List of Billboard number-one singles of 1946 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 1946, the magazine published the following four all-genre national singles charts:

• Best-Selling Popular Retail Records – 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 – 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 – a composite ten-position song chart which combined data from the three charts above along with three other component charts.^{[4] [5]} It served as The Billboards lead chart until the introduction of the Hot 100 in 1958 and would remain in print until 1963.^[6]

Note: In the issues dated February 9, June 22, and October 12, 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 5	"Symphony" Freddy Martin and His Orchestra with Clyde Rogers	"White Christmas" Bing Crosby with the Ken Darby Singers and John Scott Trotter and His Orchestra	"I Can't Begin to Tell You" Bing Crosby with Carmen Cavallaro	"Symphony"	^[7]
January 12		"Symphony" Freddy Martin and His Orchestra with Clyde Rogers			^[8]
January 19	"I Can't Begin to Tell You" Bing Crosby with Carmen Cavallaro	"Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!" Vaughn Monroe and His Orchestra with Vaughn Monroe and the Norton Sisters			^[9]
January 26	"Let It Snow				Let It Snow! Let It Snow	" Vaughn Monroe and His Orchestra with Vaughn Monroe and the Norton Sisters	^[10]
February 2					^[11]
February 9		"Doctor, Lawyer, Indian Chief" Betty Hutton with Paul Weston and His Orchestra "Let It Snow	Let It Snow! Let It Snow		" Vaughn Monroe and His Orchestra with Vaughn Monroe and the Norton Sisters	"Let It Snow	Let It Snow! Let It Snow	" Vaughn Monroe and His Orchestra with Vaughn Monroe and the Norton Sisters	^[12]
February 16		"Let It Snow	Let It Snow! Let It Snow		" Vaughn Monroe and His Orchestra with Vaughn Monroe and the Norton Sisters		^[13]
February 23			^[14]
March 2	"Doctor, Lawyer, Indian Chief" Betty Hutton with Paul Weston and His Orchestra	"Personality" Johnny Mercer and the Pied Pipers with Paul Weston and His Orchestra	^[15]
March 9	"Personality" Johnny Mercer and the Pied Pipers with Paul Weston and His Orchestra	"Doctor, Lawyer, Indian Chief" Betty Hutton with Paul Weston and His Orchestra	"Oh! What It Seemed to Be"	^[16]
March 16	"Oh	What It Seemed to Be" Frankie Carle and His Orchestra with Marjorie Hughes		"Personality" Johnny Mercer and the Pied Pipers with Paul Weston and His Orchestra	"Oh	What It Seemed to Be" Frankie Carle and His Orchestra with Marjorie Hughes	^[17]
March 23		"Oh		What It Seemed to Be" Frank Sinatra		^[18]
March 30				^[19]
April 6				^[20]
April 13				^[21]
April 20				^[22]
April 27	"I'm a Big Girl Now" Swing and Sway with Sammy Kaye with Betty Barclay			^[23]
May 4	"Prisoner of Love" Perry Como with Russ Case and His Orchestra			^[24]
May 11				^[25]
May 18		"The Gypsy" Dinah Shore	"Laughing on the Outside (Crying on the Inside)"	^[26]
May 25	"The Gypsy" The Ink Spots		"The Gypsy"	^[27]
June 1		"Prisoner of Love" Perry Como with Russ Case and His Orchestra		"The Gypsy" The Ink Spots	^[28]
June 8		"The Gypsy" Dinah Shore			^[29]
June 15					^[30]
June 22		"The Gypsy" Dinah Shore "The Gypsy" The Ink Spots			^[31]
June 29		"The Gypsy" Dinah Shore			^[32]
July 6		"The Gypsy" The Ink Spots			^[33]
July 13		"The Gypsy" Dinah Shore			^[34]
July 20		"Prisoner of Love" Perry Como with Russ Case and His Orchestra			^[35]
July 27		"The Gypsy" Dinah Shore			^[36]
August 3	"Surrender" Perry Como with Russ Case and His Orchestra	"To Each His Own" Eddy Howard and His Orchestra with Eddy Howard and Trio			^[37]
August 10	"To Each His Own" Eddy Howard and His Orchestra with Eddy Howard and Trio				^[38]
August 17			"To Each His Own"		^[39]
August 24					^[40]
August 31	"To Each His Own" Freddy Martin and His Orchestra with Stuart Wade			"To Each His Own" Eddy Howard and His Orchestra with Eddy Howard and Trio	^[41]
