List of Billboard number-one singles of the 1940s

Last updated

Billboard number-one singles chart (which preceded the Billboard Hot 100 chart), which was updated weekly by the Billboard magazine, was the main singles chart of the American music industry since 1940 and until the Billboard Hot 100 chart was established in 1958.

Contents

Before the Billboard Hot 100 chart was established in August 1958, which was based on a formula combining sales data of commercially available singles and airplay on American radio stations, the Billboard used to publish several song popularity charts weekly. Throughout most of the 1940s the magazine published the following three charts:

The list below includes the Best Selling Singles chart only.

Number ones

Key
    Number-one single of the year
Contents
Bing Crosby had the highest number of hits at the top of the Billboard number-one singles chart during the 1940s (9 songs). In addition, Crosby remained the longest at the top of the Billboard number-one singles chart during the 1940s (55 weeks). BingCrosbyTheBellsofSaintMarysTrailerScreenshot1945.jpg
Bing Crosby had the highest number of hits at the top of the Billboard number-one singles chart during the 1940s (9 songs). In addition, Crosby remained the longest at the top of the Billboard number-one singles chart during the 1940s (55 weeks).
Jimmy Dorsey remained at the top of the Billboard number-one singles chart for 32 weeks. Jimmy dorsey.jpg
Jimmy Dorsey remained at the top of the Billboard number-one singles chart for 32 weeks.
Glenn Miller remained at the top of the Billboard number-one singles chart for 31 weeks. Glen miller.jpg
Glenn Miller remained at the top of the Billboard number-one singles chart for 31 weeks.
#Reached
number one
Artist(s)SingleRecord labelWeeks at
number one
Ref
1940
1July 27, 1940 Tommy Dorsey "I'll Never Smile Again"
Victor
12
[1]
2October 19, 1940 Bing Crosby "Only Forever"
Decca
9
[2]
3December 21, 1940 Artie Shaw "Frenesi"
Victor
12
[3]
1941
4March 15, 1941 Glenn Miller "Song of the Volga Boatmen"
Bluebird
1
[4]
reMarch 22, 1941 Artie Shaw "Frenesi"
Victor
1
[5]
5March 29, 1941 Jimmy Dorsey "Amapola (Pretty Little Poppy)"
Decca
10
[6]
6June 7, 1941 Jimmy Dorsey "My Sister and I"
Decca
1
[7]
7June 14, 1941 Jimmy Dorsey "Maria Elena"
Decca
1
[8]
8June 21, 1941 Sammy Kaye "Daddy (Papito)"
Victor
1
[8]
reJune 28, 1941 Jimmy Dorsey "My Sister and I"
Decca
1
[8]
reJuly 5, 1941 Jimmy Dorsey "Maria Elena"
Decca
1
[8]
reJuly 12, 1941 Sammy Kaye "Daddy (Papito)"
Victor
7
[8]
9August 30, 1941 Jimmy Dorsey "Green Eyes (Aquellos Ojos Verdes)"
Decca
4
[8]
10September 27, 1941 Jimmy Dorsey "Blue Champagne"
Decca
1
[8]
11October 4, 1941 Freddy Martin "Piano Concerto in B Flat"
Bluebird
8
[8]
12November 29, 1941 Glenn Miller "Chattanooga Choo Choo"
Bluebird
3
[8]
13December 20, 1941 Glenn Miller "Elmer's Tune"
Bluebird
1
[8]
reDecember 27, 1941 Glenn Miller "Chattanooga Choo Choo"
Bluebird
6
[8]
1942
14February 7, 1942 Glenn Miller "A String of Pearls"
Bluebird
1
[8]
15February 14, 1942 Woody Herman "Blues in the Night"
Decca
1
[8]
reFebruary 21, 1942 Glenn Miller "A String of Pearls"
Bluebird
1
[8]
16February 28, 1942 Glenn Miller "Moonlight Cocktail"
Bluebird
10
[8]
17May 9, 1942 Jimmy Dorsey "Tangerine"
Decca
6
