Editing 1940 in music

{{Short description|none}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2012}}
{{YYYY music|1940}}
{{Year nav topic5|1940|music|radio|television|film}}
This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1940.

==Specific locations==
*[[1940 in British music]]
*[[1940 in Norwegian music]]

==Specific genres==
*[[1940 in country music]]
*[[1940 in jazz]]

==Events==
*[[January 30]] – Soprano [[Sophie Wyss]] gives the first complete performance of [[Benjamin Britten]]'s ''[[Les Illuminations (Britten)|Les Illuminations]]'', with [[Boyd Neel]] conducting his Orchestra at the [[Wigmore Hall]], London.<ref>Mitchell, Donald (ed) (1991). ''Letters From A Life: Selected Letters of Benjamin Britten, Vol. 2 1939–45''. London: Faber and Faber. {{ISBN|0-571-160581}}. pp. 628, 657</ref>
*[[February 24]] – [[Frances Langford]] records ''When You Wish Upon a Star''
*[[March 28]] – [[Antonio Brosa]] gives the first performance of Britten's [[Violin Concerto (Britten)|Violin Concerto]] with the [[New York Philharmonic]] conducted by [[John Barbirolli]] in [[Carnegie Hall]], New York.<ref>Mitchell (1991): p. 629</ref>
*[[April 26]] – [[Woody Guthrie]] records most of his ''[[Dust Bowl Ballads]]'' at [[Victor Talking Machine Company|RCA Victor]] studios in [[Camden, New Jersey]].
*[[May 27]] – [[Quartetto Egie]] perform in public for the first time.
*[[July 20]] – [[Billboard (magazine)|''Billboard'' magazine]] publishes its first "Music Popularity Chart".
*August – [[Edmundo Ros]] forms his own rumba band.
*[[November 9]] – [[Joaquín Rodrigo]]'s ''[[Concierto de Aranjuez]]'' is premièred in [[Barcelona]].
*[[November 13]] – Première of the [[Walt Disney]] [[animated film]] ''[[Fantasia (1940 film)|Fantasia]]'' in the United States set to classical music conducted by [[Leopold Stokowski]].
*[[November 23]] – [[Dmitri Shostakovich]]'s ''[[Piano Quintet (Shostakovich)|Piano Quintet]]'' is premièred at the [[Moscow Conservatory]] with the composer at the piano.
*[[December 6]] – [[Arnold Schoenberg]]'s ''[[Violin Concerto (Schoenberg)|Violin Concerto]]'' is premièred.
*[[December 19]] – Bandleader [[Hal Kemp]]'s car is involved in a head-on collision. Kemp suffers a broken leg and multiple broken ribs, one of which eventually punctures a lung, causing his death a few days later.
*[[Quartetto Egie]] becomes [[Quartetto Ritmo]] after a line-up change.
*[[Heino Eller]] becomes professor of composition at the Tallinn Conservatory.
*[[Alfredo Antonini]] and [[John Serry Sr.]] appear at the [[CBS]] network in ''[[Viva America]]'' for [[Voice of America]].
*16-year-old [[Doris Day]] joins Les Brown's band.
*[[Gesang Martohartono]], the legendary [[Kroncong]] musician from [[Indonesia]], releases his most popular composition, "[[Bengawan Solo (song)|Bengawan Solo]]".

==Albums released==
*''[[Dust Bowl Ballads]]'' – [[Woody Guthrie]]
*''[[Selections from George Gershwin's Folk Opera Porgy and Bess]]'' – Various Artists 
*[[Bing Crosby]]
**''[[Star Dust (Bing Crosby album)|Star Dust]]''
**''[[Favorite Hawaiian Songs]]''
**''[[Ballad for Americans (album)|Ballad for Americans]]''
*''[[Christmas Music (album)|Christmas Music]]'' – [[Bing Crosby]], [[Kenny Baker (American performer)|Kenny Baker]], Men About Town

