List of Billboard number-one singles of 1945 explained

Prior to the introduction of the Hot 100, The Billboard compiled multiple weekly record charts ranking the performance of singles in the United States. In 1945, the magazine published the following four all-genre national singles charts:

• Best-Selling Popular Retail Records (named National Best Selling Retail Records until March 31) – ranked the most-sold singles in retail stores, as reported by merchants surveyed throughout the country. In the 21st century, Billboard designates Retail Records, in all its incarnations, as the magazine's canonical U.S. singles chart prior to August 1958.^{[1] [2] [3]}
• Records Most-Played on the Air (introduced January 27 as Disks with Most Radio Plugs) – ranked the most-played songs on American radio stations, as reported by radio disc jockeys and radio stations.
• Most-Played Juke Box Records – ranked the most-played songs in jukeboxes across the United States, as reported by machine operators.
• Honor Roll of Hits (introduced March 24) – a composite ten-position song chart which combined data from the three charts above along with three other component charts.^[4] It served as The Billboards lead chart until the introduction of the Hot 100 in 1958 and would remain in print until 1963.^[5]

Note: In the issues dated February 10, April 14, May 5, June 9, and November 17, The Billboard reported a tie for the number-one single on one of its charts.

Issue date	Best-Selling Popular Retail Records	Records Most-Played on the Air	Most-Played Juke Box Records	Honor Roll of Hits
January 6	"Don't Fence Me In" Bing Crosby and the Andrews Sisters with Vic Schoen and His Orchestra	"Don't Fence Me In" Bing Crosby and the Andrews Sisters with Vic Schoen and His Orchestra	^[6]
January 13		^[7]
January 20		^[8]
January 27		"Don't Fence Me In" Bing Crosby and the Andrews Sisters with Vic Schoen and His Orchestra	^[9]
February 3			^[10]
February 10	"Don't Fence Me In" Bing Crosby and the Andrews Sisters with Vic Schoen and His Orchestra "Rum and Coca-Cola" The Andrews Sisters with Vic Schoen and His Orchestra		"Rum and Coca-Cola" The Andrews Sisters with Vic Schoen and His Orchestra	^[11]
February 17	"Rum and Coca-Cola" The Andrews Sisters with Vic Schoen and His Orchestra			^[12]
February 24				^[13]
March 3				^[14]
March 10				^[15]
March 17		"Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate the Positive" Johnny Mercer and the Pied Pipers with Paul Weston and His Orchestra		^[16]
March 24				"Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate the Positive"	^[17]
March 31		"Candy" Johnny Mercer, Jo Stafford and the Pied Pipers with Paul Weston and His Orchestra		"My Dreams Are Getting Better All the Time"	^[18]
April 7	"My Dreams Are Getting Better All the Time" Les Brown and His Orchestra with Doris Day	"My Dreams Are Getting Better All the Time" Les Brown and His Orchestra with Doris Day			^[19]
April 14		"My Dreams Are Getting Better All the Time" Les Brown and His Orchestra with Doris Day "I'm Beginning to See the Light" Harry James and His Orchestra with Kitty Kallen			^[20]
April 21		"My Dreams Are Getting Better All the Time" Les Brown and His Orchestra with Doris Day	"My Dreams Are Getting Better All the Time" Les Brown and His Orchestra with Doris Day		^[21]
April 28		"I'm Beginning to See the Light" Harry James and His Orchestra with Kitty Kallen			^[22]
May 5		"Dream" The Pied Pipers with Paul Weston and His Orchestra "Sentimental Journey" Les Brown and His Orchestra with Doris Day			^[23]
May 12		"There! I've Said It Again" Vaughn Monroe and His Orchestra with Vaughn Monroe and the Norton Sisters			^[24]
May 19					^[25]
May 26	"Sentimental Journey" Les Brown and His Orchestra with Doris Day				^[26]
June 2				"Sentimental Journey"	^[27]
June 9			"Candy" Johnny Mercer, Jo Stafford and the Pied Pipers with Paul Weston and His Orchestra		^[28]
June 16		"Sentimental Journey" Les Brown and His Orchestra with Doris Day	"Sentimental Journey" Les Brown and His Orchestra with Doris Day		^[29]
