In 1953 Billboard asked a number of d.j.'s which were their favorite songs of all times. Notice: they asked for 'songs', not 'records'. It was a time when music publishers (composers/songwriters) were still more important than record companies (artists).
This resulted in a top-30 of 'the best songs of all times'. It was before Elvis, the Beatles or Abba.
| Title (author/composer) - year of release - best selling version in year of release |
| 1. | Stardust (Hoagy Carmichael/Mitchell Parish) - 1930 - Isham Jones & His Orchestra |
| 2. | Tenderly (Walter Gross/Jack Lawrence) - 1947 - Sarah Vaughn |
| 3. | Body and soul (Johnny Green/Ed Heyman/Robert Sauer/Frank Eyton) - 1930 - Paul Whiteman & His Orchestra |
| 4. | Deep purple (Peter DeRose/Mitchell Parish) - 1939 - Larry Clinton & His Orchestra |
| 5. | Begin the beguine (Cole Porter) - 1935 - Xavier Cugat & His Waldorf-Astoria Orchestra |
| 6. | Laura (David Raskin/Johnny Mercer) - 1945 - Woody Herman & His Orchestra |
| 7. | April in Paris (Vernon Duke) - 1932 - Freddy Martin & His Orchestra |
| 8. | September Song (Kurt Weill/Maxwell Anderson) - 1938 - Walter Huston |
| 9. | Night and day (Cole Porter) - 1932 - Leo Reisman & His Orchestra with Fred Astaire |
| 10. | Blue moon (Richard Rodgers/Lorenz Hart) - 1935 - Glen Gray & The Casa Loma Orchestra |
| 11. | How high the moon (Morgan Lewis/Nancy Hamilton) - 1940 - Benny Goodman & His Orchestra |
| 12. | Lover (Richard Rodgers/Lorenz Hart) - 1932 - Paul Whiteman & His Orchestra |
| 13. | I can't get started (Vernon Duke/Ira Gershwin) - 1936 - Hal Kemp & His Orchestra |
| 14. | In the mood (Joe Garland/Andy Razaf) - 1939 - Glenn Miller & His Orchestra |
| 15. | That old black magic (Harold Arlen/Johnny Mercer) - 1942 - Glenn Miller & His Orchestra |
| 16. | Tea for two (Vincent Youmans/Irving Caesar) - 1925 - Marion Harris |
| 17. | I'm in the mood for love (Jimmy McHugh/Dorothy Fields) - 1935 - Little Jack Little & His Orchestra |
| 18. | Lady of Spain (Robert Hargreaves/Tolchard Evans/Stanley Admerek/Henry Tilsey) - 1931 - Ray Noble & His Orchestra |
| 19. | Smoke gets in your eyes (Jerome Kern/Otto Harbach) - 1933 - Paul Whiteman & His Orchestra |
| 20. | Embraceable you (George Gershwin/Ira Gershwin) - 1930 - Red Nichols & His Five Pennies |
| 21. | Always (Irving Berlin) - 1925 - George Olsen & His Orchestra |
| 22. | Just one of those things (Cole Porter) - 1935 - Richard Himber & His Orchestra |
| 23. | Sophisticated lady (Duke Ellington/Mitchell Parish/Irving Mills) - 1933 - Duke Ellington & His Famous Orchestra |
| 24. | White Christmas (Irving Berlin) - 1942 - Bing Crosby |
| 25. | I should care (Alex Stordahl/Paul Weston/Sammy Cahn) - 1945 - Frank Sinatra |
| 26. | On the sunny side of the street (Jimmy McHugh/Dorothy Fields) - 1930 - Ted Lewis & His Band |
| 27. | Penthouse Serenade (Will Jason/Val Burton) - 1931 - Arden-Ohman Orchestra |
| 28. | Yours (Quierme mucho) (Gonzalo Roig/Jack Sherr/Albert Gamse) - 1937 - Jimmy Dorsey & His Orchestra |
| 29. | St. Louis Blues (W.C. Handy) - 1914 - Prince's Orchestra |
| 30. | Jealousy (Jacob Gade/Vera Bloom) - 1931 - Leo Reisman & His Orchestra |