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Songs from the 1930s

1900s 1910s 1920s 1930 1931 1932 1933 1934 1935 1936 1937 1938 1939 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s 2000s

This page lists the top songs of the 1930s in the source charts. The way that the various charts are combined to reach this final list is described on the in the site generation page.

The Wall Street crash generated the worst depression that the world had ever seen, leading to another World War. Of course the public turned to films and music to help them forget their troubles. The top 30 acts of the 1930s were:

#1: Bing Crosby #2: Guy Lombardo #3: Duke Ellington #4: Louis Armstrong #5: Paul Whiteman
#6: Tommy Dorsey #7: Fats Waller #8: Cab Calloway & His Cotton Club Orchestra #9: Eddy Duchin #10: Benny Goodman
#11: Leo Reisman #12: Fred Astaire #13: Billie Holiday #14: Hal Kemp #15: Glenn Miller
#16: Rudy Vallee & His Connecticut Yankees #17: Ray Noble #18: Glen Gray #19: Big Bill Broonzy #20: Bumble Bee Slim
#21: Ben Selvin #22: Ruth Etting #23: Jan Garber #24: Gene Autry #25: Tampa Red
#26: Artie Shaw #27: Isham Jones #28: Ted Lewis & His Orchestra #29: Robert Johnson #30: Comedian Harmonists
# Artist Song Title Year Chart Entries
1 Judy Garland Over the Rainbow 1939 US BB 1 of 1939, Oscar in 1939 (film 'The Wizard of Oz'), Grammy Hall of Fame in 1981 (1939), AFI 1, RYM 1 of 1939, POP 1 of 1939, RIAA 1, DMDB 3 (1939), US Billboard 5 - 1939 (12 weeks), Europe 5 of the 1930s (1939), Scrobulate 71 of vocal, WXPN 269, Acclaimed 497 (1939)
2 Fred Astaire The Way You Look Tonight 1936 US Billboard 1 - 1936 (17 weeks), Oscar in 1936 (film 'Swing Time'), Grammy Hall of Fame in 1998 (1936), US BB 2 of 1936, POP 2 of 1936, Brazil 26 of 1937, RYM 40 of 1936, AFI 43, Europe 94 of the 1930s (1936)
3 Glenn Miller Moonlight Serenade 1939 Grammy Hall of Fame in 1991 (1939), US Billboard 3 - 1939 (15 weeks), US BB 5 of 1939, RYM 5 of 1939, POP 5 of 1939, UK 12 - Mar 1954 (1 week), Europe 12 of the 1930s (1939), Brazil 19 of 1941, Scrobulate 53 of jazz, Italy 74 of 1954, Party 74 of 1999, Acclaimed 1202 (1939)
4 Bing Crosby Pennies From Heaven 1936 US Billboard 1 - 1936 (15 weeks), US BB 1 of 1936, Grammy Hall of Fame in 2004 (1936), POP 1 of 1936, Europe 32 of the 1930s (1936), RYM 41 of 1936, RIAA 129, Acclaimed 1222 (1936)
5 Artie Shaw Begin the Beguine 1938 US Billboard 1 - 1938 (18 weeks), Grammy Hall of Fame in 1977 (1938), US BB 2 of 1938, POP 2 of 1938, RYM 10 of 1938, Brazil 32 of 1939, DMDB 84 (1938), RIAA 91, Acclaimed 1163 (1938)
6 Ben Selvin Happy Days Are Here Again 1930 US Billboard 1 - 1930 (7 weeks), US BB 1 of 1930, Grammy Hall of Fame in 2007 (1930), POP 1 of 1930, Brazil 27 of 1930, RIAA 47, RYM 110 of 1930