June 23					^[30]
June 30					^[31]
July 7					^[32]
July 14					^[33]
July 21					^[34]
July 28	"On the Atchison, Topeka and the Santa Fe" Johnny Mercer and the Pied Pipers with Paul Weston and His Orchestra	"There			I've Said It Again" Vaughn Monroe and His Orchestra with Vaughn Monroe and the Norton Sisters	^[35]
August 4		"On the Atchison, Topeka and the Santa Fe" Johnny Mercer and the Pied Pipers with Paul Weston and His Orchestra	"On the Atchison, Topeka and the Santa Fe" Johnny Mercer and the Pied Pipers with Paul Weston and His Orchestra		^[36]
August 11				"On the Atchison, Topeka and the Santa Fe"	^[37]
August 18					^[38]
August 25					^[39]
September 1					^[40]
September 8					^[41]
	"Till the End of Time" Perry Como with Russ Case and His Orchestra	"Till the End of Time" Perry Como with Russ Case and His Orchestra			^[42]
September 22				"Till the End of Time"	^[43]
September 29			"Till the End of Time" Perry Como with Russ Case and His Orchestra		^[44]
October 6					^[45]
October 13					^[46]
October 20					^[47]
October 27					^[48]
November 3					^[49]
November 10					^[50]
November 17	"Till the End of Time" Perry Como with Russ Case and His Orchestra "Chickery Chick" Swing and Sway with Sammy Kaye with Nancy Norman, Billy Williams and the Kaye Choir	"Chickery Chick" Swing and Sway with Sammy Kaye with Nancy Norman, Billy Williams and the Kaye Choir		"It's Been a Long, Long Time"	^[51]
November 24	"It's Been a Long, Long Time" Harry James and His Orchestra with Kitty Kallen	"It's Been a Long, Long Time" Harry James and His Orchestra with Kitty Kallen			^[52]
December 1		"Chickery Chick" Swing and Sway with Sammy Kaye with Nancy Norman, Billy Williams and the Kaye Choir	"It's Been a Long, Long Time" Bing Crosby with Les Paul and His Trio		^[53]
December 8	"It's Been a Long, Long Time" Bing Crosby with Les Paul and His Trio				^[54]
December 15	"Chickery Chick" Swing and Sway with Sammy Kaye with Nancy Norman, Billy Williams and the Kaye Choir		"Chickery Chick" Swing and Sway with Sammy Kaye with Nancy Norman, Billy Williams and the Kaye Choir		^[55]
December 22	"It's Been a Long, Long Time" Harry James and His Orchestra with Kitty Kallen	"It's Been a Long, Long Time" Harry James and His Orchestra with Kitty Kallen	"I Can't Begin to Tell You" Bing Crosby with Carmen Cavallaro		^[56]
December 29	"Chickery Chick" Swing and Sway with Sammy Kaye with Nancy Norman, Billy Williams and the Kaye Choir	"White Christmas" Bing Crosby with the Ken Darby Singers and John Scott Trotter and His Orchestra	"Chickery Chick" Swing and Sway with Sammy Kaye with Nancy Norman, Billy Williams and the Kaye Choir		^[57]

See also

• 1945 in music

Notes and References

1. Bronson . Fred . Chart Beat Chat: December 02, 2005 12:00 AM EST . Billboard . July 15, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150928024313/https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/60472/chart-beat-chat . September 28, 2015.
2. This Day in Music – November 7. Billboard. April 14, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20150613032737/https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/70279/this-day-in-music. June 13, 2015.
3. This Day in Music – July 6. Billboard. April 14, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20150704160909/https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/1045514/this-day-in-music. July 4, 2015.
4. Billboard Honor Roll of Hits Represents Culmination of Disk's Life on the Charts . . The Billboard Publishing Company . April 24, 1954 . April 23, 2015 . 34 . 0006-2510 . 66. 17.
5. Web site: DVD-rom: Honor Roll of Hits Charts . . April 23, 2015.
6. January 6, 1945. [{{Google books|wREEAAAAMBAJ|page=20|plainurl=yes}} Music Popularity Contest – Week Ending Dec. 28, 1944]. The Billboard. Cincinnati, Ohio. 20–21. March 26, 2018.
7. January 13, 1945. [{{Google books|tREEAAAAMBAJ|page=1898|plainurl=yes}} Music Popularity Contest – Week Ending Jan. 4, 1945]. The Billboard. Cincinnati, Ohio. 18–19. March 26, 2018.
