1941 in music

List of years in music (table)
… 1931 1932 1933 1934 1935 1936 1937 1938 1939 1940 1941 1942 1943 1944 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949 1950 1951 …
In radio 1938 1939 1940 1941 1942 1943 1944 In television 1938 1939 1940 1941 1942 1943 1944 In film 1938 1939 1940 1941 1942 1943 1944
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This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1941.

Specific locations

• 1941 in British music
• 1941 in Norwegian music

Specific genres

• 1941 in country music
• 1941 in jazz

Events

• January 5 – Ernesto Bonino makes his début on Italian radio.
• January 15 – Olivier Messiaen's Quatuor pour la fin du temps is premiered by the composer and fellow prisoners-of-war in Stalag VIII-A in Silesia.
• January 20 – Béla Bartók's String Quartet No. 6 is premièred in New York City.
• May – Woody Guthrie writes and records "Roll On, Columbia, Roll On" and "Grand Coulee Dam" among other folk songs in Portland, Oregon on a commission from the Bonneville Power Administration; these are released as The Columbia River Collection.
• May 10 – London's Queen's Hall, venue for The Proms, is bombed by the Luftwaffe. The concert series relocates to the Royal Albert Hall.
• August 18 – In a brutal police operation in Nazi Germany, over 300 Swing Kids are arrested, marking the end of tolerance to swing music.
• date unknown
  • Alan Lomax (working for the Library of Congress) discovers Muddy Waters and Son House, among others
  • Les Paul almost electrocutes himself while attempting to build the first solid-body electric guitar.
  • Enrico Gentile leaves Quartetto Ritmo. Felice Chiusano replaces him and the group is renamed Quartetto Cetra.
  • Dutch Leschan sisters of Trio Lescano become Italian citizens.
  • The National Negro Opera Company is launched in Pittsburgh, USA.
  • Virgil Thomson's Four Saints in Three Acts is presented at Town Hall in New York City, NY.

Albums released

• Songs for John Doe – Almanac Singers
• Okeh Presents the Wayfaring Stranger – Burl Ives
• Small Fry – Bing Crosby
• Hawaii Calls – Bing Crosby, Frances Langford, Harry Owens
• Crosbyana – Bing Crosby
• Four Star Favorites – Artie Shaw

Top Popular Recordings

The following songs appeared in The Billboard's 'Best Selling Retail Records' chart during 1941. Each week fifteen points were awarded to the number one record, then nine points for number two, eight points for number three, and so on. The total points a record earned determined its year-end rank. Regional charts determined the 11-25 rankings each week, and records that failed to score on the main chart were ranked by highest position. Additional information was obtained from the "Discography of American Historical Recordings" website, Joel Whitburn's Pop Memories 1890-1954 and other sources as specified.

