1991

The Top 150 Hits of… 1991

This was the last year before Billboard switched to new methods of formulating sales and airplay for the Hot 100. Instead of using playlists from radio stations and best seller lists from stores, Billboard would now use actual monitored airplay supplied by Broadcast Data Systems and at-the-register sales data from UPC scans. The first official week for the new chart was Nov. 30, 1991. But on that chart, in the spaces where rankings for the previous two weeks were shown, the rankings of songs from the previous two weeks of the test charts Billboard made before the switch were listed, not their positions on the published chart using the old. So chart geeks like me could compare the published versions of Nov. 16 & 23 vs. what they would have been under the new system. Comparing the new and old charts, there were some sizeable differences. In the official published chart for the week of Nov. 23, “Get a Leg Up” by John Mellencamp was #14. If the new chart had been in place, it would have been #42!

This made compiling my own list a little challenging in regards to songs that bridged the ’91 and ’92 chart years. In general, it was harder to get into the upper regions of the new chart, and chart life tended to be longer. So while “Get a Leg Up” wouldn’t have peaked as high, it likely would have had a few more weeks on the chart. So for these songs I did my best to construct what their remaining chart life would have been like under the old system. Given that I could easily be off by a bit, and two of these songs are at #149 and 150, I extended that chart two more places in the case the songs at 151 & 152 should really have been 149 & 150.

Billboard instituted a new rule in which if a song had been on the chart for 20 weeks and had dropped below the top 20 (quickly changed to the top 40, and later, top 50) it was removed from the chart and given recurrent status the following week. “Recurrent” is when a song is no longer on a station’s playlist per se, but it still gets played as an older tune amongst the more current songs. Thing was, if a song was very popular, and many stations were playing it as a recurrent, it could maintain sufficient airplay points to remain in the lower reaches of the chart until doomsday. Hence the new rule.

There are also three special cases on this chart. Two songs that were not available as singles, and therefore ineligible for the Hot 100, in which case I used points from the old airplay chart (#’s 92 & 137), and one whose single release was withheld until after its radio play had already peaked, in which case I used airplay chart points before its single release, and its Hot 100 points after (#95). All three cases were successful attempts to garner album sales. Had commercial singles been available, I'd be willing to bet these songs would have had much higher year-end positions.

