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 |
Les Brown & Doris Day |
Sentimental Journey |
1945 |
US Billboard 1 - Mar 1945 (28 weeks), US 1940s 1 - Apr 1945 (23 weeks), US BB 1 of 1945, US 1 for 9 weeks - May 1945, Grammy Hall of Fame in 1998 (1945), POP 1 of 1945, DZE 3 of 1945, Europe 37 of the 1940s (1945), Brazil 44 of 1945, RYM 69 of 1945, RIAA 77, Acclaimed 818 (1944) |
| 2 |
The Andrews Sisters |
Rum & Coca-Cola |
1945 |
US Billboard 1 - Jan 1945 (20 weeks), US 1940s 1 - Jan 1945 (16 weeks), US 1 for 7 weeks - Feb 1945, Australia 1 for 2 months - Feb 1946, DZE 1 of 1945, US BB 2 of 1945, POP 2 of 1945, RYM 3 of 1944, Europe 6 of the 1940s (1944), Brazil 19 of 1945 |
| 3 |
Perry Como |
Until the End of Time |
1945 |
US Billboard 1 - Aug 1945 (19 weeks), US 1940s 1 - Aug 1945 (17 weeks), US 1 for 9 weeks - Sep 1945, Grammy Hall of Fame in 1998 (1945), US BB 12 of 1945, POP 23 of 1945, Europe 30 of the 1940s (1945), RYM 85 of 1945, Brazil 87 of 1946 |
| 4 |
Les Brown |
My Dreams Are Getting Better All the Time |
1945 |
US Billboard 1 - Mar 1945 (16 weeks), US 1940s 1 - Mar 1945 (12 weeks), US 1 for 7 weeks - Apr 1945, Australia 1 for 1 month - Jan 1946, DZE 5 of 1945, US BB 7 of 1945, POP 13 of 1945, RYM 70 of 1945 |
| 5 |
Johnny Mercer |
On the Atcheson, Topeka & the Sante Fe |
1945 |
US Billboard 1 - Jul 1945 (19 weeks), US 1940s 1 - Jul 1945 (16 weeks), US 1 for 7 weeks - Jul 1945, US BB 4 of 1945, DZE 4 of 1945, POP 11 of 1945, Brazil 58 of 1945, RYM 89 of 1945 |
| 6 |
Sammy Kaye |
Chickery Chick |
1945 |
US Billboard 1 - Oct 1945 (16 weeks), US 1940s 1 - Oct 1945 (13 weeks), US 1 for 3 weeks - Nov 1945, US BB 8 of 1945, DZE 8 of 1945, POP 12 of 1945, Brazil 73 of 1946 |
| 7 |
Harry James |
It's Been a Long, Long Time |
1945 |
US Billboard 1 - Oct 1945 (17 weeks), US 1940s 1 - Oct 1945 (14 weeks), US 1 for 3 weeks - Nov 1945, DZE 9 of 1945, POP 17 of 1945, Brazil 47 of 1946, Europe 47 of the 1940s (1945) |
| 8 |
Johnny Mercer |
Ac-cent-tchu-ate the Positive |
1945 |
US Billboard 1 - Jan 1945 (16 weeks), Grammy Hall of Fame in 1998 (1945), US 1940s 2 - Jan 1945 (13 weeks), POP 6 of 1945, DZE 10 of 1945, RYM 22 of 1945, Brazil 79 of 1945 |
| 9 |
Bing Crosby & Carmen Cavallaro |
I Can't Begin to Tell You |
1945 |
US Billboard 1 - Nov 1945 (20 weeks), US 1940s 1 - Nov 1945 (19 weeks), US 1 for 1 week - Jan 1946, US BB 10 of 1945, POP 19 of 1945, Brazil 63 of 1946 |
| 10 |
Bing Crosby & Les Paul |
It's Been a Long, Long Time |
1945 |
