Through 1949, 237 singles or E. P.s are listed, only three in the latter category, the remaining being "sides." Only six albums are listed. The divide between albums and E. P.s is murkier during these years than it would be so later; after all, the term, Extended Play, did not exist yet. Rather, we retospectively appply it to collections of 78s that are not long enough to be considered albums. Indeed, five of those six albums were originally issued as collections of 78s, not 10-inch or 12-inch albums. Needless to say, there are plenty more relevant and brilliant albums and E. P.s (and singles) to listen to from these decades, but they are not considered to be Blues/ Rhythm and Blues or Country and Western or any other sort of precursor to the Rock era being documented here.
1949 →
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Acclaimed Music Top Songs
Playlist Research Top Pop Hits
Wikpedia 1949 in Music
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no albums
thirty songs
Gene Autrey and the Pinafores - 'Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer'
The Charles Brown Trio - 'Trouble Blues'
Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown, His Guitar and His Orchestra - 'Mary Is Fine'
Roy Brown and His Mighty Mighty Men - 'Boogie at Midnight'
Ruth Brown - 'So Long', Ruth Brown [Rock & Roll] [1957]
Goree Carter - 'Rock Awhile'
Frank "Floorshow" Culley and His Band - 'Cole Slaw - Sorghum Switch'
The Delmore Brothers - 'Blues Stay Away from Me'
Red Foley - 'Chattanooga Shoe Shine Boy'
Wynonie Harris - 'All She Wants to Do Is Rock'
Burl Ives with Captain Stubby and the Buccaneers - 'Lavender Blue (Dilly Dilly)'
Albennie Jones with Sam Price and His Rockin' Rhythm - 'Hole in the Wall'
Louis Jordan and His Tympany Five - 'Saturday Night Fish Fry Pt. 1'/ 'Saturday Night Fish Fry (Concluded)'
Pee Wee King and His Golden West Cowboys - 'Bonaparte's Retreat', Country Classics [10-L. P., 1952]
Deacon McNeely's Blue Jays - 'The Deacon's Hop'
Big Jay McNeely - 'Blow Big Jay'
Memphis Slim and His House Rockers - 'Blue and Lonesome'
Memphis Slim and the House Rockers - 'Nobody Loves Me'
The Orioles - 'Tell Me So'
The Patti Page Quartet - 'With My Eyes Wide Open I'm Dreaming', Patti Page [1950]
Hank Penny - 'Hillbilly Be-Bop'
Hank Penny - 'Bloodshot Eyes'
Jimmy Preston and His Prestonians - 'Rock the Joint'
Professor Longhair and His Shuffling Hungarians - 'Mardi Gras in New Orleans'; new version, 1950, released under Professor Longhair and His New Orleans Boys; new version, 'Go to the Mardi Gras', 1959, released under Professor Longhair
Wayne Raney - 'Why Don't You Haul Off and Love Me'
Floyd Tillman - 'Slipping Around'
Dinah Washington - 'Baby Get Lost'
Margaret Whiting and Jimmy Wakely - 'Slippin' Around'
Hank Williams - 'My Bucket's Got a Hole in It', Honky-Tonkin' [1954]
Paul Williams and His Hucklebuckers - 'The Huckle-Buck'
no archival and compilation albums
1948
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Acclaimed Music Top Songs
Playlist Research Top Pop Hits
Wikpedia 1948 in Music
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no albums
twenty-three songs
Red Foley and the Cumberland Valley Boys - 'Tennessee Saturday Night'
Wynonie Harris - 'Good Rockin' Tonight'
John Lee Hooker - 'Boogie Chillen'', I'm John Lee Hooker [1959]
"Little Son" Jackson - 'Freedom Train Blues'
Pee Wee King and His Golden West Cowboys - 'Tennessee Waltz', Country Classics [10-L. P., 1952]
Memphis Slim and His House Rockers - 'Messin' Around'
Amos Milburn - 'Chicken-Shack Boogie'
Amos Milburn - 'Bewildered'
Roy Milton and His Solid Senders - 'Hop, Skip, and Jump'
Bill Moore - 'We're Gonna Rock'
The Orioles - 'It's Too Soon to Know'
Patti Page and the George Barnes Trio - 'Confess', Patti Page [1950]
Leon Payne - 'Lost Highway'
The Ravens - 'Be I Bumblebee or Not'
The Hal Singer Sextette - 'Corn Bread'
The Stanley Brothers (Carter and Ralph) - 'Molly and Tenbrook'
Arbee Stidham - 'My Heart Belongs to You'
Sonny Thompson with the Sharps and Flats - 'Long Gone (Part I)'/ 'Long Gone (Part II)'