==Top popular recordings==

The following songs appeared in [[Billboard Hot 100#History|The Billboard's 'Best Selling Retail Records' chart]] during 1940. Each week fifteen points were awarded to the number one record, then nine points for number two, eight points for number three, and so on. The total points a record earned determined its year-end rank. Regional charts determined the 11–25 rankings each week, and records that failed to score on the main chart were ranked by highest position. Additional information was obtained from the "[[Discography of American Historical Recordings]]" website, Joel Whitburn's Pop Memories 1890–1954<ref name=PopMemories>{{Cite book |last=Whitburn |first=Joel |title=Joel Whitburn's Pop Memories 1890–1954 |publisher=Record Research |year=1986}}</ref> and other sources as specified. 
{| class="wikitable"
! Rank
! Artist
! Title
! Label
! Recorded
! Released
! Chart positions
|-
| 1 || [[Artie Shaw|Artie Shaw and His Orchestra]] || "[[Frenesi]]"<ref>{{Cite web |title=Victor matrix PBS-042546. Frenesi / Artie Shaw Orchestra – Discography of American Historical Recordings |url=https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/index.php/matrix/detail/200040067/PBS-042546-Frenesi |access-date=2022-06-11 |website=adp.library.ucsb.edu}}</ref> || Victor 26542 || {{Start date|1940|3|3}} || {{Start date|1940|3|29}} || US BB 1940 #1, US #1 for 13 weeks, 29 total weeks, Grammy Hall of Fame 2000, 1,000,000 sold<ref name=GoldenDiscs>{{Cite book |last=Murrells |first=Joseph |url=http://archive.org/details/bookofgoldendisc00murr |title=The book of golden discs |date=1978 |publisher=London : Barrie & Jenkins |others=Internet Archive |isbn=978-0-214-20512-5}}</ref>
|-
| 2 || [[Tommy Dorsey|Tommy Dorsey and His Orchestra]] (Vocal [[Frank Sinatra]] || "[[I'll Never Smile Again]]"<ref>{{Cite web |title=Victor matrix BS-048942. I'll never smile again / The Pied Pipers; Frank Sinatra; Tommy Dorsey Orchestra – Discography of American Historical Recordings |url=https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/index.php/matrix/detail/200043649/BS-048942-Ill_never_smile_again |access-date=2022-06-11 |website=adp.library.ucsb.edu}}</ref> || Victor 26628 || {{Start date|1940|4|23}} || {{Start date|1940|6|7}} || US BB 1940 #2, US #1 for 12 weeks, 20 total weeks, 1,000,000 sold<ref name=GoldenDiscs/>
|-
| 3 || [[Bing Crosby]] || "[[Only Forever (song)|Only Forever]]"<ref>{{Cite web |title=Decca matrix DLA 2033. Only forever / Bing Crosby – Discography of American Historical Recordings |url=https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/index.php/matrix/detail/2000268456/DLA_2033-Only_forever |access-date=2022-06-11 |website=adp.library.ucsb.edu}}</ref> || Decca 3300 || {{Start date|1940|7|3}} || {{Start date|1940|8}} || US BB 1940 #3, US #1 for 9 weeks, 22 total weeks
|-
| 4 || [[Glenn Miller|Glenn Miller and his Orchestra]] || "[[Tuxedo Junction]]"<ref>{{Cite web |title=Victor matrix BS-046786. Tuxedo junction / Glenn Miller Orchestra – Discography of American Historical Recordings |url=https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/index.php/matrix/detail/200042209/BS-046786-Tuxedo_junction |access-date=2022-06-11 |website=adp.library.ucsb.edu}}</ref> || Bluebird 10612 || {{Start date|1940|2|5}} || {{Start date|1940|2|23}} || US BB 1940 #4, US #1 for 9 weeks, 19 total weeks, 1,000,000 sold<ref name=GoldenDiscs/>
|-
| 5 || Glenn Miller and his Orchestra || "[[The Woodpecker Song]]"<ref>{{Cite web |title=Victor matrix BS-046739. The woodpecker's song / Glenn Miller Orchestra; Marion Hutton – Discography of American Historical Recordings |url=https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/index.php/matrix/detail/200042169/BS-046739-The_woodpeckers_song |access-date=2022-06-11 |website=adp.library.ucsb.edu}}</ref> || Bluebird 10598 || {{Start date|1940|1|29}} || {{Start date|1940|2|9}} || US BB 1940 #5, US #1 for 7 weeks, 16 total weeks
|-
| 6 || Glenn Miller and his Orchestra || "[[When You Wish Upon a Star]]"<ref>{{Cite web |title=Victor matrix BS-046084. When you wish upon a star / Ray Eberle; Glenn Miller Orchestra – Discography of American Historical Recordings |url=https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/index.php/matrix/detail/200041871/BS-046084-When_you_wish_upon_a_star |access-date=2022-06-11 |website=adp.library.ucsb.edu}}</ref> || Bluebird 10570 || {{Start date|1940|1|6}} || {{Start date|1940|1|19}} || US BB 1940 #6, US #1 for 5 weeks, 16 total weeks
|-
| 7 || Glenn Miller and his Orchestra || "Careless" || Bluebird 10520 || {{Start date|1939|11|18}} || {{Start date|1939|12|8}} || US BB 1940 #7, US #1 for 5 weeks, 13 total weeks
|-
| 8 || Tommy Dorsey and His Orchestra (Vocal Jack Leonard) || "[[All the Things You Are]]"<ref>{{Cite web |title=Victor matrix BS-040983. All the things you are / Jack Leonard; Tommy Dorsey Orchestra – Discography of American Historical Recordings |url=https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/index.php/matrix/detail/200039010/BS-040983-All_the_things_you_are |access-date=2022-06-11 |website=adp.library.ucsb.edu}}</ref> || Victor 26401 || {{Start date|1939|10|20}} || {{Start date|1939|11|3}} || US BB 1940 #8, US #1 for 2 weeks, 13 total weeks
|-
| 9 || Tommy Dorsey and His Orchestra (Vocal Jack Leonard) || "[[Indian Summer (Victor Herbert song)|Indian Summer]]"<ref>{{Cite web |title=Victor matrix BS-042738. Indian summer / Jack Leonard; Tommy Dorsey Orchestra – Discography of American Historical Recordings |url=https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/index.php/matrix/detail/200040213/BS-042738-Indian_summer |access-date=2022-06-11 |website=adp.library.ucsb.edu}}</ref> || Victor 26390 || {{Start date|1939|9|27}} || {{Start date|1939|10|20}} || US BB 1940 #9, US #1 for 1 week, 16 total weeks
|-
| 10 || Glenn Miller and His Orchestra (Vocal Ray Eberle) || "[[Fools Rush In (Where Angels Fear to Tread)]]"<ref>{{Cite web |title=Victor matrix BS-048489. Fools rush in (where angels fear to tread) / Ray Eberle; Glenn Miller Orchestra – Discography of American Historical Recordings |url=https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/index.php/matrix/detail/200043323/BS-048489-Fools_rush_in_where_angels_fear_to_tread |access-date=2022-06-11 |website=adp.library.ucsb.edu}}</ref> || Bluebird 10728 || {{Start date|1940|3|31}} || {{Start date|1940|5|24}} || US BB 1940 #10, US #1 for 3 weeks, 15 total weeks
|-
| 11 || [[Benny Goodman|Benny Goodman and His Orchestra]] (Vocal [[Mildred Bailey]]) || "[[Darn That Dream]]" || Columbia 35331 || {{Start date|1939|12|3}} || {{Start date|1940|1|4}} || US BB 1940 #11, US #1 for 1 week, 11 total weeks
|-
| 12 || [[The Ink Spots]] || "[[Maybe (Allan Flynn and Frank Madden song)|Maybe]]"<ref>{{Cite web |title=Decca matrix 67863. Maybe / Ink Spots – Discography of American Historical Recordings |url=https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/index.php/matrix/detail/2000295976/67863-Maybe |access-date=2022-06-11 |website=adp.library.ucsb.edu}}</ref> || Decca 3258 || {{Start date|1940|6|11}} || {{Start date|1940|7}} || US BB 1940 #12, US #2 for 6 weeks, 17 total weeks 
|-
| 13 || Glenn Miller and His Orchestra (Vocal Ray Eberle) || "[[Blueberry Hill]]"<ref>{{Cite web |title=Victor matrix BS-053132. Blueberry Hill / Ray Eberle; Glenn Miller Orchestra – Discography of American Historical Recordings |url=https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/index.php/matrix/detail/200045349/BS-053132-Blueberry_Hill |access-date=2022-06-11 |website=adp.library.ucsb.edu}}</ref> || Bluebird 10768 || {{Start date|1940|6|13}} || {{Start date|1940|7}} || US BB 1940 #13, US #2 for 4 weeks, 19 total weeks
|-
| 14 || [[Will Bradley|Will Bradley and His Orchestra]] || [[Beat Me Daddy, Eight to the Bar]] || Columbia 35530 || {{Start date|1940|5|21}} || {{Start date|1940|6|28}} || US BB 1940 #14, US #2 for 1 week, 21 total weeks
|-
| 15 || Bing Crosby || "Trade Winds" || Decca 3299 || {{Start date|1940|3|19}} || {{Start date|1940|4}} || US BB 1940 #15, US #2 for 2 weeks, 18 total weeks
|-
| 16 || [[Jimmy Dorsey|Jimmy Dorsey and His Orchestra]] || [[The Breeze and I]]<ref>{{Cite web |title=Decca matrix 67584. The breeze and I / Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra – Discography of American Historical Recordings |url=https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/index.php/matrix/detail/2000295697/67584-The_breeze_and_I |access-date=2022-06-11 |website=adp.library.ucsb.edu}}</ref> || Decca 3150 || {{Start date|1940|4|18}} || {{Start date|1940|5}} || US BB 1940 #16, US #2 for 6 weeks, 11 total weeks, 1,000,000 sold<ref name=GoldenDiscs/>
|-
| 17 || The Ink Spots || "[[We Three (My Echo, My Shadow and Me)]]"<ref>{{Cite web |title=Decca matrix 67928. We three (My echo, my shadow and me) / Ink Spots – Discography of American Historical Recordings |url=https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/index.php/matrix/detail/2000296041/67928-We_three_My_echo_my_shadow_and_me |access-date=2022-06-11 |website=adp.library.ucsb.edu}}</ref> || Decca 3379 || {{Start date|1940|7|16}} || {{Start date|1940|9}} || US BB 1940 #17, US #3 for 1 week, 15 total weeks
|-
| 18 || Bing Crosby || "Sierra Sue" || Decca 3133 || {{Start date|1940|3|22}} || {{Start date|1940|4}} || US BB 1940 #18, US #3 for 1 week, 14 total weeks
|-
| 19 || [[Bob Crosby|Bob Crosby and His Orchestra]] || "[[With the Wind and the Rain in Your Hair]]"<ref>{{Cite web |title=Decca matrix 67189. With the wind and the rain in your hair / Bob Crosby Orchestra – Discography of American Historical Recordings |url=https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/index.php/matrix/detail/2000295302/67189-With_the_wind_and_the_rain_in_your_hair |access-date=2022-06-11 |website=adp.library.ucsb.edu}}</ref> || Decca 3018 || {{Start date|1940|2|13}} || {{Start date|1940|3}} || US BB 1940 #19, US #2 for 3 weeks, 14 total weeks
|-
| 20 || [[Tony Martin (American singer)|Tony Martin]] || "It's a Blue World"<ref>{{Cite web |title=Decca matrix 66989. It's a blue world / Tony Martin – Discography of American Historical Recordings |url=https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/index.php/matrix/detail/2000295102/66989-Its_a_blue_world |access-date=2022-06-11 |website=adp.library.ucsb.edu}}</ref> || Decca 2932 || {{Start date|1939|12|19}} || {{Start date|1940|1}} || US BB 1940 #20, US #2 for 2 weeks, 13 total weeks
|-
| 21 || Glenn Miller and His Orchestra (Vocal Ray Eberle) || "Say It"<ref>{{Cite web |title=Victor matrix BS-047095. Say it / Ray Eberle; Glenn Miller Orchestra – Discography of American Historical Recordings |url=https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/index.php/matrix/detail/200042372/BS-047095-Say_it |access-date=2022-06-11 |website=adp.library.ucsb.edu}}</ref> || Bluebird 10631 || {{Start date|1940|2|24}} || {{Start date|1940|3|8}} || US BB 1940 #21, US #2 for 2 weeks, 11 total weeks
|}

