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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.
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:
Best Selling Singles – ranked the biggest selling singles in retail stores, as reported by merchants surveyed throughout the country.
Most Played Juke Box Records (debuted January 1944) – ranked the most played songs in jukeboxes across the United States.
Most Played by Jockeys (debuted February 1945) – ranked the most played songs on United States radio stations, as reported by radio disc jockeys and radio stations.
The list below includes the Best Selling Singles chart only.
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.Glenn Miller remained at the top of the Billboard number-one singles chart for 31 weeks.
The following artists achieved three or more number-one hits from 1940–1949. A number of artists had number-one singles on their own, as well as part of a collaboration.
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This article relies largely or entirely on a single source Relevant discussion may be found on the talk page Please help improve this article by introducing citations to additional sources Find sources List of Billboard number one singles of the 1940s news newspapers books scholar JSTOR April 2020 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 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 Best Selling Singles ranked the biggest selling singles in retail stores as reported by merchants surveyed throughout the country Most Played Juke Box Records debuted January 1944 ranked the most played songs in jukeboxes across the United States Most Played by Jockeys debuted February 1945 ranked the most played songs on United States radio stations as reported by radio disc jockeys and radio stations The list below includes the Best Selling Singles chart only Contents 1 Number ones 2 Statistics by decade 2 1 By artist 2 2 Artists by total number of weeks at number one 2 3 Singles by total number of weeks at number one 3 See also 4 ReferencesNumber ones editKey Number one single of the year Contents 19401941194219431944194519461947194819491950 to 1958 nbsp 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 nbsp Jimmy Dorsey remained at the top of the Billboard number one singles chart for 32 weeks nbsp Glenn Miller remained at the top of the Billboard number one singles chart for 31 weeks Reachednumber one Artist s Single Record label Weeks atnumber one Ref 1940 July 27 1940 Tommy Dorsey I ll Never Smile Again Victor 12 1 October 19 1940 Bing Crosby Only Forever Decca 9 2 December 21 1940 Artie Shaw Frenesi Victor 12 3 1941 March 15 1941 Glenn Miller Song of the Volga Boatmen Bluebird 1 4 March 22 1941 Artie Shaw Frenesi Victor 1 5 March 29 1941 Jimmy Dorsey Amapola Pretty Little Poppy Decca 10 6 June 7 1941 Jimmy Dorsey My Sister and I Decca 1 7 June 14 1941 Jimmy Dorsey Maria Elena Decca 1 8 June 21 1941 Sammy Kaye Daddy Papito Victor 1 8 June 28 1941 Jimmy Dorsey My Sister and I Decca 1 8 July 5 1941 Jimmy Dorsey Maria Elena Decca 1 8 July 12 1941 Sammy Kaye Daddy Papito Victor 7 8 August 30 1941 Jimmy Dorsey Green Eyes Aquellos Ojos Verdes Decca 4 8 September 27 1941 Jimmy Dorsey Blue Champagne Decca 1 8 October 4 1941 Freddy Martin Piano Concerto in B Flat Bluebird 8 8 November 29 1941 Glenn Miller Chattanooga Choo Choo Bluebird 3 8 December 20 1941 Glenn Miller Elmer s Tune Bluebird 1 8 December 27 1941 Glenn Miller Chattanooga Choo Choo Bluebird 6 8 1942 February 7 1942 Glenn Miller A String of Pearls Bluebird 1 8 February 14 1942 Woody Herman Blues in the Night Decca 1 8 February 21 1942 Glenn Miller A String of Pearls Bluebird 1 8 February 28 1942 Glenn Miller Moonlight Cocktail Bluebird 10 8 May 9 1942 Jimmy Dorsey Tangerine Decca 6 8 June 20 1942 Harry