Songs that dominated Billboard charts the longest

By Stacker

Published December 26, 2024 11:41 PM

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Songs that dominated Billboard charts the longest

Every now and then, a new song releases and dominates radio airwaves, Spotify playlists, and, of course, the esteemed Billboard Hot 100 chart—and in terms of those types of hits, 2024 has been pretty impressive.

Morgan Wallen and Post Malone’s collaboration “I Had Some Help” became the first major hit of the year. It spent six weeks atop the Billboard Hot 100 and was named the official song of the summer. The single was succeeded by another country-pop track, Shaboozey’s “A Bar Song (Tipsy),” which spent 19 nonconsecutive weeks at #1 from July to November 2024. The song tied the all-time record Lil Nas X set in 2019 with “Old Town Road,” featuring Billy Ray Cyrus, and became the longest-running #1 of the 2020s. “A Bar Song” was also the first single from a Black male artist to top both the Hot 100 and Hot Country Songs charts. Historically, there have been many songs that, for whatever reason, just seem to stick, from Michael Jackson’s “Billie Jean” to Morgan Wallen’s “Last Night.” So today, it’s time to inspect the top 100 songs that dominated the charts the longest.

To determine the longest-serving songs, Stacker consulted the Billboard Hot 100 as of Dec. 14, 2024. Songs are ranked by the number of weeks they spent at #1 on the chart, and ties are broken by the number of weeks they spent on the charts in total.

Every decade is represented since the Hot 100 came into existence with Bobby Darin’s 1959 serial killer-inspired ballad “Mack the Knife” representing the oldest song on this list. Some songs on the list almost didn’t come to pass. Beyoncé’s breakthrough single “Irreplaceable,” which became an anthem for female empowerment, was written by Ne-Yo from a male perspective and originally intended for country stars Shania Twain or Faith Hill. Others, like “Macarena” and Carly Rae Jepsen’s “Call Me Maybe” set off cultural phenomena that pushed celebrities and athletes to join the craze. Meanwhile, Mariah Carey is the only artist to have two songs make the top 10.

Some tunes represented here were misinterpreted upon release, such as The Police’s “Every Breath You Take,” which was thought to be a love song, but lead singer Sting revealed it was about stalking. Whatever your musical preference, the wide variety of songs that have ruled the Billboard Hot 100 charts will leave you humming a tune in your head.

Read on to find out which songs dominated Billboard’s charts the longest.

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100. ‘Billie Jean’ by Michael Jackson

– Weeks at #1: 7
– Total weeks on chart: 25
– Topped the charts from March 5, 1983, to April 16, 1983

The second single from Michael Jackson’s iconic album “Thriller,” “Billie Jean” and its music video became synonymous with the singer’s iconic moonwalk dance. The unimaginable popularity that came from the freeze-frame video and the King of Pop’s slick slide launched a movement that prompted MTV to integrate more Black musicians on its network rather than just white rock bands. The autobiographical song, about a woman who claimed Jackson fathered her child, won two Grammy awards, including Best R&B Song and Best Male R&B Vocal Performance. “Billie Jean” continues to make headlines today, reaching an all-time high of #145 on Billboard’s global charts in October 2024.

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99. ‘Hot in Herre’ by Nelly

– Weeks at #1: 7
– Total weeks on chart: 26
– Topped the charts from June 29, 2002, to Aug. 10, 2002

This turn-of-the-century tune’s classic first line (“I was like, good gracious/ a– is bodacious”) brought Nelly to overnight fame, winning him the Grammy for Best Male Rap Solo Performance in 2003. Nelly worked with the Neptunes on the hit, based on Chuck Brown and the Soul Searchers’ 1979 hit “Bustin’ Loose.” Fans streamed the song repeatedly in 2016 to help alleviate Nelly’s $2.4 million tax lien.

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98. ‘Black Beatles’ by Rae Sremmurd (feat. Gucci Mane)

– Weeks at #1: 7
– Total weeks on chart: 27
– Topped the charts from Nov. 26, 2016, to Jan. 14, 2017

The Mannequin Challenge, the 2016 internet video trend where people posed still while playing “Black Beatles” in the background, pushed this hit straight to the top of the Billboard charts. Even Paul McCartney shared his attempt at the challenge to the song, writing on Instagram, “Love those Black Beatles.”

In 2018, Forbes reported that “Black Beatles” had sold 6 million units in domestic sales and sales equivalents, which included streams, giving Rae Sremmurd six-time platinum status. In December 2024, the song joined YouTube’s Billions Club, a collection of videos that have amassed over 1 billion views.

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97. ‘Thank U, Next’ by Ariana Grande

– Weeks at #1: 7
– Total weeks on chart: 28
– Topped the charts from Nov. 17, 2018, to Jan. 5, 2019

In 2019, Ariana Grande admitted to Vogue that she doesn’t remember recording “Thank U, Next” because she was dealing with alcohol abuse and depression following the September 2018 overdose of ex-boyfriend Mac Miller. Recorded a month after Miller’s death, the empowering song lyrics, based on her past romantic relationships, won Grande Favorite Song at the 2019 Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards.

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96. ‘Can’t Help Falling in Love (from ‘Sliver’)’ by UB40

– Weeks at #1: 7
– Total weeks on chart: 29
– Topped the charts from July 24, 1993, to Sept. 4, 1993

The UB40 version of Elvis Presley’s 1961 original hit song appeared on the soundtrack of “Sliver,” a 1993 Sharon Stone film. As with the Presley remake, UB40 would later find success covering Neil Diamond’s “Red Red Wine,” which peaked at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1988. Though the English reggae band’s debut hit “Food for Thought” gave them initial fame, their rendition of Presley’s song gave them seven straight weeks at the top of America’s music chart.

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95. ‘Love the Way You Lie’ by Eminem (feat. Rihanna)

– Weeks at #1: 7
– Total weeks on chart: 29
– Topped the charts from July 31, 2010, to Sept. 11, 2010

Off of Eminem’s seventh album, “Recovery,” “Love the Way You Lie” won notable awards, including Best Hip-Hop Song of the Year at the 2010 Soul Train Music Awards, Favorite Music Video and Favorite Song at the 2011 People’s Choice Awards, and earned five Grammy nominations. Eminem reportedly collaborated with Rihanna on the hit since they both had experienced violent domestic relationships. The song has been remade by the View frontman Kyle Falconer (who has struggled with sobriety) and singer Alissa Janine.

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94. ‘This Is How We Do It’ by Montell Jordan

– Weeks at #1: 7
– Total weeks on chart: 29
– Topped the charts from April 15, 1995, to May 27, 1995

In May 2019, Minister Montell Jordan switched up the lyrics to his original Def Jam Recordings hit about friends going to a club on the “American Idol” finale. Now a minister, Jordan cut out all the sex- and liquor-themed lyrics, which kept the original hit at #1 for seven weeks. Also the title of Jordan’s first album, “This Is How We Do It” was nominated for the Best Male R&B Vocal Performance Grammy in 1996, but “For Your Love” by Stevie Wonder took the prize.

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93. ‘Take a Bow’ by Madonna

– Weeks at #1: 7
– Total weeks on chart: 30
– Topped the charts from Feb. 25, 1995, to April 8, 1995

This Madonna and Babyface collaboration, recorded with a full orchestra, references the title “Take a Bow” in the first verse, but it’s never mentioned again. Along with winning Best Female Video at the 1995 MTV Video Music Awards, the song was also featured in the Season 1 finale of the ’90s hit television show “Friends,” when Rachel realizes Ross loves her but is now with another woman.

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92. ‘Whatever You Like’ by T.I.

– Weeks at #1: 7
– Total weeks on chart: 31
– Topped the charts from Sept. 6, 2008, to Nov. 8, 2008

Everybody liked T.I.’s “Whatever You Like”—produced by the famous Jim Jonsin, aka Jimmy J—so much that it broke the Billboard Hot 100 record in 2008, jumping from #71 to #1 in only a week. The song was included on T.I.’s album “Paper Trail,” so named because he’d penned his lyrics “old-school style” with pen and paper rather than just rapping freestyle in the studio. “Whatever You Like” also became “Weird Al” Yankovic’s only parody song to keep the same name as the original that inspired it.

