154:
19:
144:
had the highest total number of weeks atop the chart in 1942, spending three non-consecutive weeks in the top spot. Lady Day was a pseudonym for singer Billie
Holiday, one of the most influential and highly regarded jazz vocalists of all time; she was credited under her nickname because she was
86:
and his band the Twelve Clouds of Joy, which occupied the top spot for a single week. It would prove to be the only chart-topper for Kirk, who remained successful until the end of the 1940s but then broke up his band and largely left the music industry.
530:
based on sales reports from
Rainbow Music Shop, Harvard Radio Shop, Lehman Music Company, Harlem De Luxe Music Store, Ray's Music Shop and Frank's Melody Music Shop, New York." Andy Kirk and His Clouds of Joy topped the inaugural tally with "Take It and
1407:
1402:
1397:
1392:
1387:
1205:
1190:
1539:
1518:
1089:
1084:
59:
chart, which has undergone various name changes over the subsequent decades to reflect the evolution of
African American-oriented musical genres. Since 2005 it has been published under the title
1371:
1038:
128:
single, with estimated sales in excess of 50 million copies worldwide. It also topped the magazine's overall
National Best Selling Retail Records chart, the forerunner of the modern
1513:
1508:
1503:
1498:
1482:
1477:
1472:
1467:
1462:
1457:
1452:
1447:
1442:
1437:
1432:
1427:
1422:
1200:
1195:
1225:
1220:
1215:
1210:
1047:
1144:
1139:
1134:
1129:
1124:
1119:
1114:
1109:
1104:
1099:
1094:
1079:
51:" titled the Harlem Hit Parade and based on a survey of record stores primarily in the Harlem district of New York City. The area has historically been noted for its
1417:
1412:
1366:
1361:
1356:
1351:
1346:
1341:
517:
1336:
1331:
1326:
1180:
1175:
1321:
1316:
1311:
1306:
1301:
1296:
1074:
1069:
1281:
1276:
1260:
1255:
1250:
1245:
1240:
1235:
1230:
1170:
1165:
1149:
1031:
1291:
1286:
701:
761:
1024:
669:
55:
population and has been called the "black capital of
America". The chart is considered to be the start of the lineage of the magazine's
796:
644:
586:
552:
1549:
610:
78:
genres, which were among the most popular styles of music in the early 1940s. The first chart-topper was "Take It and Git" by
509:
788:
125:
364:
305:
243:
133:
30:
1544:
336:
110:
dated
December 19 and remained there the following week. This was the original release of the song, written by
60:
696:
426:
121:
91:
691:
753:
195:
157:
83:
39:
661:
274:
446:
116:
103:
153:
1016:
160:
and his Twelve Clouds of Joy had the first Harlem Hit Parade number one with "Take It and Git".
792:
640:
582:
129:
994:
968:
942:
916:
864:
838:
812:
726:
483:
890:
395:
212:
52:
120:, which has remained a perennial favorite for more than 70 years and has been acclaimed by
345:
411:
380:
321:
290:
259:
228:
141:
22:
544:
67:
dated
October 24, 1942 and six songs reached number one in the remainder of the year.
1533:
632:
574:
404:
373:
314:
252:
221:
137:
111:
26:
602:
44:
435:
95:
75:
18:
283:
90:
The only song to spend multiple consecutive weeks at number one in 1942 was "
442:
99:
757:
665:
606:
48:
56:
152:
17:
79:
71:
1020:
510:"Weekly Chart Notes: Baauer Continues The 'Harlem' Hit Parade'"
548:
106:
and his orchestra, which reached the top spot in the issue of
145:
under contract as a soloist to a different record label.
1540:
Lists of number-one R&B songs in the United States
637:
Joel
Whitburn's Top R & B Singles, 1942–1988
579:
Joel
Whitburn's Top R & B Singles, 1942–1995
1491:
1380:
1269:
1158:
1054:
180:
545:"Who 'owns' Harlem, the capital of black America?"
