It’s settle or scramble in the third year of the Petrillo musicians’ strike: Decca and Capitol churn out hit after hit but Victor and Columbia dig in, reissue old stuff and record their Singers a capella. Bing Crosby on Decca has his best year ever, Louis Jordan becomes the first R&B crossover act and king of Billboard‘s new Jukebox chart, and a single movie musical launches five of the year’s top 10 hits.
#1 Song of the Year
![](https://www.chartcrush.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/1944-Bing-Crosby-Swinging-on-a-Star.png)
Artists of the Year
- Bing Crosby
- The Mills Brothers
- Jimmy Dorsey & His Orchestra
Artist with Most Charting Songs
- Bing Crosby (12)
Average #1 Artist Age
- 37.8
#1 Songs
- Glen Gray & His Casa Loma Orchestra, vocal Eugenie Baird – My Heart Tells Me (Should I Believe My Heart?) (January, 5 wks)
- Jimmy Dorsey & His Orchestra, vocal Kitty Kallen – Besame Mucho (March, 8 wks)
- The Merry Macs – Mairzy Doats (March, 3 wks)
- Guy Lombardo & His Royal Canadians, vocal Skip Nelson & The Lombardo Trio – It’s Love-Love-Love (April, 2 wks)
- Bing Crosby – San Fernando Valley (May, 2 wks)
- Bing Crosby – I Love You (May, 4 wks)
- Harry James & His Orchestra, vocal Dick Haymes – I’ll Get by (As Long as I Have You) (June, 6 wks)
- Bing Crosby – I’ll Be Seeing You (July, 3 wks)
- Bing Crosby – Swinging on a Star (August, 10 wks)
- Mills Brothers – You Always Hurt the One You Love (October, 2 wks)
- Dinah Shore – I’ll Walk Alone (November, 6 wks)