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91. ‘Crank That (Soulja Boy)’ by Soulja Boy

– Weeks at #1: 7
– Total weeks on chart: 32
– Topped the charts from Sept. 15, 2007, to Nov. 3, 2007

Originally self-published on Soulja Boy’s YouTube channel, “Crank That (Soulja Boy)” would later top the ringtone sales chart. Highsnobiety reported that the “digital age” track, perfect for 10-second splicing, created a craze in addition to holding the #1 spot for seven straight weeks. “He helped to bring back the trend of tying hit rap songs in with [easy-to-learn] dances, something that persists even now,” Highsnobriety wrote.

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90. ‘Umbrella’ by Rihanna (feat. Jay-Z)

– Weeks at #1: 7
– Total weeks on chart: 34
– Topped the charts from June 9, 2007, to July 21, 2007

Winning the Best Rap/Sung Collaboration Grammy in 2008, “Umbrella” was reportedly not intended for Rihanna but for Britney Spears. And when the latter didn’t want it, it was offered to Mary J. Blige, who also turned it down. Naturally, the Barbadian singer took the song to #1. According to The Guardian, the tune goes down as the 2007 Song of the Summer for nine specific reasons including “the little details, like the splashy hi-hat sound on the first beat of each bar, or the subtle double-tracked vocals on certain words of the chorus.” “Umbrella” has remained an undisputed hit for more than a decade, earning a diamond certification in May 2024, while the music video joined YouTube’s Billions Club in February 2024.

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89. ‘Waterfalls’ by TLC

– Weeks at #1: 7
– Total weeks on chart: 34
– Topped the charts from July 8, 1995, to Aug. 19, 1995

“Waterfalls” is not about cascading rain; it is about drug misuse and HIV. It was also the first song to reference the disease in its lyrics, according to HuffPost. TLC member Rozonda “Chilli” Thomas said the band was shocked when the hit beat Michael Jackson to become the first song by a Black artist to win the 1995 MTV Video Music Award for Video of the Year.

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88. ‘SexyBack’ by Justin Timberlake

– Weeks at #1: 7
– Total weeks on chart: 36
– Topped the charts from Sept. 9, 2006, to Oct. 21, 2006

Justin Timberlake told Entertainment Weekly he listened to David Bowie’s “Rebel Rebel” 15 times the day before he penned “SexyBack,” his first #1 Billboard Hot 100 single. “We really did want to make a statement at that time and do something just a little more bold,” he said of the song, which debuted at #90 on the Billboard Hot 100 before reaching #1 for seven weeks straight. The song, a collaboration with rapper Timbaland, won the 2007 Grammy for Best Dance Recording.

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87. ‘Blank Space’ by Taylor Swift

– Weeks at #1: 7
– Total weeks on chart: 38
– Topped the charts from Nov. 29, 2014, to Jan. 10, 2015

Taylor Swift set the bar as the first woman artist in the history of the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 to bump herself from the top of the charts, knocking “Shake It Off” from the top. Like many of Swift’s song lyrics, “Blank Space” blurts out bad relationship details to a hip-hop beat. The song, which hit #1 after three weeks, is the third Swift hit—including “Shake It Off” and “We Are Never Getting Back Together”—she co-wrote with Max Martin and Shellback.

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86. ‘Goodies’ by Ciara (feat. Petey Pablo)

– Weeks at #1: 7
– Total weeks on chart: 38
– Topped the charts from Sept. 11, 2004, to Oct. 23, 2004

Ciara wrote lyrics for singers Mya and Fantasia before topping the charts with her hit “Goodies.” The song, with lyrics like “you won’t get no nookie or the cookies” and “keep on lookin’ cause they stay in the jar,” makes one thing clear: No man—no matter what—is getting close to Ciara without her permission.

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85. ‘Fancy’ by Iggy Azalea (feat. Charli XCX)

– Weeks at #1: 7
– Total weeks on chart: 39
– Topped the charts from June 7, 2014, to July 19, 2014

With a music video inspired by the 1995 cult-classic film “Clueless” (which was even shot at Ulysses S. Grant High School in Los Angeles), “Fancy” was Iggy Azalea’s first #1 hit in the U.S. Like the Beatles, the Australian rapper is the only other artist to have their first two Hot 100 hits concurrently ranked at #1 (for “Fancy”) and #2 (for Ariana Grande’s “Problem,” which featured Azalea).

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84. ‘Truth Hurts’ by Lizzo

– Weeks at #1: 7
– Total weeks on chart: 42
– Topped the charts from Sept. 7, 2019, to Oct. 26, 2019

While its popularity skyrocketed in 2019, “Truth Hurts” by Lizzo was released in September 2017. Lizzo is the sixth female rapper to top the Billboard Hot 100. She has since used her work and success to spread a message of confidence and encourage more opportunities for body-positive women of color in the music industry.

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83. ‘Rockstar’ by DaBaby (feat. Roddy Ricch)

– Weeks at #1: 7
– Total weeks on chart: 42
– Topped the charts from June 13, 2020, to Aug. 1, 2020

2017 was the year rap dethroned rock ‘n’ roll as the most-listened-to genre. Post Malone’s nod to the dethroned genre led the way. This was the first #1 single for both Post Malone and 21 Savage, which was nominated for two Grammy awards, including Record of the Year and Best Rap/Sung Performance. After eight weeks at #1, “Rockstar” was bumped by Ed Sheeran’s “Perfect.”

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82. ‘Girls Like You’ by Maroon 5 (feat. Cardi B)

– Weeks at #1: 7
– Total weeks on chart: 52
– Topped the charts from Sept. 29, 2018, to Nov. 10, 2018

Billboard detailed how this Maroon 5 and Cardi B collab reached a longevity milestone after spending 40 weeks in the top 20, a feat only accomplished five other times in the Hot 100’s history. It also tied with Ed Sheeran’s “Shape of You” for the most weeks in the top 10, at 33. Featured on Maroon 5’s sixth album, “Red Pill Blues,” a reference to the red-pill-blue-pill concept from the 1999 science fiction epic “The Matrix.”

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81. ‘Stay’ by The Kid LAROI and Justin Bieber

– Weeks at #1: 7
– Total weeks on chart: 63
– Topped the charts from Aug. 14, 2021, to Oct. 16, 2021

After creating “Stay” with producers Charlie Puth, Omer Fedi, and Blake Slatkin, The Kid LAROI told NME that he felt Justin Bieber “would sound perfect” on the record. This instinct proved right, as the synth-pop anthem from LAROI and Bieber reached #1 on the Hot 100 in just four weeks, making “Stay” the first chart-topping single for LAROI and the eighth for Bieber. The track also marks the second collaboration between LAROI and Bieber, as the two singers previously joined forces in 2021 for the song “Unstable” on Bieber’s sixth studio album, “Justice.”

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80. ‘Rolling in the Deep’ by Adele

– Weeks at #1: 7
– Total weeks on chart: 65
– Topped the charts from May 21, 2011, to July 2, 2011

Adele described “Rolling in the Deep” as a “‘gospel disco’ kiss-off to an unfaithful dude.” The slow southern sound of the song was inspired by contemporary Nashville music she listened to when touring the U.S. for her first album, “19,” a genre she admittedly never studied before. After spending seven weeks at #1 between May and July, “Rolling in the Deep” was named Billboard’s #1 Year-End Hot 100 single of 2011.

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79. ‘Night Fever’ by Bee Gees

– Weeks at #1: 8
– Total weeks on chart: 20
– Topped the charts from March 18, 1978, to May 6, 1978

The signature song for “Saturday Night Fever” was one of five written by the Bee Gees for the coming-of-age disco story that dominated pop culture in the late 1970s. Along with winning Album of the Year at the Grammys in 1979, the “Saturday Night Fever” soundtrack became part of the Library of Congress National Recording Registry in 2012. The rise and fall of the brother group, directly due to the “Saturday Night Fever” soundtrack, is recorded in the book “Staying Alive: The Disco Inferno of the Bee Gees.”

