Music Blogs

(Play Playlist)

The Billboard Hot 100 chart began identifying the top songs in America back in 1958. The list takes airplay and sales into account and is a good measure of what the most popular songs are at a point in time. Songs that make to the very top of this list on any given week can claim the moniker "number one hit".

This playlist is a collection of the best of the best. The greatest hits to ever peak on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

Now before you start whining about why a particular song did not make the grade please ask yourself if the song ever made it to the #1 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. If not, it will not be on this playlist.

It's easy to find a list of Billboard's number one hits, but how does one narrow it down from there? Do you select the biggest sellers, the most critically acclaimed, personal favorites? Well, ultimately I decided on some parameters to help me tailor the list into a chronological time capsule that represents the best of what planet earth had to offer in terms of popular music.

The list includes just one song for each year since the Hot 100 chart began in 1958 and I made the decision to not repeat artists. Although some (The Beatles, The Rolling Stones) could easily have multiple songs on this list, I thought giving other talented acts a chance would create a better cross-section of popular music.

One thing I noticed as I moved from decade to decade was that it got much harder to choose a song I could really identify with. To my ears the 60's and 70's and even the 80's were filled to the brim with timeless tracks, while both the quality and quantity of  #1 hits took a nosedive in the 90's and 00's. I'm not sure if this is because I'm getting old and am out of touch with what the kids dig today, or if popular music is indeed dead.

What do you think?

Greatest Number One Hits

1958: All I Have To Do Is Dream - The Everly Brothers
1959: Stagger Lee - Lloyd Price
1960: Stay - Maurice Williams and the Zodiacs
1961: Surrender - Elvis Presley
1962: I Can't Stop Loving You - Ray Charles
1963: Fingertips Pt. 2 - Stevie Wonder
1964: House Of The Rising Sun - The Animals
1965: (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction - The Rolling Stones
1966: Good Vibrations - The Beach Boys
1967: Hello, Goodbye - The Beatles
1968: (Sittin' On) The Dock Of The Bay - Otis Redding
1969: Everyday People - Sly & the Family Stone
1970: The Tears Of A Clown - Smokey Robinson & The Miracles
1971: Just My Imagination (Running Away With Me) - The Temptations
1972: Let's Stay Together - Al Green
1973: Let's Get It On - Marvin Gaye
1974: The Joker - Steve Miller Band
1975: Island Girl - Elton John
1976: 50 Ways To Leave Your Lover - Paul Simon
1977: Hotel California - The Eagles
1978: Stayin' Alive - Bee Gees
1979: Heart Of Glass - Blondie
1980: Another Brick In The Wall, Pt. 2 - Pink Floyd
1981: Starting Over, (Just Like) - John Lennon
1982: Jack And Diane - John Cougar Mellencamp
1983: Beat It - Michael Jackson
1984: When Doves Cry - Prince
1985: Everybody Wants To Rule The World - Tears for Fears
1986: Sledgehammer - Peter Gabriel
1987: With Or Without You - U2
1988: Sweet Child O' Mine - Guns N' Roses
1989: Like A Prayer - Madonna
1990: Vision Of Love - Mariah Carey
1991: Set Adrift On Memory Bliss - P.M. Dawn
1992: Baby Got Back - Sir Mix-A-Lot
1993: I Will Always Love You - Whitney Houston
1994: Bump N' Grind - R. Kelly
1995: Waterfalls - TLC
1996: California Love - 2Pac
1997: Mo Money Mo Problems - Notorious B.I.G.
1998: Doo Wop (That Thing) - Lauryn Hill
1999: Smooth - Santana
2000: Amazed - Lonestar
2001: All For You - Janet Jackson
2002: Hot In Herre - Nelly
2003: Hey Ya! - Outkast
2004: Yeah! - Usher
2005: Gold Digger - Kanye West
2006: SexyBack - Justin Timberlake
2007: Irreplaceable - Beyonce
2008: Whatever You Like - T.I.