Hot 100 55th Anniversary: The All-Time Top 100 Songs (2013)

Here's the latest stats from Billboard ......


100 --- You Make Me Wanna... - Usher (1997)
His third single to appear on the Hot 100 and the first to reach the upper half of the chart. It peaked at No. 2 and was on the chart for 47 weeks, the longest run of any Usher single so far.


99 --- We Are Young - fun. feat. Janelle Monae (2012)
Billboard's No. 3 Hot 100 song of 2012, behind first chart entries from Gotye and Cary Rae Jepsen. It was the first time in the tenure of the Hot 100 that the top three songs of the year were by new artists.


98 --- Best Of My Love - The Emotions (1977)
When the Stax label shuttered in 1975, sisters Sheila, Wanda and Pam Hutchinson signed with Maurice White's Kalimba Productions and made a new deal with Columbia Records. White co-wrote and produced "Best of My Love" for them, giving the trio its biggest hit.


97 --- One More Night - Maroon 5 (2012)
The third of Maroon 5's three No. 1s and the one with the lengthiest run at the top: nine weeks. That was long enough to prevent PSY's "Gangnam Style" from occupying the No. 1 position in the U.S.


96 --- Another Day In Paradise - Phil Collins (1989)
Adding vocals to this song was one of Collins' heroes, David Crosby. The two met at Atlantic's 40th anniversary concert at Madison Square Garden in 1988 and Collins asked if Crosby would add his voice to a couple of Collins' songs.


95 --- Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head - B.J. Thomas (1970)
The night before he recorded the Burt Bacharch-Hal David song for the film "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid," Thomas had laryngitis. Treated by his doctor, Thomas did five raspy takes for Bacharach and said if he had to do one more, he wouldn't have had any voice. A few weeks later, all healed, Thomas recorded the crystal-clear version that would be released as a single


94 --- I'll Be Missing You - Puff Daddy & Faith Evans feat. 112 (1997)
After his friend Christopher Wallace (a.k.a. the Notorious B.I.G.) was killed, Sean "Puffy" Combs thought recording a tribute song would be cathartic, and it was. He sampled one of his favorite songs, "Every Breath You Take" by the Police. "It always made me cry," he says.


93 --- Hurts So Good - John Cougar (1982)
The fifth Hot 100 entry for Cougar, before he reclaimed his last name of Mellencamp. His first single to crack the top 10, it peaked at No. 2 and was followed by his only No. 1 hit, "Jack and Diane."


92 --- Killing Me Softly With His Song - Roberta Flack (1973)
Flack was listening to the inflight audio while traveling on TWA from Los Angeles to New York when she heard Lori Lieberman sing the original version, inspired by a Don McLean performance at the Troubadour. Flack felt this wasn't what the definitive version could be and believed she could add something of her own.


91 --- Are You Lonesome To-Night? - Elvis Presley (1960)
The song was written in 1926 and recorded by many artists over the decades, including Al Jolson and Jaye P. Morgan. Presley's version was a follow-up to another ballad, "It's Now or Never."


90 --- Waiting for a Girl Like You - Foreigner (1981)
The single was No. 2 for 10 weeks, unable to surpass Olivia Newton-John's "Physical" for nine weeks and Daryl Hall & John Oates' "I Can't Go for That (No Can Do)" for one. Among No. 2-peaking hits, its 10-week stay is matched only by Missy Elliott's 2002 hit "Work It."


89 --- Family Affair - Mary J. Blige (2001)
The song was just a skeleton of an idea and was intended for rapper Rakim when Blige heard it and decided she wanted to write something to it. Blige didn't usually look at the Billboard charts, but when the song was No. 1 for a sixth week she checked the chart for the first time and said, "Whoa, this is really real!"


88 --- I Swear - All-4-One (1994)
When Atlantic's John Michael Montgomery took this song to No. 1 on Billboard's Hot Country Songs chart, the label's chairman and CEO Doug Morris told the Nashville office he wanted to cut a pop version with a California quartet, All-4-One.


87 --- Nothing Compares 2 U - Sinead O'Connor (1990)
Manager Fachtna O'Ceallaigh suggested O'Connor cover this song, written by Prince and first recorded by the Family, a group formed by ex-members of the Time.


86 --- All Night Long (All Night) - Lionel Richie (1983)
To make sure he was pronouncing the old Jamaican chant, "Tom bo li de say di moi ya, yeah jumbo jumbo" correctly, Richie called his wife's Jamaican gynecologist, who replied, "I'm right in the middle of an appointment, can we talk later?"


85 --- My Sharona - The Knack (1979)
Lead singer and rhythm guitarist Doug Fieger fell in love with a girl named Sharona and wrote a song about teenage sexual frustration that he married to a lick composed by guitarist Berton Averre


84 --- Say You, Say Me - Lioel Richie (1985)
Director Taylor Hackford asked Lionel Richie to write the title song for his 1985 film "White Nights." Lionel couldn't come up with a song called "White Nights" but wrote "Say You, Say Me" for the soundtrack and won an Oscar for Best Original Song.