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78. ‘Tha Crossroads’ by Bone Thugs-n-Harmony

– Weeks at #1: 8
– Total weeks on chart: 20
– Topped the charts from May 18, 1996, to July 6, 1996

NWA’s Eazy-E, who helped sign and mentored Bone Thugs-n-Harmony, inspired “Tha Crossroads.” Eazy’s death from AIDS-related pneumonia in 1995 led the group to pen the lyrics “Lil Eazy long gone/ Really wish he could come home.” The hit, a collaboration among 12 songwriters due to samples, won the Grammy for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group in 1997.

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77. ‘Jump’ by Kris Kross

– Weeks at #1: 8
– Total weeks on chart: 21
– Topped the charts from April 25, 1992, to June 13, 1992

The teen duo, “Mac Daddy” and “Daddy Mac,” released this #1 single after being discovered in an Atlanta mall by the famed rapper-producer Jermaine Dupri. Known for wearing their clothing backward while performing, Kris Kross launched a temporary fashion revolution, and their debut single, “Jump,” has gone down in music history as a one-hit-wonder.

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76. ‘Every Breath You Take’ by The Police

– Weeks at #1: 8
– Total weeks on chart: 22
– Topped the charts from July 9, 1983, to Aug. 27, 1983

After eight weeks at #1, “Every Breath You Take” was named Billboard’s #1 Year-End Hot 100 single of 1983. Frontman Sting surprised everyone when revealed the lyrics were about stalking. “It sounds like a comforting love song. I didn’t realize at the time how sinister it is. I think I was thinking of Big Brother, surveillance and control,” he said, per Smooth. The song was believed to be inspired by Sting’s breakup with his then-wife, Frances Tomelty, as he began a relationship with her best friend and his future wife, Trudie Styler.

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75. ‘That’s the Way Love Goes’ by Janet Jackson

– Weeks at #1: 8
– Total weeks on chart: 23
– Topped the charts from May 15, 1993, to July 3, 1993

Terry Lewis and Jimmy Jam wrote this song with Janet Jackson, who had to receive approval from James Brown to sample his song “Papa Don’t Take No Mess.” Other artists sampled on the track include B.T. Express, the Honey Drippers, and Toto. Songfacts reported that the eight-week stint at #1 “is not only longer than any other Janet Jackson single but also longer than any song released by her brother Michael.”

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74. ‘Tonight’s the Night (Gonna Be Alright)’ by Rod Stewart

– Weeks at #1: 8
– Total weeks on chart: 23
– Topped the charts from Nov. 13, 1976, to Jan. 1, 1977

This Rod Stewart classic quickly reached #1 after debuting at #81, making it the British rock singer’s second Billboard hit off his “A Night on the Town” album. The song’s meaning is clearly laid out in the lyrics: “C’mon, angel, my heart’s on fire/ Don’t deny your man’s desire/ You’d be a fool to stop this tide/ Spread your wings and let me come inside.” The BBC banned that last line before public demand lifted the boycott.

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73. ‘Nice for What’ by Drake

– Weeks at #1: 8
– Total weeks on chart: 25
– Topped the charts from April 21, 2018, to July 14, 2018

Rolling Stone rated this tune the Song of the Summer in 2018, detailing how it debuted at the top and bumped another Drake hit, “God’s Plan,” to take the #1 spot. Sampling “Ex-Factor” by Lauryn Hill, “Nice for What” gained instant popularity for the strong feminist message of its video, which starred some of the entertainment industry’s leading women including Olivia Wilde, Michelle Rodriguez, and Rashida Jones.

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72. ‘Fantasy’ by Mariah Carey

– Weeks at #1: 8
– Total weeks on chart: 25
– Topped the charts from Sept. 30, 1995, to Nov. 18, 1995

As the lead single off her fifth album, “Daydream,” “Fantasy” is just one of several #1 songs Mariah Carey would rack up on the Billboard charts over the decades. Similar to the 1981 hit “Genius of Love,” by Tom Tom Club, “Fantasy,” a collaboration with Sean Combs, would become the second song to debut at #1, following Michael Jackson’s “You Are Not Alone.” Carey may be second to Jackson in this conquest, but she is the first woman to debut at #1 on the Hot 100.

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71. ‘Crazy in Love’ by Beyonce (feat. Jay-Z)

– Weeks at #1: 8
– Total weeks on chart: 27
– Topped the charts from July 12, 2003, to Aug. 30, 2003

With samples from “Are You My Woman? (Tell Me So)” by the Chi-Lite, “Crazy in Love,” featuring Beyoncé’s then-boyfriend, Jay-Z, would later become the soundtrack to the couple’s first dance when they married in 2008. Rich Harrison, who waited for some time to find the right artist to remix the original 1970 song, produced and played the famous horn riffs and all other instruments used on the track.

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70. ‘Drivers License’ by Olivia Rodrigo

– Weeks at #1: 8
– Total weeks on chart: 28
– Topped the charts from Jan. 23, 2021, to March 13, 2021

A new global female pop icon was born with the release of “Drivers License” in 2021. As the debut single from Olivia Rodrigo (and the lead from her first studio album, “Sour”), this power-piano ballad was immediately met with critical acclaim and had the young singer-songwriter garnering comparsions to the likes of Taylor Swift and Lorde. The song’s emotional description of heartbreak through the eyes of a teenage girl resonated with listeners both old and young, skyrocketing “Drivers License” to #1 for eight weeks.

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69. ‘Dreamlover’ by Mariah Carey

– Weeks at #1: 8
– Total weeks on chart: 29
– Topped the charts from Sept. 11, 1993, to Oct. 30, 1993

Off of Mariah Carey’s third album, “Music Box,” “Dreamlover” would equal her 1995 hit “Fantasy” with eight weeks topping the charts. The song samples “Blind Alley,” a 1970s hit by the Emotions. David Morales, Carey’s collaborator on the song, said the duo revolutionized remixing with the hit. “Mariah opened up a whole other door, and not many people at that time were capable of that,” Morales said in an interview with Steven J. Horowitz.

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68. ‘Burn’ by Usher

– Weeks at #1: 8
– Total weeks on chart: 30
– Topped the charts from May 22, 2004, to July 17, 2004

This hit, which bumped Usher’s “Yeah!” from #1 on the Hot 100, would give the Texas-born R&B star 19 straight weeks at the top spot. Co-written with Jermaine Dupri and Bryan-Michael Fox, “Burn” was written about a breakup with a girlfriend—reportedly inspired by his relationship with Rozonda “Chili” Thomas of TLC.

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67. ‘7 Rings’ by Ariana Grande

– Weeks at #1: 8
– Total weeks on chart: 33
– Topped the charts from Feb. 2, 2019, to April 6, 2019

Sampling Rodgers & Hammerstein’s “My Favorite Things,” Ariana Grande turned the classic “Sound of Music” tune into the true-life tale of how she bought seven rings for her friends when tipsy at Tiffany’s after breaking up with her boyfriend. However, the song caused some strife with Soulja Boy, who tweeted, “You’re a thief,” accusing the singer of stealing the flow of his song “Pretty Boy Swag.” Additionally, Grande apologized to fans for misusing the word “weave” in her song, which also ruffled some feathers.

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66. ‘Rockstar’ by Post Malone (feat. 21 Savage)

– Weeks at #1: 8
– Total weeks on chart: 40
– Topped the charts from Oct. 28, 2017, to Dec. 16, 2017

In 2017, rap music made serious noise after dethroning rock ‘n’ roll as the most-listened-to genre. Post Malone’s nod to the ousted genre led the way. This was the first #1 single for both Post Malone and 21 Savage, which earned Record of the Year and Best Rap/Sung Performance nominations at the Grammys. “Rockstar” spent eight weeks at #1 before it was bumped by Ed Sheeran’s “Perfect.”

