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It’s the “Eve of Destruction” and young Baby Boomers “(Can’t Get No) Satisfaction” as the Vietnam draft widens the generation gap, Folk plugs in and Bob Dylan sets a new bar for Pop lyrics. Motown and Soul soundtrack the Civil Rights movement and bolster Black Pride as chart hits become street anthems and the British Invasion transcends youth culture.

#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. The Beatles
2. Herman’s Hermits
3. The Supremes

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

• The Beatles (10)

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

• 23.3 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. The Supremes – Come See About Me (December ’64, 2 wks)
2. The Beatles – I Feel Fine (December ’64, 3 wks)
3. Petula Clark – Downtown (January, 2 wks)
4. The Righteous Brothers – You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’ (February, 2 wks)
5. Gary Lewis & The Playboys – This Diamond Ring (February, 2 wks)
6. The Temptations – My Girl (March, 1 wk)
7. The Beatles – Eight Days a Week (March, 2 wks)
8. The Supremes – Stop! in the Name of Love (March, 2 wks)
9. Freddie & The Dreamers – I’m Telling You Now (April, 2 wks)
10. Wayne Fontana & The Mindbenders – Game of Love (April, 1 wk)
11. Herman’s Hermits – Mrs. Brown You’ve Got a Lovely Daughter (May, 3 wks)
12. The Beatles – Ticket to Ride (May, 1 wk)
13. The Beach Boys – Help Me, Rhonda (May, 2 wks)
14. The Supremes – Back in My Arms Again (June, 1 wk)
15. Four Tops – I Can’t Help Myself (June, 2 wks)
16. The Byrds – Mr. Tambourine Man (June, 1 wk)
17. The Rolling Stones – (I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction (July, 4 wks)
18. Herman’s Hermits – I’m Henry VIII, I Am (August, 1 wk)
19. Sonny & Cher – I Got You Babe (August, 3 wks)
20. The Beatles – Help! (September, 3 wks)
21. Barry McGuire – Eve of Destruction (September, 1 wk)
22. The McCoys – Hang on Sloopy (October, 1 wk)
23. The Beatles – Yesterday (October, 4 wks)
24. The Rolling Stones – Get Off of My Cloud (November, 2 wks)
25. The Supremes – I Hear a Symphony (November, 2 wks)
26. The Byrds – Turn! Turn! Turn! (To Everything There Is a Season) (December, 3 wks)
27. The Dave Clark Five – Over and Over (December, 1 wk)

The Beatles have split, Jimi Hendrix and Janis Joplin are dead, and culture is on the ropes in a year when the top two songs are accidental hits. Meanwhile, everything is political as taxpayer funding takes protest and activism mainstream, radical revolutionaries get violent and All in the Family debuts. But Singer-Songwriters, story songs, religion and nostalgia offer sanctuary to help soothe frayed nerves.

#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. James Brown
2. Carpenters
3. Three Dog Night

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

• James Brown (9)

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

• 25.9 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. George Harrison – My Sweet Lord (December ’70, 4 wks)
2. Dawn – Knock Three Times (January, 3 wks)
3. The Osmonds – One Bad Apple (February, 5 wks)
4. Janis Joplin – Me and Bobby McGee (March, 2 wks)
5. The Temptations – Just My Imagination (Running Away with Me) (April, 2 wks)
6. Three Dog Night – Joy to the World (April, 6 wks)
7. The Rolling Stones – Brown Sugar (May, 2 wks)
8. The Honey Cone – Want Ads (June, 1 wk)
9. Carole King – It’s Too Late (June, 5 wks)
10. The Raiders – Indian Reservation (The Lament of the Cherokee Reservation Indian) (July, 1 wk)
11. James Taylor – You’ve Got a Friend (July, 1 wk)
12. Bee Gees – How Can You Mend a Broken Heart (August, 4 wks)
13. Paul & Linda McCartney – Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey (September, 1 wk)
14. Donny Osmond – Go Away Little Girl (September, 3 wks)
15. Rod Stewart – Maggie May (October, 5 wks)
16. Cher – Gypsys, Tramps & Thieves (November, 2 wks)
17. Isaac Hayes – Theme from Shaft (November, 2 wks)
18. Sly & The Family Stone – Family Affair (December, 3 wks)

The Lilith Fair festival tour galvanizes women in music the year The Spice Girls, Hanson and Backstreet Boys usher in the late ’90s Pop boom. Meanwhile, the sudden deaths of The Notorious B.I.G. and Lady Diana inspire multiplatinum tribute singles, Punk notches its very first #1 and Rock newcomers score four of the year’s top hits.