1. (Everything I Do) I Do It for You – Bryan Adams 347.5
2. Because I Love You (The Postman Song) – Stevie B 301.5
3. From a Distance – Bette Midler 300.5
4. Gonna Make You Sweat – C&C Music Factory 298.5
5. High Enough – Damn Yankees 295.5
6. I Wanna Sex You Up – Color Me Badd 292.5
7. Rush Rush – Paula Abdul 291.5
8. One More Try – Timmy T 288
9. The First Time – Surface 285.5
10. More Than Words – Extreme 281
11. Unbelievable – EMF 280.5
12. I Like the Way (The Kissing Game) – Hi-Five 278.5
13. Motownphilly – Boyz II Men 271.5
14. Baby Baby – Amy Grant 259.5
15. Right Here, Right Now – Jesus Jones 252
16. Love Will Never Do (Without You) – Janet Jackson 250.5
17. I’m Your Baby Tonight – Whitney Houston 248.5
18. All the Man That I Need – Whitney Houston 248
19. Someday – Mariah Carey 247
20. Romantic – Karyn White 245.5
21. Good Vibrations – Marky Mark & the Funky Bunch w/ Loleatta Holloway 240.5
22. Do Anything – Natural Selection feat. Niki Haris 240
23. I Adore Mi Amor – Color Me Badd 239.5
24. Emotions – Mariah Carey 238.5
25. Sensitivity – Ralph Tresvant 237.5
26. Hold You Tight – Tara Kemp 234.5
27. Cream – Prince & the N.P.G. 234
28. Can’t Stop This Thing We Started – Bryan Adams 233.5
29. Justify My Love – Madonna 233
30. I Don’t Wanna Cry – Mariah Carey 228.5
31. Joyride – Roxette 227
32. Every Heartbeat – Amy Grant 226
33. You’re in Love – Wilson Phillips 224.5
34. Touch Me (All Night Long) – Cathy Dennis 224
35. Where Does My Heart Beat Now – Celine Dion 223
36. I’ve Been Thinking About You – Londonbeat 222
37. Impulsive – Wilson Phillips 222
38. Losing My Religion – R.E.M. 218.5
39. Wind of Change – Scorpions 218.5
40. Coming Out of the Dark – Gloria Estefan 215.5
41. Tom’s Diner – DNA feat. Suzanne Vega 215.5
42. Here We Go – C&C Music Factory 213
43. It Ain’t Over Til It’s Over – Lenny Kravitz 212.5
44. The Way You Do the Things You Do – UB40 209.5
45. Summertime – DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince 207.5
46. Love of a Lifetime – Firehouse 205.5
47. Hole Hearted – Extreme 202.5
48. P.A.S.S.I.O.N. – Rythm Syndicate 198
49. This House – Tracie Spencer 197.5
50. Something to Talk About – Bonie Raitt 197
51. Fading Like a Flower (Every Time You Leave) – Roxette 196
52. Promise of a New Day – Paula Abdul 192.5
53. After the Rain – Nelson 192
54. Rhythm of My Heart – Rod Stewart 191.5
55. Power of Love/Love Power – Luther Vandross 190.5
56. Love Is a Wonderful Thing – Michael Bolton 188.5
57. Iesha – Another Bad Creation 188.5
58. I Touch Myself – Divinyls 187.5
59. Things That Make You Go Hmmmm… - C&C Music Factory 183.5
60. I Can’t Wait Another Minute – Hi-Five 182.5
61. Temptation – Corina 182
62. Play That Funky Music – Vanilla Ice 180.5
63. I’ll Be There – The Escape Club 178.5
64. Around the Way Girl – LL Cool J 177.5
65. O.P.P. – Naughty by Nature 177.5
66. Here I Am (Come and Take Me) – UB40 177
67. Show Me the Way – Styx 174
68. 3A.M. Eternal – The KLF 173.5
69. Cry for Help – Rick Astley 172.5
70. Time, Love and Tenderness – Michael Bolton 171.5
71. Set the Night to Music – Roberta Flack & Maxi Priest 171.5
72. Sadeness Part 1 – Enigma 171
73. Now That We Found Love – Heavy D & the Boyz 170.5
74. Wicked Game – Chris Isaac 170
75. Signs – Tesla 167.5
76. I’ll Give All My Love to You – Keith Sweat 167.5
77. Round and Round – Tevin Campbell 166.5
78. Too Many Walls – Cathy Dennis 164.5
79. Place in This World – Michael W. Smith 163.5
80. Don’t Cry – Guns n’ Roses 162.5
81. Get Here – Oleta Adams 160.5
82. The One and Only – Chesney Hawkes 159
83. Crazy – Seal 158.5
84. Just Another Dream – Cathy Dennis 157.5
85. Everybody Plays the Fool – Aaron Neville 156
86. With You – Tony Terry 154.5
87. I’m Not in Love – Will to Power 154
88. Silent Lucidity – Queensryche 152.5
89. Miles Away – Winger 152.5
90. Real Real Real – Jesus Jones 151.5
