1945 in music

1945 in music
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This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1945.

Specific locations

Specific genres

Events

Publications

Albums released

For each Year in Music (beginning 1940) and Year in Country Music (beginning 1939), a comprehensive Year End Top Records section can be found at mid-page (popular), and on the Country page.

The charts are compiled from data published by Billboard magazine, using their formulas, with slight modifications. Most important, there are no songs missing or truncated by Billboard's holiday deadline. Each year, records included enter the charts between the prior November and early December. Each week, fifteen points are 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. This is our adjustment to Mr. Whitburn's formula, which places no. 1 records on top, then no 2 and so on, ordered by weeks at that position. This allows a record with 4 weeks at no. 1 that only lasted 6 weeks to be rated very high. Here, the total points of a song's complete chart run determines its position. Our chart has more songs, more weeks and may look nothing like Billboard's, but it comes from the exact same surveys.

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 On the Air' or 'Records Most Played By Disk Jockeys' and 'Most-Played Juke Box Records'. As Billboard did starting in the 1940s, the three totals for each song are combined, with that number determining the final year-end rank. For example, 1944's "A Hot Time in the Town of Berlin" by Bing and the Andrews Sisters finished at no. 19, despite six weeks at no. 1 on the 'Most-Played Juke Box Records'(JB) chart. It scored 126 points, to go with its Best-Selling chart (BS) total of 0. Martha Tilton's version of "I'll Walk Alone" peaked at no. 4 on the Juke Box chart, which only totalled 65 points, but her BS total was also 65, for a final total of 130, ranking no. 18. Examples like this can be found in "The Billboard" magazine up to 1958. By the way, the 'Records Most-Played On the Air' chart didn't begin until January 1945, which is why we only had two sub-totals.

Our rankings are based on Billboard data, but we also present info on recording and release dates, global sales totals, RIAA and BPI certifications and other awards. Rankings from other genres like 'Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs' or 'Most Played Juke Box Race Records', Country charts including 'Most Played Juke Box Folk (Hillbilly) Records', 'Cashbox magazine', and other sources are presented if they exist. We supplement our info with reliable data from the "Discography of American Historical Recordings" website, Joel Whitburn's Pop Memories 1890-1954[7] and other sources as specified.

The following songs appeared in The Billboard's 'Best Selling Retail Records', 'Records Most-Played On the Air' and 'Most Played Juke Box Records' charts during 1945.

