February 16 - Nicolas Slonimsky conducts the first performance of Charles Ives's Three Places in New England.
February 17 - The Technicolor musical film, The Vagabond King, is released. Dennis King recreates his original London and Broadway stage role as Villon in this film, and records two songs from the film for Victor Records.
April 1 - Brunswick-Balke-Collender sells Brunswick Records to Warner Brothers, who are hopeful that the move will enable them to make bigger profits from their musicals by enabling them to profit from the sale of records. They also acquire four music publishers to profit from sales in sheet music.
May 10
Metropolitan Opera baritone Lawrence Tibbett's first film The Rogue Song, a lavish Technicolor musical, is released to rave reviews. Lawrence Tibbett records the songs he sang in the film for Victor Records.
The film version of the stage hit Hold Everything is released. Winnie Lightner and Joe E. Brown star in this Technicolor musical which opens to rave reviews. Of the film's song, "When the Little Red Roses Get the Blues for You", becomes a hit. Al Jolson records this song from the picture for Brunswick Records.
May 25 - The all Technicolor musical film, Song of the Flame, based on the 1925 Broadway musical of the same name, is released to rave reviews. The film stars Noah Beery and Bernice Claire and is nominated for an Oscar for "Best Sound Recording". Noah Beery records his song from the picture for Brunswick Records.
August 24 - Festival Puccini is launched at Torre del Lago.
October 29 - Bing Crosby makes his first recording with the Gus Arnheim orchestra as a solo vocalist. His new type of singing voice, a low baritone, becomes a sensation and will gradually displace (by around 1935) the standard tenor voice that had characterized the vocals of popular music in the 1920s.
December 10 - First performance of Bertolt Brecht's play The Decision, with music by Hanns Eisler.
December 13 – Ernest Ansermet conducts the world premiere of Stravinsky's Symphony of Psalms, in Brussels.
The BBC Symphony Orchestra is formed in London.
The song "Body and Soul" is written by Johnny Green with lyrics by Edward Heyman, Robert Sour and Frank Eyton in New York City for the British actress Gertrude Lawrence who first performs in London (where it is also first published). Libby Holman introduces it to the United States in the Broadway revue Three's a Crowd and Louis Armstrong is the first jazz musician to record it. There are at least 11 recordings by the end of the year and it becomes the all-time most recorded jazz standard.
Frankie Laine sings to an audience of 5,000 at The Merry Garden Ballroom.
Bukka White makes his first recording.
"Across the Breakfast Table (Looking at You)" w.m. Irving Berlin, Featured in the Warner Bros. musical Mammy
"After a Million Dreams" w.Edgar Leslie m. Walter Donaldson, Featured in the William Fox musical film Cameo Kirby
"All I Want is Just One Girl" w. Leo Robin m. Richard A. Whiting, Featured in the Paramount musical film Paramount on Parade
"Alone in the Rain" w.m. Dan Dougherty and Edmund Goulding, Featured in the Pathe musical film The Grand Parade
"Alone with My Dreams" w. Gus Kahn m. Harry Archer
"Always in All Ways" w. Leo Robin m. Richard A. Whiting & W. Franke Harling. Introduced by Jeanette MacDonald in the Paramount musical film Monte Carlo.
"Any Time's the Time to Fall in Love" w.m. Elsie Janis and Jack King, Featured in the Paramount musical film Paramount on Parade
"A Bench in the Park" w. Jack Yellen m. Milton Ager, Featured in the Universal musical film King of Jazz
"Betty Co-Ed" w.m. J. Paul Fogarty & Rudy Vallee
"Beware of Love" m.w. William Kernell, Featured in the William Fox musical film Women Everywhere
"Beyond the Blue Horizon" w. Leo Robin m. Richard A. Whiting & W. Franke Harling. Introduced by Jeanette MacDonald in the Paramount musical film Monte Carlo.
