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Country crossover surges, Pop is migrating from AM to FM and the charts are a mishmash the year before MTV changes the game. Meanwhile, the Iran hostages are free, Reagan takes office and Americans are choosing confidence and optimism over ’70s malaise, strapping on their Walkmans, hitting the gym and getting “Physical.” And there’s a new spotlight on the dark side of fandom after John Lennon and the President are shot just months apart, Lennon fatally.

#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. Daryl Hall & John Oates
2. REO Speedwagon
3. Sheena Easton

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

• 4-WAY TIE: Neil Diamond/Diana Ross/REO Speedwagon/Don McLean (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

• 33.1 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. John Lennon – (Just Like) Starting Over (December ’80, 5 wks)
2. Blondie – The Tide Is High (January, 1 wk)
3. Kool & The Gang – Celebration (February, 2 wks)
4. Dolly Parton – 9 to 5 (February, 2 wks)
5. Eddie Rabbitt – I Love a Rainy Night (February, 2 wks)
6. REO Speedwagon – Keep on Loving You (March, 1 wk)
7. Blondie – Rapture (March, 2 wks)
8. Daryl Hall & John Oates – Kiss on My List (April, 3 wks)
9. Sheena Easton – Morning Train (Nine to Five) (May, 2 wks)
10. Kim Carnes – Bette Davis Eyes (May, 9 wks)
11. Stars on 45 – Medley (June, 1 wk)
12. Air Supply – The One That You Love (July, 1 wk)
13. Rick Springfield – Jessie’s Girl (August, 2 wks)
14. Diana Ross & Lionel Richie – Endless Love (August, 9 wks)
15. Christopher Cross – Arthur’s Theme (Best That You Can Do) (October, 3 wks)
16. Daryl Hall & John Oates – Private Eyes (November, 2 wks)
17. Olivia Newton-John – Physical (November, 10 wks)

A synthy Swedish Reggae-lite outfit is the first act since the Bee Gees to land three of the year’s top hits the year before the internet explodes, but the Pop Diva space delivers big hits and adds a new A-lister. Meanwhile, the first #1 by an unsigned act is a song from a GenX-defining movie, and ever-smoother R&B Vocal Groups prevail on radio and the Hot100 offering an antidote, for the time being, to aggressive Gangsta Rap.

#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. Ace of Base
2. Mariah Carey
3. Janet Jackson

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

• TIE: Janet Jackson/Ace of Base (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

• 26.6 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. Janet Jackson – Again (December ’93, 2 wks)
2. Mariah Carey – Hero (December ’93, 4 wks)
3. Bryan Adams, Rod Stewart & Sting – All for Love (January, 3 wks)
4. Celine Dion – The Power of Love (February, 4 wks)
5. Ace of Base – The Sign (March, 6 wks)
6. R. Kelly – Bump N’ Grind (April, 4 wks)
7. All-4-One – I Swear (May, 11 wks)
8. Lisa Loeb & Nine Stories – Stay (August, 3 wks)
9. Boyz II Men – I’ll Make Love to You (August, 14 wks)
10. Ini Kamoze – Here Comes the Hotstepper (December, 2 wks)

Pop’s ADHD year as hits churn faster than ever on radio and the charts, Frank Sinatra scores his last top 10 weeks after his daughter Nancy scores her first, and John Lennon sparks a Beatles backlash with his “bigger than Jesus” comment, clearing the field for The Monkees’ debut. Meanwhile, Garage Bands stomp, Motown and Detroit surge, Vaudeville makes a comeback, and three of the year’s top 10 acts are Folk-Rock newcomers. But the year’s biggest hit is a pro-military anthem by an Army medic as Vietnam escalates.

#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. The Lovin’ Spoonful
3. The Rolling Stones

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

• The Beatles (8)

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

• 25.7 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. Simon & Garfunkel – The Sounds of Silence (January, 2 wks)
2. The Beatles – We Can Work It Out (January, 3 wks)
3. Petula Clark – My Love (February, 2 wks)
4. Lou Christie – Lightnin’ Strikes (February, 1 wk)
5. Nancy Sinatra – These Boots Are Made for Walkin’ (February, 1 wk)
6. Barry Sadler – The Ballad of the Green Berets (March, 5 wks)
7. The Righteous Brothers – (You’re My) Soul and Inspiration (April, 3 wks)
8. The Young Rascals – Good Lovin’ (April, 1 wk)
9. The Mamas & The Papas – Monday, Monday (May, 3 wks)
10. Percy Sledge – When a Man Loves a Woman (May, 2 wks)
11. The Rolling Stones – Paint It, Black (June, 2 wks)
12. The Beatles – Paperback Writer (June, 2 wks)
13. Frank Sinatra – Strangers in the Night (July, 1 wk)
14. Tommy James & The Shondells – Hanky Panky (July, 2 wks)
15. The Troggs – Wild Thing (July, 2 wks)
16. The Lovin’ Spoonful – Summer in the City (August, 3 wks)
17. Donovan – Sunshine Superman (September, 1 wk)
18. The Supremes – You Can’t Hurry Love (September, 2 wks)
19. The Association – Cherish (September, 3 wks)
20. Four Tops – Reach Out I’ll Be There (October, 2 wks)
21. ? & The Mysterians – 96 Tears (October, 1 wk)
22. The Monkees – Last Train to Clarksville (November, 1 wk)
23. Johnny Rivers – Poor Side of Town (November, 1 wk)
24. The Supremes – You Keep Me Hangin’ On (November, 2 wks)
25. The New Vaudeville Band – Winchester Cathedral (December, 3 wks)
26. The Beach Boys – Good Vibrations (December, 1 wk)