Rank	Artist	Title	Label	Recorded	Released	Chart Positions
1	Glenn Miller and His Orchestra	"Chattanooga Choo Choo"	Bluebird 11230	May 7, 1941 (1941-05-07)	July 25, 1941 (1941-07-25)	US BB 1941 #1, US #1 for 9 weeks, 28 total weeks, 253 points, Grammy Hall of Fame 1996, ASCAP song of 1941, Oscar Nomination 1941 (film 'Sun Valley Serenade')
2	Freddy Martin and His Orchestra	"Piano Concerto In B Flat"	Bluebird 11211	June 16, 1941 (1941-06-16)	July 3, 1941 (1941-07-03)	US BB 1941 #2, US #1 for 8 weeks, 26 total weeks, 230 points
3	Jimmy Dorsey and His Orchestra	"Amapola (Pretty Little Poppy)"	Decca 3629	February 3, 1941 (1941-02-03)	February 1941 (1941-02)	US BB 1941 #3, US #1 for 10 weeks, 18 total weeks, 171 points, 1,000,000 sales
4	Swing And Sway With Sammy Kaye	"Daddy"	Victor 27391	March 31, 1941 (1941-03-31)	April 25, 1941 (1941-04-25)	US BB 1941 #4, US #1 for 8 weeks, 19 total weeks, 170 points
5	Jimmy Dorsey and His Orchestra	"Green Eyes"	Decca 3698	March 19, 1941 (1941-03-19)	April 1941 (1941-04)	US BB 1941 #5, US #1 for 4 weeks, 28 total weeks, 153 points, 1,000,000 sales
6	Jimmy Dorsey and his Orchestra	"Maria Elena"	Decca 3698	March 19, 1941 (1941-03-19)	April 1941 (1941-04)	US BB 1941 #6, US #1 for 2 weeks, 19 total weeks, 142 points, 1,000,000 sales
7	Glenn Miller and his Orchestra	"Elmer's Tune"	Bluebird 11274	August 11, 1941 (1941-08-11)	August 29, 1941 (1941-08-29)	US BB 1941 #7, US #1 for 1 week, 21 total weeks, 126 points
8	Tommy Dorsey and His Orchestra (Vocal Frank Sinatra)	"This Love of Mine"	Victor 27508	May 28, 1941 (1941-05-28)	July 11, 1941 (1941-07-11)	US BB 1941 #8, US #3 for 4 weeks, 27 total weeks, 111 points
9	Jimmy Dorsey and his Orchestra	"Blue Champagne"	Decca 3775	April 29, 1941 (1941-04-29)	June 1941 (1941-06)	US BB 1941 #9, US #1 for 1 week, 20 total weeks, 84 points
10	Tommy Dorsey and His Orchestra (Vocal Frank Sinatra & Connie Haines & Pied Pipers)	"Oh Look At Me Now"	Victor 27274	January 16, 1941 (1941-01-16)	February 1941 (1941-02)	US BB 1941 #10, US #2 for 6 weeks, 14 total weeks, 81 points
11	Jimmy Dorsey and his Orchestra	"My Sister and I"	Decca 3710	March 19, 1941 (1941-03-19)	April 1941 (1941-04)	US 1941 #11, US #1 for 2 weeks, 13 total weeks, 79 points
12	Horace Heidt And His Musical Knights	"I Don't Want To Set The World On Fire"	Columbia 36295	July 24, 1941 (1941-07-24)	August 1941 (1941-08)	US BB 1941 #12, US #2 for 2 week, 17 total weeks, 77 points
13	Charlie Barnet and his Orchestra	"I Hear a Rhapsody"	Bluebird 10934	October 14, 1940 (1940-10-14)	November 1940 (1940-11)	US BB 1941 #13, US #2 for 6 weeks, 18 total weeks, 76 points
14	Tommy Dorsey and His Orchestra	"Yes, Indeed!"	Victor 27421	February 17, 1941 (1941-02-17)	May 23, 1941 (1941-05-23)	US BB 1941 #14, US #4 for 3 weeks, 24 total weeks, 73 points
15	Jimmy Dorsey and his Orchestra	"Yours"	Decca 3657	February 3, 1941 (1941-02-03)	March 1941 (1941-03)	US BB 1941 #15, US #2 for 2 weeks, 18 total weeks, 73 points
16	Xavier Cugat and His Waldorf-Astoria Orchestra	"Perfidia (Tonight)"	Victor 26334	December 19, 1940 (1940-12-19)	January 7, 1941 (1941-01-07)	US BB 1941 #16, US #3 for 4 weeks, 16 total weeks, 70 points
17	Jimmy Dorsey and his Orchestra	"I Hear A Rhapsody"	Decca 3570	October 14, 1940 (1940-10-14)	November 1940 (1940-11)	US BB 1941 #17, US #3 for 4 weeks, 10 total weeks, 55 points
18	Glenn Miller and his Orchestra	"Song Of The Volga Boatmen"	Bluebird 11029	April 24, 1941 (1941-04-24)	February 1941 (1941-02)	US BB 1941 #18, US #1 for 1 week, 10 total weeks, 53 points
19	Freddy Martin and his Orchestra	"The Hut-Sut Song (A Swedish Serenade)"	Bluebird 11147	April 24, 1941 (1941-04-24)	May 16, 1941 (1941-05-16)	US BB 1941 #19, US #2 for 1 week, 13 total weeks, 53 points
20	Bing Crosby	"Dolores"	Decca 3644	December 23, 1940 (1940-12-23)	February 1941 (1941-02)	US BB 1941 #20, US #2 for 1 week, 15 total weeks, 52 points

Additional recordings of historical interest, and songs that crossed over from Hillbilly (Country) and Race (R&B):

