Singer Bobby Darin
Bobby Darin spent nine weeks at number one in 1959, the most by any act.

The Billboard Hot 100 is a chart published by Billboard magazine which ranks the best-performing singles in the United States. In 1959, it was compiled based on a combination of sales and airplay data sourced from surveys of retail outlets and playlists submitted by radio stations respectively,[1] and 16 different singles spent time at number one.

In the issue of Billboard dated January 5, the Chipmunks with David Seville were at number one with "The Chipmunk Song", the single's third week in the top spot.[2] The single remained at number one for a further week before being displaced by "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes" by the Platters in the issue dated January 19. Not until 2019 would another Christmas song top the Hot 100,[3] albeit for much of the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s holiday-themed songs were excluded from the chart.[4]

Every act to top the Hot 100 in 1959 did so for the first time since the chart was launched in August 1958.[5] The Platters, Paul Anka, Elvis Presley, and Guy Mitchell had all achieved number ones on the separate sales, airplay, and jukebox play charts which Billboard had published prior to the creation of the consolidated Hot 100, as had Seville without the Chipmunks.[6] The Fleetwoods and Frankie Avalon were the only acts to have two number ones in 1959, but neither act would top the Hot 100 again.[7] Bobby Darin spent nine non-consecutive weeks at number one with "Mack the Knife", making it the year's longest-running number one and Darin the act with the most weeks in the top spot. At the 2nd Annual Grammy Awards in November 1959, the song won the award for Record of the Year,[8] but it would prove to be Darin's only number one on the Hot 100.[9] In the first of its two spells atop the chart, "Mack the Knife" spent six weeks at number one, tying with "The Battle of New Orleans" by Johnny Horton for the year's longest unbroken run in the peak position.

Chart history

singer Lloyd Price
Lloyd Price spent four weeks at number one with his version of the traditional song "Stagger Lee".
singer Frankie Avalon
Frankie Avalon was one of only two acts to achieve two number ones in 1959.
singer Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley topped the chart with "A Big Hunk o' Love".
Key
† Indicates the #1 song on Billboard's 1959 Year-End Chart of Pop Singles.
Chart history
No.[5] Issue date Title Artist(s) Ref.
8 January 5 "The Chipmunk Song" The Chipmunks with David Seville [2]
January 12 [10]
9 January 19 "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes" The Platters [11]
January 26 [12]
February 2 [13]
10 February 9 "Stagger Lee" Lloyd Price [14]
February 16 [15]
February 23 [16]
March 2 [17]
11 March 9 "Venus" Frankie Avalon [18]
March 16 [19]
March 23 [20]
March 30 [21]
April 6 [22]
12 April 13 "Come Softly to Me" The Fleetwoods [23]
April 20 [24]
April 27 [25]
May 4 [26]
13 May 11 "The Happy Organ" Dave "Baby" Cortez [27]
14 May 18 "Kansas City" Wilbert Harrison [28]
May 25 [29]
15 June 1 "The Battle of New Orleans" † Johnny Horton [30]
June 8 [31]
June 15 [32]
June 22 [33]
June 29 [34]
July 6 [35]
16 July 13 "Lonely Boy" Paul Anka [36]
July 20 [37]
July 27 [38]
August 3 [39]
17 August 10 "A Big Hunk o' Love" Elvis Presley [40]
August 17 [41]
18 August 24 "The Three Bells" The Browns [42]
August 31 [43]
September 7 [44]
September 14 [45]
19 September 21 "Sleep Walk" Santo & Johnny [46]
September 28 [47]
20 October 5 "Mack the Knife" Bobby Darin [48]
October 12 [49]
October 19 [50]
October 26 [51]
November 2 [52]
November 9 [53]
21 November 16 "Mr. Blue" The Fleetwoods [54]
re November 23 "Mack the Knife" Bobby Darin [55]
November 30 [56]
December 7 [57]
22 December 14 "Heartaches by the Number" Guy Mitchell [58]
December 21 [59]
23 December 28 "Why" Frankie Avalon [60]

