_Record Chart Facts - classicbands.com

American
Record Chart
Facts

The Artists With the Most
U.S. Number One Singles

Number	Name	Total
1	The Beatles	20
2	Mariah Carey	18
3	Elvis Presley	17
4	Michael Jackson	13
5	The Supremes	12
6	Madonna	12
7	Whitney Houston	11
8	Rihanna	11
9	Stevie Wonder	10
10	Janet Jackson	10

The Artists With the Most
U.S. Top Ten Singles

Number	Name	Total
1	Madonna	38
2	Elvis Presley	36
3	The Beatles	34
4	Stevie Wonder	28
5	Michael Jackson	28
6	Janet Jackson	27
7	Elton John	27
8	Mariah Carey	27

The Artists With the Most
U.S. Top 40 Singles

Number	Name	Total
1	Elvis Presley	80
2	Elton John	57
3	Lil Wayne	55
4	The Beatles	50
5	Glee Cast	50
6	Madonna	49

Number	Name	Total
1	Whitney Houston	7
2	The Beatles	6
3	The Bee Gees	6
4	The Supremes	5
5	Michael Jackson	5
6	Mariah Carey	5
7	Katy Perry	5

The Artists Who Had The Most
Cumulative Weeks At #1

Number	Name	Total
1	Elvis Presley	80
2	Mariah Carey	79
3	The Beatles	59
4	Boyz II Men	50
5	Usher	47
6	Rihanna	44
7	Michael Jackson	37
8	Beyoncé	36
9	Elton John	34
10	Janet Jackson	33
11	Whitney Houston	31
12	Paul McCartney	30

Number	Name	Song	Age
1	Stevie Wonder	Fingertips - pt. 2	13 years 88 days
1	Donny Osmond	Go Away Little Girl	13 years 276 days
3	Jimmy Boyd	I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus	12 years 353 days
4	Michael Jackson	Ben	14 years 46 days
5	Laurie London	The Whole World In His Hands	14 years 85 days
6	Little Peggy March	I Will Follow Him	15 years 51 days
7	Brenda Lee	I'm Sorry	15 years 220 days
8	Tiffany	I Think We're Alone Now	16 years 36 days
9	Paul Anka	Diana	16 years 41 days
10	Brian Hyland	Yellow Polka Dot Bikini	16 years 270 days

The Oldest Artists To Have A
U.S. Number One Single
Between 1950 and 2000

Number	Name	Song	Age
1	Louie Armstrong	Hello Dolly	63 years 10 months
2	Lawrence Welk	Calcutta	57 years 11 months
3	Morris Stoloff	Moonglow	57 years 10 months
4	Cher	Believe	52 years 9 months
5	Frank Sinatra	Somethin' Stupid	51 years 4 months
6	Elton John	Candle In The Wind - 1997	50 years 6 months
7	Lorne Green	Ringo	49 years 9 months
8	Dean Martin	Everybody Loves Somebody	47 years 2 months
9	Bill Medley	The Time Of My Life	47 years 2 months
10	Sammy Davis Jr.	The Candy Man	46 years 6 months

