Jazz standards are musical compositions that are widely known, performed and recorded by jazz artists as part of the genre's musical repertoire. This list includes compositions written in the 1920s that are considered standards by at least one major book publication or reference work. Some of the tunes listed were already well-known standards by the 1930s, while others were popularized later. The time of the most influential recordings of a song, where appropriate, is indicated on the list.

A period known as the "Jazz Age" started in the United States in the 1920s. Jazz had become popular music in the country, although older generations considered the music immoral and threatening to old cultural values. Dances such as the Charleston and the Black Bottom were very popular during the period, and jazz bands typically consisted of seven to twelve musicians. Important orchestras in New York were led by Fletcher Henderson, Paul Whiteman and Duke Ellington. Many New Orleans jazzmen had moved to Chicago during the late 1910s in search of employment; among others, the New Orleans Rhythm Kings, King Oliver's Creole Jazz Band and Jelly Roll Morton recorded in the city. However, Chicago's importance as a center of jazz music started to diminish toward the end of the 1920s in favor of New York.

In the early years of jazz, record companies were often eager to decide what songs were to be recorded by their artists. Popular numbers in the 1920s were pop hits such as "Sweet Georgia Brown", "Dinah" and "Bye Bye Blackbird". The first jazz artist to be given some liberty in choosing his material was Louis Armstrong, whose band helped popularize many of the early standards in the 1920s and 1930s.

Some compositions written by jazz artists have endured as standards, including Fats Waller's "Honeysuckle Rose" and "Ain't Misbehavin'". The most recorded 1920s standard is Hoagy Carmichael and Mitchell Parish's "Stardust". Several songs written by Broadway composers in the 1920s have become standards, such as George and Ira Gershwin's "The Man I Love" (1924), Irving Berlin's "Blue Skies" (1927) and Cole Porter's "What Is This Thing Called Love?" (1929). However, it was not until the 1930s that musicians became comfortable with the harmonic and melodic sophistication of Broadway tunes and started including them regularly in their repertoire.

1920–1923

1920 – "Avalon"The Real Book, Volume II, p. 25Listed in The Real Vocal Book is a song written by Al Jolson, Buddy DeSylva and Vincent Rose. Jolson introduced the song, taking it to number two on the charts in 1921, and used it in the musicals Sinbad and Bombo. The song was possibly written by Rose, but Jolson's popularity as a performer allowed him to claim co-credit. The opening melody was taken from Giacomo Puccini's aria E lucevan le stelle from the opera Tosca, and the composers were successfully sued by Puccini's publishers in 1921 for $25,000 and all subsequent royalties. 1920 – "Margie" is a song composed by Con Conrad and J. Russel Robinson with lyrics by Benny Davis. It was introduced by the Original Dixieland Jazz Band and popularized by Eddie Cantor's 1921 recording. The song was one of the first hits for both Conrad and Davis, and was later used in the films Margie (1946) and The Eddie Cantor Story (1954). The name was inspired by Cantor's five-year-old daughter. The song is also known as "My Little Margie". 1921 - "The Jazz Me Blues" - is a Dixieland jazz song written by the African-American composer Tom Delaney.The Discography of American Historical Recordings Tom Delaney & The Jazz Me Blues on uscb.edu Library of Congress: National Jukebox - Tom Delaney on loc.gov/collections/national-jukebox It was first recorded by Lucille Hegamin in 1921 and subsequently became a jazz standard.'"The Jazz Me Blues" - audio Recording by Tom Delaney's Original Dixieland Jazz Band for the RCA Victor studios (#18772)) in New York City (1921) as archived at the National Juke Box of the Library of Congress on loc.gov/item/jukebox Tony Mottola and John Serry collaborated in the Joe Biviano Accordion & Rhythm Sextette to record an easy listening arrangement of the song in 1946 which is archived in the permanent collection of the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of American History.Accordion Capers - Tony Mottola, John Serry, Joe Biviano, Leone Jump, Classicajazzguitar.comSmithsonian Institution National Museum of American History - "Accordion Capers" (Sonora MS-476, 1946) with accordionists Joe Biviano & John Serry and guitarist Tony Mottola on americanhistory.si 1921 – "The Sheik of Araby" is a song composed by Ted Snyder with lyrics by Harry B. Smith and Francis Wheeler. It was written in response to the popularity of the Rudolph Valentino film The Sheik. The Club Royal Orchestra introduced the song on their first recording in 1921. The two recordings of trombonist Jack Teagarden have been cited as a big influence for the song's standard status. 1922 – "Bugle Call Rag" is a jazz song by Billy Meyers, Jack Pettis and Elmer Schoebel. It was first recorded by the Friar's Society Orchestra (later the New Orleans Rhythm Kings) and popularized by Benny Goodman and Glenn Miller in the 1930s. Duke Ellington based his 1939 composition "The Sergeant Was Shy" on the song. The original recording of the song was titled "Bugle Call Blues". 1922 – "China Boy" is a song by Phil Boutelje and Dick Winfree. It was first recorded by Arnold Johnson and His Orchestra in 1922, and was popularized by Paul Whiteman's 1929 recording featuring a solo by Bix Beiderbecke. The 1927 recording by McKenzie and Condon's Chicagoans defined the early sound of Chicago style jazz. Benny Goodman's 1935 recording revived interest in the song, and it was performed in Goodman's Carnegie Hall concert in 1938. Sidney Bechet and Muggsy Spanier recorded a definitive version March 28, 1940. 1922 – "Farewell Blues" is a jazz composition by Paul Mares, Leon Roppolo and Elmer Schoebel of the Friar's Society Orchestra. It was used as the band's theme music, and their performances at the Friar's Inn influenced several younger white jazzmen, such as Bud Freeman and Jimmy McPartland. Isham Jones and His Orchestra had a hit with the tune in 1923. 1922 – "I Wish I Could Shimmy Like My Sister Kate" is a jazz composition with words and lyrics by Armand J. Piron. It was published in 1922 with copyright assigned to the publishing house of Clarence Williams.I Wish I Could Shimmy Like My Sister Kate sheet music Tulane University Digital Library; Louisiana Sheet Music The song was promoted through numerous instrumental recordings for different labels by the Original Memphis Five under their usual name and as The Cotton Pickers. They also accompanied the African-American singer Leona Williams named as Her Dixie Band. Clarence Williams himself recorded the song playing solo piano accompaniment to his wife Eva Taylor. The song was revived in a 1939 recording by Muggsy Spanier and His Ragtime Band with a vocal chorus by George Brunies, which established its status as a standard.Chilton, John. 1990. sleeve notes to Jazz Classics in Digital Stereo: Muggsy Spanier 1931 and 1939. BBC REB 687 1923 – "Charleston" is a jazz orchestration for the Charleston dance, composed by James P. Johnson with lyrics by Cecil Mack. Introduced by Elisabeth Welch in the 1923 Broadway musical Runnin' Wild, its success brought the Charleston dance to international popularity. Johnson's original rhythmic accompaniment inspired several later songs, many of which used the word "Charleston" in the title. The song was played in the 1946 film It's a Wonderful Life, starring James Stewart and Donna Reed, at a dance scene. It was also a featured production number in the 1950 film Tea for Two. It featured in an episode of the 1970s sitcom The Brady Bunch. 1923 – "Tin Roof Blues" is a jazz composition by George Brunies, Paul Mares, Ben Pollack, Leon Roppolo and Mel Stitzel of the New Orleans Rhythm Kings. The band first recorded the tune in 1923, and it became a major influence for later jazz groups. It is one of the early New Orleans jazz pieces most often played. Jo Stafford's 1953 hit "Make Love to Me" used the tune's music with added lyrics.

