Top Hits of the '40s: 50 Original Hits (2-CD)

by Various Artists

After World War II, the big band sounds of the earlier part of the decade had been gradually replaced by crooners and vocal groups. Technology played a large part. While singers such as Al Jolson had recorded songs by yelling into a Victrola horn, the new electronic equipment allowed for a softer, more intimate style of singing. Bing Crosby was the leading figure of the crooner sound as well as its most iconic, defining artist, whilst Sinatra's vast appeal to the "bobby soxers" revealed a whole new audience for popular music, making him the first teen idol. Swing bands could also be found in most major cities during the 1930s-1940s, the most popular and famous were the bands of Glenn Miller, Benny Goodman, and Artie Shaw, which had national followings and sold huge numbers. This comprehensive 2CD set brings together the very best of the artists and music styles that dominated the 1940s.