Rank Artist Title Label Recorded Released Chart Positions
1 Les Brown and his Orchestra (Vocal Chorus by Doris Day) "Sentimental Journey"[8] Columbia 36769 November 20, 1944 (1944-11-20) January 22, 1945 (1945-01-22) US 1942 #3, US #1 for 8 weeks, 28 total weeks, CashBox #2, Grammy Hall of Fame in 1998, 1,000,000 sales[7]
2 Perry Como "Till The End Of Time"[9] Victor 20-1709 July 3, 1945 (1945-07-03) July 30, 1945 (1945-07-30) US BB 1945 #2, US #1 for 9 weeks, 17 total weeks, CashBox #3, Grammy Hall of Fame in 1998, 1,000,000 sales[7]
3 Johnny Mercer And The Pied Pipers "On the Atchison, Topeka and the Santa Fe"[10] Capitol 195 December 13, 1944 (1944-12-13) July 1945 (1945-07) US BB 1945 #3, US #1 for 7 weeks, 19 total weeks, CashBox #7
4 Vaughn Monroe and his Orchestra "There! I've Said It Again"[9] Victor 20-1637 December 17, 1944 (1944-12-17) February 1945 (1945-02) US BB 1945 #4, US #1 for 6 weeks (Air Play), 25 total weeks, CashBox #8
5 The Andrews Sisters "Rum and Coca-Cola"[11] Decca 18636 October 23, 1944 (1944-10-23) December 1944 (1944-12) US 1945 #1, US #1 for 10 weeks (Juke Box), 21 total weeks, CashBox #6, 1,000,000 sales[7]
6 Les Brown and his Orchestra (Vocal Chorus by Doris Day) "My Dreams Are Getting Better All the Time"[8] Columbia 36779 February 3, 1945 (1945-02-03) February 15, 1945 (1945-02-15) US 1945 #5, US #1 for 7 weeks, 16 total weeks, CashBox #1, 1,000,000 sales[7]
7 Swing And Sway With Sammy Kaye "Chickery Chick"[9] Victor 20-1726 August 8, 1945 (1945-08-08) September 1945 (1945-09) US 1945 #8, US #1 for 4 weeks, 16 total weeks, 1,000,000 sales[7]
8 Harry James and his Orchestra (Vocal Chorus by Kitty Kallen) "It's Been a Long, Long Time"[8] Columbia 36838 July 24, 1945 (1945-07-24) September 17, 1945 (1945-09-17) US BB 1945 #6, US #1 for 4 weeks, 17 total weeks, CashBox #5
9 Johnny Mercer, Jo Stafford, and The Pied Pipers "Candy"[10] Capitol 183 December 6, 1944 (1944-12-06) January 1945 (1945-01) US BB 1945 #14, US #1 for 1 week, 19 total weeks
10 Bing Crosby with Carmen Cavallaro on piano "I Can't Begin to Tell You"[12] Decca 23457 August 7, 1945 (1945-08-07) October 1945 (1945-10) US BB 1945 #10, US #1 for 6 weeks (Juke Box), 19 total weeks, 1,000,000 sales[13]
11 Johnny Mercer and The Pied Pipers "Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate the Positive"[10] Capitol 180 October 4, 1944 (1944-10-04) December 1944 (1944-12) US BB 1945 #11, US #1 for 2 weeks, 13 total weeks, Grammy Hall of Fame in 1998
12 Bing Crosby and Les Paul "It's Been a Long, Long Time"[14] Decca 18708 July 12, 1945 (1945-07-12) September 1945 (1945-09) US BB 1945 #13, US #1 for 2 weeks, 16 total weeks
13 Carmen Cavallaro and His Orchestra "Chopin's Polonaise"[15] Decca 18677 March 30, 1945 (1945-03-30) May 1945 (1945-05) US BB 1945 #14, US #3 for 10 weeks, 20 total weeks, 1,000,000 sales[13]
14 Harry James and his Orchestra (Vocal Chorus by Kitty Kallen) "I'm Beginning To See The Light"[8] Columbia 36758 November 24, 1944 (1944-11-24) December 18, 1944 (1944-12-18) US BB 1945 #10, US #1 for 2 weeks, 18 total weeks
15 Tony Pastor and his Orchestra "Bell Bottom Trousers"[9] Victor 20-1661 April 4, 1945 (1945-04-04) May 1945 (1945-05) US BB 1945 #16, US #2 for 2 weeks, 15 total weeks
16 Benny Goodman and his Orchestra "Gotta Be This Or That"[8] Columbia 36813 April 27, 1945 (1945-04-27) June 1945 (1945-06) US BB 1945 #18, US #2 for 1 week, 17 total weeks
17 Hal McIntyre and His Orchestra "Sentimental Journey"[9] Victor 20-1643 February 9, 1945 (1945-02-09) April 1945 (1945-04) US BB 1945 #18, US #3 for 1 week, 19 total weeks
18 Helen Forrest & Dick Haymes "I'll Buy That Dream"[16] Decca 23434 May 1, 1945 (1945-05-01) August 1945 (1945-08) US BB 1945 #19, US #2 for 1 week, 18 total weeks
19 Stan Kenton and His Orchestra "Tampico"[10] Capitol 202 February 26, 1945 (1945-02-26) July 1945 (1945-07) US BB 1945 #20, US #3 for 1 weeks, 14 total weeks
20 The Pied Pipers "Dream"[10] Capitol 185 December 10, 1944 (1944-12-10) February 1945 (1945-02) US BB 1945 #20, US #1 for 1 week, 18 total weeks

Top race records

At the start of 1945, Billboard magazine published a chart ranking the "most popular records in Harlem" under the title of "the Harlem Hit Parade" (HHP). Rankings were based on a survey of record stores primarily in the Harlem district of New York City, an area which has historically been noted for its African American population. This chart was published for the final time in the issue dated February 10. The following week the magazine launched a new chart in its place, "Most Played Juke Box Race Records", based on reports from juke box operators (details can be found in each issue). For the year-end list of 1945's top R & B records below, peak positions and numbers of weeks from the HHP charts were carried over. 1945 chronological list of records that reached number one on the "Most Played Juke Box Race Records" chart.