Rank	Artist	Title	Label	Recorded	Released	Chart Positions
23	Andrews Sisters	"(I'll Be with You) In Apple Blossom Time"	Decca 3622	November 14, 1940 (1940-11-14)	February 1941 (1941-02)	US BB 1941 #23, US #5 for 5 weeks, 18 total weeks, 48 points
25	Harry James and His Orchestra	"You Made Me Love You"	Columbia 36296	May 20, 1941 (1941-05-20)	August 1941 (1941-08)	US BB 1941 #25, US #5 for 2 weeks, 22 total weeks, 41 points, Grammy Hall of Fame 2010
46	Artie Shaw and His Orchestra	"Star Dust"	Victor 27230	October 7, 1940 (1940-10-07)	December 6, 1940 (1940-12-06)	US 1941 #46, US #6 for 1 week, 10 total weeks, 12 points, Grammy Hall of Fame 1988
56	Bing Crosby	"San Antonio Rose"	Decca 3590	December 16, 1940 (1940-12-16)	February 1941 (1941-02)	US BB 1941 #56, US #7 for 1 week, 12 total weeks, 9 points, 1,000,000 sales
87	Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys	"New San Antonio Rose"	OKeh 05694	April 16, 1940 (1940-04-16)	August 1940 (1940-08)	US BB 1941 #87, US #11 for 2 weeks, 18 total weeks, US Hillbilly 1940 #9, USHB #1 for 2 weeks, 29 total weeks, 1,000,000 sales, Grammy Hall of Fame 1998, Library of Congress artifact added 2003
86	Dinah Shore	"Yes, My Darling Daughter"	Bluebird 10920	October 4, 1940 (1940-10-04)	November 8, 1940 (1940-11-08)	US BB 1941 #86, US #11 for 4 weeks, 10 total weeks
88	Andrews Sisters	"Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy"	Decca 3598	January 2, 1941 (1941-01-02)	January 20, 1941 (1941-01-20)	US BB 1941 #88, US #11 for 1 week, 7 total weeks, Grammy Hall of Fame in 2000
91	Duke Ellington and His Famous Orchestra	"Take the "A" Train"	Victor 27380	February 15, 1941 (1941-02-15)	April 11, 1941 (1941-04-11)	US BB 1941 #91, US #12 for 1 week, 9 total weeks, Grammy Hall of Fame 1976
95	Larry Clinton and His Orchestra	"Because of You"	Bluebird 11094	December 12, 1940 (1940-12-12)	March 28, 1941 (1941-03-28)	US 1941 #95, US #12 for 1 week, 1 total weeks
99	Louise Massey and the Westerners	"My Adobe Hacienda"	Okeh 6077	January 27, 1941 (1941-01-27)	March 1941 (1941-03)	US BB 1941 #99, US #13 for 1 week, 1 total weeks, US Hillbilly 1941 #10, USHB #1 for 1 week, 21 total weeks
131	Gene Autry	"You Are My Sunshine"	Okeh 6274	June 18, 1941 (1941-06-18)	July 10, 1941 (1941-07-10)	US BB 1941 #131, US #16 for 1 week, 1 total weeks, US Hillbilly 1941 #1, USHB #1 for 20 weeks, 50 total weeks, 1,000,000 sales
142	Sons of the Pioneers	"Cool Water"	Decca 5939	March 27, 1941 (1941-03-27)	April 1941 (1941-04)	US BB 1941 #142, US #17 for 1 week, 1 total weeks, US Hillbilly 1941 #12, USHB #1 for 1 week, 18 total weeks
167	Bing Crosby	"You Are My Sunshine"	Decca 3952	July 8, 1941 (1941-07-08)	August 1941 (1941-08)	US BB 1941 #167, US #19 for 1 week, 1 total weeks
147	Gene Autry	"Be Honest with Me"	Okeh 5980	August 20, 1940 (1940-08-20)	January 17, 1941 (1941-01-17)	US BB 1941 #147, US #17 for 1 week, 1 total weeks, US Hillbilly 1941 #3, USHB #1 for 6 weeks, 58 total weeks
154	Ernest Tubb	"Walking the Floor Over You"	Decca 5958	April 26, 1941 (1941-04-26)	May 28, 1941 (1941-05-28)	US BB 1941 #154, US #18 for 1 week, 1 total weeks, US Hillbilly 1941 #2, USHB #1 for 10 weeks, 72 total weeks
251	Bing Crosby	"It Makes No Difference Now"	Decca 3590	December 16, 1940 (1940-12-16)	February 1941 (1941-02)	US BB 1941 #251, US #23 for 1 week, 1 total weeks

