Number 1 Songs in 1931 — UK and US Charts
"Goodnight Sweetheart"
Ray Noble and His Orchestra
Ray Noble's lush orchestral recording became one of the signature songs of 1931 in Britain, its romantic sentimentality offering comfort during the worst year of the Depression.
"Minnie the Moocher"
Cab Calloway
Cab Calloway's iconic scat-singing hit became a jazz standard and one of the first recordings by an African American artist to sell a million copies. Its 'hi-de-hi-de-ho' call-and-response became a cultural phenomenon.
Biggest Films of 1931 — Box Office Hits
Frankenstein
Box Office: $12 million
James Whale's adaptation starring Boris Karloff as the Monster became Universal's biggest hit and launched the golden age of horror cinema. Karloff's sympathetic performance and Jack Pierce's iconic makeup design remain indelible cultural images.
Fashion and Style of 1931
Fashion, clothing and visual culture from the era
Architecture and Buildings of 1931
Buildings completed and structures opened in 1931