Billboard number-one singles chart (which preceded the Billboard Hot 100 chart), which was updated weekly by the Billboard magazine, was the main singles chart of the American music industry since 1940 and until the Billboard Hot 100 chart was established in 1958.
Before the Billboard Hot 100 chart was established in August 1958, which was based on a formula combining sales data of commercially available singles and airplay on American radio stations, the Billboard used to publish several song popularity charts weekly. Throughout most of the 1940s the magazine published the following three charts:
Best Selling Singles – ranked the biggest selling singles in retail stores, as reported by merchants surveyed throughout the country.
Most Played Juke Box Records (debuted January 1944) – ranked the most played songs in jukeboxes across the United States.
Most Played by Jockeys (debuted February 1945) – ranked the most played songs on United States radio stations, as reported by radio disc jockeys and radio stations.
The list below includes the Best Selling Singles chart only.
Bing Crosby had the highest number of hits at the top of the Billboard number-one singles chart during the 1940s (9 songs). In addition, Crosby remained the longest at the top of the Billboard number-one singles chart during the 1940s (55 weeks).Jimmy Dorsey remained at the top of the Billboard number-one singles chart for 32 weeks.Glenn Miller remained at the top of the Billboard number-one singles chart for 31 weeks.
Statistics by decade
By artist
The following artists achieved three or more number-one hits from 1940–1949. A number of artists had number-one singles on their own, as well as part of a collaboration.
Artists by total number of weeks at number-one
The following artists were featured at the top of the chart for the highest total number of weeks from 1940 to 1949.
Singles by total number of weeks at number-one
The following singles were featured at the top of the chart for the highest total number of weeks from 1940 to 1949.
^"Billboard Music Popularity Chart" (PDF). Billboard. July 27, 1940. p. 11.
^"Billboard Music Popularity Chart" (PDF). Billboard. October 19, 1940. p. 12.
^"Billboard Music Popularity Chart" (PDF). Billboard. December 21, 1940. p. 10.
^"Billboard Music Popularity Chart" (PDF). Billboard. March 15, 1941. p. 11.
^"Billboard Music Popularity Chart" (PDF). Billboard. March 22, 1941. p. 14.
^"Billboard Music Popularity Chart" (PDF). Billboard. March 29, 1941. p. 10.
^"Billboard Music Popularity Chart" (PDF). Billboard. June 7, 1941. p. 10.
^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak al am an ao ap aq ar as at au av aw ax ay az ba bb bc bd be bf bg bh bi bj bk bl bm bn bo bp bq br bs bt bu bv bw bx by bz ca cb cc cd ce cf cg ch ci cj ck cl cm cn co cp cq cr cs ct cu cv cw cx cy cz da db dc dd de"US Number One Songs - 2017". Bob Borst's Home of Pop Culture. Archived from the original on July 30, 2019. Retrieved February 8, 2013.