Andrew Tibbs with Tom Archia and His All Stars - 'I Feel Like Crying'
Floyd Tillman - 'I Love You So Much, It Hurts'
Jimmy Wakely - 'One Has My Name (The Other Has My Heart)'
Dinah Washington - 'Am I Asking Too Much'
Paul Williams and His Sextette - 'The Twister - Pt. 1'/ 'The Twister - Pt. 2'
no archival and compilation albums
1947
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Acclaimed Music Top Songs
Playlist Research Top Pop Hits
Wikpedia 1947 in Music
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one album
Merle Travis - Folk Songs of the Hills [10-L. P.; 1957 L. P. version titled Back Home]
twenty-four songs
Gene Autrey - 'Here Comes Santa Claus (Down Santa Claus Lane)'
The Blue Sky Boys - 'Kentucky'
Roy Brown with Bob Ogden and Orchestra - 'Good Rocking Tonight'
Cowboy Copas - 'Signed Sealed and Delivered'
Cousin Joe and Sam Price Trio - 'Box Car Shorter (And Peter Blue)'
Francis Craig - 'Near You'
Arthur "Big Boy" Crudup - 'That's All Right'
Bull Moose Jackson - 'I Love You Yes I Do'
Bull Moose Jackson - 'I Want a Bowlegged Woman'
Albennie Jones and Sam Price and His Trio - 'The Rain Is Falling'
Lulu Belle and Scotty - 'Have I Told You Lately That I Love You'
"Stick" McGhee and His Buddy - 'Drinkin' Wine Spo-Dee-o-Dee'; new version, 1949, released under "Stick" McGhee and His Buddies
Bill Monroe and His Blue Grass Boys - 'Blue Yodel # 4'
Bill Monroe and His Blue Grass Boys - 'Will You Be Loving Another Man'
Bill Monroe and His Blue Grass Boys - 'Blue Moon of Kentucky'
The Ravens - 'Ol' Man River'
The Ravens - 'Write Me a Letter'
Andrew Tibbs with Dave Young's Orchestra - 'Bilbo Is Dead'
T-Bone Walker - 'Call It Stormy Monday but Tuesday Is Just as Bad'
Crown Prince Waterford - 'Move Your Hand, Baby'
Hank Williams - 'Move It On Over', Memorial Album [1953]
Sonny Boy Williamson - 'Stop Breaking Down'
Tex Williams - 'Smoke! Smoke! Smoke! (That Cigarette)'
Jimmy Witherspoon - 'Ain't Nobody's Business Part 1'/ 'Ain't Nobody's Business Part 2'
no archival and compilation albums
1946
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Acclaimed Music Top Songs
Playlist Research Top Pop Hits
Wikpedia 1946 in Music
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two albums
Lead Belly - Negro Folk Songs Sung by Lead Belly [3 x 78]
Josh White - Ballads and Blues [4 x 78]
twelve songs
Arthur "Big Boy" Crudup - 'So Glad You're Mine'
The Delmore Brothers - 'Freight Train Boogie'
Louis Jordan and the Tymphany Five - 'Choo Choo Ch'Boogie'
Louis Jordan and the Tymphany Five - 'Ain't That Just like a Women (They'll Do It Every Time)'
Louis Jordan and the Tymphany Five - 'Let the Good Times Roll'
Louis Jordan and the Tymphany Five - 'Ain't Nobody Here But Us Chickens'
Roy Milton and His Solid Senders - 'Milton's Boogie'
Roy Milton - 'R. M. Blues'
Hank Penny - 'Steel Guitar Stomp'
The Ravens - 'Lullaby'
Floyd Tillman - 'Drivin' Nails in My Coffin'
Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys - 'New Spanish Two Step'
no archival and compilation albums
1945
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Acclaimed Music Top Songs
Playlist Research Top Pop Hits
Wikpedia 1945 in Music
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no albums
eight songs
Arthur "Big Boy" Crudup - 'Rock Me Mamma'
Helen Humes with the Bill Doggett Octet - 'Be-Baba-Leba'
Louis Jordan and the Tymphany Five - 'Caldonia'
Joe Liggins and the Honeydrippers - 'The Honeydripper Part 1'/ 'The Honeydripper Part 2'
Lucky Millinder and His Orchestra - 'Who Threw the Whiskey in the Well'
Johnny Moore's Three Blazers - 'Drifting Blues'
The Rambler Trio Featuring Arthur Smith - 'Guitar Boogie', [Arthur (Guitar Boogie) Smith and His Cracker-Jacks] Fingers on Fire [1951]
Josh White - 'Jelly Jelly'
no archival and compilation albums
1944
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Acclaimed Music Top Songs
Playlist Research Top Pop Hits
Wikpedia 1944 in Music
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one album
Burl Ives - The Wayfaring Stranger [3 x 78 and 10-L. P.; retitled Blue Tail Fly and Other Favorites for 1954 L. P.]
