Songs from the Year 1934

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This page lists the top songs of 1934 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.

Between 1920 and 1940 there are few available charts (at least that we can find). These results should be treated with some caution since, with few exceptions, they are based on fairly subjective charts and biased towards the USA.

The top ten song artists of 1934 were:

1:Bing Crosby3:Paul Whiteman5:Duke Ellington7:Leo Reisman9:Freddy Martin
2:Guy Lombardo4:Eddy Duchin6:Ray Noble8:Glen Gray10:Fats Waller
# Artist Song Title Year Chart Entries
1 Paul Whiteman Smoke Gets in Your Eyes 1934 US Billboard 1 - Dec 1933 (15 weeks), US invalid BB 2 of 1934, POP 2 of 1934, Australian Nostalgia 18 of 1930-1939, Brazil 51 of 1935, nuTsie 72 of 1930s, Europe 80 of the 1930s (1934), RYM 15 of 1934
2 Duke Ellington Cocktails For Two 1934 US Billboard 1 - 1934 (15 weeks), Grammy Hall of Fame in 2007 (1934), US invalid BB 8 of 1934, POP 8 of 1934, Brazil 22 of 1934, nuTsie 43 of 1930s, Australian Nostalgia 44 of 1930-1939
3 Bing Crosby Love in Bloom 1934 US Billboard 1 - 1934 (15 weeks), Oscar in 1934 (film 'She Loves Me Not') (Nominated), US invalid BB 19 of 1934, Australian Nostalgia 19 of 1930-1939, POP 19 of 1934, Europe 37 of the 1930s (1934), Brazil 46 of 1934, RYM 60 of 1934
4 Ray Noble The Very Thought of You 1934 US Billboard 1 - 1934 (14 weeks), Grammy Hall of Fame in 2005 (1934), US invalid BB 10 of 1934, POP 10 of 1934, Brazil 37 of 1934, Australian Nostalgia 42 of 1930-1939, nuTsie 82 of 1930s
5 Leo Reisman Continental (you Kiss While You're Dancing) 1934 US Billboard 1 - 1934 (7 weeks), Oscar in 1934 (film 'The Gay Divorcee'), US invalid BB 7 of 1934, POP 7 of 1934, Brazil 51 of 1936, Europe 71 of the 1930s (1934)
6 Bing Crosby June in January 1934 US Billboard 1 - 1934 (12 weeks), Europe 8 of the 1930s (1934), US invalid BB 15 of 1934, POP 15 of 1934, Australian Nostalgia 23 of 1930-1939, Brazil 44 of 1935, RYM 64 of 1934
7 The Sons of the Pioneers Tumbling Tumbleweeds 1934 Grammy Hall of Fame in 2002 (1934), Library of Congress artifact added 2010 (1934), US Billboard 13 - 1934 (2 weeks), Music Imprint 17 of 1930s, nuTsie 48 of 1930s, RIAA 207, Acclaimed 860 (1934)
8 Guy Lombardo Winter Wonderland 1934 US invalid BB 1 of 1934, POP 1 of 1934, US Billboard 2 - 1934 (9 weeks), Europe 4 of the 1930s (1934)
9 Eddy Duchin Let's Fall in Love 1934 US Billboard 1 - 1934 (11 weeks), US invalid BB 13 of 1934, POP 13 of 1934, Brazil 26 of 1934, Australian Nostalgia 46 of 1930-1939, nuTsie 94 of 1930s
10 Fats Waller Honeysuckle Rose 1934 Grammy Hall of Fame in 1999 (1934), US Billboard 4 - 1937 (4 weeks), Jazz Standard 15, nuTsie 64 of 1930s, Acclaimed 1483 (1934), RYM 2 of 1935, Song of 1936