91. Freedom ’90 – George Michael 151.5
92. State of the World – Janet Jackson 150
93. I Wonder Why – Curtis Stigers 150
94. Do You Want Me – Salt-n-Pepa 147
95. Rescue Me – Madonna 146
96. Piece of My Heart – Tara Kemp 146
97. Disappear – INXS 145.5
98. Strike It Up – Black Box 144.5
99. Let’s Talk About Sex – Salt -n- Pepa 139.5
100. Rico Suave – Gerardo 138
101. All This Time – Sting 136.5
102. I Saw Red – Warrant 136.5
103. Don’t Want to Be a Fool – Luther Vandross 135
104. Wiggle It – 2 in a Room 131.5
105. Walking in Memphis – Marc Cohn 130.5
106. The Motown Song – Rod Stewart 130
107. Enter Sandman – Metallica 128.5
108. Playground – Another Bad Creation 127.5
109. Shiny Happy People – R.E.M. 125
110. Voices that Care – Voices that Care 125
111. Written All Over Your Face – Rude Boys 123.5
112. Miracle – Jon Bon Jovi 122.5
113. Gypsy Woman (She’s Homeless) – Crystal Waters 119
114. If You Needed Somebody – Bad Company 118.5
115. Don’t Treat Me Bad – Firehouse 118.5
116. I’ll Never Let You Go – Steelheart 116.5
117. Unfogettable – Natalie Cole with Nat “King” Cole 114
118. Street of Dreams – Nia Peeples 113.5
119. How Can I Ease the Pain – Lisa Fischer 113
120. Lily Was Here – David A. Stewart & Candy Dulfer 113
121. Love Makes Things Happen – Pebbles with Babyface 112
122. Love… Thy Will Be Done – Martika 111.5
123. Hard to Handle – The Black Crowes 111
124. Miracle – Whitney Houston 109.5
125. Just the Way It Is, Baby – The Rembrandts 107.5
126. You Don’t Have to Go Home Tonight – The Triplets 106.5
127. The Dream Is Still Alive – Wilson Phillips 106
128. Running Back to You – Vanessa Williams 105.5
129. More Than Ever – Nelson 105.5
130. Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)/I Want You – Robert Palmer 105.5
131. Couple Days Off – Huey Lewis & the News 103
132. For You – The Outfield 102.5
133. Waiting for Love – Alias 99.5
134. I’ll Be By Your Side – Stevie B 95.5
135. Love and Understanding – Cher 95.5
136. Something in My Heart – Michel’le 95.5
137. Do the Bartman – The Simpsons 95
138. Mama Said Knock You Out – LL Cool J 93.5
139. Never Gonna Let You Down – Surface 93.5
140. One and Only Man – Steve Winwood 93.5
141. Save Some Love – Keedy 93
142. I’ll Do 4 U – Father M.C. 90.5
143. What Comes Naturally – Sheena Easton 89
144. Hey Donna – Rythm Syndicate 87.5
145. On the Way Up – Elisa Fiorillo 87.5
146. Heat of the Moment – After 7 86
147. A Better Love – Londonbeat 83.5
148. Deeper Shade of Soul – Urban Dance Squad 83
149. Ring My Bell – DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince 82.5
150. Get a Leg Up – John Mellencamp 81.5
151. Moneytalks – AC/DC 81.5
152. You Could Be Mine – Guns n’ Roses 76.5

2005

The Top 150 Hits of… 2005

Ten weeks into the 2005 chart year (the week of Feb. 12, to be exact), Billboard started incorporating digital download sales data into the Hot 100. I observed several effects in compiling this list. One was that rock artists got a big boost, with songs by Green Day and The Killers doing much better than they would have in the mostly airplay 2004 environment. Country seems to have a less tech savvy audience, with songs in that format struggling to make it as high on the chart as they did previously.

It also means that the point totals for songs that hit their peak in those first 10 weeks of the chart year often did not correlate with their position on the year-end chart. It seems like Billboard used digital sales for the entire year in making up their 2005 list, and the data for those first ten weeks would have made for very different Hot 100’s than the ones that were published. (Normally Billboard prints a small “How We Track the Hits” item in its year-end section to inform readers how they made up their year-end lists. They didn’t in 2005 so I don’t know if that’s accurate.)