nine songs
Cowboy (Pappy) Copas - 'Filipino Baby'
The Ink Spots/ Ella Fitzgerald - 'I'm Making Believe'
The Ink Spots/ Ella Fitzgerald - 'Into Each Life Some Rain Must Fall'
Louis Jordan and the Tymphany Five - 'Is You or Is You Ain't (Ma' Baby)'
The Mills Brothers - 'You Always Hurt the One You Love'
The Mills Brothers - 'Till Then'
Sister Rosetta Tharpe - 'Strange Things Happening Every Day', Gospel Train [1958]
Floyd Tillman and His Favorite Playboys - 'Each Night at Nine'
Josh White - 'One Meat Ball'
no archival and compilation albums
1943
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Acclaimed Music Top Songs
Playlist Research Top Pop Hits
Wikpedia 1942 in Music
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no albums
two songs
Al Dexter and His Troopers - 'Pistol Packin' Mama'
Floyd Tillman and His Favorite Playboys - 'They Took the Stars out of Heaven'
no archival and compilation albums
1942
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Acclaimed Music Top Songs
Playlist Research Top Pop Hits
Wikpedia 1942 in Music
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no albums
three songs
Bea Booze - 'See See Rider Blues'
The Ink Spots - 'Don't Get Around Much Anymore'
The Mills Brothers - 'Paper Doll'
no archival and compilation albums
1941
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Acclaimed Music Top Songs
Playlist Research Top Pop Hits
Wikpedia 1941 in Music
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no albums
six songs
Big Bill - 'Key to the Highway'
Big Maceo - 'Worried Life Blues'
Lil Green - 'Why Don't You Do Right?'
Sons of the Pioneers - 'Cool Water'
Ernest Tubb - 'Walking the Floor Over You'
Big Joe Williams - 'Crawlin' King Snake'
no archival and compilation albums
1940
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Acclaimed Music Top Songs
Playlist Research Top Pop Hits
Wikpedia 1940 in Music
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one album
Josh White and His Carolinians - Chain Gang [4 x 78]
fifteen songs
Jimmie Davis with Charles Mitchell's Orchestra - 'You Are My Sunshine'
Champion Jack Dupree - 'Junker Blues'
Lil Green - 'Romance in the Dark'
Woody Guthrie - Dust Bowl Ballads Sung by Woody Guthrie Volume 1 [E. P.]
Woody Guthrie - Dust Bowl Ballads Sung by Woody Guthrie Volume 2 [E. P.]
The Ink Spots - 'When the Swallows Come Back to Capistrano'
The Ink Spots - 'Maybe'
The Ink Spots - 'Java Jive'
Lead Belly/ The Golden Gate Quartet - The Midnight Special and Other Souther Prison Songs Sung by Lead Belly and the Golden Gate Quartet [E. P.]
