Billboard Hot 100 Chart 50th Anniversary

More Charts:

The Billboard Hot 100 All-Time Top Songs (100-91)

The definitive list of the Hot 100's top 100 songs from the chart's first 50 years, August 1958 through July 2008.

How were Billboard's 50th Anniversary Hot 100 song and artist charts determined? Read the FAQ.

« previous

100-91 | 90-81 | 80-71 | 70-61 | 60-51
50-41 | 40-31 | 30-21 | 20-11 | 10-1

	JOY TO THE WORLD Three Dog Night Label: Dunhill/ABC Peak Date: 4/17/1971 Peak Position: 1 (6 wks)	100
	Before claiming a second No. 1 with "Joy to the World," Three Dog Night lead vocalists Danny Hutton, Cory Wells and Chuck Negron-using the moniker Redwood-left their mark on early recordings with Beach Boys guru Brian Wilson. The Los Angeles pop-rock group kicked into overdrive between 1969 and 1975, charting 21 pop hits including initial No. 1 "Mama Told Me (Not to Come)" in 1970. After disbanding in 1977, the group reunited in 1983 just as "Joy to the World" enjoyed renewed attention when it was featured on the soundtrack to Academy Award-nominated film "The Big Chill." With a current lineup that features founders Wells and Hutton, the group still performs a number of times each year.

	U GOT IT BAD Usher Label: Arista Peak Date: 12/15/2001 Peak Position: 1 (6)	99
	Co-produced by Jermaine Dupri and Bryan-Michael Cox, "U Got It Bad" spent a week at No. 1 in December 2001 before being temporarily replaced by Nickelback's "How You Remind Me." But the Usher hit returned to the top the following month, adding five more weeks at No. 1 to its tally.

	I CAN'T STOP LOVING YOU Ray Charles Label: ABC-Paramount Peak Date: 6/2/1962 Peak Position: 1 (5)	98
	This version of artist/songwriter Don Gibson's 1958 top 10 country hit was from the album "Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music." Ray Charles' take won the best R&B recording Grammy in 1962 and spent 10 weeks at No. 1 on the R&B chart as well as five weeks atop the Adult Contemporary tally in addition to its five weeks at No. 1 on the Hot 100.

	I WILL SURVIVE Gloria Gaynor Label: Polydor Peak Date: 3/10/1979 Peak Position: 1 (3)	97
	"I Will Survive" was originally pressed as a B-side to the diva's more "commercially viable" cover of a Righteous Brothers tune. But in the fall of 1978, DJs flipped the record over and introduced discos to a heartfelt tale of unfailing empowerment, setting dancefloors ablaze. The track topped the Hot 100 for three weeks in early 1979.

	MARIA MARIA Santana Featuring The Product G&B Label: Arista Peak Date: 4/8/2000 Peak Position: 1 (10)	96
	"Maria Maria" proved to be almost as successful as previous hit "Smooth" for Santana, topping the Hot 100 for 10 weeks in early 2000. The song, which featured the Product G&B, took home the Grammy for best rock performance by a duo or group with vocals.

	LIKE A VIRGIN Madonna Label: Sire/Warner Bros. Peak Date: 12/22/1984 Peak Position: 1 (6)	95
	She made it through the wilderness. Somehow, she made it through. Of course, we're talking about Madonna and her first Hot 100 No. 1. She premiered "Like A Virgin" on Sept. 14, 1984, in a now-legendary performance on the first MTV Video Music Awards. Just over three months later, a few days before Christmas, the single was atop the Hot 100.

	A FIFTH OF BEETHOVEN Walter Murphy & The Big Apple Band Label: Private Stock Peak Date: 10/9/1976 Peak Position: 1 (1)	94
	Walter Murphy played nearly every instrument on "A Fifth of Beethoven," obviously based on the composer's "Fifth Symphony," but was forced to credit the song to an imaginary ensemble. It took 20 weeks to reach No. 1 in 1976; Murphy never achieved another top 40 hit on the Hot 100.

	DO THAT TO ME ONE MORE TIME Captain & Tennille Label: Casablanca Peak Date: 2/16/1980 Peak Position: 1 (2)	93
	While married couple Daryl Dragon and Toni Tennille's TV variety show corroborated their squeaky clean image, hits like "The Way That I Want To Touch You" and "You Never Done It Like That" supported a more sensual lyrical template. Continuing in that vein, "Do That To Me One More Time" was the group's second and final No. 1. It spent two weeks in the top spot in early 1980.

	IT'S NOW OR NEVER Elvis Presley Label: RCA Victor Peak Date: 8/15/1960 Peak Position: 1 (5)	92
	After hearing "O Sole Mio" while serving overseas in the Army, Elvis Presley charged the songwriting team of Wally Gold and Aaron Schroeder with delivering him a hit song borrowing from the well-worn melody. The plan worked: "It's Now or Never" spent five weeks atop the Hot 100 in 1960.

	ANOTHER NIGHT Real McCoy Label: Arista Peak Date: 11/12/1994 Peak Position: 3	91
	This German dance act arrived in summer 1994 with this dance/pop gem, which also led the Hot Dance Club Play chart in October. Thanks to its lengthy chart life (45 weeks), the No. 3-peaking "Another Night" makes the list as the only song that did not peak at No. 1 or No. 2.

« previous

100-91 | 90-81 | 80-71 | 70-61 | 60-51
50-41 | 40-31 | 30-21 | 20-11 | 10-1

Text by Ayala Ben-Yehuda, Fred Bronson, Judy Cantor-Navas, Keith Caulfield, Jonathan Cohen, M. Tye Comer, Mariel Concepcion, Hillary Crosley, Natalie Der-Mesropian, Thom Duffy, Cortney Harding, Katie Hasty, Kamau High, Wade Jessen , Lavinia Jones Wright , Jeff Kolhede , Jessica Letkemann, Evan Lucy, Geoff Mayfield , Gail Mitchell, Evie Nagy, Silvio Pietroluongo, Wayne Robins, Chuck Taylor, Christa Titus, Gary Trust, Ken Tucker, and Ray Waddell.

Billboard offers full coverage of breaking music news and music chart toppers to music executives and fans alike. Billboard is the best print and online music magazine for in-depth music business news and access to an array of digital music, business tools and music videos. Search music news articles about your favorite artist or research evolving trends in digital music. Review Top 100 music charts to discover new songs, or download hot real music ringtones. Music executives can also review lists of RIAA-certified music. Also check out our music widgets and music trivia sections and keep coming back to discover new music, read exclusive interviews and watch hot new music videos from chart-topping artists. Visit Billboard.com each day to see what new song releases made it to No. 1 on the music charts.