"Blue Again" w. Dorothy Fields m. Jimmy McHugh. Introduced by Evelyn Hoey in The Vanderbilt Revue.
"Blue is the Night" w.m. Fred Fisher, from the MGM musical film Their Own Desire
"Body and Soul" w. Robert Sour, Edward Heyman & Frank Eyton m. Johnny Green
"Bye Bye Blues" w.m. Bert Lown, Chauncey Gray, Fred Hamm & Dave Bennett (songwriter)|Dave Bennett
"Can This Be Love?" w. Paul James m. Kay Swift. Introduced by Alice Boulden in the musical Fine and Dandy (musical)|Fine and Dandy.
"Can't We Talk It Over?" w. Ned Washington m. Victor Young
"Caribbean Love Song" w.m. Eugene Berton, Featured in the United Artists film Hell Harbor
"Cheerful Little Earful" w. Ira Gershwin & Billy Rose m. Harry Warren
"Cooking Breakfast for the One I Love" w. Billy Rose m. Henry Tobias
"A Cottage for Sale" w. Larry Conley m. Willard Robison
"Dancing on the Ceiling" w. Lorenz Hart m. Richard Rodgers
"Dancing with Tears in My Eyes" w. Al Dubin m. Joe Burke, Featured in the Warner Bros. musical Dancing Sweeties
"Dangerous Nan McGrew" w. Dan Hartman m. Al Goodhart
"Don't Tell Him What Happened to Me" w. B. G. De Sylva & Lew Brown m. Ray Henderson
"Down the River of Golden Dreams" w. John Klenner m. Nathaniel Shilkret
"Embraceable You" w. Ira Gershwin m. George Gershwin
"Exactly Like You" w. Dorothy Fields m. Jimmy McHugh
"Falling in Love Again" w. (Eng) Sammy Lerner m. Frederick Hollander
"Fine and Dandy" w. Paul James (pseudonym for James Warburg) m. Kay Swift
"For You" w. Al Dubin m. Joe Burke
"Gee, But I'd Like to Make You Happy" w.m. Larry Shay, Ward & Montgomery
"Georgia on My Mind" w. Stuart Gorrell m. Hoagy Carmichael
"Get Happy" w. Ted Koehler m. Harold Arlen
"Goofus" w. Gus Kahn m. Wayne King & William Harold
"Happy Feet" w. Jack Yellen m. Milton Ager
"I Am Only Human After All" w. Ira Gershwin & E. Y. Harburg m. Vernon Duke
"I Bring a Love Song" w. Oscar Hammerstein II m. Sigmund Romberg from the musical film Viennese Nights
"I Got Rhythm" w. Ira Gershwin m. George Gershwin
"I Love You So Much" w. Bert Kalmar m. Harry Ruby
"If Your Kisses Can't Hold the Man You Love" w. Jack Yellen m. Vivian Ellis
"I'm Confessin' That I Love You" w. Al J. Neiburg m. Doc Daugherty & Ellis Reynolds
"I'm Glad I Waited" w.m. Vincent Youmans
"I'm In the Market for You" w. Joseph McCarthy m. James F. Hanley
"Into My Heart" w. Roy Turk m. Fred Ahlert. Introduced by Ramón Novarro in the film In Gay Madrid
"It Happened In Monterey" w. Billy Rose m. Mabel Wayne
"It Must Be True" w.m. Gus Arnheim, Harry Barris & Gordon Clifford
"J'ai Deux Amours" w. Georges Koger & H. Varna m. Vincent Scotto
"Just a Gigolo" w. (Eng) Irving Caesar (Ger) Julius Brammer m. Leonello Casucci
"The Kiss Waltz" w. Al Dubin m. Joe Burke
"Lady, Play Your Mandolin" w. Irving Caesar m. Oscar Levant