It’s settle or scramble in the third year of the Petrillo musicians’ strike: Decca and Capitol churn out hit after hit but Victor and Columbia dig in, reissue old stuff and record their Singers a capella. Bing Crosby on Decca has his best year ever, Louis Jordan becomes the first R&B crossover act and king of Billboard‘s new Jukebox chart, and a single movie musical launches five of the year’s top 10 hits.

#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 that spent most of their chart runs in the year

1. Bing Crosby
2. The Mills Brothers
3. Jimmy Dorsey & His Orchestra

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

• Bing Crosby (12)

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

• 37.8

#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. Glen Gray & His Casa Loma Orchestra, vocal Eugenie Baird – My Heart Tells Me (Should I Believe My Heart?) (January, 5 wks)
2. Jimmy Dorsey & His Orchestra, vocal Kitty Kallen – Besame Mucho (March, 8 wks)
3. The Merry Macs – Mairzy Doats (March, 3 wks)
4. Guy Lombardo & His Royal Canadians, vocal Skip Nelson & The Lombardo Trio – It’s Love-Love-Love (April, 2 wks)
5. Bing Crosby – San Fernando Valley (May, 2 wks)
6. Bing Crosby – I Love You (May, 4 wks)
7. Harry James & His Orchestra, vocal Dick Haymes – I’ll Get by (As Long as I Have You) (June, 6 wks)
8. Bing Crosby – I’ll Be Seeing You (July, 3 wks)
9. Bing Crosby – Swinging on a Star (August, 10 wks)
10. Mills Brothers – You Always Hurt the One You Love (October, 2 wks)
11. Dinah Shore – I’ll Walk Alone (November, 6 wks)

One of the most depressing years in American history kicks off with a pair of somber hymns topping the charts, the second of which is a Beatles song that hits #1 the day after Paul McCartney leaves the band. The Jackson 5’s first four singles hit #1, The Carpenters debut, protest songs chart big after Kent State, and a new made-for-TV sitcom act comes complete with a #1 debut and the era’s top Teen heartthrob.

#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. Neil Diamond
2. The Jackson 5
3. The Guess Who

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

• TIE: Neil Diamond/James Brown (7)

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

• 24.3 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. Diana Ross & The Supremes – Someday We’ll Be Together (December ’69, 1 wk)
2. B.J. Thomas – Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head (January, 4 wks)
3. The Jackson 5 – I Want You Back (January, 1 wk)
4. The Shocking Blue – Venus (February, 1 wk)
5. Sly & the Family Stone – Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin) (February, 2 wks)
6. Simon & Garfunkel – Bridge Over Troubled Water (February, 6 wks)
7. The Beatles – Let It Be (April, 2 wks)
8. The Jackson 5 – ABC (April, 2 wks)
9. The Guess Who – American Woman (May, 3 wks)
10. Ray Stevens – Everything Is Beautiful (May, 2 wks)
11. The Beatles – The Long and Winding Road (June, 2 wks)
12. The Jackson 5 – The Love You Save (June, 2 wks)
13. Three Dog Night – Mama Told Me (Not to Come) (July, 2 wks)
14. Carpenters – (They Long to Be) Close to You (July, 4 wks)
15. Bread – Make It with You (August, 1 wk)
16. Edwin Starr – War (August, 3 wks)
17. Diana Ross – Ain’t No Mountain High Enough (September, 3 wks)
18. Neil Diamond – Cracklin’ Rosie (October, 1 wk)
19. The Jackson 5 – I’ll Be There (October, 5 wks)
20. The Partridge Family – I Think I Love You (November, 3 wks)
21. Smokey Robinson & The Miracles – The Tears of a Clown (December, 2 wks)

Napster is the final nail in the coffin of the Pop single as the Airplay and Sales charts diverge, but Post-Grunge bands are scoring major Hot100 hits and Alternative is the new Mainstream in Rock. Meanwhile, Mary J. Blige and Janet Jackson are single again and ready to hit the club and get crunk, Ja Rule’s J.Lo “Murder remixes” are completely different songs and Alicia Keys sweeps the Grammys her first year on the charts.

