Best Albums of the 1940s

Listed below are the best albums of the 1940s as calculated from their overall rankings in over 57,000 greatest album charts.

Sort by

• Overall Rank
• Num. Charts
• Avg. Rating
• Num. Ratings
• Release Date
• Title
• Artist

21.

Blues 

 Lonnie Johnson

Buy album

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• #Sponsored

Year of Release:

1947

Appears in:

16 charts

Rank Score:

130

Rank in 1947:

3

Rank in 1940s:

21

Overall Rank:

9,280

Average Rating:

 72 (11 votes)

Comments:

1

22.

8 To The Bar (Two Piano Boogie Woogie For Dancing) 

 Pete Johnson & Albert Ammons

Buy album

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• #Sponsored

Year of Release:

1941

Appears in:

17 charts

Rank Score:

129

Rank in 1941:

5

Rank in 1940s:

22

Overall Rank:

9,305

Average Rating:

 70 (17 votes)

Comments:

1

23.

Songs By Lead Belly: Accompanied By Sonny Terry 

 Lead Belly

Buy album

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• #Sponsored

Year of Release:

1943

Appears in:

16 charts

Rank Score:

129

Rank in 1943:

1

Rank in 1940s:

23

Overall Rank:

9,362

Average Rating:

 69 (12 votes)

Comments:

1

24.

Calypso 

 Lord Invader And Lord Beginner With Felix And His Internationals

Buy album

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• #Sponsored

Year of Release:

1946

Appears in:

13 charts

Rank Score:

125

Rank in 1946:

3

Rank in 1940s:

24

Overall Rank:

9,566

Average Rating:

 66 (12 votes)

Comments:

0

25.

Charlie Parker No. 3 

 Charlie Parker

Buy album

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• #Sponsored

Year of Release:

1949

Appears in:

13 charts

Rank Score:

122

Rank in 1949:

4

Rank in 1940s:

25

Overall Rank:

9,771

Average Rating:

 74 (13 votes)

Comments:

2

26.

Empress Of The Blues 

 Bessie Smith

Buy album

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• #Sponsored

Year of Release:

1940

Appears in:

20 charts

Rank Score:

121

Rank in 1940:

3

Rank in 1940s:

26

Overall Rank:

9,883

Average Rating:

 71 (23 votes)

Comments:

2

27.

Stravinsky: Suite From Petrouchka / Scènes De Ballet 

 Igor Stravinsky / The Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra Of New York

Buy album

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• #Sponsored

Year of Release:

1948

Appears in:

11 charts

Rank Score:

119

Rank in 1948:

3

Rank in 1940s:

27

Overall Rank:

9,995

Average Rating:

 74 (10 votes)

Comments:

0

28.

Mahler: Symphony No. 5 

 Bruno Walter / New York Philharmonic

Buy album

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• #Sponsored

Year of Release:

1947

Appears in:

11 charts

Rank Score:

118

Rank in 1947:

4

Rank in 1940s:

28

Overall Rank:

10,080

Average Rating:

 73 (8 votes)

Comments:

1

29.

Souvenir Album 

 Ella Fitzgerald

Buy album

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• #Sponsored

Year of Release:

1947

Appears in:

34 charts

Rank Score:

117

Rank in 1947:

5

Rank in 1940s:

29

Overall Rank:

10,108

Average Rating:

 72 (42 votes)

Comments:

4

30.

Strange Fruit 

 Josh White

Buy album

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• #Sponsored

Year of Release:

1945

Appears in:

11 charts

Rank Score:

113

Rank in 1945:

2

Rank in 1940s:

30

Overall Rank:

10,425

Average Rating:

 67 (11 votes)

Comments:

0

• « prev
• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• ...
• 31
• 32
• next »
• Goto Page: 

Total albums: 316. Page 3 of 32

Best Albums of the 1940s composition

Top 250 Top 100

Year	Albums	%
1940	30	3%
1941	32	3%
1942	24	2%
1943	23	2%
1944	23	2%
1945	25	3%
1946	36	4%
1947	40	4%
1948	38	4%
1949	45	5%

Artist	Albums	%
Various Artists	11	3%
Josh White	7	2%
The Original Broadway Cast	6	2%
Sir Thomas Beecham / The London Philharmonic Orchestra	6	2%
Woody Guthrie	5	2%
Almanac Singers	5	2%
Frank Sinatra	5	2%
Show all

Country	Albums	%
	242	77%
	22	7%
	13	4%
	7	2%
	6	2%
	6	2%
	3	1%
Show all

Compilation?	Albums	%
No	297	94%
Yes	19	6%

Soundtrack?	Albums	%
No	310	98%
Yes	6	2%