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65. ‘All About That Bass’ by Meghan Trainor

– Weeks at #1: 8
– Total weeks on chart: 47
– Topped the charts from Sept. 20, 2014, to Nov. 8, 2014

Long before singer Meghan Trainor wrote “All About That Bass” with producer Kevin Kadish, the pop star was penning lyrics for artists like Rascal Flatts. The song—more about the booty than the bass—is a self-acceptance anthem, according to Trainor, who told Billboard it is even for skinny girls despite the lyrical misinterpretation. Trainor’s first hit single, which held the #1 spot for eight weeks, was nominated for Record of the Year at the 57th Grammy Awards but lost to “Stay with Me” by Sam Smith.

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64. ‘Mood’ by 24kGoldn (feat. iann dior)

– Weeks at #1: 8
– Total weeks on chart: 52
– Topped the charts from Oct. 24, 2020, to Jan. 16, 2021

The lead single from 24kGoldn’s debut studio album, “El Dorado,” “Mood” tells the story of a toxic relationship where one partner is “always in a mood.” According to 24kGoldn, the pop-rap track came together “by accident” while he and iann dior were playing “Call of Duty.” That accident earned the pair eight nonconsecutive weeks at #1 and 52 weeks on the chart altogether.

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63. ‘Anti-Hero’ by Taylor Swift

– Weeks at #1: 8
– Total weeks on chart: 53
– Topped the charts from Nov. 5, 2022, to Jan. 21, 2023

In the synth-pop lead single from her 10th studio album, “Midnights,” Taylor Swift repeatedly declares “Hi, it’s me. I’m the problem. It’s me.” This makes “Anti-Hero” one of the most self-critical and candid songs in Swift’s massive catalog, garnering respect from both critics and fans and landing her a long-running stint on the Hot 100. “Anti-Hero” stayed atop the chart for a week longer than “Blank Space.”

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62. ‘Flowers’ by Miley Cyrus

– Weeks at #1: 8
– Total weeks on chart: 55
– Topped the charts from Jan. 28, 2023, to April 1, 2023

As the lead single from her eighth studio album, “Endless Summer Vacation,” this disco-influenced pop-rock anthem earned Miley Cyrus her first two career Grammys, Record of the Year and Best Pop Solo Performance. “Flowers” also became the singer’s second #1 song on the Billboard Hot 100 after “Wrecking Ball” in 2013. Listeners have long speculated that the track may be about Cyrus’ ex-husband, Liam Hemsworth. Despite her success with the record, Cyrus was hit with a copyright lawsuit over the track in September 2024.

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61. ‘Somebody That I Used to Know’ by Gotye (feat. Kimbra)

– Weeks at #1: 8
– Total weeks on chart: 59
– Topped the charts from April 28, 2012, to June 16, 2012

Indie musician Gotye and Kimbra walked away with two Grammys in 2012 for this hit, including Record of the Year and Best Pop Duo/Group Performance. Since its release, the song—which deals with heartbreak and samples the nursery rhyme Baa Baa Black Sheep with the xylophone—has become a universal anthem for the masses.

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60. ‘Hey Jude’ by The Beatles

– Weeks at #1: 9
– Total weeks on chart: 19
– Topped the charts from Sept. 28, 1968, to Nov. 23, 1968

The famous Beatles hit that spent nine weeks at #1 was written by Paul McCartney for Julian Lennon, John Lennon’s son, while his parents were divorcing. On the song’s 50th anniversary in 2018, Rolling Stone reported that the hit was released less than a week after Ringo Starr quit the band, marking the beginning of the notorious breakup of the Beatles.

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59. ‘Theme from A Summer Place’ by Percy Faith and His Orchestra

– Weeks at #1: 9
– Total weeks on chart: 21
– Topped the charts from Feb. 22, 1960, to April 18, 1960

As the longest-running #1 instrumental song in Billboard’s music chart history, the theme song produced by Percy Faith and composed by Max Steiner won Record of the Year at the Grammys in 1960. Sixteen years later, Faith turned the #1 hit into a disco version, titled “Summer Place ’76.” Ironically, the song made famous by “A Summer Place” is not the version played in the film.

Evan Agostini // Getty Images

58. ‘Candy Shop’ by 50 Cent (feat. Olivia)

– Weeks at #1: 9
– Total weeks on chart: 23
– Topped the charts from March 5, 2005, to April 30, 2005

50 Cent’s third #1 Billboard single, “Candy Shop,” has nothing to do with sweets—it’s all about sex. Billboard reported in 2005 that the hit bumped the nine-week #1 song “Let Me Love You’ by Mario, noting, “50 Cent can’t rest easy on top of the Hot 100, as Green Day’s ‘Boulevard of Broken Dreams’ continues to push skyward, making a 3-2 move this week.” A cover version of the song by Dan Finnerty and the Dan Band was featured in “The Hangover” in 2009. The “Candy Shop” music video broke into YouTube’s Billions Club in November 2024.

Gary Gershoff // Getty Images

57. ‘Bette Davis Eyes’ by Kim Carnes

– Weeks at #1: 9
– Total weeks on chart: 26
– Topped the charts from May 16, 1981, to July 18, 1981

The famous song about a Hollywood actor’s eyes would win both Record of the Year and Song of the Year at the Grammys in 1982, making Kim Carnes go down in music history. Co-written by Jackie DeShannon, who opened for the Beatles, and Donna Weiss, who toured with Joe Cocker, “Bette Davis Eyes” was also named Billboard’s #1 Year-End Hot 100 single of 1981. DeShannon first recorded the song in 1974 after watching “Now, Voyager” with Bette Davis.

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56. ‘Mack the Knife’ by Bobby Darin

– Weeks at #1: 9
– Total weeks on chart: 26
– Topped the charts from Oct. 5, 1959, to Dec. 7, 1959

Bobby Darin started performing “Mack the Knife” in nightclubs after hearing it in a Greenwich Village production of “The Threepenny Opera,” for which it was written. Though Darin kept “Mack the Knife,” a song about a serial killer, at #1 for nine weeks, several other artists, including Ella Fitzgerald, brought the song fame. Fitzgerald famously once forgot the words while singing, so she came up with a now-famous scat on the spot.

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55. ‘Endless Love’ by Diana Ross and Lionel Richie

– Weeks at #1: 9
– Total weeks on chart: 27
– Topped the charts from Aug. 15, 1981, to Oct. 10, 1981

The title song for the 1981 film “Endless Love” would later be famously covered by Mariah Carey and Luther Vandross in 1994. Precisely 30 years after it held the top spot, Billboard christened the love song the greatest duet of all time, reporting it was both Diana Ross and Lionel Richie’s biggest #1 hit, staying on the famous music chart for 27 weeks. The coming-of-age movie starring Brooke Shields was also a big part of the song’s success.

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54. ‘Baby Boy’ by Beyonce (feat. Sean Paul)

– Weeks at #1: 9
– Total weeks on chart: 29
– Topped the charts from Oct. 4, 2003, to Nov. 29, 2003

Like many of Beyoncé’s songs, Jay-Z co-wrote this tune along with dancehall-reggae singer Sean Paul, as well as Robert Waller and Scott Storch. Long after the song saw nine straight weeks at #1, the song reentered the spotlight for alleged copyright infringement by songwriter Jennifer Armour. Beyoncé won the suit, saying it was a shame it even happened and that she was happy to move on. Needless to say, she did.

Scott Gries // Getty Images

53. ‘In Da Club’ by 50 Cent

– Weeks at #1: 9
– Total weeks on chart: 30
– Topped the charts from March 8, 2003, to May 3, 2003

Where can you find 50 Cent? “You can find me in a club, bottle full of bub,” is the opening line to the famous rapper’s biggest Billboard hit. Co-written by Dr. Dre and Mike Elizondo, “In Da Club,” faced an infringement lawsuit in 2006 by copyright owner Joseph Weinberger, who alleged 50 Cent stole the line “It’s your birthday” from the Luther Campbell song of the same title. The case was dismissed, with artists like Beyoncé and Usher sampling the song and singers like Mary J. Blige and P. Diddy remixing it.