#1 Song of the Year   The top song according to our Chartcrush ranking of all Billboard Radio Songs entries 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 (on the Billboard Radio Songs chart) during the calendar year

1. Jewel
2. The Wallflowers
3. Spice Girls

Artist with Most Charting Songs   Artist(s) with the most charting songs on the Billboard Radio Songs chart during the year (song count in parentheses)

• 3-WAY TIE: Spice Girls/Hanson/Smashing Pumpkins (3)

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

• 27.2 years

#1 Songs   List of Billboard Radio Songs #1's 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. No Doubt – Don’t Speak (December ’96, 16 wks)
2. Toni Braxton – Un-Break My Heart (January, 2 wks)
3. Jewel – You Were Meant for Me (April, 9 wks)
4. Hanson – MMMBop (June, 4 wks)
5. Shawn Colvin – Sunny Came Home (July, 4 wks)
6. Will Smith – Men in Black (August, 4 wks)
7. Third Eye Blind – Semi-Charmed Life (September, 3 wks)
8. Jewel – Foolish Games (September, 3 wks)
9. Sugar Ray – Fly (October, 6 wks)
10. Chumbawamba – Tubthumping (November, 9 wks)

Whitney Houston takes the charts by storm and emerges as a multi-format superstar in a transitional year for Pop as Run-D.M.C. takes Hip-Hop mainstream (with a little help from Aerosmith), The Bangles break through, synthy Arena Rock succumbs to Glam Metal and music’s benefit streak peaks with Amnesty International’s Conspiracy of Hope concerts and a charity single for AIDS research that becomes the year’s top chart hit.

#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. Janet Jackson
2. Billy Ocean
3. Miami Sound Machine

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

• 3-WAY TIE: Miami Sound Machine/Billy Ocean/Bob Seger (4)

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

• 32.3 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. Lionel Richie – Say You, Say Me (December ’85, 4 wks)
2. Dionne & Friends (Elton John, Gladys Knight & Stevie Wonder) – That’s What Friends Are For (January, 4 wks)
3. Whitney Houston – How Will I Know (February, 2 wks)
4. Mr. Mister – Kyrie (March, 2 wks)
5. Starship – Sara (March, 1 wk)
6. Heart – These Dreams (March, 1 wk)
7. Falco – Rock Me Amadeus (March, 3 wks)
8. Prince & The Revolution – Kiss (April, 2 wks)
9. Robert Palmer – Addicted to Love (May, 1 wk)
10. Pet Shop Boys – West End Girls (May, 1 wk)
11. Whitney Houston – Greatest Love of All (May, 3 wks)
12. Madonna – Live to Tell (June, 1 wk)
13. Patti LaBelle & Michael McDonald – On My Own (June, 3 wks)
14. Billy Ocean – There’ll Be Sad Songs (To Make You Cry) (July, 1 wk)
15. Simply Red – Holding Back the Years (July, 1 wk)
16. Genesis – Invisible Touch (July, 1 wk)
17. Peter Gabriel – Sledgehammer (July, 1 wk)
18. Peter Cetera – Glory of Love (Theme from the Karate Kid Part II) (August, 2 wks)
19. Madonna – Papa Don’t Preach (August, 2 wks)
20. Steve Winwood – Higher Love (August, 1 wk)
21. Bananarama – Venus (September, 1 wk)
22. Berlin – Take My Breath Away (Love Theme from Top Gun) (September, 1 wk)
23. Huey Lewis & the News – Stuck with You (September, 3 wks)
24. Janet Jackson – When I Think of You (October, 2 wks)
25. Cyndi Lauper – True Colors (October, 2 wks)
26. Boston – Amanda (November, 2 wks)
27. The Human League – Human (November, 1 wk)
28. Bon Jovi – You Give Love a Bad Name (November, 1 wk)
29. Peter Cetera & Amy Grant – The Next Time I Fall (December, 1 wk)
30. Bruce Hornsby & The Range – The Way It Is (December, 1 wk)
31. Bangles – Walk like An Egyptian (December, 4 wks)

“The Harlem Shake” debuts at #1 the week after Billboard adds YouTube to its Hot100 formula and bloggers lash out as fans propel “incorrect” hits like “Thrift Shop” and “Blurred Lines.” No Black headliner scores a #1 hit all year, but the first Gen-Zer (Lorde) does. Plus, Timberlake is back and married, Katy is divorced and Roaring, Indie Folk booms, Bruno surges and Miley gets her twerk on at the VMAs.