September 7					^[42]
	"Five Minutes More" Frank Sinatra				^[43]
September 21	"To Each His Own" The Ink Spots			"Five Minutes More" Frank Sinatra	^[44]
September 28	"Five Minutes More" Frank Sinatra	"Five Minutes More" Frank Sinatra			^[45]
October 5	"To Each His Own" Eddy Howard and His Orchestra with Eddy Howard and Trio			"To Each His Own" Eddy Howard and His Orchestra with Eddy Howard and Trio	^[46]
October 12				"Five Minutes More" Frank Sinatra "To Each His Own" Eddy Howard and His Orchestra with Eddy Howard and Trio	^[47]
October 19	"Rumors Are Flying" Frankie Carle and His Orchestra with Marjorie Hughes			"To Each His Own" Eddy Howard and His Orchestra with Eddy Howard and Trio	^[48]
October 26		"Rumors Are Flying" Frankie Carle and His Orchestra with Marjorie Hughes		"Rumors Are Flying" Frankie Carle and His Orchestra with Marjorie Hughes	^[49]
November 2			"Rumors Are Flying"		^[50]
November 9					^[51]
November 16					^[52]
November 23					^[53]
November 30					^[54]
December 7					^[55]
December 14	"Ole Buttermilk Sky" Kay Kyser and His Orchestra with Michael Douglas and the Campus Kids		"Ole Buttermilk Sky"		^[56]
December 21			"The Old Lamp-Lighter" Swing and Sway with Sammy Kaye with Billy Williams	"The Old Lamp-Lighter"	^[57]
December 28	"The Old Lamp-Lighter" Swing and Sway with Sammy Kaye with Billy Williams	"(I Love You) For Sentimental Reasons" The King Cole Trio			^[58]

See also

• 1946 in music

Notes and References

1. Bronson . Fred . Chart Beat Chat: December 02, 2005 12:00 AM EST . Billboard . 15 July 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150928024313/https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/60472/chart-beat-chat . 28 September 2015.
2. This Day in Music – November 7. Billboard. 14 April 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20150613032737/https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/70279/this-day-in-music. 13 June 2015.
3. This Day in Music – July 6. Billboard. 14 April 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 . 24 April 1954 . April 23, 2015 . 34 . 0006-2510 . 66. 17.
5. 24 March 1945. [{{Google books |phEEAAAAMBAJ |page=16 |plainurl=yes }} ''The Billboard'' Music Popularity Contest: Honor Roll of Hits – The Nation's 10 Top Tunes ]. The Billboard . 16 . 4 August 2020.
6. Web site: DVD-rom: Honor Roll of Hits Charts . . April 23, 2015.
7. 5 January 1946 . [{{Google books |cxgEAAAAMBAJ |page=22 |plainurl=yes}} ''The Billboard'' Music Popularity Chart ]. The Billboard . 22–25 . 15 July 2020.
8. 12 January 1946 . [{{Google books |qBgEAAAAMBAJ |page=26 |plainurl=yes}} ''The Billboard'' Music Popularity Chart ]. The Billboard . 26–29 . 16 July 2020.
9. 19 January 1946 . [{{Google books |dBgEAAAAMBAJ |page=24 |plainurl=yes}} ''The Billboard'' Music Popularity Chart ]. The Billboard . 24–27 . 16 July 2020.
10. 26 January 1946 . [{{Google books |iRgEAAAAMBAJ |page=26 |plainurl=yes}} ''The Billboard'' Music Popularity Chart ]. The Billboard . 26–29 . 16 July 2020.
11. 2 February 1946 . [{{Google books |YBgEAAAAMBAJ |page=26 |plainurl=yes}} ''The Billboard'' Music Popularity Chart ]. The Billboard . 26–29 . 16 July 2020.
12. 9 February 1946 . [{{Google books |hxgEAAAAMBAJ |page=29 |plainurl=yes}} ''The Billboard'' Music Popularity Chart ]. The Billboard . 28–31 . 16 July 2020.
13. 16 February 1946 . [{{Google books |fBgEAAAAMBAJ |page=32 |plainurl=yes}} ''The Billboard'' Music Popularity Chart ]. The Billboard . 32–35 . 16 July 2020.
14. 23 February 1946 . The Billboard Music Popularity Chart . The Billboard . 184–187 . 16 July 2020.
15. 2 March 1946. [{{Google books |JxoEAAAAMBAJ |page=28 |plainurl=yes}} ''The Billboard'' Music Popularity Chart ]. The Billboard . 28–31 . 16 July 2020.
16. 9 March 1946. [{{Google books |KRoEAAAAMBAJ |page=28 |plainurl=yes}} ''The Billboard'' Music Popularity Chart ]. The Billboard . 28–31 . 16 July 2020.