Billboard Album Chart Facts
Most Weeks At Billboard's Number One (54 weeks) - West Side Story - Soundtrack (1961-1962) (37 weeks) Thriller - Michael Jackson (1983-84 (31 weeks) Calypso - Harry Belafonte (1956) (31 weeks) South Pacific - Soundtrack (1958) (31 weeks) Rumours - Fleetwood Mac (1977) (24 weeks) Saturday Night - Soundtrack (1978) (24 weeks) Purple Rain - Prince (1984) (21 weeks) Please Hammer Don't Hurt 'Em - MC Hammer (1990) (20 weeks) The Bodyguard - Soundtrack (1992) (20 weeks) Blue Hawaii - Elvis Presley (1961) Most Weeks In The Billboard Top Ten (153 weeks) Music for Lovers Only - Jackie Gleason - (1953) (130 weeks) Glenn Miller - Glenn Miller & His Orchestra Glenn Miller (84 weeks) Peter, Paul and Mary - Peter, Paul and Mary (1962) (84 weeks) Born in the U.S.A. - Bruce Springsteen - (1984) (78 weeks) Thriller - Michael Jackson (1982) (78 weeks) Hysteria Def LeppardDef Leppard (1987) (77 weeks) The Student Prince - Mario Lanza (1954) (72 weeks) Merry Christmas - Bing Crosby (1955) (72 weeks) Jagged Little Pill - Alanis Morissette (1995) (64 weeks) Forever Your Girl - Paula Abdul (1988) Most Weeks On The Billboard 200 Album Chart (741 weeks) The Dark Side of the Moon - Pink Floyd (490 weeks) Johnny's Greatest Hits - Johnny Mathis (480 weeks) My Fair Lady - Original Cast (331 weeks) Highlights from the Phantom of the Opera - Original Cast (302 weeks) TapestryTapestry - Carole King (295 weeks) Heavenly - Johnny Mathis (283 weeks) Oklahoma! - soundtrack (282 weeks) MCMXC a.D. - Enigma (281 weeks) Metallica - Metallica (album) (277 weeks) The King and I - Soundtrack (277 weeks) Hymns - Tennessee Ernie Ford At 85 years old, Tony Bennett became the oldest living musician to top the Billboard album chart when "Duets II" reached number one in September, 2011. The previous record was held by Bob Dylan who led the Hot 200 with "Modern Times" in September, 2006 at the age of 65. Bennett set another record when he was 95 years of age when his collaboration with Lady Gaga, "Love For Sale" was acknowledge by The Guinness Book Of World Records for making the singer the oldest musician to release a collection of new material. He also set an additional world record for oldest person to reach number one on U.S. album charts for a newly recorded album. The most Billboard number one singles from one album: 5 - a tie between Michael Jackson's "Bad" and Katy Perry's "Teenage Dream" The most Billboard Top Ten singles from one album: 7 - a tie between "Thriller" by Michael Jackson, "Born In The U.S.A." by Bruce Springsteen and "Rhythm Nation" 1814 by Janet Jackson Songwriters with the most number-one singles Paul McCartney (32) John Lennon (26) Mariah Carey (17) Barry Gibb (16) Brian Holland (15) Sean Garrett (15)

Billboard Album Chart Facts

Most Weeks At Billboard's Number One

(54 weeks) - West Side Story - Soundtrack (1961-1962)
(37 weeks) Thriller - Michael Jackson (1983-84
(31 weeks) Calypso - Harry Belafonte (1956)
(31 weeks) South Pacific - Soundtrack (1958)
(31 weeks) Rumours - Fleetwood Mac (1977)
(24 weeks) Saturday Night - Soundtrack (1978)
(24 weeks) Purple Rain - Prince (1984)
(21 weeks) Please Hammer Don't Hurt 'Em - MC Hammer (1990)
(20 weeks) The Bodyguard - Soundtrack (1992)
(20 weeks) Blue Hawaii - Elvis Presley (1961)

Most Weeks In The Billboard Top Ten

(153 weeks) Music for Lovers Only - Jackie Gleason - (1953)
(130 weeks) Glenn Miller - Glenn Miller & His Orchestra Glenn Miller
(84 weeks) Peter, Paul and Mary - Peter, Paul and Mary (1962)
(84 weeks) Born in the U.S.A. - Bruce Springsteen - (1984)
(78 weeks) Thriller - Michael Jackson (1982)
(78 weeks) Hysteria Def LeppardDef Leppard (1987)
(77 weeks) The Student Prince - Mario Lanza (1954)
(72 weeks) Merry Christmas - Bing Crosby (1955)
(72 weeks) Jagged Little Pill - Alanis Morissette (1995)
(64 weeks) Forever Your Girl - Paula Abdul (1988)