#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. Macklemore & Ryan Lewis
2. Imagine Dragons
3. Bruno Mars

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

• Justin Bieber (14)

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

• 28.9 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. Rihanna – Diamonds (December ’12, 3 wks)
2. Bruno Mars – Locked Out of Heaven (December ’12, 6 wks)
3. Macklemore feat. Wanz – Thrift Shop (February, 6 wks)
4. Baauer – Harlem Shake (March, 5 wks)
5. Bruno Mars – When I Was Your Man (April, 1 wk)
6. P!nk feat. Nate Ruess – Just Give Me a Reason (April, 3 wks)
7. Macklemore feat. Ray Dalton – Can’t Hold Us (May, 5 wks)
8. Robin Thicke feat. T.I. & Pharrell – Blurred Lines (June, 12 wks)
9. Katy Perry – Roar (September, 2 wks)
10. Miley Cyrus – Wrecking Ball (September, 3 wks)
11. Lorde – Royals (October, 9 wks)

Atlanta, Hip-Hop and Crunk ‘n B rule in a year when every #1 is by a Black artist. Filesharing and mixtapes skew the charts, but along with reality TV and social media, Usher’s Confessions quenches Millennials’ thirst for deeper connections, sells a million its first week and scores three #1s. And Maroon 5 breaks out with two songs on the chart for 40+ weeks while everyone shakes it like a Polaroid picture listening to Outkast!

#1 Song of the Year   The top song according to our Chartcrush ranking of all 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. Usher
2. Alicia Keys
3. Maroon 5

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

• 4-WAY TIE: Usher/Twista/Kenny Chesney/Nelly (4)

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

• 27.0 years

#1 Songs   List of #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. OutKast – Hey Ya! (December ’03, 9 wks)
2. OutKast feat. Sleepy Brown – The Way You Move (February, 1 wk)
3. Twista feat. Kanye West & Jamie Foxx – Slow Jamz (February, 1 wk)
4. Usher feat. Lil Jon & Ludacris – Yeah! (February, 12 wks)
5. Usher – Burn (May, 8 wks)
6. Fantasia – I Believe (July, 1 wk)
7. Usher – Confessions Part II (July, 2 wks)
8. Juvenile feat. Soulja Slim – Slow Motion (August, 2 wks)
9. Terror Squad – Lean Back (August, 3 wks)
10. Ciara feat. Petey Pablo – Goodies (September, 7 wks)
11. Usher & Alicia Keys, Beyonce & JD – My Boo (October, 6 wks)

Euro-Disco and Paula Abdul arrive the year the Cold War ends, Teen Pop peaks, Arsenio debuts on late night and some of Boomerdom’s biggest latter-day stars score their final big hits. Milli Vanilli’s lip-syncing shocks pop culture more than Madonna’s blasphemy or 2 Live Crew’s obscenity, Janet Jackson scores the first of seven top 5’s from her new album, and Billboard‘s top 3 songs of the year are all from… 1988?

#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. New Kids on the Block
2. Bobby Brown
3. Paula Abdul