"The Little Things in Life" w.m. Irving Berlin
"Little White Lies" w.m. Walter Donaldson
"Livin' in the Sunlight, Lovin' in the Moonlight" w. Al Lewis m. Al Sherman. Introduced by Maurice Chevalier in the film The Big Pond
"Love for Sale" w.m. Cole Porter
"Lucky Seven" w. Howard Dietz m. Arthur Schwartz
"Memories of You" w. Andy Razaf m. Eubie Blake
"My Future Just Passed" w. George Marion Jr m. Richard A. Whiting
"Nina Rosa" m. Irving Caesar
"Nine Little Miles From Ten-Ten-Tennessee" w.m. Al Sherman & Al Lewis & Con Conrad
"Ninety-Nine Out of a Hundred (Wanna Be Loved) w.m. Al Sherman & Al Lewis
"On the Sunny Side of the Street" w. Dorothy Fields m. Jimmy McHugh
"Please Don't Talk About Me When I'm Gone" w. Sidney Clare m. Sam H. Stept
"Send for Me" w. Lorenz Hart m. Richard Rodgers
"Sing, You Sinners" w.m. W. Franke Harling & Sam Coslow. Introduced by Lillian Roth in the film Honey
"Someday I'll Find You" w.m. Noël Coward
"Something to Remember You By" w. Howard Dietz m. Arthur Schwartz
"The Song of the Dawn" w. Jack Yellen m. Milton Ager from the film King of Jazz
"Sweepin' the Clouds Away" w.m. Sam Coslow
"Sweet Jennie Lee" w.m. Walter Donaldson
"Telling it to the Daisies" w. Joe Young m. Harry Warren
"Ten Cents a Dance" w. Lorenz Hart m. Richard Rodgers
"Them There Eyes" w.m. Maceo Pinkard, William Tracey & Doris Tauber
"They All Fall in Love" w.m. Cole Porter
"Three Little Words" w. Bert Kalmar m. Harry Ruby
"Time on My Hands" w. Harold Adamson & Mack Gordon m. Vincent Youmans
"Two Loves Have I" w. (Eng) J. P. Murray & Barry Trivers m. Vincent Scotto
"Walking My Baby Back Home" w.m. Roy Turk & Fred Ahlert
"The Waltz You Saved for Me" w. Gus Kahn m. Wayne King & Emil Flindt
"When I'm Looking At You" w. Clifford Grey m. Herbert Stothart. Introduced by Lawrence Tibbett in the film The Rogue Song
"When Your Hair Has Turned To Silver" w. Charles Tobias m. Peter De Rose
"The White Dove" w. Clifford Grey m. Franz Lehár
"Why Am I So Romantic?" w. Bert Kalmar m. Harry Ruby
"Would You Like to Take a Walk?" w. Mort Dixon & Billy Rose m. Harry Warren
"You Brought a New Kind of Love to Me" w.m. Sammy Fain, Irving Kahal and Pierre Norman. Introduced by Maurice Chevalier in the film The Big Pond.
"You Will Remember Vienna" w. Oscar Hammerstein II m. Sigmund Romberg
"You're Driving Me Crazy" w.m. Walter Donaldson
The following songs achieved the highest sales in 1930 on the major record labels in the United States (i.e. Victor, Brunswick and Columbia). Record sales continued at 1929 levels up until July 1930. In the autumn 1930 the Great Depression began in earnest for the majority of the public who finally began to feel the economic downturn. This caused record sales to plummet in August and they would remain low for the remainder of the year.
