Editing 1944 in music (section)

==Top records==

On August 1, 1942, a [[1942–1944 musicians' strike|strike]] by the [[American Federation of Musicians]] ended all recording sessions. Record companies kept business going by releasing recordings from their vaults, but by mid-1943, alternate sources were running dry, as the strike continued. Decca was the first company to settle in September 1943, but RCA Victor and Columbia held on until November 11, 1944.<ref name=Billboard/><ref>Peter A. Soderbergh, "Olde Records Price Guide 1900–1947", Wallace–Homestead Book Company, Des Moines, Iowa, 1980, pp.136–139</ref> It comes as no surprise that fifteen of the top twenty records of 1944 were released by Decca, with two more by Capitol, the second company to settle.

Beginning February 19, 1944, The Billboard modified its "Most Played Juke Box Records" chart to rank records (previously it had ranked songs, listing multiple records for each). The January 6, 1945 issue contained year-end top ten charts for "Best Selling Retail Records", "Most Played Juke Box Records" and "[[Billboard Hot 100#History|Top 10 Disks for 1944]]", the latter combining the scores of the former two charts. The chart below was compiled using Billboard's formula, but includes each record's full chart period, with weeks from 1943 and 1945 as needed. Details from "Most Played Juke Box Folk Records" (Hillbilly), "[[Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs|Harlem Hit Parade]]" (HHP) charts and the "American Folk Records" column late 1943-early 1944 were also considered. As always, numerical rankings are approximate.
{| class="wikitable"
! Rank
! Artist
! Title
! Label
! Recorded
! Released
! Chart positions
|-
| 1 || [[Bing Crosby]] || "[[Swinging on a Star]]"<ref>{{Cite web |title=Decca matrix L 3307. Swinging on a star / Bing Crosby – Discography of American Historical Recordings |url=https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/index.php/matrix/detail/2000269730/L_3307-Swinging_on_a_star |access-date=2022-04-23 |website=adp.library.ucsb.edu}}</ref> || Decca 18597 || {{Start date|1944|2|7}} || {{Start date|1944|4}} || US BB 1944 #1, US #1 for 9 weeks, 28 total weeks, 1,000,000 sales<ref name=PopMemories>{{Cite book|last=Whitburn|first=Joel|author-link=Joel Whitburn|title=Joel Whitburn's Pop Memories 1890–1954|publisher=Record Research|year=1986}}</ref>
|-
| 2 || Bing Crosby and the [[Andrews Sisters]] || "[[Don't Fence Me In (song)|Don't Fence Me In]]"<ref>{{Cite web |title=Decca matrix L 3475. Don't fence me in / The Andrews Sisters; Bing Crosby – Discography of American Historical Recordings |url=https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/index.php/matrix/detail/2000269898/L_3475-Dont_fence_me_in |access-date=2022-04-23 |website=adp.library.ucsb.edu}}</ref> || Decca 23364 || {{Start date|1944|7|25}} || {{Start date|1944|11}} || US BB 1944 #2, US #1 for 8 weeks, 21 total weeks, 1,000,000 sales<ref name=PopMemories />
|-
| 3 || [[Harry James|Harry James and His Orchestra]] (Vocal [[Dick Haymes]]) || "[[I'll Get By (As Long As I Have You)]]"<ref>{{Cite web |title=Columbia 78rpm numerical listing discography: 35200–35500 |url=https://www.78discography.com/COL35200.htm |access-date=2022-04-23 |website=www.78discography.com}}</ref> || Columbia 36698 || {{Start date|1941|4|7}} || {{Start date|1944|3}} || US BB 1944 #3, US #1 for 6 weeks (Juke Box chart), 29 total weeks