7 Count Basie One O'Clock Jump 1937 US BB 1 of 1937, Grammy Hall of Fame in 1979 (1937), POP 1 of 1937, US Billboard 12 - Jun 1947 (2 weeks), Scrobulate 13 of swing, RYM 21 of 1937, RIAA 211, Acclaimed 824 (1937)
8 Kate Smith God Bless America 1939 Grammy Hall of Fame in 1982 (1939), US BB 2 of 1939, POP 2 of 1939, US Billboard 5 - 1940 (11 weeks), US 1940s 5 - Aug 1940 (3 weeks), Europe 18 of the 1930s (1939), RIAA 19, RYM 33 of 1939, Acclaimed 568 (1938)
9 Benny Goodman Sing, Sing, Sing (With A Swing) 1938 Grammy Hall of Fame in 1982 (1937), US BB 3 of 1938, Peel list 3 of 1937, POP 3 of 1938, US Billboard 7 - 1938 (6 weeks), Brazil 54 of 1939, RIAA 205, Acclaimed 526 (1937), WXPN 766
10 Fred Astaire & Ginger Rogers Cheek to Cheek 1935 US Billboard 1 - 1935 (18 weeks), RYM 1 of 1935, US BB 2 of 1935, POP 2 of 1935, AFI 15, Scrobulate 19 of vocal, Brazil 38 of 1936
11 Harry Richman Puttin' on the Ritz 1930 US Billboard 1 - 1930 (8 weeks), Grammy Hall of Fame in 2005 (1930), US BB 2 of 1930, POP 2 of 1930, Brazil 21 of 1930, RIAA 117, Acclaimed 1213 (1930)
12 Ella Fitzgerald A-Tisket A-Tasket 1938 US Billboard 1 - 1938 (19 weeks), Grammy Hall of Fame in 1986 (1938), US BB 8 of 1938, RYM 8 of 1938, POP 8 of 1938, Brazil 57 of 1939, RIAA 104, Acclaimed 848 (1938)
13 The Andrews Sisters Bei Mir Bist Du Schoen 1938 US Billboard 1 - 1938 (10 weeks), Grammy Hall of Fame in 1996 (1938), US BB 5 of 1938, RYM 5 of 1937, POP 5 of 1938, Europe 6 of the 1930s (1938), Brazil 73 of 1938
14 Fred Astaire They Can't Take That Away From Me 1937 US Billboard 1 - 1937 (11 weeks), Grammy Hall of Fame in 2005 (1937), US BB 3 of 1937, POP 3 of 1937, RYM 34 of 1937, Europe 89 of the 1930s (1937), Acclaimed 2182 (1937)
15 Cab Calloway & His Cotton Club Orchestra Minnie the Moocher 1931 US Billboard 1 - 1931 (17 weeks), RYM 1 of 1931, US BB 3 of 1931, POP 3 of 1931, RIAA 82, Scrobulate 87 of swing, Acclaimed 649 (1931)
16 Billie Holiday Strange Fruit 1939 Grammy Hall of Fame in 1978 (1939), RYM 2 of 1939, US Billboard 16 - 1939 (2 weeks), Scrobulate 25 of jazz, Europe 92 of the 1930s (1939), Acclaimed 180 (1939), RIAA 273, WXPN 717
17 Louis Armstrong All of Me 1932 US Billboard 1 - 1932 (18 weeks), Grammy Hall of Fame in 2005 (1932), RYM 5 of 1932, US BB 8 of 1932, POP 8 of 1932, Brazil 19 of 1932
18 Duke Ellington Caravan 1937 Grammy Hall of Fame in 2009 (1937), US Billboard 4 - 1937 (18 weeks), RYM 6 of 1937, US BB 9 of 1937, POP 9 of 1937, Brazil 57 of 1938, Scrobulate 88 of jazz
19 Paul Whiteman Smoke Gets in Your Eyes 1934 US Billboard 1 - Dec 1933 (15 weeks), US BB 2 of 1934, POP 2 of 1934, RYM 15 of 1934, Brazil 51 of 1935, Europe 80 of the 1930s (1934)
20 Ted Lewis & His Orchestra Just a Gigolo 1931 US Billboard 1 - 1931 (8 weeks), US BB 1 of 1931, POP 1 of 1931, Brazil 41 of 1931
21 Duke Ellington Mood Indigo 1931 Grammy Hall of Fame in 1975 (1931), US Billboard 3 - 1931 (10 weeks), RYM 3 of 1931, US BB 7 of 1931, POP 7 of 1931, Acclaimed 518 (1930)
