The Greatest R&B Hits of 1956 Vol. 2

This great value 56-track collection brings together the biggest and most important hits from the Billboard R&B chart from the July to December period of 1956. Black artists were making major breakthroughs in the pop chart, reflecting the gradual breaking down of racial barriers, and many records, especially rock ‘n’ roll records by black artists, featured in both charts. Some long-established acts were making their final appearances in the charts, and the market saw a new kind of urban music taking hold and paving the way for the soul boom of the ‘60s, while gospel-influenced R&B was making a big impact. It is a thoroughly entertaining collection, which, alongside Vol. 1, gives a fascinating picture of the R&B scene in an exciting time for music.