[8]
18June 20, 1942 Harry James "Sleepy Lagoon"
4
[8]
19July 18, 1942 Kay Kyser "Jingle Jangle Jingle"
Columbia
8
[8]
20September 12, 1942 Glenn Miller "(I've Got a Gal In) Kalamazoo"
Victor
7
[8]
21October 31, 1942 Bing Crosby "White Christmas"
Decca
11
[8]
1943
22January 16, 1943 Tommy Dorsey "There Are Such Things"
Victor
4
[8]
23February 13, 1943 Harry James "I Had the Craziest Dream"
Columbia
2
[8]
reFebruary 27, 1943 Tommy Dorsey "There Are Such Things"
Victor
1
[8]
24March 6, 1943 Harry James "I've Heard That Song Before"
Columbia
12
[8]
25May 29, 1943 Glenn Miller "That Old Black Magic"
Victor
1
[8]
reJune 5, 1943 Harry James "I've Heard That Song Before"
Columbia
1
[8]
26June 12, 1943 Benny Goodman "Taking A Chance On Love"
Columbia
3
[8]
27July 3, 1943 The Song Spinners "Comin' In On A Wing And A Prayer"
Decca
3
[8]
28July 24, 1943 Dick Haymes "You'll Never Know"
Decca
4
[8]
29August 21, 1943 Tommy Dorsey "In the Blue of Evening"
Victor
3
[8]
30September 11, 1943 Bing Crosby "Sunday, Monday Or Always"
Decca
7
[8]
31October 30, 1943 Al Dexter "Pistol Packin' Mama"
1
[8]
32November 6, 1943 Mills Brothers "Paper Doll"
Decca
12
[8]
1944
33January 29, 1944 Glen Gray "My Heart Tells Me (Should I Believe My Heart?)"
Decca
5
[8]
34March 4, 1944 Jimmy Dorsey "Besame Mucho (Kiss Me Much)"
Decca
7
[8]
35April 22, 1944 Guy Lombardo "It's Love-Love-Love"
Decca
2
[8]
36May 6, 1944 Bing Crosby "I Love You"
Decca
5
[8]
37June 10, 1944 Harry James "I'll Get By (As Long as I Have You)"
Columbia
3
[8]
38July 1, 1944 Bing Crosby "I'll Be Seeing You"
Decca
1
[8]
reJuly 8, 1944 Harry James "I'll Get By (As Long as I Have You)"
Columbia
1
[8]
reJuly 15, 1944 Bing Crosby "I'll Be Seeing You"
Decca
3
[8]
39August 5, 1944 Bing Crosby "Swinging On A Star"
Decca
9
[8]
40October 7, 1944 Mills Brothers "You Always Hurt The One You Love"
Decca
1
[8]
41October 14, 1944 Dinah Shore "I'll Walk Alone"
Victor
1
[8]
reOctober 21, 1944 Mills Brothers "You Always Hurt The One You Love"
Decca
2
[8]
reNovember 4, 1944 Dinah Shore "I'll Walk Alone"
Victor
3
[8]
reNovember 25, 1944 Mills Brothers "You Always Hurt The One You Love"
Decca
2
[8]
42December 9, 1944 The Ink Spots and Ella Fitzgerald "I'm Making Believe"
Decca
2
[8]
43December 23, 1944 Bing Crosby and The Andrews Sisters "Don't Fence Me In"
Decca
8
[8]
1945
44February 17, 1945 The Andrews Sisters "Rum and Coca-Cola"
Decca
7
[8]
45April 7, 1945 Les Brown & Doris Day "My Dreams Are Getting Better All The Time"
Columbia
7
[8]
46May 26, 1945 Les Brown & Doris Day "Sentimental Journey"
Columbia
9
[8]
47July 28, 1945 Johnny Mercer "On the Atchison, Topeka and the Santa Fe"
7
[8]
48September 15, 1945 Perry Como "Till The End Of Time"
Victor
9
[8]
49November 17, 1945 Sammy Kaye "Chickery Chick"
Victor
1
[8]
50November 24, 1945 Harry James "It's Been A Long, Long Time"
Columbia
2
[8]
51December 8, 1945 Bing Crosby and The Les Paul Trio "It's Been A Long, Long Time"
Decca
1
[8]
reDecember 15, 1945 Sammy Kaye "Chickery Chick"
Victor
1
[8]
reDecember 22, 1945 Harry James "It's Been A Long, Long Time"
Columbia
1
[8]
reDecember 29, 1945 Sammy Kaye "Chickery Chick"
Victor
1
[8]
1946
52January 5, 1946 Freddy Martin "Symphony"
Victor
2
[8]
53January 19, 1946 Bing Crosby and Carmen Cavallaro "I Can't Begin To Tell You"
