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 1945, the magazine published the following four all-genre national singles charts:
Best-Selling Popular Retail Records (named National Best Selling Retail Records until March 31) – 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 (introduced January 27 as Disks with Most Radio Plugs) – 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 (introduced March 24) – 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 10, April 14, May 5, and November 17, 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 6"Don't Fence Me In"Bing Crosby and the Andrews Sisters with Vic Schoen and His Orchestra rowspan="3" "Don't Fence Me In"Bing Crosby and the Andrews Sisters with Vic Schoen and His Orchestra rowspan="11" January 13January 20January 27"Don't Fence Me In"Bing Crosby and the Andrews Sisters with Vic Schoen and His OrchestraFebruary 3February 10"Don't Fence Me In"Bing Crosby and the Andrews Sisters with Vic Schoen and His Orchestra"Rum and Coca-Cola"The Andrews Sisters with Vic Schoen and His Orchestra"Rum and Coca-Cola"The Andrews Sisters with Vic Schoen and His OrchestraFebruary 17"Rum and Coca-Cola"The Andrews Sisters with Vic Schoen and His OrchestraFebruary 24March 3March 10March 17"Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate the Positive"Johnny Mercer and the Pied Pipers with Paul Weston and His OrchestraMarch 24"Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate the Positive"March 31"Candy"Johnny Mercer, Jo Stafford and the Pied Pipers with Paul Weston and His Orchestra"My Dreams Are Getting Better All the Time"April 7"My Dreams Are Getting Better All the Time"Les Brown and His Orchestra with Doris Day"My Dreams Are Getting Better All the Time"Les Brown and His Orchestra with Doris DayApril 14"My Dreams Are Getting Better All the Time"Les Brown and His Orchestra with Doris Day"I'm Beginning to See the Light"Harry James and His Orchestra with Kitty KallenApril 21"My Dreams Are Getting Better All the Time"Les Brown and His Orchestra with Doris Day"My Dreams Are Getting Better All the Time"Les Brown and His Orchestra with Doris DayApril 28"I'm Beginning to See the Light"Harry James and His Orchestra with Kitty KallenMay 5"Dream"The Pied Pipers with Paul Weston and His Orchestra"Sentimental Journey"Les Brown and His Orchestra with Doris DayMay 12"There! I've Said It Again"Vaughn Monroe and His Orchestra with Vaughn Monroe and the Norton SistersMay 19May 26"Sentimental Journey"Les Brown and His Orchestra with Doris DayJune 2"Sentimental Journey"June 9"Candy"Johnny Mercer, Jo Stafford and the Pied Pipers with Paul Weston and His OrchestraJune 16"Sentimental Journey"Les Brown and His Orchestra with Doris Day"Sentimental Journey"Les Brown and His Orchestra with Doris DayJune 23June 30July 7July 14July 21July 28"On the Atchison, Topeka and the Santa Fe"Johnny Mercer and the Pied Pipers with Paul Weston and His Orchestra"There! I've Said It Again"Vaughn Monroe and His Orchestra with Vaughn Monroe and the Norton SistersAugust 4"On the Atchison, Topeka and the Santa Fe"Johnny Mercer and the Pied Pipers with Paul Weston and His Orchestra"On the Atchison, Topeka and the Santa Fe"Johnny Mercer and the Pied Pipers with Paul Weston and His OrchestraAugust 11"On the Atchison, Topeka and the Santa Fe"August 18August 25September 1September 8"Till the End of Time"Perry Como with Russ Case and His Orchestra"Till the End of Time"Perry Como with Russ Case and His OrchestraSeptember 22"Till the End of Time"September 29"Till the End of Time"Perry Como with Russ Case and His OrchestraOctober 6October 13October 20October 27November 3November 10November 17"Till the End of Time"Perry Como with Russ Case and His Orchestra"Chickery Chick"Swing and Sway with Sammy Kaye with Nancy Norman, Billy Williams and the Kaye Choir"Chickery Chick"Swing and Sway with Sammy Kaye with Nancy Norman, Billy Williams and the Kaye Choir"It's Been a Long, Long Time"November 24"It's Been a Long, Long Time"Harry James and His Orchestra with Kitty Kallen"It's Been a Long, Long Time"Harry James and His Orchestra with Kitty KallenDecember 1"Chickery Chick"Swing and Sway with Sammy Kaye with Nancy Norman, Billy Williams and the Kaye Choir"It's Been a Long, Long Time"Bing Crosby with Les Paul and His TrioDecember 8"It's Been a Long, Long Time"Bing Crosby with Les Paul and His TrioDecember 15"Chickery Chick"Swing and Sway with Sammy Kaye with Nancy Norman, Billy Williams and the Kaye Choir"Chickery Chick"Swing and Sway with Sammy Kaye with Nancy Norman, Billy Williams and the Kaye ChoirDecember 22"It's Been a Long, Long Time"Harry James and His Orchestra with Kitty Kallen"It's Been a Long, Long Time"Harry James and His Orchestra with Kitty Kallen"I Can't Begin to Tell You"Bing Crosby with Carmen CavallaroDecember 29"Chickery Chick"Swing and Sway with Sammy Kaye with Nancy Norman, Billy Williams and the Kaye Choir"White Christmas"Bing Crosby with the Ken Darby Singers and John Scott Trotter and His Orchestra"Chickery Chick"Swing and Sway with Sammy Kaye with Nancy Norman, Billy Williams and the Kaye Choir
Number-one artists +List of number one artists by total weeks at number oneArtistWeeks at #1The Andrews Sisters13Perry Como10Bing Crosby7Johnny MercerHarry James3Sammy Kaye
See also 1945 in music
References