|-
| 4 || [[The Mills Brothers]] || "[[You Always Hurt The One You Love]]"<ref>{{Cite web |title=Decca matrix 71812. You always hurt the one you love / Mills Brothers – Discography of American Historical Recordings |url=https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/index.php/matrix/detail/2000300029/71812-You_always_hurt_the_one_you_love |access-date=2022-04-23 |website=adp.library.ucsb.edu}}</ref> || Decca 18599 || {{Start date|1944|2|27}} || {{Start date|1944|5}} || US BB 1944 #4, US #1 for 5 weeks, 32 total weeks, US R&B 1944 #29, Harlem Hit Parade #5 for 3 weeks, 24 total weeks, 1,000,000 sales<ref name=PopMemories />
|-
| 5 || [[Jimmy Dorsey|Jimmy Dorsey and his Orchestra]] (vocals [[Bob Eberle]] and Helen O'connell) || "[[Besame Mucho]]"<ref>{{Cite web |title=Decca matrix L 3214. Besame mucho (Kiss me much) / Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra – Discography of American Historical Recordings |url=https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/index.php/matrix/detail/2000269637/L_3214-Besame_mucho_Kiss_me_much |access-date=2022-04-23 |website=adp.library.ucsb.edu}}</ref> || Decca 18574 || {{Start date|1943|10|7}} || {{Start date|1943|12}} || US BB 1944 #5, US #1 for 7 weeks, 25 total weeks, 1,000,000 sales<ref name="Decca Records 20th Anniversary">{{Cite journal |date=August 28, 1954 |title=Decca Records 20th Anniversary |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=liEEAAAAMBAJ&dq=decca+vocalion+brunswick+1941&pg=PA14 |journal=The Billboard |pages=46}}</ref>
|-
| 6 || [[Dinah Shore]] || "[[I'll Walk Alone]]"<ref name=Victor150>{{Cite web |title=RCA Victor 78rpm numerical listing discography: 20-1500–20-2000 |url=https://www.78discography.com/RCA201500.htm |access-date=2022-04-22 |website=www.78discography.com}}</ref> || Victor 20-1586 || {{Start date|1944|4|11}}<ref>{{Cite web |title=Victor matrix D4VB-0091. I'll walk alone / Dinah Shore – Discography of American Historical Recordings |url=https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/index.php/matrix/detail/300001521/D4VB-0091-Ill_walk_alone |access-date=2022-05-29 |website=adp.library.ucsb.edu}}</ref> || {{Start date|1944|5|19}} || US BB 1944 #6, US #1 for 4 weeks, 26 total weeks, US R&B 1944 #44, Harlem Hit Parade #10 for 2 weeks, 2 total weeks, CashBox #1, USPop #1 for 5 weeks, 14 total weeks
|-
| 7 || Bing Crosby || "[[I'll Be Seeing You (song)|I'll Be Seeing You]]"<ref>{{Cite web |title=Decca matrix L 3318. I'll be seeing you / Bing Crosby – Discography of American Historical Recordings |url=https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/index.php/matrix/detail/2000269741/L_3318-Ill_be_seeing_you |access-date=2022-04-23 |website=adp.library.ucsb.edu}}</ref> || Decca 18595 || {{Start date|1944|2|17}} || {{Start date|1944|4}} || US BB 1944 #7, US #1 for 4 weeks, 28 total weeks
|-
| 8 || [[Glen Gray|Glen Gray and the Casa Loma Orchestra]] || "[[My Heart Tells Me|My Heart Tells Me (Should I Believe My Heart?)]]"<ref>{{Cite web |title=Decca matrix 71439. My heart tells me / Glen Gray Orchestra – Discography of American Historical Recordings |url=https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/index.php/matrix/detail/2000299656/71439-My_heart_tells_me |access-date=2022-04-23 |website=adp.library.ucsb.edu}}</ref> || Decca 18567 || {{Start date|1943|10|1}} || {{Start date|1943|11}} || US BB 1944 #8, US #1 for 5 weeks, 24 total weeks
