100 Greatest Popular Songs of the 1920s
Criteria: These songs were chosen and ranked according to their initial and lasting popularity and also on their impact and influence on the course of musical history. At that time most songs were recorded by many different artists, so we have listed more than one version of each song on the majority of the entries. The most significant version of the song is the one by the first artist that is listed.
Popular Songs 1920s
1. Swanee
Al Jolson
2. West End Blues
Louis Armstrong
3. Rhapsody In Blue
Paul Whiteman featuring George Gershwin
4. Ain't Misbehavin'
Fats Waller / Louis Armstrong
5. T For Texas (Blue Yodel #1)
Jimmie Rodgers
Al Jolson
2. West End Blues
Louis Armstrong
3. Rhapsody In Blue
Paul Whiteman featuring George Gershwin
4. Ain't Misbehavin'
Fats Waller / Louis Armstrong
5. T For Texas (Blue Yodel #1)
Jimmie Rodgers
6. In The Jailhouse Now
Jimmie Rodgers
7. The Prisoner's Song
Vernon Dalhart
8. The St. Louis Blues
Bessie Smith / Marion Harris
9. Ol' Man River
Paul Robeson / Al Jolson
10. Makin' Whoopee
Eddie Cantor/ Paul Whiteman (Bing Crosby)
11. Crazy Blues
Mamie Smith
12. My Blue Heaven
Gene Austin / Paul Whiteman
13. Sonny Boy
Al Jolson
14. Dardanella
Ben Selvin
15. It Had To Be You
Isham Jones / Marion Harris
16. Pine Top's Boogie Woogie
Pine Top Smith
17. Whispering
Paul Whiteman
18. My Mammy
Al Jolson / Paul Whiteman
19. Down Hearted Blues
Bessie Smith
20. Charleston
Arthur Gibbs /Paul Whiteman
21. Black And Tan Fantasy
Duke Ellington
22. See See Rider Blues
Ma Rainey
23. Statesboro Blues
Blind Willie McTell
24. Matchbox Blues
Blind Lemon Jefferson
25. Bye Bye, Blackbird
Gene Austin / Nick Lucas
26. King Porter Stomp
Fletcher Henderson / Jelly Roll Morton
27. California, Here I Come!
Al Jolson
28. In A Mist
Bix Beiderbecke
29. Waiting For A Train
Jimmie Rodgers
30. Louise
Maurice Chevalier
31. Star Dust
Hoagy Carmichael
32. Yes! We Have No Bananas
Billy Jones / Ben Selvin
33. Yes Sir That's My Baby
Gene Austin / Blossom Seeley / Ben Bernie
34. Toot Toot Tootsie (Goo'Bye)
Al Jolson
35. Sweet Georgia Brown
Ben Bernie / Isham Jones / Ethel Waters
36. Baby Face
Jan Garber / Ben Selvin / "Whispering" Jack Smith
37. Dinah
Ethel Waters / Cliff Edwards/ Revelers
38. My Man
Fanny Brice
39. When My Baby Smiles At Me
Ted Lewis
40. Some Of These Days (1927 Version)
Sophie Tucker
41. Am I Blue
Ethel Waters / Libby Holman / Annette Hanshaw
42. April Showers
Al Jolson / Paul Whiteman
43. I've Found A New Baby
Ted Lewis / Ethel Waters
44. Heebie Jeebies
Louis Armstrong
45. I Ain't Got Nobody
Marion Harris / Sophie Tucker / Bessie Smith
46. Valencia
Paul Whiteman / Ben Selvin
47. Corrine Corrina
Bo Carter
48. Wildwood Flower
Carter Family