63:. The chart was first published in the issue of
33:"; she was credited under the moniker "Lady Day".
1032:
639:. Record Research Incorporated. p. 242.
581:. Record Research Incorporated. p. xii.
8:
1039:
1025:
1017:
163:
1048:Lists of number-one U.S. R&B singles
754:"Billie Holiday Biography & History"
472:
70:Most of 1942's number ones were in the
995:"The Billboard Music Popularity Chart"
969:"The Billboard Music Popularity Chart"
943:"The Billboard Music Popularity Chart"
917:"The Billboard Music Popularity Chart"
891:"The Billboard Music Popularity Chart"
865:"The Billboard Music Popularity Chart"
839:"The Billboard Music Popularity Chart"
813:"The Billboard Music Popularity Chart"
727:"The Billboard Music Popularity Chart"
543:Goldfarb, Michael (February 1, 2011).
520:from the original on September 4, 2023
484:"The Billboard Music Popularity Chart"
721:
719:
613:from the original on October 12, 2020
47:ranking the "most popular records in
7:
478:
476:
764:from the original on August 8, 2020
704:from the original on April 11, 2022
672:from the original on March 14, 2020
662:"Andy Kirk Biography & History"
14:
555:from the original on May 17, 2021
1001:. December 19, 1942. p. 25
975:. December 12, 1942. p. 24
923:. November 28, 1942. p. 24
897:. November 21, 1942. p. 24
871:. November 14, 1942. p. 24
733:. December 26, 1942. p. 24
949:. December 5, 1942. p. 24
845:. November 7, 1942. p. 24
819:. October 31, 1942. p. 24
490:. October 24, 1942. p. 25
1:
789:Northeastern University Press
199:and his Twelve Clouds of Joy
25:was the featured vocalist on
603:"Swing Music Genre Overview"
460:
451:
415:
410:and his orchestra featuring
384:
379:and his orchestra featuring
353:
325:
320:and his orchestra featuring
294:
289:and his orchestra featuring
263:
258:and his orchestra featuring
232:
227:and his orchestra featuring
201:
140:and his orchestra featuring
337:When the Lights Go On Again
1566:
783:Nicholson, Stuart (1995).
455:
431:
424:
419:
388:
357:
329:
298:
267:
236:
205:
185:
177:
174:
171:
61:Hot R&B/Hip Hop Songs
1550:1942 in American music
697:Guinness World Records
161:
122:Guinness World Records
82:player and bandleader
34:
692:"Best-selling single"
516:. February 22, 2013.
156:
21:
43:magazine launched a
275:Stormy Monday Blues
168:
1545:1942 record charts
449:and his orchestra
447:John Scott Trotter
351:and his orchestra
164:
162:
104:John Scott Trotter
35:
1527:
1526:
464:
463:
191:"Take It and Git"
29:'s chart-topper "
1557:
1187:
1063:
1041:
1034:
1027:
1018:
1011:
1010:
1008:
1006:
991:
985:
984:
982:
980:
965:
959:
958:
956:
954:
939:
933:
932:
930:
928:
913:
907:
906:
904:
902:
887:
881:
880:
878:
876:
861:
855:
854:
852:
850:
835:
829:
828:
826:
824:
809:
803:
802:
780:
774:
773:
771:
769:
749:
743:
742:
740:
738:
723:
714:
713:
711:
709:
688:
682:
681:
679:
677:
657:
651:
650:
629:
623:
622:
620:
618:
599:
593:
592:
571:
565:
564:
562:
560:
540:
534:
533:
527:
525:
506:
500:
499:
497:
495:
480:
458:
440:
439:
438:
422:
409:
408:
407:
396:Mr. Five by Five
391:
378:
377:
376:
360:
350:
349:
348:
332:
319:
318:
317:
301:
288:
287:
286:
270:
257:
256:
255:
239:
226:
225:
224:
213:Mr. Five by Five
208:
198:
188:
169:
167:
53:African American
1565:
1564:
1560:
1559:
1558:
1556:
1555:
1554:
1530:
1529:
1528:
1523:
1487:
1376:
1265:
1185:
1154:
1061:
1050:
1045:
1015:
1014:
1004:
1002:
993:
992:
988:
978:
976:
967:
966:
962:
952:
950:
941:
940:
936:
926:
924:
915:
914:
910:
900:
898:
889:
888:
884:
874:
872:
863:
862:
858:
848:
846:
837:
836:
832:
822:
820:
811:
810:
806:
799:
791:. p. 130.