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52. ‘Hey Ya!’ by OutKast

– Weeks at #1: 9
– Total weeks on chart: 32
– Topped the charts from Dec. 13, 2003, to Feb. 7, 2004

Singer André 3000 told HuffPost all about “Hey Ya!” on its 10th anniversary, saying it had several working titles and isn’t autobiographical. What’s real is the song was inspired by the Ramones, the Smiths, and the Buzzcocks, three artists the rapper was listening to “heavily” before he wrote it. As for the famous line “Shake it like a Polaroid picture,” André admits you’re actually not supposed to shake the film, but it sounded good while writing the lyrics.

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51. ‘Work’ by Rihanna (feat. Drake)

– Weeks at #1: 9
– Total weeks on chart: 36
– Topped the charts from March 5, 2016, to April 30, 2016

Barbadian singer Rihanna and Canadian rapper Drake had many other writers work on this #1 hit, including Rupert “Sevn” Thomas, who sampled the dancehall rhythm with an urban and island vibe refrain. With “Work,” Rihanna achieved a #1 Billboard hit off all seven of her albums, breaking Mariah Carey’s record for doing the same with six consecutive records, according to Songfacts. The song also scored a diamond certification in May 2024.

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50. ‘Let Me Love You’ by Mario

– Weeks at #1: 9
– Total weeks on chart: 36
– Topped the charts from Jan. 1, 2005, to Feb. 26, 2005

Mario may have sung this hit, but Ne-Yo wrote it. The tune would be Mario’s only #1 song, which appeared on his second album, “Turning Point.” Nominated for several accolades, including a Grammy and two Teen Choice Awards, to no avail, “Let Me Love You,” is one of the Baltimore-born R&B singer’s signature hits.

Kevork Djansezian // Getty Images for DCP.

49. ‘TiK ToK’ by Kesha

– Weeks at #1: 9
– Total weeks on chart: 38
– Topped the charts from Jan. 2, 2010, to Feb. 27, 2010

Kesha wrote the famed opening lyric, “Wake up in the morning feeling like P. Diddy,” after waking up one morning surrounded by 10 beautiful women. A completely random phone call from Diddy to Kesha’s producer, Dr. Luke (Lukasz Sebastian Gottwald), a few hours later led the music mogul to contribute a couple of lines to the song.

“TiK ToK” dominated digital sales in 2010, with 12.9 million downloads, 3 million more than Lady Gaga’s “Poker Face.” Four years later, in 2014, Kesha filed a lawsuit accusing Dr. Luke of sexual assault among other things, spurring a brutal legal battle between the singer and her mother, Dr. Luke, and Sony. In 2024, Kesha announced her plans to change that iconic first line to “F— P. Diddy” following allegations of sex trafficking against the rapper.

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48. ‘One More Night’ by Maroon 5

– Weeks at #1: 9
– Total weeks on chart: 42
– Topped the charts from Sept. 29, 2012, to Nov. 24, 2012

One More Night was Maroon 5’s third #1 hit on the Hot 100, joining “Makes Me Wonder” and “Moves Like Jagger.” The song, about a dysfunctional relationship, debuted at #42 in early July 2012 and took almost three months to reach the pinnacle spot. The song was the second of the same name to top the Hot 100 after Phil Collins’ composition spent two weeks at #1 in 1985.

Kevin Winter // Getty Images

47. ‘Royals’ by Lorde

– Weeks at #1: 9
– Total weeks on chart: 44
– Topped the charts from Oct. 12, 2013, to Dec. 7, 2013

Ella Yelich-O’Connor, aka Lorde, broke several barriers with her smash hit when, at just 16, she became the youngest artist to write and perform a chart-topping song on the Hot 100. “Royals” was written as a sort of diss track against the lavish lifestyle and excesses of many pop stars but got its title when Lorde saw a picture of Kansas City Royals star George Brett in a magazine. “It was just that word. It’s really cool,” she told VH1 of the song, which would earn her a Grammy for Best Pop Solo Performance in 2014.

Kevin Winter // Getty Images

46. ‘Call Me Maybe’ by Carly Rae Jepsen

– Weeks at #1: 9
– Total weeks on chart: 50
– Topped the charts from June 23, 2012, to Aug. 18, 2012

Carly Rae Jepsen produced a cultural phenomenon with her 2012 hit, with everyone from athletes to pop stars Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez singing the iconic line, “Hey, I just met you and this is crazy/ But here’s my number so call me maybe.” Billboard ranked the track at #21 on its list of the catchiest songs of all time. The nine-week stint at the pinnacle of the charts was the longest ever by a Canadian woman, passing Celine Dion and Nelly Furtado, who each had #1 tracks to last six weeks on the chart, respectively.

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45. ‘Butter’ by BTS

– Weeks at #1: 10
– Total weeks on chart: 20
– Topped the charts from June 5, 2021, to Sept. 11, 2021

Recorded by South Korean boy band BTS, “Butter” is revered as a smooth summer dance-pop hit. It marks the group’s second English-language song after “Dynamite.” According to Forbes, “Butter” also helped BTS set a new record for the longest #1 debut streak ever held by a group. BTS took the title away from Aersomith, who had held the record for almost 23 years after “I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing” debuted at #1 and remained there for four consecutive weeks.

BRIDGET BENNETT/AFP // Getty Images

44. ‘In My Feelings’ by Drake

– Weeks at #1: 10
– Total weeks on chart: 22
– Topped the charts from July 21, 2018, to Sept. 22, 2018

2018 was the year of Drake, and “In My Feelings” became the artist’s sixth overall song to top the Hot 100. The song replaced the Canadian recording artist’s own “Nice for What,” which replaced “God’s Plan,” making him the fourth artist ever to swap #1s twice, joining Justin Bieber, Usher, and the Beatles. Rolling Stone also named it the best song of 2018.

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43. ‘You Light Up My Life’ by Debby Boone

– Weeks at #1: 10
– Total weeks on chart: 25
– Topped the charts from Oct. 15, 1977, to Dec. 17, 1977

“You Light Up My Life” was the title track from the movie of the same name and was originally performed by jingle singer Kasey Cisyk, with Debby Boone rerecording it when studios wouldn’t release the movie. The song, which shared the Grammy for Song of the Year (in a rare tie) with Barbra Streisand and Paul Williams’ “Evergreen (Love Theme from ‘A Star Is Born’),” actually appeared twice at the same time on the Hot 100. The “original cast” version (performed by Cisyk) reached #80, and Boone’s version reigned despite the song’s dark past.

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42. ‘Hello’ by Adele

– Weeks at #1: 10
– Total weeks on chart: 26
– Topped the charts from Nov. 14, 2015, to Jan. 16, 2016

“Hello” was all Adele had to say to return to the limelight after nearly a four-year hiatus following the astounding success of “Rolling in the Deep.” And a triumphant return it was, as the album on which the song appeared, “25,” broke multiple records and sold 2.3 million copies in a week. “Hello” would earn the British singer another five Grammys, including Song of the Year and Best Pop Solo Performance.

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41. ‘Physical’ by Olivia Newton-John

– Weeks at #1: 10
– Total weeks on chart: 26
– Topped the charts from Nov. 21, 1981, to Jan. 23, 1982

“Physical” was released just one week after MTV went on the air, making it one of the first videos to replay on the new station. Unassuming Australian singer Olivia Newton-John had concerns about singing the song, which was originally written for Rod Stewart, so the video was created as a distraction from the fact that the song was about sex. Her worry was for naught: “Physical” won the Grammy for Video of the Year in 1982.