Rank Artist Title Label Recorded Released Chart positions
1 Joe Liggins and His Honeydrippers "The Honeydripper" Exclusive 207 August 11, 1944 (1944-08-11) July 1945 (1945-07) US BB 1945 #191, US #16 for 1 week, 4 total weeks, US Most-Played Race Records 1945 #1, Harlem/Race Records #1 for 18 weeks, 27 total weeks
2 Lucky Millinder and His Orchestra "Who Threw The Whiskey In The Well" Decca 18674 June 9, 1944 (1944-06-09) May 1945 (1945-05) US BB 1945 #90, US #9 for 1 week, 10 total weeks, US Most-Played Race Records 1945 #2, Harlem/Race Records #1 for 8 weeks, 20 total weeks
3 Louis Jordan and His Tympany Five "Caldonia"[17] Decca 8670 January 19, 1945 (1945-01-19) April 19, 1945 (1945-04-19) US BB 1945 #66, US #6 for 1 weeks, 8 total weeks, US Most-Played Race Records 1945 #3, Harlem/Race Records #1 for 7 weeks, 26 total weeks
4 Roosevelt Sykes and His Piano "I Wonder" Bluebird 34-0721 December 15, 1944 (1944-12-15) January 1945 (1945-01) US Most-Played Race Records 1945 #4, Harlem/Race Records #1 for 7 weeks, 13 total weeks
5 Erskine Hawkins and His Orchestra "Tippin' In" Victor 20-1639 January 10, 1945 (1945-01-10) March 1945 (1945-03) US BB 1945 #238, US #21 for 1 week, 2 total weeks, US Most-Played Race Records 1945 #5, Harlem/Race Records #1 for 6 weeks, 25 total weeks
6 Pvt. Cecil Gant "I Wonder" Gilt-Edge 500 August 30, 1944 (1944-08-30) September 1944 (1944-09) US BB 1945 #266, US #26 for 1 week, 1 total weeks, US Most-Played Race Records 1945 #6, Harlem/Race Records #1 for 2 weeks, 28 total weeks
7 Louis Jordan and His Tympany Five "Mop Mop"[18] Decca 8668 March 15, 1944 (1944-03-15) October 1944 (1944-10) US Most-Played Race Records 1945 #7, Harlem/Race Records #1 for 1 weeks, 17 total weeks
8 Jimmie Lunceford and His Orchestra "The Honeydripper" Decca 23451 February 26, 1945 (1945-02-26) April 1945 (1945-04) US BB 1945 #247, US #21 for 1 week, 4 total weeks, US Most-Played Race Records 1945 #8, Harlem/Race Records #2 for 8 weeks, 9 total weeks
9 Louis Jordan and His Tympany Five "You Can't Get That No More"[19] Decca 8668 March 15, 1944 (1944-03-15) October 1944 (1944-10) US BB 1945 #189, US #15 for 1 week, 1 total weeks, US Most-Played Race Records 1945 #9, Harlem/Race Records #2 for 4 weeks, 13 total weeks
10 Lionel Hampton and His Orchestra "Beulah's Boogie"[20] Decca 18719 May 21, 1945 (1945-05-21) November 1945 (1945-11) US Most-Played Race Records 1945 #10, Harlem/Race Records #2 for 4 weeks, 9 total weeks