Published popular music

• "All That Meat And No Potatoes" w.m. Fats Waller & Ed Kirkeby
• "The Anniversary Waltz" w. Al Dubin m. Dave Franklin
• "Apollo Jump" m. Ernest Puree, Prince Robinson & Lucius "Lucky" Millinder
• "Arthur Murray Taught Me Dancing In A Hurry" w. Johnny Mercer m. Victor Schertzinger
• "Baby Mine" w. Ned Washington m. Frank Churchill nominated for Oscar, from the animated feature Dumbo,
• "Be Honest With Me" w.m. Fred Rose & Gene Autry
• "Blue Champagne" w.m. Jimmy Eaton, Grady Watts & Frank Ryerson
• "Blues In The Night" w. Johnny Mercer m. Harold Arlen
• "Boa Noite" w. Mack Gordon m. Harry Warren
• "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy" w.m. Don Raye & Hughie Prince
• "Botch-A-Me" w. (Eng) Eddie Stanley (Ital) R. Morbelli & L. Astore m. R. Morbelli & L. Astore
• "Casey Junior" w. Ned Washington m. Frank Churchill from the animated feature Dumbo
• "Chattanooga Choo Choo" w. Mack Gordon m. Harry Warren
• "Cherry" w.m. Charles N. Daniels
• "Chica Chica Boom Chic" w. Mack Gordon m. Harry Warren
• "Could You Please Oblige Us with a Bren Gun?" w.m. Noël Coward
• "Daddy" w.m. Bobby Troup
• "Deep in the Heart of Texas" w. June Hershey m. Don Swander
• "Down Forget-Me-Not Lane" w.m. Horatio Nicholls, Charlie Chester & Reg Morgan
• "Elmer's Tune" w.m. Elmer Albrecht, Sammy Gallop & Dick Jurgens
• "Everything Happens To Me" w. Tom Adair m. Matt Dennis
• "Five Guys Named Moe" w. Larry Wynn m. Jerry Bresler
• "God Bless The Child" w.m. Arthur Herzog Jr & Billie Holiday
• "Goodbye Mama, I'm Off To Yokohama" w.m. J. Fred Coots
• "He Wears a Pair of Silver Wings" w. Eric Maschwitz m. Michael Carr
• "Hey Little Hen" w.m. Ralph Butler & Noel Gay
• "How About You?" w. Ralph Freed m. Burton Lane
• "Humpty Dumpty Heart" w. Johnny Burke m. Jimmy Van Heusen
• "The Hut-Sut Song" w.m. Leo V. Killion, Ted McMichael & Jack Owens, The Cruising Crooner
• "I Could Write a Book" w. Lorenz Hart m. Richard Rodgers. Introduced by Gene Kelly and Leila Ernst in the musical Pal Joey. Performed in the 1953 film version by Frank Sinatra.
• "I Don't Want To Set The World On Fire" w.m. Eddie Seiler, Sol Marcus, Bennie Benjamin & Eddie Durham
• "I Dreamt I Dwelt in Harlem" w. Buddy Feyne m. Jerry Gray, Leonard Ware & Ben Smith
• "I Don't Want To Walk Without You" w. Frank Loesser m. Jule Styne
• "I Got It Bad (And That Ain't Good)" w. Paul Francis Webster m. Duke Ellington
• "I Guess I'll Have To Dream The Rest" w. Mickey Stoner & Martin Block m. Harold Green
• "I Know Why (And So Do You)" w. Mack Gordon m. Harry Warren
• "I Remember You" w. Johnny Mercer m. Victor Schertzinger
• "I Said No!" w. Frank Loesser m. Jule Styne
• "I See A Million People" w. Robert Sour m. Una Mae Carlisle
• "I, Yi, Yi, Yi, Yi" w. Mack Gordon m. Harry Warren
• "I'll Remember April" w. Don Raye & Patricia Johnston m. Gene De Paul
• "I'm Glad There Is You" w.m. Jimmy Dorsey & Paul Madeira Mertz
• "Introduction to a Waltz" m. Glenn Miller, Jerry Gray & Hal Dickinson
• "It Happened In Sun Valley" w. Mack Gordon m. Harry Warren
• "It's So Peaceful In The Country" w.m. Alec Wilder
• "I Understand" w. Kim Gannon m. Mabel Wayne
• "I've Got Sixpence" w.m. Elton Box & Desmond Cox
• "Jenny" (aka "The Saga of Jenny") w. Ira Gershwin m. Kurt Weill. Introduced by Gertrude Lawrence in the musical Lady in the Dark. Performed in the 1944 film version by Ginger Rogers
• "Jersey Bounce" m. Bobby Plater, Tiny Bradshaw, Edward Johnson & Robert B. Wright
• "Jim" w. Nelson Shawn m. Caesar Petrillo & Edward Ross
• "Kiss The Boys Goodbye" w. Frank Loesser m. Victor Schertzinger
• "Knock Me A Kiss" w.m. Mike Jackson
• "Let's All Meet At My House" w. Johnny Burke m. Jimmy Van Heusen
• "Let's Get Away from It All" w. Tom Adair m. Matt Dennis
• "Let's Not Talk About Love" w.m. Cole Porter
• "London Pride" w.m. Noël Coward
• "Ma! I Miss Your Apple Pie" w.m. Carmen Lombardo & John Jacob Loeb
• "Misirlou" w. (Eng) Milton Leeds, S. K. Russell & Fred Wise m. N. Roubanis
• "Moonlight Cocktail" w. Kim Gannon m. C. Luckeyth "Lucky" Roberts
• "My Adobe Hacienda" w.m. Louise Massey & Lee Penny
• "My Ship" w. Ira Gershwin m. Kurt Weill
• "My Sister and I" w.m. Hy Zaret, Joan Whitney & Alex Kramer
• "Oh! Look at Me Now" w. John DeVries m. Joe Bushkin
• "Please Take A Letter Miss Brown" Paul Cunningham, Ernie Burnett
• "Racing With The Moon" w. Vaughn Monroe & Pauline Pope m. Johnny Watson
• "Rancho Pillow" Charles Newman & Allie Wrubel
• "Remember Pearl Harbor" w.m. Don Reid & Sammy Kaye
• "Road To Zanzibar" w. Johnny Burke m. Jimmy Van Heusen from the film Road To Zanzibar
• "Rose O'Day" w.m. Charles Tobias & Al Lewis
• "Sand In My Shoes" w. Frank Loesser m. Victor Schertzinger
• "The Shrine Of Saint Cecilia" w. Carroll Loveday m. Nils Perne (Jokern)
• "A Sinner Kissed An Angel" w. Mack David m. Larry Shayne
• "Someone's Rocking My Dreamboat" w.m. Leon René, Otis René & Emerson Scott
• "So Near and Yet So Far" w.m. Cole Porter. Introduced by Fred Astaire in the film You'll Never Get Rich.
• "Starlight Serenade" w.m. Sonny Miller, Frederick Tysh & Hans May
• "The Story Of A Starry Night" w.m. Jerry Livingston, Al Hoffman & Mann Curtis
• "A String Of Pearls" w. Eddie De Lange m. Jerry Gray
• "Sun Valley Jump" m. Jerry Gray from the film Sun Valley Serenade
• "Take The "A" Train" w.m. Billy Strayhorn
• "Tangerine" w. Johnny Mercer m. Victor Schertzinger
• "Tenement Symphony" w. Sid Kuller & Ray Golden m. Hal Borne
• "That Lovely Weekend" w.m. Ted Heath & Moira Heath
• "There Goes That Song Again" Allie Wrubel
• "There, I've Said It Again" w.m. Redd Evans & Dave Mann
• "This Is New" w. Ira Gershwin m. Kurt Weill
• "This Time the Dream's on Me" w. Johnny Mercer m. Harold Arlen. Introduced by Priscilla Lane in the film Blues in the Night.
• "(Lights Out) 'Til Reveille" w. Stanley Cowan m. Stanley Cowan & Bobby Worth
• "Tonight We Love" w. Bobby Worth m. Freddy Martin & Ray Austin
• "Tschaikovsky ( And Other Russians)" w. Ira Gershwin m. Kurt Weill. Introduced by Danny Kaye in the musical Lady in the Dark
• "Two In Love" w.m. Meredith Willson
• "Violets For Your Furs" w. Tom Adair m. Matt Dennis
• "The Waiter And The Porter And The Upstairs Maid" w.m Johnny Mercer
• "Walking the Floor Over You" w.m. Ernest Tubb
• "We're The Couple In The Castle" w. Frank Loesser m. Hoagy Carmichael
• "When I Love I Love" w. Mack Gordon m. Harry Warren
• "When I See an Elephant Fly" w. Ned Washington m. Oliver Wallace
• "When My Blue Moon Turns To Gold Again" w.m. Wiley Walker & Gene Sullivan
• "When They Sound The Last All Clear" w.m. Hughie Charles, Louis Elton
• "(There'll Be Bluebirds Over) The White Cliffs of Dover" w. Nat Burton m. Walter Kent
• "Why Don't We Do This More Often?" w. Charles Newman m. Allie Wrubel
• "Winter Weather" w.m. Ted Shapiro
• "You And I" w.m. Meredith Willson
• "You Don't Know What Love Is" w. Don Raye m. Gene De Paul

