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This is a list of notable events in music that took place in 1931.
There were many talented writers, producers and performers in the music industry during 1931, but record sales were very low. After $75 million in sales during 1929, the stock market crash in October nearly destroyed the industry, after forty years of consistent operation. Sales fell to $18 million in 1930 and then $5.5 million in 1931, where they remained for the next four years. The top selling records of 1929 ranged from $500,000 and up, fell under $100,000 in 1930, $60k in 1931 and $20k in 1932, where they stayed for several years. Keep this in mind when reviewing sales figures. You may also notice less artists and records. Record companies were afraid of taking more losses, such as gambling on new artists and new styles. Guy Lombardo's recording schedule was unaffected because his releases always sold well, but there were few new acts. Most of the records released in 1931 came from Radio Corporation of America (Victor), Columbia/Okeh, Brunswick (now owned by Warner Brothers Studios) and American Record Corporation (ARC), which featured discounted "dime store" labels.
The top popular records of 1931 listed below were compiled from Joel Whitburn's Pop Memories 1890–1954,[11] record sales reported on the "Discography of American Historical Recordings" website, and other sources as specified. Numerical rankings are approximate, there were no Billboard charts in 1931, the numbers are only used for a frame of reference.
Rank | Artist | Title | Label | Recorded | Released | Chart Positions |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Wayne King and His Orchestra (vocal Ernie Birchill) | "Good-night Sweetheart"[12] | Victor 22825 | September 29, 1931 | October 1931 | US Billboard 1931 #1, US #1 for 7 weeks, 15 total weeks |
2 | Duke Ellington and His Cotton Club Orchestra | "Mood Indigo"[13] | Victor 22587 | December 10, 1930 | January 23, 1931 | US Billboard 1931 #2, US #3 for 10 total weeks, 48,191 sales,[14] Grammy Hall of Fame in 1975 |
3 | Gus Arnheim Coconut Grove Orchestra (vocal Donald Novis) | "Sweet And Lovely"[15] | Victor 22770 | July 19, 1931 | August 1931 | US Billboard 1931 #3, US #1 for 6 weeks, 14 total weeks, 20,527 sales[16] |
4 | Mills Brothers | "Tiger Rag"[17] | Brunswick 6197 | October 9, 1931 | November 1931 | US Billboard 1931 #4, US #1 for 4 weeks, 13 total weeks |
5 | Wayne King and His Orchestra | "Dream a Little Dream of Me"[18] | Victor 22643 | February 18, 1931 | March 1931 | US Billboard 1931 #5, US #1 for 4 weeks, 12 total weeks, 30,755 sales,[19] ASCAP song of 1930 |
6 | Bing Crosby | "Just One More Chance"[20] | Brunswick 6120 | May 4, 1931 | May 1931 | US Billboard 1931 #6, US #1 for 2 weeks, 19 total weeks |
7 | Guy Lombardo and His Royal Canadians | "By the River St. Marie"[21] | Columbia 2401-D | February 10, 1931 | March 1931 | US Billboard 1931 #7, US #1 for 3 weeks, 11 total weeks |
8 | Bing Crosby | "At Your Command"[22] | Brunswick 6145 | June 24, 1931 | July 1931 | US Billboard 1931 #8, US #1 for 3 weeks, 9 total weeks |
9 | Kate Smith with Ben Selvin and His Orchestra | "When the Moon Comes Over the Mountain"[23] | Columbia 2516-D | August 17, 1931 | September 1931 | US Billboard 1931 #9, US #1 for 2 weeks, 14 total weeks |
