Special Report
Most Popular Song the Year You Were Born
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For many Americans, music is often associated with memories. Songs from the past can evoke powerful personal emotions and trigger vivid memories. The music of Woodstock can send one hurtling down memory lane, back to the 1960s; disco triggers recollection of the 1970s; and any number of new wave hits can take one back to the 1980s.
The music we associate with different periods is generally the most popular popular music of its respective time. Often this music can be distilled to a single song.
To identify the most popular song the year you were born, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed Billboard’s top-ranked singles on the Hot 100 going back to 1960. The year’s most popular song is the one that spent the most time in the No. 1 position that year.
Click here to see the most popular song the year you were born.
Click here to see our methodology.
The 1960s began with some runoff from the popular musical styles of the 1950s. The most popular song in 1960 was the instrumental version of “Theme from ‘A Summer Place’” by Percy Faith and his orchestra. Music fans soon moved on to listening to more rock music, including The Beatles’ “I Want To Hold Your Hand” and The Rolling Stones’ “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction.”
The top songs of the 1970s and 1980s featured a wide variety of musical styles, each of which encapsulates the feel of its year. In 1978, the Bee Gees’ “Night Fever” was a fitting summation of the age of disco. And there’s perhaps no song better to kick off the 1980s than Blondie’s enduring new wave hit “Call Me,” which sat at No. 1 for six weeks.
Tastes continued to change in the 1990s, shifting more towards R&B. This is evidenced by the inclusion of two Boyz II Men songs, as well as singles by Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey, and
Brandy & Monica in that decade. This trend largely continued throughout the aughts, yet expanding to include more rap and dance music. Artists include Nelly, 50 Cent, and Soulja Boy.
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
1960
> Song: Theme from ‘A Summer Place’
> Artist: Percy Faith
> Weeks at #1: 9
> Copies of single sold: 0.5 million
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Source: Courtesy of Line Music GmbH
1961
> Song: Tossin’ And Turnin’
> Artist: Bobby Lewis
> Weeks at #1: 7
> Copies of single sold: N/A
24/7 Wall St.
Source: Express Newspapers / Getty Images
1962
> Song: I Can’t Stop Loving You
> Artist: Ray Charles
> Weeks at #1: 5
> Copies of single sold: 0.5 million
Source: Wikimedia Commons
1963
> Song: Sugar Shack
> Artist: Jimmy Gilmer And The Fireballs
> Weeks at #1: 5
> Copies of single sold: 0.5 million
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Source: Fox Photos / Getty Images
1964
> Song: I Want To Hold Your Hand
> Artist: The Beatles
> Weeks at #1: 7
> Copies of single sold: 0.5 million
Source: Keystone / Getty Images
1965
> Song: (I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction
> Artist: The Rolling Stones
> Weeks at #1: 4
> Copies of single sold: 0.5 million
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Source: Public Domain/ Wikimedia Commons
1966
> Song: The Ballad Of The Green Berets
> Artist: Sgt. Barry Sadler
> Weeks at #1: 5
> Copies of single sold: 0.5 million
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
1967
> Song: I’m A Believer
> Artist: The Monkees
> Weeks at #1: 7
> Copies of single sold: 0.5 million
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
1968
> Song: Hey Jude
> Artist: The Beatles
> Weeks at #1: 9
> Copies of single sold: 4 million
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Source: Arnie Lee / Wikimedia Commons
1969
> Song: Aquarius/Let The Sunshine In
> Artist: The 5th Dimension
> Weeks at #1: 6
> Copies of single sold: 1 million
Source: Central Press / Getty Images
1970
> Song: Bridge Over Troubled Water
> Artist: Simon & Garfunkel
> Weeks at #1: 6
> Copies of single sold: 0.5 million
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Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
1971
> Song: Joy To The World
> Artist: Three Dog Night
> Weeks at #1: 6
> Copies of single sold: 0.5 million
24/7 Wall St.
