List of Billboard number-one singles of 1940

In 1940, The Billboard began publishing its National Best Selling Retail Records chart. The chart's debut in the issue dated July 27 marked the beginning of the magazine's nationwide tracking of record sales in the United States. Initially titled the "National List of Best Selling Retail Records", the ten-position chart was tabulated using sales figures received from a selection of merchants across the country. Prior to its introduction, The Billboard had produced lists ranking music by various metrics such as performance in vaudeville venues, jukebox plays, sheet music sales, and regional airplay.[1][2]

Bandleader Tommy Dorsey (pictured) achieved the first Billboard number-one single with "I'll Never Smile Again", which topped the National Best Selling Retail Records chart for twelve consecutive weeks.
Singer Bing Crosby (pictured) topped the chart for nine consecutive weeks with "Only Forever".
"Frenesi", an instrumental recorded by clarinetist Artie Shaw (pictured), occupied the number one position on the chart during the final two weeks of 1940.

The first National Best Selling Retail Records number-one single was "I'll Never Smile Again" by Tommy Dorsey and His Orchestra. Featuring vocals by Frank Sinatra and the vocal group the Pied Pipers, the song topped the chart for twelve consecutive weeks and elevated Sinatra to national popularity.[3]

Chart history
Issue date Song Artist(s) Ref.
July 27 "I'll Never Smile Again" Tommy Dorsey and His Orchestra with Frank Sinatra and the Pied Pipers [4]
August 3
August 10
August 17
August 24
August 31
September 7
September 14
September 21
September 28
October 5
October 12
October 19 "Only Forever" Bing Crosby with John Scott Trotter and His Orchestra [5]
October 26 [6]
November 2 [7]
November 9 [8]
November 16 [9]
November 23 [10]
November 30 [11]
December 7 [12]
December 14 [13]
December 21 "Frenesi" Artie Shaw and His Orchestra [14]
December 28 [15]

See also

References
  1. Trust, Gary. "On Billboard's 117th Birthday, a Look Back at the Magazine's Beginnings". The Hollywood Reporter. Prometheus Global Media. Archived from the original on 7 November 2019. Retrieved 7 November 2019.
  2. Hajdu, David. "Tearing Up the Pop Charts". The New Republic. Archived from the original on 6 March 2015. Retrieved 7 November 2019.
  3. Kaplan, James (September 20, 2010). "The Night Sinatra Happened". Vanity Fair. Condé Nast. Archived from the original on August 28, 2019. Retrieved August 28, 2019.
  4. "Sinatra Sheet Music (1st Frank Sinatra appearance): I'll Never Smile Again. Words & Music by Ruth Lowe. Featured by The Pied Pipers & Frank Sinatra with Tommy Dorsey & His Orchestra". HobokenMuseum.org. Hoboken Historical Museum. Archived from the original on 12 May 2016. Retrieved 8 December 2016.
  5. "The Billboard Music Popularity Chart: National and regional best selling retail records" (PDF). Billboard. 19 October 1940. p. 12. Retrieved 28 August 2019.
  6. "The Billboard Music Popularity Chart: National and regional best selling retail records" (PDF). Billboard. 26 October 1940. p. 14. Retrieved 28 August 2019.
  7. "The Billboard Music Popularity Chart: National and regional best selling retail records" (PDF). Billboard. 2 November 1940. p. 10. Retrieved 28 August 2019.
  8. "The Billboard Music Popularity Chart: National and regional best selling retail records" (PDF). Billboard. 9 November 1940. p. 11. Retrieved 28 August 2019.
  9. "The Billboard Music Popularity Chart: National and regional best selling retail records" (PDF). Billboard. 16 November 1940. p. 11. Retrieved 28 August 2019.
  10. "The Billboard Music Popularity Chart: National and regional best selling retail records" (PDF). Billboard. 23 November 1940. p. 11. Retrieved 28 August 2019.
  11. "The Billboard Music Popularity Chart: National and regional best selling retail records" (PDF). Billboard. 30 November 1940. p. 12. Retrieved 28 August 2019.
  12. "The Billboard Music Popularity Chart: National and regional best selling retail records" (PDF). Billboard. 7 December 1940. p. 12. Retrieved 28 August 2019.
  13. "The Billboard Music Popularity Chart: National and regional best selling retail records" (PDF). Billboard. 14 December 1940. p. 11. Retrieved 28 August 2019.
  14. "Music Popularity Chart – Week Ending December 13, 1940" (PDF). The Billboard. Cincinnati, Ohio. 21 December 1940. p. 10. Retrieved 28 April 2018.
  15. "Music Popularity Chart – Week Ending December 19, 1940" (PDF). The Billboard. Cincinnati, Ohio. 28 December 1940. p. 62. Retrieved 28 April 2018.
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