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This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1932.
1932 marked the lowest trough the recording industry would experience during the Great Depression, as the record industry struggled for its existence. Only Victor, ARC (which added Brunswick) and Columbia released records, and Columbia would be in bankruptcy by 1934. In the United States, revenues went from 104 million units in 1927 to 6 million in 1932,[1] and did not start to rebound until 1937. 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. Three of the six top selling 10" 78s were recorded by Jimmie Rodgers, who would die of Tuberculosis in May 1933. They can be found on the 1932 Country (Hillbilly) page.
The top popular records of 1932 listed below were compiled from Joel Whitburn's Pop Memories 1890–1954,[3] 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 1932, the numbers are only used for a frame of reference.
| Rank | Artist | Title | Label | Recorded | Released | Chart Positions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ted Lewis and His Band | "In a Shanty in Old Shanty Town"[4] | Columbia 2652-D | March 15, 1932 | May 1932 | US Billboard 1932 #1, US #1 for 10 weeks, 22 total weeks[3] |
| 2 | Bing Crosby | "Please"[5] | Brunswick 6394 | September 16, 1932 | October 1932 | US Billboard 1932 #3, US #1 for 6 weeks, 16 total weeks |
| 3 | Leo Reisman and His Orchestra (vocal Frances Maddux) | "Paradise"[6] | Victor 22904 | December 28, 1931 | January 13, 1932 | US Billboard 1932 #2, US #1 for 6 weeks, 17 total weeks |
| 4 | Leo Reisman and His Orchestra | "The Night Was Made for Love"[7] | Victor 22869 | November 24, 1931 | December 1931 | US Billboard 1932 #4, US #10 for 1 week, 4 total weeks, 17,010 sales[8] |
| 5 | Guy Lombardo and His Royal Canadians | "We Just Couldn't Say Goodbye"[5] | Brunswick 6350 | July 27, 1932 | August 1932 | US Billboard 1932 #5, US #1 for 5 weeks, 8 total weeks |
| 6 | Paul Whiteman and His Orchestra (vocal Mildred Bailey) | "All of Me"[9] | Victor 22879 | December 1, 1931 | December 15, 1931 | US Billboard 1932 #6, US #1 for 3 weeks, 10 total weeks, 12,161 sales[10] |
| 7 | Louis Armstrong and His Orchestra | "All of Me"[11] | Okeh 41552 | January 27, 1932 | February 1932 | US Billboard 1932 #7, US #1 for 2 weeks, 18 total weeks, Grammy Hall of Fame 2005 |
| 8 | Peter Van Steeden and His Orchestra | "Home"[12] | Victor 22868 | November 25, 1931 | December 1931 | US Billboard 1932 #8, US #2 for 3 weeks, 8 total weeks, 12,960 sales[13] |
| 9 | Jimmie Rodgers | "Roll Along, Kentucky Moon" | Victor 23651 | February 2, 1932 | April 8, 1932 | US Billboard 1932 #9, US #18 for 1 week, US Hillbilly 1932 #4, 12,448 sales[14] |
| 10 | Ted Black and His Orchestra | "In a Shanty in Old Shanty Town"[15] | Victor 24050 | June 22, 1932 | July 1932 | US Billboard 1932 #10, US #2 for 2 weeks, 7 total weeks, 12,396 sales[16] |
| 11 | Guy Lombardo and His Royal Canadians | "Paradise"[5] | Brunswick 6290 | April 14, 1932 | April 1932 | US Billboard 1932 #11, US #1 for 3 weeks, 10 total weeks |
| 12 | Bing Crosby | "Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?"[5] | Brunswick 6414 | October 25, 1932 | November 1932 | US Billboard 1932 #12, US #1 for 2 weeks, 10 total weeks, National Recording Registry 2013, Grammy Hall of Fame 2005 |
| 13 | Paul Whiteman and His Orchestra (Vocal Ramona) | "Let's Put Out the Lights (and Go to Sleep)"[17] | Victor 24140 | September 26, 1932 | October 1, 1932 | US Billboard 1932 #13, US #2 for 1 week, 6 total weeks, 11,942 sales[18] |
| 14 | Bing Crosby and The Mills Brothers | "Dinah"[5] | Brunswick 6240 | December 16, 1931 | January 2, 1932 | US Billboard 1932 #14, US #1 for 2 weeks, 10 total weeks |
| 15 | Bing Crosby with Isham Jones Orchestra | "Sweet Georgia Brown"[5] | Brunswick 6320 | April 23, 1932 | May 1932 | US Billboard 1932 #15, US #2 for 3 weeks, 10 total weeks |
| 16 | Kate Smith with Guy Lombardo and His Royal Canadians | "River Stay 'Way from My Door"[19] | Columbia 2578 | December 8, 1931 | December 1931 | US Billboard 1932 #16, US #1 for 2 weeks, 10 total weeks |
| 17 | George Olsen and His Music | "Lullaby of the Leaves"[20] | Victor 22998 | April 14, 1932 | May 1, 1932 | US Billboard 1932 #17, US #1 for 2 weeks, 10 total weeks, 11,101 sales[21] |
| 18 | Guy Lombardo and His Royal Canadians | "Too Many Tears"[5] | Brunswick 6261 | January 16, 1932 | February 15, 1932 | US Billboard 1932 #18, US #1 for 2 weeks, 9 total weeks |
| 19 | George Olsen and His Music | "Say it Isn't So"[22] | Victor 24124 | September 2, 1932 | September 1932 | US Billboard 1932 #19, US #1 for 2 weeks, 9 total weeks, 10,870 sales[23] |
| 20 | Rudy Vallee and His Connecticut Yankees | "Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?"[24] | Columbia 2725-D | October 27, 1932 | November 1932 | US Billboard 1932 #20, US #1 for 2 weeks, 8 total weeks, National Recording Registry 2013 |
| 21 | Jimmie Grier and the Cocoanut Grove Orchestra (vocal Donald Novis) | "One Hour with You"[25] | Victor 22971 | March 28, 1932 | April 1932 | US Billboard 1932 #21, US #2 for 3 weeks, 11 total weeks, 10,342 sales[26] |
| 22 | Rudy Vallee and His Connecticut Yankees | I Guess I'll Have to Change My Plan[27] | Columbia 2700-D | August 11, 1932 | August 1932 | US Billboard 1932 #22, US #2 for 3 weeks, 10 total weeks |
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Main article: 1932 in jazz |