Other publications

• Robert van Gulik – The Lore of the Chinese Lute: An Essay in Ch'in Ideology

Classical music

Premieres

Sortable table

Composer	Composition	Date	Location	Performers
Alwyn, William	Pastoral Fantasia for Viola and Orchestra	1941-11-03	Bedford	Forbes / BBC Symphony – Boult
Barber, Samuel	Violin Concerto	1941-02-07	Philadelphia	Spalding / Philadelphia Orchestra – Ormandy
Bartók, Béla	String Quartet No. 6	1941-02-07	New York City	Kolisch Quartet
Britten, Benjamin	Matinées Musicales	1941-06-27	Rio de Janeiro	American Ballet Company Orchestra – Balaban
Britten, Benjamin	Sinfonia da Requiem	1941-03-30	New York City	New York Philharmonic – Barbirolli
Britten, Benjamin	String Quartet No. 1	1941-09-21	Los Angeles	Coolidge Quartet
Copland, Aaron	Piano Sonata	1941-10-21	Buenos Aires	Copland
Dallapiccola, Luigi	Canti di prigionia	1941-12-11	Rome	[unknown ensemble] – Previtali
Dallapiccola, Luigi	Piccolo concerto per Muriel Couvreux	1941-05-01	Rome	[unknown ensemble] – Previtali
Ginastera, Alberto	Concierto argentino	1941-07-18	Montevideo	Balzo / SODRE Symphony – Baldi
Herrmann, Bernard	Symphony	1941-07-27	New York City	CBS Symphony – Herrmann
Hindemith, Paul	Cello Concerto	1941-02-07	Boston	Piatigorsky / Boston Symphony – Koussevitzky
Messiaen, Olivier	Quatuor pour la fin du temps	1941-01-15	Görlitz	Le Boulaire, Akoka, Pasquier, Messiaen
Novák, Vitezslav	De Profundis	1941-11-20	Brno	Reinberger / Prague Radio Symphony – Bakala
Rachmaninov, Sergei	Symphonic Dances	1941-01-03	Philadelphia	Philadelphia Orchestra – Ormandy
Schuman, William	Symphony No. 3	1941-10-17	Boston	Boston Symphony – Koussevitzky

Compositions

• Joseph Achron – Concerto for Piano Solo
• Richard Addinsell – Warsaw Concerto
• Hanns Eisler – Vierzehn Arten den Regen zu Beschreiben (Fourteen Ways of Describing the Rain)
• Roberto Gerhard – Sinfonía homenaje a Pedrell
• Reinhold Glière – Pochodnyj marš (Field march) for wind orchestra, op. 76
• Vagn Holmboe - "Symphony No. 3, Sinfonia rustica
  • Symphony No. 4, Sinfonia sacra
• Olivier Messiaen – Quatour pour la fin du temps
• Harry Partch – Barstow
• Sergei Prokofiev – String Quartet No. 2 in F, Op. 92
• Sergei Rachmaninoff – Lullaby (Paraphrase of Tchaikovsky's "Cradle Song" Op. 16 No. 1)
• Dmitri Shostakovich – Symphony No. 7 C major, Op. 60 "Leningrad"
• Lukas Foss – Concerto No. 1 for clarinet and orchestra

Opera

• Benjamin Britten – Paul Bunyan
• Miguel Bernal Jiménez – Tata Vasco
• William Grant Still – A Bayou Legend, with libretto by Verna Arvey

Film

• Bernard Herrmann – Citizen Kane
• Bernard Herrmann – The Devil and Daniel Webster (film)
• Erich Korngold – The Sea Wolf (1941 film)
• Ralph Vaughan Williams – 49th Parallel (film)

Jazz

Main article: 1941 in jazz

Musical theater

• Apple Sauce London revue opened at the Palladium on March 5
• Banjo Eyes Broadway production opened on December 25 at the Hollywood Theatre and ran for 126 performances.
• Best Foot Forward Broadway production opened on October 1 at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre and ran for 326 performances.
• Get a Load of This London production opened on November 19 at the Hippodrome Theatre and ran for 698 performances.
• High Kickers Broadway production opened on October 31 at the Broadhurst Theatre and ran for 171 performances.
• It Happens on Ice Broadway Revue opened on July 15 at the Center Theatre and ran for 386 performances.
• Lady Behave London production opened at His Majesty's Theatre on July 24 and ran for 401 performances
• Lady in the Dark Broadway production opened on January 23 at the Alvin Theatre and ran for 467 performances.
• Let's Face It! Broadway production opened on October 29 at the Imperial Theatre and ran for 547 performances.
• Sons O' Fun Broadway Revue opened on December 1 at the Winter Garden Theatre and ran for 742 performances.

