Listen to the Biggest Billboard Hot 100 Singles of All Time
The Billboard Hot 100—America's definitive singles chart—turns 55 on August 4. In 1958, the music company combined its separate airplay and sales charts to create the Billboard Hot 100. (Fun fact: The first No. 1 single was Ricky Nelson's "Poor Little Fool.")
To celebrate the birthday, the company has revealed the 100 biggest songs to have hit the chart. Some are classics by legendary artists (look out for several entries from the Beatles, Elvis and the Bee Gees), while others are mere one-hit wonders ("Macarena," anyone?). They're all topped by the song that gave birth to a national dance craze: "The Twist" by Chubby Checker.
We've listed the 100 biggest songs to hit America's charts below for your listening, and nostalgic, pleasure.
20m
20m
46m
22m
1h 36m
2m
20m
2m
20m
20m
1h 39m
21m
22m
22m
44m
44m
1m
20m
44m
1m
1m
2m
2m
2m
1m
2m
1m
1h 27m
2m
45m
22m
1h 20m
41m
44m
20m
19m
20m
22m
46m
45m
20m
1m
1m
41m
1h 49m
5m
1h 33m
8m
2m
3m
20m
1m
41m
21m
2m
2m
42m
2m
3m
2m
20m
41m
1h 1m
46m
1h 21m
3m
20m
23m
20m
8m
5m
4m
2m
23m
1h 2m
2m
10m
6m
41m
5m
1m
1m
1m
2m
21m
46s
2m
3m
7m
2m
21m
6m
5m
9m
3m
1m
1m
1m
1m