Sales patterns seem to be quicker than airplay patterns. In the previous year, if a song got significant airplay on one of the smaller formats and not much anywhere else, Adult Top 40 for example, it could hang out in the lower half of the Hot 100 for a full 20 week run. Adding sales into the mixture meant a lot more songs visiting the chart for just a week or two, pushing other songs off the chart that would otherwise have had a slightly longer run. It’ll be interesting to see what effect the dozens of one week Glee Cast “hits” have when I get to those years.

Music-wise, 50 Cent and Kelly Clarkson are all over this list, Mariah Carey had the biggest hit of her career, and the aforementioned Green Day’s American Idiot album was a bona fide pop smash.

1. We Belong Together – Mariah Carey
2. Gold Digger – Kanye West feat. Jamie Foxx
3. Let Me Love You – Mario
4. Hollaback Girl – Gwen Stefani
5. Since U Been Gone – Kelly Clarkson
6. 1, 2 Step – Ciara feat. Missy Elliott
7. You and Me – Lifehouse
8. My Humps – The Black Eyed Peas
9. Drop It Like It’s Hot – Snoop Dogg feat. Pharrell
10. Don’t Cha – Pussycat Dolls feat. Busta Rhymes
11. Breakaway – Kelly Clarkson
12. Boulevard of Broken Dreams – Green Day
13. Candy Shop – 50 Cent feat. Olivia
14. Behind These Hazel Eyes – Kelly Clarkson
15. Disco Inferno – 50 Cent
16. Beverly Hills – Weezer
17. Sugar, We’re Goin’ Down – Fall Out Boy
18. Shake It Off – Mariah Carey
19. Over and Over – Nelly feat. Tim McGraw
20. Don’t Phunk with My Heart – The Black Eyed Peas
21. Lose Control – Missy Elliott feat. Ciara & Fat Man Scoop
22. Mr. Brightside – The Killers
23. Pon de Replay – Rihanna
24. Just a Lil Bit – 50 Cent
25. How We Do – The Game feat. 50 Cent
26. Oh – Ciara feat. Ludacris
27. Lonely No More – Rob Thomas
28. Feel Good Inc. – Gorillaz
29. Lovers & Friends – Lil Jon & the East Side Boyz feat. Usher & Ludacris
30. Hate It or Love It – The Game feat. 50 Cent
31. Soul Survivor – Young Jeezy feat. Akon
32. Soldier – Destiny’s Child feat. T.I. & Lil Wayne
33. Like You – Bow Wow feat. Ciara
34. Switch – Will Smith
35. Wake Me Up When September Ends – Green Day
36. Let Me Hold You – Bow Wow feat. Omarion
37. Rich Girl – Gwen Stefani feat. Eve
38. Obsession (No es Amor) – Frankie J feat. Baby Bash
39. Caught Up – Usher
40. Listen to your Heart – D.H.T.
41. Scars – Papa Roach
42. I Don’t Want to Be – Gavin DeGraw
43. Let Me Go – 3 Doors Down
44. Holiday – Green Day
45. Wonderful – Ja Rule feat. R. Kelly & Ashanti
46. I’m Sprung – T-Pain
47. Grind with Me – Pretty Ricky
48. Lonely – Akon
49. Collide – Howie Day
50. Slow Down – Bobby Valentino
51. Some Cut – Trillville feat. Cutty
52. Get It Poppin’ – Fat Joe feat. Nelly
53. Play – David Banner
54. Pimpin’ All Over the World – Ludacris feat. Bobby Valentino
55. Karma – Alicia Keys
56. Speed of Sound – Coldplay
57. Sugar (Gimme Some) – Trick Daddy feat. Ludacris, Lil’ Kim & Cee-Lo
58. Daughters – John Mayer
59. Mockingbird – Eminem
60. La Tortura – Shakira feat. Alelandro Sanz
61. Baby I’m Back – Baby Bash feat. Akon
62. Wait (The Whisper Song) – Ying Yang Twins
63. Your Body – Pretty Ricky
64. Incomplete – Backstreet Boys
65. Bring Em Out – T.I.
66. Get Back – Ludacris
67. Cater 2 U – Destiny’s Child
68. 1 Thing – Amerie
69. Best of You – Foo Fighters
70. It’s Like That – Mariah Carey
71. Goin’ Crazy – Natalie
72. Inside Your Heaven – Carrie Underwood
73. Truth Is – Fantasia
74. Beautiful Soul – Jesse McCartney
75. Dare You to Move – Switchfoot
76. Cool – Gwen Stefani
77. Girl Tonite – Twista feat. Trey Songz
78. Don’t Lie – The Black Eyed Peas
79. Outta Control (Remix) – 50 Cent feat. Mobb Deep
80. Vertigo – U2
81. Just the Girl – The Click Five
82. U Don’t Know Me – T.I.
83. These Words – Natasha Bedingfield
84. Get Right – Jennifer Lopez
85. As Good as I Once Was – Toby Keith
86. Girlfight – Brooke Valentine feat. Lil Jon & Big Boi
87. Ordinary People – John Legend
88. True – Ryan Cabrera
89. Karma – Lloyd Banks feat. Avant
90. O – Omarion
91. Numb/Encore – Jay-Z/Linkin Park
92. Only U – Ashanti
93. Boyfriend – Ashlee Simpson
94. Some Beach – Blake Shelton
95. Back Then – Mike Jones
96. Shorty Wanna Ride – Young Buck
97. What U Gon’ Do – Lil Jon & the East Side Boyz feat. Lil Scrappy
98. Chariot – Gavin DeGraw
99. Belly Dancer (Bananza) – Akon
100. I Should Have Cheated – Keyshia Cole
101. U Already Know – 112 feat. Foxy Brown
102. Unbreakable – Alicia Keys
103. Mississippi Girl – Faith Hill
104. Number One Spot – Ludacris
105. Give Me That – Webbie feat. Bun-B
106. Bless the Broken Road – Rascal Flatts
107. Baby It’s You – JoJo feat. Bow Wow
108. Sunday Morning – Maroon 5
109. Look What You’ve Done – Jet
110. Lady – Lenny Kravitz
111. Give a Little Bit – Goo Goo Dolls
112. Making Memories of Us – Keith Urban
113. Mud on the Tires – Brad Paisley
114. Fast Cars and Freedom – Rascal Flatts
115. Badd – Ying Ying Twins feat. Mike Jones & Mr. ColliPark
116. Something More – Sugarland
117. Back When – Tim McGraw
118. Must Be Nice – Lyfe Jennings
119. Girl – Destiny’s Child
120. Okay – Nivea feat. Lil Jon & YoungBloodz
121. You’re My Better Half – Keith Urban
122. Breathe (2AM) – Anna Nalick
123. A Real Fine Place to Start – Sara Evans
124. Free Yourself – Fantasia
125. Awful, Beautiful Life – Darryl Worley
126. Nothin’ to Lose – Josh Gracin
127. B.Y.O.B. –System of a Down
128. More Than Words – Frankie J
129. How to Deal – Frankie J
130. Better Life – Keith Urban
131. Shake – Ying Ying Twins feat. Pitbull
132. I’m a Hustla – Cassidy
133. Baby Girl – Sugarland
134. Almost – Bowling for Soup
135. The Hand That Feeds – Nine Inch Nails
136. Gasolina – Daddy Yankee
137. That’s What I Love About Sunday – Craig Morgan
138. Something to Be Proud Of – Montgomery Gentry
139. Welcome to My Life – Simple Plan
140. Tempted to Touch – Rupee
141. Nothin’ ‘Bout Love Makes Sense – LeAnn Rimes
142. Gone – Montgomery Gentry
143. Anything but Mine – Kenny Chesney
144. This Is How a Heart Breaks – Rob Thomas
145. Make Her Feel Good – Teairra Mari
146. The Woman with You – Kenny Chesney
147. Redneck Yacht Club – Craig Morgan
148. Encore – Eminem feat. Dr. Dre & 50 Cent
149. Nobody’s Home – Avril Lavigne
150. Best I Ever Had – Gary Allan

