone), promoted by Sol Hurok. November 11 Ken Russell's film Elgar is shown in BBC Television's Monitor series in the United Kingdom. Joan Baez has all of her first three albums on the Billboard charts, on their way to Gold status. Two Pete Seeger classic songs reach the Billboard pop charts: "Where Have All the Flowers Gone?" recorded by The Kingston Trio reaches No. 21. "If I Had a Hammer", recorded by Peter, Paul and Mary, reaches No. 10. The first American Folk Blues Festival, initiated by German promoters, tours Europe; artists include Sonny Terry, Brownie McGhee and T-Bone Walker. Its only UK date, 21 October at the Free Trade Hall, Manchester, is influential on the British R&B scene, with the audience including Mick Jagger, Keith Richards and Brian Jones of The Rolling Stones with Jimmy Page, Paul Jones, John Mayall and other musicians, and with a second show filmed and shown on Independent Television. Georges Auric becomes director of the Opéra National de Paris. André Hodeir's book, Since Debussy, makes controversial claims about the importance of Jean Barraqué as a composer. José Manuel Calderón becomes the first Dominican musician to record bachata, at the Radiotelevisión Dominicana studios. The Spokane Philharmonic orchestra becomes the Spokane Symphony. Dalida is named Calabrian Citizen of Honour and receives the Radio Monte Carlo Oscar with Johnny Hallyday. Paul & Paula make their first appearance together while attending Howard Payne College in Brownwood, Texas. The Mashed Potato is a popular dance craze, with several songs based around the style. The Gulbenkian Orchestra is founded, originally as a 12-piece chamber ensemble, the Orquestra de Câmara Gulbenkian, in Lisbon (Portugal). Lou Harrison visits Taiwan; on his return he forms, with William Colvig, Richard Dee and Lily Chin, the first American ensemble to play traditional Chinese music. Sergio Franchi is signed to an RCA Red Seal recording contract in London by Norman Luboff.
Bands formed Booker T. & the MG's Herman's Hermits Koerner, Ray & Glover The Rolling Stones The Trashmen Question Mark and the Mysterians The Routers
Albums released Adam Faith – Adam Faith After Hours – Joni James Album Seven by Rick – Rick Nelson Alice Faye Sings Her Famous Movie Hits – Alice Faye Along Comes Ruth – Ruth Brown All Aboard the Blue Train – Johnny Cash All Alone – Frank Sinatra All the Sad Young Men – Anita O'Day Baby It's You – The Shirelles Bashin': The Unpredictable Jimmy Smith – Jimmy Smith Because You're Mine – Keely Smith Ben E. King Sings for Soulful Lovers The Best of Ball, Barber And Bilk – Kenny Ball, Chris Barber, and Acker Bilk The Best of Irving Berlin's Songs from Mr. President – Perry Como with Kaye Ballard and Sandy Stewart The Best of Julie – Julie London The Best of Sam Cooke – Sam Cooke Bewitching-Lee – Peggy Lee Big Band Percussion – Ted Heath and His Music Big Band Specials – June Christy Billy Rose's Jumbo – Soundtrack Blues Cross Country – Peggy Lee Bobby Vee Meets the Crickets – Bobby Vee and The Crickets A Bobby Vee Recording Session – Bobby Vee Bobby Vee's Golden Greats – Bobby Vee Bob Dylan – Bob Dylan (debut album) Bo Diddley – Bo Diddley Bo Diddley & Company – Bo Diddley Bo Diddley's a Twister – Bo Diddley Bobby Darin Sings Ray Charles – Bobby Darin Bouquet of Roses – Les Paul and Mary Ford The Bridge - Sonny Rollins Buddy and Soul – Buddy Greco Bursting Out with the All–Star Big Band! – Oscar Peterson By Request – Perry Como Cafrune – Jorge Cafrune Cal Tjader Plays Harold Arlen – Cal Tjader Cal Tjader Plays the Contemporary Music of Mexico and Brazil – Cal Tjader The Cannonball Adderley Sextet in New York – Cannonball Adderley Sextet Cannonball in Europe! – Cannonball Adderley Cha Cha de Amor – Dean Martin Cherokeely Swings – Keely Smith The Chipmunk Songbook - Alvin and the Chipmunks Christmas with The Chipmunks - Alvin and the Chipmunks Chuck Berry Twist – Chuck Berry The Classic Della – Della Reese Close Up In Swing – Erroll Garner Coltrane – John Coltrane Come Waltz with Me – Steve Lawrence Comin' Home Baby – Mel Tormé Crying – Roy Orbison Dance with Ike & Tina Turner's Kings of Rhythm – Kings of Rhythm Danny Boy and Other Songs I Love to Sing – Andy Williams Dear Lonely Hearts – Nat King Cole Dinah '62 – Dinah Washington Dino: Italian Love Songs – Dean Martin Dino Latino – Dean Martin Dizzy on the French Riviera – Dizzy Gillespie Don't Go in the Lion's Cage Tonight – Julie Andrews Don't Mess with Tess – Teresa Brewer Don't Worry 'Bout Me – Billy Eckstine Drinking Again – Dinah Washington Duet – Doris Day with André Previn Dynamite! – Ike & Tina Turner The Electrifying Aretha Franklin – Aretha Franklin Ella Swings Brightly with Nelson – Ella Fitzgerald Ella Swings Gently with Nelson – Ella Fitzgerald The Fabulous Hits of Dinah Shore – Dinah Shore The First Family – Vaughn Meader First Time Out – Clare Fischer Folklore – Jorge Cafrune For Those Who Think Young – Joanie Sommers For Twisters Only – Chubby Checker French Style – Dean Martin Full House – Wes Montgomery The Garland Touch – Judy Garland The Gift of Love – Jack Jones Girls! Girls! Girls! (soundtrack) – Elvis Presley Go – Dexter Gordon Go On Home – Patti Page Golden Age of Donegan – Lonnie Donegan Gospel Time – Ruth Brown Great Motion Picture Themes – Various Artists Hancock – Tony Hancock Hello Young Lovers – Nancy Wilson High Flying – Lambert, Hendricks & Ross Hits Of The Rockin' 50s – Bobby Vee Horn A-Plenty – Al Hirt Howlin' Wolf – Howlin' Wolf Howling Wolf Sings the Blues – Howlin' Wolf (released, recorded 1951–52) Hymns from the Heart – Johnny Cash I Cry by Night – Kay Starr I Feel a Song Coming On – Joni James I Left My Heart In San Francisco – Tony Bennett I Wanna Be Loved – Dinah Washington I'm Your Girl – Joni James In Love – Dinah Washington In Other Words – Petula Clark India's Most Distinguished Musician in Concert – Ravi Shankar Instant Party! – Everly Brothers It's Trad, Dad! (OST) – Various Artists I've Got a Lot of Livin' to Do – Jack Jones Jazz Samba – Stan Getz and Charlie Byrd Jazz Workshop Revisited – Cannonball Adderley Let's Talk About Love – Joanie Sommers Joan Baez in Concert – Joan Baez Johnny Get Angry – Joanie Sommers Jorge Cafrune – Jorge Cafrune Just Plain Country – Kay Starr Lena...Lovely and Alive – Lena Horne Lena on the Blue Side – Lena Horne Let's Face the Music – Shirley Bassey with the Nelson Riddle Orchestra Let's Go! with The Routers – The Routers Let's Love – Buddy Greco Let's Talk About Love – Joanie Sommers Limbo Party - Chubby Checker Linger Awhile with Vic Damone – Vic Damone Live at the Diplomat – Damita Jo The Lively Ones – Vic Damone Love Letters – Julie London