17. 16 March 1946. [{{Google books |6RkEAAAAMBAJ |page=28 |plainurl=yes}} ''The Billboard'' Music Popularity Chart ]. The Billboard . 28–31 . 16 July 2020.
18. 23 March 1946. [{{Google books |-RkEAAAAMBAJ |page=28 |plainurl=yes}} ''The Billboard'' Music Popularity Chart ]. The Billboard . 28–31 . 16 July 2020.
19. 30 March 1946 . [{{Google books |JBoEAAAAMBAJ |page=28 |plainurl=yes}} ''The Billboard'' Music Popularity Chart ]. The Billboard . 28–31 . 16 July 2020.
20. 6 April 1946 . [{{Google books |3hkEAAAAMBAJ |page=30 |plainurl=yes}} ''The Billboard'' Music Popularity Chart ]. The Billboard . 30–33 . 16 July 2020.
21. 13 April 1946 . [{{Google books |8RkEAAAAMBAJ |page=1956 |plainurl=yes}} ''The Billboard'' Music Popularity Chart ]. The Billboard . 28–31 . 16 July 2020.
22. 20 April 1946 . [{{Google books |l0UEAAAAMBAJ |page=28 |plainurl=yes}} ''The Billboard'' Music Popularity Chart ]. The Billboard . 28–31 . 16 July 2020.
23. 27 April 1946 . [{{Google books |9BkEAAAAMBAJ |page=28 |plainurl=yes}} ''The Billboard'' Music Popularity Chart ]. The Billboard . 28–31 . 16 July 2020.
24. 4 May 1946 . [{{Google books |6BkEAAAAMBAJ |page=26 |plainurl=yes}} ''The Billboard'' Music Popularity Chart ]. The Billboard . 26–29 . 17 July 2020.
25. 11 May 1946 . [{{Google books |HRoEAAAAMBAJ |page=26 |plainurl=yes}} ''The Billboard'' Music Popularity Chart ]. The Billboard . 26–29 . 17 July 2020.
26. 18 May 1946 . [{{Google books |7xkEAAAAMBAJ |page=28 |plainurl=yes}} ''The Billboard'' Music Popularity Chart ]. The Billboard . 28–31 . 17 July 2020.
27. 25 May 1946 . [{{Google books |3xkEAAAAMBAJ |page=28 |plainurl=yes}} ''The Billboard'' Music Popularity Chart ]. The Billboard . 28–31 . 17 July 2020.
28. 1 June 1946 . [{{Google books |9xkEAAAAMBAJ |page=24 |plainurl=yes}} ''The Billboard'' Music Popularity Chart ]. The Billboard . 24–27 . 17 July 2020.
29. 8 June 1946 . [{{Google books |9RkEAAAAMBAJ |page=26 |plainurl=yes}} ''The Billboard'' Music Popularity Chart ]. The Billboard . 26–29 . 17 July 2020.
30. 15 June 1946 . [{{Google books |FhoEAAAAMBAJ |page=26 |plainurl=yes}} ''The Billboard'' Music Popularity Chart ]. The Billboard . 26–29 . 17 July 2020.
31. 22 June 1946 . [{{Google books |9hkEAAAAMBAJ |page=26 |plainurl=yes}} ''The Billboard'' Music Popularity Chart ]. The Billboard . 26–29 . 17 July 2020.
32. 29 June 1946 . [{{Google books |FxoEAAAAMBAJ |page=26 |plainurl=yes}} ''The Billboard'' Music Popularity Chart ]. The Billboard . 26–29 . 18 July 2020.
33. 6 July 1946 . [{{Google books |DhoEAAAAMBAJ |page=28 |plainurl=yes}} ''The Billboard'' Music Popularity Chart ]. The Billboard . 28–31 . 18 July 2020.
34. 13 July 1946 . [{{Google books |IBoEAAAAMBAJ |page=28 |plainurl=yes}} ''The Billboard'' Music Popularity Chart ]. The Billboard . 28–31 . 18 July 2020.
35. 20 July 1946 . [{{Google books |HhoEAAAAMBAJ |page=26 |plainurl=yes}} ''The Billboard'' Music Popularity Chart ]. The Billboard . 26–29 . 18 July 2020.
36. 27 July 1946 . [{{Google books |7BkEAAAAMBAJ |page=26 |plainurl=yes}} ''The Billboard'' Music Popularity Chart ]. The Billboard . 26–29 . 18 July 2020.
37. 3 August 1946 . [{{Google books |-hkEAAAAMBAJ |page=26 |plainurl=yes}} ''The Billboard'' Music Popularity Chart ]. The Billboard . 26–29 . 18 July 2020.
38. 10 August 1946 . [{{Google books |8hkEAAAAMBAJ |page=26 |plainurl=yes}} ''The Billboard'' Music Popularity Chart ]. The Billboard . 26–29 . 18 July 2020.