11 Benny Goodman Moon Glow (1934) 1934 US Billboard 1 - 1934 (15 weeks), US invalid BB 4 of 1934, POP 4 of 1934, Europe 15 of the 1930s (1934), RYM 8 of 1934
12 Guy Lombardo Stars Fell on Alabama 1934 US Billboard 1 - 1934 (9 weeks), US invalid BB 12 of 1934, POP 12 of 1934, Europe 66 of the 1930s (1934)
13 Enric Madriguera & his Orchestra The Carioca 1934 US Billboard 1 - 1934 (10 weeks), US invalid BB 20 of 1934, POP 20 of 1934, Brazil 25 of 1934
14 Don Bestor & his Orchestra 42nd Street 1934 US Billboard 1 - 1933 (12 weeks), US invalid BB 6 of 1934, POP 6 of 1934, nuTsie 97 of 1930s
15 Bing Crosby Little Dutch Mill 1934 US Billboard 1 - 1934 (11 weeks), Europe 36 of the 1930s (1934), Australian Nostalgia 45 of 1930-1939
16 Ted Fio Rito I'll String Along With You 1934 US Billboard 1 - 1934 (14 weeks), Brazil 40 of 1934, Australian Nostalgia 43 of 1930-1939
17 Scott Wood & his Orchestra I Only Have Eyes For You 1934 ASCAP song of 1934, Peel list 2 of 1934
18 Ray Noble Old Spinning Wheel 1934 US Billboard 1 - Oct 1933 (22 weeks), US invalid BB 11 of 1934, POP 11 of 1934
19 Lucienne Boyer Speak to Me of Love (Parlez-Moi D'amour) 1934 France (Historical) 2 of the 1930s (1930), US Billboard 5 - 1934 (5 weeks), Brazil 91 of 1935
20 Ben Selvin I Only Have Eyes For You 1934 US Billboard 2 - 1934 (8 weeks), US invalid BB 3 of 1934, POP 3 of 1934
21 Harry Sosnik & his Edgewater Beach Hotel Orchestra The Carioca 1934 US Billboard 2 - 1934 (8 weeks), Oscar in 1934 (film 'Flying Down to Rio') (Nominated), Brazil 57 of 1934
22 Ted Fio Rito My Little Grass shack in Kealakekua, Hawaii 1934 US Billboard 1 - 1934 (14 weeks), US invalid BB 14 of 1934, POP 14 of 1934
23 Freddy Martin I Saw Stars 1934 US Billboard 1 - 1934 (11 weeks), US invalid BB 17 of 1934, POP 17 of 1934
24 Ethel Merman You're the Top 1934 Grammy Hall of Fame in 2008 (1934), US Billboard 4 - Nov 1934 (9 weeks), Song of 1934
25 Eddy Duchin I Only Have Eyes For You 1934 POP 3 of 1934, US Billboard 4 - 1934 (12 weeks), Brazil 23 of 1935
26 Grace Moore One Night of Love 1934 US Billboard 1 - 1934 (10 weeks), Brazil 32 of 1935
27 Paul Whiteman Wagon Wheels 1934 US Billboard 1 - 1934 (12 weeks), Europe 84 of the 1930s (1934)
28 Chick Webb Stompin' at the Savoy 1934 US invalid BB 5 of 1934, POP 5 of 1934, US Billboard 10 - 1934 (7 weeks), Song of 1934
29 Jimmy Durante Inka Dinka Doo 1934 US Billboard 6 - 1934 (4 weeks), Brazil 80 of 1934, nuTsie 100 of 1930s, Song of 1934
30 Lydia Mendoza Mal Hombre 1934 Library of Congress artifact added 2010 (1934), Visconti song of 1934
31 Freddy Martin April in Paris 1934 US Billboard 5 - Dec 1933 (7 weeks), US invalid BB 9 of 1934, POP 9 of 1934
32 Rudy Vallee & his Connecticut Yankees You Oughta Be in Pictures 1934 US Billboard 5 - 1934 (6 weeks), US invalid BB 18 of 1934, POP 18 of 1934
33 Lucienne Boyer Hands Across the Table 1934 US Billboard 2 - 1934 (10 weeks), Brazil 99 of 1935