US Billboard 1 - Oct 1945 (16 weeks), US 1940s 1 - Oct 1945 (12 weeks), US 1 for 1 week - Dec 1945, US BB 9 of 1945, POP 17 of 1945 |
| 11 |
Louis Jordan |
Caledonia |
1945 |
Grammy Hall of Fame in 1998 (1945), RYM 1 of 1945, US Billboard 6 - May 1945 (8 weeks), US 1940s 6 - Jun 1945 (6 weeks), POP 8 of 1945, Scrobulate 64 of swing |
| 12 |
Johnny Mercer & Joe Stafford |
Candy |
1945 |
US Billboard 1 - Feb 1945 (18 weeks), US 1940s 2 - Mar 1945 (15 weeks), US BB 11 of 1945, POP 14 of 1945, Brazil 73 of 1945, RYM 80 of 1945, Japan (Tokyo) 94 - Mar 1992 (1 week) |
| 13 |
Vaughn Monroe |
There! I've Said it Again |
1945 |
US Billboard 1 - Mar 1945 (29 weeks), US 1940s 2 - Apr 1945 (20 weeks), US BB 6 of 1945, DZE 7 of 1945, POP 9 of 1945, Europe 46 of the 1940s (1945) |
| 14 |
Spike Jones |
Cocktails For Two |
1945 |
Grammy Hall of Fame in 1995 (1945), US Billboard 4 - Jan 1945 (8 weeks), US 1940s 4 - Jan 1945 (8 weeks), RYM 5 of 1945, Europe 81 of the 1940s (1945) |
| 15 |
Judy Garland |
On the Atcheson, Topeka & the Sante Fe |
1945 |
Australia 1 for 2 months - Aug 1946, Oscar in 1946 (film 'The Harvey Girls'), US Billboard 10 - Oct 1945 (1 week), US 1940s 10 - Sep 1945 (1 week) |
| 16 |
Harry James |
I'm Beginning to See The Light |
1945 |
US Billboard 1 - Jan 1945 (19 weeks), US 1940s 4 - Feb 1945 (13 weeks), US BB 5 of 1945, POP 5 of 1945, Brazil 67 of 1945 |
| 17 |
Duke Ellington |
I'm Beginning to See The Light |
1945 |
Australia 1 for 1 month - Jul 1946, US Billboard 6 - Feb 1945 (12 weeks), US 1940s 6 - Mar 1945 (6 weeks), RYM 45 of 1945, Brazil 99 of 1945 |
| 18 |
The Pied Pipers |
Dream |
1945 |
US Billboard 1 - Mar 1945 (18 weeks), US 1940s 5 - Mar 1945 (15 weeks), US BB 13 of 1945, POP 25 of 1945, Europe 83 of the 1940s (1945) |
| 19 |
Billie Holiday |
Lover Man (Oh, Where Can You Be?) |
1945 |
Grammy Hall of Fame in 1989 (1945), RYM 2 of 1945, US Billboard 16 - May 1945 (1 week), Acclaimed 2033 (1945) |
| 20 |
Ella Fitzgerald & The Ink Spots |
I'm Beginning to See The Light |
1945 |
Australia 1 for 1 month - Jul 1946, US Billboard 5 - Apr 1945 (6 weeks), US 1940s 7 - May 1945 (2 weeks), Brazil 51 of 1946 |
| 21 |
Bill Monroe |
Blue Moon of Kentucky |
1945 |
Grammy Hall of Fame in 1998 (1945), RYM 3 of 1945, RIAA 218, Acclaimed 310 (1947) |
| 22 |
Frank Sinatra |
Nancy, With The Laughing Face |
1945 |
Peel list 1 of 1945, US Billboard 10 - Dec 1945 (2 weeks), RYM 44 of 1945, Europe 61 of the 1940s (1945) |
| 23 |
Bing Crosby |