2004

The Top 150 Hits of… 2004

Single sales continued to decline in 2004. Fantasia’s post-Idol finale track, “I Believe,” was the top selling physical single and it didn’t even go gold. I tacked it on the end at #150 being that it was #1 for a week and it’s one of those I-need-more-information-to-know-where-it-should-really-go songs.

Billboard started tracking digital download sales in mid 2003, but that information wasn’t used for the Hot 100 until Feb. 2005. We’ll see the effects of that on the next list.

1. Yeah! – Usher feat. Lil Jon & Ludacris
2. The Way You Move – OutKast feat. Sleepy Brown
3. Here Without You – 3 Doors Down
4. Goodies – Ciara feat. Petey Pablo
5. Hey Ya! – OutKast
6. Burn – Usher
7. If I Ain’t Got You – Alicia Keys
8. This Love – Maroon5
9. The Reason – Hoobastank
10. My Boo – Usher and Alicia Keys
11. She Will Be Loved – Maroon5
12. Lean Back – Terror Squad
13. Someday – Nickelback
14. I Don’t Wanna Know – Mario Winans feat. Enya & P. Diddy
15. Stand Up – Ludacris feat. Shawnna
16. Tipsy – J-Kwon
17. Confessions Part II – Usher
18. Slow Motion – Juvenile feat. Soulja Slim
19. Suga Suga – Baby Bash feat. Frankie J
20. Freek-a-Leek – Petey Pablo
21. Lose My Breath – Destiny’s Child
22. Slow Jamz – Twista feat. Kanye West & Jamie Foxx
23. Naughty Girl – Beyoncé
24. My Immortal – Evanescence
25. Sunshine – Lil’ Flip feat. Lea
26. Dirt Off Your Shoulder – Jay-Z
27. Walked Outta Heaven – Jagged Edge
28. Move Ya Body – Nina Sky feat. Jabba
29. White Flag – Dido
30. Dip It Low - Christina Milian
31. The First Cut Is the Deepest – Sheryl Crow
32. Diary – Alicia Keys feat Tony! Toni! Tone!
33. Me, Myself and I – Beyoncé
34. You Don’t Know My Name – Alicia Keys
35. One Call Away – Chingy feat. j. Weav
36. Turn Me On – Kevin Lyttle feat. Spragga Benz
37. My Place – Nelly feat. Jaheim
38. Milkshake – Kelis
39. Numb – Linkin Park
40. It’s My Life – No Doubt
41. Step in the Name of Love – R. Kelly
42. Overnight Celebrity – Twista
43. Hotel – Cassidy feat. R. Kelly
44. Heaven – Los Lonely Boys
45. Locked Up – Akon feat. Styles P.
46. My Happy Ending – Avril Lavigne
47. Let’s Go – Trick Daddy feat. Twista & Lil Jon
48. Pieces of Me – Ashlee Simpson
49. Leave (Get Out) – JoJo
50. Splash Waterfalls – Ludacris
51. Jesus Walks – Kanye West
52. All Falls Down – Kanye West feat. Syleena Johnson
53. One Thing – Finger Eleven
54. Salt Shaker – Ying Yang Twins feat. Lil Jon & the East Side Boyz
55. Read Your Mind – Avant
56. Toxic – Britney Spears
57. With You – Jessica Simpson
58. Meant to Live – Switchfoot
59. On the Way Down – Ryan Cabrera
60. I Like That – Houston feat. Chingy, Nate dogg & I-20
61. Sorry 2004 – Ruben Studdard
62. Oye Mi Canto – N.O.R.E. feat. Daddy Yankee, Nina Sky, Big Mato & Gem Star
63. On Fire – Lloyd Banks
64. Just Lose It – Eminem
65. Roses – OutKast
66. My Band – D12
67. I’m Still in Love with You – Sean Paul feat. Sasha
68. Charlene – Anthony Hamilton
69. Breathe – Fabolous
70. Through the Wire – Kanye West
71. Why? – Jadakiss feat. Anthony Hamilton
72. Broken – Seether feat. Amy Lee
73. F**k It (I Don’t Want You Back) – Eamon
74. Wat Da Hook Gon Be – Murphy Lee feat. Jermaine Dupri
75. Go DJ – Lil Wayne
76. Game Over (Flip) – Lil’ Flip
77. Headsprung – LL Cool J
78. U Should’ve Known Better – Monica
79. Are You Gonna Be My Girl – Jet
80. 100 Years – Five for Fighting
81. Bright Lights – matchbox twenty
82. Let’s Get It Started – Black Eyed Peas
83. Gigolo – Nick Cannon feat. R.Kelly
84. Running (Dying to Live) – 2Pac w/ Notorious B.I.G.
85. Breaking the Habit – Linkin Park
86. Live Like You Were Dying – Tim McGraw
87. Remember When – Alan Jackson
88. Change Clothes – Jay-Z
89. Everytime – Britney Spears