James Sleepy Lagoon Columbia 4 8 July 18 1942 Kay Kyser Jingle Jangle Jingle Columbia 8 8 September 12 1942 Glenn Miller I ve Got a Gal In Kalamazoo Victor 7 8 October 31 1942 Bing Crosby White Christmas Decca 11 8 1943 January 16 1943 Tommy Dorsey There Are Such Things Victor 4 8 February 13 1943 Harry James I Had the Craziest Dream Columbia 2 8 February 27 1943 Tommy Dorsey There Are Such Things Victor 1 8 March 6 1943 Harry James I ve Heard That Song Before Columbia 12 8 May 29 1943 Glenn Miller That Old Black Magic Victor 1 8 June 5 1943 Harry James I ve Heard That Song Before Columbia 1 8 June 12 1943 Benny Goodman Taking A Chance On Love Columbia 3 8 July 3 1943 The Song Spinners Comin In On A Wing And A Prayer Decca 3 8 July 24 1943 Dick Haymes You ll Never Know Decca 4 8 August 21 1943 Tommy Dorsey In the Blue of Evening Victor 3 8 September 11 1943 Bing Crosby Sunday Monday Or Always Decca 7 8 October 30 1943 Al Dexter Pistol Packin Mama Okeh 1 8 November 6 1943 Mills Brothers Paper Doll Decca 12 8 1944 January 29 1944 Glen Gray My Heart Tells Me Should I Believe My Heart Decca 5 8 March 4 1944 Jimmy Dorsey Besame Mucho Kiss Me Much Decca 7 8 April 22 1944 Guy Lombardo It s Love Love Love Decca 2 8 May 6 1944 Bing Crosby I Love You Decca 5 8 June 10 1944 Harry James I ll Get By As Long as I Have You Columbia 3 8 July 1 1944 Bing Crosby I ll Be Seeing You Decca 1 8 July 8 1944 Harry James I ll Get By As Long as I Have You Columbia 1 8 July 15 1944 Bing Crosby I ll Be Seeing You Decca 3 8 August 5 1944 Bing Crosby Swinging On A Star Decca 9 8 October 7 1944 Mills Brothers You Always Hurt The One You Love Decca 1 8 October 14 1944 Dinah Shore I ll Walk Alone Victor 1 8 October 21 1944 Mills Brothers You Always Hurt The One You Love Decca 2 8 November 4 1944 Dinah Shore I ll Walk Alone Victor 3 8 November 25 1944 Mills Brothers You Always Hurt The One You Love Decca 2 8 December 9 1944 The Ink Spots and Ella Fitzgerald I m Making Believe Decca 2 8 December 23 1944 Bing Crosby and The Andrews Sisters Don t Fence Me In Decca 8 8 1945 February 17 1945 The Andrews Sisters Rum and Coca Cola Decca 7 8 April 7 1945 Les Brown amp Doris Day My Dreams Are Getting Better All The Time Columbia 7 8 May 26 1945 Les Brown amp Doris Day Sentimental Journey Columbia 9 8 July 28 1945 Johnny Mercer On the Atchison Topeka and the Santa Fe Capitol 7 8 September 15 1945 Perry Como Till The End Of Time Victor 9 8 November 17 1945 Sammy Kaye Chickery Chick Victor 1 8 November 24 1945 Harry James It s Been A Long Long Time Columbia 2 8 December 8 1945 Bing Crosby and The Les Paul Trio It s Been A Long Long Time Decca 1 8 December 15 1945 Sammy Kaye Chickery Chick Victor 1 8 December 22 1945 Harry James It s Been A Long Long Time Columbia 1 8 December 29 1945 Sammy Kaye Chickery Chick Victor 1 8 1946 January 5 1946 Freddy Martin Symphony Victor 2 8 January 19 1946 Bing Crosby and Carmen Cavallaro I Can t Begin To Tell You Decca 1 8 January 26 1946 Vaughn Monroe Let It Snow Let It Snow Let It Snow Victor 5 8 March 2 1946 Betty Hutton Doctor Lawyer Indian Chief Capitol 1 8 March 9 1946 Johnny Mercer Personality Capitol 1 8 March 16 1946 Frankie Carle Oh What it Seemed to Be Columbia 6 8 April 27 1946 Sammy Kaye I m A Big Girl Now RCA Victor 1 8 May 4 1946 Perry Como Prisoner of Love RCA Victor 3 8 May 25 1946 The Ink Spots The Gypsy Decca 10 8 August 3 1946 Perry Como Surrender RCA Victor 1 8 August 10 1946 Eddy Howard To Each His Own Majestic 3 8 August 31 1946 Freddy Martin To Each His Own RCA Victor 2 8 September 14 1946 Frank Sinatra Five Minutes More Columbia 1 8 September 21 1946 The Ink Spots To Each His Own Decca 1 8 September 28 1946 Frank Sinatra Five Minutes More Columbia 1 8 October 5 1946 Eddy Howard To Each His Own Majestic 2 8 October 19 1946 Frankie Carle Rumors Are