2012

The Top 150 Hits of… 2012

For a while now it’s been standard policy for a few big pop artists to release an album, and then release a second version of the same album about a year later with a few new tracks. At least one of those new tracks, usually two, are released as singles and become hits. The question is, do we count those new songs as part of the same album?

If we do, then Katy Perry broke Michael Jackson’s record by having a sixth #1 from the same album. “Part of Me” debuted at #1 when Teenage Dream: The Complete Confection was released. Billboard didn’t make any note of it (or if they did, I missed it) so I assume the official line is that bonus tracks don’t count, or didn’t this time. She already has 2 #1’s from her latest album Prism (“Dark Horse” is #1 as I’m writing this). It’ll be interesting to see how future singles perform. We haven’t seen an artist with this kind of track record for hitting the top since Mariah Carey.

“Cruise” by Florida Georgia Line followed the Shania Twain/Faith Hill chart path by having a complete run as a country song, falling off the chart, then coming back with a pop remix (FGL added a rapper to theirs: Nelly. Ooh.) Billboard treated both versions as the same song. I don’t. So rather than having two versions of the same song on the 2013 list, I’m putting the country version here, even though a bit more of its points were accumulated in 2013 than 2012.

Glee season 3.2 should likely have a representative song here. But since the research tools do not yet exist for 2012 that would make figuring out the Glee Cast’s point total at least somewhat easier for me, I’m ignoring it for now. They’ll be an edit in a couple of years when a later edition of Record Research’s Pop Annual is available.

EDIT: Whoops. Looks like I missed a couple. When first posted, this list was missing "Skyfall" and "Live While We're Young" (#'s 90 and 122). Adding them necessitated the removal of "Take It to the Head" by DJ Khaled and "Party" by Beyoncé, formerly at 149 and 150.