Musical films

• Alle gaar rundt og forelsker sig, starring Lilian Ellis
• Apavadu
• Babes on Broadway
• Birth of the Blues
• Blues in the Night
• The Chocolate Soldier
• Dumbo
• Háry János, starring Antal Páger and Margit Dajka
• He Found a Star starring Vic Oliver, Sarah Churchill and Evelyn Dall
• Hold That Ghost starring Bud Abbott and Lou Costello and featuring The Andrews Sisters and Ted Lewis and his Band
• In the Navy starring Bud Abbott, Lou Costello, Dick Powell and The Andrews Sisters
• Kiss the Boys Goodbye starring Don Ameche and Mary Martin
• Lady Be Good
• Moon Over Miami
• Navy Blues starring Ann Sheridan, Jack Oakie, Martha Raye and Jack Haley
• Playmates
• Rise and Shine starring Jack Oakie, Linda Darnell, George Murphy and Milton Berle
• Road to Zanzibar
• San Antonio Rose starring Robert Paige, Jane Frazee, Eve Arden and The Merry Macs
• Sis Hopkins starring Judy Canova, Bob Crosby, Jerry Colonna and Susan Hayward
• Smilin' Through
• Sun Valley Serenade
• Sunny
• Sweetheart of the Campus
• That Certain Something
• That Night in Rio
• They Met in Argentina
• Time Out for Rhythm
• Too Many Blondes starring Rudy Vallee and Helen Parrish
• Week-End in Havana
• You'll Never Get Rich starring Fred Astaire, Rita Hayworth and Robert Benchley. Directed by Sidney Lanfield.
• You're the One starring Bonnie Baker, Orrin Tucker & his Orchestra, Edward Everett Horton and Jerry Colonna
• Ziegfeld Girl
• Zis Boom Bah starring Grace Hayes, Peter Lind Hayes, Mary Healy, Skeets Gallagher and Benny Rubin, and directed by William Nigh

