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Experts answer your questions. For
April 17, 2009
Ask Billboard is updated every Friday. Submit your burning music questions to Gary Trust at askbb@billboard.com. Please include your first and last name, as well as your city, state and country, if outside the U.S.
PRESENT OF THE PAST
Hi Gary,
I have a special request. My brother will be turning 80 years young in June, and we are planning a special party for him. I was hoping you could provide a list of the top song of each year from 1929 to the present. I have searched the web, but without success. Any help you could offer would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you,
Terri Campanella Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
Hi Terri,
Happy birthday, in advance, to your brother! Because the Billboard Hot 100 launched in 1958, it's difficult to recap 1929 through 1957 with the same definitiveness. However, if we fill in each of those years by highlighting the song(s) with the most weeks at No. 1 as chronicled in Joel Whitburn's "Pop Memories 1890-1954," and "Top Pop Singles," which begins in 1955, we should be able to create a list that suits your needs (and provides a fascinating musical history lesson).
Following, then, is a look at the top songs of each year from 1929 through 2009! A more in-depth recap of the top titles of each year from 1958 to the present, along with a wealth of other charts and related stories, can also be found in our online Hot 100 50th anniversary section.
1929, Tip Toe Through the Tulips, Nick Lucas 1930, Stein Song (University of Maine), Rudy Vallee 1931, (tie) The Peanut Vendor, Don Azplazu; Goodnight, Sweetheart, Wayne King 1932, (tie) In a Shanty in Old Shanty Town, Ted Lewis; Night and Day, Fred Astaire with Leo Reisman 1933, The Last Round-Up, George Olsen 1934, June in January, Bing Crosby 1935, Cheek to Cheek, Fred Astaire 1936, Pennies From Heaven, Bing Crosby 1937, Sweet Leilani, Bing Crosby 1938, A-Tisket, A-Tasket, Ella Fitzgerald with Chuck Webb 1939, Deep Purple, Larry Clinton
1940, Frenesi, Artie Shaw 1941, Amapola, Jimmy Dorsey 1942, White Christmas, Bing Crosby 1943, I've Heard That Song Before, Harry James 1944, (tie) Shoo-Shoo Baby, Andrews Sisters; Swinging on a Star, Bing Crosby 1945, (tie) Rum and Coca-Cola, Andrews Sisters; Till the End of Time, Perry Como 1946, The Gypsy, Ink Spots 1947, Near You, Francis Craig 1948, Buttons and Bows, Dinah Shore 1949, Riders in the Sky (A Cowboy Legend), Vaughn Monroe
1950, (tie) Goodnight, Irene, Weavers with Gordon Jenkins; The Tennessee Waltz, Patti Page 1951, Cry, Johnnie Ray 1952, You Belong to Me, Jo Stafford 1953, Vaya Con Dios (May God Be with You), Les Paul & Marty Ford 1954, (tie) Little Things Mean a Lot, Kitty Kallen; Sh-Boom, Crew-Cuts 1955, (tie) Sincerely, The McGuire Sisters; Cherry Pink and Apple Blossom White, Perez "Prez" Prado 1956, Don't Be Cruel, Elvis Presley 1957, All Shook Up, Elvis Presley 1958, Volare (Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blu), Domenica Modugno 1959, The Battle of New Orleans, Johnny Horton
1960, The Theme From "A Summer Place," Percy Faith 1961, Tossin’ and Turnin,' Bobby Lewis 1962, Stranger on the Shore, Mr. Acker Bilk 1963, Sugar Shack, Jimmy Gilmer & the Fireballs 1964, I Want to Hold Your Hand, The Beatles 1965, Wooly Bully, Sam the Sham & the Pharaohs 1966, The Ballad of the Green Berets, SSgt Barry Sadler 1967, To Sir With Love, Lulu 1968, Hey Jude, The Beatles 1969, Sugar, Sugar, Archies
1970, Bridge Over Troubled Water, Simon & Garfunkel 1971, Joy to the World, Three Dog Night 1972, The First Time I Ever Saw Your Face, Roberta Flack 1973, Tie a Yellow Ribbon 'Round the Old Oak Tree, Dawn Featuring Tony Orlando 1974, The Way We Were, Barbra Streisand 1975, Love Will Keep Us Together, The Captain & Tennille 1976, Silly Love Songs, Wings 1977, Tonight's the Night (Gonna Be Alright), Rod Stewart 1978, Shadow Dancing, Andy Gibb 1979, My Sharona, Knack
1980, Call Me, Blondie 1981, Bette Davis Eyes, Kim Carnes 1982, Physical, Olivia Newton John 1983, Every Breath You Take, The Police 1984, When Doves Cry, Prince & the Revolution 1985, Careless Whisper, Wham! Featuring George Michael 1986, That’s What Friends Are For, Dionne & Friends 1987, Walk Like an Egyptian, Bangles 1988, Faith, George Michael 1989, Look Away, Chicago
1990, Hold On, Wilson Phillips 1991, Everything I Do (I Do It for You), Bryan Adams 1992, End of the Road, Boyz II Men 1993, I Will Always Love You, Whitney Houston 1994, The Sign, Ace Of Base 1995, Gangsta's Paradise, Coolio Featuring L.V. 1996, Macarena (Bayside Boys Mix), Los Del Rio 1997, Candle in the Wind 1997/Something About the Way You Look Tonight, Elton John 1998, Too Close, Next 1999, Believe, Cher
2000, Breathe, Faith Hill 2001, Hanging By a Moment, Lifehouse 2002, How You Remind Me, Nickelback 2003, In Da Club, 50 Cent 2004, Yeah!, Usher Featuring Lil Jon & Ludacris 2005, We Belong Together, Mariah Carey 2006, Bad Day, Daniel Powter 2007, Irreplaceable, Beyonce 2008, Low, Flo Rida 2009, Right Round, Flo Rida (*most weeks at No. 1 this year to date)
It sounds like you have a fun celebration on tap. Your only problem might be finding a DJ whose collection includes each of those songs ...