"After a Million Dreams", recorded by John Boles and by George Olsen
"All I Want Is Just One Girl" by Maurice Chevalier
"Alone In the Rain" by Donald Novis
"Alone With My Dreams", recorded by Nat Shilkret Orchestra and by Charles Lawman
"Always In All Ways", recorded by Jeanette MacDonald and by George Olsen Orchestra
"Any Time's the Time to Fall In Love" by Charles Buddy Rogers
"Beyond the Blue Horizon", recorded by Jeanette MacDonald, by George Olsen & His Music, and by Phil Spitalny Orchestra
"Beware of Love" by J. Harold Murray
"Blue Is the Night", recorded by James Melton, by Nat Shilkret Orchestra
"Body and Soul" by Paul Whiteman & His Orchestra
"Betty Coed" by Rudy Vallee
"Caribbean Love Song", recorded by Nat Shilkret and by Colonial Club Orchestra (conducted by Bob Haring)
"Charming" by Frank Munn
"Cryin' for the Carolines" by Johnny Marvin
"Dancing with Tears In My Eyes" by The Nat Shilkret Orchestra
"Dark Night" by Nat Shilkret
"Dream Lover", recorded by Nat Shilkret Orchestra and by Jeanette MacDonald
"For You" by John Boles
"Gone", recorded by Nat Shilkret Orchestra and by Charles Lawman
"He's My Secret Passion" by Jacques Renard Orchestra
"Happy Days Are Here Again" by Charles King
"Here Comes the Sun" by Charles King
"I Bring A Love Song" by Leo Reisman Orchestra
"I Never Dreamt (You'd Fall In Love With Me)", recorded by Chester Gaylord and by Ruth Etting
"I Still Get a Thrill", recorded by Ozzie Nelson Orchestra, by Phil Spitalny Orchestra, and by Chester Gaylord
"I'd Like to Be a Bee In Your Boudoir" by Charles Buddy Rogers
"I'll See You In My Dreams" by Cliff Edwards
"I'm Confessin' (That I Love You)", recorded by Chester Gaylord and by Rudy Vallee
"Into My Heart" by Nat Shilkret
"It Happened In Monterey", recorded by John Boles, by Paul Whiteman & His Orchestra
"It's a Great Life" by Maurice Chevalier
"June Kisses" by Dick Powell
"Just a Little Closer", recorded by Nick Lucas and by Rudy Vallee
"Just a Little While", recorded by The Troubadours (conducted by Nat Shilkret) and by The Regent Club Orchestra (conducted by Bob Haring)
"Leave a Little Smile" by Charles King
"Leave It That Way", recorded by Lawrence Gray and by Jack Denny Orchestra
"The Little Things In Life", recorded by Lewis James and by Gus Arnheim Orchestra with Bing Crosby
"Little White Lies", recorded by Fred Waring and His Pennsylvanians and by Johnny Marvin
"Looking for Lovelight In the Dark" by Jackie Taylor Orchestra
"Maybe It's Love", recorded by Nick Lucas and Kate Smith
"Memories of You" by Chester Gaylord
"My Future Just Passed", recorded by Charles Buddy Rogers and by Chester Gaylord
"My Ideal" by Maurice Chevalier
"Night Winds" by Bebe Daniels
"Ninety-Nine Out of a Hundred (Wanna Be Loved) by Rudy Vallee
"On the Sunny Side of the Street" by Ted Lewis & His Band
"One More Waltz", recorded by Ted Fiorito Orchestra and The Regent Club Orchestra (conducted by Bob Haring)
"The One Girl" by John Boles
"One Little Drink" by Noah Beery
Puttin' on the Ritz by Harry Richman
"The Rogue Song" by Nat Shilkret Orchestra
"Romance" by John Boles
"The Stein Song" by Rudy Vallee
"Sally" by James Melton
"Should I?" by Victor Arden and Phil Ohman Orchestra
"Singing a Song to the Stars", recorded by Lewis James and Cliff Edwards
"So Beats My Heart for You" by Chester Gaylord
"Song of the Dawn" by John Boles
"Something To Remember You By" by Helen Morgan
"Ten Cents A Dance" by Ruth Etting
"The Whole Darned Thing's For You" by Lawrence Gray
"There's Something About An Old Fashioned Girl" by Abe Lyman Orchestra
"Three Little Words", recorded by Nick Lucas, by Paul Whiteman's Rhythm Boys, and by Duke Ellington & His Jungle Band
