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Leading the list is "The Twist," the 1960 (and '62) dance hit tune by Chubby Checker. That's a bit of a surprise. I'd figure something like the Beatles, Stones, Elvis or some of the powerhouse acts that followed. Chubby Checker?
Rounding out the top 10, with a couple of more surprises:
2 Santana "Smooth"
3 Bobby Darin "Mack the Knife"
4 LeAnn Rimes "How Do I Live"
5 Los del Rio "Macarena"
6 Olivia Newton John "Physical"
7 Debby Boone "You Light Up My Life"
8 The Beatles "Hey Jude"
9 Mariah Carey "We Belong Together"
10 Toni Braxton "Un-Break My Heart"
Heck, unless I missed it (the eyes *are* getting old), the Stones didn't even crack the list. And that's with songs like The Archies' "Sugar, Sugar" at 63, The Monkees' "I'm a Believer" at 48, and (yes, I remember it well), Johnny Horton and "The Battle of New Orleans" at number 28.
An MSNBC article [msnbc.msn.com] discusses how BB had to weight the listings because of different data collection methods over the years. But, Elvis topping out in the 81 spot with "Are You Lonesome Tonight" while Percy Faith plops in at 18? No Led Zeppelin. No Beach Boys. Not a Fugg in site. (Okay, so you can tell my musical generation.)
The Biilboard link is to the anniversay index page as they also have all-time charts for different categories plus every #1 for the past 50 years.
Hard to believe that there's no Zep, or Beach Boys. No Stones? C'mon. Where's Chuck Berry? The Eagles? Billy Joel?
And did Chubby sound a little bitter?
Speaking to the absence of Led Zeppelin as an example, BB says:
Why are some of the hits that debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 absent from the 50th Anniversary chart, or lower on this list than they were in the 1994 and 1998 anniversary charts?Prior to December 1998, songs did not appear on the Billboard Hot 100 until a retail single became available (which, incidentally, is why hits like Led Zeppelin's "Stairway to Heaven" and No Doubt's "Don't Speak" never appeared on the Hot 100). In earlier years, retail singles came to market fairly early in a song's life-usually shortly after, or even before, a song came to radio.
Debby Boone "You Light Up My Life"
This was huge when I was a junior in high school. Every station played it every hour of every day for weeks.
It was a fine song, but burned so hot it burnt out everyone. The soundtrack was done by Kasey Cisyk, but Debby Boone immediately covered it and got all the credit (and money) for the hit.
The principal of our school had some personal connection to Earth, Wind & Fire - and they put on a concert at our school that year. (Not exactly at their peak:))
They covered 'You Light Up My Life' (which was beyond played out by then) and got booed. The principal about lost his mind. Kind of hard to suspend 2,000 - 3,000 students at one time, so he had he pretty much had to suck it up. Funniest day of my entire high school career; one of the funniest days of my life. I would never have had the nerve, but once it started I joined in with everybody else. There were teachers in every section of course, but once it got started.....:))
Always felt really bad for the principal, but bet Earth, Wind & Fire never covered it again.
are most of those songs from the same company? there has to be a reason the list is so poor
yes, the Debbie Boone song was big when it came out, but i dont think i have heard it in 20 years .. and i certainly do not want to
i cant believe anybody sits around playing it