49. Singin' The Blues
Frankie Trumbauer
50. Nobody Knows You When You're Down And out
Bessie Smith
51. Pony Blues
Charley Patton
52. Always
Vincent Lopez / George Olsen / Henry Burr / Nick Lucas
53. I'll See You In My Dreams
Isham Jones / Marion Harris
54. Singin' In The Rain
Cliff Edwards / Earl Burtnett
55. Tip Toe Through The Tulips
Nick Lucas
56. I'm Looking Over A Four Leaf Clover
Nick Lucas / Ben Bernie
57. Let's Do It (Let's Fall In Love)
Dorsey Brothers Orchestra (Bing Crosby)
58. I Wanna Be Loved By You
Helen Kane
59. Bill
Helen Morgan
60. East St. Louis Toodle-oo
Duke Ellington
61. T'Ain't Nobody's Biz-ness If I Do
Bessie Smith
62. Walk Right In
Cannon's Jug Stompers
63. Ida, Sweet As Apple Cider
Red Nichols
64. It Ain't Gonna Rain No Mo'
Wendell Hall
65. Side By Side
Paul Whiteman / Nick Lucas
66. Somebody Stole My Gal
Ted Weems
67. Three O'Clock In The Morning
Paul Whiteman / Frank Crumit
68. Carolina In The Morning
Van & Schenck / Marion Harris
69. Blue Skies
Ben Selvin / George Olsen / Vincent Lopez
70. If You Knew Susie
Eddie Cantor / Cliff Edwards
71. Little Pal
Al Jolson
72. The Birth Of The Blues
Paul Whiteman / Harry Richman
73. Aggravatin' Papa
Marion Harris / Bessie Smith / Sophie Tucker
74. Empty Bed Blues
Bessie Smith
75. Love Me Or Leave Me
Ruth Etting
76. Lovesick Blues
Emmett Miller & His Georgia Crackers
77. Someone To Watch Over Me
Gertrude Lawrence / George Olsen
78. Muskrat Ramble
Louis Armstrong
79. Ain't We Got Fun
Van & Schenck
80. Me And My Shadow
"Whispering" Jack Smith / Nat Shilkret
81. Swingin' Down The Lane
Isham Jones / Ben Bernie
82. When The Red, Red Robin Comes Bob-Bob-Bobbin' Along
Al Jolson
83. Charmaine
Guy Lombardo
84. Fare You Well, Old Joe Clark
Fiddlin' John Carson
85. Turkey In The Straw
Gid Tanner & His Skillet Lickers
86. Who's Sorry Now
Isham Jones / Marion Harris
87. The Sidewalks Of New York
Nat Shilkret
88. Sleep
Fred Waring's Pennsylvanians
89. Honey
Rudy Vallee
90. Margie
Eddie Cantor / Ted Lewis
91. Parade Of The Wooden Soldiers
Paul Whiteman / Vincent Lopez
92. Sleepy Time Gal
Ben Bernie / Gene Austin / Nick Lucas
93. All Alone
Al Jolson / John McCormack / Paul Whiteman
94. Five Foot Two, Eyes Of Blue
Gene Austin
95. Among My Souvenirs
Paul Whiteman / Ben Selvin
96. The Brakeman's Blues
Jimmie Rodgers
97. Shake That Thing
Ethel Waters / Papa Charlie Jackson
98. James Alley Blues
Rabbit Brown
99. Way Down Yonder In New Orleans
Peerless Quartet / Blossom Seeley
100. Big Butter And Egg Man
Louis Armstrong (May Alix)
Jimmie Rodgers
7. The Prisoner's Song
Vernon Dalhart
8. The St. Louis Blues
Bessie Smith / Marion Harris
9. Ol' Man River
Paul Robeson / Al Jolson
10. Makin' Whoopee
Eddie Cantor/ Paul Whiteman (Bing Crosby)
