This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1939.
The twenty-five popular records listed below were extracted from Joel Whitburn's Pop Memories 1890–1954,[4] record sales reported on the "Discography of American Historical Recordings" website, and other sources as specified. Numerical rankings are approximate, they are only used as a frame of reference.
Rank | Artist | Title | Label | Recorded | Released | Chart positions | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | "In the Mood"[5] | Bluebird 10416 | US Billboard 1939 #1, US #1 for 12 weeks, 30 total weeks, National Recording Registry 2004 | ||||
2 | "Beer Barrel Polka" | Victor V-710 | US Billboard 1939 #2, US #1 for 4 weeks, 21 total weeks | ||||
3 | "Oh Johnny, Oh Johnny, Oh!"[6] | Columbia 35228 | US Billboard 1939 #3, US #2 for 4 weeks, 14 total weeks, sold 1,500,000[7] [8] | ||||
4 | Glenn Miller and his Orchestra | "Moonlight Serenade" | Bluebird B-10214 | US Billboard 1939 #4, US #3 for 1 week, 15 total weeks, Grammy Hall of Fame 1991, ASCAP song of 1939 | |||
5 | "Over the Rainbow" | Decca 2672 | US Billboard 1939 #5, US #5 for 1 week, 12 total weeks, Grammy Hall of Fame 1981, AFI 1, RIAA 1, Music Imprint 1 of 1930s, ASCAP song of 1938, National Recording Registry 2016 | ||||
6 | "God Bless America"[9] | Victor 26198 | US Billboard 1939 #6, US #5 for 1 week, 12 total weeks, Grammy Hall of Fame 1982, National Recording Registry 2002 | ||||
7 | Glenn Miller and his Orchestra | "Over the Rainbow"[10] | Bluebird 10366 | US Billboard 1939 #7, US #1 for 7 weeks, 15 total weeks | |||
8 | "Deep Purple"[11] | Victor 26141 | US Billboard 1939 #8, US #1 for 9 weeks, 13 total weeks, Grammy Hall of Fame 2000 | ||||
9 | "Scatter Brain" | Vocalion 4915 | US Billboard 1939 #9, US #1 for 8 weeks, 16 total weeks | ||||
10 | Benny Goodman and His Orchestra (Vocal Martha Tilton) | "And the Angels Sing"[12] | Victor 26170 | US Billboard 1939 #10, US #1 for 5 weeks, 14 total weeks, Grammy Hall of Fame 1987 | |||
11 | Mary Martin (Eddy Duchin Orchestra) | ""My Heart Belongs to Daddy"[13] | Brunswick 8282 | US Billboard 1939 #11, US #1 for 1 weeks, 16 total weeks | |||
12 | ""If I Didn't Care" | Decca 2286 | US Billboard 1939 #12, US #2 for 1 week, 9 total weeks, Grammy Hall of Fame 1987, National Recording Registry 2017, sold 19,000,000[14] | ||||
13 | "What's New?" | Decca 2671 | US BB 1939 #13, US #2 for 2 weeks, 10 total weeks | ||||
14 | "South of the Border (Down Mexico Way)"[15] | Bluebird 10376 | US Billboard 1939 #14, US #1 for 5 weeks, 18 total weeks | ||||
15 | "Day In, Day Out"[16] | Decca 2703 | US Billboard 1939 #15, US #1 for 1 week, 13 total weeks | ||||
16 | "(Hep-Hep) The Jumpin' Jive"[17] | Vocalion 5005 | US Billboard 1939 #16, US #2 for 4 weeks, 12 total weeks, Grammy Hall of Fame 2017 | ||||
17 | Glenn Miller and his Orchestra | "Stairway to the Stars"[18] | Bluebird 10276 | US Billboard 1939 #17, US #1 for 4 weeks, 13 total weeks | |||
18 | "Three Little Fishies" | Brunswick 8358 | US Billboard 1939 #18, US #1 for 2 weeks, 9 total weeks | ||||
19 | "Penny Serenade" | Victor 26150 | US BB 1939 #19, US #2 for 1 week, 9 total weeks | ||||
20 | "Jeepers Creepers"[19] | Vocalion 4513 | US Billboard 1939 #20, US #1 for 5 weeks, 13 total weeks | ||||
