1931 in music

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Boswell Sisters Boswell Sisters 1931.jpg
Boswell Sisters

This is a list of notable events in music that took place in 1931.

Contents

Specific locations

Specific genres

Events

There were many talented writers, producers and performers in the music industry during 1931, but record sales were very low. After $75 million in sales during 1929, the stock market crash in October nearly destroyed the industry, after forty years of consistent operation. Sales fell to $18 million in 1930 and then $5.5 million in 1931, where they remained for the next four years. The top selling records of 1929 ranged from $500,000 and up, fell under $100,000 in 1930, $60k in 1931 and $20k in 1932, where they stayed for several years. Keep this in mind when reviewing sales figures. You may also notice less artists and records. Record companies were afraid of taking more losses, such as gambling on new artists and new styles. Guy Lombardo's recording schedule was unaffected because his releases always sold well, but there were few new acts. Most of the records released in 1931 came from Radio Corporation of America (Victor), Columbia/Okeh, Brunswick (now owned by Warner Brothers Studios) and American Record Corporation (ARC), which featured discounted "dime store" labels.

The top popular records of 1931 listed below were compiled from Joel Whitburn's Pop Memories 1890–1954, [11] record sales reported on the "Discography of American Historical Recordings" website, and other sources as specified. Numerical rankings are approximate, there were no Billboard charts in 1931, the numbers are only used for a frame of reference.