83 --- Play That Funky Music - Wild Cherry (1976)
Bob Parissi and his band wanted to play rock music but it was the disco era and all their bookings were in dance clubs. A backstage discussion about how to handle this dilemma led drummer Ron Beitle to tell Parissi, "Play that funky music, white boy," and Parissi grabbed a bar order pad and wrote down those words.


82 --- You're So Vain - Carly Simon (1973)
Mick Jagger sings backing vocals, but that doesn't mean the song is about him. Simon has ruled out former hubby James Taylor but has never publicly revealed who the subject is. She did tell her brother Peter, "I had three or four different people in mind…but the examples of what they did was a fantasy."


81 --- Billie Jean - Michael Jackson (1983)
Recorded in one take, "Billie Jean" was the first of Jackson's two No. 1 singles from "Thriller" (The other was "Beat It"). Its seven-week reign is Jackson's longest run at the top of the Hot 100 (tied with 1991's "Black or White").


80 --- Abracadabra - The Steve Miller Band (1982)
As half of the Goldberg-Miller Blues Band, Steve Miller appeared on NBC's "Hullabaloo" in 1966, along with the Supremes. Years later, he was inspired by Diana Ross' "Upside Down" to write "Abracadabra."


79 --- Gangsta's Paradise - Coolio feat. L.V. (1995)
Coolio and L.V. based their song for the film "Dangerous Minds" on Stevie Wonder's "Pastime Paradise" from his masterpiece, "Songs in the Key of Life." But when they sent it to Wonder, he rejected it. "I had a few vulgarities…and he wasn't with that," says Coolio. "So I changed it. Once he heard it, he thought it was incredible."


78 --- Hot Stuff - Donna Summer (1979)
She was the reigning queen of disco, but Summer wanted to record a rock song. With Jeff "Skunk" Baxter on guitar, "Hot Stuff" was just the ticket. It was the first single from her double-LP "Bad Girls."


77 --- You're Still the One - Shania Twain (1998)
The sixth of her 18 Hot 100 entries and the first to rise higher than No. 25. Her highest-ranked single at No. 2 as well as her longest-running song, with 42 weeks on the chart.


76 --- I Heard It Through the Grapevine - Marvin Gaye (1968)
Gladys Knight and the Pips took the song to No. 2 in December 1967. Gaye's version hit No. 1 one year later, but was recorded before the Knight single. He wasn't the first Motown artist to record "Grapevine." Smokey Robinson and the Miracles cut it first, followed by the Isley Brothers.


75 --- Dilemma - Nelly feat. Kelly Rowland (2002)
"Dilemma" replaced Nelly's "Hot in Herre" at No. 1, making him the fifth artist in Hot 100 history at the time to succeed himself in pole position, following the Beatles, Boyz II Men, Puff Daddy and Ja Rule.


74 --- Just the Way You Are - Bruno Mars (2010)
Billboard's review of the single correctly predicted: "Mars has created a feel-good jam that should establish him as a solo contender in his own right." This song marked Mars' formal debut as a solo artist after charting as a featured guest on B.o.B's No. 1 hit, "Nothin' on You."


73 --- Sugar, Sugar - The Archies (1969)
Don Kirshner, music supervisor of Filmation's Saturday morning animated "The Archies," asked Jeff Barry to produce songs for the show by a group of studio musicians fronted by vocalist Ron Dante with an assist from Toni Wine. Canadian singer Andy Kim was asked to co-write with Barry and the result was the third Archies single, "Sugar, Sugar," Billboard's No. 1 Hot 100 song of 1969.


72 --- Upside Down - Diana Ross (1980)
When Ross heard the tracks produced by Bernard Edwards and Nile Rodgers, she felt like a guest vocalist on a Chic recording rather than the star of her own album. She insisted on a remix and the producers made slight changes and said if she still wasn't happy, she should remix the tracks herself. With Motown's Russ Terrana, she moved her vocals forward. "We had two different concepts of what her voice should sound like," Rodgers later explained.


71 --- That's What Friends Are For - Dionne and Friends (1986)
Rod Stewart recorded the Burt Bacharach-Carole Bayer Sager song first, for the 1982 film "Night Shift." In 1985, Sager asked Bacharach to play the song for Dionne Warwick, who suggested she record it with Stevie Wonder. They then decided to add Gladys Knight and Clive Davis suggested Elton John as the fourth vocalist. The song raised over $3 million for the American Foundation for AIDS Research.


70 --- Rush Rush - Paula Abdul (1990)
Abdul told her label, "I don't care what songs make it onto the album, I want 'Rush Rush' to be the first single." Virgin execs told her to finish her second album and then decide. "But I'm really glad 'Rush Rush' was the first single," she says. It became her longest-running No. 1.