WHAT GOES UP ...
Hi Gary, As noted in Chart Beat this week, Rascal Flatts' "Here Comes Goodbye" makes the biggest jump to No. 1 since Taylor Swift likewise sent "Our Song" 6-1 on the chart dated Dec. 22, 2007. Interestingly, Rascal Flatts' leap occurs the same week that the song that "Goodbye" succeeds, George Strait's "River of Love," plunges 1-9. That's the steepest fall from the summit since, wouldn't you know, Dec. 22, 2007, when Carrie Underwood's "So Small" tumbled 1-10. For those who may be wondering, the last song to have fallen out of the top 10 on Hot Country Songs from the top spot was Shania Twain's "You Win My Love," which plummeted 1-11 on the chart dated May 18, 1996. John Maverick Burt County, Nebraska
Hi John,
Thanks, as always, for your insights. You have fast become an honorary editor of Chart Beat!
FOLLOW-UPS
Thanks very much to everyone who wrote Ask Billboard regarding our recent discussions on two topics: songs that were hits as solo performances and subsequently remade by their original artists with duet partners, and songs that received greater exposure due to their lyrics relating to the Gulf War. Following are two of those e-mails, ranging from the informative to the touching.
Hi Gary, Two examples dawned on me of songs to add to the list of solo hits by country artists returning as duets by those performers. Merle Haggard reached No. 1 on Hot Country Songs with "That's the Way Love Goes" in 1984. It became a duet with Jewel in 1999, and the new rendition peaked at No. 56.
In 1982, Hank Williams Jr.'s "A Country Boy Can Survive" spent three weeks at No. 2. In 1999, with Chad Brock (credited as the lead artist) and George Jones in tow, "A Country Boy Can Survive (Y2K Version)" climbed to No. 30. As for songs from the time of the Gulf War in 1990-91, I can add a few more. On the pop side, I remember "Miles Away" by Winger, along with a resurgence of "Another Day in Paradise" by Phil Collins. At country, I can add three: "Soldier Boy" by Donna Fargo, "Deck of Cards" by Bill Anderson and "Letter to Saddam Hussein" by Jerry Martin.
Thanks, John Jayne Des Moines, Iowa
Hi Gary, In response to Bill Smith's question last week about Gulf War-era songs, I had joined the Marine Corps at that time and proudly served my country for eight years. You pretty much nailed the question with your response. I also recall two other songs that received a lot of airplay at that time that reminded many of the Middle East conflict, and both were by George Michael: "Praying for Time" and "Mother's Pride" (both original versions and those with news clips and personal message mixed in, most notably the emotional latter song).
When I hear those songs, they definitely take me back to that time period in our military history. Thanks for your column. I read it every week! Marty LeGere Former Sergeant of Marines Magna, Utah Semper Fidelis!
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Gary Trust is Billboard's pop/adult chart manager. He oversees the Pop 100, Mainstream Top 40, Adult Contemporary and Adult Top 40 charts. He also edits the Billboard Canadian Update and manages the pop and adult charts for sister publication Radio & Records. Before joining Billboard, Gary spent 14 years in New England radio. He graduated with a bachelor of science degree in communications from Boston University, where he worked at student-run station WTBU (home of Howard Stern's first on-air job).
Note: Questions regarding the Recording Industry Association of America's gold and platinum certification program can be answered by visiting RIAA.com.
Send all your burning music questions to Gary at askbb@billboard.com
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