RankArtistTitleLabelRecordedReleasedChart Positions
1 Wayne King and His Orchestra (vocal Ernie Birchill)"Good-night Sweetheart" [12] Victor 22825September 29, 1931October 1931US Billboard 1931 #1, US #1 for 7 weeks, 15 total weeks
2 Duke Ellington and His Cotton Club Orchestra "Mood Indigo" [13] Victor 22587December 10, 1930January 23, 1931US Billboard 1931 #2, US #3 for 10 total weeks, 48,191 sales, [14] Grammy Hall of Fame in 1975
3 Gus Arnheim Coconut Grove Orchestra (vocal Donald Novis)"Sweet And Lovely" [15] Victor 22770July 19, 1931August 1931US Billboard 1931 #3, US #1 for 6 weeks, 14 total weeks, 20,527 sales [16]
4 Mills Brothers "Tiger Rag" [17] Brunswick 6197October 9, 1931November 1931US Billboard 1931 #4, US #1 for 4 weeks, 13 total weeks
5Wayne King and His Orchestra"Dream a Little Dream of Me" [18] Victor 22643February 18, 1931March 1931US Billboard 1931 #5, US #1 for 4 weeks, 12 total weeks, 30,755 sales, [19] ASCAP song of 1930
6 Bing Crosby "Just One More Chance" [20] Brunswick 6120May 4, 1931May 1931US Billboard 1931 #6, US #1 for 2 weeks, 19 total weeks
7 Guy Lombardo and His Royal Canadians "By the River St. Marie" [21] Columbia 2401-DFebruary 10, 1931March 1931US Billboard 1931 #7, US #1 for 3 weeks, 11 total weeks
8Bing Crosby"At Your Command" [22] Brunswick 6145June 24, 1931July 1931US Billboard 1931 #8, US #1 for 3 weeks, 9 total weeks
9 Kate Smith with Ben Selvin and His Orchestra "When the Moon Comes Over the Mountain" [23] Columbia 2516-DAugust 17, 1931September 1931US Billboard 1931 #9, US #1 for 2 weeks, 14 total weeks
10Gus Arnheim Coconut Grove Orchestra (vocal Bing Crosby)"I Surrender Dear" [24] Victor 22618January 19, 1931March 1931US Billboard 1931 #10, US #3 for 3 weeks, 10 total weeks
11 Leo Reisman and His Orchestra (vocal Ben W. Gordon)"Just a Gigolo" [25] Victor 22606January 5, 1931March 1931US Billboard 1931 #11, US #15 for 1 weeks, 2 total weeks, 39,618 sales [26]
12Bud Billings (Frank Luther) and Carson Robison "When Your Hair Has Turned To Silver" [27] Victor 22588November 26, 1930January 23, 1931US Billboard 1931 #12, US #4 for 1 week, 12 total weeks, US Hillbilly 1931 #3, 38,805 sales [28]
13Wayne King and His Orchestra"The Waltz You Saved for Me" [29] Victor 22575November 7, 1930April 1931US Billboard 1931 #13, US #4 for 1 week, 15 total weeks, 38,450 sales [30]
14Bing Crosby"Out of Nowhere" [31] Brunswick 6090March 30, 1931April 1931US Billboard 1931 #14, US #1 for 3 weeks, 8 total weeks
15Guy Lombardo and His Royal Canadians"(There Ought to Be a) Moonlight Saving Time" [32] Columbia 2457-DApril 29, 1931May 1931US Billboard 1931 #15, US #1 for 3 weeks, 8 total weeks
16 Cab Calloway and His Orchestra "Minnie the Moocher" [33] Brunswick 6074March 3, 1931March 1931US Billboard 1931 #16, US #1 for 1 week, 17 total weeks
17 Fred Waring's Pennsylvanians "Love For Sale" [34] Victor 22598December 24, 1930March 1931US Billboard 1931 #17, US #14 for 1 week, 2 total weeks, 34,465 sales [35]
18Fred Waring's Pennsylvanians"I Found a Million Dollar Baby (in a Five and Ten Cent Store)" [36] Victor 22707May 4, 1931June 1931US Billboard 1931 #18, US #1 for 3 weeks, 6 total weeks, 20,769 sales [37]
19Bing Crosby"I Found a Million Dollar Baby (in a Five and Ten Cent Store)" [38] Brunswick 6140May 4, 1931June 1931US Billboard 1931 #19, US #1 for 3 weeks, 6 total weeks
20Gus Arnheim Coconut Grove Orchestra (vocals Rhythm Boys)"The Little Things In Life" [39] Victor 22580November 25, 1930December 1930US Billboard 1931 #20, US #4 for 1 week, 5 total weeks, 29,066 sales [40]
21 Rudy Vallee and His Connecticut Yankees "Would You Like to Take a Walk?" [41] Victor 22611January 13, 1931April 1931US Billboard 1931 #21, US #4 for 1 week, 7 total weeks, 32,716 sales [42]
22Wayne King and His Orchestra"Goofus" [43] Victor 22600November 6, 1930January 1931US Billboard 1931 #22, US #4 for 1 week, 15 total weeks, 38,450 sales [44]
23Guy Lombardo and His Royal Canadians"Good Night, Sweetheart" [45] Columbia 2547-DOctober 8, 1931November 1931US Billboard 1931 #23, US #1 for 2 weeks, 11 total weeks
24Rudy Vallee and His Connecticut Yankees"When Yuba Plays the Rhumba on the Tuba" [46] Victor 22742June 15, 1931August 1931US Billboard 1931 #24, US #2 for 1 week, 7 total weeks, 27,402 sales [47]
25Fred Waring's Pennsylvanians"Dancing in the Dark" [48] Victor 22708May 18, 1931July 1931US Billboard 1931 #25, US #3 for 1 week, 11 total weeks, 26,928 sales [49]
26 Ted Lewis and His Band "Just a Gigolo" [50] Columbia 2378-DJanuary 13, 1931February 1931US Billboard 1931 #26, US #1 for 2 weeks, 8 total weeks

Top Blues Recordings

Classical music

Autumn Crocus (incidental music)
Songs (Two), op. 49
Songs (Four), op. 53
Lisbon (Dublin Bay) (second setting)
Tribute to Foster

