1942 in music


This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1942.

Specific locations

Specific genres

Events

Albums released

Top popular recordings 1942

The following songs appeared in The Billboard's 'Best Selling Retail Records' chart during 1942. 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 and other sources as specified.
The following songs appeared in The Billboard's 'Best Selling Retail Records' chart during 1942.
RankArtistTitleLabelRecordedReleasedChart positions
1Bing Crosby"White Christmas"Decca 18429US Billboard 1942 #1, US Pop #1 for 11 weeks, 17 total weeks, 191 points, 2,600,000 sales 1944, 50,000,000 2007, Grammy Hall of Fame 1974
2Glenn Miller and his Orchestra"(I've Got a Gal In) Kalamazoo"Victor 27934US Billboard 1942 #2, US Pop #1 for 7 weeks, 18 total weeks, 181 points, 1,000,000 sales
3Glenn Miller and his Orchestra"Moonlight Cocktail"Bluebird 11401US Billboard 1942 #3, US Pop #1 for 10 weeks, 21 total weeks, 178 points, 1,000,000 sales
4Kay Kyser and his Orchestra"Who Wouldn't Love You"Columbia 36526US Billboard 1942 #4, US Pop #2 for 8 weeks, 25 total weeks, 157 points, 1,000,000 sales
5Harry James and his Orchestra"Sleepy Lagoon"Columbia 36549US Billboard 1942 #5, US Pop #1 for 4 weeks, 23 total weeks, 153 points
6Kay Kyser and his Orchestra"Jingle Jangle Jingle"Columbia 36604US Billboard 1942 #6, US Pop #1 for 8 weeks, 13 total weeks, 153 points, 1,000,000 sales
7Jimmy Dorsey and his Orchestra "Tangerine"Decca 4123US Billboard 1942 #7, US Pop #1 for 6 weeks, 20 total weeks, 148 points
8Glenn Miller and his Orchestra"A String of Pearls"Bluebird 11382US Billboard 1942 #8, US Pop #1 for 2 weeks, 22 total weeks, 128 points, 1,000,000 sales
9Benny Goodman and his Orchestra"Jersey Bounce"Okeh 6590US Billboard 1942 #9, US Pop #2 for 6 weeks, 23 total weeks, 119 points
10Kay Kyser and his Orchestra"Praise the Lord and Pass the Ammunition"Columbia 36640US Billboard 1942 #10, US Pop #2 for 7 weeks, 14 total weeks, 109 points, 1,000,000 sales
11Glenn Miller and his Orchestra"Serenade in Blue"Victor 27935US Billboard 1942 #11, US Pop #2 for 1 weeks, 19 total weeks, 92 points
12Glenn Miller and his Orchestra"Don't Sit Under The Apple Tree (With Anyone else But Me)"Bluebird 11474US Billboard 1942 #12, US Pop #2 for 2 weeks, 20 total weeks, 81 points
13Woody Herman and His Orchestra"Blues In the Night"Decca 4030US Billboard 1942 #13, US Pop #1 for 1 weeks, 21 total weeks, 78 points
14Harry James and his Orchestra"I Don't Want To Walk Without You"Columbia 36478US Billboard 1942 #14, US Pop #2 for 5 weeks, 17 total weeks, 77 points
15Vaughn Monroe and his Orchestra"When The Lights Go On Again "Victor 27945US Billboard 1942 #15, US Pop #2 for 1 weeks, 18 total weeks, 77 points
16Kay Kyser and his Orchestra"He Wears a Pair of Silver Wings"Columbia 36604US Billboard 1942 #16, US Pop #2 for 4 weeks, 12 total weeks, 70 points
17Charlie Spivak and his Orchestra"My Devotion"Columbia 36620US Billboard 1942 #17, US Pop #2 for 2 weeks, 13 total weeks, 70 points
18Alvino Rey and his Orchestra"I Said No!"Bluebird 11391US Billboard 1942 #18, US Pop #2 for 1 weeks, 15 total weeks, 54 points
19Spike Jones and His City Slickers"Der Fuehrer's Face"Bluebird 11586US Billboard 1942 #19, US Pop #3 for 1 week, 16 total weeks, 50 points
20Harry James and His Orchestra "Mister Five By Five"Columbia 36650US Billboard 1942 #20, US Pop #2 for 1 weeks, 15 total weeks, 48 points

Published popular music

Classical music

Compositions

[Opera]

Film

[Musical theatre]

By Jupiter, Broadway production opened at the Shubert Theatre on June 2 and ran for 421 performancesDu Barry Was A Lady, London production opened at His Majesty's Theatre on October 22 and ran for 178 performancesLet's Face It!, London production opened at the Hippodrome on November 19 and ran for 348 performancesPriorities of 1942 Broadway Revue opened March 12 at the 46th Street Theatre and ran for 353 performances.Show Time Broadway Revue opened September 16 at the Broadhurst Theatre and ran for 342 performances.Star and Garter Broadway Revue opened on June 24 at the Music Box Theatre and ran for 605 performances.Stars on Ice Broadway Revue opened July 2 at the Center Theatre and ran for 827 performances.This Is the Army Broadway Revue opened July 4 at the Broadway Theatre and ran for 113 performances.

