1942 - 1950: R&B Years

1942 -- Harlem Hit Parade Debut

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The debut of the Billboard R&B chart named Harlem Hit Parade began October 24, 1942. This list is not exclusively songs on the Harlem Hit Parade.

• Bea Booze - (Decca 48055 1942) See See Rider Blues
• Earl Hines & Orchestra - (Bluebird 11567A 1942) Stormy Monday Blues
  vcl. Billy Eckstine
• Harry James - (Columbia 36668 1942) I've Heard That Song Before
• Paul Whiteman (feat."Lady Day") - (Capital 116 1942) Trav'lin' Light

1943

• Dick Haymes - (Decca 18556A 1943) You'll Never Know
• Duke Ellington - (VictorA 26610 1943) Never No Lament
• Ink Spots - (Decca 18503B 1943) Don't Get Around Much Anymore
• Ink Spots - (Decca 18542 1943) I Can't Stand Losing You
• King Cole Trio - (Decca 25109 1943) That Ain't Right
• King Cole Trio - (Decca 8630 1943) That Ain't Right
• Louis Jordan - (Decca 23629 1943) What's The Use of Getting Sober
  (When You're Gonna Get Drunk Again)

1944

• Buddy Johnson - (Decca 8655 1944) When My Man Comes Home
• Cecil Gant - (Gilt Edge 501 1944) I Wonder
• Ella Fitzgerald with Ink Spots - (Decca 18587 1944) Cow-Cow Boogie
• Louis Jordan - (Decca 8654 1944) Ration Blues
• The Mills Brothers - (Decca 18599 1944) Till Then

1945 -- Race Records Chart Debut

In 1945, The Harlem Hit Parade chart becomes the Race Records chart.

• Helen Humes with Bill Doggett Octet - (Philo 106 1945) Be-Baba-Leba
• Joe Liggins - (Exclusive 207 1945) The Honeydripper
• King Cole Trio - (Capitol 1945) Straighten Up and Fly Right
• Louis Jordan - (Decca 8670 1945) Caldonia
• Lucky Millinder and His Orchestra - (Decca 18674 1945) Who Threw the Whiskey in the Well
  (A young Wynonie Harris on vocal)
• Slim Gaillard - (Atomic 216 1945) Jumpin' at the Record Shop
• Wynonie Harris - (Apollo 362 1945) Wynonie's Blues

1946

• Arthur Big Boy Crudup - (Victor 20-2205 1946) That's All Right
• Freddie Slack with Ella Morse - (Capitol 251 1946) The House of Blue Light
• Jack McVea & All Stars - (Black & White 792 1946) Open the Door Richard
• Julia Lee - (Capitol 830 1946) Gimme What You Got
• Louis Jordan - (Decca 23669 1946) Ain't that Just Like A Woman?
• Savannah Churchill - (Manor 1046 1946) I Want To Be Loved
• T Bone Walker - (Black & White 411 1946) Don't Leave Me Baby

1947

• Amos Milburn - (Aladdin 3014 1947) Chicken Shack Boogie
• Bull Moose Jackson - (King 4189 1947) I Love You Yes I Do
• Clarence Samuels - (Aristocrat 1001 1947) Boogie Woogie Blues
• Dick Davis - (Miracle 109 1947) Benson Jump
• Doc Pomus - (Savoy 5545 1947) Doc's Boogie
• Dusty Fletcher - (Savoy 1526 1947) The Mad Hour Pt 1 / Pt 2
• Eddie Vinson - (Mercury 8028 1947) Old Maid Boogie
• Julia Lee - (Capitol 40082 1947) King Size Papa
• Julia Lee - (Capitol 1589 1947) Mama Don't Allow It
• Louis Jordan - (Decca 23841 1947) Open the Door, Richard!
• Louis Jordan - (Decca 23741 1947) Let the Good Times Roll
• Mahalia Jackson - (Apollo 164 1947) Move on Up a Little Higher
• Memphis Slim - (Miracle 125 1947) Messin' Around
• Sonny Boy Williamson - (RCA Victor 20-2521 1947) Polly Put the Kettle On
• The Buchanan Brothers - (RCA Victor 20-2385 1947) When You See Those Flying Saucers

1948

• Arbee Stidham - (RCA Victor 2572 1948) My Heart Belongs to You
• Arthur Crudup - (RCA-Victor 1948) So Glad Your Mine
• Arthur Smith & His Crackerjacks - (MGM 10293 1948) Guitar Boogie
• Bull Moose Jackson - (King 4230 1948) I Can't Go On Without You
• Dinah Washington - (Mercury 8095 1948) Am I Asking Too Much
• Ivory Joe Hunter - (Pacific 637 1948) Pretty Mama Blues
• John Lee Hooker - (Modern 20-627 1948) Sally Mae / Boogie Chillen'
• Johnny Otis & Orchestra - (Excelsior 536 1948) Happy New Year Baby
• Julia Lee - (Capitol 40028 1948) (Opportunity Knocks But Once) Snatch and Grab It
• L C Williams - (Gold Star 623 1948) Hole in the Wall
• Lonnie Johnson - (King 4201 1948) Tomorrow Night
• Roy Milton & Solid Senders - (Specialty 524 1948) I've Hand My Moments
• The Orioles - (It's A Natural 5000 1948) It's Too Soon to Know
• Wild Bill Moore - (Savoy 666 1948) We're Gonna Rock, We're Gonna Roll
• Wynonie Harris - (King 4210 1948) Good Rockin' Tonight
• Wynonie Harris - (King 4304 1948) I Want My Fanny Brown

1949 -- Rhythm & Blues Chart Debut

In the summer of 1949, The Race Records chart is renamed the Rhythm & Blues chart.

