Missy Elliott no doubt had the same feeling when her song "Work It" was stuck at #2 for 10 weeks behind Eminem's "Lose Yourself" in 2002-03.
True, but at least they were able to get a few #1's. I think Creedence Clearwater Revival still holds the record for most #2 hits without ever having a #1 song.
Here's "CHART SWEEP", for all you Billboard "#1" lovers!: evolution-control.com/index.php/experiments/mp3s/104-chart-sweep
That's because this is my iTunes collection & I don't have those in there. There's many songs that I have heard of but are not in the collection. Also I tend to collect by artist. So I either have everything or nothing. The iTunes collection also includes stuff my wife likes, or we both like together. Darryl
Dean Martin's version of Volare (Nel Blu Dipinto di Blu) charted at the same time as the Domenico Modugno original and was the most successful of the flood of cover versions that was released on the American market in 1958. I have a copy of the July 21, 1958 issue of Billboard that reviews seven different versions of Volare! The versions reviewed were by Modungno, Martin, Nelson Riddle, Jesse Belvin, Umberto Marcato, Alan Dale, and Linda Ross. The issue indicates that another three versions of the song were to released soon, including one by the McGuire Sisters!
Why bother? The criteria for what constitutes a # 1 or any chart spot for that matter, has changed so frequently that it has altered the validity of the chart IMHO. The early years of the Rock n Roll era of 55, 56 and 57 don't a apply here because it's not the "Hot 100" but "Top 100" "Sales Chart" and "Jukebox". Then in 91 soundscan changed everything for 20 years, then in recent years lack of physical purchases has done the same. Add to that all the million sellers that never hit # 1 and all the chart toppers that ultimately didn't sell all that well but for the week at the top. # 1 is probably the most misleading accomplishment in all of music.
I have the Jesse Belvin cover as well. Hopefully it's better than the Rydell version which I just played.
It makes for a good discussion, and its fun. As far as charts... yes, we forget Billboard is the INDUSTRY magazine and caters to the whims of its core audience - the music industry insiders. Its not an objective, scientifically accurate measurement - I am sure you could go back and piece together chart/sales/airplay/performance royalties, and come up with a more accurate/definitive set of charts, but you'd still be "picking the winners" based on your criteria. I think from '58 to '91, the charts were reasonably accurate. Pre-'58 is excusable because they didn't have the tools back then. But post-'91, the mess the charts became is NOT excusable. Its not Soundscan, but the formula that suddenly over-emphasized the urban areas that were over-represented in Soundscan, except from Wal-Mart, which carried a limited selection of music. I think the download/youtube inclusion has finally fixed the charts to at least give us something resembling a reasonable singles chart again. But there are 20 years ('91 - '11) where Billboard is worthless.
Also, just wanted to add that "Physical" only held off "Waiting For A Girl Like You" from #1 for the first 9 weeks. The 10th week was behind Daryl Hall & John Oates' "I Can't Go For That (No Can Do)".
I'm aware but 9 weeks ain't nothin' to sneeze at. Also, I hated I Can't Go For That so why give it any attention.
Also during that era you had songs where there were no real sales even in a physical era because no one was really buying cd singles of cassette singles, at least not enough to affect the charts. Then when those mediums disappeared it was even worse. My point is that we could do a thread on every # 2, or every # 1 that was not # 1 on Billboard but Cashbox, or every top 10 and those songs would mostly be just as signature as Billboard's # 1s. I just think the Billboard # 1 gives a false sense of significance. Especially starting it 58 which excludes the a huge portion of Elvis prime # 1 singles including Heartbreak Hotel, Hound Dog, Don't Be Cruel, Love Me Tender, I Want You I Need You I Love You, Too Much, All Shook Up, Teddy Bear and Jailhouse Rock
Next up is "Little Star" by The Elegants, sandwiched in the middle of the run of "Volare", August 25 -August 31, 1958:
Actua Actually, when this one finishes up, I was planning on a Cashbox #1 thread. More interesting discussion and comparisons. And as far #2's... absolutely mention them in this thread as part of the discussion. A discussion of chart toppers is always more interesting when we also compare the songs that were kept out of the top spot for whatever reason. I plan on mentioning several of those myself, when their time comes.
Instead of just #1s, I think it would be better to look at the top 10 for each week, so we can discuss all the hidden gems that were huge hits, but didn't make it to the top
Little Star is a great pop song by a group that holds the distinction of being the first act to have a #1 hit then never charting nationally again. A real One Hit Wonder.
Boy, that IS a one hit wonder in the truest sense. I like the cadence of this song, it's got a great feel after the slow into.
I disagree. While I know that some No. 2 songs (and lower) are a lot more liked and more well-known than some No. 1s, the fact is that for whatever reason they hit No. 1 for at least that one week - and that's significant. The No. 1 spot has always been sought after, and those songs did it. I think the charts were fairly accurate - when you look at the songs that sold the most (gold, platinum, etc.) they were almost always the songs that made No. 1 or the top 10 - so they couldn't have been that far off. While I agree that the '90s leave a lot to be desired - most of it was because record labels stopped issuing commercial singles and Billboard couldn't figure out how to handle it - the charts were still accurate as to what was sold and played because of soundscan, etc.
Interesting that a group of Italian-American kids from Staten Island, New York knocked an Italian out of the #1 position on the Hot 100, at least temporarily. Incidentally, Billboard listed Bird Dog by the Everly Brothers at #1 this same week on its Best Sellers in Stores chart. The original version of Little Star did not include the lyric "Where are you little star?" in the intro. That line was suggested by the owner of the Apt record label to match the lyric "There you are little star" on the coda, and was added during recording. Billboard didn't think much of Little Star in its Review of New Pop Records section in the June 9, 1958 issue. The magazine staff reviewed over 75 new pop single releases that week and Little Star received a score of less than 70, placing it among the five lowest scoring records. Eleven weeks later Little Star reached #1 on the Hot 100. The song is now regarded as a doo wop classic.
But many # 2 songs may have had their sales split up between the end of one week and beginning of another. preventing it from reaching the top for one full week of sales. Meaning that many much lesser known songs just happened to sell at their peak during the right days within a particular week. The week runs Sun through Sat. One song may keep selling steadily throughout the week days and reach the top. While the other sells a lot on weekends during Fri and Sat at the end of one week, tampers off during the work week then gets hot again the next weekend. Meaning it gets stuck at # 2 for it's week worth of sales but ultimately is selling more copies.
Here's something interesting: Wooly Bully by Sam the Sham & the Pharaohs "only" peaked at #2 on the weekly Billboard charts, but was Billboard's #1 record of the year on the year end chart. From Wiki: "Wooly Bully" was the band's first and biggest hit. It became a worldwide success, selling three million copies and reaching No. 2 on the American Hot 100 chart on June 5–12, 1965, kept off the top by The Beach Boys' "Help Me, Rhonda"[3] and The Supremes' "Back in My Arms Again".[4] It was the first American record to sell a million copies during the British Invasion and was influenced by the British rock sound which was mixed with traditional Mexican-American conjunto rhythms.[5][6] It stayed in the Hot 100 for a then-impressive 18 weeks, in fact the most weeks for any entry within that calendar year, and was nominated for a Grammy Award. It was also named Billboard's "Number One Record of the Year" despite never reaching No. 1 on a weekly Hot 100; this feat was achieved again by Faith Hill's "Breathe" in 2000 and Lifehouse's "Hanging by a Moment" in 2001 (all three hits peaked at #2). On August 5, 1965 the single was certified as gold by the RIAA.[7]