[Musical film]s

Academia El Tango Argentino, starring Warly Ceriani.Almost Married, starring Jane Frazee, Robert Paige, Eugene Pallette and Elizabeth Patterson. Directed by Charles Lamont.Bala Nagamma, starring Kanchanamala.The Balloon Goes Up, starring Ethel Revnell, Gracie West, Donald Peers and Ronald Shiner. Directed by Redd Davis.BambiBehind the Eight Ball, starring The Ritz Brothers, Carol Bruce, Dick Foran, Grace McDonald, Johnny Downs and William Demarest. Directed by Edward F. Cline.Bhakta Potana, starring V. Nagayya.Born To Sing, starring Virginia Weidler, Ray McDonald, Leo Gorcey and Rags Ragland. Directed by Edward Ludwig.Broadway, starring George Raft, Pat O'Brien, Janet Blair, Broderick Crawford and Marjorie Rambeau. Directed by William A. Seiter.Cairo, starring Jeanette MacDonald, Robert Young and Ethel Waters.The Fleet's In, starring Dorothy Lamour, William Holden, Eddie Bracken and Betty Hutton, and featuring Jimmy Dorsey & his Orchestra with vocals by Bob Eberly and Helen O'Connell.Footlight Serenade, starring Betty Grable and John Payne.For Me and My Gal, starring Judy Garland and Gene Kelly.Get Hep to Love, starring Gloria Jean, Donald O'Connor, Jane Frazee, Robert Paige, Peggy Ryan and Cora Sue CollinsGive Out, Sisters, starring LaVerne Andrews, Patty Andrews, Maxene Andrews, Dan Dailey and Donald O'ConnorI Married An Angel, starring Jeanette MacDonald, Nelson Eddy and Edward Everett Horton.Joan of Ozark, starring Judy Canova, Joe E. Brown and Eddie Foy Jr.King Arthur Was a Gentleman, starring Arthur Askey, Evelyn Dall and Anne SheltonMelodías de América, directed by Eduardo MoreraMoonlight in Havana, starring Allan Jones and Jane FrazeeMy Favorite Spy, starring Kay Kyser & his Band, Ellen Drew and Jane Wyman. Directed by Tay Garnett.Orchestra Wives, starring Ann Rutherford, George Montgomery, and Glenn Miller.Panama Hattie, starring Red Skelton, Ann Sothern, Virginia O'Brien and Dan Dailey, and featuring Lena Horne.Priorities on Parade, starring Ann Miller, Johnnie Johnston, Jerry Colonna and Betty Jane RhodesRhythm Parade, starring Nils T. Grunland, Gale Storm, Robert Lowery, The Mills Brothers and Ted Fio Rito and his Orchestra. Directed by Dave Gould and Howard Bretherton.Ride 'Em Cowboy, starring Bud Abbott, Lou Costello and Dick Foran and featuring Ella Fitzgerald and The Merry Macs.Rio Rita, starring Bud Abbott, Lou Costello, Kathryn Grayson and John CarrollRoad To Morocco, starring Bing Crosby, Bob Hope and Dorothy Lamour.Rose of Tralee, starring John Longden, Lesley Brook and Angela Glynne.Seven Days' Leave, starring Victor Mature, Lucille Ball and Buddy Clark and featuring Ginny Simms, Les Brown & his Orchestra and Freddy Martin & his OrchestraShip Ahoy, starring Eleanor Powell and Red Skelton.Sleepytime Gal, released March 5, starring Judy Canova and Ruth Terry and featuring Skinnay Ennis & his Orchestra.Springtime in the Rockies, released November 6, starring Carmen Miranda, Betty Grable and John Payne and featuring Harry James and his Music and Six Hits and a Miss.Star Spangled Rhythm, starring Betty Hutton and Eddie Bracken, and featuring Bing Crosby, Bob Hope, Dorothy Lamour, Paulette Goddard, Veronica Lake, Mary Martin, Dick Powell and Vera Zorina.Strictly in the Groove, starring Mary Healy, Richard Davies and Leon Errol and featuring Martha Tilton, The Dinning Sisters and Ozzie Nelson & his BandSweater Girl, released July 13, starring Eddie Bracken and June Preisser and featuring Betty Jane Rhodes.We'll Smile Again, starring Bud Flanagan, Chesney Allen and Meinhart Maur.Yankee Doodle Dandy, starring James Cagney, Joan Leslie, Irene Manning and Frances Langford.You Were Never Lovelier, starring Fred Astaire and Rita Hayworth.

Births

Deaths