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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)

Big Band Swing is all but extinct but the record biz prospers and ’20s superstar Al Jolson is cool again as a nostalgia wave sweeps the nation and the year’s top hit is a record from 1933! A recently-unemployed bandleader’s B-side sells millions, studio gimmickry becomes a thing, and upstart indies do an end run around the big-4’s monopoly on Tin Pan Alley’s A-list “plug songs” with under-the-radar “material hits” like the breakthrough smash by a trailblazing emotive Crooner.

#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. Eddy Howard & His Orchestra
2. Ted Weems & His Orchestra
3. Frankie Laine

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

• Frank Sinatra (8)

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

• 37.2

#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. Swing and Sway with Sammy Kaye, vocal Billy Williams – The Old Lamp-Lighter (December ’46, 8 wks)
2. Eddy Howard & His Orchestra, vocal Eddy Howard – (I Love You) For Sentimental Reasons (February, 1 wk)
3. Count Basie & His Orchestra, vocal Harry Edison & Bill Johnson – Open the Door, Richard! (February, 1 wk)
4. Freddy Martin & His Orchestra, vocal Stuart Wade – Managua, Nicaragua (March, 1 wk)
5. Ted Weems & His Orchestra, whistling Elmo Tanner – Heartaches (March, 15 wks)
6. The Harmonicats – Peg o’ My Heart (June, 6 wks)
7. Eddy Howard & His Orchestra, vocal Eddy Howard – I Wonder, I Wonder, I Wonder (July, 3 wks)
8. Tex Williams & His Western Caravan, vocal Tex Williams & Trio – Smoke! Smoke! Smoke! (That Cigarette) (August, 8 wks)
9. Francis Craig & His Orchestra, vocal Bob Lamm – Near You (September, 13 wks)

Gen-X lifts a raunchy Hip-Hop track that radio can’t play during the day to #1 as Billboard ditches its ancient survey system and takes the charts digital in the first year of the “Soundscan Era.” Underground sounds surface and crossover becomes the norm, but Michael Jackson finds Pop’s new sweet spot, the decade’s top Girl Group debuts, Boyz II Men breaks the record for weeks at #1, and Eurodance notches one last big early ’90s smash.

#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. En Vogue
2. TLC
3. Boyz II Men

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

• TIE: Ce Ce Peniston/Prince (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

• 26.8 years

#1 Songs on the Weekly Hot100   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. Michael Jackson – Black or White (December ’91, 7 wks)
2. Color Me Badd – All 4 Love (January, 1 wk)
3. George Michael & Elton John – Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me (February, 1 wk)
4. Right Said Fred – I’m Too Sexy (February, 3 wks)
5. Mr. Big – To Be with You (February, 3 wks)
6. Vanessa Williams – Save the Best for Last (March, 5 wks)
7. Kris Kross – Jump (April, 8 wks)
8. Mariah Carey – I’ll Be There (Live-Unplugged) (June, 2 wks)
9. Sir Mix-a-Lot – Baby Got Back (July, 5 wks)
10. Madonna – This Used to Be My Playground (August, 1 wk)
11. Boyz II Men – End of the Road (August, 13 wks)
12. The Heights – How Do You Talk to an Angel (November, 2 wks)

Elton John can do no wrong at his pinnacle of fame and success, but other established acts and their fans are moving in bold new directions. Soppy ballads flood the charts but Disco dancing starts to emerge as America’s preferred escape from ecomonic, political and social woes as unemployment hits 9%, domestic terrorism spikes, New York City collapses and ’70s “malaise” deepens.

#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. Elton John
2. John Denver
3. Freddy Fender

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

• 4-WAY TIE: John Denver/Linda Ronstadt/Tony Orlando & Dawn/Gloria Gaynor (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

• 30.8 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. Elton John – Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds (January, 2 wks)
2. Barry Manilow – Mandy (January, 1 wk)
3. Carpenters – Please Mr. Postman (January, 1 wk)
4. Neil Sedaka – Laughter in the Rain (February, 1 wk)
5. Ohio Players – Fire (February, 1 wk)
6. Linda Ronstadt – You’re No Good (February, 1 wk)
7. AWB – Pick Up the Pieces (February, 1 wk)
8. Eagles – Best of My Love (March, 1 wk)
9. Olivia Newton-John – Have You Never Been Mellow (March, 1 wk)
10. The Doobie Brothers – Black Water (March, 1 wk)
11. Frankie Valli – My Eyes Adored You (March, 1 wk)
12. LaBelle – Lady Marmalade (Voulez-Vous Coucher Avec Moi) (March, 1 wk)
13. Minnie Riperton – Lovin’ You (April, 1 wk)
14. Elton John Band – Philadelphia Freedom (April, 2 wks)
15. B.J. Thomas – (Hey Won’t You Play) Another Somebody Done Somebody Wrong Song (April, 1 wk)
16. Tony Orlando & Dawn – He Don’t Love You (Like I Love You) (May, 3 wks)
17. Earth, Wind and Fire – Shining Star (May, 1 wk)
18. Freddy Fender – Before the Next Teardrop Falls (May, 1 wk)
19. John Denver – Thank God I’m a Country Boy (June, 1 wk)
20. America – Sister Golden Hair (June, 1 wk)
21. Captain & Tennille – Love Will Keep Us Together (June, 4 wks)
22. Wings – Listen to What the Man Said (July, 1 wk)
23. Van McCoy & The Soul City Symphony – The Hustle (July, 1 wk)
24. Eagles – One of These Nights (August, 1 wk)
25. Bee Gees – Jive Talkin’ (August, 2 wks)
26. Hamilton, Joe Frank & Reynolds – Fallin’ in Love (August, 1 wk)
27. KC & The Sunshine Band – Get Down Tonight (August, 1 wk)
28. Glen Campbell – Rhinestone Cowboy (September, 2 wks)
29. David Bowie – Fame (September, 2 wks)
30. John Denver – I’m Sorry (September, 1 wk)
31. Neil Sedaka – Bad Blood (October, 3 wks)
32. Elton John – Island Girl (November, 3 wks)
33. KC & The Sunshine Band – That’s the Way (I Like It) (November, 2 wks)
34. Silver Convention – Fly, Robin, Fly (November, 3 wks)
35. The Staple Singers – Let’s Do It Again (December, 1 wk)
36. Bay City Rollers – Saturday Night (January ’76, 1 wk)