Bill Monroe and His Blue Grass Boys - 'Mule Skinner Blues'
Tampa Red - 'It Hurts Me Too'
Bukka White - 'Parchman Farm Blues'
Bukka White - 'Fixin' to Die Blues'
Josh White - 'Careless Love'
Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys - 'New San Antonio Rose'
no archival and compilation albums
1939
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Acclaimed Music Top Songs
Playlist Research Top Pop Hits
Wikpedia 1939 in Music
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one album
Lead Belly - Negro Sinful Songs Sung by Lead Belly [5 x 78]
six songs
Gene Autrey - 'Back in the Saddle Again' ['Back to the Saddle']
Gene Autrey - 'South of the Border (Down Mexico Way)'
The Ink Spots - 'If I Didn't Care'
Robert Johnson - 'Love in Vain'
Tommy McClennan - 'Bottle It Up and Go'
Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys - 'Ida Red'
no archival and compilation albums
1938
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Acclaimed Music Top Songs
Playlist Research Top Pop Hits
Wikpedia 1938 in Music
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no albums
two songs
Big Bill - 'Night Time Is the Right Time No. 2'
Tampa Red - 'Love with a Feeling'
no archival and compilation albums
1937
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Acclaimed Music Top Songs
Playlist Research Top Pop Hits
Wikpedia 1937 in Music
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no albums
eight songs
Robert Johnson - 'Terraplane Blues'
Robert Johnson - 'Cross Road Blues'
Robert Johnson - 'Come On In My Kitchen'
Robert Johnson - 'Sweet Home Chicago
Robert Johnson - 'Hellhound on My Trail'
The Hondey Dripper (Roosevelt Sykes) - 'Night Time Is the Right Time'
Bukka White - 'Shake 'Em On Down'
Sonny Boy Williamson - 'Good Morning, School Girl'
no archival and compilation albums
1936
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Acclaimed Music Top Songs
Playlist Research Top Pop Hits
Wikpedia 1936 in Music
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no albums
four songs
The Blue Sky Boys - 'Sunny Side of Life'
The Carter Family - 'No Depression'
Red Foley - 'Old Shep'
Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys - 'Steel Guitar Rag'
no archival and compilation albums
1935
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Acclaimed Music Top Songs
Playlist Research Top Pop Hits
Wikpedia 1935 in Music
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no albums
seven songs
Leroy Carr - 'When the Sun Goes Down'
The Carter Family - 'Can the Circle Be Unbroken (Bye and Bye)'
Sleepy John Estes - 'Someday Baby Blues'
Sleepy John Estes - 'Drop Down Mama'
Patsy Montana - 'I Wanna Be a Cowboy's Sweetheart'
Georgia White - 'You Done Lost Your Good Thing Now'
Joe Williams' Washboard Blues Singers - 'Baby, Please Don't Go'
no archival and compilation albums
1934
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Acclaimed Music Top Songs
Playlist Research Top Pop Hits
Wikpedia 1934 in Music
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no albums
five songs
Kokomo Arnold - 'Milk Cow Blues'
Buddy Moss - 'Oh Lordy Mama'
Charlie Patton - '34 Blues'
Sons of the Pioneers - 'Tumbling Tumbleweeds'
Tampa Red - 'Sugar Mama Blues No. 1'
no archival and compilation albums
1933
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Acclaimed Music Top Songs
Playlist Research Top Pop Hits
Wikpedia 1933 in Music
no albums
no songs
no archival and compilation albums
1932
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Acclaimed Music Top Songs
Playlist Research Top Pop Hits
Wikpedia 1932 in Music
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no albums
three songs
Gene Autrey/ Jimmy Long - 'That Silver-Haired Daddy of Mine'
The Carter Family - 'Wabash Cannonball'
The Mills Brothers Novelty Quartet - 'Good-Bye Blues'
no archival and compilation albums
1931
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Acclaimed Music Top Songs
Playlist Research Top Pop Hits
Wikpedia 1931 in Music
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no albums
six songs
Clarence Ashley - 'The House Carpenter'
Lucille Bogan - 'Black Angel Blues'
Skip James - '22-20 Blues'
Skip James - 'Devil Got My Woman'
Skip James - 'I'm So Glad'
The Mills Brothers Novelty Quartet - 'Tiger Rag'
no archival and compilation albums
1930
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Acclaimed Music Top Songs
Playlist Research Top Pop Hits
Wikpedia 1930 in Music
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no albums
eight songs
Cannon's Jug Stompers - 'Walk Right In'
Son House - 'My Black Mama - Part 1'/ 'My Black Mama - Part 2'
Blind Willie Johnson - 'John the Revelator'
The Mississippi Sheiks - 'Sitting on Top of the World'
Charley Patton - 'High Water Everywhere Part I'/ 'High Water Everywhere Part II'
Charley Patton - 'Moon Going Down'
Charley Patton - 'A Spoonful Blues'
Blind Alfred Reed - 'How Can a Poor Man Stand Such Times and Live'
no archival and compilation albums
1929
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Acclaimed Music Top Songs
Wikpedia 1929 in Music
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no albums
eighteen songs
Clarence Ashley - 'The Coo Coo Bird'
The Carter Family - 'Wildwood Flower'
The Carter Family - 'Engine One-Forty-Three'
The Carter Family - 'I'm Thinking To-Night of My Blue Eyes'
Blind Roosevelt Graves and Brother - 'Crazy about My Baby'
Mississippi John Hurt - 'Stack O'Lee Blues'
Blind Willie Johnson - 'I'm Gonna Run to the City of Refuge'
Blind Willie McTell - 'Statesboro Blues'
The Memphis Jug Band - 'Stealin', Stealin''
Hambone Willie Newburn - 'Roll and Tumble Blues'
Charley Patton - 'Pony Blues'
Charley Patton - 'Screamin' and Hollerin' the Blues'
Charley Patton - 'Down the Dirt Road Blues'
Washington Phillips - 'What Are They Doing in Heaven Today'
Jimmie Rodgers - 'Waiting for a Train'
Bessie Smith - 'Nobody Knows You when You're Down and Out'
"Pine Top" Smith - 'Pine Top's Boogie Woogie'
Ethel Waters - 'Am I Blue?'