==Published popular music==
* "Ain't It A Shame About Mame" words: [[Johnny Burke (lyricist)|Johnny Burke]], music: [[James V. Monaco]]
* "All Over The Place" w. [[Frank Eyton]] m. [[Noel Gay]]. Introduced by [[Tommy Trinder]] in the film ''[[Sailors Three]]''
* "All This And Heaven Too" w. Eddie De Lange m. [[Jimmy Van Heusen]], First recorded by Charlie Barnet and His Orchestra<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://secondhandsongs.com/work/183852/all|title=Song: All This and Heaven Too written by Jimmy Van Heusen, Eddie DeLange &#124; SecondHandSongs|website=secondhandsongs.com|accessdate=August 20, 2024}}</ref>
* "Along The Santa Fe Trail" w. Al Dubin & Edwina Coolidge m. [[Will Grosz]]
* "April Played The Fiddle" w. [[Johnny Burke (lyric writer)|Johnny Burke]] m. [[James V. Monaco]]
* "Arm In Arm" Church, Bradbury
* "The Bad Humour Man" w. [[Johnny Mercer]] m. [[Jimmy McHugh]]
* "[[Beat Me Daddy, Eight to the Bar]]" w.m. [[Don Raye]], Hughie Prince & Eleanore Sheehy
* "[[Because of You (1940 song)|Because Of You]]" w. Arthur Hammerstein m. Dudley Wilkinson
* "Beneath The Lights Of Home" Grossman, Jurmann
* "[[Bengawan Solo (song)|Bengawan Solo]]" – [[Gesang Martohartono]]
* "[[Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered]]" w. [[Lorenz Hart]] m. [[Richard Rodgers]]
* "[[Bless 'Em All]]" w.m. Jimmie Hughes, Frank Lake & [[Fred Godfrey (songwriter)|Fred Godfrey]]
* "Blow, Blow, Thou Winter Wind" Arthur Young, [[William Shakespeare]], Evans
* "[[Blueberry Hill (song)|Blueberry Hill]]" w.m. Al Lewis, Larry Stock & Vincent Rose
* "Boog It" w.m. [[Jack Palmer (composer)|Jack Palmer]], [[Cab Calloway]] & [[Buck Ram|R. "Buck" Ram]]
* "[[The Breeze And I]]" w. [[Al Stillman]] m. [[Ernesto Lecuona]]
* "Buds Won't Bud" w. E. Y. Harburg m. [[Harold Arlen]]
* "Cabin In The Sky" w. John Latouche m. Vernon Duke
* "The Call Of The Canyon" w.m. [[Billy Hill (songwriter)|Billy Hill]]
* "Can't Get Indiana Off My Mind" w. Robert De Leon m. [[Hoagy Carmichael]]
* "Celery Stalks At Midnight" m. Will Bradley & George Harris
* "Concerto For Cootie" m. [[Duke Ellington]]
* "Contrasts" m. [[Jimmy Dorsey]]
* "[[Cotton Tail]]" m. [[Duke Ellington]]
* "Den Of Iniquity" w. [[Lorenz Hart]] m. [[Richard Rodgers]]
* "Devil May Care" w. [[Johnny Burke (lyric writer)|Johnny Burke]] m. [[Harry Warren]]
* "Do I Worry?" w.m. Stanley Cowan & Bobby Worth
* "Do It the Hard Way" w. [[Lorenz Hart]] m. [[Richard Rodgers]]. Introduced by [[June Havoc]], Claire Anderson and [[Jack Durant]] in the musical ''[[Pal Joey (musical)|Pal Joey]]''
* "Dolores" w. [[Frank Loesser]] m. Louis Alter
* "[[Down the Road a Piece]]" w.m. Don Raye
* "Falling Leaves" w. Mack David m. [[Frankie Carle]]
* "Ferry Boat Serenade" w. (Eng) Harold Adamson (Ital) [[Mario Panzeri]] m. [[Eldo Di Lazzaro]]
* "The Five O'Clock Whistle" w.m. Josef Myrow, Kim Gannon & Gene Irwin
* "[[Flamingo (song)|Flamingo]]" w. Edmund Anderson m. Ted Grouya
* "[[Fools Rush In (Where Angels Fear to Tread)]]" w. [[Johnny Mercer]] m. Rube Bloom
* "Friendship" w.m. [[Cole Porter]]
* "[[Give a Little Whistle]]" w.m. [[Ned Washington]] & [[Leigh Harline]], from the film ''[[Pinocchio (1940 movie)|Pinocchio]]''
* "Good For Nothin' Joe" Ted Koehler, Rube Bloom
* "[[Harlem Nocturne]]" w. [[Dick Rogers]] m. [[Earle Hagen]]
* "Hear My Song, Violetta" w. (Ger) Ermenegildo Carosio & Othmar Klose (Eng) [[Buddy Bernier]] & Bob Emmerich m. Rudolf Luckesch & Othmar Klose
* "[[Hi-Diddle-Dee-Dee]]" w.m. Ned Washington & Leigh Harline, from the film ''[[Pinocchio (1940 movie)|Pinocchio]]''
* "[[High On A Windy Hill]]" w.m. [[Joan Whitney Kramer|Joan Whitney]] & [[Alex Kramer (songwriter)|Alex Kramer]]
* "Honey in the Honeycomb" w. [[John La Touche (musician)|John Latouche]] m. [[Vernon Duke]]. Introduced by [[Katherine Dunham]] in the musical ''[[Cabin in the Sky (play)|Cabin in the Sky]]''. Performed in the 1943 film version by [[Ethel Waters]] and [[Lena Horne]].
* "[[How High the Moon]]" w. Nancy Hamilton m. Morgan Lewis. Introduced by [[Alfred Drake]] and [[Frances Comstock]] in the [[revue]] [[Two for the Show (musical)|Two for the Show]].
* "[[I Concentrate on You]]" w.m. [[Cole Porter]]. Introduced by [[Douglas McPhail]] (and danced to by [[Eleanor Powell]] and [[Fred Astaire]]) in the film ''[[Broadway Melody of 1940]]''
* "I Could Make You Care" w. [[Sammy Cahn]] m. [[Saul Chaplin]]. Introduced by [[Rosemary Lane (actress)|Rosemary Lane]] in the film ''[[Ladies Must Live (1940 film)|Ladies Must Live]]''.
* "I Haven't Time To Be A Millionaire" w. [[Johnny Burke (lyric writer)|Johnny Burke]] m. [[James V. Monaco]]
* "I Hear A Rhapsody" w.m. George Fragos, Jack Baker & Dick Gasparre
* "[[I Hear Music]]" w. [[Frank Loesser]] m. [[Burton Lane]]
* "[[I'm Gonna Move to the Outskirts of Town]]" w.m. [[Casey Bill Weldon|William Weldon]] & [[Andy Razaf]]
* "I'm Looking For A Guy Who Plays Alto And Baritone And Doubles On A Clarinet And Wears A Size 37 Suit" w.m. [[Ozzie Nelson]]
* "I'm Stepping Out With A Memory Tonight" w. [[Herb Magidson]] m. Allie Wrubel
* "[[Imagination (1940 song)|Imagination]]" w. [[Johnny Burke (lyric writer)|Johnny Burke]] m. [[Jimmy Van Heusen]]
* "Intermezzo" w. Robert Henning m. Heinz Provost
* "Is You Is Or Is You Ain't My Baby?" w.m. Billy Austin & [[Louis Jordan]]