21 | Glenn Miller and his Orchestra | "The Man With The Mandolin"[20] | Bluebird 10358 | US Billboard 1939 #12, US #1 for 3 weeks, 10 total weeks | |||
22 | "Sunrise Serenade"[21] | Decca 2321 | US Billboard 1939 #13, US #1 for 2 weeks, 16 total weeks | ||||
23 | "At the Woodchopper's Ball" | Decca 2440 | US BB 1939 #23, US #9 for 1 week, 6 total weeks, Grammy Hall of Fame 2002 | ||||
24 | "Hold Tight, Hold Tight" | Decca 2214 | US BB 1939 #24, US #2 for 1 week, 11 total weeks | ||||
25 | Glen Gray and Casa Loma Orchestra | "Heaven Can Wait"[22] | Decca 2321 | US Billboard 1939 #25, US #1 for 2 weeks, 13 total weeks |
Additional recordings of historical interest, and songs that crossed over from Hillbilly (Country) and Race (R&B):
Rank | Artist | Title | Label | Recorded | Released | Chart positions | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
26 | Glenn Miller and his Orchestra | "Blue Orchids"[23] | Bluebird 10372 | US Billboard 1939 #18, US #1 for 1 week, 12 total weeks | |||
27 | The Ink Spots | ""My Prayer" | Decca 2790 | US Billboard 1939 #42, US #3 for 1 week, 12 total weeks | |||
28 | Tommy Dorsey and His Orchestra (Vocal Jack Leonard) | "Our Love"[24] | Victor 26202 | US Billboard 1939 #19, US #1 for 1 week, 11 total weeks | |||
29 | Kay Kyser and His Orchestra | "The Umbrella Man" | Brunswick 8225 | US Billboard 1939 #20, US #1 for 1 weeks, 11 total weeks | |||
30 | Glenn Miller and his Orchestra | "Wishing (Will Make It So)"[25] | Bluebird 10219 | US Billboard 1939 #30, US #1 for 4 weeks, 14 total weeks | |||
31 | Artie Shaw and His Orchestra (Vocal Helen Forrest) | "They Say"[26] | Bluebird 10075 | US Billboard 1939 #16, US #1 for 2 weeks, 8 total weeks | |||
35 | The Ink Spots | "Address Unknown" | Decca 2707 | US Billboard 1939 #30, US #1 for 1 week, 9 total weeks | |||
45 | Glenn Miller and his Orchestra | "Moon Love"[27] | Bluebird 10303 | US Billboard 1939 #9, US #1 for 4 weeks, 16 total weeks | |||
189 | "September Song" | Brunswick 8272 | US Billboard 1939 #189, US #12 for 1 week, 5 total weeks | ||||
190 | "South of the Border (Down Mexico Way)" | Vocalion 5122 | US Billboard 1939 #190, US #12 for 1 week, 4 total weeks, US BBHB 1939 #8, US Hillbilly #1 for 2 weeks, 22 total weeks, 1,000,000 sales[28] | ||||
325 | Ted Weems And His Orchestra (vocal Perry Como) | "I Wonder Who's Kissing Her Now" | Decca 2919 | US Billboard 1939 #325, US #19 for 1 week, 1 total weeks |
Rank | Artist | Title | Label | Recorded | Released | Chart positions | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | ""If I Didn't Care" | Decca 2286 | US Billboard 1939 #38, US #2 for 1 week, 9 total weeks, Grammy Hall of Fame 1987, National Recording Registry 2017 | ||||
2 | "(Hep-Hep) The Jumpin' Jive" | Vocalion 5005 | US Billboard 1939 #25, US #2 for 4 weeks, 12 total weeks, Grammy Hall of Fame 2017 | ||||
3 | The Ink Spots | "Address Unknown" | Decca 2707 | US Billboard 1939 #30, US #1 for 1 week, 9 total weeks | |||
4 | The Ink Spots | ""My Prayer" | Decca 2790 | US Billboard 1939 #42, US #3 for 1 week, 12 total weeks | |||
5 | "Good for Nothin' but Love"[29] | Bluebird 10129 | US Billboard 1939 #102, US #7 for 1 week, 6 total weeks | ||||
6 | Chick Webb Orchestra (vocal Ella Fitzgerald) | "'F.D.R. Jones" | Decca 2105 | US Billboard 1939 #116, US #8 for 1 week, 6 total weeks | |||
