The Billboard magazine publishes a weekly chart that ranks the best-selling albums in the United States. The chart nowadays known as the Billboard 200 was titled Best-Selling Popular Record Albums in 1948 and was based on a "weekly survey among 4,970 dealers In all sections of the country. During the year, eleven albums by fifteen artists topped the chart.
Like in the previous years, Merry Christmas by Bing Crosby was the first album to top the chart in the year. It started its run in the issue dated November 15, 1947 and stayed atop for the first week in January. In the issue dated November 15, 1948, the album again ascended to number one for an additional six weeks, for a total of seven weeks at number one in 1948 and a total of 27 weeks since December 1945.
Chart history +KeyIndicates best selling album of 1948 Issue date Album Artist(s) Merry Christmas Al Jolson Album (Decca 575) Glenn Miller Masterpieces, Volume II Glenn Miller & His Orchestra Dorothy Shay (the Park Avenue Hillbillie) Goes to Town Glenn Miller Masterpieces, Volume II Glenn Miller & His Orchestra A Sentimental Date with Perry St. Patrick's Day Bing Crosby Down Memory Lane Busy Fingers The Three Suns Songs of Our Times (1932) A Presentation of Progressive Jazz Al Jolson Volume III Album Al Jolson Theme Songs Tommy Dorsey, Sammy Kaye, Larry Green, Vaughn Monroe,Freddy Martin, Wayne King & The Three Suns Al Jolson Volume III Album Al Jolson Theme Songs Tommy Dorsey, Sammy Kaye, Larry Green, Vaughn Monroe,Freddy Martin, Wayne King & The Three Suns Merry Christmas Bing Crosby
See also 1948 in music List of number-one albums (United States)
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