* "[[It Never Entered My Mind]]" w. [[Lorenz Hart]] m. [[Richard Rodgers]]
* "It Shows You What Love Can Do" w. [[Sammy Cahn]] m. [[Saul Chaplin]]. Introduced by [[Rosemary Lane (actress)|Rosemary Lane]] in the film ''[[Ladies Must Live (1940 film)|Ladies Must Live]]''.
* "It Was A Lover And His Lass" w. [[William Shakespeare]] m. Arthur Young
* "[[It's a Great Day for the Irish]]" w.m. [[Roger Edens]]
* "It's A Lovely Day Tomorrow" w.m. [[Irving Berlin]]
* "It's Always You" w. [[Johnny Burke (lyric writer)|Johnny Burke]] m. [[Jimmy Van Heusen]]
* "It's The Same Old Shillelagh" w.m. Pat White
* "[[I've Got No Strings]]" w.m. Ned Washington & Leigh Harline, from the film ''[[Pinocchio (1940 movie)|Pinocchio]]''
* "[[Java Jive]]" w. Milton Drake m. Ben Oakland
* "Just A Little Bit South Of North Carolina" w.m. [[Sunny Skylar]], Bette Cannon & Arthur Shaftel
* "[[The Last Time I Saw Paris]]" w. [[Oscar Hammerstein II]] m. [[Jerome Kern]]
* "Let The People Sing" w.m. [[Noel Gay]], Ian Grant & [[Frank Eyton]]
* "[[Let There Be Love (1940 song)|Let There Be Love]]" w. Ian Grant m. Lionel Rand
* "Let's Be Buddies" w.m. [[Cole Porter]]
* "Louisiana Purchase" w.m. [[Irving Berlin]]
* "Make It Another Old-Fashioned, Please" w.m. [[Cole Porter]]. Introduced by [[Ethel Merman]] in the musical ''[[Panama Hattie]]''
* "Make-Believe Island" w. [[Charles Kenny]] & Nick Kenny m. Will Grosz & [[Sam Coslow]]
* "Mamma" w. B. Cherubini m. C. A. Bixio
* "Mister Meadowlark" w. [[Johnny Mercer]] m. [[Walter Donaldson (songwriter)|Walter Donaldson]]
* "Never No Lament" m. [[Duke Ellington]]
* "[[A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square (song)|A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square]]" w. [[Eric Maschwitz]] m. [[Manning Sherwin]]. Introduced in the [[revue]] ''[[New Faces (London revue)|New Faces]]'' by [[Judy Campbell]].
* "On Behalf Of The Visiting Firemen" w. [[Johnny Mercer]] m. [[Walter Donaldson (songwriter)|Walter Donaldson]]
* "[[Only Forever (song)|Only Forever]]" w. [[Johnny Burke (lyric writer)|Johnny Burke]] m. [[James V. Monaco]]
* "Our Love Affair" w. [[Arthur Freed]] m. [[Roger Edens]]
* "Outside Of That, I Love You" [[Irving Berlin]]
* "The Pessimistic Character" w. [[Johnny Burke (lyric writer)|Johnny Burke]] m. [[James V. Monaco]]
* "[[Playmates (song)|Playmates]]" w.m. Saxie Dowell
* "[[Polka Dots and Moonbeams]]" w. [[Johnny Burke (lyric writer)|Johnny Burke]] m. [[Jimmy Van Heusen]]
* "Pompton Turnpike" w.m. Will Osborne & Dick Rogers
* "Practice Makes Perfect" w.m. Don Roberts & Ernest Gold
* "[[Remind Me (Dorothy Fields and Jerome Kern song)|Remind Me]]" w. [[Dorothy Fields]] m. [[Jerome Kern]]. Introduced by [[Allan Jones (actor)|Allan Jones]] in the film ''[[One Night in the Tropics]]''
* "Rhumboogie" w.m. Don Raye & Hughie Prince
* "Room 504" w.m. Erich Maschwitz & [[George Posford]]
* "[[San Antonio Rose]]" w.m. [[Bob Wills]]
* "Say It (Over And Over Again)" w. [[Frank Loesser]] m. [[Jimmy McHugh]]
* "[[Scrub Me Mama With A Boogie Beat]]" w.m. Don Raye
* "The Singing Hills" w.m. Mack David, Sammy Mysels & Dick Sanford
* "Six Lessons From Madame La Zonga" w. Charles Newman m. [[James V. Monaco]]
* "[[Sometime (Glenn Miller song)|Sometime]]" m. [[Glenn Miller]] & [[Chummy MacGregor]] w. [[Mitchell Parish]]
* "The Stars Remain" w. Henry Myers m. Jay Gorney. From the musical ''[[Meet the People]]''.
* "Summit Ridge Drive" m. [[Artie Shaw]]
* "[[Taking A Chance On Love]]" w. John Latouche & Ted Fetter m. [[Vernon Duke]]
* "There I Go" w. Hy Zaret m. Irving Weiser
* "[[There'll Always Be an England]]" w.m. [[Ross Parker (songwriter)|Ross Parker]] & [[Hughie Charles]]
* "There's A Boy Coming Home On Leave" w.m. Jimmy Kennedy
* "Tonight Be Tender To Me" w. Gloria Parker
* "Trade Winds" w. Charles Tobias m. [[Cliff Friend]]
* "Two Dreams Met" w. Mack Gordon m. [[Harry Warren]]
* "Wabash Cannon Ball" w.m. A. P. Carter
* "Walkin' Through Mockin' Bird Lane" Lowell Peters, Clarence Jones, John Turner
* "Waltzing In The Clouds" w. Gus Kahn m. Robert Stolz
* "We Could Make Such Beautiful Music" w. [[Robert Sour]] m. [[Henry Katzman|Henry Manners]]
* "We Three" w.m. Nelson Cogane, Sammy Mysels & Dick Robertson
* "Well, Did You Evah?" w.m. [[Cole Porter]]
* "When The Swallows Come Back To Capistrano" w.m. Leon René
* "[[When You Wish Upon a Star]]" w.m. [[Ned Washington]] & [[Leigh Harline]]. Introduced by [[Cliff Edwards]] in the animated film ''[[Pinocchio (1940 movie)|Pinocchio]]''
* "Whispering Grass" w. Fred Fisher m. Doris Fisher
* "[[The Woodpecker Song]]" w. (Eng) Harold Adamson (Ital) C. Bruno m. Eldo di Lazzaro
* "Worried Mind" w.m. [[Jimmie Davis]] & Ted Daffan
* "Yes, Indeed!" w.m. [[Sy Oliver]]
* "[[Yes, My Darling Daughter]]" w.m. Jack Lawrence
* "You and Your Kiss" w. [[Dorothy Fields]] m. [[Jerome Kern]]. Introduced by [[Allan Jones (actor)|Allan Jones]] in the film ''[[One Night in the Tropics]]''.
* "[[You Are My Sunshine]]" w.m. [[Jimmie Davis]] & Charles Mitchell
* "[[You Stepped Out Of A Dream]]" w. [[Gus Kahn]] m. [[Nacio Herb Brown]]
* "Zip" w. [[Lorenz Hart]] m. [[Richard Rodgers]]. In the role of reporter ''Melba Snyder'' in the Broadway production of ''[[Pal Joey (musical)|Pal Joey]]'', [[Jean Casto]] explained that the musings of a striptease artiste may be on a somewhat higher intellectual plane than those of her devotees.