• Baby Face Leroy Foster - (Job 100 1949) My Head Can't Rest Anymore
• Big Charlie Bradix - (Blue Bonnet 153 1949) Dollar Diggin' Woman / Boogie Like You Wanna
• Big Charley Bradix - (Colonial 108 1949) Dollar Diggin' Woman / Boogie Like You Wanna
• Cecil Gant - (Bullet 250 1949) Nashville Jumps
• Dossie Terry - (RCA Victor 20-4648 1949) When I Hit the Numbers
• Jesse Thomas - (Freedom 1513 1949) Let's Have Some Fun
• Jimmy Preston - (Gotham 188 1949) Rock the Joint
• Joe Houston Orchestra - (Freedom 1526 1949) Waycross Mama
  vocals: Julius Stewart
• Joe Morris - (Decca 48135 1949) Wig Head Mama Blues
• Kansas City Jimmy - (Savoy 691 1949) Saturday Night / Cheatin' Woman
• King Porter - (Imperial 5039 1949) Chitlin Ball
• Lester Williams - (Maxcys 5004 1949) I Know that Chick
• L C Williams - (Freedom 1517 1949) Shout Baby Shout
• Little Esther w Johnny Otis - (Modern 20-748 1949) Mean Old Gal
• Pee Wee Crayton - (Modern 20-707 1949) Brand New Woman
• Peppermint Harris - (Sittin In 568 1949) Fat Girl Boogie
• Ray Charles - (Down Beat 212 1949) Rockin' Chair Blues
• Ray Charles - (Swingtime 215 1949) I've Had My Fun
• Roy Brown - (De Luxe 3154 1949) Long About Midnight
• Stick Mcghee - (Atlantic 873 1949) Drinkin' Wine Spo-Dee-O-Dee
• Stick McGhee - (Atlantic 909 1949) Venus Blues
• Wynonie Harris - (King 4252 1949) Bite Again Bite Again
• Wynonie Harris - (King 4342 1949) I Like My Baby's Pudding

1950

• Aaron T-Bone Walker - (Imperial 5071 1950) Glamour Girl / Strollin With Bones
• Aaron T-Bone Walker - (Imperial 5086 1950) The Sun Went Down / You Don't Love Me
• Archibald - (Imperial 5082 1950) Shake Baby Shake
• Big Joe Turner - (Imperial 5093 1950) Love My Baby
• Big Joe Turner - (Freedom 1531 1950) Adam Bit the Apple
• Billy Wright - (Savoy 810 1950) Hey Little Girl
• Eddie Schuler - (Goldband 1013 1950) Jambalaya Boogie
• Hal Singer - (Mercury 8196 1950) Rock Around the Clock / Fine As Wine
• Hank Snow - (RCS 21-0328 1950) I'm Moving On
• Hardrock Gunter - (Bama 104 1950) Birmingham Bounce
• Hubert Robinson - (Maxcys 5015 1950) High Class Women
• Jimmie Liggins - (Specialty 374 1950) Saturday Night Boogie Woogie Man
• Joe Hill Louis - (It's the Phillips 9001 1950) Boogie in the Park/Gotta Let You Go
• Joe Liggins & the Honeydrippers - (Specialty 379 1950) Little Joe's Boogie
• John Hunter - (Four Star 1950) Cool Down Mama
• Johnny Otis & Little Esther w Robins (Savoy 731 1950) Double Crossing Blues
• Julia Lee - (Capitol 1111 1950) My Man Stands Out
• Lightnin' Hopkins - (Sittin' In With 599 1950) Prayin' Ground Blues
• Lil Greenwood - (Modern 751 1950) Boogie All Night Long
• Little Mr Midnight - (Regal 3287 1950) Got A Brand New Baby / Four O'Clock Blues
• Lost John Hunter - (Four Star 1492 1950) Cool Down Mama
• Mr Sad Head - (RCA 20-4938 1950) Mumbles Blues / Butcher Boy
• Mabel Scott - (King 4368 1950) Baseball Boogie
• Pee Wee Crayton - (Modern 732 1950) Rockin' the Blues
• Percy Mayfield - (Specialty 375 1950) Please Send Me Someone to Love
• Piney Brown - (Apollo 423 1950) How Bout Rockin' With Me
• Ruth Brown - (Atlantic 919 1950) Teardrops from My Eyes
• Smiling Smokey Lynn - (Peacock 1555 1950) Goin' Back
• Stick McGhee - (London 978 1950) Oh What A Face
• Willie Holiday - (Peacock 1531 1950) I Played this Town
• Wynonie Harris - (King 4330 1950) Sittin' On It All The Time
• Wynonie Harris - (King 4402 1950) Mr Blues Is Coming to Town

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