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

• New Kids on the Block (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

• 28.8 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. Phil Collins – Two Hearts (January, 2 wks)
2. Sheriff – When I’m with You (February, 1 wk)
3. Paula Abdul – Straight Up (February, 3 wks)
4. Debbie Gibson – Lost in Your Eyes (March, 3 wks)
5. Mike + The Mechanics – The Living Years (March, 1 wk)
6. Bangles – Eternal Flame (April, 1 wk)
7. Roxette – The Look (April, 1 wk)
8. Fine Young Cannibals – She Drives Me Crazy (April, 1 wk)
9. Madonna – Like a Prayer (April, 3 wks)
10. Bon Jovi – I’ll Be There for You (May, 1 wk)
11. Paula Abdul – Forever Your Girl (May, 2 wks)
12. Michael Damian – Rock On (June, 1 wk)
13. Bette Midler – Wind Beneath My Wings (June, 1 wk)
14. New Kids on the Block – I’ll Be Loving You (Forever) (June, 1 wk)
15. Richard Marx – Satisfied (June, 1 wk)
16. Milli Vanilli – Baby Don’t Forget My Number (July, 1 wk)
17. Fine Young Cannibals – Good Thing (July, 1 wk)
18. Simply Red – If You Don’t Know Me by Now (July, 1 wk)
19. Martika – Toy Soldiers (July, 2 wks)
20. Prince – Batdance (August, 1 wk)
21. Richard Marx – Right Here Waiting (August, 3 wks)
22. Paula Abdul – Cold Hearted (September, 1 wk)
23. New Kids on the Block – Hangin’ Tough (September, 1 wk)
24. Gloria Estefan – Don’t Wanna Lose You (September, 1 wk)
25. Milli Vanilli – Girl I’m Gonna Miss You (September, 2 wks)
26. Janet Jackson – Miss You Much (October, 4 wks)
27. Roxette – Listen to Your Heart (November, 1 wk)
28. Bad English – When I See You Smile (November, 2 wks)
29. Milli Vanilli – Blame It on the Rain (November, 2 wks)
30. Billy Joel – We Didn’t Start the Fire (December, 2 wks)
31. Phil Collins – Another Day in Paradise (December, 4 wks)

The payola scandal chills Rock ‘n Roll on radio and adult genres like Easy Listening, Soundtracks, Jazz and Rat Pack Swing dominate music with albums (now in stereo!) outselling singles, and hi-fi’s debuting in the Sears catalog. But Elvis is back from the Army, The Nashville Sound puts Country front and center, and American Bandstand starts a wave of dance crazes with “The Twist.”

#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. Connie Francis
2. Brenda Lee
3. Bobby Rydell

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

• Fats Domino (10)

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

• 24.5 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. Frankie Avalon – Why (December ’59, 1 wk)
2. Marty Robbins – El Paso (January, 2 wks)
3. Johnny Preston – Running Bear (January, 3 wks)
4. Mark Dinning – Teen Angel (February, 2 wks)
5. Percy Faith & His Orchestra – The Theme from “A Summer Place” (February, 9 wks)
6. Elvis Presley with The Jordanaires – Stuck on You (April, 4 wks)
7. The Everly Brothers – Cathy’s Clown (May, 5 wks)
8. Connie Francis – Everybody’s Somebody’s Fool (June, 2 wks)
9. Hollywood Argyles – Alley-Oop (July, 1 wk)
10. Brenda Lee – I’m Sorry (July, 3 wks)
11. Brian Hyland – Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polkadot Bikini (August, 1 wk)
12. Elvis Presley with The Jordanaires – It’s Now or Never (August, 5 wks)
13. Chubby Checker – The Twist (September, 1 wk)
14. Connie Francis – My Heart Has a Mind of Its Own (September, 2 wks)
15. Larry Verne – Mr. Custer (October, 1 wk)
16. The Drifters – Save the Last Dance for Me (October, 3 wks)
17. Brenda Lee – I Want to Be Wanted (Per Tutta la Vita) (October, 1 wk)
18. Ray Charles – Georgia on My Mind (November, 1 wk)
19. Maurice Williams & The Zodiacs – Stay (November, 1 wk)

Trump v. Hillary politicizes Pop like never before and countless stars are #WithHer while the GOP’s celeb hopeful can’t even play records at his events! Streaming reverses the music industry’s 15-year free-fall from online filesharing as Tropical House and Dancehall sounds top the charts, Justin Bieber grows up, a genre-bending Rock duo from Ohio breaks through, and one-namers Adele, Drake and Rihanna all reach new heights.

#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. Drake
2. Twenty One Pilots
3. The Chainsmokers

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

• Drake (22)

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

• 27.9 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. Adele – Hello (November ’15, 10 wks)
2. Justin Bieber – Sorry (January, 3 wks)
3. Justin Bieber – Love Yourself (February, 2 wks)
4. Zayn – Pillowtalk (February, 1 wk)
5. Rihanna feat. Drake – Work (March, 9 wks)
6. Desiigner – Panda (May, 2 wks)
7. Drake feat. WizKid & Kyla – One Dance (May, 10 wks)
8. Justin Timberlake – Can’t Stop the Feeling! (May, 1 wk)
9. Sia feat. Sean Paul – Cheap Thrills (August, 4 wks)