==Classical music==

===Premieres===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Composer !! Composition !! Date !! Location !! Performers
|-
| [[Benjamin Britten|Britten, Benjamin]] || ''[[Les Illuminations (Britten)|Les Illuminations]]'' || 1940-01-30 || London || [[Sophie Wyss|Wyss]] / [[Boyd Neel String Orchestra|Neel String Orchestra]] – [[Boyd Neel|Neel]]<ref>{{IRCAM work|id=22695|title=''Les Illuminations'', Benjamin Britten}}</ref>
|-
| [[Benjamin Britten|Britten, Benjamin]] || [[Violin Concerto (Britten)|Violin Concerto]] || 1940-03-29 || New York City || [[Antonio Brosa|Brosa]] / [[New York Philharmonic]] – [[John Barbirolli|Barbirolli]]<ref>{{IRCAM work|id=22694|title=Violin Concerto, Benjamin Britten}}</ref>
|-
| [[John Alden Carpenter|Carpenter, John Alden]] || [[Symphony No. 1 (Carpenter)|Symphony No. 1]] (2nd version) || 1940-10-24 || Chicago || [[Chicago Symphony Orchestra|Chicago Symphony]] – [[Frederick Stock|Stock]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.naxos.com/mainsite/blurbs_reviews.asp?item_code=8.559065&catNum=559065&filetype=About+this+Recording&language=English|title=Carpenter: Adventures in a Perambulator / Symphonies Nos. 1 and 2|website=www.naxos.com}}</ref>
|-
|[[Carlos Chávez|Chávez, Carlos]] || ''[[Xochipilli (Chávez)|Xochipilli-Macuilxóchitl]]'' || 1940-05-16 || [[Museum of Modern Art]], New York City || Ensemble – [[Carlos Chávez|Chávez]]
|-
| [[Paul Creston|Creston, Paul]] || [[Symphony No. 1 (Creston)|Symphony No. 1]] || 1940-02-22 || New York City || [[NYA Symphony Orchestra|NYA Symphony]] – [[Fritz Mahler|Mahler]]<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=F5gdiyIQ6hgC&q=Paul+Creston+Symphony+1+New+York+1941&pg=PA42|title=Paul Creston: A Bio-bibliography|date=February 9, 1994|publisher=Greenwood Publishing Group|isbn=9780313253362|via=Google Books}}</ref>
|-
| [[Alberto Ginastera|Ginastera, Alberto]] || [[Malambo for piano]] || 1940-09-11 || Montevideo, Uruguay || [[Hugo Balzo|Balzo]]<ref>{{IRCAM work|id=31593|title=Malambo, Alberto Evaristo Ginastera}}</ref>
|-
| [[Alberto Ginastera|Ginastera, Alberto]] || [[Three Pieces for Piano (Ginastera)|Three Pieces for Piano]] || 1940-10-16 || Montevideo, Uruguay || [[Hugo Balzo|Balzo]]<ref>{{IRCAM work|id=31592|title=Tres Piezas, Alberto Evaristo Ginastera}}</ref>
|-
| [[Karl Amadeus Hartmann|Hartmann, Karl Amadeus]] || ''[[Concerto funebre]]'' || 1940-02-29 || St. Gallen, Switzerland || [[Karl-Neracher|Neracher]] / [[St. Gallen Chamber Orchestra]] – [[Ernst Klug|Klug]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hyperion-records.co.uk/dc.asp?dc=D_CDA67547|title=Hartmann: Concerto funebre|website=Hyperion Records}}</ref>
|-
|[[Paul Hindemith|Hindemith, Paul]]
|Violin Concerto (1939)
|1940-03-14
|Amsterdam
|[[Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra|Concertgebouw Orchestra]]
|-
| [[Aram Khachaturian|Khachaturian, Aram]] || [[Violin Concerto (Khachaturian)|Violin Concerto]] || 1940-11-16 || Moscow || [[David Oistrakh|Oistrakh]] / [[USSR State Symphony Orchestra|USSR State Symphony]] – [[Alexander Gauk|Gauk]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.laphil.com/philpedia/music/violin-concerto-d-minor-aram-khachaturian|title=Los Angeles Philharmonic|access-date=July 19, 2015|archive-date=July 22, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150722213721/http://www.laphil.com/philpedia/music/violin-concerto-d-minor-aram-khachaturian|url-status=dead}}</ref>
|-
| [[Ernst Krenek|Krenek, Ernst]] || [[Little Concerto for Piano, Organ and Chamber Orchestra]] || 1940-05-23 || Poughkeepsie, New York || [[Mary Williams (pianist)|Williams]], [[Harold Geer|Geer]] / [[Vassar Orchestra]] – Krenek <ref>{{IRCAM work|id=33713|title=Little Concerto, Ernst Krenek}}</ref>
|-
| [[Ernst Krenek|Krenek, Ernst]] || ''[[Symphonisches Stück]]'' || 1940-06-11 || Basel || [[Basel Chamber Orchestra]] – [[Paul Sacher|Sacher]]<ref>{{IRCAM work|id=33739|title=''Symphonisches Stück'', Ernst Krenek}}</ref>
|-
| [[Lars-Erik Larsson|Larsson, Lars-Erik]] || ''[[God in Disguise]]'' || 1940-04-01 || Stockholm || [[Kerstin Torlind|Torlind]], [[Hugo Hasslo|Hasslo]], [[Olof Molander|Molander]] / [[Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra|Swedish Radio Symphony]] – Larsson <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.norrlandsoperan.se/eng/events/0528-foerklaedd-gud/7446|title=Norlands Operan|access-date=July 24, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150724212035/http://www.norrlandsoperan.se/eng/events/0528-foerklaedd-gud/7446|archive-date=July 24, 2015|url-status=dead|df=mdy-all}}</ref>
|-
| [[Douglas Lilburn|Lilburn, Douglas]] || ''[[Aotearoa (overture)|Aotearoa]]'', overture || 1940-04-15 || London || [[Sadler's Wells Theatre|Sadler's Welles Orchestra]] – [[Warwick Braithwaite|Braithwaite]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://sounz.org.nz/works/12102|title=Overture: Aotearoa – SOUNZ|website=sounz.org.nz|accessdate=August 20, 2024}}</ref>
|-
| [[Darius Milhaud|Milhaud, Darius]] || [[Symphony No. 1 (Milhaud)|Symphony No. 1]] || 1940-10-17 || Chicago || [[Chicago Symphony Orchestra|Chicago Symphony]] – Milhaud <ref>{{cite web|url=https://cso.org/uploadedFiles/8_about/History_-_Rosenthal_archives/world_premieres.pdf|title=Chicago Symphony Orchestra|access-date=July 24, 2015|archive-date=July 17, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150717065206/http://cso.org/uploadedFiles/8_about/History_-_Rosenthal_archives/world_premieres.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref>
|-
| [[Nikolai Myaskovsky|Myaskovsky, Nikolai]] || [[Symphony No. 20 (Myaskovsky)|Symphony No. 20]] || 1940-11-28 || Moscow || [[Tchaikovsky Symphony Orchestra|USSR Radio Symphony]] – [[Nikolai Golovanov|Golovanov]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.myaskovsky.ru/?id=4&id1=0&id2=58&sf=0&so=0|title=N. Myaskovsky » Works|website=www.myaskovsky.ru}}</ref>
|-
| [[Walter Piston|Piston, Walter]] || [[Violin Concerto No. 1 (Piston)|Violin Concerto No. 1]] || 1940-03-18 || New York City || [[Ruth Posselt|Posselt]] / [[National Orchestral Association]] – [[Léon Barzin|Barzin]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.naxos.com/mainsite/blurbs_reviews.asp?item_code=8.559003&catNum=559003&filetype=About+this+Recording&language=English|title=PISTON, W.: Violin Concertos Nos. 1 and 2 / Fantasia for Violin and Orchestra (Buswell, Ukraine National Symphony, T. Kuchar)|website=www.naxos.com}}</ref>
|-
| [[Florence Price|Price, Florence]] || [[Symphony No. 3 (Price)]] || 1940-11-06 || Little Rock, US || Detroit Civic Orchestra – Valter Poole<ref name="Symphony nos. 1 and 3">{{cite book |last=Price |first=Florence |author-link=Florence Price |date=January 1, 2008 |orig-year=1932 |editor1-last=Brown |editor1-first=Rae Linda |editor2-last=Shirley |editor2-first=Wayne D. |title=Symphonies nos. 1 and 3 |publisher=A-R Editions |pages=xlvi–lii |isbn=978-0895796387}}</ref>
|-
| [[Sergei Prokofiev|Prokofiev, Sergei]] || [[Piano Sonata No. 6 (Prokofiev)|Piano Sonata No. 6]] || 1940-04-08 || Moscow || Prokofiev<ref>{{cite web|url=http://ljms.org/ai1ec_event/an-evening-with-yefim-bronfman/?instance_id=|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150725130641/http://ljms.org/ai1ec_event/an-evening-with-yefim-bronfman/?instance_id=|url-status=dead|archive-date=July 25, 2015|title=An Evening with Yefim Bronfman – La Jolla Music Society|first=Olivia|last=Espinosa}}</ref>
|-
| [[Joaquín Rodrigo|Rodrigo, Joaquín]] || ''[[Concierto de Aranjuez]]'' || 1940-11-09 || Barcelona || [[Regino Saenz de la Maza|Saenz de la Maza]] / [[Barcelona Philharmonic Orchestra|Barcelona Philharmonic]] – [[César Mendoza Lasalle|Mendoza-Lasalle]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.joaquin-rodrigo.com/index.php/en/concierto-de-aranjuez-2/estrenos|title=Joaquín Rodrigo official website|accessdate=August 20, 2024}}</ref>
|-
| [[Arnold Schoenberg|Schoenberg, Arnold]] || [[Chamber Symphony No. 2 (Schoenberg)|Chamber Symphony No. 2]] || 1940-12-15 || New York City || [[Orchestra of the Friends of New Music|Friends of New Music Orchestra]] – [[Fritz Stiedry|Stiedry]]<ref>{{IRCAM work|id=11854|title=Zweite Kammersymphonie op. 38, Arnold Schoenberg}}</ref>
|-
| [[Arnold Schoenberg|Schoenberg, Arnold]] || [[Violin Concerto (Schoenberg)|Violin Concerto]] (finished 1936) || 1940-12-06 || Philadelphia || [[Louis Krasner|Krasner]] / [[Philadelphia Orchestra]] – [[Leopold Stokowski|Stokowski]]<ref>{{IRCAM work|id=23759|title=Concerto pour violon et orchestre op. 36, Arnold Schoenberg}}</ref>
|-
| [[Dmitri Shostakovich|Shostakovich, Dmitri]] || [[Piano Quintet (Shostakovich)|Piano Quintet]] || 1940-11-23 || Moscow || Shostakovich, [[Beethoven Quartet]]<ref>{{IRCAM work|id=7379|title=Quintette avec piano, Dimitri Chostakovitch}}</ref>
|-
| [[Dmitri Shostakovich|Shostakovich, Dmitri]] || [[Four Romances on Verses by Pushkin]] || 1940-12-08 || Moscow || [[Alexander Baturin|Baturin]], Shostakovich <ref>{{IRCAM work|id=7362|title=Quatre romances sur des vers de Pouchkine, Dimitri Chostakovitch}}</ref>
|-
| [[Richard Strauss|Strauss, Richard]] || ''[[Japanese Festival Music]]'' || 1940-12-14 || Tokyo || [[NHK Symphony Orchestra|Tokyo Broadcast Orchestra]] – [[Helmut Fellmer|Fellmer]]<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zoa3AwAAQBAJ&q=strauss+%22japanische+festmusik%22+december+1940&pg=PA321|title=The Hutchinson Concise Dictionary of Music|first=Barrie|last=Jones|date=June 3, 2014|publisher=Routledge|isbn=9781135950187|via=Google Books}}</ref>
|-
| [[Igor Stravinsky|Stravinsky, Igor]] || [[Symphony in C (Stravinsky)|Symphony in C]] || 1940-11-07 || Chicago || [[Chicago Symphony Orchestra|Chicago Symphony]] – Stravinsky <ref>{{cite web|url=http://cso.org/uploadedfiles/1_tickets_and_events/program_notes/programnotes_stravinsky_symphony_in_c.pdf|title=Chicago Symphony Orchestra|access-date=July 24, 2015|archive-date=December 12, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141212030048/http://cso.org/uploadedfiles/1_tickets_and_events/program_notes/programnotes_stravinsky_symphony_in_c.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref>
|-
| [[Michael Tippett|Tippett, Michael]] || [[Concerto for Double String Orchestra (Tippett)|Concerto for Double String Orchestra]] || 1940-04-21 || London || [[South London Orchestra]] – Tippett <ref>{{IRCAM work|id=12384|title=Concerto pour double orchestre à cordes, Sir Michael Tippett}}</ref>
|-
| [[Anton Webern|Webern, Anton]] || ''[[Fünf Lieder, Op. 4 (Webern)|Fünf Lieder]]'', Op. 4 (1909) || 1940-02-10 || Basel, Switzerland || [[Marguerite Gradmann-Lüscher|Gradmann-Lüscher]], [[Erich Schmid (conductor)|Schmid]]<ref>{{IRCAM work|id=12633|title=''Fünf Lieder'', Op. 4, Anton Webern}}</ref>
|-
|}