Number-one artists

List of number-one artists by total weeks at number one
Position Artist Weeks at No. 1
1 Bobby Darin 9
2 Johnny Horton 6
Frankie Avalon
4 The Fleetwoods 5
5 Lloyd Price 4
Paul Anka
The Browns
8 The Platters 3
9 The Chipmunks with David Seville 2
Wilbert Harrison
Elvis Presley
Santo & Johnny
Guy Mitchell
14 Dave 'Baby' Cortez 1

See also

References

  1. ^ Whitburn 2005, p. xii.
  2. ^ a b "Hot 100: January 5, 1959". Billboard. Archived from the original on April 29, 2023. Retrieved January 11, 2024.
  3. ^ Izadi, Elahe (December 16, 2019). "Mariah Carey's 'All I Want for Christmas Is You' just now — yes, just now — hit No. 1". The Washington Post. Retrieved January 12, 2024.
  4. ^ Whitburn 2005, p. xiv.
  5. ^ a b Whitburn 2005, p. 987.
  6. ^ Whitburn 2005, pp. 20, 480, 550, 558, 630.
  7. ^ Whitburn 2005, p. 29, 250.
  8. ^ Blakemore, Erin (March 24, 2016). "The Strange Career of "Mack the Knife"". Smithsonian Magazine. Retrieved January 14, 2024.
  9. ^ Whitburn 2005, p. 174.
  10. ^ "Hot 100: January 12, 1959". Billboard. Archived from the original on April 29, 2023. Retrieved January 11, 2024.
  11. ^ "Hot 100: January 19, 1959". Billboard. Archived from the original on April 29, 2023. Retrieved January 11, 2024.
  12. ^ "Hot 100: January 26, 1959". Billboard. Archived from the original on April 29, 2023. Retrieved January 11, 2024.
  13. ^ "Hot 100: February 2, 1959". Billboard. Archived from the original on April 30, 2023. Retrieved January 11, 2024.
  14. ^ "Hot 100: February 9, 1959". Billboard. Archived from the original on April 29, 2023. Retrieved January 11, 2024.
  15. ^ "Hot 100: February 16, 1959". Billboard. Archived from the original on December 30, 2023. Retrieved January 11, 2024.
  16. ^ "Hot 100: February 23, 1959". Billboard. Archived from the original on April 29, 2023. Retrieved January 11, 2024.
  17. ^ "Hot 100: March 2, 1959". Billboard. Archived from the original on April 29, 2023. Retrieved January 11, 2024.
  18. ^ "Hot 100: March 9, 1959". Billboard. Archived from the original on August 28, 2023. Retrieved January 11, 2024.
  19. ^ "Hot 100: March 16, 1959". Billboard. Archived from the original on May 1, 2023. Retrieved January 11, 2024.
  20. ^ "Hot 100: March 23, 1959". Billboard. Archived from the original on April 29, 2023. Retrieved January 11, 2024.
  21. ^ "Hot 100: March 30, 1959". Billboard. Archived from the original on May 1, 2023. Retrieved January 11, 2024.
  22. ^ "Hot 100: April 6, 1959". Billboard. Archived from the original on April 29, 2023. Retrieved January 11, 2024.
  23. ^ "Hot 100: April 13, 1959". Billboard. Archived from the original on April 29, 2023. Retrieved January 11, 2024.
  24. ^ "Hot 100: April 20, 1959". Billboard. Archived from the original on May 1, 2023. Retrieved January 11, 2024.
  25. ^ "Hot 100: April 27, 1959". Billboard. Archived from the original on June 1, 2023. Retrieved January 11, 2024.
  26. ^ "Hot 100: May 4, 1959". Billboard. Archived from the original on May 1, 2023. Retrieved January 11, 2024.
  27. ^ "Hot 100: May 11, 1959". Billboard. Archived from the original on April 29, 2023. Retrieved January 11, 2024.
  28. ^ "Hot 100: May 18, 1959". Billboard. Archived from the original on May 1, 2023. Retrieved January 11, 2024.
  29. ^ "Hot 100: May 25, 1959". Billboard. Archived from the original on April 30, 2023. Retrieved January 11, 2024.
  30. ^ "Hot 100: June 1, 1959". Billboard. Archived from the original on December 30, 2023. Retrieved January 11, 2024.
  31. ^ "Hot 100: June 8, 1959". Billboard. Archived from the original on April 29, 2023. Retrieved January 11, 2024.