Classical music

Premieres

Composer Composition Date Location Performers
Boulez, Pierre Three Psalmodies for Piano 1945-02-12 Paris Grimaud[21]
Britten, Benjamin Four Sea Interludes from Peter Grimes 1945-06-13 Cheltenham Music Festival, UK London Philharmonic – Britten[22]
Britten, Benjamin Passacaglia from Peter Grimes 1945-08-29 London BBC Symphony – Boult[23]
Britten, Benjamin String Quartet No. 2 1945-11-21 London Zorian Quartet[24]
Carpenter, John Alden The Seven Ages 1945-12-02 New York City New York Philharmonic – Rodzinski[25]
Copland, Aaron Jubilee Variation on a Theme of Goossens 1945-03-23 Cincinnati, Ohio Cincinnati Symphony – Goossens[26]
Finzi, Gerald Earth and Air and Rain (1935) 1945-07-02 London Falkner, Ferguson[27]
Ginastera, Alberto Las horas de una estancia 1945-06-11 Montevideo, Uruguay Baridon, Satalia de Perna[28]
Ginastera, Alberto Psalm 150 1945-04-07 Buenos Aires Teatro Colón Regular Orchestra and Chorus – Wolff[29]
Jolivet, André Le chant de Linos (quintet version) 1945-06-01 Paris Jamet Quintet[30]
Jolivet, André Trois chansons de ménestrels 1945-02-10 Paris Dyonis, Soulage[31]
Khachaturian, Aram Fantasy on Russian Themes 1945-11-06 Moscow USSR State Radio Symphony – Gorchakov[32]
Kodály, Zoltán Missa brevis 1945-02-11 Budapest [unknown performers][33]
Lutosławski, Witold Wind Trio 1945-09-?? Krákow, Poland Snieckowski, Rudnicki, Orlow[34]
Malipiero, Gian Francesco Sinfonia delle campane (Symphony No. 3) 1945-11-04 Florence [unknown orchestra] – Markevitch[35]
Martinů, Bohuslav Symphony No. 3 1945-10-12 Boston Boston Symphony – Koussevitzky[36]
Messiaen, Olivier Trois petites liturgies de la présence divine 1945-04-21 Paris Loriod, Martenot / Paris Conservatory Concert Society Orchestra – Désormière[37]
Messiaen, Olivier Vingt regards sur l'enfant-Jésus 1945-03-23 Paris Loriod[38]
Novák, Vítězslav May Symphony 1945-12-05 Prague [unknown performers][39]
Piston, Walter Sonatina for Violin and Harpsichord 1945-11-30 New York City Schneider, Kirkpatrick[40]
Prokofiev, Sergei Symphony No. 5 1945-01-13 Moscow USSR State Symphony – Prokofiev[41]
Shostakovich, Dmitri Symphony No. 9 1945-11-03 Leningrad Leningrad Philharmonic – Mravinsky[42]
Stravinsky, Igor Elegy for Viola 1945-01-26 Washington DC Prévost[43]
Tippett, Michael Symphony No. 1 1945-11-10 Liverpool Royal Liverpool Philharmonic – Sargent[44]
Tubin, Eduard Capriccio for Violin and Piano No. 2 1945-09-25 Stockholm Aumere, Roots[45]
Villa-Lobos, Heitor String Quartet No. 7 1945-05-30 Theatro Municipal (Rio de Janeiro) Quarteto Borgerth[46]
Castelnuovo-Tedesco / Milhaud / Schoenberg / Shilkret / Stravinsky / Tansman / Toch Genesis Suite 1945-11-18 Los Angeles Janssen Symphony – Janssen[47]