Most Weeks On The
Billboard 200 Album Chart

(741 weeks) The Dark Side of the Moon - Pink Floyd
(490 weeks) Johnny's Greatest Hits - Johnny Mathis
(480 weeks) My Fair Lady - Original Cast
(331 weeks) Highlights from the Phantom of the Opera - Original Cast
(302 weeks) TapestryTapestry - Carole King
(295 weeks) Heavenly - Johnny Mathis
(283 weeks) Oklahoma! - soundtrack
(282 weeks) MCMXC a.D. - Enigma
(281 weeks) Metallica - Metallica (album)
(277 weeks) The King and I - Soundtrack
(277 weeks) Hymns - Tennessee Ernie Ford

At 85 years old, Tony Bennett became the oldest living musician to top the Billboard album chart when "Duets II" reached number one in September, 2011. The previous record was held by Bob Dylan who led the Hot 200 with "Modern Times" in September, 2006 at the age of 65. Bennett set another record when he was 95 years of age when his collaboration with Lady Gaga, "Love For Sale" was acknowledge by The Guinness Book Of World Records for making the singer the oldest musician to release a collection of new material. He also set an additional world record for oldest person to reach number one on U.S. album charts for a newly recorded album.

The most Billboard number one
singles from one album: 5

- a tie between Michael Jackson's "Bad" and Katy Perry's "Teenage Dream"

The most Billboard Top Ten
singles from one album: 7

- a tie between "Thriller" by Michael Jackson, "Born In The U.S.A." by Bruce Springsteen and "Rhythm Nation" 1814 by Janet Jackson

Songwriters with the most number-one singles

Paul McCartney (32)
John Lennon (26)
Mariah Carey (17)
Barry Gibb (16)
Brian Holland (15)
Sean Garrett (15)