11. Crazy Blues
Mamie Smith
12. My Blue Heaven
Gene Austin / Paul Whiteman
13. Sonny Boy
Al Jolson
14. Dardanella
Ben Selvin
15. It Had To Be You
Isham Jones / Marion Harris
16. Pine Top's Boogie Woogie
Pine Top Smith
17. Whispering
Paul Whiteman
18. My Mammy
Al Jolson / Paul Whiteman
19. Down Hearted Blues
Bessie Smith
20. Charleston
Arthur Gibbs /Paul Whiteman
21. Black And Tan Fantasy
Duke Ellington
22. See See Rider Blues
Ma Rainey
23. Statesboro Blues
Blind Willie McTell
24. Matchbox Blues
Blind Lemon Jefferson
25. Bye Bye, Blackbird
Gene Austin / Nick Lucas
26. King Porter Stomp
Fletcher Henderson / Jelly Roll Morton
27. California, Here I Come!
Al Jolson
28. In A Mist
Bix Beiderbecke
29. Waiting For A Train
Jimmie Rodgers
30. Louise
Maurice Chevalier
31. Star Dust
Hoagy Carmichael
32. Yes! We Have No Bananas
Billy Jones / Ben Selvin
33. Yes Sir That's My Baby
Gene Austin / Blossom Seeley / Ben Bernie
34. Toot Toot Tootsie (Goo'Bye)
Al Jolson
35. Sweet Georgia Brown
Ben Bernie / Isham Jones / Ethel Waters
36. Baby Face
Jan Garber / Ben Selvin / "Whispering" Jack Smith
37. Dinah
Ethel Waters / Cliff Edwards/ Revelers
38. My Man
Fanny Brice
39. When My Baby Smiles At Me
Ted Lewis
40. Some Of These Days (1927 Version)
Sophie Tucker
41. Am I Blue
Ethel Waters / Libby Holman / Annette Hanshaw
42. April Showers
Al Jolson / Paul Whiteman
43. I've Found A New Baby
Ted Lewis / Ethel Waters
44. Heebie Jeebies
Louis Armstrong
45. I Ain't Got Nobody
Marion Harris / Sophie Tucker / Bessie Smith
46. Valencia
Paul Whiteman / Ben Selvin
47. Corrine Corrina
Bo Carter
48. Wildwood Flower
Carter Family
49. Singin' The Blues
Frankie Trumbauer
50. Nobody Knows You When You're Down And out
Bessie Smith
51. Pony Blues
Charley Patton
52. Always
Vincent Lopez / George Olsen / Henry Burr / Nick Lucas
53. I'll See You In My Dreams
Isham Jones / Marion Harris
54. Singin' In The Rain
Cliff Edwards / Earl Burtnett
55. Tip Toe Through The Tulips
Nick Lucas
56. I'm Looking Over A Four Leaf Clover
Nick Lucas / Ben Bernie
57. Let's Do It (Let's Fall In Love)
Dorsey Brothers Orchestra (Bing Crosby)
58. I Wanna Be Loved By You
Helen Kane
59. Bill
Helen Morgan
60. East St. Louis Toodle-oo
Duke Ellington
61. T'Ain't Nobody's Biz-ness If I Do
Bessie Smith
62. Walk Right In
Cannon's Jug Stompers
63. Ida, Sweet As Apple Cider
Red Nichols
64. It Ain't Gonna Rain No Mo'
Wendell Hall
65. Side By Side
Paul Whiteman / Nick Lucas
66. Somebody Stole My Gal
Ted Weems
67. Three O'Clock In The Morning
Paul Whiteman / Frank Crumit
68. Carolina In The Morning
Van & Schenck / Marion Harris
69. Blue Skies
Ben Selvin / George Olsen / Vincent Lopez
70. If You Knew Susie
Eddie Cantor / Cliff Edwards
71. Little Pal
Al Jolson
72. The Birth Of The Blues
Paul Whiteman / Harry Richman
73. Aggravatin' Papa
Marion Harris / Bessie Smith / Sophie Tucker
74. Empty Bed Blues
Bessie Smith
75. Love Me Or Leave Me
Ruth Etting
76. Lovesick Blues
Emmett Miller & His Georgia Crackers
77. Someone To Watch Over Me
Gertrude Lawrence / George Olsen
78. Muskrat Ramble
Louis Armstrong
79. Ain't We Got Fun
Van & Schenck
80. Me And My Shadow
"Whispering" Jack Smith / Nat Shilkret
81. Swingin' Down The Lane
Isham Jones / Ben Bernie
82. When The Red, Red Robin Comes Bob-Bob-Bobbin' Along
Al Jolson
83. Charmaine
Guy Lombardo
84. Fare You Well, Old Joe Clark
Fiddlin' John Carson
85. Turkey In The Straw
Gid Tanner & His Skillet Lickers
86. Who's Sorry Now
Isham Jones / Marion Harris
87. The Sidewalks Of New York
Nat Shilkret
88. Sleep
Fred Waring's Pennsylvanians
89. Honey
Rudy Vallee
90. Margie
Eddie Cantor / Ted Lewis
91. Parade Of The Wooden Soldiers
Paul Whiteman / Vincent Lopez
92. Sleepy Time Gal
Ben Bernie / Gene Austin / Nick Lucas
93. All Alone
Al Jolson / John McCormack / Paul Whiteman
94. Five Foot Two, Eyes Of Blue
Gene Austin
95. Among My Souvenirs
Paul Whiteman / Ben Selvin
96. The Brakeman's Blues
Jimmie Rodgers
97. Shake That Thing
Ethel Waters / Papa Charlie Jackson
98. James Alley Blues
Rabbit Brown
99. Way Down Yonder In New Orleans
Peerless Quartet / Blossom Seeley
100. Big Butter And Egg Man
Louis Armstrong (May Alix)
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Edited By: Bruce
Last Updated: 2009-12-08
Last Updated: 2009-12-08