Caffe` Latte` looks back on each set of 100 chart topping singles, beginning in 1940 to 2013.
Week 1: The first 100 number one songs.
(1940 - 51)
The first charts were released on a monthky basis, and reflected Australia's music tests primarily taking into account the sale of sheet music for the popular songs of the day. This continued until 1949. For this reason, multiple artists were listed at the top for versions of the same song.
The first #1 was "South of the Border". Joe Loss' version was the first of his 4 consecutive chart - topping songs in a row! Loss went on to place a further 10 songs at the chart summit by late 1941. Bing Crosby eventually overtook Loss with a staggering total which meant that he was responsible for more than a quarter of the first 100 #1 songs!
While World War II raged, artists such as Vera Lynn, Glenn Miller and the Andrews Sisters were popular. Frank Sinatra began to establish himself as a force on the pop charts, as did Nat King Cole and Perry Como. The post-war baby boomers were to make these artists major stars.
MOST SUCCESSFUL ACTS AT #1 (1940-51)
Artist: Total #1s: Wks at #1:
1.
Bing Crosby 26 194
2.
Joe
Loss 14 101
3.
Andrews
Sisters 11 68
4.
Inkspots 9 42
5.
Dinah Shore 7 43
6.
Perry Como 8 39
7.
Sammy Kaye 7 24
8.
Vera Lynn 5 48
9.
Frank Sinatra 5 28
10.
Glenn
Miller 4
56
11.
Freddy Martin 4 22
12.
Dick Haymes 4 21
13.
Donald Peers 4 14
14.
Kate Smith 3 40
15.
Gordon Jenkins 3 15
16.
Nat King Cole 3 15
17.
Al Jolson 2 24
18.
Gene Autry 2 21
19.
West End Players 2 20
20.
Horace Heidt 2 16
NEXT WEEK: the next 100 songs.
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