On the Atcheson, Topeka & the Sante Fe |
1945 |
Australia 1 for 2 months - Aug 1946, US Billboard 3 - Jul 1945 (15 weeks), US 1940s 4 - Jul 1945 (10 weeks) |
| 24 |
Dick Haymes |
It Might as Well Be Spring |
1945 |
Oscar in 1945 (film 'State Fair'), US Billboard 5 - Nov 1945 (12 weeks), US 1940s 5 - Nov 1945 (12 weeks) |
| 25 |
Tommy Dorsey |
Opus One |
1945 |
US BB 3 of 1945, POP 3 of 1945, RYM 7 of 1944, US Billboard 12 - Mar 1945 (3 weeks) |
| 26 |
Bing Crosby & The Andrews Sisters |
Ac-cent-tchu-ate the Positive |
1945 |
US Billboard 2 - Feb 1945 (9 weeks), US 1940s 2 - Feb 1945 (9 weeks), Peel list 3 of 1944 |
| 27 |
Dizzy Gillespie |
Groovin' High |
1945 |
Grammy Hall of Fame in 2000 (1945), RYM 9 of 1945, Acclaimed 1920 (1945) |
| 28 |
Woody Herman |
Laura |
1945 |
US Billboard 4 - Apr 1945 (12 weeks), US 1940s 7 - Apr 1945 (4 weeks), POP 16 of 1945, Brazil 27 of 1945 |
| 29 |
Lucky Millinder |
Who Threw the Whiskey in the Well |
1945 |
US Billboard 7 - Jun 1945 (10 weeks), US 1940s 10 - Jul 1945 (1 week), POP 20 of 1945, RYM 28 of 1944 |
| 30 |
Benny Goodman |
Gotta Be This Or That |
1945 |
US Billboard 2 - Jun 1945 (17 weeks), US 1940s 4 - Jul 1945 (16 weeks), RYM 35 of 1945 |
| 31 |
Frank Sinatra |
Saturday Night (Is the Loneliest Night) |
1945 |
US Billboard 2 - Feb 1945 (12 weeks), US 1940s 6 - Feb 1945 (4 weeks), RYM 22 of 1944 |
| 32 |
Perry Como |
If I Loved You |
1945 |
US Billboard 3 - Jul 1945 (13 weeks), US 1940s 3 - Jul 1945 (12 weeks), Europe 35 of the 1940s (1945) |
| 33 |
Charlie Parker |
Billie's Bounce |
1945 |
Grammy Hall of Fame in 2002 (1945), RYM 14 of 1945 |
| 34 |
Bing Crosby & Frank Sinatra |
A Friend of Yours |
1945 |
Australia 1 for 2 months - May 1946, RYM 82 of 1945 |
| 35 |
Jo Stafford |
Symphony |
1945 |
US Billboard 4 - Dec 1945 (12 weeks), US 1940s 4 - Jan 1946 (9 weeks), RYM 90 of 1945 |
| 36 |
Tony Pastor & His Orchestra |
Bell Bottom Trousers |
1945 |
US Billboard 2 - May 1945 (15 weeks), US 1940s 2 - May 1945 (15 weeks) |
| 37 |
Helen Forrest & Dick Haymes |
I'll Buy That Dream |
1945 |
US Billboard 2 - Sep 1945 (13 weeks), US 1940s 2 - Oct 1945 (11 weeks) |
| 38 |
Peggy Lee |
Waitin' for the Train to Come In |
1945 |
US Billboard 4 - Nov 1945 (14 weeks), US 1940s 6 - Nov 1945 (5 weeks), RYM 18 of 1945 |
| 39 |
Perry Como |
I'm Gonna Love That Gal |
1945 |
US Billboard 4 - Jul 1945 (17 weeks), US 1940s 7 - Aug 1945 (4 weeks), Europe 26 of the 1940s (1945) |
| 40 |
Joe Liggins |
The Honeydripper (Parts 1 & 2) |