34 Richard Himber & his Orchestra Stars Fell on Alabama 1934 US Billboard 2 - 1934 (7 weeks), Jazz Standard 238
35 Cole Porter Anything Goes 1934 Grammy Hall of Fame in 2012 (1934)
36 Jimmie Grier & his Orchestra Stay as Sweet as You Are 1934 US Billboard 1 - 1934 (8 weeks)
37 Tommy Dorsey If I Could Hear My Mother Pray Again 1934 Library of Congress artifact added 2007 (1934)
38 Jan Garber All I Do Is Dream Of You 1934 US Billboard 1 - 1934 (14 weeks)
39 Jimmie Grier & his Orchestra The Object Of My Affection 1934 US Billboard 1 - 1934 (13 weeks)
40 Gid Tanner Hawkin's Rag 1934 Peel list 1 of 1934
41 Aurora Miranda & Andre Filho Cidade Maravilhosa 1934 Brazil 1 of 1934
42 Duke Ellington Solitude 1934 US Billboard 2 - Oct 1934 (16 weeks), RYM 1 of 1934, Song of 1934
43 Jane Froman I Only Have Eyes For You 1934 POP 3 of 1934, US Billboard 20 - 1934 (1 week)
44 Bing Crosby Love Is Just Around the Corner 1934 US Billboard 8 - Dec 1934 (9 weeks), Jazz Standard 821, RYM 64 of 1934
45 Fred Astaire Flying Down to Rio 1934 US Billboard 6 - 1934 (4 weeks), Brazil 82 of 1935
46 Claude Hopkins & his Orchestra Three Little Words 1934 US Billboard 15 - 1934 (2 weeks), Jazz Standard 145, Song of 1934
47 Glen Gray Champagne Waltz 1934 US Billboard 7 - 1934 (8 weeks), Brazil 90 of 1934
48 Emil Velasco Old Spinning Wheel 1934 US Billboard 9 - 1934 (3 weeks), Brazil 67 of 1934
49 Paul Whiteman You're the Top 1934 US Billboard 2 - 1934 (10 weeks), RYM 34 of 1934
50 Guy Lombardo My Old Flame 1934 US Billboard 7 - 1934 (5 weeks), Jazz Standard 101
51 Chick Webb I Got Ants In My Pants 1934 POP 16 of 1934, US Billboard 20 - 1934 (1 week)
52 Freddy Martin Then I'll Be Tired of You 1934 US Billboard 12 - 1934 (4 weeks), Jazz Standard 551
53 Will Osborne & his Orchestra Cocktails For Two 1934 US Billboard 15 - 1934 (2 weeks), Jazz Standard 585
54 Jan Garber Blame it On My Youth 1934 US Billboard 17 - 1935 (2 weeks), Jazz Standard 857
55 The Dorsey Brothers You're the Top 1934 US Billboard 17 - 1934 (2 weeks), Jazz Standard 940
56 Paul Whiteman I Get a Kick Out of You 1934 US Billboard 3 - Dec 1934 (11 weeks), RYM 34 of 1934
57 Duke Ellington The Saddest Tale 1934 US Billboard 9 - 1934 (3 weeks), RYM 10 of 1934, Song of 1934
58 Jolly Coburn & his Orchestra Continental (you Kiss While You're Dancing) 1934 US Billboard 2 - 1934 (9 weeks)
59 Johnny Green & his Orchestra Two Cigarettes in the Dark 1934 US Billboard 2 - 1934 (8 weeks)
60 The Mills Brothers Sleepy Head 1934 US Billboard 2 - 1934 (9 weeks)
61 Guy Lombardo Riptide 1934 US Billboard 2 - 1934 (6 weeks)
62 Little Jack Little You Oughta Be in Pictures 1934 US Billboard 2 - 1934 (9 weeks)
63 Bing Crosby Love Thy Neighbor 1934 US Billboard 2 - 1934 (11 weeks)
64 Guy Lombardo Annie Doesn't Live Here Anymore 1934 US Billboard 2 - Nov 1934 (8 weeks)
