1949 in music


This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1949.

Specific locations

Specific genres

Events

Albums released

Goree Carter;- Rock AwhileDer Bingle – Bing CrosbyJerome Kern Songs – Bing CrosbyMerry Christmas – Bing CrosbyStephen Foster Songs – Bing CrosbyLights, Cameras, Action – Doris DayYou're My Thrill – Doris DayFrankie Laine – Frankie LaineFrankie Laine Favorites – Frankie LaineSongs from the Heart – Frankie LaineThe Return of the Wayfaring Stranger – Burl IvesDinah Shore – Dinah ShoreJo Stafford with Gordon MacRae – Jo Stafford & Gordon MacRae

US No. 1 hit singles

These singles reached the top of the US charts in 1949.
First weekNumber of weeksTitleArtist
January 8, 19491"All I Want for Christmas Is My Two Front Teeth"Spike Jones
January 15, 19491"Buttons and Bows"Dinah Shore
January 22, 19497"A Little Bird Told Me"Evelyn Knight
March 12, 19492"Cruising Down the River"Blue Barron
March 26, 19497"Cruising Down the River"Russ Morgan
May 14, 194911"(Ghost) Riders in the Sky: A Cowboy Legend"Vaughn Monroe
July 30, 19495"Some Enchanted Evening"Perry Como
September 3, 19494"You're Breaking My Heart"Vic Damone
October 1, 19498"That Lucky Old Sun"Frankie Laine
November 26, 19496"Mule Train"Frankie Laine

Top popular records

Before the Hot100 was implemented in 1958, Billboard magazine measured a record's performance with three charts, 'Best-Selling Popular Retail Records', 'Records Most Played By Disk Jockeys' and 'Most-Played Juke Box Records'. We use the same data, with several modifications. Having no commercial deadlines, year-end data does not end December 31, chart-runs are ever truncated, and every hit song has a year to call home. With few exceptions, records included entered the charts between November 1948 and December 1949. 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. This system rewards songs that reach the highest positions, as well as those that had the longest chart runs. Each record's three point totals are combined, with that number determining the year-end rank. Number of weeks at number one or total weeks on the chart do not include duplicates; if a record was #1 on all 3 charts on July 15, that counts as one week, not three. Additional information from other sources is reported, but not used for ranking. This includes dates from the "Discography of American Historical Recordings" website, cross-over information from R&B and Country charts, 'Cashbox', and other sources as noted.
RankArtistTitleLabelRecordedReleasedChart positions
1Vaughn Monroe and His Orchestra"Riders in the Sky (A Cowboy Legend)"RCA Victor 20-3411US Billboard 1949 #1, US #1 for 12 weeks, 22 total weeks, US Country 1949 #43, USHB #2 for 1 weeks, 3 total weeks, 627 points, CashBox #1
2Frankie Laine"That Lucky Old Sun"Mercury 5316US Billboard 1949 #2, US #1 for 8 weeks, 22 total weeks, 510 points, CashBox #4
3The Andrews Sisters with Gordon Jenkins Orchestra"I Can Dream, Can't I?"Decca 24705US Billboard 1949 #3, US #1 for 5 weeks, 25 total weeks, 496 points
4Evelyn Knight"A Little Bird Told Me"Decca 24514US Billboard 1949 #4, US #1 for 7 weeks, 21 total weeks, 473 points, CashBox #8
5Perry Como"Some Enchanted Evening"RCA Victor 20-3402US Billboard 1949 #7, US #1 for 5 weeks, 26 total weeks, 468 points, CashBox #2
6Vic Damone"You're Breaking My Heart"Mercury 5271US Billboard 1949 #6, US #1 for 4 weeks, 26 total weeks, 467 points, CashBox #7
7Margaret Whiting and Jimmy Wakely"Slippin' Around"Capitol 40224US Billboard 1949 #10, US #1 for 3 weeks, 23 total weeks, US Country 1949 #2, USHB #1 for 16 weeks, 32 total weeks, 428 points
8Blue Barron and His Orchestra"Cruising Down the River"MGM 10346US Billboard 1949 #8, US #1 for 7 weeks, 20 total weeks, 409 points, CashBox #5
9Frankie Laine"Mule Train"Mercury 5345US Billboard 1949 #6, US #1 for 6 weeks, 13 total weeks, 385 points, CashBox #9
10Russ Morgan and His Orchestra"Cruising Down The River"Decca 24568US Billboard 1949 #10, US #1 for 7 weeks, 22 total weeks, 360 points, CashBox #3
11Gordon Jenkins and His Orchestra"Again"Decca 24602US Billboard 1949 #11, US #2 for 3 weeks, 23 total weeks, 295 points
12Vaughn Monroe and His Orchestra"Someday (You'll Want Me To Want You)"RCA Victor 20-3510US Billboard 1949 #12, US #1 for 2 weeks, 18 total weeks, 287 points
13Russ Morgan and His Orchestra"Forever and Ever"Decca 24569US Billboard 1949 #13, US #1 for 3 weeks, 26 total weeks, 263 points
14Perry Como"Forever and Ever"RCA Victor 20-3347US Billboard 1949 #14, US #2 for 1 weeks, 25 total weeks, 245 points
15Swing And Sway With Sammy Kaye "Room Full of Roses"RCA Victor 20-3441US Billboard 1949 #15, US #2 for 1 weeks, 24 total weeks, 220 points
16Evelyn Knight"Powder Your Face with Sunshine"Decca 24530US Billboard 1949 #16, US #1 for 1 week, 20 total weeks, 208 points
17Gordon Jenkins and His Orchestra"Don't Cry, Joe (Let Her Go, Let Her Go, Let Her Go)"Decca 24720US Billboard 1949 #17, US #3 for 1 week, 19 total weeks, 181 points
18Bing Crosby"Far Away Places"Decca 24532US Billboard 1949 #18, US #2 for 3 weeks, 19 total weeks, 171 points
19Al Morgan"Jealous Heart"London 30001US Billboard 1949 #19, US #4 for 5 weeks, 26 total weeks, 166 points
20Margaret Whiting"Far Away Places"Capitol 15278US Billboard 1949 #20, US #2 for 6 weeks, 23 total weeks, 152 points
21Russ Morgan"So Tired"Decca 24521US Billboard 1949 #21, US #3 for 1 weeks, 25 total weeks, 146 points
22Perry Como and the Fontane Sisters""A" – You're Adorable (The Alphabet Song)"RCA Victor 20-3381US Billboard 1949 #22, US #1 for 2 weeks, 15 total weeks, 144 points
23Vaughn Monroe and His Orchestra"Red Roses for a Blue Lady"RCA Victor 20-3319US Billboard 1949 #23, US #3 for 2 weeks, 22 total weeks, 131 points
24Perry Como and the Fontane Sisters"A Dreamer's Holiday"RCA Victor 20-3543US Billboard 1949 #24, US #3 for 1 week, 19 total weeks, 118 points
25Bing Crosby"Mule Train"Decca 24798US Billboard 1949 #25, US #4 for 2 weeks, 12 total weeks, 109 points
40Gene Autry and the Pinafores"Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer"Columbia 38610US Billboard 1949 #40, US #1 for 1 week, 6 total weeks, US Country 1949 #25, USHB #1 for 4 weeks, 5 total weeks, 55 points, Grammy Hall of Fame 1985, 7,000,000 sold by 1969
248Gene Autry"Here Comes Santa Claus (Right Down Santa Claus Lane)"Columbia 20377US Billboard 1949 #248, US #24 for 1 week, 1 total weeks, US Country 1949 #61, USHB #8 for 1 week, 3 total weeks, 3 points, 1,000,000 sales