1. Somebody That I Used to Know – Gotye feat. Kimbra
2. Call Me Maybe – Carly Rae Jepsen
3. We Found Love – Rihanna feat. Calvin Harris
4. One More Night – Maroon 5
5. We Are Young – fun. feat. Janelle Monae
6. Sexy and I Know It – LMFAO
7. Some Nights – fun.
8. Lights – Ellie Goulding
9. Payphone – Maroon 5 feat. Wiz Khalifa
10. Glad You Came – The Wanted
11. Stronger (What Doesn’t Kill You) – Kelly Clarkson
12. Starships – Nicki Minaj
13. Set Fire to the Rain – Adele
14. Good Feeling – Flo Rida
15. What Makes You Beautiful – One Direction
16. Wild Ones – Flo Rida feat. Sia
17. We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together – Taylor Swift
18. Gangnam Style – Psy
19. Wide Awake – Katy Perry
20. Too Close – Alex Clare
21. Whistle – Flo Rida
22. It Will Rain – Bruno Mars
23. As Long as You Love Me – Justin Bieber feat. Big Sean
24. Ni**as in Paris – Jay-Z Kanye West
25. Everybody Talks – Neon Trees
26. Titanium – David Guetta feat. Sia
27. Young, Wild & Free – Snoop Dogg & Wiz Khalifa feat. Bruno Mars
28. Blow Me (One Last Kiss) – Pink
29. Drive By – Train
30. The Motto – Drake feat. Lil Wayne
31. Where Have You Been – Rihanna
32. Take Care – Drake feat. Rihanna
33. I Won’t Give Up – Jason Mraz
34. Mercy – Kanye West, Big Sean, Pusha T, 2 Chains
35. Good Time – Owl City & Carly Rae Jepsen
36. Turn Me On – David Guetta feat. Nicki Minaj
37. The One That Got Away – Katy Perry
38. Boyfriend – Justin Bieber
39. Part of Me – Katy Perry
40. Wanted – Hunter Hayes
41. Let Me Love You (Until You Learn to Love Yourself) – Ne-Yo
42. Domino – Jessie J
43. Give Your Heart a Break – Demi Lovato
44. Feel So Close – Calvin Harris
45. Scream – Usher
46. Rack City – Tyga
47. Don’t Wake Me Up – Chris Brown
48. Not Over You – Gavin DeGraw
49. Dance (A$$) – Big Sean feat. Nicki Minaj
50. Love You Like a Love Song – Selena Gomez & the Scene
51. Work Out – J. Cole
52. Paradise – Coldplay
53. International Love – Pitbull feat. Chris Brown
54. Clique – Kanye West, Jay-Z, Big Sean
55. 5 O’Clock – T-Pain feat. Wiz Khalifa & Lily Allen
56. Ass Back Home – Gym Class Heroes feat. Neon Hitch
57. Cruise – Florida Georgia Line
58. Drunk on You – Luke Bryan
59. No Lie – 2 Chains feat. Drake
60. Want U Back – Cher Lloyd
61. Springsteen – Eric Church
62. Brokenhearted – Karmin
63. I Don’t Want This Night to End – Luke Bryan
64. Back in Time – Pitbull
65. Rumour Has It – Adele
66. Blown Away – Carrie Underwood
67. Let’s Go – Calvin Harris feat. Ne-Yo
68. Good Girl – Carrie Underwood
69. Make Me Proud – Drake feat. Nicki Minaj
70. Pontoon – Little Big Town
71. Climax – Usher
72. Red Solo Cup – Toby Keith
73. Work Hard, Play Hard – Wiz Khalifa
74. Thinkin Bout You – Frank Ocean
75. Pound the Alarm – Nicki Minaj
76. Come Over – Kenny Chesney
77. 50 Ways to Say Goodbye – Train
78. Heart Attack – Trey Songz
79. Drank in My Cup – Kirko Bangz
80. A Thousand Years – Christina Perri
81. Birthday Cake – Rihanna feat. Chris Brown
82. Take a Little Ride – Jason Aldean
83. So Good – B.o.B.
84. You da One – Rihanna
85. Turn Up the Music – Chris Brown
86. Pop That – French Montana feat. Rick Ross, Drake, Lil Wayne
87. We Run the Night – Havana Brown feat. Pitbull
88. I Like It Like That – Hot Chelle Rae feat. New Boyz
89. Ours – Taylor Swift
90. Skyfall - Adele
91. Cashin’ Out – Ca$h Out
92. Hard to Love – Lee Brice
93. Somethin’ ‘Bout a Truck – Kip Moore
94. All Your Life – The Band Perry
95. Fly Over States – Jason Aldean
96. Even If It Breaks Your Heart – Eli Young Band
97. Burn It Down – Linkin Park
98. Faded – Tyga feat. Lil Wayne
99. Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye – Luke Bryan
100. Over You – Miranda Lambert
101. Brighter Than the Sun - Colbie Caillat
102. A Woman Like You – Lee Brice
103. Tattoos on This Town – Jason Aldean
104. Tonight Is the Night – Outasight
105. Time Is Love – Josh Turner
106. Feel Again – OneRepublic
107. Lotus Flower Bomb – Wale feat. Miguel
108. Keep Me in Mind – Zac Brown Band
109. Dance Again – Jennifer Lopez
110. Strip – Chris Brown feat. Kevin K-MAC McCall
111. You – Chris Young
112. Alone with You – Jake Owen
113. Drink in My Hand – Eric Church
114. Talk That Talk – Rihanna feat. Jay-Z
115. Angel Eyes – Love and Theft
116. (Kissed You) Good Night – Gloriana
117. 2 Reasons – Trey Songz feat. T.I.
118. 5-1-5-0 – Dierks Bentley
119. Cowboys and Angels – Dustin Lynch
120. Blackout – Breathe Carolina
121. You Don’t Know Her Like I Do – Brantley Gilbert
122. Live While We're Young - One Direction
123. Tongue Tied – Grouplove
124. One Thing – One Direction
125. Lemme See – Usher feat. Rick Ross
126. Beez in the Trap – Nicki Minaj feat. 2 Chains
127. Leave You Alone – Young Jeezy feat. Ne-Yo
128. Birthday Song – 2 Chains feat. Kanye West
129. Why Ya Wanna – Jana Kramer
130. Drink on It – Blake Shelton
131. Begin Again – Taylor Swift
132. Can’t Get Enough – J. Cole feat. Trey Songz
133. Dancing Away with My Heart – Lady Antebellum
134. Eyes Open – Taylor Swift
135. UP! – LoveRance feat IamSu & Skipper or 50 Cent
136. The Fighter – Gym Class Heroes feat. Ryan Tedder
137. Turn on the Lights – Future
138. Love on Top – Beyoncé
139. Better Than I Used to Be – Tim McGraw
140. Safe & Sound – Taylor Swift with the Civil Wars
141. The One That Got Away – Jake Owen
142. Both of Us – B.o.B. feat. Taylor Swift
143. Let It Rain – David Nail
144. Come Wake Me Up – Rascal Flatts
145. Levels – Avicii
146. Home – Dierks Bentley
147. Fastest Girl in Town – Miranda Lambert
148. Ayy Ladies – Travis Porter feat. Tyga
149. Over – Blake Shelton
150. Heartbeat – The Fray

2011

The Top 150 Hits of… 2011

Once again this list goes to 152 and includes two songs that weren’t really hits, one collectively representing the chart entries from each half season of Glee. Season 2.2 had a record number of songs hit the chart (52!) but they weren’t quite as successful as the songs from 2.1. “Loser Like Me,” one of the few original songs from the series, reps 2.2 at #47. By season 3 the show lost its sales mojo (whew!) charting only 23 songs, the biggest being a medley of Adele songs, at #111 here.