782:
781:
777:
767:
765:
751:
750:
746:
736:
734:
725:
724:
717:
707:
705:
690:
689:
685:
675:
673:
659:
658:
654:
647:
631:
630:
626:
616:
614:
601:
600:
596:
589:
573:
572:
568:
558:
556:
542:
541:
537:
523:
521:
508:
507:
503:
493:
491:
482:
481:
474:
469:
456:
434:
433:
432:
427:White Christmas
420:
403:
402:
401:
389:
372:
371:
370:
365:Trav'lin' Light
358:
346:Lucky Millinder
344:
343:
342:
330:
313:
312:
311:
306:Trav'lin' Light
299:
282:
281:
280:
268:
251:
250:
249:
244:Trav'lin' Light
237:
220:
219:
218:
206:
194:
186:
165:
151:
134:Trav'lin' Light
124:as the world's
92:White Christmas
31:Trav'lin' Light
12:
11:
5:
1563:
1561:
1553:
1552:
1547:
1542:
1532:
1531:
1525:
1524:
1522:
1521:
1516:
1511:
1506:
1501:
1495:
1493:
1489:
1488:
1486:
1485:
1480:
1475:
1470:
1465:
1460:
1455:
1450:
1445:
1440:
1435:
1430:
1425:
1420:
1415:
1410:
1405:
1400:
1395:
1390:
1384:
1382:
1378:
1377:
1375:
1374:
1369:
1364:
1359:
1354:
1349:
1344:
1339:
1334:
1329:
1324:
1319:
1314:
1309:
1304:
1299:
1294:
1289:
1284:
1279:
1273:
1271:
1267:
1266:
1264:
1263:
1258:
1253:
1248:
1243:
1238:
1233:
1228:
1223:
1218:
1213:
1208:
1203:
1198:
1193:
1188:
1183:
1178:
1173:
1168:
1162:
1160:
1156:
1155:
1153:
1152:
1147:
1142:
1137:
1132:
1127:
1122:
1117:
1112:
1107:
1102:
1097:
1092:
1087:
1082:
1077:
1072:
1067:
1062:1940 · 1941 ·
1058:
1056:
1052:
1051:
1046:
1044:
1043:
1036:
1029:
1021:
1013:
1012:
986:
960:
934:
908:
882:
856:
830:
804:
797:
785:Billie Holiday
775:
744:
715:
683:
660:Yanow, Scott.