1945 |
POP 4 of 1945, US Billboard 13 - Oct 1945 (3 weeks), RYM 13 of 1945 |
| 41 |
Jo Stafford |
That's for Me |
1945 |
US Billboard 4 - Oct 1945 (4 weeks), US 1940s 9 - Nov 1945 (1 week), RYM 86 of 1945 |
| 42 |
Frank Sinatra |
Dream (When You're Feeling Blue) |
1945 |
US Billboard 5 - Jun 1945 (7 weeks), US 1940s 7 - Jun 1945 (2 weeks), Italy 34 of 1956 |
| 43 |
Frank Sinatra |
I Dream of You |
1945 |
US Billboard 7 - Jan 1945 (5 weeks), US 1940s 7 - Jan 1945 (4 weeks), RYM 22 of 1944 |
| 44 |
The Mills Brothers |
I Wish |
1945 |
US Billboard 6 - May 1945 (11 weeks), US 1940s 10 - Jul 1945 (1 week), RYM 16 of 1945 |
| 45 |
Louis Prima |
Bell Bottom Trousers |
1945 |
US Billboard 6 - May 1945 (6 weeks), US 1940s 10 - Jun 1945 (1 week), Brazil 80 of 1946 |
| 46 |
Spike Jones |
Holiday for strings |
1945 |
US Billboard 10 - Nov 1945 (1 week), US 1940s 10 - Nov 1945 (1 week), RYM 17 of 1945 |
| 47 |
Dick Haymes |
Laura |
1945 |
US Billboard 9 - May 1945 (3 weeks), US 1940s 9 - May 1945 (2 weeks), Brazil 72 of 1946 |
| 48 |
Bing Crosby & The Andrews Sisters |
Along the Navajo Trail |
1945 |
US Billboard 2 - Sep 1945 (11 weeks), US 1940s 5 - Sep 1945 (4 weeks) |
| 49 |
Frank Sinatra |
You'll Never Walk Alone |
1945 |
US Billboard 9 - Sep 1945 (1 week), POP 22 of 1945, RYM 60 of 1945 |
| 50 |
Phil Moore Four |
My Dreams Are Getting Better All the Time |
1945 |
US Billboard 3 - Mar 1945 (10 weeks), US 1940s 3 - Mar 1945 (7 weeks) |
| 51 |
Guy Lombardo |
Bell Bottom Trousers |
1945 |
US Billboard 2 - Jun 1945 (13 weeks), US 1940s 6 - Jun 1945 (10 weeks) |
| 52 |
Perry Como |
Dig You Later (A-hubba Hubba Hubba) |
1945 |
US Billboard 3 - Dec 1945 (14 weeks), US 1940s 3 - Dec 1945 (15 weeks) |
| 53 |
Harry James |
I'll Buy That Dream |
1945 |
US Billboard 2 - Sep 1945 (14 weeks), US 1940s 6 - Oct 1945 (7 weeks) |
| 54 |
Carmen Cavallaro |
Chopin's Polonaise |
1945 |
US Billboard 3 - Jun 1945 (19 weeks), US 1940s 3 - Jun 1945 (19 weeks) |
| 55 |
Woody Herman |
Caledonia |
1945 |
US Billboard 2 - May 1945 (14 weeks), US 1940s 6 - May 1945 (6 weeks) |
| 56 |
Hal McIntyre & His Orchestra |
Sentimental Journey |
1945 |
US Billboard 3 - Apr 1945 (19 weeks), US 1940s 3 - Jun 1945 (11 weeks) |
| 57 |
Johnny Long |
My Dreams Are Getting Better All the Time |
1945 |
US Billboard 3 - Apr 1945 (12 weeks), US 1940s 3 - Apr 1945 (6 weeks) |
| 58 |
Bing Crosby |
You Belong To My Heart |
1945 |
US Billboard 3 - Jun 1945 (14 weeks), US 1940s 4 - Jun 1945 (9 weeks) |
| 59 |