Adele herself was the big story of 2011. Her first two singles from 21 are at #’s 2 & 5.

This was also the year that Katy Perry tied Michael Jackson’s record of five #1’s from one album. The third through fifth singles from Teenage Dream are at #’s 6, 8, and 18.

1. Party Rock Anthem – LMFAO
2. Rolling in the Deep – Adele
3. Moves Like Jagger – Maroon 5 feat. Christina Aguilera
4. Give Me Everything – Pitbull feat. Ne-Yo, Afrojack & Nayer
5. Someone Like You – Adele
6. Firework – Katy Perry
7. F**k You (Forget You) – Cee Lo Green
8. E.T. – Katy Perry feat. Kanye West
9. Super Bass – Nicki Minaj
10. Grenade – Bruno Mars
11. Pumped Up Kicks – Foster the People
12. Stereo Hearts – Gym Class Heroes feat. Adam Levine
13. Raise Your Glass – Pink
14. Only Girl (In the World) – Rihanna
15. Just Can’t Get Enough – The Black Eyed Peas
16. On the Floor – Jennifer Lopez feat. Pitbull
17. S&M – Rihanna
18. Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.) – Katy Perry
19. What’s My Name? – Rihanna feat. Drake
20. Without You – David Guetta feat. Usher
21. If I Die Young – The Band Perry
22. Tonight (I’m Lovin’ You) – Enrique Iglesias feat. Ludacris & DJ Frank E
23. Born This Way – Lady Gaga
24. F**kin’ Perfect – Pink
25. We R Who We R – Ke$ha
26. Look at Me Now – Chris Brown feat. Lil Wayne
27. Down on Me – Jeremih feat. 50 Cent
28. How to Love – Lil Wayne
29. Good Life – OneRepublic
30. Just a Kiss – Lady Antebellum
31. The Lazy Song – Bruno Mars
32. Black and Yellow – Wiz Khalifa
33. Till the World Ends – Britney Spears
34. The Show Goes On – Lupe Fiasco
35. The Edge of Glory – Lady Gaga
36. Tonight Tonight – Hot Chelle Rae
37. No Hands – Waka Flocka Flame feat. Roscoe Dash & Wale
38. Blow – Ke$ha
39. Lighters – Bad Meets Evil feat. Bruno Mars
40. Hey Baby (Drop It to the Floor) – Pitbull feat. T-Pain
41. The Time (Dirty Bit) – The Black Eyed Peas
42. Headlines – Drake
43. You Make Me Feel… – Cobra Starship feat Sabi
44. Coming Home – Diddy-Dirty Money feat. Skylar Grey
45. 6 Foot 7 Foot – Lil Wayne feat. Cory Gunz
46. Dirt Road Anthem – Jason Aldean
47. Loser Like Me – Glee Season 2.2
48. I Wanna Go – Britney Spears
49. I’m on One – DJ Khaled feat. Drake, Rick Ross & Lil Wayne
50. You and I – Lady Gaga
51. Mr. Know It All – Kelly Clarkson
52. Yeah 3x – Chris Brown
53. Stereo Love – Edward Maya & Vika Jigulina
54. Jar of Hearts – Christina Perri
55. Moment 4 Life – Nicki Minaj feat. Drake
56. I Need a Doctor – Dr. Dre feat. Eminem & Skylar Grey
57. Motivation – Kelly Rowland feat. Lil Wayne
58. In the Dark – Dev
59. She Will – Lil Wayne
60. Roll Up – Wiz Khalifa
61. Rocketeer – Far*East Movement feat. Ryan Tedder
62. All of the Lights – Kanye West
63. Hold It Against Me – Britney Spears
64. More – Usher
65. What the Hell – Avril Lavigne
66. Written in the Stars – Tinie Tempah feat. Eric Turner
67. For the First Time – The Script
68. Honey Bee – Blake Shelton
69. Back to December – Taylor Swift
70. Please Don’t Go – Mike Posner
71. God Gave Me You – Blake Shelton
72. Don’t You Wanna Stay – Jason Aldean with Kelly Clarkson
73. Pretty Girl Rock – Keri Hilson
74. Crazy Girl – Eli Young Band