#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. Destiny’s Child
2. Ja Rule
3. 112

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

• Jay-Z (5)

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

• 27.2 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. Shaggy feat. Ricardo “RikRok” Ducent – It Wasn’t Me (February, 2 wks)
2. OutKast – Ms. Jackson (February, 1 wk)
3. Joe feat. Mystikal – Stutter (February, 4 wks)
4. Crazy Town – Butterfly (March, 2 wks)
5. Shaggy feat. Rayvon – Angel (March, 1 wk)
6. Janet – All for You (April, 7 wks)
7. Christina Aguilera, Lil’ Kim, Mya & Pink – Lady Marmalade (June, 5 wks)
8. Usher – U Remind Me (July, 4 wks)
9. Destiny’s Child – Bootylicious (August, 2 wks)
10. Alicia Keys – Fallin’ (August, 6 wks)
11. Jennifer Lopez feat. Ja Rule – I’m Real (September, 5 wks)
12. Mary J. Blige – Family Affair (November, 6 wks)

Hip-Hop affirms and solidifies its pop culture supremacy with “the Kiki Challenge,” Emo Rap and seven of the year’s top ten hits after Billboard updates the Hot100 to reflect the dominance of on-demand streaming. Meanwhile, Trump-era media narratives dramatically reshape the Pop ecosystem as they reverberate beyond politics and pervade downstream 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. Post Malone
2. Drake
3. Cardi B

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

• Drake (26)

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

• 27.6 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. Post Malone feat. 21 Savage – Rockstar (October ’17, 8 wks)
2. Ed Sheeran – Perfect (December ’17, 5 wks)
3. Camila Cabello feat. Young Thug – Havana (January, 1 wk)
4. Drake – God’s Plan (February, 11 wks)
5. Drake – Nice for What (April, 8 wks)
6. Childish Gambino – This Is America (May, 2 wks)
7. Post Malone feat. Ty Dolla $ign – Psycho (June, 1 wk)
8. XXXTENTACION – Sad! (June, 1 wk)
9. Cardi B, Bad Bunny & J Balvin – I Like It (July, 1 wk)
10. Drake – In My Feelings (July, 10 wks)
11. Maroon 5 feat. Cardi B – Girls like You (September, 7 wks)

MTV breaks its Rock format to air Michael Jackson’s Thriller videos under threat from CBS and accusations of racism, and becomes Pop’s new gravitational center after the Walkman kills off AM Top40. Meanwhile, Adult Contemporary is in transition from Country Pop to Smooth R&B, a daytime soap propels a song to #1, British and Aussie acts dominate the Hot100, and “the world’s biggest Rock band” scores the year’s top hit, then breaks up.

#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. Michael Jackson
2. Culture Club
3. Lionel Richie

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

• Michael Jackson (5)

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

• 31.7 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. Men at Work – Down Under (January, 4 wks)
2. Toto – Africa (February, 1 wk)
3. Patti Austin with James Ingram – Baby, Come to Me (February, 2 wks)
4. Michael Jackson – Billie Jean (March, 7 wks)
5. Dexys Midnight Runners – Come on Eileen (April, 1 wk)
6. Michael Jackson – Beat It (April, 3 wks)
7. David Bowie – Let’s Dance (May, 1 wk)
8. Irene Cara – Flashdance…What a Feeling (May, 6 wks)
9. Police – Every Breath You Take (July, 8 wks)
10. Eurythmics – Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This) (September, 1 wk)
11. Michael Sembello – Maniac (September, 2 wks)
12. Billy Joel – Tell Her About It (September, 1 wk)
13. Bonnie Tyler – Total Eclipse of the Heart (October, 4 wks)
14. Kenny Rogers duet with Dolly Parton – Islands in the Stream (October, 2 wks)
15. Lionel Richie – All Night Long (All Night) (November, 4 wks)
16. Paul McCartney & Michael Jackson – Say Say Say (December, 6 wks)

Politics lurches to the right and Madonna reins it in, but Mariah Carey goes Hip-Hop and Billboard names a Gangsta Rap song #1 on the year. Meanwhile, Hootie & The Blowfish are ubiquitous on radio, Jam Bands thrive, Euro-Dance crosses over and… chart dysfunction! as The Rembrandts’ “I’ll Be There for You (Theme from Friends)” becomes the first #1 Airplay hit barred from the Hot100 for not being out on a single.

#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. Hootie & The Blowfish
2. TLC
3. Boyz II Men

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)

• TIE: TLC/Green Day (4)

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

• 30.1 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. Boyz II Men – On Bended Knee (December ’94, 11 wks)
2. Madonna – Take a Bow (February, 9 wks)
3. Dionne Farris – I Know (April, 7 wks)
4. Boyz II Men – Water Runs Dry (June, 1 wk)
5. The Rembrandts – I’ll Be There for You (June, 8 wks)
6. Seal – Kiss from a Rose (August, 10 wks)
7. Mariah Carey – Fantasy (October, 7 wks)