HECTOR MATA/AFP // Getty Images

40. ‘Maria Maria’ by Santana (feat. The Product G&B)

– Weeks at #1: 10
– Total weeks on chart: 26
– Topped the charts from April 8, 2000, to June 10, 2000

The sultry song “Maria Maria” won the Grammy for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals in 2000. The tune returned to the airwaves in 2017 when Rihanna, DJ Khaled, and Bryson Tiller sampled it in “Wild Thoughts.”

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39. ‘Dilemma’ by Nelly (feat. Kelly Rowland)

– Weeks at #1: 10
– Total weeks on chart: 29
– Topped the charts from Aug. 17, 2002, to Nov. 2, 2002

Before Beyoncé rose to become queen, former Destiny’s Child member Kelly Rowland found the top of the charts by teaming up with superstar Nelly for “Dilemma.” The duo earned the Grammy for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration for the song, which sampled Patti LaBelle’s “Love, Need and Want You.” Nelly became the fifth artist to replace himself in the top spot, knocking “Hot in Herre” from #1.

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38. ‘Irreplaceable’ by Beyonce

– Weeks at #1: 10
– Total weeks on chart: 30
– Topped the charts from Dec. 16, 2006, to Feb. 17, 2007

“To the left, to the left—everything you own in a box to the left” became a rallying cry for women when it reigned over the Hot 100 in 2007. “Irreplaceable,” off Beyoncé’s second solo album, “B’Day,” helped establish the superstar as the Queen B. Written by Ne-Yo, the song was originally intended as a country ballad with Shania Twain or Faith Hill in mind.

David M. Benett/Dave Benett // Getty Images

37. ‘Easy on Me’ by Adele

– Weeks at #1: 10
– Total weeks on chart: 31
– Topped the charts from Oct. 30, 2021, to Jan. 29, 2022

“Easy on Me” marked Adele’s return in 2021 after a six-year hiatus. The ballad served as the lead single for the English singer’s fourth studio album, “30,” and was the first song fans heard after Adele filed for divorce from her ex-husband Simon Konecki in September 2019. “Easy on Me” became Adele’s fifth #1 hit.

Kevin Winter // Getty Images

36. ‘Foolish’ by Ashanti

– Weeks at #1: 10
– Total weeks on chart: 32
– Topped the charts from April 20, 2002, to June 22, 2002

Off Ashanti’s self-titled debut album, “Foolish,” samples the family group DeBarge’s song “Stay with Me.” Other artists who have sampled the same tune include the Notorious B.I.G. in “One More Chance” and Mariah Carey in “I’ll Be Lovin U Long Time.”

Ethan Miller // Getty Images

35. ‘One Dance’ by Drake (feat. WizKid and Kyla)

– Weeks at #1: 10
– Total weeks on chart: 36
– Topped the charts from May 21, 2016, to July 30, 2016

Drake dominated yet another year in 2016, with “One Dance” earning the Canadian rapper his first #1 on the Hot 100. The song, featuring Afrobeat artist WizKid and sampling Kyla’s 2008 song “Do You Mind,” became Spotify’s most-streamed song at the time with over 882 million listens. “One Dance” has since passed the 3 billion mark as of 2024. “Old Town Road” later overtook “One Dance” as the longest-running #1 on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs.

Ethan Miller // Getty Images

34. ‘Gold Digger’ by Kanye West (feat. Jamie Foxx)

– Weeks at #1: 10
– Total weeks on chart: 39
– Topped the charts from Sept. 17, 2005, to Nov. 19, 2005

Jamie Foxx wanted to break into the music industry, and if it weren’t for Kanye West, it never would have happened. Though West and Fox sampled Ray Charles’ “I Got a Woman” to make “Gold Digger,” which won the Grammy for Best Rap Solo Performance in 2006, the song was originally intended for female rapper Shawnna.

Kevin Winter // Getty Images

33. ‘Low’ by Flo Rida (feat. T-Pain)

– Weeks at #1: 10
– Total weeks on chart: 40
– Topped the charts from Jan. 5, 2008, to March 8, 2008

Flo Rida introduces his “Shawty” wearing Apple Bottom jeans and boots with fur in “Low,” the first #1 and longest-running song on the Hot 100 in 2008. Featuring T-Pain, who co-wrote it, the tune details just how low the song’s protagonist can go on the dance floor after giving “that big booty a smack.” According to Flo, it took less than an hour to record all the verses.

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32. ‘We Found Love’ by Rihanna (feat. Calvin Harris)

– Weeks at #1: 10
– Total weeks on chart: 42
– Topped the charts from Nov. 12, 2011, to Jan. 28, 2012

“We Found Love” made history for Rihanna as her longest-running #1 hit. It became her 20th top 10 hit in six years and four months, a feat Rihanna accomplished five months quicker than Madonna. Rihanna wasn’t writer-producer Calvin Harris’s first choice, however: Nicole Scherzinger passed on the song. Leona Lewis recorded a different version of the track, too, but didn’t want it to be the leader on her album, prompting Harris to go with Rihanna.

Ferdy Damman/AFP // Getty Images

31. ‘Happy’ by Pharrell Williams

– Weeks at #1: 10
– Total weeks on chart: 47
– Topped the charts from March 8, 2014, to May 10, 2014

The famous song from “Despicable Me 2” was written by Pharrell Williams, who also wrote the lead single for “Despicable Me.” The catchy tune spent 10 weeks at #1 on the Hot 100, with the movie’s success helping it soar to the top of the charts. To ensure fans could get enough of his song, Pharrell created the first 24-hour music video, a continuous loop of his track that featured different people, including Steve Carell, who voiced Gru in the “Despicable Me” movies.

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30. ‘Independent Women Part I’ by Destiny’s Child

– Weeks at #1: 11
– Total weeks on chart: 28
– Topped the charts from Nov. 18, 2000, to Jan. 27, 2001

Destiny’s Child called on “all the women who are independent” to “throw your hands up to me” in this #1 single that topped the charts for almost three months. Featured in the 2000 movie “Charlie’s Angels,” the song was written by Beyoncé, who names the stars of the film—Cameron Diaz, Drew Barrymore, and Lucy Liu—in the first few lines of the song.

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29. ‘I Swear’ by All-4-One

– Weeks at #1: 11
– Total weeks on chart: 30
– Topped the charts from May 21, 1994, to July 30, 1994

Before “I Swear” by the R&B band All-4-One commanded the #1 Billboard spot between May and June 1994, singer John Montgomery made it a country hit in February that same year. Twenty years later, Montgomery and the pop group reunited to create a duet rendition of the song for All-4-One’s album “Twenty+.” The artists sang the song once before together at the Grammys in 1995, when the song won Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal.

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28. ‘I’ll Be Missing You’ by Puff Daddy (feat. Faith Evans and 112)

– Weeks at #1: 11
– Total weeks on chart: 33
– Topped the charts from June 14, 1997, to Aug. 23, 1997

The sole purpose of “I’ll Be Missing You,” which samples “Every Breath You Take” by the Police, was to pay tribute to the Notorious B.I.G., who was shot and killed three months before the song’s release. The rapper, then known as Puff Daddy, told Billboard magazine in 1997 that he wrote the song because he missed his fallen friend, whom he talked to every day. “I was finally able to talk to him,” he said. “That’s all it was: a conversation.”

Dimitrios Kambouris // Getty Images

27. ‘God’s Plan’ by Drake

– Weeks at #1: 11
– Total weeks on chart: 36
– Topped the charts from Feb. 3, 2018, to April 14, 2018

After “God’s Plan” dominated the #1 Billboard for 11 weeks, it won Best Rap Song at the Grammys and was viewed over a billion times on YouTube in 2019. Boi-1da told Billboard magazine that Drake came to him with a half-finished version of the track and that he was happy to help him complete it. Drake bestowed the song’s video budget of almost $1 million to the less fortunate, opening the short film with a title card that reads, “We gave it all away. Don’t tell the label…”

C Brandon/Redferns // Getty Images

26. ‘The Box’ by Roddy Ricch

– Weeks at #1: 11
– Total weeks on chart: 38
– Topped the charts from Jan. 18, 2020, to March 28, 2020

Roddy Ricch’s first album, “Please Excuse Me for Being Antisocial,” has already made history as the longest-running debut rap album to top the Billboard 200. His single “The Box” continued to top Billboard’s charts and found a massive audience through social media. Through YouTube views, downloads, and fan-made videos on platforms such as TikTok, the rapper from Compton, California, has garnered millions of plays. That’s not Ricch’s only victory with this track—in February 2024, he won a copyright lawsuit alleging “The Box” had similarities with the 1975 soul song “Come on Down.”