Source: Nationaal Archief / Getty Images
1972
> Song: Alone Again (Naturally)
> Artist: Gilbert O’Sullivan
> Weeks at #1: 6
> Copies of single sold: 0.5 million
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
1973
> Song: Killing Me Softly With His Song
> Artist: Roberta Flack
> Weeks at #1: 5
> Copies of single sold: 0.5 million
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Source: Kevin Winter / Getty Images
1974
> Song: The Way We Were
> Artist: Barbra Streisand
> Weeks at #1: 3
> Copies of single sold: 1 million
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
1975
> Song: Love Will Keep Us Together
> Artist: Captain & Tennille
> Weeks at #1: 4
> Copies of single sold: 0.5 million
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Source: Ian Dury / Wikimedia Commons
1976
> Song: Tonight’s The Night (Gonna Be Alright)
> Artist: Rod Stewart
> Weeks at #1: 8
> Copies of single sold: 0.5 million
Source: Curb Records / AllCDCovers
1977
> Song: You Light Up My Life
> Artist: Debby Boone
> Weeks at #1: 10
> Copies of single sold: 1 million
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
1978
> Song: Night Fever
> Artist: Bee Gees
> Weeks at #1: 8
> Copies of single sold: 1 million
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Source: Wikimedia Commons
1979
> Song: My Sharona
> Artist: The Knack
> Weeks at #1: 6
> Copies of single sold: 0.5 million
Source: Adolphs-Dog at Dutch Wikipedia / Wikimedia Commons
1980
> Song: Call Me
> Artist: Blondie
> Weeks at #1: 6
> Copies of single sold: 0.5 million
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Source: YouTube
1981
> Song: Endless Love
> Artist: Diana Ross & Lionel Richie
> Weeks at #1: 9
> Copies of single sold: 1 million
24/7 Wall St.
Source: YouTube
1982
> Song: Ebony And Ivory
> Artist: Paul McCartney And Stevie Wonder
> Weeks at #1: 7
> Copies of single sold: 0.5 million
Source: Lionel Urman / Wikimedia Commons
1983
> Song: Every Breath You Take
> Artist: The Police
> Weeks at #1: 8
> Copies of single sold: 0.5 million
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Source: Ethan Miller / Getty Images
1984
> Song: Jump
> Artist: Van Halen
> Weeks at #1: 5
> Copies of single sold: 0.5 million
Source: Courtesy of Columbia Records / AllCDCovers
1985
> Song: We Are The World
> Artist: USA For Africa
> Weeks at #1: 4
> Copies of single sold: 4 million
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Source: Hulton Archive / Getty Images
1986
> Song: That’s What Friends Are For
> Artist: Dionne Warwick & Friends
> Weeks at #1: 4
> Copies of single sold: 0.5 million
Source: Mike Coppola / Getty Images
1987
> Song: Livin’ On A Prayer
> Artist: Bon Jovi
> Weeks at #1: 4
> Copies of single sold: 3 million
Source: Dina Regine / Wikimedia Commons
1988
> Song: Roll With It
> Artist: Steve Winwood
> Weeks at #1: 4
> Copies of single sold: 2 million
[in-text-ad-2]
Source: J Vettorino from USA / Wikimedia Commons
1989
> Song: Miss You Much
> Artist: Janet Jackson
> Weeks at #1: 4
> Copies of single sold: 1 million
Source: Courtesy of Chrysalis Records
1990
> Song: Nothing Compares 2 U
> Artist: Sinead O’Connor
> Weeks at #1: 4
> Copies of single sold: 1 million
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Source: Marco Maas / Wikimedia Commons
1991
> Song: (Everything I Do) I Do It For You
> Artist: Bryan Adams
> Weeks at #1: 7
> Copies of single sold: 3 million
24/7 Wall St.
Source: Lunchbox LP from Culver City, CA, USA / Wikimedia Commons
1992
> Song: End Of The Road
> Artist: Boyz II Men
> Weeks at #1: 13
> Copies of single sold: 1 million
Source: Kevin Winter / Getty Images
1993
> Song: I Will Always Love You
> Artist: Whitney Houston
> Weeks at #1: 14
> Copies of single sold: 6 million
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Source: Momento Mori / Wikimedia Commons
1994
> Song: I’ll Make Love To You
> Artist: Boyz II Men
> Weeks at #1: 14
> Copies of single sold: 1 million
Source: Tommaso Boddi / Getty Images
1995
> Song: Fantasy
> Artist: Mariah Carey
> Weeks at #1: 8
> Copies of single sold: 2 million
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Source: Courtesy of RCA Records
1996
> Song: Macarena (Bayside Boys Mix)
> Artist: Los Del Rio
> Weeks at #1: 14
> Copies of single sold: 4 million
Source: Ian Gavan / Getty Images
1997
> Song: Candle In The Wind 1997/Something About The Way You Look Tonight
> Artist: Elton John
> Weeks at #1: 14
> Copies of single sold: 11 million
Source: Dan Callister / Getty Images
1998
> Song: The Boy Is Mine
> Artist: Brandy & Monica
> Weeks at #1: 13
> Copies of single sold: 2 million
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Source: Theo Wargo / Getty Images
1999
> Song: Smooth
> Artist: Santana ft. Rob Thomas
> Weeks at #1: 12
> Copies of single sold: 0.5 million
Source: Bryan Bedder / Getty Images
2000
> Song: Maria Maria
> Artist: Santana ft. The Product G&B
> Weeks at #1: 10
> Copies of single sold: 1 million
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Source: Everett Collection / Shutterstock.com
2001
> Song: All For You
> Artist: Janet Jackson
> Weeks at #1: 7
> Copies of single sold: N/A
Source: Featureflash Photo Agency / Shutterstock.com
2002
> Song: Dilemma
> Artist: Nelly ft. Kelly Rowland
> Weeks at #1: 10
> Copies of single sold: N/A
Source: Alex Const / Wikimedia Commons
2003
> Song: In Da Club
> Artist: 50 Cent
> Weeks at #1: 9
> Copies of single sold: 1 million
[in-text-ad-2]
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
2004
> Song: Yeah!
