Music · 1931
Hot Jazz and Crooners Amid the Great Depression
Despite the deepening Great Depression, 1931 birthed iconic crooners, explosive big band jazz, and technological breakthroughs that changed recording history forever. From Cab Calloway's scat rhythms to the founding of Abbey Road, music offered brilliant escapism during challenging times.
- March 1931 | Single | Cab Calloway
Minnie the Moocher
Cab Calloway and his orchestra recorded this immortal call-and-response scat classic, which became the first jazz single to sell over a million copies.
- Nov 12, 1931 | Venue | EMI / Elgar
Abbey Road Studios Opening
EMI officially opened its world-famous studio complex in London, with Sir Edward Elgar conducting the London Symphony Orchestra in a historic inaugural session.
- July 1931 | Single | Rudy Vallée
As Time Goes By Recording
Crooner Rudy Vallée recorded Herman Hupfeld's romantic ballad, launching the classic track into mainstream popular culture a decade before its appearance in Casablanca.
- Sept 19, 1931 | Radio | Bing Crosby
Bing Crosby's Solo Debut Broadcast
Bing Crosby launched his solo CBS radio broadcast, pioneering the intimate close-mic crooning style that captivated millions of listeners across North America.
- Jan 1931 | Composition | Duke Ellington
Creole Rhapsody
Duke Ellington shattered traditional three-minute pop limits by recording an ambitious, multi-sectioned jazz composition across both sides of a 78-rpm record.
- 1931 | Technology | Rickenbacker
The Frying Pan Electric Guitar
George Beauchamp and Adolph Rickenbacker built the first functional solid-body electric guitar prototype, laying the foundation for modern amplified music.
- Oct 10, 1931 | Classical | William Walton
Belshazzar's Feast Premiere
Composer William Walton premiered his dramatic cantata at the Leeds Festival, electrifying the classical world with its powerful orchestration and modern rhythmic intensity.
- Oct 23, 1931 | Classical | Igor Stravinsky
Stravinsky's Violin Concerto Premiere
Igor Stravinsky conducted the Berlin Radio Symphony Orchestra in the world premiere of his Neoclassical Violin Concerto, featuring soloist Samuel Dushkin.
Enjoyed your trip back in time?