22 Bing Crosby Sweet Leilani 1937 US Billboard 1 - 1937 (25 weeks), Oscar in 1937 (film 'Waikiki Wedding'), US BB 7 of 1937, POP 7 of 1937, Europe 29 of the 1930s (1937)
23 Duke Ellington Cocktails For Two 1934 US Billboard 1 - 1934 (15 weeks), Grammy Hall of Fame in 2007 (1934), US BB 8 of 1934, POP 8 of 1934, Brazil 22 of 1934
24 Fred Astaire & Leo Reisman Night & Day 1932 US BB 1 of 1932, POP 1 of 1932, RYM 4 of 1932, RIAA 195, Acclaimed 1369 (1932)
25 Guy Lombardo Winter Wonderland 1934 US BB 1 of 1934, POP 1 of 1934, US Billboard 2 - 1934 (9 weeks), Europe 4 of the 1930s (1934)
26 The Dorsey Brothers Lullaby of Broadway 1935 US Billboard 1 - 1935 (11 weeks), Oscar in 1935 (film 'Gold Diggers of 1935'), US BB 9 of 1935, POP 9 of 1935, Brazil 69 of 1935
27 Ethel Waters Stormy Weather 1933 US Billboard 1 - 1933 (11 weeks), US BB 3 of 1933, POP 4 of 1933, RYM 8 of 1933, Brazil 37 of 1933, Acclaimed 1896 (1933)
28 Ray Noble The Very Thought of You 1934 US Billboard 1 - 1934 (14 weeks), Grammy Hall of Fame in 2005 (1934), US BB 10 of 1934, POP 10 of 1934, Brazil 37 of 1934
29 Duke Ellington Sophisticated Lady 1933 RYM 1 of 1933, US BB 2 of 1933, US Billboard 3 - 1933 (16 weeks), POP 3 of 1933, Brazil 78 of 1934
30 The Ink Spots If I Didn't Care 1939 Grammy Hall of Fame in 1987 (1939), US Billboard 2 - 1939 (9 weeks), US BB 12 of 1939, POP 12 of 1939, RIAA 271, Acclaimed 951 (1939)
31 Ruth Etting Ten Cents a Dance 1930 Grammy Hall of Fame in 1999 (1930), US Billboard 5 - 1930 (11 weeks), US BB 5 of 1930, POP 5 of 1930, RYM 28 of 1930, Brazil 84 of 1931
32 Shirley Temple On The Good Ship Lollipop 1935 US BB 1 of 1935, POP 1 of 1935, AFI 69, RYM 109 of 1935, RIAA 136
33 Duke Ellington Three Little Words 1930 US Billboard 1 - 1930 (13 weeks), US BB 6 of 1930, POP 6 of 1930, Brazil 11 of 1931, RYM 15 of 1930, Europe 60 of the 1930s (1930)
34 Fred Astaire Top Hat, White Tie & Tails 1935 Grammy Hall of Fame in 2008 (1935), US Billboard 2 - 1935 (13 weeks), US BB 7 of 1935, POP 7 of 1935, RYM 14 of 1935
35 Bing Crosby June in January 1934 US Billboard 1 - 1934 (12 weeks), Europe 8 of the 1930s (1934), US BB 15 of 1934, POP 15 of 1934, Brazil 44 of 1935, RYM 64 of 1934
36 Duke Ellington It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing) 1932 Grammy Hall of Fame in 2008 (1932), RYM 1 of 1932, US Billboard 6 - 1932 (6 weeks), Scrobulate 31 of swing
37 Benny Goodman Moon Glow 1934 US Billboard 1 - 1934 (15 weeks), US BB 4 of 1934, POP 4 of 1934, RYM 8 of 1934, Europe 15 of the 1930s (1934)
38 Bing Crosby Love in Bloom 1934 US Billboard 1 - 1934 (15 weeks), US BB 19 of 1934, POP 19 of 1934, Europe 37 of the 1930s (1934), Brazil 46 of 1934, RYM 60 of 1934