Opera

Film

Jazz

Musical theater

Musical films

Births

Deaths

References

  1. ↑ "The New York Times: "Today On The Radio: 265 M-WOV-1,130 KE: 4:30 John Serrapica, Accordion" January 6, 1931 p. 33 John Serrapica on Proquest Historical Newspapers: The New York Times". ProQuest   99529553 . Retrieved January 2, 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  2. ↑ "The New York Times: "Today On The Radio: 265 M-WOV-1,130 KE: 5:15 John Serrapica, Accordion" January 15, 1931 p. 30, John Serrapica on Proquest Historical Newspapers: The New York Times". ProQuest   99511360 . Retrieved January 2, 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  3. ↑ "The New York Times: "Today On The Radio: 265 M-WOV-1,130 KE 5:15 John Serrapica, Accordion" January 22, 1931 p. 31 John Serrapica on Proquest Historical Newspapers: The New York Times". ProQuest   99509304 . Retrieved January 2, 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  4. ↑ The Opera Quarterly. University of North Carolina Press. 1995. p. 7. Archived from the original on 2024-04-29. Retrieved 2019-08-07.
  5. ↑ David Darrah, "Slap Toscanini: Refuses to Play Fascist Anthem", Chicago Tribune 90, no. 117 (16 May 1931): 3.
  6. ↑ Journal – Association for Recorded Sound Collections. Association for Recorded Sound Collections. 1981. p. 21. Archived from the original on 2024-04-29. Retrieved 2018-12-30.
  7. ↑ Kennedy, Michael (1989). Notes to The Nursery Suite and other short pieces. London: EMI. OCLC   36262885.
  8. ↑ Anon., "Contemporary Music: Festival in England This Year", The Times, issue 45735 (Saturday, 31 January 1931): 10C.
  9. ↑ Anon., "Indian Music: Inauguration of Circle in Bombay", The Times of India (Thursday, 22 October 1931): 7.
  10. ↑ Catalog of Copyright Entries: Third series. 1959. p. 1758. Archived from the original on 2024-04-29. Retrieved 2018-12-30.
  11. ↑ Whitburn, Joel (1986). Joel Whitburn's Pop Memories 1890–1954. Record Research.
  12. ↑ "Victor matrix BVE-67572. Good-night, sweetheart / Ernie Birchill ; Wayne King Orchestra". Discography of American Historical Recordings. Archived from the original on 2022-12-14. Retrieved 2022-12-14.
  13. ↑ "Victor matrix BVE-64811. Mood indigo / Cotton Club Orchestra ; Duke Ellington". Discography of American Historical Recordings. Archived from the original on 2022-12-14. Retrieved 2022-12-14.
  14. ↑ "Victor 22587 (Black label (popular) 10-in. double-faced) - Discography of American Historical Recordings". adp.library.ucsb.edu. Archived from the original on 2022-03-22. Retrieved 2022-03-22.
  15. ↑ "Victor matrix PBVE-61099. Sweet and lovely / Cocoanut Grove Orchestra ; Donald Novis". Discography of American Historical Recordings. Archived from the original on 2022-12-14. Retrieved 2022-12-14.
  16. ↑ "Victor 22770 (Black label (popular) 10-in. double-faced) - Discography of American Historical Recordings". adp.library.ucsb.edu. Archived from the original on 2022-03-22. Retrieved 2022-03-22.
  17. ↑ "Brunswick matrix E37289. Tiger rag / Mills Brothers". Discography of American Historical Recordings. Archived from the original on 2022-12-14. Retrieved 2022-12-14.
  18. ↑ "Victor matrix BVE-67508. Dream a little dream of me / Ernie Birchill ; Wayne King Orchestra". Discography of American Historical Recordings. Archived from the original on 2022-12-14. Retrieved 2022-12-14.
  19. ↑ "Victor 22643 (Black label (popular) 10-in. double-faced) - Discography of American Historical Recordings". adp.library.ucsb.edu. Archived from the original on 2022-03-22. Retrieved 2022-03-22.
  20. ↑ "Brunswick matrix LA1037. Just one more chance / Bing Crosby". Discography of American Historical Recordings. Archived from the original on 2022-12-14. Retrieved 2022-12-14.