Decca
1
[8]
54January 26, 1946 Vaughn Monroe "Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!"
Victor
5
[8]
55March 2, 1946 Betty Hutton "Doctor, Lawyer, Indian Chief"
Capitol
1
[8]
56March 9, 1946 Johnny Mercer "Personality"
Capitol
1
[8]
57March 16, 1946 Frankie Carle "Oh! What it Seemed to Be"
Columbia
6
[8]
58April 27, 1946 Sammy Kaye "I'm A Big Girl Now"
RCA Victor
1
[8]
59May 4, 1946 Perry Como "Prisoner of Love"♪
RCA Victor
3
[8]
60May 25, 1946 The Ink Spots "The Gypsy"
Decca
10
[8]
61August 3, 1946 Perry Como "Surrender"
RCA Victor
1
[8]
62August 10, 1946 Eddy Howard "To Each His Own"
Majestic
3
[8]
63August 31, 1946 Freddy Martin "To Each His Own"
RCA Victor
2
[8]
64September 14, 1946 Frank Sinatra "Five Minutes More"
Columbia
1
[8]
65September 21, 1946 The Ink Spots "To Each His Own"
Decca
1
[8]
reSeptember 28, 1946 Frank Sinatra "Five Minutes More"
Columbia
1
[8]
66October 5, 1946 Eddy Howard "To Each His Own"
Majestic
2
[8]
67October 19, 1946 Frankie Carle "Rumors Are Flying"
Columbia
8
[8]
68December 14, 1946 Kay Kyser "Ole Buttermilk Sky"
Columbia
2
[8]
69December 28, 1946 Sammy Kaye "The Old Lamp-Lighter"
RCA Victor
7
[8]
1947
70February 15, 1947 The King Cole Trio "(I Love You) For Sentimental Reasons"
Capitol
1
[8]
71February 22, 1947 Count Basie "Open The Door, Richard!"
RCA Victor
1
[8]
72March 1, 1947 Freddy Martin "Managua, Nicaragua"
RCA Victor
2
[8]
73March 15, 1947 Ted Weems "Heartaches"
RCA Victor
12
[8]
74June 7, 1947 Art Lund "Mam'selle"
MGM
2
[8]
75June 21, 1947 The Harmonicats "Peg O' My Heart"
Vitacoustic
1
[8]
76June 28, 1947 Perry Como "Chi-Baba, Chi-Baba (My Bambino Go to Sleep)"
RCA Victor
3
[8]
reJuly 19, 1947 The Harmonicats "Peg O' My Heart"
Vitacoustic
3
[8]
77August 9, 1947 Tex Williams "Smoke! Smoke! Smoke! (That Cigarette)"
Capitol
6
[8]
78September 20, 1947 Francis Craig "Near You"♪
Bullet
12
[8]
79December 13, 1947 Vaughn Monroe "Ballerina"
RCA Victor
10
[8]
1948
80February 21, 1948 Art Mooney "I'm Looking Over a Four Leaf Clover"
MGM
3
[8]
81March 13, 1948 Peggy Lee "Mañana (Is Soon Enough for Me)"
Capitol
9
[8]
82May 15, 1948 Nat King Cole "Nature Boy"
Capitol
7
[8]
83July 3, 1948 Kay Kyser "Woody Wood-Pecker"
Columbia
6
[8]
84August 14, 1948 Al Trace "You Call Everybody Darlin'"
Regent
2
[8]
85August 28, 1948 Pee Wee Hunt "Twelfth Street Rag"
Capitol
6
[8]
86October 9, 1948 Margaret Whiting "A Tree In The Meadow"
Capitol
2
[8]
reOctober 23, 1948 Pee Wee Hunt "Twelfth Street Rag"♪
Capitol
2
[8]
87November 6, 1948 Dinah Shore "Buttons And Bows"
Columbia
9
[8]
1949
88January 8, 1949 Spike Jones "All I Want For Christmas (Is My Two Front Teeth)"
RCA Victor
1
[8]
reJanuary 15, 1949 Dinah Shore "Buttons and Bows"
Columbia
1
[8]
89January 22, 1949 Evelyn Knight "A Little Bird Told Me"
Decca
7
[8]
90March 12, 1949 Blue Barron "Cruising Down the River"
MGM
2
[8]
91March 26, 1949 Russ Morgan "Cruising Down the River"
Decca
7
[8]
92May 14, 1949 Vaughn Monroe "Riders in the Sky (A Cowboy Legend)"♪
RCA Victor
11
[8]
93July 30, 1949 Perry Como "Some Enchanted Evening"
RCA Victor
5
[8]
94September 3, 1949 Vic Damone "You're Breaking My Heart"
Mercury
4
[8]
95October 1, 1949 Frankie Laine "That Lucky Old Sun"
Mercury
8
[8]
96November 26, 1949 Frankie Laine "Mule Train"
Mercury
6
[8]