Odds and Ends
Comedian Moms Mabley, the vaudeville star and stand-up comedian, became the oldest living person to have a Billboard Top 40 hit when her cover of Dion's "Abraham, Martin and John" reached #35 in 1969, when she was 75 years old. The longest title of a song to reach number one on the Billboard Hot 100 is B.J. Thomas' "Hey Won't You Play Another Somebody Done Somebody Wrong Song". The longest title of an album to reach the Billboard Hot 200 LP chart is Fiona Apple's "When the Pawn Hits the Conflicts He Thinks Like a King What He Knows Throws the Blows When He Goes to the Fight and He'll Win the Whole Thing 'Fore He Enters the Ring There's No Body to Batter When Your Mind Is Your Might So When You Go Solo, You Hold Your Own Hand and Remember That Depth Is the Greatest of Heights and If You Know Where You Stand, Then You Know Where to Land and If You Fall It Won't Matter, Cuz You'll Know That You're Right" The title is made up of 90 words. Paula Abdul's "Forever Your Girl" holds the record for the longest time between release date and reaching #1 on the Billboard Hot 200 album chart, taking sixty-four weeks to reach the top. When the LP finally got there in January, 1990, it stayed at #1 for 10 weeks. Although it is generally acknowledged that the "Rock 'n' Roll era" began in the US when Bill Haley And His Comets reached the top of the Billboard chart in July, 1955 with "(We're Gonna) Rock Around The Clock", many Rock historians believe that the first true Rock and Roll record was a song called "Rocket 88" by Jackie Brenston and The Delta Cats, which topped the American R&B chart in May, 1951. Herb Alpert is the only artist to have a US number one single with both a vocal arrangement (This Guy's in Love With You" in 1968) and an instrumental ("Rise" in 1979). Hank Ballard and the Midnighters were the first group to place three records on The Billboard Hot 100 at the same time - "Finger Poppin' Time", "Let's Go, Let's Go, Let's Go" and "The Twist" in mid-July, 1960. The shortest record to reach the Billboard Top 40 was "Some Kind-A Earthquake" by Duane Eddy. This seldom heard instrumental, which is only one minute, seventeen seconds long, reached #37 in 1959 The first live recording to ever top the Billboard chart was "Fingertips part 2" by Little Stevie Wonder, in August, 1963. The first a cappella song to reach number one on the Billboard Hot 100 was Bobby McFerrin's "Don't Worry, Be Happy", which reached the top on September 24th, 1988. The first foreign language recording to top the Billboard chart was "Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blu (Volare)" by Domenico Modugno in 1958. Translated from Italian, the title means "In The Blue Sky Painted Blue (To Fly)". The first comedy album to ever top the Billboard chart was "The Button-Down Mind of Bob Newhart" in 1960. The first Country album to reach the top of the Hot 200 album chart was "Ring Of Fire" by Johnny Cash in January, 1964. The first triple-disc album to top the Billboard chart was the soundtrack to "Woodstock". In November, 1958, The Kingston Trio became the first group to ever have an album reach the top of the US chart. Before them, only solo artists had hit number one. The first 45 rpm record to reach the Billboard charts was "You're Adorable" by Perry Como, on May 7, 1949. Roy Hamilton's "Don't Let Go" became the first stereo single to reach the Billboard chart when it entered at #13 on February 22nd, 1958. The first artist to write and record his own US #1 hit was Buddy Knox. His tune "Party Doll" topped the Billboard chart in March, 1957. The first British artist to top the Billboard chart was Mr. Acker Bilk with "Stranger on the Shore" on May 26, 1962. However, Vera Lynn was the first British artist to have the best selling record in the U.S. with "Auf Wiederseh'n Sweetheart" on July 26, 1952, four years before The HOT 100 was introduced. "Wild Thing" by The Troggs is the only single to hit #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 while being offered on two different labels simultaneously. Fontana was the group's British label and ATCO was also given a contract to release the song in the US. The compilers of the Billboard Hot 100 decided to combine the two singles (which had different B-sides) into one chart position. A 60 track album called "Beatles Anthology I" holds the record for first-day sales, selling 450,000 units on the day of its release, November 19th, 1995. The term "Rock and Roll", which was slang for sexual intercourse, appeared on record for the first time in 1922 on Trixie Smith's "My Baby Rocks Me With One Steady Roll". The term "Rhythm & Blues" was coined in 1948 by a young Billboard reporter and future Atlantic Records producer Jerry Wexler, to replace the negative term Race Records. Elvis Presley's 1956 recording of "Love Me" was the first million-seller to make the US charts without being released as a single. It was instead, an EP (extended play) 45 rpm, with three other songs on it: "Rip It Up", "Paralyzed" and "When My Blue Moon Turns to Gold Again". The Animals 1964 hit "House Of The Rising Sun" was the first Number 1 to have a playing time of more than four minutes. The Four Aces 1955 release of "Love Is A Many Splendored Thing" was the first US number one record that was specifically written for a motion picture.

Odds and Ends

Comedian Moms Mabley, the vaudeville star and stand-up comedian, became the oldest living person to have a Billboard Top 40 hit when her cover of Dion's "Abraham, Martin and John" reached #35 in 1969, when she was 75 years old.

The longest title of a song to reach number one on the Billboard Hot 100 is B.J. Thomas'
"Hey Won't You Play Another Somebody Done Somebody Wrong Song".

The longest title of an album to reach the Billboard Hot 200 LP chart is Fiona Apple's

"When the Pawn Hits the Conflicts He Thinks Like a King What He Knows Throws the Blows When He Goes to the Fight and He'll Win the Whole Thing 'Fore He Enters the Ring There's No Body to Batter When Your Mind Is Your Might So When You Go Solo, You Hold Your Own Hand and Remember That Depth Is the Greatest of Heights and If You Know Where You Stand, Then You Know Where to Land and If You Fall It Won't Matter, Cuz You'll Know That You're Right"

The title is made up of 90 words.