  21. ↑ "Columbia matrix W151304. By the River Sainte Marie / Carmen Lombardo ; Guy Lombardo ; Royal Canadians". Discography of American Historical Recordings. Archived from the original on 2022-12-14. Retrieved 2022-12-14.
  22. ↑ "Brunswick matrix LA1051. At your command / Bing Crosby". Discography of American Historical Recordings. Archived from the original on 2022-12-14. Retrieved 2022-12-14.
  23. ↑ "Columbia matrix W151736. When the moon comes over the mountain / Kate Smith". Discography of American Historical Recordings. Archived from the original on 2022-12-09. Retrieved 2022-12-14.
  24. ↑ "Victor matrix PBVE-61068. I surrender, dear / Cocoanut Grove Orchestra ; Bing Crosby". Discography of American Historical Recordings. Archived from the original on 2022-12-14. Retrieved 2022-12-14.
  25. ↑ "Victor matrix BVE-67757. Just a gigolo / Leo Reisman Orchestra". Discography of American Historical Recordings. Archived from the original on 2022-12-14. Retrieved 2022-12-14.
  26. ↑ "Victor 22606 (Black label (popular) 10-in. double-faced)". Discography of American Historical Recordings. Archived from the original on 2022-12-14. Retrieved 2022-12-14.
  27. ↑ "Victor matrix BVE-64814. When your hair has turned to silver (I will love you just the same) / Bud Billings ; Joe Billings - Discography of American Historical Recordings". adp.library.ucsb.edu. Archived from the original on 2022-12-13. Retrieved 2022-08-23.
  28. ↑ "Victor 22588 (Black label (popular) 10-in. double-faced) - Discography of American Historical Recordings". adp.library.ucsb.edu. Archived from the original on 2022-02-17. Retrieved 2022-02-17.
  29. ↑ "Victor matrix BVE-62948. The waltz you saved for me / Ernie Birchill ; Wayne King Orchestra". Discography of American Historical Recordings. Archived from the original on 2022-12-14. Retrieved 2022-12-14.
  30. ↑ "Victor 22575 (Black label (popular) 10-in. double-faced)". Discography of American Historical Recordings. Archived from the original on 2022-12-14. Retrieved 2022-12-14.
  31. ↑ "Brunswick matrix LA983. Out of nowhere / Bing Crosby". Discography of American Historical Recordings. Archived from the original on 2022-12-14. Retrieved 2022-12-14.
  32. ↑ "Columbia matrix W151527. (There ought to be a) Moonlight saving time / Carmen Lombardo ; Guy Lombardo ; Royal Canadians". Discography of American Historical Recordings. Archived from the original on 2022-12-14. Retrieved 2022-12-14.
  33. ↑ "Brunswick matrix E36212. Minnie the moocher / Cab Calloway Orchestra". Discography of American Historical Recordings. Archived from the original on 2022-12-14. Retrieved 2022-12-14.
  34. ↑ "Victor matrix BVE-67733. Love for sale / Pennsylvanians ; Three Waring Girls ; Fred Waring". Discography of American Historical Recordings. Archived from the original on 2022-12-14. Retrieved 2022-12-14.
  35. ↑ "Victor 22598 (Black label (popular) 10-in. double-faced)". Discography of American Historical Recordings. Archived from the original on 2022-12-14. Retrieved 2022-12-14.
  36. ↑ "Victor matrix BRC-53080. I found a million dollar baby (In a five and ten cent store) / Clare Hanlon ; Pennsylvanians ; Three Waring Girls ; Fred Waring". Discography of American Historical Recordings. Archived from the original on 2022-12-14. Retrieved 2022-12-14.
  37. ↑ "Victor 22707 (Black label (popular) 10-in. double-faced) - Discography of American Historical Recordings". adp.library.ucsb.edu. Archived from the original on 2022-03-22. Retrieved 2022-03-22.
  38. ↑ "Brunswick matrix LA1043. I found a million dollar baby (In a five and ten cent store) / Bing Crosby". Discography of American Historical Recordings. Archived from the original on 2022-12-14. Retrieved 2022-12-14.
  39. ↑ "Victor matrix PBVE-61058. The little things in life / Cocoanut Grove Orchestra ; Bing Crosby". Discography of American Historical Recordings. Archived from the original on 2022-12-14. Retrieved 2022-12-14.
