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JUMP TO:
• 1992 – BLACK OR WHITE / Michael Jackson
• 1982 – PHYSICAL / Olivia Newton-John
• 1972 – AMERICAN PIE / Don McLean
• 1962 – THE TWIST / Chubby Checker
• BONUS – THE TWIST / Hank Ballard And The Midnighters
• VIDEO – BLACK OR WHITE / Michael Jackson
According to the eBook editions of the invaluable publications from Joel Whitburn’s Record Research of data from Billboard magazine’s music charts – widely used in both the radio and record industries because of their accuracy – there were 837 singles that topped the Hot 100 in the 40-year period between January, 1956 and December, 1995. And the deep music vault here at House of the Hits has every one of them!
So, rather than let them sit idle on the vault’s digital hard drives, I thought that I’d begin presenting them over them over the next 52 weeks (and into 2017) for your listening pleasure – and virtually all of them in crystal-clear HD audio!
Each of the blog posts (3-4 per week) will contain four #1 songs, in exact 10-year separations (e.g.1991-1981-1971-1961), so that the changing styles and genres of music from corresponding weeks/decades can be seen and compared.
By early ’17, all 837 chart-toppers from each of those years will comprise a permanent archive found HERE and you can bookmark this link for future instant access.
Clearly, 2016 at House of the Hits will embrace la crème de la crème!
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[Note] For fans of statistics, for the three complete decades in this time period (60’s-80’s) the Seventies decade had the most #1’s with 252 (ah, yes, the music decade where AOR meant ‘All-Over-the-Road’), the Eighties had 231 and the Sixties, with 202, had the least.
Furthermore, across the full 40-year span, 1974 and 1975 had the most chart-toppers (34 each) and 1994 the fewest with just 9.
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[NOTE]
Due to copyright issues, some audio song files may not play on tablets,
smartphones and connected devices. A PC, Mac or laptop may be required.
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#1 / January 18th, 1992
BLACK OR WHITE
Michael Jackson
[1991]
(Single Version)
Number One: 7 weeks
Replaced: SET ADRIFT ON MEMORY BLISS / P.M. Dawn
Succeeded by: ALL 4 LOVE / Color Me Badd
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Originally intended for inclusion on Michael Jackson‘s 1987 album called Bad, Black Or White was resurrected from its partial completion by MJ and the record’s co-producer Bill Bottrell to become the lead track on his 1991 album Dangerous.
Slash, the head axe player with rockers Guns N’ Roses, was recruited to play the opening few guitar riffs and a couple of others within.
https://youtu.be/kHl0Muu8bYU
[Trivia Bits] When it reached the top, the single, from the Jackson LP Dangerous, became “The King of Pop’s” 12th number one, tying Diana Ross & The Supremes, who also had an even dozen chart-toppers.
As of early 2016, The Beatles still lead with 20 pole sitters, ahead of both Elvis Presley and Mariah Carey who are tied in second place at 18, followed by Rihanna with 14, Jackson at 13 and Madonna and The Supremes are even with 12 apiece.
Other #1 Singles for MICHAEL JACKSON (17)
• 1970 / I WANT YOU BACK (The Jackson 5)
• 1970 / A B C (The Jackson 5)
• 1970 / THE LOVE YOU SAVE (The Jackson 5)
• 1970 / I’LL BE THERE (The Jackson 5)
• 1972 / BEN
• 1979 / DON’T STOP ’TIL YOU GET ENOUGH
• 1980 / ROCK WITH YOU
• 1983 / BILLIE JEAN
• 1983 / BEAT IT
• 1983 / SAY SAY SAY (Paul McCartney and Michael Jackson)
• 1987 / I JUST CAN’T STOP LOVING YOU
• 1987 / BAD
• 1988 / THE WAY YOU MAKE ME FEEL
• 1988 / MAN IN THE MIRROR
• 1988 / DIRTY DIANA
• 1995 / YOU ARE NOT ALONE
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VIDEO
BLACK OR WHITE
Michael Jackson
[1991]
(Official Video)
The official music video stars actors Macauley Culkin (Home Alone) and George Wendt (“Norm” on Cheers) and actress Tess Harper.
John Landis, who directed Jackson’s 1982 video for Thriller, did likewise on Black Or White, which premiered on MTV, VH1, BET and Fox on November 14th, 1991.
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#1 / January 18th, 1982
PHYSICAL
Olivia Newton-John
[1981]
Number One: 10 weeks
Replaced: PRIVATE EYES / Daryl Hall and John Oates
Succeeded by: I CAN’T GO FOR THAT (No Can Do) / Daryl Hall and John Oates
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The term “muscling your way to the top” took on new meaning with Olivia Newton-John‘s mega hit from 1981, Physical.
Released in October, it sweated through a 10-consecutive-weeks workout on top (6 of those in late ’81), the longest stay at #1 for fifteen years, since Debby Boone‘s You Light Up My Life put up a ten-spot in 1977. It also was ONJ’s final top-of-the-heap hit.
Cashing in on the health and fitness crazes of the early 80’s, the song’s sexually suggestive lyrics throughout led to the record being banned by some U.S. radio stations.
