Number 1 Songs in 1928 — UK and US Charts
"Ol' Man River"
Paul Robeson
Paul Robeson's majestic bass-baritone performance of this song from Show Boat became one of the most iconic recordings of the decade. The song, about the suffering of Black workers on the Mississippi, transcended its musical context.
"Makin' Whoopee"
Eddie Cantor
Eddie Cantor's cheeky novelty song about the perils of marriage was a massive hit from the Ziegfeld musical 'Whoopee!' It became his signature tune and a lasting standard of the era.
Biggest Films of 1928 — Box Office Hits
The Singing Fool
Box Office: $5.9 million
Al Jolson's follow-up to The Jazz Singer was an even bigger hit, becoming the highest-grossing film until Gone with the Wind a decade later. His performance of 'Sonny Boy' had audiences weeping.
Fashion and Style of 1928
Fashion, clothing and visual culture from the era
Architecture and Buildings of 1928
Buildings completed and structures opened in 1928