Mod Hippie aesthetics and Feminism triumph but the “Silent Majority” re-elects President Nixon in a landslide as America’s Red/Blue political divide gets real. Amid the tension, Glam Rock grabs headlines, ’50s nostalgia spawns Oldies radio, escapism rules the Pop charts and Black artists dominate the top ten for 14 straight weeks leading up to the Wattstax Benefit.

#1 Song of the Year   The top song according to our Chartcrush ranking of all Hot100 songs that earned the majority of their chart ranking points in the year

Artists of the Year   The top three artists based on all charted songs during the calendar year

1. Al Green
2. Nilsson
3. Michael Jackson

Artist with Most Charting Songs   Artist(s) with the most Hot100 charting songs during the year (song count in parentheses)

• TIE: James Brown/Joe Simon (6)

Average #1 Artist Age   The average of how old artists who scored #1 Hot100 hits during the year were when their songs first reached #1

• 30.9 years

#1 Songs   List of Hot100 #1 songs that earned the majority of their chart ranking points in the year, and (in parentheses), the month the song first hit #1 and the total number of weeks it was #1

1. Melanie – Brand New Key (December ’71, 3 wks)
2. Don McLean – American Pie (Parts 1 and 2) (January, 4 wks)
3. Al Green – Let’s Stay Together (February, 1 wk)
4. Nilsson – Without You (February, 4 wks)
5. Neil Young – Heart of Gold (March, 1 wk)
6. America – A Horse with No Name (March, 3 wks)
7. Roberta Flack – The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face (April, 6 wks)
8. The Chi-Lites – Oh Girl (May, 1 wk)
9. The Staple Singers – I’ll Take You There (June, 1 wk)
10. Sammy Davis Jr. with The Mike Curb Congregation – The Candy Man (June, 3 wks)
11. Neil Diamond – Song Sung Blue (July, 1 wk)
12. Bill Withers – Lean on Me (July, 3 wks)
13. Gilbert O’Sullivan – Alone Again (Naturally) (July, 6 wks)
14. Looking Glass – Brandy (You’re a Fine Girl) (August, 1 wk)
15. Three Dog Night – Black & White (September, 1 wk)
16. Mac Davis – Baby Don’t Get Hooked on Me (September, 3 wks)
17. Michael Jackson – Ben (October, 1 wk)
18. Chuck Berry – My Ding-a-Ling (October, 2 wks)
19. Johnny Nash – I Can See Clearly Now (November, 4 wks)
20. The Temptations – Papa Was a Rollin’ Stone (December, 1 wk)
21. Helen Reddy – I Am Woman (December, 1 wk)
22. Billy Paul – Me and Mrs. Jones (December, 3 wks)