This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1939.
Specific locations 1939 in British music 1939 in Norwegian music
Specific genres 1939 in country music 1939 in jazz
Events January 4 – New band to be headed by Harry James, first trumpet with Benny Goodman, formed; goes into rehearsal January 6. It has already been dated for a short stay at the Statler Hotel, Boston, opening February 1. James has taken Buddy Rich from Bunny Berigan's orchestra to handle the drums and secures Frank Sinatra as vocalist. February – Recording of "A-Tisket, A-Tasket" turned out by Ella Fitzgerald and Chick Webb for Decca has established a new eight-year high in sales for the industry. The sales on this 35c have already gone over 250,000. The company's previous record had been the 160,000 copies achieved by Bing Crosby's version of "Sweet Leilani". February 24 – Symphony No. 3 by Roy Harris receives its world premiere in Boston, as Serge Koussevitzky conducts the Boston Symphony Orchestra April 9 – African-American contralto Marian Anderson performs before 75,000 people at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., after having been denied the use both of Constitution Hall by the Daughters of the American Revolution, and of a public high school by the federally controlled District of Columbia. First Lady of the United States Eleanor Roosevelt resigns from the DAR because of their decision. April 20 – Billie Holiday records the anti-lynching song "Strange Fruit" in the United States. May 17 – Sergei Prokofiev's Alexander Nevsky (Op. 78) cantata debuts in Moscow. It is an adaptation from the 1938 film score to Alexander Nevsky. May 22 – Columbia Recording Corporation incorporated in Delaware. June 10 – Premiere of Arthur Bliss's Piano Concerto in B-flat with soloist Solomon; Arnold Bax's 7th Symphony; and Ralph Vaughan Williams' Five Variants of Dives and Lazarus, with the New York Philharmonic under Sir Adrian Boult at Carnegie Hall. August 22 – "You Are My Sunshine" first recorded. June 21 – Francis Poulenc's Organ Concerto is premièred in Paris. November 1 – Bruno Walter leaves Germany for the United States. December – Ali Akbar Khan accompanies Ravi Shankar on the sarod during the latter's debut performance at the annual music conference in Allahabad. December 31 – A special concert of music by Johann Strauss II is performed by the Vienna Philharmonic conducted by Clemens Krauss in the great hall of the Musikverein in Vienna, predecessor of a continuing series of Vienna New Year's Concerts. The Nordstrom Sisters are the resident act at The Ritz Hotel, London. Jo Stafford and The Pied Pipers join the Tommy Dorsey orchestra. The Squadronaires form. Dorothy Kirsten makes her professional concert debut at the New York World's Fair. Manuel de Falla leaves Granada for exile in Argentina.
Publications Ernst Krenek – Music Here and Now
Albums released Featuring Charlie Christian – Benny Goodman Cowboy Songs – Bing Crosby Negro Sinful Songs – Lead Belly (Huddie Ledbetter)
Top popular recordings
The twenty-five popular records 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 Glenn Miller and his Orchestra "In the Mood" Bluebird 10416 US Billboard 1939 #1, US #1 for 12 weeks, 30 total weeks, National Recording Registry 2004 2 Glahe Musette Orchestra "Beer Barrel Polka" Victor V-710 US Billboard 1939 #2, US #1 for 4 weeks, 21 total weeks 3 Orrin Tucker and His Orchestra Vocal chorus Bonnie Baker "Oh Johnny, Oh Johnny, Oh!" Columbia 35228 US Billboard 1939 #3, US #2 for 4 weeks, 14 total weeks, sold 1,500,000 'Wee' Bonnie Baker Gailey, 73, Band Singer of 'Oh Johnny' Hit, by Seth Borenstein Sun-Sentinel, August 14, 1990 4 Glenn Miller and his Orchestra "Moonlight Serenade" Bluebird B-10214 US Billboard 1939 #4, US #3 for 1 week, 15 total weeks, Grammy Hall of Fame 1991, ASCAP song of 1939 5 Judy Garland "Over the Rainbow" Decca 