List of Billboard number-one singles of the 1940s
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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.
Number ones
- Key
- ♪ – Number-one single of the year
Statistics by decade
By artist
The following artists achieved three or more number-one hits from 1940 to 1949. A number of artists had number-one singles on their own, as well as part of a collaboration.
| Artist | Number-one
singles |
Singles |
|---|---|---|
| Bing Crosby | 9 | "Only Forever" |
| Jimmy Dorsey | 7 | "Amapola (Pretty Little Poppy)" |
| Glenn Miller | "Song of the Volga Boatmen" | |
| Harry James | 5 | "Sleepy Lagoon" |
| Perry Como | "Till The End Of Time" | |
| Sammy Kaye | 4 | "Daddy (Papito)"
"I'm A Big Girl Now" |
| Freddy Martin | "Piano Concerto in B Flat"
"Symphony" | |
| Vaughn Monroe | 3 | "Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!" |
| Tommy Dorsey | "I'll Never Smile Again" | |
| Kay Kyser | "Jingle Jangle Jingle" | |
| The Ink Spots | "I'm Making Believe" |
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.
| Weeks at number one |
Song | Artist(s) |
|---|---|---|
| 13 | "Frenesi" | Artie Shaw |
| "I've Heard That Song Before" | Harry James | |
| 12 | "Heartaches" | Ted Weems |
| "Near You" | Francis Craig | |
| "Paper Doll" | Mills Brothers | |
| "I'll Never Smile Again" | Tommy Dorsey | |
| 11 | "Riders in the Sky" | Vaughn Monroe |
| "White Christmas" | Bing Crosby | |
| 10 | "Amapola" | Jimmy Dorsey |
| "Moonlight Cocktail" | Glenn Miller | |
| "The Gypsy" | The Ink Spots | |
| "Ballerina" | Vaughn Monroe |