"Through (How Can You Say We're T`rough?) " by Franklyn Baur
"Tomorrow Is Another Day" by Ted Fiorito Orchestra and by Ben Bernie Orchestra
"Under A Texas Moon" by Chester Gaylord and by Ted Fiorito Orchestra
"Under The Spell Of Your Kiss" by Lewis James
"Until Love Comes Along", recorded by Bebe Daniels, by Nat Shilkret Orchestra
"Were You Just Pretending?" by James Melton
"West Wind" by John Boles
"What Do I Care?" by Charles Lawman
"What's The Use?" by Chester Gaylord
"When I'm Looking At You", recorded by Lawrence Tibbett, Chester Gaylord, and Nat Shilkret Orchestra
"When Love Comes In The Moonlight", recorded by Charles King and Jackie Taylor Orchestra
"When The Little Red Roses Get The Blues For You", recorded by Al Jolson, George Olsen and Earl Burtnett
"With My Guitar And You", recorded by Lewis James and Dick Powell
"Whippoorwill", by The Ipana Troubadors
"With A Song In My Heart" by Franklyn Baur
"You Brought A New Kind Of Love To Me" by Maurice Chevalier
"You, You Alone" by John Boles
"You Will Come Back To Me" by Abe Lyman Orchestra
"You Will Remember Vienna", recorded by Leo Reisman Orchestra, and Regent Club Orchestra (conducted by Bob Haring)
"You're Driving Me Crazy (What Did I Do?)" by Nick Lucas
"You're Lucky To Me" by Chester Gaylord
"Clarksdale Moan" - Son House
"Honky Tonk Train Blues" - Meade Lux Lewis (recorded 1927)
"Preachin' Blues" - Son House
"Razor Ball" - Blind Willie McTell
"Sitting on Top of the World" - Mississippi Sheiks
"Skoodle Do Do" - Big Bill Broonzy
"Somebody's Been Using That Thing" - Big Bill Broonzy
William Alwyn - Piano Concerto No. 1
Arthur Bliss - Morning Heroes (oratorio)
Aaron Copland - Piano Variations
Arthur De Greef - Piano Concerto No. 2
Alexander Glazunov - String Quartet No. 7
Reynaldo Hahn - Piano Concerto in E
Howard Hanson - Symphony No. 2, Romantic
Paul Hindemith –
Des kleinen Elektromusikers Lieblinge, for three trautoniums
Konzertmusik, Op. 48, for viola and chamber orchestra
Konzertmusik, Op. 49, for piano, brass, and two harps
Konzertmusik, Op. 50, for brass and strings
Triosatz (aka Rondo) for three guitars (date uncertain: possibly 1925)
Mikhail Ippolitov-Ivanov - Turkish Fragments
John Ireland -
Legend for piano and orchestra
Piano Concerto in E flat
Paul Juon - Quintet for Winds in B-flat major
Zoltán Kodály - Dances of Marosszék
Ernst Krenek –
Fiedellieder, for voice and piano, Op. 64
String Quartet No. 5, Op. 65
Igor Markevitch - Concerto Grosso
Maurice Ravel – Piano Concerto for the Left Hand
Silvestre Revueltas – String Quartet No. 1
Arnold Schoenberg –
Begleitungsmusik zu einer Lichtspielszene, for orchestra, op. 34
Sechs Stücke, for male choir, op. 35
Igor Stravinsky – Symphony of Psalms
Heitor Villa-Lobos -
Bachianas brasileiras No. 1, for orchestra of cellos
Bachianas brasileiras No. 2, for small orchestra
Anton Webern - Quartet, for tenor saxophone, violin, cello, and piano, op. 22
Ralph Benatzky - Im weissen Rössl
Leoš Janáček - From the House of the Dead
Ernst Krenek – Leben des Orest (first performance); Kehraus um St Stephan (composed 1930; first performance 1990)
Kurt Weill - The Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny
Darling, I Love You London production openead at the Gaiety Theatre on January 22 and ran for 147 performances
Eldorado London production opened at Daly's Theatre on September 3 and ran for 93 performances
Ever Green London production opened at the Adelphi Theatre on December 3 and ran for 254 performances
Fine and Dandy Broadway musical opened at the Erlanger's Theatre on September 23 and ran for 246 performances.
