Between 1920 and 1940 there are few available charts (at least that
we can find), hence these results should be treated with caution
since, with few exceptions, they are based on fairly subjective charts.
During this era music was dominated by a number of "Big Bands" and songs could be
attributed to the band leader, the band name, the lead singer or a combination of the them. It is
common, for example, to see the same song listed with three different artists. And, just to stop
us from getting bored, the success of a song was tied to the sales of sheet music, so a
popular song would often be perfomed by many different combinations of singers and bands
and the contemporary charts would list the song, without clarifying whose version was the
major hit. Where we have found such issues we have attempted to consolidate the entries
using the most widely accepted value for the artist in each case.
| # |
Artist |
Song Title |
Year |
Chart Entries |
| 1 |
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) |
| 2 |
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) |
| 3 |
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 |
| 4 |
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) |
| 5 |
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) |
| 6 |
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 |
| 7 |
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 |
| 8 |
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) |
| 9 |
Bing Crosby |
The Moon Got in My Eyes |
1937 |
US Billboard 1 - 1937 (11 weeks), US BB 12 of 1937, POP 12 of 1937, Europe 31 of the 1930s (1937) |
| 10 |
Shep Fields & His Rippling Rhythm Orchestra |
That Old Feeling |
1937 |
US Billboard 1 - 1937 (14 weeks), US BB 13 of 1937, POP 13 of 1937, Brazil 67 of 1938 |
| 11 |
Tommy Dorsey |
The Dipsy Doodle |
1937 |
US Billboard 1 - 1937 (15 weeks), US BB 14 of 1937, POP 14 of 1937, Europe 88 of the 1930s (1937) |
| 12 |
Tommy Dorsey |
Satan takes a Holiday |
1937 |
US Billboard 1 - 1937 (11 weeks), US BB 15 of 1937, POP 15 of 1937, Europe 64 of the 1930s (1937) |
| 13 |
Guy Lombardo |
Boo Hoo |
1937 |
US Billboard 1 - 1937 (12 weeks), US BB 18 of 1937, POP 18 of 1937, Europe 51 of the 1930s (1937) |
| 14 |
Robert Johnson |
Hellhound on My Trail |
1937 |
RYM 1 of 1937, Peel list 4 of 1937, Acclaimed 630 (1937) |
| 15 |
Benny Goodman |
Goodnight, My Love |
1937 |
US BB 10 of 1937, POP 10 of 1937, RYM 52 of 1937, Brazil 67 of 1937, Europe 74 of the 1930s (1937) |
| 16 |
Frances Langford |
Harbour Lights |
1937 |
US BB 2 of 1937, POP 2 of 1937, US Billboard 6 - 1937 (6 weeks) |
| 17 |
Jimmie Lunceford |
For Dancers Only |
1937 |
Grammy Hall of Fame in 1999 (1937), US Billboard 7 - 1937 (3 weeks), RYM 55 of 1937 |
| 18 |
Jeanette MacDonald & Nelson Eddy |
Indian Love Call |
1937 |
Grammy Hall of Fame in 2008 (1962), US Billboard 8 - Dec 1936 (6 weeks), Brazil 64 of 1937 |
| 19 |
Billie Holiday |
I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm |
1937 |
US Billboard 4 - 1937 (10 weeks), US BB 6 of 1937, POP 6 of 1937, RYM 22 of 1937 |
| 20 |
Bob Crosby & His Orchestra |
Whispers in The Dark |
1937 |
US Billboard 1 - 1937 (13 weeks), US BB 17 of 1937, POP 17 of 1937 |
| 21 |
Russ Morgan |
The Merry-Go-Round Broke Down |
1937 |
US Billboard 1 - 1937 (10 weeks), US BB 20 of 1937, POP 20 of 1937 |
| 22 |
Hal Kemp |
This Year's Kisses |
1937 |
US Billboard 1 - 1937 (8 weeks), POP 19 of 1937, Europe 69 of the 1930s (1937) |
| 23 |
Bing Crosby & Jimmy Dorsey |
Too Marvelous For Words |
1937 |
US Billboard 1 - 1937 (10 weeks), Europe 28 of the 1930s (1937), Brazil 88 of 1937 |
| 24 |
Judy Garland |
(Dear Mr Gable) You Made Me Love You |
1937 |
Grammy Hall of Fame in 1998 (1937), RYM 10 of 1937 |
| 25 |
Duke Ellington |
Crescendo in Blue |
1937 |
