- May 2 The Beatles' "The Beatles' Second Album" goes #1 & stays #1 for 5 weeks
Frost Interviews McCartney
May 18 David Frost interviews Paul McCartney on BBC-TV
The Beatles on Ed Sullivan
May 24 The Beatles' 4th appearance on "The Ed Sullivan Show", features an interview and pre-recorded performance of "You Can't Do That"
Fade Out-Fade In
May 26 Betty Comden & Adolph Green and Jule Styne's musical "Fade Out-Fade In", featuring Carol Burnett, Jack Cassidy (later replaced by Dick Shawn), and Tina Louise, opens at Mark Hellinger Theater NYC for 271 performances
Music History
May 28 Dmitri Shostakovich completes his 9th String quartet
Beyond the Fringe
May 30 Alan Bennett, Peter Cook, Dudley Moore and Jonathan Miller comedy revue "Beyond the Fringe" closes at John Golden Theater, NYC, after 667 performances
- May 30 Beatles 1961 record of "Cry for a Shadow" is #1 in Australia
- May 30 The Beatles' "Love Me Do" single goes #1 in the United States
Country Singers
Jazz Musicians
Opera Singers
Pop Stars
Rappers
Rockers