8. January 20, 1945. [{{Google books|wBEEAAAAMBAJ|page=18|plainurl=yes}} Music Popularity Contest – Week Ending Jan. 11, 1945]. The Billboard. Cincinnati, Ohio. 18–19. March 26, 2018.
9. January 27, 1945. [{{Google books|whEEAAAAMBAJ|page=15|plainurl=yes}} Music Popularity Contest – Week Ending Jan. 18, 1945]. The Billboard. Cincinnati, Ohio. 15, 17. March 26, 2018.
10. February 3, 1945. [{{Google books|txEEAAAAMBAJ|page=17|plainurl=yes}} Music Popularity Contest – Week Ending Jan. 25, 1945]. The Billboard. Cincinnati, Ohio. 17–19. March 26, 2018.
11. February 10, 1945. [{{Google books|pREEAAAAMBAJ|page=17|plainurl=yes}} Music Popularity Contest – Week Ending Feb. 1, 1945]. The Billboard. Cincinnati, Ohio. 17–19. March 26, 2018.
12. February 17, 1945. [{{Google books|pxEEAAAAMBAJ|page=19|plainurl=yes}} Music Popularity Contest – Week Ending Feb. 8, 1945]. The Billboard. Cincinnati, Ohio. 19–21. March 26, 2018.
13. February 24, 1945. [{{Google books|nxEEAAAAMBAJ|page=25|plainurl=yes}} Music Popularity Contest – Week Ending Feb. 15, 1945]. The Billboard. Cincinnati, Ohio. 25–27. March 26, 2018.
14. March 3, 1945. [{{Google books|tBEEAAAAMBAJ|page=101|plainurl=yes}} Music Popularity Contest – Week Ending Feb. 22, 1945]. The Billboard. Cincinnati, Ohio. 101–103. March 26, 2018.
15. March 10, 1945. [{{Google books|xREEAAAAMBAJ|page=17|plainurl=yes}} Music Popularity Contest – Week Ending Mar. 1, 1945]. The Billboard. Cincinnati, Ohio. 17–19. March 26, 2018.
16. March 17, 1945. [{{Google books|yBEEAAAAMBAJ|page=17|plainurl=yes}} Music Popularity Contest – Week Ending Mar. 8, 1945]. The Billboard. Cincinnati, Ohio. 17–19. March 26, 2018.
17. March 24, 1945. [{{Google books|phEEAAAAMBAJ|page=16|plainurl=yes}} Music Popularity Contest – Week Ending Mar. 15, 1945]. The Billboard. Cincinnati, Ohio. 16–17, 19. March 26, 2018.
18. March 31, 1945. [{{Google books|uREEAAAAMBAJ|page=19|plainurl=yes}} Music Popularity Contest – Week Ending Mar. 22, 1945]. The Billboard. Cincinnati, Ohio. 19–21. March 26, 2018.
19. April 7, 1945. [{{Google books|uBEEAAAAMBAJ|page=21|plainurl=yes}} Music Popularity Contest – Week Ending Mar. 29, 1945]. The Billboard. Cincinnati, Ohio. 21–23. March 26, 2018.
20. April 14, 1945. [{{Google books|shEEAAAAMBAJ|page=19|plainurl=yes}} Music Popularity Contest – Week Ending Apr. 5, 1945]. The Billboard. Cincinnati, Ohio. 19–21. June 15, 2020.
21. April 21, 1945. [{{Google books|oREEAAAAMBAJ|page=23|plainurl=yes}} Music Popularity Contest – Week Ending Apr. 12, 1945]. The Billboard. Cincinnati, Ohio. 23–25. March 27, 2018.
22. April 28, 1945. [{{Google books|qREEAAAAMBAJ|page=21|plainurl=yes}} Music Popularity Contest – Week Ending Apr. 19, 1945]. The Billboard. Cincinnati, Ohio. 21–23. March 27, 2018.
23. May 5, 1945. [{{Google books|qhEEAAAAMBAJ|page=18|plainurl=yes}} Music Popularity Contest – Week Ending Apr. 26, 1945]. The Billboard. Cincinnati, Ohio. 18–21. July 5, 2020.
