Glenn Miller and his Orchestra was established in 1938 by trombonist, arranger, and composer Glenn Miller. From 1939 to 1942, the orchestra emerged as the best-selling dance band in the United States.

Miller's musical journey began in 1926 as a sideman with the Ben Pollack Orchestra, where he often found himself in the shadow of prominent trombonist Jack Teagarden, who dominated the trombone solos. Focusing on arranging and composing, Miller published a songbook by 1928. He frequently collaborated with other prominent musicians, including Jimmy and Tommy Dorsey and Benny Goodman. In 1928, he recorded with "Benny Goodman's Boys" for Brunswick and worked as a freelance trombonist in various bands, including those led by Red Nichols, Joe Venuti, and Nat Shilkret. Throughout the early to mid-1930s, Miller served as an arranger and composer for the Dorsey Brothers Orchestra and recorded extensively with Bing Crosby and The Boswell Sisters for Brunswick and Decca. In 1935, he assembled the American orchestra for Ray Noble.

Eager to pursue his own vision, Miller formed his first orchestra in 1937, making initial recordings under the name Glenn Miller Orchestra for Brunswick, Vocalion, and Decca. However, by 1938, the band was struggling and ultimately disbanded. Miller redefined his style and arrangements, leading to the creation of a second, immensely successful Glenn Miller Orchestra.

In September 1938, the newly formed band recorded its first sessions for Victor subsidiary Bluebird. Following performances at the Meadowbrook Ballroom and Glen Island Casino in the spring of 1939, the orchestra's popularity surged. By the end of 1939, Miller's band dominated jukeboxes and maintained its status as the most popular orchestra until Miller's enlistment in the military during World War II in 1942. From December 1939 to September 1942, Miller hosted a radio program that aired three times a week. The band's records sold millions, and in 1941, Miller received the first Gold Record for "Chattanooga Choo Choo." Additionally, the orchestra appeared in several films.

According to Joel Whitburn's records, the group achieved 16 number-one hits in the United States and 6 in Australia within a span of less than four years, marking one of the most significant chart runs in history. "In the Mood" became an enduring anthem of the swing era and remains one of Miller's most iconic recordings. The orchestra sold over 60 million records, making it the top-selling dance band of its time.

Following the attack on Pearl Harbor, a patriotic Miller joined the Army Air Forces, where he developed a modern military band to boost morale. The orchestra disbanded in a poignant farewell at the Central Theater in Passaic, NJ, on September 27, 1942. Miller mysteriously disappeared over the English Channel on December 15, 1944, and is remembered as a war hero. His music has continued to resonate with the American public. Despite never releasing a studio album, Miller and his Orchestra achieved three posthumous Billboard number-one compilation albums and received album certifications across multiple countries long after his death at the age of 40.

Use The Glenn Miller Orchestra for recordings without Glenn Miller (who died in 1944). See also: The New Glenn Miller Orchestra.