The Billboard Top Folk Records of 1949 is made up of two year-end charts compiled by Billboard magazine ranking the year's top folk records based on record sales and juke box plays.[1] In 1949, country music records were included on, and dominated, the Billboard folk records chart.
Both charts were topped by Hank Williams' "Lovesick Blues"; the song posted 4,182 points on the retail sales chart and 1,716 points on the juke box chart -- nearly doubling the point total of any other song. Williams also posted the No. 5 hit on the year-end charts with "Wedding Bells".[1]
Eddy Arnold led all other artists with nine records on the year-end charts. Arnold's "Don't Rob Another Man's Castle" ranked No. 2 on both year-end charts with 2,270 retail points and 981 juke box points.[1]
Four versions of the song "Candy Kisses" made the year-end charts. George Morgan's version was a No. 1 hit while the song also led to hits for Red Foley (No. 4), Elton Britt (No. 4), and Cowboy Copas (No. 5).[1]
On the strength of Eddy Arnold's performance, RCA Victor led all other labels with ten records on the year-end charts. Decca ranked second with eight records followed by Columbia with five and Capitol with four.[1]
| Sales year-end | Juke box year-end | Peak[2] [3] | Title | Artist(s) | Label | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | 1 | "Lovesick Blues" | M-G-M | ||
| 2 | 2 | 1 | "Don't Rob Another Man's Castle" | RCA Victor | ||
| 3 | 4 | 1 | "I'm Throwing Rice (At The Girl That I Love)" | Eddy Arnold | RCA Victor | |
| 4 | 3 | 1 | "Slipping Around" | Capitol | ||
| 5 | 5 | 2 | "Wedding Bells" | Hank Williams | M-G-M | |
| 6 | 13 | 1 | "Candy Kisses" | Columbia | ||
| 7 | 6 | 1 | "Why Don't You Haul Off and Love Me" | King | ||
| 8 | NR | 1 | "Bouquet of Roses" | Eddy Arnold | RCA Victor | |
| 9 | 9 | 1 | "I Love You So Much It Hurts" | Capitol | ||
| 10 | 7 | 1 | "Tennessee Saturday Night" | Decca | ||
| 11 | 14 | 2 | "The Echo of Your Footsteps" | Eddy Arnold | RCA Victor | |
| 12 | 10 | 1 | "One Has My Name (The Other Has My Heart)" | Jimmy Wakely | Capitol | |
| 13 | 8 | 1 | "One Kiss Too Many" | Eddy Arnold | RCA Victor | |
| 14 | 11 | 1 | "Slipping Around" | Decca | ||
| 15 | 16 | 3 | "Tennessee Border" | Decca | ||
| 16 | 12 | 1 | "A Heart Full of Love (For a Handful of Kisses)" | Eddy Arnold | RCA Victor | |
| 17 | 21 | 1 | "Blues, Stay Away From Me" | King | ||
| 18 | 18 | 2 | "I'm Bitin' My Fingernails and Thinking of You" | Ernest Tubb-Andrews Sisters | Decca | |
| 19 | 23 | 4 | "Please Don't Let Me Love You" | George Morgan | Columbia | |
| 20 | 25 | 5 | "Let's Say Goodbye Like We Said Hello" | Ernest Tubb | Decca | |
| 21 | 20 | 2 | "I'll Never Slip Around Again" | Capitol | ||
| 22 | 26 | 4 | "Candy Kisses" | Decca | ||
| 23 | NR | 4 | "Candy Kisses" | Elton Britt & Skytoppers | RCA Victor | |
| 24 | 15 | 2 | "Then I Turned and Walked Slowly Away" | Eddy Arnold | RCA Victor | |
| 25 | 30 | 5 | "Slipping Around" | Columbia | ||
| 26 | NR | 4 | "Room Full of Roses" | Columbia | ||
| 27 | 19 | 1 | "Just a Little Lovin'" | Eddy Arnold | RCA Victor | |
| 28 | 29 | 4 | "I Never Saw Maggie Alone" | Coral | ||
| 29 | NR | 7 | "Take an Old Cold 'Tater (And Wait)" | Columbia | ||
| 30 | 17 | 4 | "Tennessee Polka" | Red Foley | Decca | |
| NR | 22 | 2 | "Have You Ever Been Lonely (Have You Ever Been Blue)" | Ernest Tubb | Decca | |
| NR | 24 | 5 | "Mind Your Own Business" | Hank Williams | M-G-M | |
| NR | 27 | 3 | "There's Not a Thing (I Wouldn't Do For You)" | Eddy Arnold | RCA Victor | |
| NR | 28 | 5 | "Candy Kisses" | King |