2672 US Billboard 1939 #5, US #5 for 1 week, 12 total weeks, Grammy Hall of Fame 1981, AFI 1, RIAA 1, Music Imprint 1 of 1930s, ASCAP song of 1938, National Recording Registry 2016 6 Kate Smith "God Bless America" Victor 26198 US Billboard 1939 #6, US #5 for 1 week, 12 total weeks, Grammy Hall of Fame 1982, National Recording Registry 2002 7 Glenn Miller and his Orchestra "Over the Rainbow" Bluebird 10366 US Billboard 1939 #7, US #1 for 7 weeks, 15 total weeks 8 Larry Clinton and His Orchestra "Deep Purple" Victor 26141 US Billboard 1939 #8, US #1 for 9 weeks, 13 total weeks, Grammy Hall of Fame 2000 9 Frankie Masters and His Orchestra "Scatter Brain" Vocalion 4915 US Billboard 1939 #9, US #1 for 8 weeks, 16 total weeks 10 Benny Goodman and His Orchestra (Vocal Martha Tilton) "And the Angels Sing" Victor 26170 US Billboard 1939 #10, US #1 for 5 weeks, 14 total weeks, Grammy Hall of Fame 1987 11 Mary Martin (Eddy Duchin Orchestra) ""My Heart Belongs to Daddy" Brunswick 8282 US Billboard 1939 #11, US #1 for 1 weeks, 16 total weeks 12 The Ink Spots ""If I Didn't Care" Decca 2286 US Billboard 1939 #12, US #2 for 1 week, 9 total weeks, Grammy Hall of Fame 1987, National Recording Registry 2017, sold 19,000,000 13 Bing Crosby "What's New?" Decca 2671 US BB 1939 #13, US #2 for 2 weeks, 10 total weeks 14 Shep Fields and His Rippling Rhythm Orchestra "South of the Border (Down Mexico Way)" Bluebird 10376 US Billboard 1939 #14, US #1 for 5 weeks, 18 total weeks 15 Bob Crosby and His Orchestra "Day In, Day Out" Decca 2703 US Billboard 1939 #15, US #1 for 1 week, 13 total weeks 16 Cab Calloway and His Orchestra "(Hep-Hep) The Jumpin' Jive" Vocalion 5005 US Billboard 1939 #16, US #2 for 4 weeks, 12 total weeks, Grammy Hall of Fame 2017 17 Glenn Miller and his Orchestra "Stairway to the Stars" Bluebird 10276 US Billboard 1939 #17, US #1 for 4 weeks, 13 total weeks 18 Kay Kyser and His Orchestra "Three Little Fishies" Brunswick 8358 US Billboard 1939 #18, US #1 for 2 weeks, 9 total weeks 19 Sammy Kaye and His Orchestra "Penny Serenade" Victor 26150 US BB 1939 #19, US #2 for 1 week, 9 total weeks 20 Al Donahue and His Orchestra "Jeepers Creepers" Vocalion 4513 US Billboard 1939 #20, US #1 for 5 weeks, 13 total weeks 21 Glenn Miller and his Orchestra "The Man With The Mandolin" Bluebird 10358 US Billboard 1939 #12, US #1 for 3 weeks, 10 total weeks 22 Glen Gray and Casa Loma Orchestra "Sunrise Serenade" Decca 2321 US Billboard 1939 #13, US #1 for 2 weeks, 16 total weeks 23 Woody Herman and His Orchestra "At the Woodchopper's Ball" Decca 2440 US BB 1939 #23, US #9 for 1 week, 6 total weeks, Grammy Hall of Fame 2002 24 The Andrews Sisters "Hold Tight, Hold Tight" Decca 2214 US BB 1939 #24, US #2 for 1 week, 11 total weeks 25 Glen Gray and Casa Loma Orchestra "Heaven Can Wait" Decca 2321 US Billboard 1939 #25, US #1 for 2 weeks, 13 total weeks
Additional recordings of historical interest, and songs that crossed over from Hillbilly (Country) and Race (R&B): Rank Artist Title Label Recorded Released Chart positions 26 Glenn Miller and his Orchestra "Blue Orchids" Bluebird 10372 US Billboard 1939 #18, US #1 for 1 week, 12 total weeks 27 The Ink Spots ""My Prayer" Decca 2790 US Billboard 1939 #42, US #3 for 1 week, 12 total weeks 28 Tommy Dorsey and His Orchestra (Vocal Jack Leonard) "Our Love" Victor 26202 US Billboard 1939 #19, US #1 for 1 week, 11 total weeks 29 Kay Kyser and His Orchestra "The Umbrella Man" Brunswick 8225 US Billboard 1939 #20, US #1 for 1 weeks, 11 total weeks 30 Glenn Miller and his Orchestra "Wishing (Will Make It So)" Bluebird 10219 US Billboard 1939 #30, US #1 for 4 weeks, 14 total weeks 31 Artie Shaw and His Orchestra (Vocal Helen Forrest) "They Say" Bluebird 10075 US Billboard 1939 #16, US #1 for 2 weeks, 8 total weeks 35 The Ink Spots "Address Unknown" Decca 2707 US Billboard 1939 #30, US #1 for 1 week, 9 total weeks 45 Glenn Miller and his Orchestra "Moon Love" Bluebird 10303 US Billboard 1939 #9, US #1 for 4 weeks, 16 total weeks 189 Walter Huston "September Song" Brunswick 8272 US Billboard 1939 #189, US #12 for 1 week, 5 total weeks 190 Gene Autry "South of the Border (Down Mexico Way)" Vocalion 5122 US Billboard 1939 #190, US #12 for 1 week, 4 total weeks, US BBHB 1939 #8, US Hillbilly #1 for 2 weeks, 22 total weeks, 1,000,000 sales 325 Ted Weems And His Orchestra (vocal Perry Como) "I Wonder Who's Kissing Her Now" Decca 2919 US Billboard 1939 #325, US #19 for 1 week, 1 total weeks