===Compositions===
*[[Granville Bantock]] – ''Celtic Symphony''
*[[Samuel Barber]] – [[Violin Concerto (Barber)|Violin Concerto]]
*[[Lennox Berkeley]] – Symphony No. 1
*[[Benjamin Britten]] – ''Sinfonia da Requiem''
*[[Carlos Chávez]] –
**[[Piano Concerto (Chávez)|Concerto for piano and orchestra]]
**''[[Xochipilli (Chávez)|Xochipilli-Macuilxóchitl]]''
*[[Aaron Copland]] – ''Episode'', ''Music for '''Our Town'''''
*[[Paul Creston]] – Symphony No. 1
*[[David Diamond (composer)|David Diamond]] – ''Concerto for Small Orchestra'', String Quartet No. 1
*[[Hanns Eisler]] – Chamber Symphony
*[[George Enescu]] – [[Piano Quintet (Enescu)|Piano Quintet]] in A minor, Op. 29
*[[Evaristo Fernández Blanco]] – ''[[Dramatic Overture (Fernández Blanco)|Dramatic Overture]]''
*[[John Fernström]] – Symphony No. 6, Op. 51
*[[Vivian Fine]] – Suite in E Flat
*[[Jakov Gotovac]] – ''Guslar'', Op. 22
*[[Roy Harris]] – ''Folksong Symphony''
*[[Paul Hindemith]] – Cello Concerto, Symphony in E-flat
*[[Aram Khachaturian]] – Violin Concerto
*[[Gideon Klein]] – String Quartet, Op. 2
*[[László Lajtha]] – Cello Concerto
*[[Igor Markevitch]] – ''Lorenzo il Magnifico''
*[[Frank Martin (composer)|Frank Martin]] – ''Ballade'' for Trombone and Piano
*[[Olivier Messiaen]] – ''[[Quatuor pour la fin du temps]]'' (Quartet for the End of Time)
*[[Darius Milhaud]] – String Quartet No. 10
*[[Gösta Nystroem]] – Viola Concerto
*[[Willem Pijper]] – Six Adagios, for orchestra
*[[Walter Piston]] – Suite from ''The Incredible Flutist''
*[[Sergei Rachmaninoff]] – ''Symphonic Dances''
*[[Roger Sessions]] – ''From My Diary'', for piano
*[[Igor Stravinsky]] – Symphony in C
*[[Eduard Tubin]] – ''Prelude Solennel''
*[[William Walton]] – ''[[The Wise Virgins]]'' (ballet)
*[[Heitor Villa-Lobos]] – [[Prelude No. 5 (Villa-Lobos)|Five Preludes]] for guitar

==Opera==
*[[Luigi Dallapiccola]] – ''[[Volo di notte]]'', Florence, [[Teatro della Pergola]], May 18.
*[[Sergei Prokofiev]] – ''[[Semyon Kotko]]'' (libretto by Prokofiev and [[Valentin Kataev]]), Moscow, [[Stanislavsky Opera Theatre]], 23 June 1940.
*[[Geirr Tveitt]] – ''[[Dragaredokko]]'' (score lost: only a piano transcription exists)

==Film==
*[[Aaron Copland]] – ''[[Our Town (1940 film)]]''
*[[Leigh Harline]] – ''[[Pinocchio (1940 film)]]''
*[[Erich Korngold]] – ''[[The Sea Hawk (1940 film)]]''
*[[Miklós Rózsa]] – ''[[The Thief of Bagdad (1940 film)]]''
*[[Dmitri Shostakovich]] – ''The Adventures of Korzinkina''
*[[Franz Waxman]] – ''[[Rebecca (1940 film)|Rebecca]]''

==[[Jazz]]==
{{Main|1940 in jazz}}

==[[Musical theatre]]==
* ''[[Apple Sauce (musical)|Apple Sauce]]'' (Music and Lyrics: [[Michael Carr (composer)|Michael Carr]] & [[Jack Strachey]]). London production opened at the [[Holborn Empire]] on August 27 and moved to the [[London Palladium]] on March 5, 1941, when the Holburn Empire was destroyed in the blitz. Total run 462 performances.
* ''[[The Beggar's Opera]]'' (Music and Lyrics: [[John Gay]] adapted by [[Frederic Austin]]). London revival opened at the [[Haymarket Theatre]] on March 5.
* ''[[Cabin in the Sky (play)|Cabin in the Sky]]'' (Music: [[Vernon Duke]] Lyrics: [[John La Touche (musician)|John Latouche]] Book: [[Lynn Root]]). Broadway production opened on October 25 at the [[Martin Beck Theatre]] and ran for 156 performances
* ''[[Higher and Higher (musical)|Higher and Higher]]'' (Music: [[Richard Rodgers]] Lyrics: [[Lorenz Hart]] Book: Gladys Hurlbut and Joshua Logan) opened at the [[Shubert Theatre (Broadway)|Shubert Theatre]] on April 4 and ran for 84 performances. It returned to the same theatre on August 5 for a further 24 performances.
* ''[[Hold On To Your Hats]]'' (Music: [[Burton Lane]] Lyrics: [[Yip Harburg|E. Y. Harburg]] Book: [[Eddie Davis (writer)|Eddie Davis]], [[Guy Bolton]] and [[Matt Brooks]]). Broadway production opened at the [[Shubert Theatre (Broadway)|Shubert Theatre]] on September 11 and ran for 158 performances
* ''[[Keep Off The Grass]]'' (Music: [[Jimmy McHugh]] Lyrics: [[Al Dubin]] and [[Howard Dietz]]). Broadway revue opened at the [[Broadhurst Theatre]] on May 23 and ran for 44 performances
* ''[[Louisiana Purchase (musical)|Louisiana Purchase]]'' (Music and Lyrics: [[Irving Berlin]] Book: [[Morrie Ryskind]]). Broadway production opened on May 28 at the [[Imperial Theatre (Broadway)|Imperial Theatre]] and ran for 444 performances
* ''[[Meet the People]]'' Broadway production opened at the [[Mansfield Theatre]] on December 25 and ran for 160 performances.
*''[[New Faces (London revue)|New Faces]]'' [[West End theatre|London]] [[revue]] opened at the [[Comedy Theatre]] on April 11 and moved to the [[Apollo Theatre]] on March 14, 1941.
* ''[[Pal Joey (musical)|Pal Joey]]'' (Music: [[Richard Rodgers]] Lyrics: [[Lorenz Hart]] Book: [[John O'Hara]]) – Broadway production opened on December 25 at the [[Ethel Barrymore Theatre]] and ran for 374 performances
* ''[[Panama Hattie]]'' (Music and Lyrics: [[Cole Porter]] Book: [[Herbert Fields]] and [[B. G. DeSylva]]). Broadway production opened on October 30 at the [[46th Street Theatre]] and ran for 501 performances
* ''[[Two for the Show (musical)|Two for the Show]]'' Broadway [[revue]] opened at the [[Booth Theatre]] on February 11 and ran for 124 performances
* ''[[Walk With Music]]'' (Music: [[Hoagy Carmichael]] Lyrics: [[Johnny Mercer]] Book: [[Guy Bolton]], [[Parke Levy]] and [[Alan Lipscott]]). Broadway production opened on June 4 at the [[Ethel Barrymore Theatre]] and ran for 55 performances
* ''[[The White Horse Inn (operetta)|The White Horse Inn]]'' (Music: [[Ralph Benatzky]] Lyrics and Book: [[Harry Graham (poet)|Harry Graham]]). London revival opened on March 20 at the [[London Coliseum]] and ran for 268 performances until ended by bombing raids.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.overthefootlights.co.uk/London%20Musicals%201940-1944.pub.pdf|title=London performances – ''White Horse Inn'' (1st Revival)|date=1940|website=overthefootlights.co.uk|access-date=June 19, 2014 |archive-date=February 11, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150211233927/http://www.overthefootlights.co.uk/London%20Musicals%201940-1944.pub.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==[[Musical film]]s==
* ''[[The Boys from Syracuse]]'', based on the 1938 Broadway play, starring [[Allan Jones (actor)|Allan Jones]], [[Irene Hervey]], [[Martha Raye]] and [[Rosemary Lane (actress)|Rosemary Lane]]
* ''[[Broadway Melody of 1940]]'', starring [[Fred Astaire]] and [[Eleanor Powell]]
* ''[[Canto de amor]]'', Argentine musical directed by [[Julio Irigoyen]]
* ''[[El Cantor de Buenos Aires]]'', Argentine musical
* ''[[Gül Baba (1940 film)|Gül Baba]]'', Hungarian musical starring [[Sándor Kömíves]] and [[Zita Szeleczky]]<ref>{{Cite book|author=Várkonyi Vilmos|title=Jávor Pál: és a magyar film aranykora|publisher=Zima Szabolcs|year=2013|page=52}}</ref>
* ''[[If I Had My Way (film)|If I Had My Way]]'', starring [[Bing Crosby]] and [[Gloria Jean]]
* ''[[Irene (1940 film)|Irene]]'', starring [[Anna Neagle]], [[Ray Milland]] and [[Billie Burke]]
* ''[[It All Came True]]'' starring [[Ann Sheridan]] and [[Humphrey Bogart]]
* ''[[La canción del milagro]]'', Mexican musical drama starring [[José Mojica]]
* ''[[Lillian Russell (film)]]'', starring [[Alice Faye]], [[Don Ameche]], [[Henry Fonda]] and [[Eddie Foy Jr.]]
* ''[[Little Nellie Kelly]]'', starring [[Judy Garland]], [[George Murphy]] and [[Charles Winninger]]. Directed by [[Norman Taurog]].
* ''[[New Moon (1940 film)|New Moon]]'', starring [[Jeanette MacDonald]] and [[Nelson Eddy]]. Directed by [[Robert Z. Leonard]].<ref>{{cite book |last1=Medved |first1=Harry |title=The Fifty Worst Movies of All Time (and how They Got that Way) |date=1978 |publisher=Angus & Robertson |isbn=9780207958915 |pages=288 |edition=First |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=WpQHAQAAIAAJ |access-date=16 May 2021}}</ref>
* ''[[A Night at Earl Carroll's]]'', released December 6<ref>{{cite web|last=Crowther |first=Bosley |url=https://www.nytimes.com/movies/movie/127766/A-Night-at-Earl-Carroll-s/overview |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402193833/http://www.nytimes.com/movies/movie/127766/A-Night-at-Earl-Carroll-s/overview |url-status=dead |archive-date=2015-04-02 |title=A-Night-at-Earl-Carroll-s – Trailer – Cast – Showtimes |department=Movies & TV Dept. |work=[[The New York Times]] |author-link=Bosley Crowther |date=2015 |access-date=August 1, 2024}}</ref>
* ''[[No, No, Nanette (1940 film)|No, No, Nanette]]'', starring [[Anna Neagle]], [[Richard Carlson (actor)|Richard Carlson]], [[Victor Mature]], [[Roland Young]], [[Helen Broderick]], [[Zasu Pitts]] and [[Eve Arden]]
* ''[[One Night in the Tropics]]'', starring [[Allan Jones (actor)|Allan Jones]], [[Nancy Kelly]], [[Bud Abbott]] and [[Lou Costello]]. Directed by [[A. Edward Sutherland]].
* ''[[Pinocchio (1940 film)|Pinocchio]]'' Walt Disney animated film
* ''[[Spring Parade]]'', starring [[Deanna Durbin]] remake of 1934 film
* ''[[Too Many Girls (musical)|Too Many Girls]]'', based on 1939 Broadway musical, starring [[Lucille Ball]], [[Richard Carlson (actor)|Richard Carlson]], [[Frances Langford]], [[Ann Miller]], [[Eddie Bracken]] and [[Desi Arnaz]].
* ''[[Two Girls on Broadway]]'', remake of 1929 film ''[[The Broadway Melody]]'', starring [[Lana Turner]], [[Joan Blondell]] and [[George Murphy]].
* ''[[Young People (1940 film)|Young People]]'', starring [[Shirley Temple]]. Directed by Allan Dwan.

