1930s Music: Top Songs, Genres And Trends

Swing takes over, crooners arrive and the wireless becomes the main way music reaches the house.

Below: the albums worth owning from the 1930s, the artists who defined it, how people listened at the time, and the biggest song of every year from 1930 to 1939.

The official UK singles chart did not start until November 1952, so the year-by-year lines here describe the popular songs of the time rather than chart positions.

Years covered in the 1930s

• 1930 - The R101 disaster, rising unemployment and Amy Johnson flying to Australia. Full year: /blogs/news/look-back-to-1930
• 1931 - The National Government, the gold standard abandoned and the means test. Full year: /blogs/news/look-back-to-1931
• 1932 - Broadcasting House opened, the Empire Service began and hunger marches reached London. Full year: /blogs/news/look-back-to-1932
• 1933 - Bodyline, the first Loch Ness photograph and the opening of the Tube map. Full year: /blogs/news/look-back-to-1933
• 1934 - Driving tests announced, Belisha beacons and the Queen Mary being built. Full year: /blogs/news/look-back-to-1934
• 1935 - The Silver Jubilee, the first driving tests and the 30mph limit. Full year: /blogs/news/look-back-to-1935
• 1936 - Three kings in one year, the Jarrow March, Butlin's and the first television service. Full year: /blogs/news/look-back-to-1936
• 1937 - The coronation of George VI, the Hindenburg and the first Billy Butlin summer. Full year: /blogs/news/look-back-to-1937
• 1938 - Munich, gas masks and the Holidays with Pay Act. Full year: /blogs/news/look-back-to-1938
• 1939 - Evacuation, the blackout, the declaration of war and television going off air. Full year: /blogs/news/look-back-to-1939
• That is every 1930s year we have written up so far: 1930 to 1939.

Albums of the 1930s

• Still a singles decade - the 78 is the format, and albums are collections of them.
• Film soundtracks start selling songs: The Wizard of Oz gives Over the Rainbow (1939).

Artists who defined the 1930s

• Bing Crosby, the first great microphone singer.
• Benny Goodman, whose 1935 broadcasts kick off the swing era.
• Billie Holiday, recording from 1933 onwards.
• Gracie Fields and George Formby, the two biggest British entertainers of the decade.
• Glenn Miller forms his successful band at the very end of the thirties.

Genres of the 1930s

• Swing and big band, the dominant popular sound by the late thirties.
• Crooning, with the microphone letting singers sing softly.
• Dance band music broadcast live from hotel ballrooms.
• Film musical songs, carried by Hollywood.
• Light orchestral music on the BBC National Programme.

Music trends of the 1930s

• Radio overtakes sheet music as how people find songs.
• The jukebox arrives and puts records in cafes and bars.
• Film soundtracks turn songs into hits.
• Record sales collapse in the slump, then recover late in the decade.

Popular songs, year by year

• 1930 - Dance bands led by Jack Hylton and Ambrose dominated the ballrooms and the wireless.
• 1931 - Noel Coward's songs and the dance bands were the mainstream.
• 1932 - Henry Hall took over the BBC Dance Orchestra in March.
• 1933 - 'Stormy Weather' and 'Smoke Gets in Your Eyes' were written this year.
• 1934 - 'Blue Moon' and 'Anything Goes' were written this year.
• 1935 - 'Cheek to Cheek' and 'Begin the Beguine' were written this year.
• 1936 - 'The Way You Look Tonight' and 'Pennies from Heaven' were written this year.
• 1937 - 'A Foggy Day' and 'Whistle While You Work' were written this year.
• 1938 - 'My Heart Belongs to Daddy' and 'Jeepers Creepers' were written this year.
• 1939 - Vera Lynn recorded 'We'll Meet Again' in the autumn.

How people listened

• The wireless in the corner - music, variety and dance bands broadcast live.
• Cinema organs and the pictures, where most people heard new songs first.
• Pub pianos and singalongs still did a lot of the work.

How to use this

• Party: pick five songs from the list above and let the rest of the night sort itself out.
• Quiz round: read the year and the song, and ask for the other one.
• Reminiscence session: the songs people sang at eighteen get the most talking.
• Present: a print of a song from 1930-1939 beats another mug.

Shop prints and posters

How to write it so it lands

• Download the tracks rather than streaming them if the party is somewhere with bad signal.
• One song from the year someone turned eighteen does more than a whole decade playlist.
• Check for clean versions before a family party - some of these are ruder than people remember.

Where to shop next

• Look back to 1930
• Look back to 1931
• Look back to 1932
• Look back to 1933
• Look back to 1934
• Look back to 1935
• Look back to 1936
• Look back to 1937
• Look back to 1938
• Look back to 1939
• 1930s history: events, politics and culture
• 1930s calendar: year by year
• 1930s timeline: key dates and events
• 1930s films and directors
• 1930s books, films and TV
• 1930s books: novels and authors
• 1930s art: artists and styles
• 1930s fashion: styles, designers and trends
• 1930s food: dishes, restaurants and trends
• 1930s travel: destinations and holidays
• 1930s technology: gadgets and computers
• 1930s shopping guide: what to buy
• 1930s games: board, card and video
• 1930s trivia: fun facts
• 1930s quiz: questions and answers
• The 1930s: the whole decade
• The decade before: the 1920s
• The decade after: the 1940s
• All decade guides in one place
• Card messages by occasion: every guide in one place
• Card hub: cards, badges and messages by occasion
• Decade history by era
• Decade calendars: every year from 1920
• Decade timelines: key dates and events by era
• Decade music: songs, genres and trends
• Decade films: best movies and directors
• Decade books: novels, authors and reading trends
• Decade art: artists, styles and trends
• Decade fashion: styles, designers and trends
• Decade food: dishes, restaurants and eating trends
• Decade travel: destinations and holidays
• Decade technology: gadgets and computers
• Decade shopping guides
• Decade games: board, card and video games by era
• Decade trivia: fun facts by era
• Decade quizzes: questions and answers by era
• Decade trivia game: play for points
• Decade quiz: test your memory
• Shop art prints and posters
• Shop greetings cards
• Shop birthday cards
• Shop funny cards
• Milestone birthday cards
• Nostalgia gift shop
• Retro party supplies
• Victorian and vintage parlour games
• Village fete and church hall games
• Traditional British party games
• Seaside and beach games
• Decade guides: books, films and TV by era
• Guess the year quiz
• Planning the party? Birthday party ideas
• How to make a balloon arch
• Photo booth prop ideas
• Good luck cards
• Pin badges
• All guides

Frequently asked questions

What are the best albums of the 1930s?

Still a singles decade - the 78 is the format, and albums are collections of them. The full list above gives real records with their release years, not a ranking - pick by what the person actually listened to.

What music genres were popular in the 1930s?

Swing and big band, the dominant popular sound by the late thirties. Crooning, with the microphone letting singers sing softly. Dance band music broadcast live from hotel ballrooms. The genres section above has the full list.

Who were the biggest artists of the 1930s?

Bing Crosby, the first great microphone singer. The rest are listed above, including the British acts that mattered more here than anywhere else.

What songs were popular in the 1930s?

The year-by-year list above gives the songs people were actually singing. The official UK singles chart only began in November 1952, so nothing before that is a chart position.

Do you sell records?

No. We make greeting cards, art prints and pin badges in the UK, including song and lyric prints. For the records themselves, charity shops and independent record shops are the honest answer.