652:
645:
633:Whitburn, Joel
624:
594:
587:
575:Whitburn, Joel
566:
535:
501:
471:
470:
468:
465:
462:
461:
459:
453:
452:
450:
430:
423:
417:
416:
414:
412:Ella Mae Morse
399:
392:
386:
385:
383:
368:
361:
355:
354:
352:
340:
333:
327:
326:
324:
309:
302:
296:
295:
293:
291:Billy Eckstine
278:
271:
265:
264:
262:
247:
240:
234:
233:
231:
229:Ella Mae Morse
216:
209:
203:
202:
200:
192:
189:
183:
182:
179:
176:
173:
150:
147:
23:Billie Holiday
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1562:
1551:
1548:
1546:
1543:
1541:
1538:
1537:
1535:
1520:
1517:
1515:
1512:
1510:
1507:
1505:
1502:
1500:
1497:
1496:
1494:
1490:
1484:
1481:
1479:
1476:
1474:
1471:
1469:
1466:
1464:
1461:
1459:
1456:
1454:
1451:
1449:
1446:
1444:
1441:
1439:
1436:
1434:
1431:
1429:
1426:
1424:
1421:
1419:
1416:
1414:
1411:
1409:
1406:
1404:
1401:
1399:
1396:
1394:
1391:
1389:
1386:
1385:
1383:
1379:
1373:
1370:
1368:
1365:
1363:
1360:
1358:
1355:
1353:
1350:
1348:
1345:
1343:
1340:
1338:
1335:
1333:
1330:
1328:
1325:
1323:
1320:
1318:
1315:
1313:
1310:
1308:
1305:
1303:
1300:
1298:
1295:
1293:
1290:
1288:
1285:
1283:
1280:
1278:
1275:
1274:
1272:
1268:
1262:
1259:
1257:
1254:
1252:
1249:
1247:
1244:
1242:
1239:
1237:
1234:
1232:
1229:
1227:
1224:
1222:
1219:
1217:
1214:
1212:
1209:
1207:
1204:
1202:
1199:
1197:
1194:
1192:
1189:
1184:
1182:
1179:
1177:
1174:
1172:
1169:
1167:
1164:
1163:
1161:
1157:
1151:
1148:
1146:
1143:
1141:
1138:
1136:
1133:
1131:
1128:
1126:
1123:
1121:
1118:
1116:
1113:
1111:
1108:
1106:
1103:
1101:
1098:
1096:
1093:
1091:
1088:
1086:
1083:
1081:
1078:
1076:
1073:
1071:
1068:
1066:
1060:
1059:
1057:
1053:
1049:
1042:
1037:
1035:
1030:
1028:
1023:
1022:
1019:
1000:
996:
990:
987:
974:
970:
964:
961:
948:
944:
938:
935:
922:
918:
912:
909:
896:
892:
886:
883:
870:
866:
860:
857:
844:
840:
834:
831:
818:
814:
808:
805:
800:
798:9781555533038
794:
790:
786:
779:
776:
763:
759:
755:
748:
745:
732:
728:
722:
720:
716:
703:
699:
698:
693:
687:
684:
671:
667:
663:
656:
653:
648:
646:9780898200683
642:
638:
634:
628:
625:
612:
608:
604:
598:
595:
590:
588:9780898201154
584:
580:
576:
570:
567:
554:
550:
546:
539:
536:
532:
519:
515:
511:
505:
502:
489:
485:
479:
477:
473:
466:
454:
448:
444:
437:
428:
418:
413:
406:
405:Freddie Slack
400:
397:
393:
387:
382:
375:
374:Paul Whiteman
369:
366:
362:
356:
347:
341:
338:
334:
328:
323:
316:
315:Paul Whiteman
310:
307:
303:
297:
292:
285:
279:
276:
272:
266:
261:
254:
253:Paul Whiteman
248:
245:
241:
235:
230:
223:
222:Freddie Slack
217:
214:
210:
204:
197:
193:
190:
184:
170:
166:Chart history
159:
155:
149:Chart history
148:
146:
143:
139:
138:Paul Whiteman
135:
131:
127:
123:
119:
118:
114:for the film
113:
112:Irving Berlin
109:
105:
101:
97:
93:
88:
85:
81:
77:
73:
68:
66:
62:
58:
54:
50:
46:
42:
41:
32:
28:
27:Paul Whiteman
24:
20:
16:
1492:2020–present
1064:
1005:September 5,
1003:. Retrieved
998:
989:
979:September 5,
977:. Retrieved
972:
963:
953:September 5,
951:. Retrieved
946:
937:
927:September 5,
925:. Retrieved
920:
911:
901:September 5,
899:. Retrieved
894:
885:
875:September 5,
873:. Retrieved
868:
859:
849:September 5,
847:. Retrieved
842:
833:
823:September 5,
821:. Retrieved
816:
807:
784:
778:
768:September 5,
766:. Retrieved
752:Bush, John.