Follow a Star London production opened at the Winter Garden Theatre on September 17 and ran for 118 performances
Girl Crazy Broadway production opened at the Alvin Theatre on October 14 and ran for 272 performances
Here Comes the Bride London production opened at the Piccadilly Theatre on February 20 and ran for 175 performances
Das Land Des Lächelns Vienna production opened at the Theater an der Wien on September 26 and ran for 105 performances
Little Tommy Tucker London production opened at Daly's Theatre on November 19 and ran for 83 performances
The Love Race London production opened at the Gaiety Theatre on June 25 and ran for 237 performances
The New Yorkers (Book by Herbert Fields, Lyrics & Music by Cole Porter) Broadway revue opened at the Broadway Theatre on December 8 and ran for 168 performances
Nippy London production opened at the Prince Edward Theatre on October 30 and ran for 137 performances
Rio Rita London production opened at the Prince Edward Theatre on April 3 and ran for 59 performances
The Second Little Show Broadway revue opened at the Royale Theatre on September 2 and ran for 63 performances
Silver Wings London production opened at the Dominion Theatre on February 14 and ran for 120 performances
Sons o' Guns London production opened at the Hippodrome on June 26 and ran for 211 performances
Sweet and Low Broadway revue opened at Chanin's 46th Street Theatre on November 17 and ran for 184 performances
The Three Musketeers London production opened at the Drury Lane Theatre on March 28 and ran for 240 performances
Three's a Crowd Broadway revue opened at the Selwyn Theatre on October 15 and ran for 271 performances
The Vanderbilt Revue Broadway revue opened at the Vanderbilt Theatre on November 5 and ran for 13 performances
Viktoria und ihr Husar Vienna production opened at the Theater an der Wien on December 23 and ran for 121 performances
Im Weissen Rössl aka White Horse Inn - Ralph Benatzky. First performed at the Grosses Schauspielhaus in Berlin on November 8.
Wonder Bar London production opened at the Savoy Theatre on December 5 and ran for 210 performances
Along Came Youth starring Charles "Buddy" Rogers, Frances Dee and Stuart Erwin. Directed by Lloyd Corrigan and Norman McLeod.
Animal Crackers starring the Marx Brothers, Lillian Roth and Margaret Dumont. Directed by Victor Heerman.
Be Yourself! starring Fanny Brice, Harry Green and Robert Armstrong. Directed by Thornton Freeland.
Big Boy starring Al Jolson and Claudia Dell. Directed by Alan Crosland.
The Big Pond starring Maurice Chevalier and Claudette Colbert. Directed by Hobart Henley.
Bride of the Regiment, starring Walter Pidgeon and Vivienne Segal
Bright Lights starring Dorothy Mackaill, Frank Fay, Noah Beery, Inez Courtney and Eddie Nugent. Directed by Michael Curtiz.
Chasing Rainbows starring Bessie Love, Charles King, Jack Benny and Marie Dressler
Children of Pleasure starring Lawrence Gray
The Cuckoos starring Bert Wheeler and Robert Woolsey
Dancing Sweeties starring Grant Withers, Sue Carol and Edna Murphy
Dixiana starring Bebe Daniels and Everett Marshall
Follow Thru starring Charles "Buddy" Rogers, Nancy Carroll, Zelma O'Neal, Jack Haley, Eugene Pallette and Thelma Todd
Going Wild starring Joe E. Brown and Ona Munson
Golden Dawn released on June 14 starring Walter Woolf King, Vivienne Segal, Noah Beery, Alice Gentle and Lupino Lane
Good News starring Bessie Love, Cliff Edwards and Penny Singleton and featuring Abe Lyman & his Band
Heads Up starring Charles "Buddy" Rogers and Helen Kane. Directed by Victor Schertzinger.