|-
| 9 || [[Red Foley]] || "[[Smoke on the Water (Red Foley song)|Smoke on the Water]]"<ref>{{Cite web|title=Decca matrix 72135. Smoke on the water / Red Foley – Discography of American Historical Recordings|url=https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/index.php/matrix/detail/2000300352/72135-Smoke_on_the_water|access-date=2022-01-18|website=adp.library.ucsb.edu}}</ref> || Decca 6102 || {{Start date|1944|5|4}} || {{Start date|1944|6|13}} || US BB 1944 #57, US #7 for 1 week, 11 total weeks, US Hillbilly 1944 #2, MPJBFR #1 for 13 weeks, 27 total weeks
|-
| 10 || Bing Crosby || "[[I Love You (Cole Porter song)|I Love You]]"<ref>{{Cite web |title=Decca matrix L 3314. I love you / Bing Crosby – Discography of American Historical Recordings |url=https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/index.php/matrix/detail/2000269737/L_3314-I_love_you |access-date=2022-04-23 |website=adp.library.ucsb.edu}}</ref> || Decca 18595 || {{Start date|1944|2|11}} || {{Start date|1944|3}} || US BB 1944 #9, US #1 for 5 weeks, 19 total weeks
|-
| 11 || [[Ella Fitzgerald]] & [[The Ink Spots]] || "[[I'm Making Believe]]"<ref>{{Cite web |title=Decca matrix 72371. I'm making believe / Ella Fitzgerald – Discography of American Historical Recordings |url=https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/index.php/matrix/detail/2000300588/72371-Im_making_believe |access-date=2022-04-23 |website=adp.library.ucsb.edu}}</ref> || Decca 23356 || {{Start date|1944|8|30}} || {{Start date|1944|10}} || US 1944 #10, US #1 for 2 weeks, 18 total weeks, CashBox #4, USPop #1 for 1 week, 24 total weeks, US R&B 1944 #18, Harlem Hit Parade #2 for 1 week, 14 total weeks
|-
| 12 || [[Nat King Cole|King Cole Trio]] || "[[Straighten Up and Fly Right]]"<ref name="Cogan">{{cite book |last1=Cogan |first1=Jim |last2=Clark |first2=William |title=Temples of Sound: Inside the Great Recording Studios |date=2003 |publisher=Chronicle Books |location=San Francisco|isbn=0-8118-3394-1 |page=17}}</ref> || Capitol 154 || {{Start date|1943|11|30}} || {{Start date|1944|4|14}} || US BB 1944 #67, US #9 for 1 week, 12 total weeks, US R&B 1944 #2, Harlem Hit Parade #1 for 10 weeks, 24 total weeks, US Hillbilly 1944 #3, MPJBFR #1 for 5 weeks, 16 total weeks 
|-
| 13 || Bing Crosby || "San Fernando Valley"<ref>{{Cite web |title=Decca matrix L 3275. San Fernando Valley / Bing Crosby – Discography of American Historical Recordings |url=https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/index.php/matrix/detail/2000269698/L_3275-San_Fernando_Valley |access-date=2022-04-23 |website=adp.library.ucsb.edu}}</ref> || Decca 18586 || {{Start date|1943|12|29}} || {{Start date|1944|2}} || US BB 1944 #11, US #1 for 5 weeks (Juke Box chart), 24 total weeks
|-
| 14 || [[Ella Fitzgerald]] & [[The Ink Spots]] || "[[Into Each Life Some Rain Must Fall]]"<ref>{{Cite web |title=Decca matrix 72370. Into each life some rain must fall / Ella Fitzgerald – Discography of American Historical Recordings |url=https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/index.php/matrix/detail/2000300587/72370-Into_each_life_some_rain_must_fall |access-date=2022-05-14 |website=adp.library.ucsb.edu}}</ref> || Decca 23356 || {{Start date|1944|8|30}} || {{Start date|1944|10}} || US BB 1944 #16, US #1 for 2 weeks (Juke Box chart), 19 total weeks, US R&B 1944 #1, Harlem Hit Parade #1 for 11 weeks, 21 total weeks, CashBox #14, USPop #9 for 1 week, 19 total weeks, 1,000,000 sales<ref name="Decca Records 20th Anniversary"/>