69 --- Ebony and Ivory - Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder (1982)
McCartney and Wonder recorded the duet together, on the island of Montserrat in the West Indies. But it's only through the magic of editing that they appear to be in the video together, performing on the white and black keys of a piano.


68 --- Moves Like Jagger - Maroon 5 feat. Christina Aguilera (2011)
"The Voice" judges Adam Levine and Christina Aguilera teamed up to give Maroon 5 its biggest hit to that date. It was Maroon 5's first No. 1 in four years and Aguilera's first No. 1 in 10 years.


67 --- Whoomp! (There It Is) - Tag Team (1993)
The title was already a catchphrase in the South when Steve (Roll'n) Gibson and Cecil (DC) Glenn recorded this bassline-heavy hip-hop track. Glenn was a cook and a DJ at Magic City in Atlanta and played the song in the club, creating the initial demand for the single.


66 --- Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In - the 5th Dimension (1969)
When group member Billy Davis, Jr, left his wallet in a New York taxi, it was found by one of the producers of the Broadway musical "Hair." A grateful Davis invited him to see the 5th Dimension live and the producer reciprocated by inviting the group to see "Hair." Before they left the theater, they agreed they had to record "Aquarius." Producer Bones Howe said it was "half a song" and suggested a medley with the show's "The Flesh Failures (Let the Sunshine In)."


65 --- I Love Rock 'n Roll - Joan Jett & the Blackhearts (1982)
Jake Hooker and Alan Merrill wrote the song to refute the Rolling Stones' "It's Only Rock 'n Roll (But I Like It)," which they felt was a put-down. They recorded it with their group the Arrows in the U.K. and Jett saw them perform it on TV. She asked Hooker if she could record it, but couldn't get her group the Runaways to cut the song. She finally recorded it as a solo artist, first as a B-side in Holland in 1979 and then again in 1981 with the Blackhearts.


64 --- Because I Love You (The Postman Song) - Stevie B (1990)
Warren Allen Brooks wrote the song years before he met Stevie B. "Stevie heard me sing it…in 1985 and he would tell everybody, 'Listen to Warren's song – that could be a hit.'" Five years later, Stevie was proven right.


63 --- The Boy Is Mine - Brandy & Monica (1998)
Atlantic A&R staffer Paris Davis suggested to producers Rodney Jerkins and Dallas Austin that Brandy and Monica record a song called "The Boy Is Mine," "like when Michael (Jackson) and Paul McCartney did 'The Girl Is Mine.'" The duet gave both women their first Hot 100 No. 1.


62 --- (Just Like) Starting Over - John Lennon (1980)
Lennon took a five-year recording hiatus while he raised his son Sean, then went back into the studio to record songs for the "Double Fantasy" album. This song was No. 6 on the Hot 100 when Lennon was assassinated on Dec. 8, 1980. The title had become a grim irony by the time it was a posthumous No. 1 the week of Dec. 27.


61 --- Centerfold - J. Geils Band (1982)
Signed to Atlantic in 1969, the group moved to EMI-America in 1978. Their first 12 entries failed to crack the top 10 of the Hot 100 but the first single from their "Freeze-Frame" LP changed their chart fortunes when it became their first No. 1 hit.


60 --- The Sign - Ace Of Base (1994)
Arista A&R VP Richard Sweret was on a Stockholm bus with Jonas Berggren of Ace of Base when the musician played him a new demo intended for the group's second album. Sweret loved "The Sign" and insisted the quartet record it immediately. He added it to the group's first album for its U.S. release and changed the CD title from "Happy Nation" to "The Sign."


59 --- Apologize - Timbaland feat. OneRepublic (2007)
While most people know this song is by OneRepublic, the artist credit is "Timbaland featuring OneRepublic" because the hip-hop artist signed the group to his Mosley imprint and remixed "Apologize" for his album "Timbaland Presents Shock Value."


58 --- Gold Digger - Kanye West feat. Jamie Foxx (2005)
West wrote the song from a female point of view for rapper Shawna. When she didn't record it, he rewrote it for himself, and enrolled Jamie Foxx as a featured artist. The result was West's first No. 1 as a lead artist.


57 --- I'm a Believer - The Monkees (1966)
Music publisher Don Kirshner asked his friend Jeff Barry to find an even bigger hit to follow "Last Train to Clarksville." Barry was working with Neil Diamond and thought his song "I'm a Believer" would do the trick. The single had an advance order of 1,051,280 copies.


56 --- Tik Tok - Ke$ha (2010)
With nine weeks on top, this became the longest-running No. 1 debut single for any lead artist since Ashanti led the list for 10 weeks with "Foolish" in 2002.


55 --- Lady - Kenny Rogers (1980)
Charting pop, R&B and country, "Lady" was the ultimate crossover hit and the first production work for Lionel Richie outside of the Commodores, resulting in Richie signing with Rogers' manager, Ken Kragen, for his solo career.