High Society Blues starring Janet Gaynor, Charles Farrell and Louise Fazenda
Hit the Deck starring Jack Oakie, Polly Walker and June Clyde
Hold Everything starring Winnie Lightner and Joe E. Brown
Honey starring Nancy Carroll, Lillian Roth and Mitzi Green
In Gay Madrid starring Ramón Novarro and Dorothy Jordan
King of Jazz starring Paul Whiteman and John Boles and featuring The Rhythm Boys and The Brox Sisters
Leathernecking starring Irene Dunne
Let's Go Native starring Jack Oakie, Jeanette MacDonald and James Hall
Life of the Party starring Winnie Lightner
The Lottery Bride starring Jeanette MacDonald, Zasu Pitts, Joe E. Brown and John Garrick. Directed by Paul L. Stein.
Love Comes Along starring Bebe Daniels
Madam Satan starring Kay Johnson and Reginald Denny
Mammy starring Al Jolson
Maybe It's Love starring Joe E. Brown, James Hall and Joan Bennett
Monte Carlo starring Jeanette MacDonald and Jack Buchanan. Directed by Ernst Lubitsch.
New Moon starring Lawrence Tibbett and Grace Moore
New Movietone Follies of 1930 starring El Brendel and Marjorie White
No, No Nanette starring ZaSu Pitts, Louise Fazenda, Lilyan Tashman and Mildred Harris
Oh Sailor Behave starring Charles King and[ Irene Delroy
Paramount on Parade featuring Maurice Chevalier and Clara Bow
Puttin' on the Ritz starring Harry Richman, Joan Bennett and James Gleason
The Rogue Song released May 10 starring Lawrence Tibbett and Catherine Dale Owen and featuring Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy
She Couldn't Say No starring Winnie Lightner
Show Girl In Hollywood starring Alice White
Song o' My Heart released September 7 starring John McCormack.
Song of the Flame starring Bernice Claire and Noah Beery
Song of the West starring John Boles and Vivienne Segal
Spring Is Here starring Lawrence Gray, Bernice Claire, Inez Courtney, Frank Albertson and The Brox Sisters.
Sunny starring Marilyn Miller, Lawrence Gray and Joe Donahue.
Sunny Skies starring Benny Rubin, Marceline Day, Rex Lease and Marjorie Kane
Sweet Kitty Bellairs starring Claudia Dell and Walter Pidgeon
Swing High starring Helen Twelvetress and Fred Scott
Top Speed starring Bernice Claire, Jack Whiting and Joe E. Brown
Under a Texas Moon starring Frank Fay, Myrna Loy and Noah Beery
The Vagabond King starring Dennis King, Jeanette MacDonald and Lillian Roth
Viennese Nights released November 26 starring Vivienne Segal, Jean Hersholt, Walter Pidgeon and Louise Fazenda.
What a Widow! starring Gloria Swanson
Whoopee! starring Eddie Cantor, Ethel Shutta and featuring George Olsen & his Orchestra and Betty Grable
Young Man of Manhattan starring Claudette Colbert, Ginger Rogers, Norman Foster and Charles Ruggles. Directed by Monta Bell.