39 Tommy Dorsey Marie 1937 US Billboard 1 - 1937 (8 weeks), Grammy Hall of Fame in 1998 (1937), Brazil 70 of 1937, Europe 70 of the 1930s (1937)
40 Seven Dwarfs Whistle While You Work 1938 US BB 1 of 1938, POP 1 of 1938, US Billboard 2 - 1938 (13 weeks)
41 Bing Crosby & Mills Brothers Dinah 1932 US Billboard 1 - 1932 (9 weeks), US BB 5 of 1932, POP 5 of 1932, Brazil 27 of 1932, Europe 47 of the 1930s (1931)
42 Isham Jones Stardust 1931 US Billboard 1 - Sep 1930 (20 weeks), US BB 5 of 1931, POP 5 of 1931, Brazil 29 of 1932, RYM 47 of 1930
43 Rudy Vallee & His Connecticut Yankees Brother, Can You Spare a Dime? 1932 US Billboard 1 - 1932 (8 weeks), POP 4 of 1932, RYM 6 of 1932, Brazil 60 of 1933, RIAA 196
44 Will Glahe & His Orchestra Beer Barrel Polka 1939 US Billboard 1 - 1939 (21 weeks), US BB 6 of 1939, POP 6 of 1939, Brazil 20 of 1939, Europe 24 of the 1930s (1939)
45 Robert Johnson Cross Road Blues 1936 Grammy Hall of Fame in 1998 (1936), RYM 3 of 1937, Scrobulate 34 of blues, Acclaimed 224 (1936), RIAA 342
46 Paul Whiteman Body & Soul 1930 US Billboard 1 - 1930 (15 weeks), US BB 7 of 1930, POP 7 of 1930, RYM 24 of 1930, Brazil 60 of 1931
47 Bing Crosby Please 1932 US Billboard 1 - 1932 (16 weeks), US BB 9 of 1932, Europe 11 of the 1930s (1932), POP 12 of 1932, Brazil 53 of 1932
48 Rudy Vallee & His Connecticut Yankees Stein Song (University of Maine) 1930 US Billboard 1 - 1930 (21 weeks), US BB 8 of 1930, POP 8 of 1930, Brazil 23 of 1930, RYM 108 of 1930
49 The Carter Family Can the Circle be Unbroken (Bye & Bye) 1935 Grammy Hall of Fame in 1998 (1935), RYM 5 of 1935, US Billboard 17 - 1935 (1 week), RIAA 116, Acclaimed 735 (1935)
50 Louis Armstrong When the Saints Go Marching In 1939 US BB 4 of 1939, POP 4 of 1939, US Billboard 10 - 1939 (4 weeks), RIAA 13, RYM 18 of 1939, Scrobulate 33 of swing
51 Fats Waller Honeysuckle Rose 1934 Grammy Hall of Fame in 1999 (1934), RYM 2 of 1935, US Billboard 4 - 1937 (4 weeks), Acclaimed 1483 (1934)
52 Bunny Berigan I Can't Get Started 1938 Grammy Hall of Fame in 1975 (1937), US Billboard 10 - 1938 (3 weeks), US BB 15 of 1938, POP 15 of 1938, Acclaimed 1480 (1937)
53 Shep Fields & His Rippling Rhythm Orchestra South of the Border (Down Mexico Way) 1939 US Billboard 1 - 1939 (18 weeks), US BB 10 of 1939, POP 10 of 1939, Europe 75 of the 1930s (1939), Brazil 86 of 1940
54 Fred Astaire Nice Work If You Can Get It 1938 US Billboard 1 - Nov 1937 (15 weeks), US BB 13 of 1938, POP 13 of 1938, RYM 20 of 1937, Europe 79 of the 1930s (1938)
55 Guy Lombardo September in the Rain 1937 US Billboard 1 - 1937 (16 weeks), US BB 11 of 1937, POP 11 of 1937, Europe 46 of the 1930s (1937), RYM 87 of 1937
56 Kay Kyser Three Little Fishies 1939 US Billboard 1 - 1939 (9 weeks), US BB 3 of 1939, POP 3 of 1939, Europe 23 of the 1930s (1939)
57 Glen Gray Blue Moon 1935 US Billboard 1 - 1935 (8 weeks), US BB 3 of 1935, POP 3 of 1935, Brazil 30 of 1936