54 --- Stayin' Alive - Bee Gees (1978)
Robert Stigwood was expecting a song from the Bee Gees called "Saturday Night, Saturday Night," so he was not happy to hear a demo titled "Stayin' Alive." Heard in a 30-second trailer played in theaters one week prior to the release of "Saturday Night Fever," a demand for the song was created before the LP hit the street.


53 --- Let Me Love You - Mario (2005)
Kameron Houff, who wrote the song with Scott Storch and a then-unknown Ne-Yo, remembers when their tune hit the top of the Hot 100. "Every week, my wife would look online and come into the bedroom and say, ‘Baby, it's No. 1.' It was like ‘Groundhog Day.' It was the greatest nine weeks of my life waking up and hearing her tell me every week it's still No. 1."


52 --- Call Me - Blondie (1980)
Giorgio Moroder composed the music for the film "American Gigolo" and wanted Stevie Nicks to sing the title song. When she turned him down, Moroder asked Debbie Harry of Blondie to write the lyrics and record the movie's theme. "Call Me" was Billboard's No. 1 single of 1980.


51 --- Boom Boom Pow - The Black Eyed Peas (2009)
will.i.am told Billboard that this song was, "made for underground clubs. Like, if I would have thought it was going to be a radio song, I would have made it different." Radio loved "Boom Boom Pow" just the way it was and the single became the Peas' first No. 1 on the Hot 100.


50 --- End of the Road - Boyz II Men (1992)
Co-writer Babyface composed this song for the film "Boomerang" and was tempted to keep it for himself, but felt Boyz II Men "would take it further." When the single spent 13 weeks at No. 1, it established a then-new longevity record atop the Hot 100.


49 --- I Will Always Love You - Whitney Houston (1992)
Producer David Foster wanted Houston to cover Jimmy Ruffin's "What Becomes of the Brokenhearted" for "The Bodyguard," but when Paul Young sang that Motown classic in "Fried Green Tomatoes," music supervisor Maureen Crowe had Foster listen to Linda Ronstadt's version of Dolly Parton's "I Will Always Love You." Houston's single returned to the Hot 100 after her death in February 2012.


48 --- No One - Alicia Keys (2007)
The third of her four No. 1s, all of which have been on top for five or six weeks, no more, no less. "No One" had a five-week reign, as did "Empire State of Mind." "Fallin'" and "My Boo" each ruled for six weeks.


47 --- Candle in the Wind 1997 / Something About the Way You Look Tonight" - Elton John (1997)
Lady Sarah McCorqudale asked Elton John to sing at the funeral of her sister, Princess Diana. "Your Song" was considered and Elton thought about writing a new song. Through a misunderstanding, Bernie Taupin thought Elton wanted him to write new lyrics to their 1973 song "Candle in the Wind." More than 2.5 billion people all over the globe watched Elton sing the song at Diana's funeral. With worldwide sales of 33 million, "Candle in the Wind 1997" is the best-selling single of the rock era. Bing Crosby's "White Christmas," first released in 1942, is reported to have sold 50 million copies worldwide.


46 --- Call Me Maybe - Carly Rae Jepsen (2012)
Jepsen's hook-laden pop hit ruled the Hot 100 for nine weeks. It is the biggest hit by any "Idol" finalist, as Jepsen finished third in the fifth season of "Canadian Idol." She is the highest-ranking Canadian female on the all-time Hot 100.


45 --- Shadow Dancing - Andy Gibb (1978)
While his older brothers Barry, Robin and Maurice were filming the movie "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" in Hollywood, Andy joined them for a writing session. Within 10 minutes, they were singing the chorus to what became "Shadow Dancing."


44 --- I Want to Hold Your Hand - The Beatles (1964)
Despite selling millions of records in the U.K. for EMI, the company's American label, Capitol, declined to release the Fab Four in the U.S. – until they heard "I Want to Hold Your Hand." A Washington, D.C. DJ broke the song, forcing Capitol to move the release date from Jan. 13, 1964 to Dec. 26, 1963 and to increase the run from 200,000 copies to one million.


43 --- It's All in the Game - Tommy Edwards (1958)
The only No. 1 song written by a Vice President of the United States. Charles Dawes was a banker when he wrote the music in 1912; the lyrics were penned by Carl Sigman in 1951. Tommy Edwards recorded the song that year, but it was a 1958 re-recording in the new format called "stereo" that topped the Hot 100.


42 --- Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree - Dawn feat. Tony Orlando (1973)
Dawn was ready to disband at the end of 1972 after three consecutive singles failed to make the top 60 of the Hot 100. Then producers Hank Medress and Dave Appell asked Telma Hopkins and Joyce Wilson to meet them and Tony Orlando in the studio to record this song, based on a true story.


41 --- How You Remind Me - Nickelback (2001)
"I'd been living with a girl for a couple of years and the relationship was on its way down," says Chad Kroeger. "…after I don't know how many fights…(I) was going to give her the f*** you song and I wrote 'How You Remind Me.'"