Race and blues hits
Rank Artist Title Label Recorded Released Chart positions 1 The Ink Spots ""If I Didn't Care" Decca 2286 US Billboard 1939 #38, US #2 for 1 week, 9 total weeks, Grammy Hall of Fame 1987, National Recording Registry 2017 2 Cab Calloway and His Orchestra "(Hep-Hep) The Jumpin' Jive" Vocalion 5005 US Billboard 1939 #25, US #2 for 4 weeks, 12 total weeks, Grammy Hall of Fame 2017 3 The Ink Spots "Address Unknown" Decca 2707 US Billboard 1939 #30, US #1 for 1 week, 9 total weeks 4 The Ink Spots ""My Prayer" Decca 2790 US Billboard 1939 #42, US #3 for 1 week, 12 total weeks 5 Fats Waller "Good for Nothin' but Love" Bluebird 10129 US Billboard 1939 #102, US #7 for 1 week, 6 total weeks 6 Chick Webb Orchestra (vocal Ella Fitzgerald) "'F.D.R. Jones" Decca 2105 US Billboard 1939 #116, US #8 for 1 week, 6 total weeks 7 Chick Webb Orchestra (vocal Ella Fitzgerald) "Undecided" Decca 2323 US Billboard 1939 #120, US #8 for 1 week, 4 total weeks 8 Ella Fitzgerald And Her Famous Orchestra "I Want the Waiter (With the Water)" Decca 2628 US Billboard 1939 #138, US #9 for 1 week, 3 total weeks 9 Lionel Hampton and His Orchestra "Wizzin' the Wiz" Victor 26233 US Billboard 1939 #153, US #10 for 1 week, 5 total weeks 10 Louis Armstrong and His Orchestra "When the Saints Go Marching In" Decca 2230 US Billboard 1939 #155, US #15 for 1 week, 3 total weeks 11 The Mills Brothers "Sweet Adeline (You're the Flower of My Heart)" Decca 2285 US Billboard 1939 #160, US #10 for 1 week, 2 total weeks 12 Count Basie and His Orchestra "Jumpin' At The Woodside" Decca 2212 US Billboard 1939 #174, US #11 for 1 week, 4 total weeks 13 Fats Waller "Hold Tight" Bluebird 10116 US Billboard 1939 #176, US #11 for 1 week, 4 total weeks 14 Louis Armstrong and His Orchestra "West End Blues" Decca 2480 US Billboard 1939 #218, US #13 for 1 week, 1 total weeks 15 Mildred Bailey "Blame it on My Last Affair" Vocalion 04632 US Billboard 1939 #219, US #13 for 1 week, 1 total weeks 16 Billie Holiday "Strange Fruit" Commodore 526 US Billboard 1939 #287, US #16 for 1 week, 2 total weeks, Grammy Hall of Fame 1978, National Recording Registry 2002, sells 1M copies 18 Blind Boy Fuller "Big Leg Woman Gets My Pay" Vocalion 05030 19 Robert Johnson "Love in Vain Blues" Vocalion 04630 20 Robert Johnson "Preachin' Blues (Up Jumped the Devil)" Vocalion 04630 21 Lead Belly (Huddie Ledbetter) "The Gallis Pole" Musicraft 227 22 Lead Belly "The Bourgeois Blues" Musicraft 227 23 Lead Belly "The Boll Weevil" Musicraft 226
Christmas hits
Rank Artist Title Label Recorded Released Chart positions 1 Guy Lombardo and His Royal Canadians "Auld Lang Syne" Decca 2478
Published popular music "Address Unknown" words and music: Carmen Lombardo, Johnny Marks & Dedette Lee Hill "All in Fun" words: Oscar Hammerstein II, music: Jerome Kern Introduced by Frances Mercer and Jack Whiting in the musical Very Warm for May "All or Nothing at All" w. Jack Lawrence m. Arthur Altman "All the Things You Are" w. Oscar Hammerstein II m. Jerome Kern from the musical Very Warm for May "Anatole (Of Paris)" w.m. Sylvia Fine Introduced by Danny Kaye in the revue The Straw Hat Revue "An Apple For the Teacher" w. Johnny Burke m. James V. Monaco "Are You Havin' Any Fun?" w. Jack Yellen m. Sammy Fain "The Army Air Corps" w.m. Robert M. Crawford