Australian-born John has admitted to the obvious double entendre nature of the tune, stating – “You can take it how you want to. But it’s meant to be fun…It’s not meant to be taken too seriously.”
https://youtu.be/blyUlRBuoL8
[Trivia Bits] No matter which way the song was taken, it not only topped Billboard’s year-end list of the top singles for 1981, but ultimately became the #1 record of the entire 80’s!
A group just about as hot as ONJ, Daryl Hall And John Oates, sandwiched her between two consecutive #1 hits.
Also, it fell just one week short of the all-time record (at that time) for life-span at the top of the Hot 100 – the 11 weeks marathon of Don’t Be Cruel b/w Hound Dog from Elvis Presley in 1956.
Other #1 Singles by OLIVIA NEWTON-JOHN (5)
• 1974 / I HONESTLY LOVE YOU
• 1975 / HAVE YOU NEVER BEEN MELLOW
• 1978 / YOU’RE THE ONE THAT I WANT (John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John)
• 1980 / MAGIC (Olivia Newton-John/Electric Light Orchestra)
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#1 / January 18th, 1972
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AMERICAN PIE
Don McLean
[1971]
(Album Version)
Number One: 4 weeks
Replaced: BRAND NEW KEY / Melanie
Succeeded by: LET’S STAY TOGETHER / Al Green
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The epic recording American Pie, the eight minutes and 27-seconds song by Don McLean, is the singer’s lamentable ode to his love for the music of American rock ‘n’ roll pioneer, the late Buddy Holly.
His tragic death on February 3rd, 1959 indeed was, for McLean, “the day the music died.”
Holly, along with Richie Valens and J.P. Richardson – The Big Bopper – were killed when their small plane crashed while traveling between concert venues.
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McLean’s record company, United Artists, tried to fit the entire song onto one side of a 45. But a problem arose when juke boxes were unable to correctly track the disc’s narrowly spaced grooves.
That forced UA to instead divide the song into two equal-length parts as A and B sides of the single.
Regardless, most radio stations elected to play the full-length LP version.
https://youtu.be/tv-8sF3X7qU
[Trivia Bit] American Pie was the third biggest single for 1972 on Billboard, behind Gilbert O’Sullivan‘s Alone Again (Naturally) and the leader, The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face by Roberta Flack.
Further Reading:
• A Long, Long Time Ago: The Meaning of American Pie
Source: Christies.com
• Gloomy Don McLean Reveals Meaning of ‘American Pie’ – Sells Lyrics for $1.2 million
Source: WashingtonPost.com
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#1 / January 18th, 1962
THE TWIST
Chubby Checker
[1960/1961]
Number One: 2 weeks
Replaced: THE LION SLEEPS TONIGHT / The Tokens
Succeeded by: PEPPERMINT TWIST – Part 1 / Joey Dee and The Starliters
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Billboard Hot 100 chart history was made on January 13th, 1962 when Chubby Checker‘s wildly popular dance-craze #1 song from just 16 months earlier, The Twist, led the pack for a second time.
In its first go-round in the late summer of 1960, his version of a song originally recorded a year earlier by Hank Ballard And The Midnighters (see below) shot to the top for a week on September 19th.
https://youtu.be/-YFC5viM2p0
[Trivia Bits] Cumulatively, over its two separate chart rides, Checker’s The Twist spent 3 weeks on top and an aggregate total of 39 weeks on the Hot 100.
The Twist‘s chart endurance for number one singles remained a record for over 26 years, until a cover hit of Neil Diamond‘s Red Red Wine by the UK’s UB40 clocked a combined 40 weeks on Billboard in 1984 (#4) and then in 1988 (#1).
Other #1 Singles by CHUBBY CHECKER (2)
• 1960 / THE TWIST
• 1961 / PONY TIME
Further Reading:
• CHUBBY CHECKER: The Father of ‘The Twist’ Sounds Off!
Source: HouseoftheHits.com
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BONUS TRAK
THE TWIST
Hank Ballard And The Midnighters
[1959]
The song The Twist was based on the hip-gyrating dance which first gained popularity during the late 50’s in Tampa, FL.
Hank Ballard, the leader of the Detroit R&B vocal group The Midnighters wrote the tune after witnessing “Twist-mania” first-hand there.
The group cut the song in 1959 as the B-side to their single Tears On Your Letter, but the flip, along with the dance, continued to gain strength and The Twist charted in the summer of 1960.
Then, at the encouragement of legendary DJ Dick Clark to do a “white” cover version, Chubby Checker recorded the song, with his first trip to the top just weeks away.
https://youtu.be/ZSYRBBO4hCw
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Written By: Rick Murray Hunter
Songs Source: The Music Vault of HouseoftheHits Inc.
Billboard® Chart Data: Joel Whitburn’s Record Research (eBook Editions)
References: The Billboard Book Of Number One Hits (5th Edition) by Fred Bronson
The Archives of RollingStone.com
Record Sleeve & Label Graphics: Courtesy of 45cat
Other #1 Songs on This Date Posts are HERE