40 --- Say, Say, Say - Paul McCartney and Michael Jackson (1983)
When Jackson called McCartney on Christmas Day to suggest they collaborate, the former Beatle didn't believe it was really Michael on the phone. The King of Pop wanted to visit Paul in the U.K. and write some songs together. First came "The Girl Is Mine" and later "Say, Say, Say."


39 --- Another One Bites the Dust - Queen (1980)
Freddie Mercury and Brian May wrote most of Queen's hits, but not this one. Sole writing credit goes to bass guitarist John Deacon, who had composed the group's 1976 hit, "You're My Best Friend."


38 --- Night Fever - The Bee Gees (1978)
Written before the film "Saturday Night Fever" had a title, the Bee Gees thought the movie should be named after this song, but Robert Stigwood rejected it as too pornographic. He preferred "Saturday Night," and ultimately they compromised.


37 --- Let's Get It On - Marvin Gaye (1973)
While the song caused controversy for its explicit, sexual message, Gaye's co-writer, Ed Townsend, says it began as an ode about overcoming addiction, based on his personal experience in an alcohol rehab center.


36 --- Silly Love Songs - Wings (1976)
Paul McCartney wrote the song as a reaction to critics who called his music lightweight, telling journalists that he hated silly rhymes, but when they work they're "the greatest."


35 --- Truly, Madly, Deeply - Savage Garden (1998)
Darren Hayes wrote a very personal song and named it after a 1990 British film he thought no one had seen, "Truly Madly Deeply." "It was our first No. 1 and it opened the whole world to Savage Garden," says Hayes. "Thank God for that song."


34 --- One Sweet Day - Mariah Carey & Boyz II Men (1995)
"It's definitely a blessing and I'm very grateful for it," says Mariah Carey of her record-setting 16 weeks at No. 1 on the Hot 100. But she says she didn't focus on the chart achievement until the song's final frame on top, as it wasn't "the right vibe to have."


33 --- The Battle of New Orleans - Johnny Horton (1959)
After the final battle of the War of 1812, a folk tune played by fiddlers called "The Eighth of January" became popular across the United States. Lyrics weren't written until 1955, by an Arkansas teacher named Jimmy Driftwood. He retitled it "The Battle of New Orleans," and four years later it was recorded by Johnny Horton.


32 --- Tossin' and Turnin' - Bobby Lewis (1961)
During a gig at the Apollo, Lewis gave some encouragement to a nervous group of singers, the Fireflies. A few weeks later, Lewis signed to the Beltone label and discovered his labelmates were the Fireflies, who offered him a song they had written, "Tossin' and Turnin'."


31 --- Rolling in the Deep - Adele (2011)
The most successful single by a U.K. solo female since "Physical" by Olivia Newton-John 30 years earlier. The first of three No. 1s from the second best-selling album released in the 21st century, "21," it led the Hot 100 for seven weeks. "Someone Like You" was on top for five weeks and "Set Fire to the Rain" triumphed for two weeks.


30 --- Flashdance…What a Feeling - Irene Cara (1983)
The synthesizer-based hit won the Academy Award for Best Song, defeating "Maniac" from the same film as well as "Over You" from "Tender Mercies" and "Papa, Can You Hear Me?" and "The Way He Makes Me Feel" from "Yentl."


29 --- Somebody That I Used to Know" - Gotye feat. Kimbra (2012)
Raised in Australia but born in Bruges, Gotye is only the second artist from Belgium to top the Hot 100. The first was the Singing Nun in 1963 with "Dominique."


28 --- Every Breath You Take - The Police (1983)
Often mistaken for a sweet love song, Sting has described the song as "fairly nasty," as it is about surveillance, ownership and jealousy.


27 --- Too Close - Next (1998)
Producer Kay Gee told this Minneapolis trio they were going to write a song based on an early rap hit, Kurtis Blow's "Christmas Rappin'." But they didn't sample the original. "We played it live and changed it around," says Kay Gee. "I felt if we put the right lyrics on top of that beat, we could bring that same magic back in the '90s."


26 --- I Just Want to Be Your Everything - Andy Gibb (1977)
Andy Gibb signed to the RSO label at Robert Stigwood's home in Bermuda and immediately started writing songs with his brothers. On their first day of composing, Barry Gibb sequestered himself in one of the bedrooms on the estate and wrote this song by himself.


25 --- Low - Flo Rida feat. T-Pain (2008)
Flo Rida says when he first heard the track produced by DJ Montay, he felt it immediately. "It reminded me of the early bass records from artists like the 2 Live Crew."


24 --- We Found Love - Rihanna feat. Calvin Harris (2011)
The 11th of Rihanna's 12 No. 1s on the Hot 100, and the only one with a double-digit reign, as it stayed on top for 10 weeks.