90. Perfect – Simple Plan
91. Southside – Lloyd feat. Ashanti
92. Stunt 101 – G-Unit
93. Dude – Beenie Man feat. Ms. Thing
94. Wanna Get to Know You – G-Unit feat. Joe
95. When the Sun Goes Down – Kenny Chesney & Uncle Kracker
96. American Soldier – Toby Keith
97. Don’t Tell Me – Avril Lavigne
98. You’ll Think of Me – Keith Urban
99. Happy People – R. Kelly
100. Hey Mama – Black Eyed Peas
101. Redneck Woman – Gretchen Wilson
102. Letters from Home – John Michael Montgomery
103. There Goes My Life – Kenny Chesney
104. 1985 – Bowling for Soup
105. I Go Back – Kenny Chesney
106. Mayberry – Rascal Flatts
107. Days Go By – Keith Urban
108. Balla Baby – Chingy
109. Suds in the Bucket – Sara Evans
110. Rubber Band Man – T.I.
111. Watch the Wind Blow By – Tim McGraw
112. Fallen – Sarah McLachlan
113. No Problem – Lil Scrappy
114. Nothing On but the Radio – Gary Allan
115. Hush – LL Cool J fea. 7 Aurelius
116. Mr. Mom – Lonestar
117. So Sexy – Twista feat. R. Kelly
118. If You Ever Stop Loving Me – Montgomery Gentry
119. Nolia Clap – Juvenile / Wacko / Skip
120. Accidentally in Love – Counting Crows
121. Whats Happnin! – Ying Yang Twins feat. Trick Daddy
122. Little Moments – Brad Paisley
123. You Can’t Take the Honk Tonk Out of the Girl – Brooks & Dunn
124. Whiskey Girl – Toby Keith
125. Let’s Be Us Again – Lonestar
126. Culo – Pitbull feat. Lil Jon
127. Take My Breath Away – Jessica Simpson
128. I Hate Everything – George Strait
129. Ocean Avenue – Yellowcard
130. That’s What It’s All About – Brooks & Dunn
131. Don’t Take Your Love Away – Avant
132. I Wanna Do It All – Terri Clark
133. In a Real Love – Phil Vassar
134. Sweet Southern Comfort – Buddy Jewell
135. Breathe, Stretch, Shake – Mase feat. P. Diddy
136. Invisible – Clay Aiken
137. Megalomaniac – Incubus
138. Slither – Velvet Revolver
139. More & More – Joe
140. Gangsta Nation – Westside Connection feat. Nate Dogg
141. Cowboys Like Us – George Strait
142. I Miss You – Blink-182
143. (I Hate) Everything About You – Three Days Grace
144. Perfect – Sara Evans
145. Somebody Told Me – The Killers
146. Whiskey Lullaby – Brad Paisley with Alison Krauss
147. Cold Hard Bitch – Jet
148. Breathe – Michelle Branch
149. Welcome to My Life – Simple Plan
150. I Believe – Fantasia

2003

The Top 150 Hits of… 2003

At this point (after the decline of physical singles but before the rise of digital downloads), the Hot 100 was primarily an airplay chart. For the most part, I’m finding the point scale to be pretty accurate. All of the songs within a general point span are ending up within a few spaces of each other on Billboard’s year-end chart. Except in the few cases in which songs with little airplay were released as CD singles that sold a lot.

Case in point: Three singles spun from American Idol’s second season hit the top 5 in 2003, the biggest being “This Is the Night” by Clay Aiken. It was the year’s only platinum selling single and was #1 for 2 weeks. But it quickly fell down and off the chart. Numerically, it’s about 80 points off from the other songs around it on Billboard’s year-end list. But again, Billboard knows better than I in these later years (see 2000). Ruben Studdard’s hit is only about 20 points off. Still, I wouldn’t have expected “Flying Without Wings” be anywhere near the top 100 of the year, having only been on the chart for 10 weeks, but there it was. I’m telling you all this because, given the above, it’s possible that the American Idol Finalists’ version of “God Bless the USA” should be at the bottom of the top 150 somewhere. Possible. But I don’t have any way of figuring out where, and even if I could, I really can’t bring myself to put it in there.

