Hays Code decency standards permeate showbiz as local “blue-nose brigades” police nightclubs, a federal sin tax targets dancing establishments and It’s a Wonderful Life hits theaters. Most Jazz Big Bands dissolve and leave the charts to Pop Singers and “Sweet Bands,” but a Black vocal group scores the year’s top hit, and Great American Songbook legends shine on records.

#1 Song of the Year   The top song according to our Chartcrush ranking of all songs that earned the majority of their chart ranking points in the year

Artists of the Year   The top three artists based on all charted songs that spent most of their chart runs in the year

1. Perry Como
2. Bing Crosby
3. Frank Sinatra

Artist with Most Charting Songs   Artist(s) with the most charting songs during the year (song count in parentheses)

• Bing Crosby (12)

Average #1 Artist Age   The average of how old artists who scored #1 hits during the year were when their songs first reached #1

• 36.1

#1 Songs   List of #1 songs that earned the majority of their chart ranking points in the year, and (in parentheses), the month the song first hit #1 and the total number of weeks it was #1

1. Freddy Martin & His Orchestra, vocal Clyde Rogers – Symphony (January, 2 wks)
2. Vaughn Monroe & His Orchestra, vocal Vaughn Monroe & Norton Sisters – Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow! (January, 5 wks)
3. Betty Hutton – Doctor, Lawyer, Indian Chief (March, 2 wks)
4. Frankie Carle & His Orchestra, vocal Marjorie Hughes – Oh! What It Seemed to Be (March, 8 wks)
5. Perry Como – Prisoner of Love (May, 5 wks)
6. Ink Spots – The Gypsy (May, 10 wks)
7. Perry Como – Surrender (August, 1 wk)
8. Eddy Howard & His Orchestra, vocal Eddy Howard – To Each His Own (August, 9 wks)
9. Frank Sinatra – Five Minutes More (September, 3 wks)
10. Frankie Carle & His Orchestra, vocal Marjorie Hughes – Rumors Are Flying (October, 8 wks)
11. Kay Kyser & His Orchestra, vocal Michael Douglas – Ole Buttermilk Sky (December, 1 wk)
12. Bing Crosby with The Ken Darby Singers – White Christmas (December, 1 wk)