During the German occupation of Denmark, jazz musicians like violinist Svend Asmussen and the pianist Kjeld Bonfils inaguarate a golden age of Danish jazz as an underground phenomenon
ASCAP strike against broadcasters leads to period in which only public-domain music was broadcast. More significantly, it leads to the creation and rise of BMI. BMI's search for non-ASCAP music in turn created channels for the emergence in the U. S. of Latin and black music, setting the stage for the decline of Tin Pan Alley and the rise of R&B and rock-and-roll.
Vassilis Tsitsanis writes "Synefiazmeni Kyriaki", which becomes an anthem for Greeks, who are under occupation; the song becomes a major event in the softening of rembétika music
Chinese Nationalists, led by Chiang Kai-Shek, come to Taiwan and begin promoting mainland language and culture, including musical forms, over traditional ones
