Prior to the introduction of the Hot 100, The Billboard compiled multiple weekly record charts ranking the performance of singles in the United States. In 1946, the magazine published the following four all-genre national singles charts:
Best-Selling Popular Retail Records – ranked the most-sold singles in retail stores, as reported by merchants surveyed throughout the country. In the 21st century, Billboard designates Retail Records, in all its incarnations, as the magazine's canonical U.S. singles chart prior to August 1958. Records Most-Played on the Air – ranked the most-played songs on American radio stations, as reported by radio disc jockeys and radio stations. Most-Played Juke Box Records – ranked the most-played songs in jukeboxes across the United States, as reported by machine operators. Honor Roll of Hits – a composite ten-position song chart which combined data from the three charts above along with three other component charts. It served as The Billboards lead chart until the introduction of the Hot 100 in 1958 and would remain in print until 1963.
Note: In the issues dated February 9, June 22, and October 12, The Billboard reported a tie for the number-one single on one of its charts.
Issue dateBest-Selling Popular Retail RecordsRecords Most-Played on the AirMost-Played Juke Box RecordsHonor Roll of HitsJanuary 5"Symphony"Freddy Martin and His Orchestra with Clyde Rogers"White Christmas"Bing Crosby with the Ken Darby Singers and John Scott Trotter and His Orchestra"I Can't Begin to Tell You"Bing Crosby with Carmen Cavallaro"Symphony"January 12"Symphony"Freddy Martin and His Orchestra with Clyde RogersJanuary 19"I Can't Begin to Tell You"Bing Crosby with Carmen Cavallaro"Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!"Vaughn Monroe and His Orchestra with Vaughn Monroe and the Norton SistersJanuary 26"Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!"Vaughn Monroe and His Orchestra with Vaughn Monroe and the Norton SistersFebruary 2February 9"Doctor, Lawyer, Indian Chief"Betty Hutton with Paul Weston and His Orchestra"Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!"Vaughn Monroe and His Orchestra with Vaughn Monroe and the Norton Sisters"Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!"Vaughn Monroe and His Orchestra with Vaughn Monroe and the Norton SistersFebruary 16"Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!"Vaughn Monroe and His Orchestra with Vaughn Monroe and the Norton SistersFebruary 23March 2"Doctor, Lawyer, Indian Chief"Betty Hutton with Paul Weston and His Orchestra"Personality"Johnny Mercer and the Pied Pipers with Paul Weston and His OrchestraMarch 9"Personality"Johnny Mercer and the Pied Pipers with Paul Weston and His Orchestra"Doctor, Lawyer, Indian Chief"Betty Hutton with Paul Weston and His Orchestra"Oh! What It Seemed to Be"March 16"Oh! What It Seemed to Be"Frankie Carle and His Orchestra with Marjorie Hughes"Personality"Johnny Mercer and the Pied Pipers with Paul Weston and His Orchestra"Oh! What It Seemed to Be"Frankie Carle and His Orchestra with Marjorie HughesMarch 23"Oh! What It Seemed to Be"Frank SinatraMarch 30April 6April 13April 20April 27"I'm a Big Girl Now"Swing and Sway with Sammy Kaye with Betty BarclayMay 4"Prisoner of Love"Perry Como with Russ Case and His OrchestraMay 11May 18"The Gypsy"Dinah Shore"Laughing on the Outside (Crying on the Inside)"May 25"The Gypsy"The Ink Spots"The Gypsy"June 1"Prisoner of Love"Perry Como with Russ Case and His Orchestra"The Gypsy"The Ink SpotsJune 8"The Gypsy"Dinah ShoreJune 15June 22"The Gypsy"Dinah Shore"The Gypsy"The Ink SpotsJune 29"The Gypsy"Dinah ShoreJuly 6"The Gypsy"The Ink SpotsJuly 13"The Gypsy"Dinah ShoreJuly 20"Prisoner of Love"Perry Como with Russ Case and His OrchestraJuly 27"The Gypsy"Dinah ShoreAugust 3"Surrender"Perry Como with Russ Case and His Orchestra"To Each His Own"Eddy Howard and His Orchestra with Eddy Howard and TrioAugust 10"To Each His Own"Eddy Howard and His Orchestra with Eddy Howard and TrioAugust 17"To Each His Own"August 24August 31"To Each His Own"Freddy Martin and His Orchestra with Stuart Wade"To Each His Own"Eddy Howard and His Orchestra with Eddy Howard and TrioSeptember 7"Five Minutes More"Frank SinatraSeptember 21"To Each His Own"The Ink Spots"Five Minutes More"Frank SinatraSeptember 28"Five Minutes More"Frank Sinatra"Five Minutes More"Frank SinatraOctober 5"To Each His Own"Eddy Howard and His Orchestra with Eddy Howard and Trio"To Each His Own"Eddy Howard and His Orchestra with Eddy Howard and TrioOctober 12"Five Minutes More"Frank Sinatra"To Each His Own"Eddy Howard and His Orchestra with Eddy Howard and TrioOctober 19 "Rumors Are Flying"Frankie Carle and His Orchestra with Marjorie Hughes"To Each His Own"Eddy Howard and His Orchestra with Eddy Howard and TrioOctober 26 "Rumors Are Flying"Frankie Carle and His Orchestra with Marjorie Hughes "Rumors Are Flying"Frankie Carle and His Orchestra with Marjorie HughesNovember 2 "Rumors Are Flying"November 9November 16November 23November 30December 7December 14 "Ole Buttermilk Sky"Kay Kyser and His Orchestra with Michael Douglas and the Campus Kids "Ole Buttermilk Sky"December 21 "The Old Lamp-Lighter"Swing and Sway with Sammy Kaye with Billy Williams "The Old Lamp-Lighter"December 28 "The Old Lamp-Lighter"Swing and Sway with Sammy Kaye with Billy Williams "(I Love You) For Sentimental Reasons"The King Cole Trio
Number-one artists + List of number-one artists by total weeks at number oneArtistWeeks at #1Frankie Carle14The Ink Spots11Eddy Howard5Vaughn MonroeFreddy Martin4Perry ComoFrank Sinatra2Kay KyserSammy KayeBing Crosby1Betty HuttonJohnny Mercer
See also 1946 in music
References