23 --- Eye Of The Tiger - Survivor (1982)
Sylvester Stallone was going to use Queen's "Another One Bites the Dust" as his main theme for "Rocky III," until label owner Tony Scotti, who years earlier had released a single by Sly's brother Frank, played him an album by the Chicago-based band Survivor. Within 90 minutes of the group seeing a rough cut of the film, "Eye of the Tiger" was born.


22 --- How Deep Is Your Love - Bee Gees (1977)
RSO label founder and Bee Gees manager Robert Stigwood phoned the trio and told them he needed four songs for a film he was producing, "about a bunch of guys who live in New York." The first song written after the call was "How Deep Is Your Love," but it was intended for Yvonne Elliman. Stigwood heard it and was adamant the Bee Gees record it themselves


21 --- Le Freak - Chic (1978)
Selling more than four million copies, "Le Freak" established the credentials of Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards, who went on to produce for Diana Ross, David Bowie, Carly Simon, Madonna, Sister Sledge, Duran Duran and Debbie Harry


20 --- The Theme from 'A Summer Place' - Percy Faith (1960)
Max Steiner composed the score for the 1959 film "A Summer Place," and Toronto-born Faith covered the main theme, giving him the most successful instrumental of the rock era.


19 --- I'll Make Love to You - Boyz II Men (1994)
Writer/producer Babyface says the song was to him, "imagining what would…follow 'End of the Road' but not be exactly the same, but familiar enough where you could touch some of the same ingredients, so they don't make a total left turn from where they left off."


18 --- (Everything I Do) I Do It for You - Bryan Adams (1991)
Michael Kamen composed the music for "Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves" and wanted Kate Bush or Annie Lennox to sing the title song. Then Lisa Stansfield was in the running, along with a pairing of Peter Cetera and Julia Fordham. Ultimately, Bryan Adams was asked to co-write and record the film's main vocal song and it became his biggest hit. Adams is the highest-ranking Canadian artist on the all-time Hot 100.


17 --- You Were Meant for Me / Foolish Games - Jewel (1997)
"You Were Meant for Me" peaked at No. 2 and was moving down the Hot 100 and would have fallen off the chart, except the B-side was "Foolish Games," which was included in the "Batman & Robin" soundtrack. It became the A-side, as well as a radio hit of its own, and the single went back to No. 7 and remained on the Hot 100 for 65 weeks.


16 --- Tonight's the Night (Gonna Be Alright) - Rod Stewart (1976)
Stewart tried to record his album "A Night on the Town" in Los Angeles but couldn't hit a correct note, which he blamed on the smog. Then he went to Caribou Studios in Colorado, but couldn't sing at 9,000 feet above sea level. So the vocals for this No. 1 hit were successfully recorded at Criteria Studios in Miami.


15 --- Endless Love - Diana Ross & Lionel Richie (1981)
During its chart run, the song became the most successful Motown single of all time, the most successful hit from a soundtrack, and the most successful duet, all thanks to its nine-week run at No. 1


14 --- Bette Davis Eyes - Kim Carnes (1981)
Bette Davis was so flattered by the song, she wrote letters to songwriters Jackie DeShannon and Donna Weiss thanking them for making her "a part of modern times." When the song won a Grammy, Davis sent the composers roses.


13 --- Yeah! - Usher feat. Lil Jon & Ludacris (2004)
The fourth of his nine No. 1s. He's ruled the Hot 100 for a total of 47 weeks; 12 of those weeks were racked up by this song. It was immediately followed at No. 1 by another Usher single, "Burn," which was on top for eight weeks, which in turn was succeeded by his "Confessions Part II."


12 --- Un-Break My Heart - Toni Braxton (1996)
The demo of Diane Warren's song was recorded in a low key and producer David Foster was going to have Braxton sing in a higher key until LaFace owner Kenny "Babyface" Edmonds protested. "That's almost a man's key," Foster replied. Babyface insisted: "It'll be really sexy."


11 --- We Belong Together - Mariah Carey (2005)
Her 16th No. 1 (of 18 to date) proved to be the biggest hit of her career. It held pole position for 14 weeks, two weeks shy of the record-setting "One Sweet Day," but it was on the chart for 43 weeks, by far her longest Hot 100 run.


10 --- Hey Jude - The Beatles (1968)
The first single released on the Beatles' own Apple label, and the longest-running No. 1 (nine weeks) for the group on the Hot 100. It is also the longest No. 1 in terms of running time, at seven minutes and 11 seconds.


09 --- You Light Up My Life - Debby Boone (1977)
Years after it was a hit, Boone told Billboard: "Because the lyrics really lent themselves to how I felt about my relationship with the Lord, that's the way I chose to sing it. I never thought anyone would know."


08 --- Physical - Olivia Newton-John (1981)
Tame by today's standards, in 1981 "Physical" was considered too risqué for airplay by some radio programmers. One music director told Billboard, "Once the words sank in, it caused an uncomfortableness among listeners."