  40. ↑ "Victor 22580 (Black label (popular) 10-in. double-faced)". Discography of American Historical Recordings. Archived from the original on 2022-12-14. Retrieved 2022-12-14.
  41. ↑ "Victor matrix BVE-67788. Would you like to take a walk (Sump'n good'll come from that) / Connecticut Yankees ; Rudy Vallée". Discography of American Historical Recordings. Archived from the original on 2022-12-14. Retrieved 2022-12-14.
  42. ↑ "Victor 22611 (Black label (popular) 10-in. double-faced)". Discography of American Historical Recordings. Archived from the original on 2022-12-14. Retrieved 2022-12-14.
  43. ↑ "Victor matrix BVE-62946. Goofus / Wayne King Orchestra". Discography of American Historical Recordings. Archived from the original on 2022-12-14. Retrieved 2022-12-14.
  44. ↑ "Victor 22600 (Black label (popular) 10-in. double-faced)". Discography of American Historical Recordings. Archived from the original on 2022-12-14. Retrieved 2022-12-14.
  45. ↑ "Columbia matrix W151835. Good night, sweetheart / Guy Lombardo ; Royal Canadians". Discography of American Historical Recordings. Archived from the original on 2022-12-14. Retrieved 2022-12-14.
  46. ↑ "Victor matrix BRC-69934. When Yuba plays the rumba on the tuba / Connecticut Yankees ; Rudy Vallée". Discography of American Historical Recordings. Archived from the original on 2022-12-14. Retrieved 2022-12-14.
  47. ↑ "Victor 22742 (Black label (popular) 10-in. double-faced)". Discography of American Historical Recordings. Archived from the original on 2022-12-14. Retrieved 2022-12-14.
  48. ↑ "Victor matrix BRC-69624. Dancing in the dark / Pennsylvanians ; Three Waring Girls ; Fred Waring". Discography of American Historical Recordings. Archived from the original on 2022-12-14. Retrieved 2022-12-14.
  49. ↑ "Victor 22708 (Black label (popular) 10-in. double-faced)". Discography of American Historical Recordings. Archived from the original on 2022-12-14. Retrieved 2022-12-14.
  50. ↑ "Columbia matrix W151206. Just a gigolo / Ted Lewis and his Band". Discography of American Historical Recordings. Archived from the original on 2022-12-14. Retrieved 2022-12-14.
  51. ↑ Alison, Arnold (1992). "Aspects of Production and Consumption in the Popular Hindi Film Song Industry". Asian Music. 24 (1): 122–136. doi:10.2307/834454. JSTOR   834454.
  52. ↑ Dayna Oscherwitz & MaryEllen Higgins. The A to Z of French Cinema. Scarecrow Press, 2009.
  53. ↑ Manrupe, Raúl; Portela, María Alejandra (2001). Un diccionario de films argentinos (1930–1995) (in Spanish). Editorial Corregidor, Buenos Aires. ISBN   950-05-0896-6 . Retrieved 20 January 2013.
  54. ↑ Low, Rachael. Filmmaking in 1930s Britain. George Allen & Unwin, 1985.
  55. ↑ Goble, Alan. The Complete Index to Literary Sources in Film. Walter de Gruyter, 1999. p.321
  56. ↑ Bock, Hans-Michael & Bergfelder, Tim. The Concise Cinegraph: Encyclopaedia of German Cinema. Berghahn Books, 2009. p.156
  57. ↑ BFI.org
  58. ↑ Kaare Ørnung Archived 2022-01-25 at the Wayback Machine Store norske leksikon. Retrieved 4 October 2013 (in Norwegian)
  59. ↑ Laura Williams Macy The Grove Book of Opera Singers - 2008 p485 "Tappy,. Eric. (b Lausanne, 19 May 1931). Swiss tenor. He studied at the Geneva Conservatoire with Fernando Carpi"
  60. ↑ Yury Ivanovich Paisov (2001). "Boyko, Rostislav Grigor′yevich". Grove Music Online . Oxford Music Online. Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.article.44429.
  61. ↑ Magill, Frank N. (1990). Great Lives from History: Mas-Ror. Pasadena: Salem Press. p. 1814. ISBN   978-0-89356-569-5.
  62. ↑ Sir George Grove; Eric Blom; Denis Stevens (1954). Grove's Dictionary of Music and Musicians. St. Martin's Press. ISBN   9780333191743. Archived from the original on 2024-04-29. Retrieved 2018-12-30.
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