10 | Gus Arnheim Coconut Grove Orchestra (vocal Bing Crosby) | "I Surrender Dear"[24] | Victor 22618 | January 19, 1931 | March 1931 | US Billboard 1931 #10, US #3 for 3 weeks, 10 total weeks |
11 | Leo Reisman and His Orchestra (vocal Ben W. Gordon) | "Just a Gigolo"[25] | Victor 22606 | January 5, 1931 | March 1931 | US Billboard 1931 #11, US #15 for 1 weeks, 2 total weeks, 39,618 sales[26] |
12 | Bud Billings (Frank Luther) and Carson Robison | "When Your Hair Has Turned To Silver"[27] | Victor 22588 | November 26, 1930 | January 23, 1931 | US Billboard 1931 #12, US #4 for 1 week, 12 total weeks, US Hillbilly 1931 #3, 38,805 sales[28] |
13 | Wayne King and His Orchestra | "The Waltz You Saved for Me"[29] | Victor 22575 | November 7, 1930 | April 1931 | US Billboard 1931 #13, US #4 for 1 week, 15 total weeks, 38,450 sales[30] |
14 | Bing Crosby | "Out of Nowhere"[31] | Brunswick 6090 | March 30, 1931 | April 1931 | US Billboard 1931 #14, US #1 for 3 weeks, 8 total weeks |
15 | Guy Lombardo and His Royal Canadians | "(There Ought to Be a) Moonlight Saving Time"[32] | Columbia 2457-D | April 29, 1931 | May 1931 | US Billboard 1931 #15, US #1 for 3 weeks, 8 total weeks |
16 | Cab Calloway and His Orchestra | "Minnie the Moocher"[33] | Brunswick 6074 | March 3, 1931 | March 1931 | US Billboard 1931 #16, US #1 for 1 week, 17 total weeks |
17 | Fred Waring's Pennsylvanians | "Love For Sale"[34] | Victor 22598 | December 24, 1930 | March 1931 | US Billboard 1931 #17, US #14 for 1 week, 2 total weeks, 34,465 sales[35] |
18 | Fred Waring's Pennsylvanians | "I Found a Million Dollar Baby (in a Five and Ten Cent Store)"[36] | Victor 22707 | May 4, 1931 | June 1931 | US Billboard 1931 #18, US #1 for 3 weeks, 6 total weeks, 20,769 sales[37] |
19 | Bing Crosby | "I Found a Million Dollar Baby (in a Five and Ten Cent Store)"[38] | Brunswick 6140 | May 4, 1931 | June 1931 | US Billboard 1931 #19, US #1 for 3 weeks, 6 total weeks |
20 | Gus Arnheim Coconut Grove Orchestra (vocals Rhythm Boys) | "The Little Things In Life"[39] | Victor 22580 | November 25, 1930 | December 1930 | US Billboard 1931 #20, US #4 for 1 week, 5 total weeks, 29,066 sales[40] |
21 | Rudy Vallee and His Connecticut Yankees | "Would You Like to Take a Walk?"[41] | Victor 22611 | January 13, 1931 | April 1931 | US Billboard 1931 #21, US #4 for 1 week, 7 total weeks, 32,716 sales[42] |
22 | Wayne King and His Orchestra | "Goofus"[43] | Victor 22600 | November 6, 1930 | January 1931 | US Billboard 1931 #22, US #4 for 1 week, 15 total weeks, 38,450 sales[44] |
23 | Guy Lombardo and His Royal Canadians | "Good Night, Sweetheart"[45] | Columbia 2547-D | October 8, 1931 | November 1931 | US Billboard 1931 #23, US #1 for 2 weeks, 11 total weeks |
24 | Rudy Vallee and His Connecticut Yankees | "When Yuba Plays the Rhumba on the Tuba"[46] | Victor 22742 | June 15, 1931 | August 1931 | US Billboard 1931 #24, US #2 for 1 week, 7 total weeks, 27,402 sales[47] |
25 | Fred Waring's Pennsylvanians | "Dancing in the Dark"[48] | Victor 22708 | May 18, 1931 | July 1931 | US Billboard 1931 #25, US #3 for 1 week, 11 total weeks, 26,928 sales[49] |
26 | Ted Lewis and His Band | "Just a Gigolo"[50] | Columbia 2378-D | January 13, 1931 | February 1931 | US Billboard 1931 #26, US #1 for 2 weeks, 8 total weeks |