1924–1925

1924 – "Everybody Loves My Baby" is a song composed by Spencer Williams with lyrics by Jack Palmer. It was introduced by Clarence Williams and His Blue Five, with Louis Armstrong on trumpet. Armstrong also recorded the song with the Fletcher Henderson Orchestra later in 1924; the take marked Armstrong's first vocal recording. The song is also known as "Everybody Loves My Baby, but My Baby Don't Love Nobody but Me". 1924 – "Fascinating Rhythm" is a song composed by George Gershwin, with lyrics by Ira Gershwin. It was first introduced by Cliff Edwards, Fred Astaire and Adele Astaire in the Broadway musical Lady Be Good. Cliff Edwards recorded a version of "Fascinating Rhythm" in 1924 that featured an early example of scat singing. The Astaires recorded the song on April 19, 1926, in London with George Gershwin on the piano (English Columbia 3968 or 8969). The 1926 Astaire/Gershwin version and a 1938 version by Hawaiian steel guitarist Sol Hoʻopiʻi have both been added to the Library of Congress's National Recording Registry of "culturally, historically, or aesthetically important" American sound recordings. Many jazz-oriented artists have recorded "Fascinating Rhythm", including Louis Bellson, Rosemary Clooney, Tommy Dorsey (for the 1943 movie Girl Crazy), Ella Fitzgerald, Benny Goodman, Stephane Grappelli, Vince Guaraldi, Scott Hamilton, Earl Hines, Sam Lanin, Red Norvo, Oscar Peterson, John Pizzarelli, George Shearing, Stuff Smith, Mel Torme, and Paul Whiteman. 1924 – "Hard Hearted Hannah (The Vamp of Savannah)"The Real Book, Volume III, p. 138 is a song composed by Milton Ager with lyrics by Charles Bates, Bob Bigelow and Jack Yellen. It was introduced by Frances Williams in the Broadway musical Innocent Eyes. Hit recordings were made by Dolly Kay, Margaret Young and Herb Wiedoeft and His Orchestra. Ella Fitzgerald sang it in the 1955 film Pete Kelly's Blues. 1924 – "How Come You Do Me Like You Do?" is a song by vaudeville duo Gene Austin and Roy Bergere. It became popular in 1924 with the recordings of blues singers Rosa Henderson and Viola McCoy. Marion Harris recorded a hit version in 1924. The song enjoyed a revival in 1954 after Bill Krenz's recording. 1924 – "I'll See You in My Dreams" is a popular song and jazz standard, composed by Isham Jones, with lyrics by Gus Kahn, and published in 1924. It was recorded on December 4 that year, by Isham Jones conducting Ray Miller's Orchestra. Released on Brunswick Records, it charted for 16 weeks during 1925, spending seven weeks at number 1 in the United States. Other jazz-oriented artists who recorded the song include Cliff Edwards, Louis Armstrong, Bing Crosby, Ella Fitzgerald, and Anita O'Day. 1924 – "King Porter Stomp" is a ragtime composition by Jelly Roll Morton, originally recorded as a piano solo. Lyrics were later added by Sonny Burke and Sid Robin. Morton claimed to have originally written the tune in 1902. It was named after pianist Porter King, and there is a rumor that Morton consulted ragtime pianist Scott Joplin about the composition. It became a hit when Benny Goodman and his orchestra recorded Fletcher Henderson's arrangement of it in 1935. The chord progression from the first strain has been used in numerous other jazz compositions and is commonly known as the Stomp progression.