Flying Columbia 8 8 December 14 1946 Kay Kyser Ole Buttermilk Sky Columbia 2 8 December 28 1946 Sammy Kaye The Old Lamp Lighter RCA Victor 7 8 1947 February 15 1947 The King Cole Trio I Love You For Sentimental Reasons Capitol 1 8 February 22 1947 Count Basie Open The Door Richard RCA Victor 1 8 March 1 1947 Freddy Martin Managua Nicaragua RCA Victor 2 8 March 15 1947 Ted Weems Heartaches RCA Victor 12 8 June 7 1947 Art Lund Mam selle MGM 2 8 June 21 1947 The Harmonicats Peg O My Heart Vitacoustic 1 8 June 28 1947 Perry Como Chi Baba Chi Baba My Bambino Go to Sleep RCA Victor 3 8 July 19 1947 The Harmonicats Peg O My Heart Vitacoustic 3 8 August 9 1947 Tex Williams Smoke Smoke Smoke That Cigarette Capitol 6 8 September 20 1947 Francis Craig Near You Bullet 12 8 December 13 1947 Vaughn Monroe Ballerina RCA Victor 10 8 1948 February 21 1948 Art Mooney I m Looking Over a Four Leaf Clover MGM 3 8 March 13 1948 Peggy Lee Manana Is Soon Enough for Me Capitol 9 8 May 15 1948 Nat King Cole Nature Boy Capitol 7 8 July 3 1948 Kay Kyser Woody Wood Pecker Columbia 6 8 August 14 1948 Al Trace You Call Everybody Darlin Regent 2 8 August 28 1948 Pee Wee Hunt Twelfth Street Rag Capitol 6 8 October 9 1948 Margaret Whiting A Tree In The Meadow Capitol 2 8 October 23 1948 Pee Wee Hunt Twelfth Street Rag Capitol 2 8 November 6 1948 Dinah Shore Buttons And Bows Columbia 9 8 1949 January 8 1949 Spike Jones All I Want For Christmas Is My Two Front Teeth RCA Victor 1 8 January 15 1949 Dinah Shore Buttons and Bows Columbia 1 8 January 22 1949 Evelyn Knight A Little Bird Told Me Decca 7 8 March 12 1949 Blue Barron Cruising Down the River MGM 2 8 March 26 1949 Russ Morgan Cruising Down the River Decca 7 8 May 14 1949 Vaughn Monroe Riders in the Sky A Cowboy Legend RCA Victor 11 8 July 30 1949 Perry Como Some Enchanted Evening RCA Victor 5 8 September 3 1949 Vic Damone You re Breaking My Heart Mercury 4 8 October 1 1949 Frankie Laine That Lucky Old Sun Mercury 8 8 November 26 1949 Frankie Laine Mule Train Mercury 6 8 Statistics by decade editBy artist edit The following artists achieved three or more number one hits from 1940 1949 A number of artists had number one singles on their own as well as part of a collaboration Artist Number 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 edit The following artists were featured at the top of the chart for the highest total number of weeks from 1940 to 1949 Artist Weeks 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 edit The following singles were featured at the top of the chart for the highest total number of weeks from 1940 to 1949 Weeks atnumber one Song Artist 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 MonroeSee also editList of Billboard number one singles 1940s in musicReferences edit Billboard Music Popularity Chart PDF Billboard July 27 1940 p 11 Billboard Music Popularity Chart PDF Billboard October 19 1940 p 12 Billboard Music Popularity Chart PDF Billboard December 21 1940 p 10 Billboard Music Popularity Chart PDF Billboard March 15 1941 p 11 Billboard Music Popularity Chart PDF Billboard March 22 1941 p 14 Billboard Music Popularity Chart PDF Billboard March 29 1941 p 10 Billboard Music Popularity Chart PDF Billboard June 7 1941 p 10 a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak al am an ao ap aq ar as at au av aw ax ay az ba bb bc bd be bf bg bh bi bj bk bl bm bn bo bp bq br bs bt bu bv bw bx by bz ca cb cc cd ce cf cg ch ci cj ck cl cm cn co cp cq cr cs ct cu cv cw cx cy cz da db dc dd de US Number One Songs 2017 Bob Borst s Home of Pop Culture Archived from the original on July 30 2019 Retrieved February 8 2013 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title List of Billboard number one singles of the 1940s amp oldid 1190170959 1945, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