==Births==
*[[January 8]] – [[Anthony Gourdine]], American R&B vocalist ([[Little Anthony & the Imperials]])
*[[January 9]] – [[Al Downing (musician)|Al Downing]], American singer-songwriter and pianist (died 2005)
*[[January 11]] – [[Sydney Devine]], Scottish singer (died 2021)
*[[January 18]] – [[Lindsay L. Cooper]], Scottish jazz string player (died 2001)
*[[January 19]] – [[Rudolf Jansen]], Dutch pianist  (died 2024)
*[[January 22]] – [[Addie "Micki" Harris]], American R&B vocalist ([[The Shirelles]]) (died 1982)
*[[January 23]]
**[[Jimmy Castor]], African-American funk, R&B and soul saxophonist (died [[2012 in music|2012]])<ref>{{Cite news|last=Martin |first=Douglas |date=January 17, 2012 |title=Jimmy Castor, Musician Who Mastered Many Genres, Dies at 71 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/18/arts/music/jimmy-castor-musician-who-mastered-many-genres-dies-at-71.html |newspaper=[[The New York Times]]}}</ref>
**[[Joe Dowell]], American singer (died 2016)
**[[Johnny Russell (singer)|Johnny Russell]], American singer-songwriter and guitarist (died 2001)
*[[January 28]] – [[Trebor Jay Tichenor]], American pianist and composer (died 2014)
*[[January 30]] – [[David C. Johnson]], American composer, flautist and live-electronic performer
*[[January 31]] – [[Sandy Yaguda]], American vocalist ([[Jay and the Americans]])
*[[February 2]] – [[Alan Caddy]] ([[The Tornados]]) (died 2000)
*[[February 3]] – [[Angelo D'Aleo]] ([[Dion and the Belmonts]])
*[[February 10]]
**[[Jimmy Merchant]] ([[Frankie Lymon & The Teenagers]])
**[[Kenny Rankin]], jazz and pop singer-songwriter (died 2009)
*[[February 11]] – [[Bobby 'Boris' Pickett]], singer (died 2007)
*[[February 19]] – [[Smokey Robinson]], soul singer (The Miracles)
*[[February 20]] – [[Barbara Ellis]], pop singer (The Fleetwoods)
*[[February 25]] – [[Jesús López Cobos]], conductor (died 2018)
*[[February 28]]
**<!--February 28-->[[Marty Sanders]] ([[Jay and the Americans]])
**<!--February 28-->[[Joe South]], singer songwriter (died 2012)
*[[February 29]] – [[Gretchen Christopher]], pop singer (The Fleetwoods)
*[[March 2]] – [[Juraj Beneš]], composer (died 2004)
*[[March 10]] – [[Dean Torrence]] ([[Jan and Dean]])
*[[March 12]] – [[Al Jarreau]], singer (died 2017)
*[[March 13]] – [[Daniel Bennie]] ([[The Reflections (Detroit band)|The Reflections]])
*[[March 15]] – [[Phil Lesh]], rock bass guitarist ([[Grateful Dead]])
*[[March 16]] – [[Rock-Olga]] (Birgit Jacobsson), rock singer (died 2010)
*[[March 17]] – [[Vito Picone]], doo-wop singer ([[The Elegants]])
*[[March 25]]
**[[Anita Bryant]], singer
**[[Mina (Italian singer)|Mina]], singer
*[[March 27]] – [[Derrick Morgan]], ska musician
*[[March 29]]
**[[Ray Davis (musician)|Ray Davis]], funk bass singer ([[Parliament (band)|Parliament]], Funkadelic) (died 2005)
**[[Astrud Gilberto]], bossa nova singer (died 2023)
*[[April 1]] – [[Annie Nightingale]], radio music presenter
*[[April 12]] – [[Herbie Hancock]], jazz pianist and composer
*[[April 13]] – [[Lester Chambers]], soul rock singer ([[The Chambers Brothers]])
*[[April 17]] – [[Billy Fury]], singer (died 1983)
*[[April 24]]
**[[Bayan Northcott]], music critic and composer (died 2022)
**[[George Tomsco]], rock guitarist ([[The Fireballs]])
*[[April 26]] – [[Giorgio Moroder]], record producer
*[[May 3]]
**[[Conny Plank]], sound engineer (died 1987)
**[[Leif Rygg]], [[Hardanger fiddle]] player (died 2018)
*[[May 8]]
**[[Ricky Nelson]], singer and actor (The Nelsons) (died 1985)
**[[Toni Tennille]] ([[Captain & Tennille]])
*[[May 15]] – [[Lainie Kazan]], American actress and singer
*[[May 19]] – [[Mickey Newbury]], songwriter (died 2002)
*[[May 21]] – [[Tony Sheridan]], rock singer-songwriter and guitarist (died 2013)
*[[May 26]] – [[Levon Helm]], American rock vocalist/drummer ([[The Band]]) (died 2012)
*[[June 7]] – [[Tom Jones (singer)|Tom Jones]], singer
*[[June 8]]
**[[Sherman Garnes]] ([[Frankie Lymon & The Teenagers]]) (died 1977)
**[[Nancy Sinatra]], singer
*[[June 11]] – Joey Dee, leader of [[Joey Dee and the Starliters]]
*[[June 13]] – [[Bobby Freeman]], soul singer (died 2017)
*[[June 23]]
**[[Adam Faith]], born Terry Nelhams, pop singer, screen actor and financial journalist (died 2003)
**[[Stuart Sutcliffe]], rock bass guitarist ([[The Beatles]]) and artist (died 1962)
**[[Diana Trask]], Australian-born country and pop singer
*[[July 4]]
**[[Helen Quach]], Vietnamese-born orchestral conductor (died 2013)
**[[Dave Rowberry]], rock pianist and songwriter ([[The Animals]]) (died 2003)
*[[July 6]] – [[Jeannie Seely]], American singer-songwriter and actress
*[[July 7]] – [[Ringo Starr]], rock drummer ([[The Beatles]])
*[[July 16]] – [[Tony Jackson (singer)|Tony Jackson]], singer and bass guitarist ([[The Searchers (band)|The Searchers]]) (died 2003)
*[[July 22]] – [[Thomas Wayne (singer)|Thomas Wayne]], American singer (died 1971)
*[[August 10]] – [[Bobby Hatfield]], singer ([[The Righteous Brothers]]) (died 2003)
*[[August 12]] – [[Tony Allen (musician)|Tony Allen]], Afrobeat drummer (died 2020)
*[[August 14]] – [[Dash Crofts]], [[Seals and Crofts]]
*[[August 19]]
**[[Roger Cook (songwriter)|Roger Cook]], songwriter
**[[Johnny Nash]], reggae singer (died 2020)
*[[August 20]] – [[John Lantree]] ([[The Honeycombs]])
*[[August 31]] – [[Wilton Felder]], jazz saxophonist ([[The Crusaders (Houston group)|The Crusaders]]) (died 2015)
*[[September 2]] – [[Jimmy Clanton]], singer
*[[September 6]] – [[Jackie Trent]], born Yvonne Burgess, songwriter (died 2015)
*[[September 9]] – [[Joe Negroni]] ([[Frankie Lymon & The Teenagers]]) (died 1978)
*[[September 10]] – [[Dickie Rock]], singer
*[[September 11]] – Bernie Dwyer ([[Freddie & The Dreamers]])
*[[September 17]] – [[Lamonte McLemore]], vocalist ([[The 5th Dimension]])
*[[September 19]] – [[Bill Medley]], singer ([[The Righteous Brothers]])
*[[September 30]] – [[Dewey Martin (musician)|Dewey Martin]], rock drummer ([[Buffalo Springfield]]) (died 2009)
*[[October 1]] – [[Atarah Ben-Tovim]], flautist and children's concert promoter (died 2022)
*[[October 8]] – [[Fred Cash]], soul singer ([[The Impressions]])
*[[October 9]] – [[John Lennon]], rock singer-songwriter (murdered 1980)
*[[October 14]] – [[Cliff Richard]], singer
*[[October 17]] – [[Stephen Kovacevich]], pianist
*[[October 18]] – [[Cynthia Weil]], songwriter (died 2023)
*[[October 19]] – [[Larry Chance]], doo-wop singer ([[The Earls]])
*[[October 21]] – [[Jimmy Beaumont]], doo-wop singer ([[The Skyliners]]) (died 2017)
*[[October 23]]
**[[Ellie Greenwich]], songwriter (died 2009)
**Freddie Marsden, beat drummer ([[Gerry and the Pacemakers]])
*[[October 31]] – [[Eric Griffiths]], skiffle guitarist ([[The Quarrymen]]) (died 2005)
*[[November 2]] – [[Hugo Raspoet]], folk singer (died 2018).
*[[November 4]] – [[Delbert McClinton]], singer-songwriter
*[[November 16]] – [[John Ryanes]], doo-wop bass singer ([[The Monotones]])
*[[November 17]] – [[Luke Kelly]], folk musician ([[The Dubliners]]) (died 1984)
*[[November 25]] – [[Percy Sledge]], singer (died 2015)
*[[November 28]] – [[Bruce Channel]], singer
*[[November 29]]
**[[Seán Cannon]], Irish folk musician
**[[Mark James (songwriter)|Mark James]], born Francis Zambon, songwriter (died 2024)
**[[Chuck Mangione]], flugelhorn player and composer
*[[December 9]] – [[Clancy Eccles]], Jamaican ska/reggae singer (died 2005)
*[[December 11]] – [[David Gates]], American singer-songwriter ([[Bread (band)|Bread]])
*[[December 12]] – [[Dionne Warwick]], American singer
*[[December 19]] – [[Phil Ochs]], American protest singer (died 1976)
*[[December 21]]
**[[Ray Hildebrand]], American singer ([[Paul & Paula]])
**[[Frank Zappa]], American guitarist and composer (died 1993)
*[[December 23]]
**[[Tim Hardin]], American folk singer (died 1980)
**[[Jorma Kaukonen]], American guitarist ([[Jefferson Airplane]], [[Hot Tuna]])
**[[Eugene Record]], American singer ([[The Chi-Lites]]) (died 2005)
*[[December 28]] 
** [[Lonnie Liston Smith]], American jazz and funk musician
** [[Kurt Widmer]], Swiss opera singer and voice coach (died 2023)