Stan Kenton |
Tampico |
1945 |
US Billboard 3 - Jul 1945 (15 weeks), US 1940s 4 - Aug 1945 (13 weeks) |
| 60 |
Dizzy Gillespie |
Salt Peanuts |
1945 |
US Billboard 22 - Nov 1945 (1 week), RYM 39 of 1953, RIAA 327 |
| 61 |
Kay Kyser |
Bell Bottom Trousers |
1945 |
US Billboard 3 - Jun 1945 (10 weeks), US 1940s 5 - Jun 1945 (6 weeks) |
| 62 |
Big Maceo Merriweather |
Chicago Breakdown |
1945 |
Peel list 2 of 1945, RYM 56 of 1946 |
| 63 |
Frank Sinatra |
Try a Little Tenderness |
1945 |
Peel list 2 of 1947, RYM 64 of 1945 |
| 64 |
Nelson Goncalves |
Maria Bethania |
1945 |
Brazil 1 of 1945 |
| 65 |
Louis Jordan |
Somebody Done Changed the Lock on My Door |
1945 |
RYM 1 of 1945 |
| 66 |
Bing Crosby |
Amor, Amor |
1945 |
Australia 1 for 2 months - Feb 1945 |
| 67 |
Sammy Kaye |
Don't Fence Me In |
1945 |
US Billboard 4 - Jan 1945 (7 weeks), US 1940s 4 - Jan 1945 (7 weeks) |
| 68 |
Bing Crosby |
Just A Prayer Away |
1945 |
US Billboard 4 - Apr 1945 (10 weeks), US 1940s 4 - Apr 1945 (5 weeks) |
| 69 |
Tommy Dorsey |
I Dream of You |
1945 |
US Billboard 4 - Jan 1945 (9 weeks), US 1940s 4 - Jan 1945 (8 weeks) |
| 70 |
Charlie Spivak |
It's Been a Long, Long Time |
1945 |
US Billboard 4 - Oct 1945 (12 weeks), US 1940s 4 - Oct 1945 (11 weeks) |
| 71 |
Frankie Carle |
A Little On The Lonely Side |
1945 |
US Billboard 4 - Feb 1945 (14 weeks), US 1940s 5 - Feb 1945 (11 weeks) |
| 72 |
Artie Shaw |
Ac-cent-tchu-ate the Positive |
1945 |
US Billboard 5 - Jan 1945 (7 weeks), US 1940s 5 - Feb 1945 (5 weeks) |
| 73 |
Johnnie Johnston |
Laura |
1945 |
US Billboard 5 - Jun 1945 (5 weeks), US 1940s 5 - Jun 1945 (5 weeks) |
| 74 |
Spike Jones |
Chloe |
1945 |
US Billboard 5 - Apr 1945 (6 weeks), US 1940s 5 - May 1945 (4 weeks) |
| 75 |
Merry Macs |
Sentimental Journey |
1945 |
US Billboard 4 - Jun 1945 (12 weeks), US 1940s 7 - Jun 1945 (8 weeks) |
| 76 |
Betty Hutton |
Stuff Like That |
1945 |
US Billboard 4 - Apr 1945 (10 weeks), US 1940s 7 - Apr 1945 (1 week) |
| 77 |
Abe Lyman & His California Orchestra |
Rum & Coca-Cola |
1945 |
US 1940s 4 - Mar 1945 (4 weeks), US Billboard 8 - Mar 1945 (5 weeks) |
| 78 |
Sammy Kaye |
It Might as Well Be Spring |
1945 |
US Billboard 4 - Dec 1945 (10 weeks), US 1940s 8 - Dec 1945 (4 weeks) |
| 79 |
Dick Haymes |
That's for Me |
1945 |
US Billboard 6 - Oct 1945 (11 weeks), US 1940s 6 - Nov 1945 (4 weeks) |
| 80 |
Paul Weston |
It Might as Well Be Spring |
1945 |
US Billboard 6 - Oct 1945 (11 weeks), US 1940s 6 - Dec 1945 (6 weeks) |