This was the first of these lists that I’ve done for which I had less than 100 of the songs in iTunes. That could be helped if Ja Rule, Jennifer Lopez, Nelly, and Sean Paul would release greatest hits albums. It’s time, don’t you think?

1. Unwell – matchbox twenty
2. In da Club – 50 Cent
3. Get Low – Lil Jon & the East Side Boyz feat. Yin Yang Twins
4. Ignition – R. Kelly
5. Baby Boy - Beyoncé feat. Sean Paul
6. Lose Yourself – Eminem
7. Get Busy – Sean Paul
8. Crazy in Love – Beyoncé feat. Jay-Z
9. Right Thurr – Chingy
10. When I’m Gone – 3 Doors Down
11. Work It – Missy Elliott
12. Miss You – Aaliyah
13. The Game of Love – Santana feat. Michelle Branch
14. Shake Ya Tailfeather – Nelly, P. Diddy& Murphy Lee
15. Picture – Kid Rock feat. Sheryl Crow or Allison Moorer
16. Bring Me to Life – Evanescence feat. Paul McCoy
17. Damn! – YoungBloodz feat. Lil Jon
18. 21 Questions – 50 Cent feat. Nate Dogg
19. Beautiful – Christina Aguilera
20. All I Have – Jennifer Lopez feat. LL Cool J
21. I Know What You Want – Busta Rhymes & Mariah Carey feat. the Flipmode Squad
22. I’m with You – Avril Lavigne
23. Drift Away – Uncle Kracker feat. Dobie Gray
24. Magic Stick – Lil’ Kim feat. 50 Cent
25. P.I.M.P. – 50 Cent
26. Why Don’t You & I – Santana feat. Alex Band or Chad Kroeger
27. Bump, Bump, Bump – B2K & P. Diddy
28. Into You – Fabolous feat. Tamia or Ashanti
29. Landslide – Dixie Chicks
30. ’03 Bonnie & Clyde – Jay-Z feat. Beyoncé
31. Don’t Mess with My Man – Nivea feat. Brian & Brandon Casey
32. Can’t Let You Go – Fabolous feat. Mike Shorey & Lil’ Mo
33. Mesmerize – Ja Rule feat. Ashanti
34. Where Is the Love? – Black Eyed Peas
35. Rock wit U (Awww Baby) – Ashanti
36. Air Force Ones – Nelly feat. Kyjuan, Ali & Murphy Lee
37. Holidae In – Chingy feat. Ludacris & Snoop Dogg
38. Jenny from the Block – Jennifer Lopez feat. Styles & Jadakiss
39. Cry Me a River – Justin Timberlake
40. Headstrong – Trapt
41. How You Gonna Act Like That – Tyrese
42. Rock Your Body – Justin Timberlake
43. No Letting Go – Wayne Wonder
44. Frontin’ – Pharrell feat. Jay-Z
45. So Gone – Monica
46. Never Leave You – Uh Ooh, Uh Oooh! – Lumidee
47. Your Body Is a Wonderland – John Mayer
48. Beautiful – Snoop Dogg feat. Pharrell & Uncle Charlie Wilson
49. Love of My Life (An Ode to Hip Hop) – Erykah Badu feat. Common
50. Gossip Folks – Missy Elliott feat. Ludacris
51. She Hates Me – Puddle of Mudd
52. Miss Independent – Kelly Clarkson
53. Calling All Angels – Train
54. So Far Away – Staind
55. This Is the Night – Clay Aiken
56. In Those Jeans – Ginuwine
57. Rain on Me – Ashanti
58. The Remedy (I Won’t Worry) – Jason Mraz
59. Excuse Me Miss – Jay-Z
60. Can’t Hold Us Down – Christina Aguilera feat. Lil’ Kim
61. Are You Happy Now? – Michelle Branch
62. Forever and for Always – Shania Twain
63. Harder to Breathe – Maroon 5
64. I Can – Nas
65. Wanksta – 50 Cent
66. If You’re Not the One – Daniel Bedingfield
67. Thioa Thiong – R. Kelly
68. My Love Is Like… Wo – Mya
69. It’s Five O’Clock Somewhere – Alan Jackson & Jimmy Buffet
70. Like Glue – Sean Paul
71. My Front Porch Looking In – Lonestar
72. Angel – Amanda Perez
73. Don’t Know Why – Norah Jones
74. 19 Somethin’ – Mark Wills
75. Don’t Wanna Try – Frankie J
76. Can’t Stop, Won’t Stop – Young Gunz
77. The Jump Off – Lil’ Kim feat. Mr. Cheeks
78. Intuition – Jewel
79. Hell Yeah – Ginuwine feat. Baby
80. Beer for My Horses – Toby Keith & Willie Nelson
81. Fighter – Christina Aguilera
82. Family Portrait – Pink
83. Thugz Mansion – 2Pac
84. Clocks – Coldplay
85. Put That Woman First – Jaheim
86. These Days – Rascal Flatts
87. She’ll Leave You with a Smile – George Strait
88. Red Dirt Road – Brooks & Dunn
89. What Was I Thinkin’ – Dierks Bentley
90. Flying Without Wings – Ruben Studdard
91. Sing for the Moment – Eminem
92. Have You Forgotten? – Darryl Worley
93. I Love This Bar – Toby Keith
94. No Shoes, No Shirt, No Problems – Kenny Chesney
95. Come Over – Aaliyah
96. Sick of Being Lonely – Field Mob
97. I Want You – Thalia feat. Fat Joe
98. Like a Stone – Audioslave
99. Who’s Your Daddy – Toby Keith
100. Fabulous – Jaheim feat. Tha Rayne
101. Superman – Eminem
102. Real Good Man – Tim McGraw
103. Say Yes – Floetry
104. All the Things She Said – T.A.T.U.
105. Brokenheartsville – Joe Nichols
106. Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous – Good Charlotte
107. Big Star – Kenny Chesney
108. I Just Wanna Be Mad – Terri Clark
109. Why Can’t I? – Liz Phair
110. Disease – matchbox twenty
111. The Baby – Blake Shelton
112. Who Wouldn’t Want to Be Me – Keith Urban
113. (There’s Gotta Be) More to Life – Stacie Orrico
114. Somewhere I Belong – Linkin Park
115. Dance with My Father – Luther Vandross
116. That’d Be Alright – Alan Jackson
117. Let’s Get Down – Bow Wow feat. Baby
118. Big Yellow Taxi – Counting Crows feat. Vanessa Carlton
119. Snake – R. Kelly feat. Cam’ron & Big Tigger
120. Man to Man – Gary Allan
121. The Boys of Summer – The Ataris
122. She’s My Kind of Rain – Tim McGraw
123. Fall Into Me – Emerson Drive
124. Celebrity – Brad Paisley
125. Help Pour Out the Rain (Lacey’s Song) – Buddy Jewell
126. I Believe – Diamond Rio
127. I Melt – Rascal Flatts
128. Three Wooden Crosses – Randy Travis
129. Never Scared – Bone Crusher feat. Killer Mike & T.I.
130. Bigger Than My Body – John Mayer
131. Stay Gone – Jimmy Wayne
132. Tough Little Boys – Gary Allan
133. I Should Be … - Dru Hill
134. You Know You’re Right – Nirvana
135. Love You Out Loud – Rascal Flatts
136. Clubbin – Marques Houston feat. Joe Budden & Pied Piper
137. Stacy’s Mom – Fountains of Wayne
138. All My Life – Foo Fighters
139. This One’s for the Girls – Martina McBride
140. Wave on Wave – Pat Green
141. Do That… - Baby feat. P. Diddy
142. 4 Ever – Lil’ Mo feat. Fabolous
143. Red Rag Top – Tim McGraw
144. Faint – Linkin Park
145. Raining on Sunday – Keith Urban
146. So Yesterday – Hilary Duff
147. What Would You Do? – The Isley Brothers
148. Addicted – A Simple Plan
149. Something – Lasgo
150. I Wish I Wasn’t – Heather Headley

