This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1937.
Specific locations 1937 in British music 1937 in Norwegian music
Specific genres 1937 in country music 1937 in jazz
Events January 24 – Ernest John Moeran completes the revised version of his Symphony in G minor, dedicated to conductor Hamilton Harty.From Beyond the Stave: The most glorious of English symphonies March 6 – Benjamin Britten and Peter Pears first meet, in London.Letters from a Life Vol 1: 1923–39: Selected Letters and Diaries of Benjamin Britten May 12 – At the coronation of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth in Westminster Abbey, William Walton's ceremonial march, "Crown Imperial", originally written for his predecessor, King Edward VIII, is performed for the first time. June 2 – The incomplete version of Alban Berg's opera Lulu is premièred in Zürich (it is later completed in a version premiered in 1979) June 8 – After a New York recital with pianist José Iturbi, violinist Manuel Quiroga is hit by a truck while crossing Times Square, leaving him with a paralysed arm. Première of Carl Orff's Carmina Burana in Frankfurt, Germany. November 30 – Ruth Etting divorces Martin Snyder. December 9 - At the age of 22, the accordionist John Serry Sr. makes the first of several recordings with the Shep Fields Jazz Orchestra."Discography of American Historical Recordings" - John Serry on adp.library.ucsb.edu December 25 – At the age of 70, Italian-born conductor Arturo Toscanini conducts the NBC Symphony Orchestra on U.S. radio for the first time, beginning his 17-year tenure with the orchestra. This first concert consists of music by Vivaldi (at a time when he is seldom played), Mozart, and Brahms. Millions tune in to listen, including U.S. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Perry Como begins singing with the Ted Weems orchestra. Frankie Laine fills Como's vacated position with the Freddie Carlone band. Renato Carosone obtains his pianoforte diploma.
Top popular recordings
The twenty popular records in the United States listed below were extracted from Joel Whitburn's Pop Memories 1890–1954, record sales reported on the "Discography of American Historical Recordings" website, and other sources as specified. Numerical rankings are approximate, they are only used as a frame of reference. Rank Artist Title Label Recorded Released Chart positions 1 Bing Crosby "Sweet Leilani" Decca US BB 1937 #1, US #1 for 10 weeks, 25 total weeks, 1,000,000 sales 2 Tommy Dorsey and His Orchestra "Once In A While" Victor US BB 1937 #2, US #1 for 7 weeks, 14 total weeks, Jazz Standards 1937 3 Tommy Dorsey and His Orchestra "The Dipsy Doodle" Victor US BB 1937 #3, US #1 for 6 weeks, 15 total weeks 4 Guy Lombardo and His Royal Canadians "It Looks Like Rain in Cherry Blossom Lane" Victor US BB 1937 #4, US #1 for 5 weeks, 16 total weeks 5 Guy Lombardo and His Royal Canadians "Boo Hoo" Victor US BB 1937 #5, US #1 for 5 weeks, 12 total weeks 6 Guy Lombardo and His Royal Canadians "September in the Rain" Victor US BB 1937 #6, US #1 for 4 weeks, 16 total weeks 7 Shep Fields and His Rippling Rhythm Orchestra "That Old Feeling" Bluebird US BB 1937 #7, US #1 for 4 weeks, 14 total weeks 8 Bob Crosby and His Orchestra "Whispers in the Dark" Decca US BB 1937 #8, US #1 for 4 weeks, 13 total weeks 9 Benny Goodman and His Orchestra (Vocal Ella Fitzgerald) Goodnight, My Love Victor US BB 1936 #9, US #1 for 4 weeks, 13 total weeks 10 Bing Crosby "The Moon Got in My Eyes" Decca US BB 1937 #10, US #1 for 4 weeks, 11 total weeks 11 Hal Kemp and His Orchestra "This Year's Kisses" Brunswick US BB 1936 #11, US #1 for 4 weeks, 8 total weeks 12 Guy Lombardo and His Royal Canadians "A Sailboat in the Moonlight" Victor US BB 1937 #12, US #1 for 3 weeks, 14 total weeks 13 Teddy Wilson and His Orchestra (vocal Billie Holiday) "Carelessly" Brunswick US BB 1937 #13, US #1 for 3 weeks, 12 total weeks 14 Tommy Dorsey and His Orchestra "Satan Takes a Holiday" Victor US BB 1937 #14, US #1 for 3 weeks, 11 total weeks 15 Benny Goodman and His Orchestra (Vocal Margaret McCrae) "This Year's Kisses" Victor US BB 1937 #15, US #1 for 3 weeks, 10 total weeks 16 Bing Crosby Remember Me? Decca US BB 1937 #16, US #1 for 3 weeks, 6 total weeks 17 Eddy Duchin and His Orchestra "It's De-Lovely" Victor US BB 1936 #17, US #1 for 2 weeks, 13 total weeks 18 Russ Morgan and His Orchestra "The Merry-Go-Round Broke Down" Brunswick US BB 1937 #18, US #1 for 2 weeks, 10 total weeks 19 Tommy Dorsey and His Orchestra "Marie" Victor US BB 1937 #19, US #1 for 2 weeks, 8 total weeks, Grammy Hall of Fame 1998, 150,000 sales 20 Shep Fields and His Rippling Rhythm Orchestra "The Merry-Go-Round Broke Down" Bluebird US BB 1937 #20, US #1 for 2 weeks, 8 total weeks 21 Fats Waller and his Rhythm "(You Know it All) Smarty" Victor US BB 1937 #21, US #1 for 2 weeks, 8 total weeks 22 Tommy Dorsey and His Orchestra "The Big Apple" Victor US BB 1937 #22, US #1 for 2 weeks, 7 total weeks 23 Teddy Wilson and His Orchestra (vocal Billie Holiday) "You Can't Stop Me from Dreaming" Brunswick US BB 1937 #23, US #1 for 2 weeks, 7 total weeks 24 Hal Kemp and His Orchestra "Where or When" Brunswick US BB 1936 #24, US #1 for 1 weeks, 16 total weeks 27 Fred Astaire "They Can't Take That Away From Me" Brunswick US BB 1937 #27, US #1 for 1 weeks, 11 total weeks, Grammy Hall of Fame 2005, Jazz Standards 1937 28 Bing Crosby Too Marvelous for Words Decca US BB 1937 #28, US #1 for 1 weeks, 10 total weeks 29 Duke Ellington and His Famous Orchestra Caravan Master US BB 1937 #60, US #4 for 1 weeks, 18 total weeks, Grammy Hall of Fame 2009, Jazz Standards 1936
Number one hit songs (in order) "It's De-Lovely" – Eddy Duchin "Goodnight My Love" – Benny Goodman and Ella Fitzgerald "This Year's Kisses" – Benny Goodman, Helen Forrest "Marie" – Tommy Dorsey, Jack Leonard, Bunny Berigan "Boo Hoo" – Guy Lombardo "Sweet Leilani" – Bing Crosby "Too Marvelous For Words" – Bing Crosby "They Can't Take That Away From Me" – Fred Astaire "Carelessly" – Teddy Wilson with vocal by Billie Holiday "September In the Rain" – Guy Lombardo "It Looks Like Rain in Cherry Blossom Lane" – Guy Lombardo "The Merry-Go-Round Broke Down" – Shep Fields "Where Or When" – Hal Kemp "Smarty" – Fats Waller "A Sailboat in the Moonlight" – Guy Lombardo "Satan Takes A Holiday" – Billy May, Tommy Dorsey "Whispers In the Dark" – Bob Crosby "The Big Apple" – Tommy Dorsey "So Rare" – Guy Lombardo "The Moon Got In My Eyes" – Bing Crosby "That Old Feeling" – Shep Fields "You Can't Stop Me From Dreaming" – Teddy Wilson "Remember Me?" – Bing Crosby "Once In Awhile" – Tommy Dorsey "The Dipsy Doodle" – Tommy Dorsey "Bob White (Whatcha Gonna Swing Tonight)" – Bing Crosby "Nice Work If You Can Get It" – Fred Astaire "Rosalie" – Sammy Kaye "Vieni, Vieni" – Rudy Vallee
Published popular music "Afraid To Dream" words: Mack Gordon, music: Harry Revel "After You" w.m. Sam Coslow & Al Siegel "All God's Chillun Got Rhythm" w. Gus Kahn m. Bronislaw Kaper & Walter Jurmann "All You Want To Do Is Dance" w. Johnny Burke m. Arthur Johnston. Introduced by Bing Crosby in the film Double or Nothing. "Always And Always" w. Bob Wright & Chet Forrest m. Edward Ward "Am I In Love?" w. Al Dubin m. Harry Warren. Introduced by Kenny Baker in the film Mr. Dodd Takes the Air. "Azure" w. Irving Mills m. Duke Ellington "(I've Got) Beginner's Luck" w. Ira Gershwin m. George Gershwin. Introduced by Fred Astaire in the film Shall We Dance "Blossoms On Broadway" w. Leo Robin m. Ralph Rainger "Blue Hawaii" w. Leo Robin m. Ralph Rainger. Introduced by Bing Crosby and Shirley Ross in the film Waikiki Wedding "Bob White (Whatcha Gonna Swing Tonight)" w. Johnny Mercer m. Bernard Hanighen "Boo-Hoo" w. Edward Heyman m. John Jacob Loeb & Carmen Lombardo "Broken Hearted Clown" w.m. Don Pelosi, Harry Leon "By Myself" w. Howard Dietz m. Arthur Schwartz "Camel Hop" m. Mary Lou Williams "Can I Forget You?" w. Oscar Hammerstein II m. Jerome Kern "Caravan" w. Irving Mills m. Juan Tizol & Duke Ellington "Carelessly" w. Charles Kenny & Nick Kenny m. Norman Ellis "Cause My Baby Says It's So" w. Al Dubin m. Harry Warren "Community Swing" m. Glenn Miller "Dear Mr Gable (You Made Me Love You)" w. Joseph McCarthy m. James V. Monaco with extra lyrics Roger Edens "Did Anyone Ever Tell You?" w. Harold Adamson m. Jimmy McHugh. Introduced by Virginia Bruce in the film When Love Is Young "Did Your Mother Come From Ireland?" w.m. Jimmy Kennedy & Michael Carr "Dinner Music For A Pack Of Hungry Cannibals" m. Raymond Scott "The Dipsy Doodle" w.m. Larry Clinton "The Donkey Serenade" w. Robert Wright, George Forrest m. Rudolf Friml & Herbert Stothart "Down With Love" E. Y. "Yip" Harburg, Harold Arlen. Introduced by Vivian Vance, Jack Whiting and June Clyde in the musical Hooray for What! "Dusk In Upper Sandusky" m. Larry Clinton & Jimmy Dorsey "Easy Living" w. Leo Robin m. Ralph Rainger "Everybody Sing" w. Arthur Freed m. Nacio Herb Brown "A Foggy Day" w. Ira Gershwin m. George Gershwin. Introduced by Fred Astaire in the film A Damsel in Distress "The Folks Who Live on the Hill" w. Oscar Hammerstein II m. Jerome Kern "Foolin' Myself" w. Jack Lawrence m. Peter Tinturin "For Dancers Only" w. Don Raye & Vic Schoen m. Sy Oliver "The Girl On The Police Gazette" w.m. Irving Berlin "God's Country" w. E. Y. Harburg m. Harold Arlen "Gone with the Wind" w. Herb Magidson m. Allie Wrubel "Goodnight Angel" w. Herb Magidson m. Allie Wrubel. Introduced by Jack Oakie and Ann Miller in the revue Radio City Revels and performed in the film version by Kenny Baker. "Got a Pair of New Shoes" w. Arthur Freed m. Nacio Herb Brown. Introduced by Judy Garland in the film Thoroughbreds Don't Cry. "Harbour Lights" w. Jimmy Kennedy m. Hugh Williams "Have You Got Any Castles, Baby?" w. Johnny Mercer m. Richard A. Whiting. Introduced by Priscilla Lane in the film Varsity Show. "Have You Met Miss Jones?" w. Lorenz Hart m. Richard Rodgers "He's a Gypsy From Poughkeepsie" w.m. Bud Green & Emery Deutsch "Heigh-Ho" w. Larry Morey m. Frank Churchill. Sung by Roy Atwell, Pinto Colvig, Otis Harlan, Scotty Mattraw, and Billy Gilbert in the animated film Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. "High, Wide, and Handsome" w. Oscar Hammerstein II m. Jerome Kern "Home Town" w.m. Jimmy Kennedy & Michael Carr "I Can't Be Bothered Now" w. Ira Gershwin m. George Gershwin. Introduced by Fred Astaire in the film A Damsel in Distress "I Double Dare You" w. Jimmy Eaton m. Terry Shand "I Know Now" w. Al Dubin m. Harry Warren "I See Your Face Before Me" w. Howard Dietz m. Arthur Schwartz "I Used to Be Color Blind" w.m. Irving Berlin introduced by Fred Astaire in the 1938 film Carefree "I Was Doing All Right" w. Ira Gershwin m. George Gershwin "I Wish I Were in Love Again" w. Lorenz Hart m. Richard Rodgers "I'd Rather Be Right" w. Lorenz Hart M. Richard Rodgers "If It's The Last Thing I Do" w.m. Sammy Cahn & Saul Chaplin "I'll Take Romance" w. Oscar Hammerstein II m. Ben Oakland "I'm Like A Fish Out Of Water" w. Johnny Mercer m. Richard A. Whiting "I'm Wishing" w. Larry Morey m. Frank Churchill. Sung by Adriana Caselotti in the animated film Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs "In the Still of the Night" w.m. Cole Porter "It Looks Like Rain In Cherry Blossom Lane" w. Edgar Leslie m. Joe Burke "It's Raining Sunbeams" w. Sam Coslow m. Frederick Hollander "It's The Natural Thing To Do" w. Johnny Burke m. Arthur Johnston. Introduced by Bing Crosby in the film Double or Nothing. "It's Wonderful" w. Mitchell Parish m. Stuff Smith "I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm" w.m. Irving Berlin sung by Dick Powell & Alice Faye (in the film "On the Avenue") "I've Hitched My Wagon To A Star" w. Johnny Mercer m. Richard A. Whiting "Johnny One Note" w. Lorenz Hart m. Richard Rodgers "The Joint Is Jumpin"' w. Andy Razaf m. Fats Waller & James C. Johnson "The Lady Is a Tramp" w. Lorenz Hart m. Richard Rodgers