Grammy Hall of Fame in 1999 (1956), RYM 14 of 1937 |
| 26 |
Shep Fields & His Rippling Rhythm Orchestra |
The Merry-Go-Round Broke Down |
1937 |
US Billboard 1 - 1937 (8 weeks), POP 20 of 1937 |
| 27 |
Guy Lombardo |
So Rare |
1937 |
US Billboard 1 - 1937 (8 weeks), Brazil 21 of 1938 |
| 28 |
Bing Crosby & Connee Boswell |
Bob White (Whatcha Gonna Swing Tonight?) |
1937 |
US Billboard 1 - 1937 (12 weeks), Europe 27 of the 1930s (1937) |
| 29 |
Bing Crosby |
Remember Me |
1937 |
US Billboard 1 - 1937 (6 weeks), Europe 30 of the 1930s (1937) |
| 30 |
Guy Lombardo |
A Sailboat In The Moonlight |
1937 |
US Billboard 1 - 1937 (14 weeks), Europe 49 of the 1930s (1937) |
| 31 |
Rudy Vallee & His Connecticut Yankees |
Vieni Vieni |
1937 |
US Billboard 1 - 1937 (13 weeks), Europe 62 of the 1930s (1937) |
| 32 |
Hal Kemp |
Where Or When |
1937 |
US Billboard 1 - 1937 (16 weeks), Europe 63 of the 1930s (1937) |
| 33 |
Robert Johnson |
From Four Till Late |
1937 |
RYM 1 of 1937, Scrobulate 66 of blues |
| 34 |
Tommy Dorsey |
Once in a While |
1937 |
US Billboard 1 - 1937 (14 weeks), Europe 68 of the 1930s (1937) |
| 35 |
Sammy Kaye |
Rosalie |
1937 |
US Billboard 1 - Oct 1937 (15 weeks), Brazil 79 of 1938 |
| 36 |
Shep Fields & His Rippling Rhythm Orchestra |
Thanks For the Memory |
1937 |
US Billboard 1 - Dec 1937 (14 weeks), Europe 82 of the 1930s (1938) |
| 37 |
Tommy Dorsey |
The Lady is a Tramp |
1937 |
US BB 5 of 1937, POP 5 of 1937, US Billboard 15 - 1937 (2 weeks) |
| 38 |
Tommy Dorsey |
Song of India |
1937 |
US Billboard 5 - 1937 (5 weeks), US BB 8 of 1937, POP 8 of 1937 |
| 39 |
Fred Astaire & Ginger Rogers |
Let's Call the Whole Thing Off |
1937 |
US Billboard 5 - 1937 (9 weeks), RYM 12 of 1937, AFI 34 |
| 40 |
Claude Thornhill & His Orchestra |
Harbour Lights |
1937 |
POP 2 of 1937, US Billboard 7 - 1937 (8 weeks) |
| 41 |
Benny Goodman |
This Year's Kisses |
1937 |
US BB 19 of 1937, POP 19 of 1937, Europe 58 of the 1930s (1937) |
| 42 |
Bing Crosby & Jimmy Dorsey |
Never in a Million Years |
1937 |
US Billboard 2 - 1937 (12 weeks), Europe 53 of the 1930s (1937) |
| 43 |
Henry Busse & His Orchestra |
With Plenty of Money & You |
1937 |
US Billboard 1 - 1937 (9 weeks) |
| 44 |
Margaret McCrae |
This Year's Kisses |
1937 |
US Billboard 1 - 1937 (10 weeks) |
| 45 |
Teddy Wilson (and His Orchestra) |
You Can't Stop Me from Dreaming |
1937 |
US Billboard 1 - 1937 (7 weeks) |
| 46 |
Billie Holiday |
Carelessly |
1937 |
US Billboard 1 - 1937 (12 weeks) |
| 47 |
Horace Heidt |
Gone With the Wind |
1937 |
US Billboard 1 - 1937 (9 weeks) |
| 48 |
Tommy Dorsey |
Big Apple |
1937 |
US Billboard 1 - 1937 (7 weeks) |
| 49 |
Ray Noble |
I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm |
1937 |
US Billboard 3 - 1937 (9 weeks), POP 6 of 1937 |
| 50 |
Orlando Silva |
Carinhoso |
1937 |
Brazil 1 of 1937 |
| 51 |
Bob Wills & His Texas Playboys |
Steel Guitar Stomp |
1937 |
Peel list 1 of 1937 |
| 52 |
Fats Waller |
Smarty |
1937 |
US Billboard 1 - 1937 (8 weeks) |
| 53 |
Ella Fitzgerald |
Goodnight, My Love |
1937 |
US Billboard 1 - 1937 (13 weeks) |
| 54 |
Fred Astaire & Ginger Rogers |
Shall We Dance |
1937 |
US Billboard 3 - 1937 (6 weeks), RYM 12 of 1937 |
| 55 |
Robert Johnson |
Ramblin' On My Mind |
1937 |
RYM 3 of 1937, Scrobulate 56 of blues |
| 56 |
Robert Johnson |
Love in Vain |
1937 |
RYM 3 of 1939, Acclaimed 2163 (1937) |
| 57 |
The Andrews Sisters |
Nice Work If You Can Get It |
1937 |
RYM 5 of 1937, US Billboard 12 - 1938 (3 weeks) |
| 58 |
Sophie Tucker |
The Lady is a Tramp |
1937 |
POP 5 of 1937, US Billboard 19 - 1937 (1 week) |
| 59 |
Duke Ellington |
Azure |
1937 |
RYM 6 of 1937, US Billboard 13 - 1937 (4 weeks) |
| 60 |
Glen Gray |
I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm |
1937 |
POP 6 of 1937, US Billboard 18 - 1937 (1 week) |