75. Cheers (Drink to That) – Rihanna
76. It Girl – Jason Derulo
77. Who Says – Selena Gomez & the Scene
78. Barefoot Blue Jean Night – Jake Owen
79. Knee Deep – Zac Brown Band feat. Jimmy Buffet
80. Country Girl (Shake It for Me) – Luke Bryan
81. Remind Me – Brad Paisley with Carrie Underwood
82. Backseat – New Boyz feat. the Cataracs & Dev
83. Best Thing I Never Had – Beyoncé
84. Fly – Nicki Minaj feat. Rihanna
85. Don’t Wanna Go Home – Jason Derulo
86. Where Them Girls At – David Guetta feat. Flo Rida & Nicki Minaj
87. She Ain’t You – Chris Brown
88. Take a Back Road – Rodney Atkins
89. Mr. Saxobeat – Alexandra Stan
90. Whip My Hair – Willow
91. Sure Thing – Miguel
92. Price Tag – Jessie J feat. B.o.B.
93. Are You Gonna Kiss Me or Not – Thompson Square
94. You and Tequila – Kenny Chesney feat. Grace Potter
95. Mean – Taylor Swift
96. Otis – Jay-Z Kanye West
97. Somewhere with You – Kenny Chesney
98. Colder Weather – Zac Brown Band
99. My Last – Big Sean feat. Chris Brown
100. Aston Martin Music – Rick Ross feat. Drake & Chrisette Michele
101. Easy – Rascal Flatts feat. Natasha Bedingfield
102. Right Thru Me – Nicki Minaj
103. Strange Clouds – B.o.B. feat. Lil Wayne
104. We Owned the Night – Lady Antebellum
105. Every Teardrop Is a Waterfall – Coldplay
106. Felt Good on My Lips – Tim McGraw
107. Marvin & Chardonnay – Big Sean feat. Kanye West & Roscoe Dash
108. I Won’t Let Go – Rascal Flatts
109. Tomorrow – Chris Young
110. Nothing – The Script
111. Rumour Has It/Someone Like You – Glee Season 3.1
112. Never Say Never – Justin Bieber feat. Jaden Smith
113. Best Love Song – T-Pain feat. Chris Brown
114. Can’t Be Friends – Trey Songz
115. Sparks Fly – Taylor Swift
116. Marry Me – Train
117. You Lie – The Band Perry
118. A Little Bit Stronger – Sara Evans
119. Let Me Down Easy – Billy Currington
120. Marvin’s Room – Drake
121. Who Are You When I’m Not Looking – Blake Shelton
122. Take Over Control – Afrojack feat. Eva Simons
123. Baggage Claim – Miranda Lambert
124. Made in America – Toby Keith
125. Better with the Lights Off – New Boyz feat. Chris Brown
126. Am I the Only One – Dierks Bentley
127. Hello – Martin Solveig & Dragonette
128. Rhythm of Love – Plain White T’s
129. Old Alabama – Brad Paisley feat. Alabama
130. Dog Days Are Over – Florence + the Machine
131. If Heaven Wasn’t So Far Away – Justin Moore
132. Waiting for the End – Linkin Park
133. Higher – Taio Cruz feat. Travie McCoy
134. Keep Your Head Up – Andy Grammer
135. Here for a Good Time – George Strait
136. What Do You Want – Jerrod Niemann
137. Heart Like Mine – Miranda Lambert
138. Bow Chicka Wow Wow – Mike Posner feat. Lil Wayne
139. Rain Over Me – Pitbull feat. Marc Anthony
140. Country Must Be Country Wide – Brantley Gilbert
141. The Cave – Mumford & Sons
142. Long Hot Summer – Keith Urban
143. Homeboy – Eric Church
144. Who Dat Girl – Flo Rida feat. Akon
145. This – Darius Rucker
146. Voices – Chris Young
147. Put You in a Song – Keith Urban
148. Memories – David Guetta feat. Kid Cudi
149. John – Lil Wayne feat. Rick Ross
150. Out of My Head – Lupe Fiasco feat. Trey Songz
151. Just Fishin’ – Jason Aldean
152. I Love You This Big – Scotty McCreery