24. May 12, 1945. [{{Google books|vxEEAAAAMBAJ|page=22|plainurl=yes}} Music Popularity Contest – Week Ending May 3, 1945]. The Billboard. Cincinnati, Ohio. 22–25. March 27, 2018.
25. May 19, 1945. [{{Google books|thEEAAAAMBAJ|page=22|plainurl=yes}} Music Popularity Contest – Week Ending May 10, 1945]. The Billboard. Cincinnati, Ohio. 22–25. March 28, 2018.
26. May 26, 1945. [{{Google books|nhEEAAAAMBAJ|page=22|plainurl=yes}} Music Popularity Contest – Week Ending May 17, 1945]. The Billboard. Cincinnati, Ohio. 22–25. March 28, 2018.
27. June 2, 1945. [{{Google books|uhEEAAAAMBAJ|page=22|plainurl=yes}} Music Popularity Contest – Week Ending May 24, 1945]. The Billboard. Cincinnati, Ohio. 22–25. March 28, 2018.
28. June 9, 1945. [{{Google books|sREEAAAAMBAJ|page=22|plainurl=yes}} Music Popularity Contest – Week Ending May 31, 1945]. The Billboard. Cincinnati, Ohio. 22–25. July 15, 2020.
29. June 16, 1945. [{{Google books|rxEEAAAAMBAJ|page=22|plainurl=yes}} Music Popularity Contest – Week Ending June 7, 1945]. The Billboard. Cincinnati, Ohio. 22–25. March 28, 2018.
30. June 23, 1945. [{{Google books|pBEEAAAAMBAJ|page=22|plainurl=yes}} Music Popularity Contest – Week Ending June 14, 1945]. The Billboard. Cincinnati, Ohio. 22–25. March 28, 2018.
31. June 30, 1945. [{{Google books|qBEEAAAAMBAJ|page=23|plainurl=yes}} Music Popularity Contest – Week Ending June 21, 1945]. The Billboard. Cincinnati, Ohio. 22–25. March 28, 2018.
32. July 7, 1945. [{{Google books|xhEEAAAAMBAJ|page=24|plainurl=yes}} Music Popularity Contest – Week Ending June 28, 1945]. The Billboard. Cincinnati, Ohio. 24–27. March 28, 2018.
33. July 14, 1945. [{{Google books|oBEEAAAAMBAJ|page=20|plainurl=yes}} Music Popularity Contest – Week Ending July 5, 1945]. The Billboard. Cincinnati, Ohio. 20–23. March 28, 2018.
34. July 21, 1945. [{{Google books|vBEEAAAAMBAJ|page=20|plainurl=yes}} Music Popularity Contest – Week Ending July 12, 1945]. The Billboard. Cincinnati, Ohio. 20–23. March 28, 2018.
35. July 28, 1945. [{{Google books|rhEEAAAAMBAJ|page=22|plainurl=yes}} Music Popularity Contest – Week Ending July 19, 1945]. The Billboard. Cincinnati, Ohio. 22–25. March 28, 2018.
36. August 4, 1945. [{{Google books|sBEEAAAAMBAJ|page=20|plainurl=yes}} Music Popularity Contest – Week Ending July 26, 1945]. The Billboard. Cincinnati, Ohio. 20–25. March 28, 2018.
37. August 11, 1945. [{{Google books|rREEAAAAMBAJ|page=16|plainurl=yes}} Music Popularity Contest – Week Ending Aug. 2, 1945]. The Billboard. Cincinnati, Ohio. 16–19. March 28, 2018.
38. August 18, 1945. [{{Google books|oxEEAAAAMBAJ|page=18|plainurl=yes}} Music Popularity Contest – Week Ending Aug. 9, 1945]. The Billboard. Cincinnati, Ohio. 18–21. March 28, 2018.
39. August 25, 1945. [{{Google books|ohEEAAAAMBAJ|page=22|plainurl=yes}} Music Popularity Contest – Week Ending Aug. 16, 1945]. The Billboard. Cincinnati, Ohio. 22–25. March 29, 2018.
40. September 1, 1945. [{{Google books|jRgEAAAAMBAJ|page=22|plainurl=yes}} Music Popularity Contest – Week Ending Aug. 23, 1945]. The Billboard. Cincinnati, Ohio. 22, 24–25, 27. March 29, 2018.