  32. ^ "Hot 100: June 15, 1959". Billboard. Archived from the original on April 29, 2023. Retrieved January 11, 2024.
  33. ^ "Hot 100: June 22, 1959". Billboard. Archived from the original on May 1, 2023. Retrieved January 11, 2024.
  34. ^ "Hot 100: June 29, 1959". Billboard. Archived from the original on April 29, 2023. Retrieved January 11, 2024.
  35. ^ "Hot 100: July 6, 1959". Billboard. Archived from the original on April 29, 2023. Retrieved January 11, 2024.
  36. ^ "Hot 100: July 13, 1959". Billboard. Archived from the original on April 29, 2023. Retrieved January 11, 2024.
  37. ^ "Hot 100: July 20, 1959". Billboard. Archived from the original on May 1, 2023. Retrieved January 11, 2024.
  38. ^ "Hot 100: July 27, 1959". Billboard. Archived from the original on April 29, 2023. Retrieved January 11, 2024.
  39. ^ "Hot 100: August 3, 1959". Billboard. Archived from the original on April 29, 2023. Retrieved January 11, 2024.
  40. ^ "Hot 100: August 10, 1959". Billboard. Archived from the original on April 29, 2023. Retrieved January 11, 2024.
  41. ^ "Hot 100: August 17, 1959". Billboard. Archived from the original on July 28, 2021. Retrieved January 11, 2024.
  42. ^ "Hot 100: August 24, 1959". Billboard. Archived from the original on April 29, 2023. Retrieved January 11, 2024.
  43. ^ "Hot 100: August 31, 1959". Billboard. Archived from the original on May 1, 2023. Retrieved January 11, 2024.
  44. ^ "Hot 100: September 7, 1959". Billboard. Archived from the original on April 29, 2023. Retrieved January 11, 2024.
  45. ^ "Hot 100: September 14, 1959". Billboard. Archived from the original on April 29, 2023. Retrieved January 11, 2024.
  46. ^ "Hot 100: September 21, 1959". Billboard. Archived from the original on May 1, 2023. Retrieved January 11, 2024.
  47. ^ "Hot 100: September 28, 1959". Billboard. Archived from the original on April 15, 2023. Retrieved January 11, 2024.
  48. ^ "Hot 100: October 5, 1959". Billboard. Archived from the original on April 15, 2023. Retrieved January 11, 2024.
  49. ^ "Hot 100: October 12, 1959". Billboard. Archived from the original on May 21, 2023. Retrieved January 11, 2024.
  50. ^ "Hot 100: October 19, 1959". Billboard. Archived from the original on April 29, 2023. Retrieved January 11, 2024.
  51. ^ "Hot 100: October 26, 1959". Billboard. Archived from the original on April 29, 2023. Retrieved January 11, 2024.
  52. ^ "Hot 100: November 2, 1959". Billboard. Archived from the original on April 29, 2023. Retrieved January 11, 2024.
  53. ^ "Hot 100: November 9, 1959". Billboard. Archived from the original on April 29, 2023. Retrieved January 11, 2024.
  54. ^ "Hot 100: November 16, 1959". Billboard. Archived from the original on May 1, 2023. Retrieved January 11, 2024.
  55. ^ "Hot 100: November 23, 1959". Billboard. Archived from the original on April 29, 2023. Retrieved January 11, 2024.
  56. ^ "Hot 100: November 30, 1959". Billboard. Archived from the original on April 22, 2023. Retrieved January 11, 2024.
  57. ^ "Hot 100: December 7, 1959". Billboard. Archived from the original on May 1, 2023. Retrieved January 11, 2024.
  58. ^ "Hot 100: December 14, 1959". Billboard. Archived from the original on April 29, 2023. Retrieved January 11, 2024.
  59. ^ "Hot 100: December 21, 1959". Billboard. Archived from the original on April 30, 2023. Retrieved January 11, 2024.
  60. ^ "Hot 100: December 28, 1959". Billboard. Archived from the original on May 1, 2023. Retrieved January 11, 2024.

Works cited

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