|-
| 15 || The Andrews Sisters || "[[Shoo Shoo Baby (song)|Shoo-Shoo Baby]]"<ref>{{Cite web |title=Decca matrix L 3220. Shoo-shoo baby / The Andrews Sisters – Discography of American Historical Recordings |url=https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/index.php/matrix/detail/2000269643/L_3220-Shoo-shoo_baby |access-date=2022-04-23 |website=adp.library.ucsb.edu}}</ref> || Decca 18572 || {{Start date|1943|10|5}} || {{Start date|1943|11}} || US BB 1944 #12, US #1 for 5 weeks (Juke Box chart), 22 total weeks
|-
| 16 || [[Louis Jordan]] and His [[Tympany Five]] || "[[G.I. Jive]]"<ref>{{Cite web |title=Decca matrix N 1920. G.I. jive / Louis Jordan and his Tympany Five – Discography of American Historical Recordings |url=https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/index.php/matrix/detail/2000300089/N_1920-G.I._jive |access-date=2022-05-14 |website=adp.library.ucsb.edu}}</ref> || Decca 8659 || {{Start date|1944|3|15}} || {{Start date|1944|4}} || US BB 1944 #13, US #1 for 2 weeks (Juke Box chart), 22 total weeks, US R&B 1944 #4, Harlem Hit Parade #1 for 6 weeks, 26 total weeks
|-
| 17 || [[Merry Macs]] || "[[Mairzy Doats]]"<ref>{{Cite web |title=Decca matrix 71566. Mairzy doats / Merry Macs – Discography of American Historical Recordings |url=https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/index.php/matrix/detail/2000299783/71566-Mairzy_doats |access-date=2022-04-23 |website=adp.library.ucsb.edu}}</ref> || Decca 18588 || {{Start date|1943|12|13}} || {{Start date|1944|1}} || US BB 1944 #14, US #1 for 5 weeks (Juke Box chart), 14 total weeks, Decca Records' best-selling release of 1944<ref>Popular Music, 1920–1979: A Revised Cumulation, Volume 2, Nat Shapiro & Bruce Pollock;, Gale Research Company, 1985, {{ISBN|0810308479}}; page 190</ref>
|-
| 18 || [[Helen Forrest]] and Dick Haymes || "[[Long Ago (and Far Away)]]"<ref>{{Cite web |title=Decca matrix 71714. Long ago (and far away) / Helen Forrest; Dick Haymes – Discography of American Historical Recordings |url=https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/index.php/matrix/detail/2000299931/71714-Long_ago_and_far_away |access-date=2022-04-23 |website=adp.library.ucsb.edu}}</ref> || Decca 23317 || {{Start date|1944|1|27}} || {{Start date|1944|4}} || US BB 1944 #15, US #2 for 1 week, 20 total weeks
|-
| 19 || [[The Pied Pipers]] || "[[The Trolley Song]]"<ref>{{Cite web |title=Capitol 100–499, 78rpm numerical listing discography |url=https://www.78discography.com/Capitol100.htm |access-date=2022-04-23 |website=www.78discography.com}}</ref> || Capitol 168 || {{Start date|1944|5|19}} || {{Start date|1944|9}} || US BB 1944 #17, US #2 for 2 weeks, 15 total weeks
|-
| 20 || Bing Crosby and the Andrews Sisters || "[[Hot Time in the Town of Berlin]]"<ref>{{Cite web |title=Decca matrix L 3449. (There'll be a) Hot time in the town of Berlin / The Andrews Sisters; Bing Crosby – Discography of American Historical Recordings |url=https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/index.php/matrix/detail/2000269872/L_3449-Therell_be_a_Hot_time_in_the_town_of_Berlin |access-date=2022-05-14 |website=adp.library.ucsb.edu}}</ref> || Decca 23350 || {{Start date|1944|6|30}} || {{Start date|1944|8|24}} || US BB 1944 #20, US #1 for 6 weeks (Juke Box chart), 15 total weeks
|}