Top R&B and country hit records

Published popular music

Classical music

Compositions

Opera

  • :Category:1949 operas

Film

Musical theatre

Belinda Fair London production opened at the Strand Theatre on June 30 and ran for 131 performances. Starring Adele DixonBrigadoon London production opened at His Majesty's Theatre on April 14 and ran for 685 performancesGentlemen Prefer Blondes Broadway production opened at the Ziegfeld Theatre on December 8 and ran for 740 performancesHer Excellency London production opened at the London Hippodrome on 22 June and ran for 252 performances. Starring Cicely CourtneidgeKing's Rhapsody London production opened at the Palace Theatre on September 15 and ran for 838 performancesLost in the Stars – Broadway production opened at the Music Box Theatre on October 30 and ran for 273 performancesMiss Liberty Broadway production opened at the Imperial Theatre on July 15 and ran for 308 performances. Starring Eddie Albert, Allyn Ann McLerie and Mary McCartySouth Pacific – Broadway production opened at the Majestic Theatre on April 7 and ran for 1925 performances

Musical films

The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad animated filmThe Barkleys of Broadway starring Fred Astaire and Ginger RogersA Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court starring Bing Crosby, Rhonda Fleming, Cedric Hardwicke and William BendixDancing in the DarkHoliday in Havana starring Desi Arnaz and Mary Hatcher.In the Good Old Summertime starring Judy Garland, Van Johnson, S. Z. Sakall and Buster Keaton.The Inspector General starring Danny KayeIt's a Wonderful DayLook for the Silver Lining starring June Haver, Ray Bolger and Gordon MacRaeMake Believe Ballroom starring Jerome Courtland and Ruth Warrick and featuring the King Cole Trio and Frankie Carle & His Orchestra. Directed by Joseph Santley.Make Mine Laughs starring Ray Bolger, Anne Shirley, Dennis Day, Joan Davis, Jack Haley, Leon Errol, Frances Langford and Frankie Carle & his Orchestra. Directed by Richard Fleischer.Maytime in Mayfair starring Anna Neagle and Michael Wilding.My Dream Is Yours starring Jack Carson and Doris Day and featuring Bugs Bunny. Directed by Michael Curtiz.Neptune's Daughter starring Esther Williams, Red Skelton, Ricardo Montalbán and Betty Garrett. Directed by Eddie Buzzell.Oh, You Beautiful Doll starring June Haver, Mark Stevens and S. Z. Sakall.An Old-Fashioned Girl starring Gloria Jean and Jimmy Lydon. Directed by Arthur Dreifuss.On the Town starring Gene Kelly, Frank Sinatra, Betty Garrett, Ann Miller, Jules Munshin and Vera-Ellen.Red, Hot and Blue starring Betty Hutton, Victor Mature, William Demarest, June Havoc and Frank Loesser.Slightly French starring Dorothy Lamour and Don Ameche.Take Me Out to the Ball Game starring Frank Sinatra, Gene Kelly, Betty Garrett, Esther Williams and Jules Munshin.That Midnight Kiss starring Kathryn Grayson, José Iturbi, Ethel Barrymore, Mario Lanza and Jules Munshin.Top o' the Morning starring Bing Crosby, Ann Blyth, Barry Fitzgerald and Hume Cronyn. Directed by David Miller.

Births

Deaths