58 Bing Crosby Out of Nowhere 1931 US Billboard 1 - 1931 (8 weeks), US BB 13 of 1931, POP 13 of 1931, Europe 54 of the 1930s (1931), Brazil 57 of 1931
59 Larry Clinton Deep Purple 1939 US Billboard 1 - 1939 (13 weeks), US BB 15 of 1939, POP 15 of 1939, Brazil 25 of 1939, Europe 98 of the 1930s (1939)
60 Bing Crosby Shadow Waltz 1933 US Billboard 1 - 1933 (8 weeks), POP 9 of 1933, Europe 39 of the 1930s (1933), Brazil 64 of 1933, RYM 80 of 1933
61 Bing Crosby I've Got a Pocket Full of Dreams 1938 US Billboard 1 - 1938 (17 weeks), US BB 20 of 1938, POP 20 of 1938, Europe 26 of the 1930s (1938), RYM 43 of 1938
62 Guy Lombardo It Looks Like Rain in Cherry Blossom Lane 1937 US Billboard 1 - 1937 (16 weeks), US BB 16 of 1937, POP 16 of 1937, Europe 50 of the 1930s (1937), RYM 107 of 1937
63 Fred Astaire Change Partners 1938 US Billboard 1 - 1938 (8 weeks), US BB 16 of 1938, POP 16 of 1938, Europe 83 of the 1930s (1938), RYM 89 of 1938
64 Don Azpiazu & His Havana Casino Orchestra The Peanut Vendor 1930 US Billboard 1 - Nov 1930 (28 weeks), Latin Grammy Hall of Fame in 2001 (1930), Brazil 8 of 1931
65 Billie Holiday Summertime 1936 Europe 1 of the 1930s (1936), RYM 2 of 1936, US Billboard 12 - 1936 (2 weeks), Scrobulate 84 of jazz
66 Dick Powell Gold Digger's Song (We're in The Money) 1933 US BB 1 of 1933, POP 1 of 1933, US Billboard 18 - 1933 (1 week)
67 Guy Lombardo Goodnight Sweetheart Goodnight 1931 US Billboard 1 - 1931 (11 weeks), US BB 4 of 1931, POP 4 of 1931, RYM 40 of 1931
68 Eddy Duchin It's De-Lovely 1937 US Billboard 1 - Nov 1936 (13 weeks), US BB 4 of 1937, POP 4 of 1937, Europe 73 of the 1930s (1937)
69 Leadbelly Goodnight, Irene 1936 Grammy Hall of Fame in 2002 (1936), RYM 2 of 1943, RIAA 163, Acclaimed 885 (1936)
70 Bing Crosby Brother, Can You Spare a Dime? 1932 US Billboard 1 - 1932 (8 weeks), POP 4 of 1932, US BB 7 of 1932, Europe 44 of the 1930s (1932)
71 Bing Crosby Red Sails in the Sunset 1935 US Billboard 1 - 1935 (7 weeks), US BB 6 of 1935, POP 6 of 1935, Europe 33 of the 1930s (1935)
72 Fred Astaire A Fine Romance 1936 US Billboard 1 - 1936 (12 weeks), RYM 6 of 1936, US BB 12 of 1936, POP 12 of 1936
73 Fats Waller It's a Sin to Tell a Lie 1936 US Billboard 1 - 1936 (12 weeks), US BB 7 of 1936, POP 7 of 1936, RYM 37 of 1935
74 Wayne King Dream a Little Dream of Me 1931 US Billboard 1 - 1931 (12 weeks), US BB 9 of 1931, POP 9 of 1931, RYM 14 of 1931
75 Fats Waller Truckin' 1935 US Billboard 1 - 1935 (13 weeks), US BB 8 of 1935, POP 8 of 1935, RYM 72 of 1935
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© 2007-10, Steve Hawtin et al. Generated 13 Mar 2010 09:57 GMT. This data may be freely copied provided that the source is acknowledged, a link to the tsort.info site is prominently incorporated and the version number is attached (this data is version 1.9.0031).