39. 17 August 1946 . [{{Google books |ExoEAAAAMBAJ |page=26 |plainurl=yes}} ''The Billboard'' Music Popularity Chart ]. The Billboard . 26–29 . 18 July 2020.
40. 24 August 1946 . [{{Google books |ABoEAAAAMBAJ |page=26 |plainurl=yes}} ''The Billboard'' Music Popularity Chart ]. The Billboard . 26–29 . 18 July 2020.
41. 31 August 1946 . [{{Google books |4hkEAAAAMBAJ |page=26 |plainurl=yes}} ''The Billboard'' Music Popularity Chart ]. The Billboard . 26–29 . 18 July 2020.
42. 7 September 1946 . [{{Google books |GBoEAAAAMBAJ |page=26 |plainurl=yes}} ''The Billboard'' Music Popularity Chart ]. The Billboard . 26–29 . 18 July 2020.
43. 14 September 1946 . [{{Google books |ChoEAAAAMBAJ |page=21 |plainurl=yes}} ''The Billboard'' Music Popularity Charts ]. The Billboard . 22, 25, 26, 28 . 18 July 2020.
44. 21 September 1946 . [{{Google books |JRoEAAAAMBAJ |page=20 |plainurl=yes}} ''The Billboard'' Music Popularity Charts ]. The Billboard . 20, 23–25 . 18 July 2020.
45. 28 September 1946 . [{{Google books |LRoEAAAAMBAJ |page=26 |plainurl=yes}} ''The Billboard'' Music Popularity Charts ]. The Billboard . 26, 28–30 . 18 July 2020.
46. 5 October 1946 . [{{Google books |ARoEAAAAMBAJ |page=20 |plainurl=yes}} ''The Billboard'' Music Popularity Charts ]. The Billboard . 20, 24–26 . 18 July 2020.
47. 12 October 1946 . [{{Google books |GxoEAAAAMBAJ |page=22 |plainurl=yes}} ''The Billboard'' Music Popularity Charts ]. The Billboard . 22, 25, 26, 28 . 18 July 2020.
48. 19 October 1946 . [{{Google books |KhoEAAAAMBAJ |page=22 |plainurl=yes}} ''The Billboard'' Music Popularity Charts ]. The Billboard . 22, 25–27 . 18 July 2020.
49. 26 October 1946 . [{{Google books |_RkEAAAAMBAJ |page=24 |plainurl=yes}} ''The Billboard'' Music Popularity Charts ]. The Billboard . 24, 28–30 . 18 July 2020.
50. 2 November 1946 . [{{Google books |ERoEAAAAMBAJ |page=18 |plainurl=yes}} ''The Billboard'' Music Popularity Charts ]. The Billboard . 18, 22–24 . 18 July 2020.
51. 9 November 1946 . [{{Google books |DxoEAAAAMBAJ |page=22 |plainurl=yes}} ''The Billboard'' Music Popularity Charts ]. The Billboard . 22, 26, 28, 30 . 18 July 2020.
52. 16 November 1946 . [{{Google books |DBoEAAAAMBAJ |page=20 |plainurl=yes}} ''The Billboard'' Music Popularity Charts ]. The Billboard . 24–26 . 18 July 2020.
53. 23 November 1946 . [{{Google books |HBoEAAAAMBAJ |page=22 |plainurl=yes}} ''The Billboard'' Music Popularity Charts ]. The Billboard . 22, 26–29 . 18 July 2020.
54. 30 November 1946 . [{{Google books |4xkEAAAAMBAJ |page=22 |plainurl=yes}} ''The Billboard'' Music Popularity Charts ]. The Billboard . 22, 25–27 . 18 July 2020.
55. 7 December 1946 . [{{Google books |vBoEAAAAMBAJ |page=22 |plainurl=yes}} ''The Billboard'' Music Popularity Charts ]. The Billboard . 22, 26–28 . 18 July 2020.
56. 14 December 1946 . [{{Google books |ghoEAAAAMBAJ |page=22 |plainurl=yes}} ''The Billboard'' Music Popularity Charts ]. The Billboard . 22, 26, 28, 30 . 18 July 2020.
57. 21 December 1946 . [{{Google books |fRoEAAAAMBAJ |page=20 |plainurl=yes}} ''The Billboard'' Music Popularity Charts ]. The Billboard . 20, 23–25 . 18 July 2020.
58. 28 December 1946 . [{{Google books |wRoEAAAAMBAJ |page=18 |plainurl=yes}} ''The Billboard'' Music Popularity Charts ]. The Billboard . 18, 21–23 . 18 July 2020.