7 | Chick Webb Orchestra (vocal Ella Fitzgerald) | "Undecided"[30] | Decca 2323 | US Billboard 1939 #120, US #8 for 1 week, 4 total weeks | |||
8 | "I Want the Waiter (With the Water)"[31] | Decca 2628 | US Billboard 1939 #138, US #9 for 1 week, 3 total weeks | ||||
9 | "Wizzin' the Wiz"[32] | Victor 26233 | US Billboard 1939 #153, US #10 for 1 week, 5 total weeks | ||||
10 | "When the Saints Go Marching In"[33] | Decca 2230 | US Billboard 1939 #155, US #15 for 1 week, 3 total weeks | ||||
11 | "Sweet Adeline (You're the Flower of My Heart)"[34] | Decca 2285 | US Billboard 1939 #160, US #10 for 1 week, 2 total weeks | ||||
12 | "Jumpin' At The Woodside" | Decca 2212 | US Billboard 1939 #174, US #11 for 1 week, 4 total weeks | ||||
13 | Fats Waller | "Hold Tight" | Bluebird 10116 | US Billboard 1939 #176, US #11 for 1 week, 4 total weeks | |||
14 | Louis Armstrong and His Orchestra | "West End Blues" | Decca 2480 | US Billboard 1939 #218, US #13 for 1 week, 1 total weeks | |||
15 | "Blame it on My Last Affair" | Vocalion 04632 | US Billboard 1939 #219, US #13 for 1 week, 1 total weeks | ||||
16 | "Strange Fruit" | Commodore 526 | US Billboard 1939 #287, US #16 for 1 week, 2 total weeks, Grammy Hall of Fame 1978, National Recording Registry 2002 | ||||
18 | "Big Leg Woman Gets My Pay" | Vocalion 05030 | |||||
19 | "Love in Vain Blues" | Vocalion 04630 | |||||
20 | Robert Johnson | "Preachin' Blues (Up Jumped the Devil)" | Vocalion 04630 | ||||
21 | "The Gallis Pole" | Musicraft 227 | |||||
22 | Lead Belly | "The Bourgeois Blues" | Musicraft 227 | ||||
23 | Lead Belly | "The Boll Weevil" | Musicraft 226 |
Composer | Composition | Date | Location | Performers | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1939-03-23 | Amsterdam | Székely / Concertgebouw Orchestra – Mengelberg[36] | |||
1939-06-09 | New York City (EXPO) | New York Philharmonic – Boult[37] | |||
1939-06-10 | New York City (EXPO) | Solomon / New York Philharmonic – Boult[38] | |||
Symphony No. 3 (1937) | 1939-01-01 | London | [unknown ensemble] – Pougnet[39] | ||
Young Apollo | 1939-08-02 | Toronto | Britten / Toronto Melodic Strings – Chuhaldin | ||
1939-02-02 | New York Philharmonic-Symphony – Enescu[40] | ||||
1939-06-26 | Buenos Aires | Sebastiani | |||
1939-02-24 | Boston | Boston Symphony – Koussevitzky[41] | |||
Exile (Symphony No. 1) (1936) | 1939-05-26 | London | BBC Symphony – Heward[42] | ||
1939-06-17 | Cracow, Poland | Polish Radio Symphony – Fitelberg | |||
Chants de Terre et de Ciel | 1939-01-23 | Paris | Bunlet, Messiaen | ||
Alexander Nevsky, cantata | 1939-05-17 | Moscow | Gagarina / Moscow Philharmonic – Prokofiev[43] | ||
Zdravitsa, cantata | 1939-12-21 | Moscow | USSR Radio Symphony – Golovanov[44] | ||
1939-12-11 | Stockholm | Swedish Radio Symphony – Rosenberg[45] | |||
1939-11-21 | Leningrad | Leningrad Philharmonic – Mravinsky[46] | |||
Le roi des étoiles, cantata | 1939-04-19 | Brussels | Brussels Radio Symphony – André | ||
Five Variants of Dives and Lazarus | 1939-06-10 | New York City (EXPO) | New York Philharmonic – Boult[47] | ||
1939-12-07 | Cleveland | Heifetz / Cleveland Orchestra – Rodziński[48] | |||
Under the Spreading Chestnut Tree | 1939-10-12 | New York City | New York Philharmonic – Barbirolli[49] | ||
Yellow River Cantata | 1939-04-13 | Yan'an, Vhina | [unknown ensemble] – Wu Xiling[50] [51] | ||
See main article: 1939 in jazz.