Births

• January 3 – Van Dyke Parks, singer, arranger and composer
• January 9
  • Joan Baez, folk singer
  • Roy Head, singer-songwriter and guitarist (d. 2020)
• January 11 – Dave Edwards, American musician (died 2000)
• January 12 – Long John Baldry, R&B singer (Blues Incorporated) (died 2005)
• January 15 – Captain Beefheart, musician and artist (d. 2010)
• January 18 – David Ruffin (The Temptations) (d. 1991)
• January 20 – Ron Townson, The 5th Dimension (d. 2001)
• January 21
  • Plácido Domingo, operatic tenor
  • Richie Havens, folk singer (d. 2013)
• January 24
  • Michael Chapman, folk guitarist and singer-songwriter (d. 2021)
  • Neil Diamond, singer-songwriter
  • Aaron Neville, R&B and soul vocalist and musician (The Neville Brothers)
• January 27 – Bobby Hutcherson, African-American jazz musician (d. 2016)
• January 28 – Cash McCall, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (d. 2010)
• February 4 – John Steel, rock drummer The Animals
• February 5 – Barrett Strong, singer-songwriter
• February 6 – Dave Berry, singer (Dave Berry and the Crusaders)
• February 11
  • Earl Lewis (The Channels)
  • Sergio Mendes, Latin American musician
  • Tom Rush, folk & blues singer
• February 12 – Dominguinhos, Brazilian composer, accordionist and singer (d. 2013)
• February 15 – Brian Holland, songwriter
• February 17 – Gene Pitney, pop singer-songwriter (d. 2006)
• February 18
  • Herman Santiago, rock & roll singer-songwriter (Frankie Lymon & The Teenagers)
  • Irma Thomas, soul singer
• February 20 – Buffy Sainte-Marie, singer and composer
• February 24 – Joanie Sommers, singer and actress
• March 6 – Palle Mikkelborg, jazz trumpeter and composer
• March 8 – Ivana Loudová, composer (d. 2017)
• March 12 – Paul Kantner, psychedelic rock guitarist (Jefferson Airplane, KBC Band) (d. 2016)
• March 15 – Mike Love, rock singer (The Beach Boys)
• March 18 – Wilson Pickett, soul singer (d. 2006)
• March 22 – Jeremy Clyde, singer (Chad and Jeremy)
• March 24 – Michael Masser, songwriter, composer and producer of popular music (d. 2015)
• March 28 – Alf Clausen, orchestra conductor (The Simpsons)
• March 30 – Graeme Edge (The Moody Blues)
• April 3
  • Jan Berry, American singer (Jan & Dean) (d. 2004)
  • Jorma Hynninen, Finnish baritone
  • Philippé Wynne, American musician (d. 1984)
• April 5
  • David LaFlamme, born Gary Posie, classical and rock violinist (It's a Beautiful Day)
  • Dave Swarbrick, folk rock fiddle player (Fairport Convention) (d. 2016)
• April 8 – J.J. Jackson (d. 2004)
• April 9 – Kay Adams, country singer
• April 17 – Adolphus Hailstork, composer and educator
• April 19 – Roberto Carlos, singer
• April 21 – Jim Owen, country singer-songwriter (d. 2020)
• April 28
  • Peter Anders, The Tradewinds
  • Ann-Margret, actress and singer
• April 30 – Johnny Farina (Santo & Johnny)
• May 4 – Richard Burns (The Hondells)
• May 8 – John Fred, vocalist (John Fred & His Playboy Band) (d. 2005)
• May 9
  • Peter Birrell (Freddie & The Dreamers)
  • Danny Rapp, American singer (Danny and the Juniors) (d. 1983)
• May 11 – Eric Burdon, R&B singer (The Animals)
• May 13
  • Joe Brown, singer and guitarist
  • Ritchie Valens, singer (d. 1959)
• May 18 – Lobby Loyde, Australian guitarist, songwriter and producer (Billy Thorpe & the Aztecs, Purple Hearts, Wild Cherries and Rose Tattoo) (d. 2007)
• May 21 – Ronald Isley (The Isley Brothers)
• May 24
  • Konrad Boehmer, composer
  • Bob Dylan, folk singer-songwriter
• May 27 – Teppo Hauta-aho, Finnish double bassist and composer
• June 1 – Edo de Waart, conductor
• June 2
  • William Guest, R&B/soul singer (Gladys Knight & the Pips)
  • Charlie Watts, rock drummer (The Rolling Stones) (d. 2021)
• June 5 – Martha Argerich, pianist
• June 7 – Jaime Laredo, Bolivian-American violinist and conductor
• June 8 – Fuzzy Haskins, musician
• June 9 – Jon Lord, rock keyboard player and composer (Deep Purple) (d. 2012)
• June 10
  • Mickey Jones, rock drummer and character actor (d. 2018)
  • Shirley Owens, soul singer (The Shirelles)
  • Aida Vedishcheva, Soviet and Russian singer
• June 12
  • Chick Corea, jazz musician (d. 2021)
  • Roy Harper, folk rock singer-songwriter
  • Reg Presley, rock singer-songwriter (The Troggs) (d. 2013)
• June 13 – Esther Ofarim, singer
• June 15 – Harry Nilsson, singer-songwriter (d. 1994)
• June 16 – Lamont Dozier, songwriter
• June 23 – Robert Hunter, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (The Grateful Dead)
• June 24 – Erkin Koray, Turkish musician
• July 5 – Terry Cashman, record producer and singer-songwriter
• July 7 – Jim Rodford, bass guitarist (Argent) (d. 2018)
• July 16 – Desmond Dekker, reggae musician (d. 2006)
• July 17
  • Spencer Davis, instrumentalist (The Spencer Davis Group)
  • Gribouille, singer (d. 1968)
• July 18
  • Lonnie Mack, rock and blues guitarist (d. 2016)
  • Martha Reeves, vocalist
• July 19 – Vicki Carr, singer
• July 22
  • Estelle Bennett (The Ronettes) (d. 2009)
  • George Clinton, American musician
• July 25 – Manny Charlton (Nazareth)
• July 26 – Brenton Wood, singer-songwriter
• July 27 – Johannes Fritsch, composer and violist (d. 2010)
• July 28 – Riccardo Muti, conductor
• July 30 – Paul Anka, singer-songwriter
• August 2 – Doris Coley (The Shirelles) (d. 2000)
• August 3 – Beverly Lee (The Shirelles)
• August 4 – Timi Yuro, soul singer (d. 2004)
• August 14
  • David Crosby, rock singer-songwriter (The Byrds, Crosby, Stills & Nash)
  • Connie Smith, country singer-songwriter
• August 19 – Alain Boublil, librettist
• August 20 – Dave Brock (Hawkwind)
• August 21
  • Tom Coster (Santana)
  • Jackie DeShannon, singer-songwriter
• August 22 – Marvell Thomas, African-American Memphis blues keyboardist (d. 2017)
• August 24 – Kenny Rogers, country musician (d. 2020)
• August 26 – Chris Curtis (The Searchers) (d. 2005)
• August 27 – Cesária Évora, morna vocalist (d. 2011)
• August 28 – Joseph Shabalala, choral director (Ladysmith Black Mambazo) (d. 2020)
• August 30 – John McNally (The Searchers)
• September 9 – Otis Redding, soul singer (d. 1967)
• September 10 – Christopher Hogwood, conductor and harpsichordist (d. 2014)
• September 13 – David Clayton-Thomas, vocalist (Blood, Sweat & Tears)
• September 14 – Alberto Naranjo, arranger and composer (d. 2020)
• September 19 – Cass Elliot, singer (d. 1974)
• September 24 – Linda McCartney (Wings) (d. 1998)
• September 26 – Salvatore Accardo, Italian violinist and conductor
• October 2 – Ron Meagher (The Beau Brummels)
• October 3 – Chubby Checker, singer
• October 4 – Mighty Shadow, Trinidadian calypsonian (d. 2018)
• October 13 – Paul Simon, singer-songwriter
• October 17
  • Alan Howard (The Tremeloes)
  • James Seals (Seals and Crofts)
• October 21
  • Manfred Lubowitz (Manfred Mann)
  • Steve Cropper, Booker T. & the M.G.'s
• October 24 – Helen Reddy, singer (d. 2020)
• October 28
  • Curtis Lee, singer (d. 2015)
  • Hank Marvin, guitarist (The Shadows)
• October 30 – Otis Williams, vocalist (The Temptations)
• November 2
  • Brian Poole, singer (The Tremeloes)
  • Bruce Welch, guitarist and singer (The Shadows)
• November 5 – Art Garfunkel, singer
• November 6 – Doug Sahm (Sir Douglas Quintet) (d. 1999)
• November 8 – Simon Standage, baroque violinist
• November 9 – Tom Fogerty, rock rhythm guitarist (Creedence Clearwater Revival) (d. 1990)
• November 13 – Odia Coates, singer (d. 1991)
• November 16 – Dan Penn, American singer-songwriter and producer
• November 20 – Dr. John, American singer-songwriter and musician (d. 2019)
• November 21 – David Porter, American soul musician
• November 24
  • Pete Best, rock drummer (The Beatles, original lineup)
  • Donald "Duck" Dunn, rock bass guitarist (Booker T. & the M.G.'s, The Blues Brothers) (d. 2012)
• November 27 – Eddie Rabbitt, country singer-songwriter (Amos Garrett) (d. 1998)
• November 29 – Denny Doherty, folk singer (The Mamas & the Papas) (d. 2007)
• December 2 – Tom McGuinness, English pop guitarist (Manfred Mann)
• December 10
  • Kyu Sakamoto, Japanese singer and actor (d. 1985)
  • Peter Sarstedt, Indian-born British singer-songwriter (d. 2017)
  • Chad Stuart, English folk rock singer (Chad & Jeremy)
• December 12 – Tim Hauser, American singer (The Manhattan Transfer) (d. 2014)
• December 18 – Sam Andrew, American rock musician (Big Brother & The Holding Company) (d. 2015)
• December 19 – Maurice White, American R&B musician (Earth, Wind and Fire) (d. 2016)
• December 27
  • Les Maguire, English pop pianist (Gerry & the Pacemakers)
  • Mike Pinder, English rock keyboard player (The Moody Blues)
• December 29 – Ray Thomas, English rock flautist and singer-songwriter (The Moody Blues) (d. 2018)

