I had a much longer post planned, but I realized that more professional writers with more to gain for doing the footwork will probably do that.
I just think it’s cool we have 60 Years of Popular Music cataloged somewhere. I HIGHLY recommend checking out the Billboard Hot 100 Website (link below) to check out dates that you find memorable to see what songs were popular at the time. I use it quite frequently when coming up with playlist ideas.
And in appreciation, I compiled a YouTube Playlist of the Number One songs that charted the first week in August for each year the Hot 100 have been published. Check it out here:
It would be interesting (to me) to see if there was a way to compile a Top 10 of these particular songs. What makes these interesting is that while these are all Number Ones, only one of them has ever been awarded Song of the Year Grammy Award (that privilege went to The Police’s ‘Every Breath You Take’).
Leave a comment below of your Top 10 from this list. Here is a full text copy if you don’t have the time to watch them all.
Number Ones for the First Week of August each year since the beginning of the Billboard Hot 100, in chronological order
Year | Artist | Song |
1958 | Ricky Nelson | Poor Little Fool |
1959 | Paul Anka | Lonely Boy |
1960 | Brenda Lee | I’m Sorry |
1961 | Bobby Lewis | Tossin’ and Turnin’ |
1962 | Bobby Vinton | Roses Are Red (My Love) |
1963 | The Tymes | So Much In Love |
1964 | The Beatles | A Hard Day’s Night |
1965 | Herman’s Hermits | I’m Henry VIII, I Am |
1966 | The Troggs | Wild Thing |
1967 | The Doors | Light My Fire |
1968 | The Doors | Hello, I Love You |
1969 | Zager and Evans | In The Year 2525 |
1970 | The Carpenters | (They Long To Be) Close To You |
1971 | The Bee Gees | How Can You Mend A Broken Heart |
1972 | Gilbert O’Sullivan | Alone Again (Naturally) |
1973 | Maureen McGovern | The Morning After |
1974 | John Denver | Annie’s Song |
1975 | Eagles | One of These Nights |
1976 | Elton John and Kiki Dee | Don’t Go Breaking My Heart |
1977 | Andy Gibb | I Just Want To Be Your Everything |
1978 | The Rolling Stones | Miss You |
1979 | Donna Summer | Bad Girls |
1980 | Olivia Newton-John | Magic |
1981 | Rick Springfield | Jessie’s Girl |
1982 | Survivor | Eye Of The Tiger |
1983 | The Police | Every Breath You Take |
1984 | Prince | When Doves Cry |
1985 | Tears For Fears | Shout |
1986 | Peter Cetera | Glory Of Love (Theme From “The Karate Kid Part II”) |
1987 | Bob Seger | Shakedown (From “Beverly Hills Cop II”) |
1988 | Steve Winwood | Roll With It |
1989 | Prince | Batdance (from “Batman”) |
1990 | Mariah Carey | Vision Of Love |
1991 | Bryan Adams | (Everything I Do) I Do It For You |
1992 | Sir Mix-A-Lot | Baby Got Back |
1993 | UB40 | Can’t Help Falling In Love (From “Sliver”) |
1994 | Lisa Loeb and Nine Stories | Stay (I Missed You) (From “Reality Bites”) |
1995 | TLC | Waterfalls |
1996 | Los Del Rio | Macarena (Bayside Boys Mix) |
1997 | Puff Daddy & Faith Evans Featuring 112 | I’ll Be Missing You |
1998 | Brandy & Monica | The Boy Is Mine |
1999 | Christina Aguilera | Genie In A Bottle |
2000 | N Sync | It’s Gonna Be Me |
2001 | Destiny’s Child | Bootylicious |
2002 | Nelly | Hot In Herre |
2003 | Beyonce Featuring Jay Z | Crazy In Love |
2004 | Juvenile Featuring Soulja Slim | Slow Motion |
2005 | Mariah Carey | We Belong Together |
2006 | Nelly Furtado Featuring Timbaland | Promiscuous |
2007 | Plain White T’s | Hey There Delilah |
2008 | Katy Perry | I Kissed A Girl |
2009 | The Black Eyed Peas | I Gotta Felling |
2010 | Eminem Featuring Rihanna | Love The Way You Lie |
2011 | LMFAO Featuring Lauren Bennett & GoonRock | Party Rock Anthem |
2012 | Carly Rae Jepsen | Call Me Maybe |
2013 | Robin Thicke Featuring T.I. + Pharrell | Blurred Lines |
2014 | MAGIC! | Rude |
2015 | OMI | Cheerleader |
2016 | Sia Featuring Sean Paul | Cheap Thrills |
2017 | Luis Fonsi & Daddy Yankee Featuring Justin Bieber | Despacito |
2018 | Drake | In My Feelings |
Source: Billboard Hot 100 website