41. September 8, 1945. [{{Google books|jhgEAAAAMBAJ|page=24|plainurl=yes}} Music Popularity Contest – Week Ending Aug. 30, 1945]. The Billboard. Cincinnati, Ohio. 22–27. March 29, 2018.
42. September 15, 1945. [{{Google books|dxgEAAAAMBAJ|page=26|plainurl=yes}} Music Popularity Contest – Week Ending Sep. 6, 1945]. The Billboard. Cincinnati, Ohio. 26–29. March 29, 2018.
43. September 22, 1945. [{{Google books|YhgEAAAAMBAJ|page=26|plainurl=yes}} Music Popularity Contest – Week Ending Sep. 13, 1945]. The Billboard. Cincinnati, Ohio. 26–29. March 30, 2018.
44. September 29, 1945. [{{Google books|oBgEAAAAMBAJ|page=26|plainurl=yes}} Music Popularity Contest – Week Ending Sep. 20, 1945]. The Billboard. Cincinnati, Ohio. 26–29. March 30, 2018.
45. October 6, 1945. [{{Google books|dhgEAAAAMBAJ|page=1883|plainurl=yes}} Music Popularity Contest – Week Ending Sep. 27, 1945]. The Billboard. Cincinnati, Ohio. 24–27. March 30, 2018.
46. October 13, 1945. [{{Google books|exgEAAAAMBAJ|page=26|plainurl=yes}} Music Popularity Contest – Week Ending Oct. 4, 1945]. The Billboard. Cincinnati, Ohio. 26–29. March 30, 2018.
47. October 20, 1945. [{{Google books|mhgEAAAAMBAJ|page=26|plainurl=yes}} Music Popularity Contest – Week Ending Oct. 11, 1945]. The Billboard. Cincinnati, Ohio. 26–29. March 30, 2018.
48. October 27, 1945. [{{Google books|jBgEAAAAMBAJ|page=26|plainurl=yes}} Music Popularity Contest – Week Ending Oct. 18, 1945]. The Billboard. Cincinnati, Ohio. 26–29. March 30, 2018.
49. November 3, 1945. [{{Google books|ZxgEAAAAMBAJ|page=26|plainurl=yes}} Music Popularity Contest – Week Ending Oct. 25, 1945]. The Billboard. Cincinnati, Ohio. 26–29. March 30, 2018.
50. November 10, 1945. [{{Google books|YxgEAAAAMBAJ|page=26|plainurl=yes}} Music Popularity Contest – Week Ending Nov. 1, 1945]. The Billboard. Cincinnati, Ohio. 26–29. March 30, 2018.
51. November 17, 1945. [{{Google books|mxgEAAAAMBAJ|page=24|plainurl=yes}} Music Popularity Contest – Week Ending Nov. 8, 1945]. The Billboard. Cincinnati, Ohio. 24–27. March 30, 2018.
52. November 24, 1945. [{{Google books|kRgEAAAAMBAJ|page=28|plainurl=yes}} Music Popularity Contest – Week Ending Nov. 15, 1945]. The Billboard. Cincinnati, Ohio. 28–31. March 30, 2018.
53. December 1, 1945. [{{Google books|nxgEAAAAMBAJ|page=22|plainurl=yes}} Music Popularity Contest – Week Ending Nov. 22, 1945]. The Billboard. Cincinnati, Ohio. 22–25. March 30, 2018.
54. December 8, 1945. Music Popularity Contest – Week Ending Nov. 29, 1945. The Billboard. Cincinnati, Ohio. 26–29. March 30, 2018.
55. December 15, 1945. [{{Google books|lhgEAAAAMBAJ|page=24|plainurl=yes}} Music Popularity Contest – Week Ending Dec. 6, 1945]. The Billboard. Cincinnati, Ohio. 24–27. March 30, 2018.
56. December 22, 1945. [{{Google books|phgEAAAAMBAJ|page=26|plainurl=yes}} Music Popularity Contest – Week Ending Dec. 13, 1945]. The Billboard. Cincinnati, Ohio. 26–29. July 15, 2020.
57. December 29, 1945. [{{Google books|rkUEAAAAMBAJ|page=24|plainurl=yes}} Music Popularity Contest – Week Ending Dec. 21, 1945]. The Billboard. Cincinnati, Ohio. 24–27. July 15, 2020.