747:
737:September 5,
735:. Retrieved
730:
708:September 5,
706:. Retrieved
695:
686:
676:September 5,
674:. Retrieved
655:
636:
627:
617:September 4,
615:. Retrieved
597:
578:
569:
559:September 5,
557:. Retrieved
538:
529:
524:September 4,
522:. Retrieved
513:
504:
494:September 4,
492:. Retrieved
487:
445:Singers and
126:best-selling
115:
107:
102:Singers and
89:
69:
64:
38:
36:
15:
457:December 26
436:Bing Crosby
421:December 19
390:December 12
331:November 28
300:November 21
269:November 14
172:Issue date
117:Holiday Inn
96:Bing Crosby
1534:Categories
467:References
359:December 5
284:Earl Hines
238:November 7
207:October 31
187:October 24
178:Artist(s)
1381:2000–2019
1270:1980–1999
1159:1960–1979
1055:1942–1959
999:Billboard
973:Billboard
947:Billboard
921:Billboard
895:Billboard
869:Billboard
843:Billboard
817:Billboard
731:Billboard
514:Billboard
488:Billboard
443:Ken Darby
441:with the
196:Andy Kirk
158:Andy Kirk
108:Billboard
100:Ken Darby
98:with the
84:Andy Kirk
65:Billboard
40:Billboard
37:In 1942,
762:Archived
758:AllMusic
702:Archived
670:Archived
666:AllMusic
635:(1988).
611:Archived
607:AllMusic
577:(1996).
553:Archived
518:Archived
381:Lady Day
322:Lady Day
260:Lady Day
142:Lady Day
130:Hot 100
57:R&B
795:
643:
585:
175:Title
136:" by
49:Harlem
531:Git."
181:Ref.
94:" by
76:swing
45:chart
1519:2024
1514:2023
1509:2022
1504:2021
1499:2020
1483:2019
1478:2018
1473:2017
1468:2016
1463:2015
1458:2014
1453:2013
1448:2012
1443:2011
1438:2010
1433:2009
1428:2008
1423:2007
1418:2006
1413:2005
1408:2004
1403:2003
1398:2002
1393:2001
1388:2000
1372:1999
1367:1998
1362:1997
1357:1996
1352:1995
1347:1994
1342:1993
1337:1992
1332:1991
1327:1990
1322:1989
1317:1988
1312:1987
1307:1986
1302:1985
1297:1984
1292:1983
1287:1982
1282:1981
1277:1980
1261:1979
1256:1978
1251:1977
1246:1976
1241:1975
1236:1974
1231:1973
1226:1972
1221:1971
1216:1970
1211:1969
1206:1968
1201:1967
1196:1966
1191:1965
1186:1964
1181:1963
1176:1962
1171:1961
1166:1960
1150:1959
1145:1958
1140:1957
1135:1956
1130:1955
1125:1954
1120:1953
1115:1952
1110:1951
1105:1950
1100:1949
1095:1948
1090:1947
1085:1946
1080:1945
1075:1944
1070:1943
1065:1942
1007:2020
981:2020
955:2020
929:2020
903:2020
877:2020
851:2020
825:2020
793:ISBN
770:2020
739:2020
710:2020
678:2020
641:ISBN
619:2020
583:ISBN
561:2020
526:2023
496:2020
132:. "
80:tuba
74:and
72:jazz
549:BBC
1536::
997:.
971:.
945:.
919:.
893:.
867:.
841:.
815:.
787:.
760:.
756:.
729:.
718:^
700:.
694:.
668:.
664:.
609:.
605:.
551:.
547:.
528:.
512:.
486:.
475:^
1040:e
1033:t
1026:v
1009:.
983:.
957:.
931:.
905:.
879:.
853:.
827:.
801:.
772:.
741:.
712:.
680:.
649:.
621:.
591:.
563:.
498:.
429:"
425:"
398:"
394:"
367:"
363:"
339:"
335:"
308:"
304:"
277:"
273:"
246:"
242:"
215:"
211:"
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.