1978

The Top 150 Hits of… 1978

It’s a Gibbtacular!!! Some combination of Gibb brothers (as many as four on “Shadow Dancing” or as few as one on “Grease”) were responsible for writing, producing, and/or performing the songs at #’s 13, 17, 20, 51, 134, and the entire top 5! It must be gratifying for an artist, even one who’s already a superstar, to have a few different irons in the fire and have them all turn to gold at the same time. There was a stretch from ’77-’78 in which there was at least one Gibb production in the top 10 for 47 straight weeks. During that period, there were 12 straight weeks in which they held down the top 2. Mom must have been proud.

1. How Deep Is Your Love – Bee Gees 470
2. Stayin’ Alive – Bee Gees 399.5
3. Shadow Dancing – Andy Gibb 387.5
4. Night Fever – Bee Gees 373.5
5. (Love Is) Thicker Than Water – Andy Gibb 347.5
6. Kiss You All Over – Exile 338
7. Boogie Oogie Oogie – A Taste of Honey 329.5
8. Baby Come Back – Player 328
9. I Go Crazy – Paul Davis 322
10. Hot Child in the City – Nick Gilder 320.5
11. Three Times a Lady – Commodores 312
12. Lay Down Sally – Eric Clapton 307.5
13. Emotion – Samantha Sang 302
14. You’re the One That I Want – John Travolta & Olivia Newton-John 298
15. I Love the Nightlife (Disco ‘Round) – Alicia Bridges 291
16. You Needed Me – Anne Murray 285.5
17. If I Can’t Have You – Yvonne Elliman 280.5
18. Baker Street – Gerry Rafferty 277
19. MacArthur Park – Donna Summer 276.5
20. Grease – Frankie Valli 272.5
21. Can’t Smile Without You – Barry Manilow 272.5
22. Just the Way You Are – Billy Joel 269.5
23. Miss You – The Rolling Stones 268.5
24. Blue Bayou – Linda Ronstadt 264.5
25. We Are the Champions – Queen 255
26. Dance, Dance, Dance (Yowzah, Yowzah, Yowzah) – Chic 248.5
27. Hopelessly Devoted to You – Olivia Newton-John 246.5
28. Sometimes When We Touch – Dan Hill 245.5
29. The Closer I Get to You – Roberta Flack & Donny Hathaway 244.5
30. Hot Blooded – Foreigner 238.5
31. How Much I Feel – Ambrosia 235.5
32. Take a Chance on Me – ABBA 234
33. With a Little Luck – Wings 232.5
34. Feels So Good – Chunk Mangione 231.5
35. It’s a Heartache – Bonnie Tyler 230.5
36. Too Much, Too Little, Too Late – Johnny Mathis & Denise Williams 229.5
37. You’re in My Heart (The Final Acclaim) – Rod Stewart 229.5
38. Last Dance – Donna Summer 225
39. Reminiscing – Little River Band 221
40. I Just Wanna Stop – Gino Vannelli 219.5
41. (Every Time I Turn Around) Back in Love Again – L.T.D. 217.5
42. Whenever I Call You “Friend” – Kenny Loggins 212.5
43. Dust in the Wind – Kansas 211.5
44. Love Is in the Air – John Paul Young 211.5
45. Slip Slidin’ Away – Paul Simon 211
46. Short People – Randy Newman 209.5
47. Here You Come Again – Dolly Parton 207.5
48. Double Vision – Foreigner 205.5
49. Used ta Be My Girl – The O’Jays 202
50. Jack and Jill – Raydio 200
51. An Everlasting Love – Andy Gibb 196
52. Love Is Like Oxygen – Sweet 195.5
53. Come Sail Away – Styx 192
54. Summer Nights – John Travolta & Olivia Newton-John 191.5
55. Still the Same – Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band 189
56. It’s So Easy – Linda Ronstadt 184.5
57. Dance with Me – Peter Brown 184
58. Love Will Find a Way – Pablo Cruise 182.5
59. Magnet and Steel – Walter Egan 173
60. The Groove Line – Heatwave 172.5
61. You Never Done It Like That – Captain & Tennille 171.5
62. Time Passages – Al Stewart 170.5
63. Our Love – Natalie Cole 166.5
64. Don’t Look Back – Boston 166.5
65. Hey Deanie – Shaun Cassidy 165
66. Sentimental Lady – Bob Welch 165
67. Two Out of Three Ain’t Bad – Meatloaf 164
68. Thunder Island – Jay Ferguson 162.5
69. Imaginary Lover – Atlanta Rhythm Section 161.5
70. Get Off – Foxy 157
71. On Broadway – George Benson 154.5
72. You Belong to Me – Carly Simon 154.5
73. Disco Inferno – The Trammps 150
74. Count on Me – Jefferson Starship 147
75. You Can’t Turn Me Off (In the Middle of Turning Me On) – High Inergy 145
76. Shame – Evelyn “Champagne” King 143.5
77. Copacabana – Barry Manilow 138.5
78. Peg – Steely Dan 138
79. Serpentine Fire – Earth, Wind & Fire 137
80. Goodbye Girl – David Gates 136
81. This Time I’m in It for Love – Player 135
82. My Angel Baby – Toby Beau 133
83. Falling – LeBlanc & Carr 132.5
84. Running on Empty – Jackson Browne 131.5
85. Baby Hold On – Eddie Money 130
86. Sweet Life – Paul Davis 130
87. Strange Way – Firefall 129.5
88. What’s Your Name – Lynyrd Skynyrd 126.5
89. Ready to Take a Chance Again – Barry Manilow 123.5
90. Fool (If You Think It’s Over) – Chris Rea 120.5
91. Always and Forever – Heatwave 120
92. You and I – Rick James 119.5
93. Life’s Been Good – Joe Walsh 118.5
94. Bluer Than Blue – Michael Johnson 117.5
95. Sweet Talkin’ Woman – Electric Light Orchestra 116.5
96. Because the Night – Patti Smith Group 115.5
97. Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood – Santa Esmeralda 114
98. Beast of Burden – The Rolling Stones 112.5
99. Right Down the Line – Gerry Rafferty 112.5
100. Native New Yorker – Odyssey 112
101. Flash Light – Parliament 112
102. We’ll Never Have to Say Goodbye Again – England Dan & John Ford Coley 111.5
103. Got to Get You Into My Life – Earth, Wind & Fire 111.5
104. Turn to Stone – Electric Light Orchestra 111
105. Straight On – Heart 110.5
106. Every Kinda People – Robert Palmer 110
107. Ebony Eyes – Bob Welch 110
108. Talking in Your Sleep – Crystal Gayle 108.5
109. Hollywood Nights – Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band 107.5
110. The Name of the Game – ABBA 106.5
111. Runaround Sue – Leif Garrett 105.5
112. Who Are You – The Who 105.5
113. Dance (Disco Heat) – Sylvester 105.5
114. Desirée – Neil Diamond 99
115. Runaway – Jefferson Starship 97.5
116. Theme from “Close Encounters of the Third Kind” – John Williams 95.5
117. The Way I Feel Tonight – Bay City Rollers 93.5
118. Happy Anniversary – Little River Band – 92.5
119. She’s Always a Woman – Billy Joel 91.5
120. Lady Love – Lou Rawls 90.5
121. I Can’t Stand the Rain – Eruption 90
122. Alive Again – Chicago 89
123. I’m Not Gonna Let It Bother Me Tonight – Atlanta Rhythm Section 89
124. Movin’ Out (Anthony’s Song) – Billy Joel 88.5
125. Deacon Blues – Steely Dan 88
126. Back in the U.S.A. – Linda Ronstadt 87.5
127. King Tut – Steve Martin 87
128. Long, Long Way from Home – Foreigner 86
129. Stuff Like That – Quincy Jones 85.5
130. You’re the Love – Seals & Crofts 84.5
131. Change of Heart – Eric Carmen 84.5
132. Thank God It’s Friday – Love & Kisses 83.5
133. Stay / The Load-Out – Jackson Browne 82.5
134. Oh! Darling – Robin Gibb 81.5
135. Wonderful Tonight – Eric Clapton 81.5
136. Don’t Want to Live Without It – Pablo Cruise 81.5
137. Thank You for Being a Friend – Andrew Gold 81
138. Just What I Needed – The Cars 80.5
139. Before My Heart Finds Out – Gene Cotton 80
140. Two Tickets to Paradise – Eddie Money 79
141. Two Doors Down – Dolly Parton 78.5
142. Blue Collar Man – Styx 78.5
143. Heartless – Heart 78.5
144. It’s a Laugh – Daryl Hall & John Oates 77.5
145. Rivers of Babylon – Boney M 77.5
146. Follow You Follow Me – Genesis 75.5
147. The Power of Gold – Dan Fogelberg and Tim Weisberg 75.5
148. Theme Song from “Which Way Is Up” – Stargard 75
149. Getting’ Ready for Love – Diana Ross 74
150. Point of No Return – Kansas 72.5