65 The Mills Brothers Swing It, Sister 1934 US Billboard 2 - 1934 (6 weeks)
66 Ben Pollack & his Orchestra The Beat O' My Heart 1934 US Billboard 2 - 1934 (14 weeks)
67 Duke Ellington Moon Glow 1934 US Billboard 2 - 1934 (7 weeks)
68 Bing Crosby Good Night, Lovely Little Lady 1934 US Billboard 2 - 1934 (7 weeks)
69 Emil Coleman & his Orchestra Little Man, You've Had a Busy Day 1934 US Billboard 2 - 1934 (7 weeks)
70 Carmen Miranda Na Batucada da Vida 1934 Brazil 2 of 1934
71 Bing Crosby Two Cigarettes in the Dark 1934 US Billboard 5 - 1934 (4 weeks), RYM 59 of 1934
72 Cab Calloway & his Cotton Club Orchestra Chinese Rhythm 1934 US Billboard 6 - 1934 (4 weeks), RYM 77 of 1934
73 Leo Reisman Smoke Gets in Your Eyes 1934 US Billboard 3 - 1934 (6 weeks)
74 Ray Noble Blue Danube 1934 US Billboard 3 - Dec 1934 (18 weeks)
75 Eddy Duchin Riptide 1934 US Billboard 3 - 1934 (7 weeks)
76 Enric Madriguera & his Orchestra True 1934 US Billboard 3 - 1934 (11 weeks)
77 Hal Kemp For All We Know 1934 US Billboard 3 - 1934 (8 weeks)
78 Eddy Duchin I Never Had a Chance 1934 US Billboard 3 - 1934 (11 weeks)
79 Harold Arlen Ill Wind (You're Blowing Me No Good) 1934 US Billboard 3 - 1934 (6 weeks)
80 Henry Busse & his Orchestra Hot Lips 1934 US Billboard 3 - 1934 (11 weeks)
81 Rudy Vallee & his Connecticut Yankees Everything I Have is Yours 1934 US Billboard 3 - 1934 (7 weeks)
82 Leo Reisman With My Eyes Wide Open I'm Dreaming 1934 US Billboard 3 - 1934 (11 weeks)
83 Mario Reis Agora & Cinza 1934 Brazil 3 of 1934
84 Chick Webb What a Shuffle 1934 Peel list 3 of 1934
85 Fats Waller Don't Let it Bother You 1934 US Billboard 10 - 1934 (5 weeks), Song of 1934
86 Ruth Etting Smoke Gets in Your Eyes 1934 US Billboard 15 - 1934 (3 weeks), RYM 57 of 1934
87 Bing Crosby Straight From the Shoulder 1934 US Billboard 16 - 1934 (2 weeks), RYM 60 of 1934
88 Isham Jones For All We Know 1934 US Billboard 16 - 1934 (2 weeks), RYM 63 of 1934
89 Eddie Cantor Okay, Toots 1934 US Billboard 19 - 1934 (1 week), Song of 1934
90 Rudy Vallee & his Connecticut Yankees Orchids in the Moonlight 1934 US Billboard 4 - 1934 (11 weeks)
91 Bing Crosby May I 1934 US Billboard 4 - 1934 (6 weeks)
92 Glen Gray Out in the Cold Again 1934 US Billboard 4 - 1934 (12 weeks)
93 Don Bestor & his Orchestra A Thousand Goodnights 1934 US Billboard 4 - 1934 (7 weeks)
94 Emil Coleman & his Orchestra Smoke Gets in Your Eyes 1934 US Billboard 4 - 1934 (9 weeks)
95 Bing Crosby Every Breath I Take 1934 US Billboard 4 - Dec 1934 (7 weeks)
96 Paul Whiteman I Saw Stars 1934 US Billboard 4 - 1934 (6 weeks)
97 Eddy Duchin Easy Come, Easy Go 1934 US Billboard 4 - 1934 (7 weeks)
98 Eddy Duchin I've Had My Moments 1934 US Billboard 4 - 1934 (10 weeks)
99 Castillian Troubadors The Carioca 1934 US Billboard 4 - 1934 (9 weeks)
100 Eddy Duchin Dust on the Moon 1934 US Billboard 4 - 1934 (9 weeks)