07 --- Macarena (Bayside Boys Mix) - Los Del Rio (1996)
The original version was recorded in 1993, entirely in Spanish. Miami's Power 96 only played songs in English and asked Carlos De Yarza and Mike Triay, the Bayside Boys, to do a remix. Singer Patricia Alfaro recorded their new English lyrics and the song became a national phenomenon


06 --- I Gotta Feeling - The Black Eyed Peas (2009)
The Peas' "Boom Boom Pow" was No. 1 for 12 weeks and was immediately succeeded by "I Gotta Feeling," which ruled for 14 weeks. The combined 26-week reign is the longest for any artist in Hot 100 history.


05 --- Party Rock Anthem - LMFAO feat. Lauren Bennett & GoonRock (2011)
The song recorded by Motown founder Berry Gordy's son (Redfoo, a.k.a. Stefan Kendal Gordy) and grandson (SkyBlu, a.k.a. Skyler Husten Gordy) became a bigger hit than any single released by Motown. ("Party" was released on Interscope.) Born in Kent, England, Bennett is the highest-ranking British artist on the all-time Hot 100


04 --- How Do I Live - LeAnn Rimes (1997)
Diane Warren wrote the song for Rimes to sing in the film "Con Air," but the producers preferred Trisha Yearwood for the soundtrack. Both versions were released as singles and both charted. Rimes' single remained on the Hot 100 for 69 weeks, a record at the time


03 --- Mack the Knife - Bobby Darin (1959)
Inspired by Louis Armstrong's version of the song from "The Threepenny Opera," Darin recorded "Mack the Knife" for his album "That's All," but didn't want it released as a single. Atco issued it anyway and it became his biggest hit and signature song


02 --- Smooth - Santana feat. Rob Thomas (1999)
"Smooth" went to No. 1 30 years to the week after Santana's debut on the Hot 100 with "Jingo." It was the longest wait in history from chart debut to first No. 1


01 --- The Twist - Chubby Checker (1960, 1962)
The only single to be No. 1 twice on the Hot 100, in two different chart runs. After topping the chart in 1960, the dance caught on with the older generation. Checker was invited to perform "The Twist" on "The Ed Sullivan Show" on Oct. 22, 1961, prompting a re-release of the single and a full-page ad in Billboard that proclaimed, "‘The Twist' dance rage explodes into the adult world!" The grown-ups bought enough copies to send the song back to No. 1 in early 1962.

Oops, must have missed seeing this. That said, I almost don't know where to begin here; the diversity is so overwhelming that it's hard to take in. Kinda weird to see stuff from the 50s & 60s rubbing shoulders with the modern brigade - one tends to assume modern records sell more but the measuring stick is always adjusting to the market.

misery guts wrote:Oops, must have missed seeing this. That said, I almost don't know where to begin here; the diversity is so overwhelming that it's hard to take in. Kinda weird to see stuff from the 50s & 60s rubbing shoulders with the modern brigade - one tends to assume modern records sell more but the measuring stick is always adjusting to the market.

Agreed! Without further ado, they've updated this chart to the end of 2015 now.

DROPOUTS ....
You Make Me Wanna... - Usher
We Are Young - fun. feat. Janelle Monae
Best Of My Love - The Emotions
One More Night - Maroon 5
Another Day In Paradise - Phil Collins
Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head - B.J. Thomas


