Busse hit his peak in 1930-45, playing dance music before the war, and swing during the war. His music was often berated by "Down Beat" magazine, which called his a "sweet" or "Mickey Mouse" band. Busse and his band appeared in an MGM color movie in 1935 called "Starlit Days at the Lido", filmed at the Ambassador Hotel, along with Clark Gable and MGM's stable of stars and in the movie "Lady Let's Dance", in which Busse had a speaking part.