==Deaths==
*[[January 7]] – [[Effie Crockett]], composer of "Rock-a-Bye Baby", 83
*[[January 17]] – [[Carl Boberg]], hymn-writer, 80
*[[February 2]] – [[Nikolay Kedrov Sr.]], composer, 68
*[[February 17]] – [[Gus Elen]], music hall singer, 77
*[[February 28]] – [[Arnold Dolmetsch]], musical instrument maker, 82
*[[March 18]] – [[Lola Beeth]], operatic soprano, 78
*[[March 25]] – [[Ion Nonna Otescu|Nonna Otescu]], composer, 51
*[[April 9]] – [[Rosa Newmarch]], music writer, 82
*[[April 18]] – [[Florrie Forde]], Australian-born English [[music hall]] singer, 64
*[[April 28]] – [[Luisa Tetrazzini]], soprano, 68
*[[May 23]] – [[Andrey Rimsky-Korsakov]], musicologist, 61
*[[May 29]] – [[Mathilda Grabow]], operatic soprano, 88
*[[June 8]] – [[Frederick Converse]], composer, 69
*[[June 19]] – [[Albert Reiss]], operatic tenor, 70
*[[June 20]]
**[[Jehan Alain]], organist and composer, 29 (killed in action)
**[[Emma Nevada]], operatic soprano, 81
*[[July 10]] – Sir [[Donald Francis Tovey]], musicologist and composer, 64
*[[August 8]]
**<!--August 8-->[[Alessandro Bonci]], operatic tenor, 70
**<!--August 8-->[[Johnny Dodds]], jazz musician, 48 (heart attack)
*[[August 10]] – [[Alessandro Bonci]], lyric tenor, 70
*[[August 16]] – [[Eduard Sõrmus]], Estonian violinist, 62
*[[August 21]] – [[Paul Juon]], composer and teacher, 68
*[[August 29]] – [[Arthur De Greef (composer)|Arthur De Greef]], pianist and composer, 77
*[[September 2]] – [[Giulio Gatti-Casazza]], director of the Metropolitan Opera, 71
*[[September 30]] – [[Walter Kollo]], operetta composer, 62
*[[October 5]] – [[Silvestre Revueltas]], composer, 40 (pneumonia)
*[[November 6]] – [[Ivar F. Andresen]], operatic bass, 44
*[[November 12]] – [[Alejandro García Caturla]], composer, 34
*[[November 22]] – [[Jorge Bravo de Rueda]], pianist and composer, 45
*[[November 23]] – [[Billy Jones (1930s singer)|Billy Jones]], US singer, 51
*[[December 3]] – [[Walborg Lagerwall]], Swedish violinist, 89
*[[December 5]] – [[Jan Kubelik]], violinist, 60
*[[December 11]] – [[J. Harold Murray]], baritone, 49 (nephritis)
*[[December 15]] – [[Blanche Marchesi]], mezzo-soprano and voice teacher, 77
*[[December 16]] – [[William Wallace (Scottish composer)|William Wallace]], composer, 80
*[[December 21]] – [[Hal Kemp]], jazz musician and bandleader, 36 (complications following car accident)
*[[December 24]] – [[Billy Hill (songwriter)|Billy Hill]], songwriter, 41
*''date unknown'' – [[Marguerite Ugalde]], operatic mezzo-soprano (born 1862)

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:1940 in music| ]]
[[Category:20th century in music]]
[[Category:Music by year]]