no archival and compilation albums
1928
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Acclaimed Music Top Songs
Wikpedia 1928 in Music
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no albums
fourteen songs
Leroy Carr - 'How Long - How Long Blues'
The Carter Family - 'Keep On the Sunny Side'
Mississippi John Hurt - 'Frankie'
Blind Lemon Jefferson - 'See That My Grave Is Kept Clean'
Blind Willie Johnson - 'Jesus Make Up My Dying Bed'
Blind Willie Johnson - 'Dark Was the Night - Cold Was the Ground'
Blind Willie Johnson - 'It's Nobody's Fault but Mine'
Furry Lewis - 'Kassie Jones-Part 1'/ 'Kassie Jones-Part 2'
Bascom Lamar Lunsford - 'I Wish I Was a Mole in the Ground'
Washington Phillips - 'Denomination Blues - Part 1'/ 'Denomination Blues - Part 2'
Jimmie Rodgers - 'Blue Yodel' ['Blue Yodel No. 1 (T for Texas)']
Jimmie Rodgers - 'In the Jailhouse Now'
Bessie Smith - 'Empty Bed Blues - Part 1'/ 'Empty Bed Blues - Part 2'
Frank Stokes - 'I Got Mine'
no archival and compilation albums
1927
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Acclaimed Music Top Songs
Wikpedia 1927 in Music
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no albums
four songs
De Ford Bailey - 'Pan American Blues'
The Carter Family - 'Single Girl, Married Girl'
Blind Lemon Jefferson - 'Match Box Blues'
Blind Alfred Reed - 'The Wreck of the Virginian'
no archival and compilation albums
1926
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Acclaimed Music Top Songs
Wikpedia 1926 in Music
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no albums
two songs
Blind Lemon Jefferson - 'Jack o Diamond Blues'
Blind Lemon Jefferson - 'That Black Snake Moan' ['Black Snake Moan']
no archival and compilation albums
1925
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Acclaimed Music Top Songs
Wikpedia 1925 in Music
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no albums
five songs
Charlie Poole Accompanied by the North Carolina Ramblers - 'Don't Let Your Deal Go Down Blues'
Ma Rainey Accompanied by Her Georgia Jazz Band - 'See See Rider Blues'
Bessie Smith - 'St. Louis Blues'
Ernest V. Stoneman - 'The Titanic'
Ethel Waters and Her Plantation Orchestra - 'Dinah'
no archival and compilation albums
1924
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Acclaimed Music Top Songs
Wikpedia 1924 in Music
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no albums
four songs
Vernon Dalhart - 'The Prisoner's Song'
Charlie Jackson - 'Salty Dog Blues'
Uncle Dave Macon - 'Keep My Skillet Good and Greasy'
Henry Whitter - 'Lonesome Road Blues'
no archival and compilation albums
1923
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Acclaimed Music Top Songs
Wikpedia 1923 in Music
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no albums
three songs
Fiddlin' John Carson - 'The Little Old Log Cabin in the Lane'
Bessie Smith - 'Down Hearted Blues'
Bessie Smith - 'Baby Won't You Please Come Home Blues'
no archival and compilation albums
1922
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Acclaimed Music Top Songs
Wikpedia 1922 in Music
no albums
no songs
no archival and compilation albums
1921
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Acclaimed Music Top Songs
Wikpedia 1921 in Music
~
no albums
one song
Marion Harris - 'I Ain't Got Nobody'
no archival and compilation albums
1920
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Acclaimed Music Top Songs
Wikpedia 1920 in Music
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no albums
two songs
Marion Harris - 'The St. Louis Blues'
Mamie Smith and Her Jazz Hounds - 'Crazy Blues'
no archival and compilation albums
1919
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Acclaimed Music Top Songs
Wikpedia 1919 in Music
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no albums
two songs
Marion Harris - 'After You've Gone'
Marion Harris - 'A Good Man Is Hard to Find'
no archival and compilation albums
1918
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Acclaimed Music Top Songs
Wikpedia 1918 in Music
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no albums
one song
Marion Harris - 'Everybody's Crazy 'bout the Dog-Gone Blues But I'm Happy'
no archival and compilation albums