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25. ‘Un-Break My Heart’ by Toni Braxton

– Weeks at #1: 11
– Total weeks on chart: 42
– Topped the charts from Dec. 7, 1996, to Feb. 15, 1997

Toni Braxton walked away with a Grammy for Best Female Pop Performance and an 11-week stint at the top of the Hot 100 with “Un-Break My Heart,” written by Diane Warren. Off of her second album, “Secrets,” the song lyrics plead for a partner to come back and “take these tears away.” The R&B ballad was produced by David Foster, the famed Canadian composer, who acquired 16 Grammys while working with mega musicians throughout the decades.

Scott Gries // Getty Images

24. ‘Lose Yourself’ by Eminem

– Weeks at #1: 12
– Total weeks on chart: 24
– Topped the charts from Nov. 9, 2002, to Jan. 25, 2003

Off the “8 Mile” film soundtrack, “Lose Yourself” won the Detroit-born rapper Eminem an Oscar for Best Original Song in 2003. Eminem and Jeff Bass, co-writer and producer of the song, were not present to accept their award, and Bass said he hoped his son would one day appreciate it—he skipped the ceremony to attend his birth.

AFP PHOTO // Getty Images

23. ‘Boom Boom Pow’ by Black Eyed Peas

– Weeks at #1: 12
– Total weeks on chart: 33
– Topped the charts from April 18, 2009, to July 4, 2009

A decade ago, the Black Eyed Peas swapped out this #1 hit for “I Gotta Feeling,” making them the longest-reigning group to hold a #1 on the Hot 100 for 26 weeks. Following positive press for its #1 spot, “Boom Boom Pow” saw negative news when artist Phoenix Phenom sued the group for allegedly infringing on her song “Boom Dynamite.”

Carlo Allegri // Getty Images

22. ‘Yeah!’ by Usher (feat. Lil Jon and Ludacris)

– Weeks at #1: 12
– Total weeks on chart: 47
– Topped the charts from Feb. 28, 2004, to May 15, 2004

Before Usher bumped “Yeah!” from the #1 spot with his other four-letter hit “Burn,” the jam saw 12 straight weeks of success atop the Hot 100. The song would be billed as Billboard’s Song of the Year in 2004 and #16 on its All-time Top 100 Songs list. “Yeah!” perfectly captured the hottest sounds of that era, fusing Usher’s silky vocals, Ludacris’ clever rhymes, and Lil Jon’s Crunk&B production.

Larry Maran // Getty Images

21. ‘Blurred Lines’ by Robin Thicke (feat. T.I. and Pharrell)

– Weeks at #1: 12
– Total weeks on chart: 48
– Topped the charts from June 22, 2013, to Sept. 7, 2013

Criticized as “rapey” by The Daily Beast, “Blurred Lines” still held the #1 Billboard spot for 12 weeks despite the negative controversy it drew. The Guardian covered the collateral damage it had caused, reporting how student unions in the U.K. had banned “Blurred Lines” and SlutWalk activists protested it in the States. Billboard recapped the song, which also got sued for copy infringement over Marvin Gaye’s “Got to Give it Up” five years after its release, noting how it “aided in creating necessary conversations about sexuality, gender, consent, and cultural narratives in pop music.”

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20. ‘Closer’ by The Chainsmokers (feat. Halsey)

– Weeks at #1: 12
– Total weeks on chart: 52
– Topped the charts from Sept. 3, 2016, to Nov. 19, 2016

During its three-month stint at #1, the Chainsmokers frontman Drew Taggart told Harper’s Bazaar the hit was a long time coming. At the time, the duo had been listening to a lot of Blink-182, who were mentioned in the song. “We were talking about how we haven’t heard a conversational song where a person is so literal about what they mean, and we wanted to do something like that,” he said of the tune, which details a couple hooking up after a breakup four years earlier.

VALERIE MACON/AFP // Getty Images

19. ‘See You Again’ by Wiz Khalifa (feat. Charlie Puth)

– Weeks at #1: 12
– Total weeks on chart: 52
– Topped the charts from April 25, 2015, to July 18, 2015

Famous for its tribute to Paul Walker, the fallen “Fast & Furious” star who was killed in a car accident in 2013, “See You Again” almost didn’t make it into 2015’s “Furious 7,” according to Billboard. Charlie Puth, who penned the song in 10 minutes, nearly pulled it from the movie after he was told he wouldn’t be featured in the music video. Fortunately, the song made it into “Furious 7,” and Puth made it into the now-viral music video.

Kevin Winter // Getty Images

18. ‘Shape of You’ by Ed Sheeran

– Weeks at #1: 12
– Total weeks on chart: 58
– Topped the charts from Jan. 28, 2017, to April 29, 2017

Ed Sheeran’s “Shape of You” was originally written for Rihanna, according to the English songwriter. After realizing lyrics about Van Morrison (“Put Van the Man on the jukebox”) would not likely come out of the Barbadian singer’s mouth, Sheeran sang it himself. He even admits he wasn’t sure he would place it on “Divide,” which became the biggest album of 2017.

HECTOR MATA/AFP // Getty Images

17. ‘Smooth’ by Santana (feat. Rob Thomas)

– Weeks at #1: 12
– Total weeks on chart: 58
– Topped the charts from Oct. 23, 1999, to Jan. 8, 2000

The collaboration between the Mexican American guitar legend and Matchbox Twenty frontman Rob Thomas almost didn’t come to pass. Thomas said he wrote the summer jam with his idol, George Michael, in mind. What came of it was a 12-week run atop the charts and a #2 placement on Billboard’s All-Time Top 100 Songs list. Thomas said he drew inspiration for the song from Santana himself, calling him “so smooth,” and his then-girlfriend the “Spanish Harlem Mona Lisa.”

Vince Bucci/AFP // Getty Images

16. ‘The Boy Is Mine’ by Brandy and Monica

– Weeks at #1: 13
– Total weeks on chart: 27
– Topped the charts from June 6, 1998, to Aug. 29, 1998

The collaboration would be the most successful song for either artist and capture both their lone Grammy wins. The two made up and announced a tour in 2019 after a falling out and 20 years of jabs over ownership of the song, and they even reunited to record a 2024 remix with Ariana Grande. Inspiration for the song was derived from the 1982 duet “The Girl Is Mine” by Michael Jackson and Paul McCartney.

Vince Bucci/AFP // Getty Images

15. ‘End of the Road’ by Boyz II Men

– Weeks at #1: 13
– Total weeks on chart: 32
– Topped the charts from Aug. 15, 1992, to Nov. 7, 1992

Boyz II Men’s 13-week run atop the Hot 100 was a record at the time, breaking that held by Elvis Presley since 1956. The song, about the end of a relationship, was inspired by songwriters Babyface and Daryl Simmons’ experiences with going through divorces at the same time. Made for the movie “Boomerang” starring Eddie Murphy, the song was Boyz II Men’s fifth single and first of five to top the Hot 100.

Kevork Djansezian // Getty Images

14. ‘I Will Always Love You’ by Whitney Houston

– Weeks at #1: 14
– Total weeks on chart: 29
– Topped the charts from Nov. 28, 1992, to Feb. 27, 1993

Whitney Houston’s remake of the Dolly Parton hit marked the third time the song would reach #1, after Parton made it happen in 1974 and 1982. Remade for the 1992 film “The Bodyguard,” starring Houston and Kevin Costner, “I Will Always Love You” is one of the top-selling singles of all time by a woman artist. The song returned to the Hot 100 in 2012, shortly after Houston’s death, peaking at #3. It continues to appear on charts worldwide today, like in November 2024, when “I Will Always Love You” spent time on two U.K. rankings.