Comment on the contents of the 'Songs from the Year 1934' page
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Previous Comments (newest first)

10 Dec 2020

39 Tommy Dorsey+

Hey guys, i m making a big playlist, thank you for all the good work. HIT 39it s not tommy dorsey but thomas a. dorsey. sadly though so far i cant seem to find a good audio on the internet. now u giving me a headache cause i m gonna have to go through the few hits i have to make sure they belong to the right dorsey. lots of bioux


10 Aug 2015

Chick Webb

Chick Web - I Got Ants In My Pants - correct: I Can't Dance (I Got Ants in My Pants)

Cheers Walter

You need to read the FAQ about song titles.


5 Jul 2015

Benny Goodman - Moonglow

I would suggest that you list it the same way you have listed Enrico Caruso'stwo recordings of Vesti La Giubba of 1905 and 1907 - two separate listings.

The entries have been split. Thanks


30 Jun 2015

Russ Columbo

You've left out Russ Columbo, who along with Bing, was the greatest crooner ofthe early 30's. Only his tragic death in September of that year precluded a star that would have paralleled Bing's career.

However unfairly we only list acts with lots of hits.

Even then we have four of his 11 hits listed on the site


15 Aug 2014

Benny Goodman

There are (2) different recordings of Moonglow (#1 in 1934). This one and a 1936recording by Benny Goodman Quartet. The 1936 version was awarded the Grammy Hall of Fame, not this one.

Thanks for clarifying that, but we're not sure how to make that clear in the data (other than including this message on all the pages where this is mentioned)


2 Dec 2013

DOES THIS HELP??


19 Jun 2013

Real estate Papa, you ain't gonna subdivide me

by West and Perillo, revived by Janet Kline (Paradise Wobble cd) I'm looking for the lyrics. thanks!


3 Mar 2013

U dont have Henry hall

We have not found any UK based charts from the 1930s. So he doesn't have enough entries to make the list.

The two songs that we do have are "Bird Song At Eventide" in 1926 and "Play to Me, Gypsy" from 1934.


30 Sep 2012

Songs for Nana

My Grandmother graduated from High School in 1934. I'm using your list to make her a playlist to listen to and tell me her memories

Thank you!


23 Feb 2012

The Very Thought of You

Shouldn't the artist of no. 6 songs "The Very thought of you" be listed as Al Bowlly instead of Ray Noble. Because Ray Noble is doing the orchestration for the songs and the vocal is by Al Bowlly.

If you list this song under Ray Noble, then Bing crosby's June in January should be listed under Georgie Stoll...

Of coz, Bing Crosby command more attention compare to Al Bowlly. But Al Bowlly is a crooner in his own right...what do you think?

During the 1930s and 1940s the charts were normally based on the sales of sheet music, so it was the song that was a hit NOT the recording. When people like Whitburn (in the USA) and Kent (in Australia) retrospectively calculated charts for the period they tried to assign an artist to each song (to make these charts comparable with the ones from the 1950s and after). The way the artists have been assigned are inconsistent (sometimes the singer, sometimes the band leader and sometimes the band). Of course this is further complicated for us because we enforce consistency between charts from different countries.

So, yes, you have a good point. What we've tried to achieve is, firstly consistency across all the various input charts, and secondly being as close to the interpretation of the most notable charts as possible. Unfortunately these goals conflict with each other and the result is a compromise.

In the particular case you mention Ray Noble is better known than Al Bowlly and Bing Crosby better known than Georgie Stoll. So following the original sources leads to a result that is just about OK. We hope that there is enough detail here for those who are interested to track the originals on sites like discogs, musicbrainz and rateyourmusic where the full details can be examined.

We believe that our unique contribution is the consolidation of data from many different sources, requiring a level of simplification that an expert, such as yourself, might balk at. We feel that the result, while imperfect, is good enough to justify the approach.


22 Jan 2012

love all the music from the big band era that was music!!


31 Dec 2011

# 34 Carioca

This was also a #2 US Billboard Hit.

Thanks for the info, the title AND the artist were different, but we see that your correction is justified.

Thanks for the suggestion


30 Aug 2011

1934

great to see songs from the year my Dad was born. I like many of them too. Very detailed.


30 Dec 2010

This is a great way for me to show my grandchildren what music was like when I was a kid. It brings back memories...


30 Dec 2010

Love it! :)


30 Dec 2010

This is great!

What an amazing way to bring back all my old memories. I still have my records.


20 Dec 2010

Very nice and organized. Five stars!!


7 Dec 2010

Dancing to unforgetable songs

They just don't write song lyrics nowadays like these anymore, it's a shame young people won't have the remantic memories of slow dancing to most of these.

Most of these songs' lyrics are instilled in my head. I still remember the words to most of them. Will our children be able to say that of the songs of today? Don't think so!