Music recorded in June 1920
June 1920 was the month when the post-World War I international order began to solidify in terms of concrete boundaries and political agendas. On June 4, the Treaty of Trianon was signed between Hungary and the Allied Powers, significantly altering the territory and international status of the former Kingdom of Hungary. In the United States, Warren G. Harding (1865–1923) and Calvin Coolidge (1872–1933) were selected as presidential and vice-presidential candidates at the Republican National Convention from June 8–12, and the Democratic National Convention began in San Francisco on June 28. In Europe, North Schleswig was reinstated to the Kingdom of Denmark on June 15th, and on the same day, Dame Nellie Melba's (1861–1931) radio singing broadcast was received over a wide area, becoming a symbolic event in the history of broadcasting culture. Furthermore, on June 30th, the First International Dada Fair began in Berlin, making visible the radicalization of postwar art.
Confirmed recordings this month: 0
Summary of information regarding the June 1920 recording.
In the recording industry in June 1920, the June 15th issue of "The Talking Machine World," published mid-month, featured new releases and industry trends from various companies, indicating a shift towards the summer market. Simultaneously, recording date data from the Library of Congress and discographies by Allan Sutton confirm that Victor Talking Machine Co., Columbia Graphophone Co., and The Aeolian Company's Vocalion continued to release new recordings or albums during this month. In terms of content, popular songs, stage songs, dance music, and vocal recordings were all being released in parallel, suggesting that June 1920 was a period of expansion for popular music and home entertainment.
Victor
The Library of Congress's "Jukebox Day by Day" confirms that on June 9, 1920, Victor Talking Machine Co. recorded "Drifting" (Victor 18679) and "Swanee" (Victor 18688) by the Peerless Quartet. "Swanee" is a popular song composed by George Gershwin (1898–1937), indicating that the company was actively involved in the new popular song market as early as June 1920. Furthermore, the Library of Congress's recording history notes indicate that John Philip Sousa's (1854–1932) new song "Who's Who in Navy Blue" was also recorded by Victor Talking Machine Co. in June 1920, confirming that the company was producing both popular songs and patriotic repertoire simultaneously.
- https://www.loc.gov/collections/national-jukebox/about-this-collection/jukebox-day-by-day/?date=june+09
- https://blogs.loc.gov/now-see-hear/2020/05/sousa-and-the-talking-machine/
Columbia
The Library of Congress's "Jukebox Day by Day" confirms that Columbia Graphophone Co. recorded Bert Williams' (1874–1922) "Save a little dram for me" (Columbia A2979) on June 28, 1920. This recording indicates that the company was still recording stage performers at the end of June. Also found in the market that month was Rosa Ponselle's (1897–1981) vocal album, Columbia 78920 "Values," showing that Columbia Graphophone Co. was simultaneously developing both popular entertainment and serious vocal music.
- https://www.loc.gov/collections/national-jukebox/about-this-collection/jukebox-day-by-day/?date=june+28
- https://www.45cat.com/78rpm/record/78920
- https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-Talking-Machine/20s/Talking-Machine-1920-06.pdf
Vocalion
According to Allan Sutton's "The Vocalion Discography," the Aeolian Company's Vocalion series includes Vocalion 14059 "I'd Love to Fall Asleep and Wake in My Mammy's Arm / My Sahara Rose," 14060 "Rose of Washington Square / Sunny Tennessee," 14061 "Barkin' Dog Blues / Laughing Hyena," and 14062 "Just Like a Ray of Sunshine / Sudan," all listed as being released in June 1920. The performers listed include the Peerless Quartet, Yerkes' Dance Orchestra, and Novelty Five, confirming that the company released a collection of dance music, popular songs, and comical instrumental pieces in June 1920.
- https://mainspringpress.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/VOCALION-14000_ed2-v3.pdf
- https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-Talking-Machine/20s/Talking-Machine-1920-06.pdf