 100 --- Dark Horse - Katy Perry feat. Juicy J
94 99 --- I'll Be Missing You - Puff Daddy & Faith Evans feat. 112
93 98 --- Hurts So Good - John Cougar
92 97 --- Killing Me Softly With His Song - Roberta Flack
91 96 --- Are You Lonesome To-Night? - Elvis Presley w/ The Jordanaires
90 95 --- Waiting for a Girl Like You - Foreigner
89 94 --- Family Affair - Mary J. Blige
88 93 --- I Swear - All-4-One
87 92 --- Nothing Compares 2 U - Sinead O'Connor
86 91 --- All Night Long (All Night) - Lionel Richie
85 90 --- My Sharona - The Knack
84 89 --- Say You, Say Me - Lionel Richie
83 88 --- Play That Funky Music - Wild Cherry
82 87 --- You're So Vain - Carly Simon
80 86 --- Abracadabra - The Steve Miller Band
79 85 --- Gangsta's Paradise - Coolio feat. L.V.
78 84 --- Hot Stuff - Donna Summer
81 83 --- Billie Jean - Michael Jackson
77 82 --- You're Still the One - Shania Twain
76 81 --- I Heard It Through the Grapevine - Marvin Gaye
75 80 --- Dilemma - Nelly feat. Kelly Rowland
74 79 --- Just the Way You Are - Bruno Mars
73 78 --- Sugar, Sugar - The Archies
72 77 --- Upside Down - Diana Ross
 76 --- Happy - Pharrell Williams
71 75 --- That's What Friends Are For - Dionne and Friends
70 74 --- Rush Rush - Paula Abdul
69 73 --- Ebony and Ivory - Paul McCartney & Stevie Wonder
68 72 --- Moves Like Jagger - Maroon 5 feat. Christina Aguilera
67 71 --- Whoomp! (There It Is) - Tag Team
66 70 --- Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In - the 5th Dimension
 69 --- All About That Bass - Meghan Trainor
65 68 --- I Love Rock 'n Roll - Joan Jett & the Blackhearts
64 67 --- Because I Love You (The Postman Song) - Stevie B
63 66 --- The Boy Is Mine - Brandy & Monica
 65 --- Royals - Lorde
62 64 --- (Just Like) Starting Over - John Lennon
61 63 --- Centerfold - J. Geils Band
60 62 --- The Sign - Ace Of Base
59 61 --- Apologize - Timbaland feat. OneRepublic
58 60 --- Gold Digger - Kanye West feat. Jamie Foxx
57 59 --- I'm a Believer - The Monkees
56 58 --- Tik Tok - Ke$ha
55 57 --- Lady - Kenny Rogers
54 56 --- Stayin' Alive - Bee Gees
53 55 --- Let Me Love You - Mario
52 54 --- Call Me - Blondie
51 53 --- Boom Boom Pow - The Black Eyed Peas
50 52 --- End of the Road - Boyz II Men
49 51 --- I Will Always Love You - Whitney Houston
48 50 --- No One - Alicia Keys
47 49 --- Candle in the Wind 1997 / Something About the Way You Look Tonight - Elton John
 48 --- Blurred Lines - Robin Thicke feat. T.I. & Pharrell
46 47 --- Call Me Maybe - Carly Rae Jepsen
45 46 --- Shadow Dancing - Andy Gibb
44 45 --- I Want to Hold Your Hand - The Beatles
43 44 --- It's All in the Game - Tommy Edwards
42 43 --- Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree - Dawn feat. Tony Orlando
41 42 --- How You Remind Me - Nickelback
40 41 --- Say, Say, Say - Paul McCartney & Michael Jackson
39 40 --- Another One Bites the Dust - Queen
38 39 --- Night Fever - The Bee Gees
37 38 --- Let's Get It On - Marvin Gaye
36 37 --- Silly Love Songs - Wings
35 36 --- Truly, Madly, Deeply - Savage Garden
34 35 --- One Sweet Day - Mariah Carey & Boyz II Men
33 34 --- The Battle of New Orleans - Johnny Horton
32 33 --- Tossin' and Turnin' - Bobby Lewis
31 32 --- Rolling in the Deep - Adele
30 31 --- Flashdance…What a Feeling - Irene Cara
29 30 --- Somebody That I Used to Know - Gotye feat. Kimbra
28 29 --- Every Breath You Take - The Police
27 28 --- Too Close - Next
26 27 --- I Just Want to Be Your Everything - Andy Gibb
25 26 --- Low - Flo Rida feat. T-Pain
24 25 --- We Found Love - Rihanna feat. Calvin Harris
23 24 --- Eye Of The Tiger - Survivor
22 23 --- How Deep Is Your Love - Bee Gees
21 22 --- Le Freak - Chic
20 21 --- The Theme from 'A Summer Place' - Percy Faith
19 20 --- I'll Make Love to You - Boyz II Men
18 19 --- (Everything I Do) I Do It for You - Bryan Adams
17 18 --- You Were Meant for Me / Foolish Games - Jewel
16 17 --- Tonight's the Night (Gonna Be Alright) - Rod Stewart
15 16 --- Endless Love - Diana Ross & Lionel Richie
14 15 --- Bette Davis Eyes - Kim Carnes
13 14 --- Yeah! - Usher feat. Lil Jon & Ludacris
12 13 --- Un-Break My Heart - Toni Braxton
 12 --- Uptown Funk! - Mark Ronson feat. Bruno Mars
11 11 --- We Belong Together - Mariah Carey
10 10 --- Hey Jude - The Beatles
09 09 --- You Light Up My Life - Debby Boone
08 08 --- Physical - Olivia Newton-John
07 07 --- Macarena (Bayside Boys Mix) - Los Del Rio
06 06 --- I Gotta Feeling - The Black Eyed Peas
05 05 --- Party Rock Anthem - LMFAO feat. Lauren Bennett & GoonRock
04 04 --- How Do I Live - LeAnn Rimes
03 03 --- Mack the Knife - Bobby Darin
02 02 --- Smooth - Santana feat. Rob Thomas
01 01 --- The Twist - Chubby Checker

Please let me know if this is watchable in the UK. If not, I can type the updated list out.
Hot 100 Turns 60

Ah, I looked at that a bit yesterday. I was taken aback about the top 3, but now you've put it in context that it was the same 2-3 years ago, and 5 years back as well, it simply explains that however disappointed you may be in recent music, none of it seems to have come close to scoring at the very top here, I think.