Compositions

Opera

Film

Jazz

Main article: 1945 in jazz

Musical theatre

Musical films

Births

Deaths

References

  1. ^ Billboard. 1945-01-27.
  2. ^ Sherman, Bernard D. (1997) [1999]. "Brahms: The Symphonies / Charles Mackerras". Fanfare. Retrieved 2010-09-05.
  3. ^ Grove Music Online.
  4. ^ Hewett, Ivan, "Rolling with the Punches", BBC Proms 2022, pp. 20–4
  5. ^ Ross, Alex (2003-03-16). "Ghost Sonata". The New Yorker. Archived from the original on 2020-10-20. Retrieved 2019-05-18.
  6. ^ Hoffmann, Stanley (March–April 1996). "Albert Speer: His Battle With Truth". Foreign Affairs. Archived from the original on 2019-05-18. Retrieved 2019-05-18.
  7. ^ a b c d e f Whitburn, Joel (1986). Joel Whitburn's Pop Memories 1890-1954. Record Research.
  8. ^ a b c d e "COLUMBIA 78rpm numerical listing discography: 36500–37000". www.78discography.com. Retrieved 2022-05-03.
  9. ^ a b c d e "RCA Victor 78rpm numerical listing discography: 20-1500–20-2000". www.78discography.com. Retrieved 2022-05-03.
  10. ^ a b c d e "Capitol 100–499, 78rpm numerical listing discography". www.78discography.com. Retrieved 2022-04-14.
  11. ^ "Decca matrix 72460. Rum and Coca Cola / The Andrews Sisters – Discography of American Historical Recordings". adp.library.ucsb.edu. Retrieved 2022-05-03.
  12. ^ "Decca matrix L 3904. I can't begin to tell you / Bing Crosby – Discography of American Historical Recordings". adp.library.ucsb.edu. Retrieved 2022-05-03.
  13. ^ a b "Decca Records 20th Anniversary". The Billboard: 46. August 28, 1954.
  14. ^ "Decca matrix L 3889. It's been a long, long time / Bing Crosby – Discography of American Historical Recordings". adp.library.ucsb.edu. Retrieved 2022-05-03.
  15. ^ "Decca matrix L 3766. Chopin's Polonaise / Carmen Cavallaro Orchestra – Discography of American Historical Recordings". adp.library.ucsb.edu. Retrieved 2022-05-17.
  16. ^ "Decca matrix L 3835. I'll buy that dream / Helen Forrest; Dick Haymes – Discography of American Historical Recordings". adp.library.ucsb.edu. Retrieved 2022-05-03.
  17. ^ "Decca matrix 72711. Caldonia / Louis Jordan and his Tympany Five – Discography of American Historical Recordings". adp.library.ucsb.edu. Retrieved 2022-05-24.
  18. ^ "Decca matrix 71871. Mop mop / Louis Jordan and his Tympany Five – Discography of American Historical Recordings". adp.library.ucsb.edu. Retrieved 2022-05-24.
  19. ^ "Decca matrix 71873. You can't get that no more / Louis Jordan and his Tympany Five – Discography of American Historical Recordings". adp.library.ucsb.edu. Retrieved 2022-05-24.
  20. ^ "Decca matrix 72876. Beulah's boogie / Lionel Hampton Orchestra – Discography of American Historical Recordings". adp.library.ucsb.edu. Retrieved 2022-05-24.
  21. ^ "Pierre Boulez: Three Psalmodies for Piano" (work details) (in French and English). IRCAM.
  22. ^ The Making of Peter Grimes: Notes and Commentaries
  23. ^ Oregon Symphony
  24. ^ "Benjamin Britten: String Quartet No. 2" (work details) (in French and English). IRCAM.
  25. ^ New York Philharmonic
  26. ^ "Aaron Copland: Jubilee Variation on a Theme of Goossens" (work details) (in French and English). IRCAM.
  27. ^ Boosey & Hawkes
  28. ^ "Alberto Ginastera: Las horas de una estancia" (work details) (in French and English). IRCAM.
  29. ^ "Alberto Ginastera: Psalm 150" (work details) (in French and English). IRCAM.
  30. ^ "André Jolivet: Le chant de Linos" (work details) (in French and English). IRCAM.
  31. ^ "André Jolivet: Trois chansons de ménestrels" (work details) (in French and English). IRCAM.
  32. ^ "Review". Gramophone. Retrieved 2022-05-09.[dead link]
  33. ^ "Kodály Institute". Archived from the original on 2017-10-09. Retrieved 2015-07-10.
  34. ^ "Witold Lutosławski: Wind Trio" (work details) (in French and English). IRCAM.
  35. ^ Orchestra Virtuale del Flaminio
  36. ^ "Bohuslav Martinů, Symphony No. 3". American Symphony Orchestra. 2017-02-10. Retrieved 2022-05-09.
  37. ^ "Olivier Messiaen: Trois petites liturgies de la présence divine" (work details) (in French and English). IRCAM.
  38. ^ "Olivier Messiaen: Vingt regards sur l'enfant-Jésus" (work details) (in French and English). IRCAM.
  39. ^ Klassika
  40. ^ Association for Recorded Sound Collections
  41. ^ New York Philharmonic
  42. ^ Naxos Records
  43. ^ "Igor Stravinsky: Elegy for Viola" (work details) (in French and English). IRCAM.
  44. ^ Schott Music
  45. ^ 2014-04-01T00:00:00+01:00. "Tubin: Violin Sonata no.1, Suite on Estonian Dance Pieces, Three Pieces, Meditation, Prelude, Capriccio no.2, Cock's Dance Paganini Caprice op.1 no.24 (arr. Tubin)". The Strad. Retrieved 2022-05-09.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  46. ^ Villa-Lobos, sua obra: Programa de Ação Cultural, second edition (Rio de Janeiro: MEC, DAC, Museu Villa-Lobos, 1972): 86.
  47. ^ Milken Archive of Jewish Music
  48. ^ Vogel, Shane (2010). "Jamaica on Broadway: The Popular Caribbean and Mock Transnational Performance". Theatre Journal. 62 (1): 7. ISSN 0192-2882. JSTOR 40587439.
  49. ^ "Obituaries: Thomas Mayo Geary". Variety: 59. June 13, 1945.