> Artist: Usher ft. Lil Jon & Ludacris
> Weeks at #1: 12
> Copies of single sold: 1 million
Source: Tommaso Boddi / Getty Images
2005
> Song: We Belong Together
> Artist: Mariah Carey
> Weeks at #1: 14
> Copies of single sold: 4 million
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Source: Luiz Moreira / Shutterstock.com
2006
> Song: SexyBack
> Artist: Justin Timberlake
> Weeks at #1: 7
> Copies of single sold: 5 million
24/7 Wall St.
Source: Courtesy of Interscope Records
2007
> Song: Crank That (Soulja Boy)
> Artist: Soulja Boy
> Weeks at #1: 7
> Copies of single sold: 3 million
Source: Adam Bielawski / Wikimedia Commons
2008
> Song: Low
> Artist: Flo Rida ft. T-Pain
> Weeks at #1: 10
> Copies of single sold: 3 million
[in-text-ad-2]
Source: Aj.duplessis / Wikimedia Commons
2009
> Song: I Gotta Feeling
> Artist: The Black Eyed Peas
> Weeks at #1: 14
> Copies of single sold: 8 million
Source: Sam Wasson / Getty Images for iHeartMedia
2010
> Song: TiK ToK
> Artist: Ke$ha
> Weeks at #1: 9
> Copies of single sold: 5 million
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Source: Christopher Polk / Getty Images for NARAS
2011
> Song: We Found Love
> Artist: Rihanna ft. Calvin Harris
> Weeks at #1: 10
> Copies of single sold: 9 million
24/7 Wall St.
Source: ParkerHiggins / Wikimedia Commons
2012
> Song: Call Me Maybe
> Artist: Carly Rae Jepsen
> Weeks at #1: 9
> Copies of single sold: 10 million
Source: Melissa Rose / Wikimedia Commons
2013
> Song: Blurred Lines
> Artist: Robin Thicke ft. T.I. + Pharrell
> Weeks at #1: 12
> Copies of single sold: 6 million
[in-text-ad-2]
Source: Twocoms / Shutterstock.com
2014
> Song: Happy
> Artist: Pharrell Williams
> Weeks at #1: 10
> Copies of single sold: 7 million
Source: Su-May / Wikimedia Commons
2015
> Song: Uptown Funk!
> Artist: Mark Ronson ft. Bruno Mars
> Weeks at #1: 14
> Copies of single sold: 11 million
[in-text-ad]
Source: Kathy Hutchins / Shutterstock.com
2016
> Song: Closer
> Artist: The Chainsmokers ft. Halsey
> Weeks at #1: 12
> Copies of single sold: 7 million
Source: Sergi Alexander / Getty Images
2017
> Song: Despacito
> Artist: Luis Fonsi & Daddy Yankee ft. Justin Bieber
> Weeks at #1: 16
> Copies of single sold: 13.3 million
Methodology:
To determine the most popular song each year since 1960, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed Billboard Hot 100 rankings going back to August 1960. The song chosen to represent each year is the single that spent the most weeks in the No. 1 rank and – in the case of ties – spent the most time in the No. 2 and No. 3 ranks.
“Copies of single sold” refers to Certified Units as reported by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). These figures reflect record label shipments in the United States, as opposed to retail sales. They represent singles only and not the albums a single may have appeared on. In certain cases – especially with regards to older releases – sales may be underreported due to labels’ failure to request updated certification from the RIAA.
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