Statistics by decade

By artist

The following artists achieved three or more number-one hits from 1940 to 1949. A number of artists had number-one singles on their own, as well as part of a collaboration.

ArtistNumber-one hits
Bing Crosby 9
Jimmy Dorsey 7
Glenn Miller 7
Harry James 5
Perry Como 5
Sammy Kaye 4
Freddy Martin 4
Vaughn Monroe 3
Tommy Dorsey 3
Ink Spots 3

Artists by total number of weeks at number-one

The following artists were featured at the top of the chart for the highest total number of weeks from 1940 to 1949.

ArtistWeeks at number-one
Bing Crosby 55
Jimmy Dorsey 32
Glenn Miller 31
Harry James and Vaughn Monroe 26
Perry Como 21
Tommy Dorsey 20
Sammy Kaye 19
Mills Brothers 17

Singles by total number of weeks at number-one

The following singles were featured at the top of the chart for the highest total number of weeks from 1940 to 1949.

Weeks at
number one
SongArtist(s)
13"Frenesi" Artie Shaw
13"I've Heard That Song Before" Harry James
12"Heartaches" Ted Weems
12"Near You" Francis Craig
12"Paper Doll" Mills Brothers
12"I'll Never Smile Again" Tommy Dorsey
11"Riders In The Sky" Vaughn Monroe
11"White Christmas" Bing Crosby
10"Amapola" Jimmy Dorsey
10"Moonlight Cocktail" Glenn Miller
10"The Gypsy" The Ink Spots
10"Ballerina" Vaughn Monroe

See also

References

  1. "Billboard Music Popularity Chart" (PDF). Billboard. July 27, 1940. p. 11. Archived (PDF) from the original on August 18, 2020. Retrieved November 13, 2022.
  2. "Billboard Music Popularity Chart" (PDF). Billboard. October 19, 1940. p. 12. Archived (PDF) from the original on October 8, 2022. Retrieved November 13, 2022.
  3. "Billboard Music Popularity Chart" (PDF). Billboard. December 21, 1940. p. 10. Archived (PDF) from the original on October 8, 2022. Retrieved November 13, 2022.
  4. "Billboard Music Popularity Chart" (PDF). Billboard. March 15, 1941. p. 11.
  5. "Billboard Music Popularity Chart" (PDF). Billboard. March 22, 1941. p. 14. Archived (PDF) from the original on January 31, 2023. Retrieved November 13, 2022.
  6. "Billboard Music Popularity Chart" (PDF). Billboard. March 29, 1941. p. 10.
  7. "Billboard Music Popularity Chart" (PDF). Billboard. June 7, 1941. p. 10.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 103 104 105 106 107 108 109 "US Number One Songs - 2017". Bob Borst's Home of Pop Culture. Archived from the original on July 30, 2019. Retrieved February 8, 2013.