Best Albums of the 1940s

Listed below are the best albums of the 1940s as calculated from their overall rankings in over 56,000 greatest album charts.

Best albums by year or decade
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Year:
summaryThe best artists of the 1940s were Woody Guthrie, Nat King Cole, Lead Belly, Duke Ellington, Josh White, Charlie Parker, Louis Jordan, Billie Holiday, The King Cole Trio and Frank Sinatra.
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Collector's summary (top 315)Log in or register to discover the great albums that are missing from your music collection!
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Buy album United States
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Year of Release:
1945
Appears in:
Rank Score:
55
Rank in 1945:
Rank in 1940s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album United States
  • Amazon
  • eBay
  • iTunes
  • Spotify
  • #Sponsored
Year of Release:
1948
Appears in:
Rank Score:
55
Rank in 1948:
Rank in 1940s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album United States
  • Amazon
  • eBay
  • iTunes
  • Spotify
  • #Sponsored
Year of Release:
1945
Appears in:
Rank Score:
54
Rank in 1945:
Rank in 1940s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album United States
  • Amazon
  • eBay
  • iTunes
  • Spotify
  • #Sponsored
Year of Release:
1942
Appears in:
Rank Score:
54
Rank in 1942:
Rank in 1940s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album United States
  • Amazon
  • eBay
  • iTunes
  • Spotify
  • #Sponsored
Year of Release:
1942
Appears in:
Rank Score:
54
Rank in 1942:
Rank in 1940s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album United States
  • Amazon
  • eBay
  • iTunes
  • Spotify
  • #Sponsored
Year of Release:
1940
Appears in:
Rank Score:
54
Rank in 1940:
Rank in 1940s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album United States
  • Amazon
  • eBay
  • iTunes
  • Spotify
  • #Sponsored
Year of Release:
1949
Appears in:
Rank Score:
54
Rank in 1949:
Rank in 1940s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album United States
  • Amazon
  • eBay
  • iTunes
  • Spotify
  • #Sponsored
Year of Release:
1943
Appears in:
Rank Score:
53
Rank in 1943:
Rank in 1940s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album United States
  • Amazon
  • eBay
  • iTunes
  • Spotify
  • #Sponsored
Year of Release:
1947
Appears in:
Rank Score:
52
Rank in 1947:
Rank in 1940s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album United States
  • Amazon
  • eBay
  • iTunes
  • Spotify
  • #Sponsored
Year of Release:
1942
Appears in:
Rank Score:
52
Rank in 1942:
Rank in 1940s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Total albums: 315. Page 9 of 32

Best Albums of the 1940s composition

Year Albums %


1940 29 3%
1941 30 3%
1942 24 2%
1943 23 2%
1944 24 2%
1945 25 3%
1946 37 4%
1947 41 4%
1948 38 4%
1949 44 4%
Country Albums %


United States 244 77%
Mixed Nationality 22 7%
United Kingdom 13 4%
France 7 2%
Spain 6 2%
Cuba 5 2%
Trinidad and Tobago 2 1%
Show all
Compilation? Albums %
No 298 95%
Yes 17 5%
Soundtrack? Albums %
No 309 98%
Yes 6 2%
Popular  Charts
1. 100 Best Albums - 2024 Edition by Apple Music (2024)
2. The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time by Rolling Stone (2020)
3. The Top 100 Albums by VH1 (2001)
4. The 500 Greatest Albums Of All Time by New Music Express (2013)
5. 200 Greatest Albums of All Time by Uncut (2016)
6. Top 100 Albums by ABC (2006)
7. The Definitive 200 by National Association of Recording Merchandisers (2007)
8. Virgin All-Time Top 1000 Albums by Virgin (2000)
9. The 100 Greatest Albums of All Time by Consequence of Sound (2022)
10. Die 20 besten Alben der Geschichte by Musikexpress.de (2011)
11. 100 Greatest Albums Ever by Q (2006)
12. The 300 Greatest Albums of All Time (1-100) by Paste (2024)
13. Die 100 besten Alben der Musikgeschichte by radioeins (2019)
14. Greatest 100 Albums of All Time by The Guinness Book of British Hit Singles & Albums with NME (2006)
15. Mojo Readers: The 100 Greatest Albums Ever Made by Mojo (1996)
16. Los 48 mejores discos de la historia by Esquire España (2022)
17. Die 100 Alben des Jahrhunderts by Spex (2000)
18. Top 100 Greatest Music Albums by Melody Maker (2000)
19. The 100 Greatest Albums Of All Time by Absolute Radio (2012)
20. Die 100 besten Platten des Jahrhunderts by Wiener (1999)
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