Deaths

• January 10 – Frank Bridge, composer, 61
• January 23 – Dobri Hristov, composer, 65
• February 5 – Miina Härma, Estonian organist, composer, and conductor, 76
• February 13 – Blind Boy Fuller, blues musician
• February 15 – Guido Adler, musicologist
• February 19 – Sir Hamilton Harty, conductor and composer, 61
• February 21 – La Bolduc, Québécois singer, 46 (cancer)
• March 11 – Sir Henry Walford Davies, composer, 71
• March 12 – Ernst Décsey, music critic, 70
• March 17 – Wassily Sapellnikoff, pianist
• March 20 – Oskar Baum, music teacher and writer
• March 27 – Primo Riccitelli, Italian composer, 65
• April 6 – Henry Burr, popular singer
• April 17 – Al Bowlly, popular singer
• April 19 – Johanna Müller-Hermann, Austrian composer and teacher
• April 21 – Agustín Bardi, tango composer, pianist and violinist, 56 (heart attack)
• May 1
  • Julia Claussen, operatic mezzo-soprano
  • Howard Johnson, lyricist
• May 18 – Milka Ternina, Croatian dramatic soprano
• May 23 – Slavko Osterc, Slovenian composer
• June 17 – Johan Wagenaar, organist and composer, 78
• June 29 – Ignacy Jan Paderewski, pianist and composer, former Prime Minister of Poland, 80
• July 5 – Oskar Fried, conductor and composer
• July 8 – Philippe Gaubert, composer and conductor, 62
• July 10 – Jelly Roll Morton, jazz pianist, 55 (asthma)
• July 30 – Hugo Becker, cellist, 78
• August 16 – John Coates, operatic tenor
• August 30 – Hong Nan-pa, composer, violinist, conductor, music critic and educator, 44
• September 19 – Enrique Saborido, tango pianist and composer, 64
• October 8
  • Helen Morgan, US singer and actress, 41 (cirrhosis of the liver)
  • Gus Kahn, US lyric writer, 54
• October 26 – Victor Schertzinger, violinist and composer, 53 (heart attack)
• October 29 – Edmée Favart, operatic soprano, 62
• October 30 – Leon "Chu" Berry, jazz saxophonist, 33 (car accident)
• November 1 – Félix Mayol, singer, 68
• November 16 – Miina Härma, organist and composer, 77
• November 25 – Henri Christiné, composer,
• November 29 – Gennaro Papi, Italian opera conductor, 54
• December 3 – Christian Sinding, composer, 85
• December 21 – Peetie Wheatstraw, blues singer, 39 (car accident)
• December 22 – Jurgis Karnavičius, composer, 57
• December 24 – Siegfried Alkan, composer, 83
• date unknown – William H. Potstock, music teacher and composer