January 12 - Glenn Yarbrough (The Limelighters) (d. 2016)
January 13 - Bobby Lester (The Moonglows)
January 27 - Bobby Blue Bland, blues and soul singer
January 29 - Derek Bailey, English guitarist (d. 2005)
February 22 - Marni Nixon, soprano, best known for film voice-overs (d. 2016)
February 26 - Chic Hetti (The Playmates)
March 6 - Lorin Maazel, conductor (d. 2014)
March 9 - Ornette Coleman, jazz saxophonist (d. 2015)
March 13 - Jan Howard, country singer
March 17 - Paul Horn, jazz and new age flautist
March 22 - Stephen Sondheim, composer and songwriter
March 28 - Robert Ashley, composer
March 29 - Donny Conn (The Playmates)
April 8 - Jean Guillou, French composer, organist, pianist, and pedagogue
April 16 - Herbie Mann, jazz musician (d. 2003)
May 1 - Little Walter, blues musician (d. 1968)
May 16 - Friedrich Gulda, Austrian pianist and composer (d. 2000)
May 28 - Julian Slade, musical theatre writer (d. 2006)
June 3 - Dakota Staton, jazz vocalist (d. 2007)
June 9 - Monique Serf, singer ("Barbara") (d. 1997)
July 9 - Buddy Bregman, American composer and conductor
July 10 - Josephine Veasey, operatic mezzo-soprano
July 16 - Guy Béart, singer and songwriter
July 20 - Sally Ann Howes, English actress and singer
July 27 - Andy White, Scottish-born session drummer (d. 2015)
August 1
Lionel Bart, English composer and lyricist (d. 1999)
Walter Jagiello, polka musician and songwriter (d. 2006)
August 7 - Veljo Tormis, Estonian composer
September 7 - Sonny Rollins, jazz saxophonist
September 23 - Ray Charles, soul musician (d. 2004)
October 5 - John Carmichael, pianist, composer and music therapist
October 8 - Tōru Takemitsu, composer (d. 1996)
October 12 - Cyril Tawney, traditional singer (d. 2005)
October 24 - The Big Bopper, DJ and singer (d. 1957)
October 30 - Clifford Brown, jazz trumpeter (d. 1956)
November 20 - Curly Putman, songwriter (d. 2016)
December 31 - Odetta, singer, songwriter and civil rights activist (d. 2008)
January 2 - Therese Malten, operatic soprano, 74
January 16 - Art Hickman, US bandleader, 43 (Banti's syndrome)
January 17 - Gauhar Jaan, Indian singer and dancer, 56
January 24 - Mario Sammarco, operatic baritone, 61
January 28 - Emmy Destinn Czech operatic soprano, 51 (stroke)
February 12 - Eva Dell'Acqua, Belgian singer and composer, 73
February 13 - Conrad Ansorge, German pianist, teacher and composer, 67
February 17 - Louise Kirkby Lunn, operatic contralto, 56
March 7 - A. L. Erlanger, theatrical impresario, 70
April 1 - Cosima Wagner, daughter of Franz Liszt and widow of Richard Wagner, 92
April 3 - Emma Albani, operatic soprano, 82
April 5 - Gene Greene, singer and composer ("The Ragtime King"), 48
April 9 - Rose Caron, operatic soprano, 72
April 24 - Adele Ritchie, singer, comic opera, musical comedy and vaudeville, 55
April 26 - Beth Slater Whitson, US lyric writer, 50
May 1 - Emil Genetz, composer, 77
May 29 - Tivadar Nachéz, violinist and composer, 71
June 5 - Irma Reichová, operatic soprano, 71
June 7 - Nahan Franko, violinist and conductor, 68
June 22 - Mary Davies, singer, 75
July 15 - Leopold Auer, violinist, 85
August 4 - Siegfried Wagner, German composer and conductor, son of Richard Wagner, 61
October 1 - Riccardo Drigo, composer and conductor, 84
October 14 - Henry Creamer, US songwriter, 51
October 27 - Evan Stephens, Mormon composer and hymn-writer, 76
November 13 - Thomas Bulch, musician and composer, 67
November 14 - Jacques Isnardon, operatic bass-baritone, 70
December 17 - Peter Warlock, composer, 36
December 22 - Charles K. Harris, US songwriter and publisher, 63
December 23 - Marie Fillunger, singer, 80
December 24 - Oskar Nedbal, violist, conductor and composer, 56
December 29 - Oscar Borg, composer, 79
date unknown - Johnny Burke, singer and songwriter (b. 1851)