Chris Weeks // Getty Images

13. ‘I’ll Make Love to You’ by Boyz II Men

– Weeks at #1: 14
– Total weeks on chart: 33
– Topped the charts from Aug. 27, 1994, to Nov. 26, 1994

To think the slick-singing quartet from Philadelphia didn’t want to release “I’ll Make Love To You” as a single, thinking it sounded too much like “End of the Road.” Written by Babyface, the song earned Boyz II Men a Grammy in 1995 for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals.

HECTOR MATA/AFP // Getty Images

12. ‘Candle in the Wind 1997’ by Elton John

– Weeks at #1: 14
– Total weeks on chart: 42
– Topped the charts from Oct. 11, 1997, to Jan. 10, 1998

Princess Diana’s death in August 1997 was the impetus for Elton John to rerecord his 1974 song of the same name. The 1997 remake would be the bestselling single of all time since Bing Crosby’s 1942 song “White Christmas.” Despite the success, Diana’s funeral would be the only time John would perform the version live.

Daniel Barry // Getty Images

11. ‘We Belong Together’ by Mariah Carey

– Weeks at #1: 14
– Total weeks on chart: 43
– Topped the charts from June 4, 2005, to Sept. 10, 2005

“We Belong Together” was written and recorded in a 12-hour span, according to writer-producer Jermaine Dupri. It earned Carey three Grammys and the Song of the Decade honor from Billboard. The elusive chanteuse has said she considers “We Belong Together” one of her favorites to perform.

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Kevork Djansezian // Getty Images

10. ‘Uptown Funk’ by Mark Ronson (feat. Bruno Mars)

– Weeks at #1: 14
– Total weeks on chart: 56
– Topped the charts from Jan. 17, 2015, to April 18, 2015

The 2015 megahit was a struggle to create, according to Mark Ronson, who said it took months while Mars was on tour. The song features 11 writers overall after five were added following a copyright suit by the Gap Band. “Uptown Funk” is still climbing the charts today, having reached a new high of #139 on the Billboard Global as of November 2024.

Frazer Harrison // Getty Images

9. ‘I Gotta Feeling’ by Black Eyed Peas

– Weeks at #1: 14
– Total weeks on chart: 56
– Topped the charts from July 11, 2009, to Oct. 10, 2009

The Black Eyed Peas still hold the record for most consecutive weeks atop the Billboard charts, when “I Gotta Feeling” and “Boom Boom Pow” reigned for 26 straight weeks in 2009. Both songs earned the group three Grammy wins, collectively. The song became hugely popular for wedding DJs, with Billboard rating it #19 on its list of the top 100 most popular wedding songs.

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8. ‘Macarena (Bayside Boys Mix)’ by Los Del Rio

– Weeks at #1: 14
– Total weeks on chart: 60
– Topped the charts from Aug. 3, 1996, to Nov. 2, 1996

“Macarena” set off one of the biggest dance crazes of the 1990s and was the first hit for the Spanish flamenco group since the 1960s. VH1 named it the top one-hit wonder of all time, and it spent more weeks on the Hot 100 than any other song to reach #1. This record stood until “Old Town Road” passed “Macarena” in July 2019 as the longest-running debut single at #1.

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6. ‘All I Want for Christmas Is You’ by Mariah Carey

– Weeks at #1: 15
– Total weeks on chart: 68
– Topped the charts from Dec. 21, 2019, to Dec. 30, 2023

This uptempo love song was first released in 1994 on Mariah Carey’s fourth studio album and first holiday album, “Merry Christmas.” But it wasn’t until December 2019 that “All I Want for Christmas Is You” topped the Hot 100 for the first time. Since then, the song has rejoined the chart every year to reign supreme during the holiday season and makes Carey the first artist to have ranked #1 in four distinct decades. In 2024, the song made noise by reaching the #1 spot again for its 16th total week.

Kevin Mazur // Getty Images for Harry Styles

7. ‘As It Was’ by Harry Styles

– Weeks at #1: 15
– Total weeks on chart: 61
– Topped the charts from April 16, 2022, to Oct. 1, 2022

Harry Styles describes “As It Was” as a song about “metamorphosis,” and the track certainly changed the English singer-songwriter’s career for the better. Serving as the lead single from his third studio album, “Harry’s House,” this guitar-driven synth-pop track showcased Styles’ shift away from his former classic rock sound. This proved fruitful for the singer: “As It Was” became the longest-running #1 on the Hot 100 by a British artist after 15 weeks in the top spot.

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Jim Steinfeldt/Michael Ochs Archives // Getty Images

5. ‘One Sweet Day’ by Mariah Carey and Boyz II Men

– Weeks at #1: 16
– Total weeks on chart: 27
– Topped the charts from Dec. 2, 1995, to March 16, 1996

The death of Boyz II Men’s manager Khalil Rountree in a shooting prompted member Nathan Morris to write a tribute song to their “father figure.” After receiving a call from Carey’s manager about a potential collaboration, the two got together and found they were penning similar songs. They merged the two and produced a 16-week reign atop the charts that stood alone for over 21 years.

Kevin Winter // Getty Images

4. ‘Despacito’ by Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee (feat. Justin Bieber)

– Weeks at #1: 16
– Total weeks on chart: 51
– Topped the charts from May 27, 2017, to Sept. 9, 2017

The Spanish-language hit set off a dance and meme craze in 2017, becoming the most-viewed video in YouTube history at the time, with over six billion clicks. Justin Bieber got involved after seeing the reaction to the song in a club while in Colombia, prompting a call to Luis Fonsi. The collaboration did not win a single Grammy Award despite its worldwide mega-success, losing out to Ed Sheeran’s “Shape of You” in one of the biggest snubs of all time.

John Shearer // Getty Images for Morgan Wallen

3. ‘Last Night’ by Morgan Wallen

– Weeks at #1: 16
– Total weeks on chart: 60
– Topped the charts from March 18, 2023, to Aug. 19, 2023

Country singer Morgan Wallen scored his first #1 on the Hot 100 chart with “Last Night,” the third single from his third studio album, “One Thing at a Time.” Telling the story of a drunken fight between a couple, this genre-bending crossover track helped make Wallen a recognizable name outside of Nashville and the country scene. With 16 weeks on top, “Last Night” also beat out Harry Styles’ “As It Was” to earn the longest #1 run for a noncollaboration—before Shaboozey’s “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” entered the chart.

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2. ‘A Bar Song (Tipsy)’ by Shaboozey

– Weeks at #1: 19
– Total weeks on chart: 34
– Topped the charts from July 13, 2024, to Nov. 30, 2024

While “everybody at the bar gettin’ tipsy,” they’ll likely hear Shaboozey’s “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” at least once during the night. This sing-along country-pop track is the fourth single from Shaboozey’s third album, “Where I’ve Been, Isn’t Where I’m Going,” and catapulted the country singer into mainstream popularity. “A Bar Song” spent a record-tying 19 weeks atop the Hot 100 chart before being knocked down by West Coast rapper Kendrick Lamar’s 2024 single “squabble up.”

Frederick M. Brown // Getty Images

1. ‘Old Town Road’ by Lil Nas X (feat. Billy Ray Cyrus)

– Weeks at #1: 19
– Total weeks on chart: 45
– Topped the charts from April 13, 2019, to Aug. 17, 2019

“Old Town Road” took a rare, organic rise to the top, as Lil Nas X released the original version on the video-sharing app TikTok in December 2018. A crossover between rap and country music he calls “country trap,” Lil Nas X bought the beat for just $30 from YoungKio. Billy Ray Cyrus was brought in for the remix after Billboard controversially dropped the song from the country charts over a genre debate. The remix and accompanying long-form video propelled the song to the longest-running #1 of all time.

Additional writing and story editing by Cu Fleshman. Copy editing by Paris Close.

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