Paula Abdul's "Forever Your Girl" holds the record for the longest time between release date and reaching #1 on the Billboard Hot 200 album chart, taking sixty-four weeks to reach the top. When the LP finally got there in January, 1990, it stayed at #1 for 10 weeks.

Although it is generally acknowledged that the "Rock 'n' Roll era" began in the US when Bill Haley And His Comets reached the top of the Billboard chart in July, 1955 with "(We're Gonna) Rock Around The Clock", many Rock historians believe that the first true Rock and Roll record was a song called "Rocket 88" by Jackie Brenston and The Delta Cats, which topped the American R&B chart in May, 1951.

Herb Alpert is the only artist to have a US number one single with both a vocal arrangement (This Guy's in Love With You" in 1968) and an instrumental ("Rise" in 1979).

Hank Ballard and the Midnighters were the first group to place three records on The Billboard Hot 100 at the same time - "Finger Poppin' Time", "Let's Go, Let's Go, Let's Go" and "The Twist" in mid-July, 1960.

The shortest record to reach the Billboard Top 40 was "Some Kind-A Earthquake" by Duane Eddy. This seldom heard instrumental, which is only one minute, seventeen seconds long, reached #37 in 1959

The first live recording to ever top the Billboard chart was "Fingertips part 2" by Little Stevie Wonder, in August, 1963.

The first a cappella song to reach number one on the Billboard Hot 100 was Bobby McFerrin's "Don't Worry, Be Happy", which reached the top on September 24th, 1988.

The first foreign language recording to top the Billboard chart was "Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blu (Volare)" by Domenico Modugno in 1958. Translated from Italian, the title means "In The Blue Sky Painted Blue (To Fly)".

The first comedy album to ever top the Billboard chart was "The Button-Down Mind of Bob Newhart" in 1960.

The first Country album to reach the top of the Hot 200 album chart was "Ring Of Fire" by Johnny Cash in January, 1964.

The first triple-disc album to top the Billboard chart was the soundtrack to "Woodstock".

In November, 1958, The Kingston Trio became the first group to ever have an album reach the top of the US chart. Before them, only solo artists had hit number one.

The first 45 rpm record to reach the Billboard charts was "You're Adorable" by Perry Como, on May 7, 1949.

Roy Hamilton's "Don't Let Go" became the first stereo single to reach the Billboard chart when it entered at #13 on February 22nd, 1958.

The first artist to write and record his own US #1 hit was Buddy Knox. His tune "Party Doll" topped the Billboard chart in March, 1957.

The first British artist to top the Billboard chart was Mr. Acker Bilk with "Stranger on the Shore" on May 26, 1962. However, Vera Lynn was the first British artist to have the best selling record in the U.S. with "Auf Wiederseh'n Sweetheart" on July 26, 1952, four years before The HOT 100 was introduced.

"Wild Thing" by The Troggs is the only single to hit #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 while being offered on two different labels simultaneously. Fontana was the group's British label and ATCO was also given a contract to release the song in the US. The compilers of the Billboard Hot 100 decided to combine the two singles (which had different B-sides) into one chart position.

A 60 track album called "Beatles Anthology I" holds the record for first-day sales, selling 450,000 units on the day of its release, November 19th, 1995.

The term "Rock and Roll", which was slang for sexual intercourse, appeared on record for the first time in 1922 on Trixie Smith's "My Baby Rocks Me With One Steady Roll".

The term "Rhythm & Blues" was coined in 1948 by a young Billboard reporter and future Atlantic Records producer Jerry Wexler, to replace the negative term Race Records.

Elvis Presley's 1956 recording of "Love Me" was the first million-seller to make the US charts without being released as a single. It was instead, an EP (extended play) 45 rpm, with three other songs on it: "Rip It Up", "Paralyzed" and "When My Blue Moon Turns to Gold Again".

The Animals 1964 hit "House Of The Rising Sun" was the first Number 1 to have a playing time of more than four minutes.

The Four Aces 1955 release of "Love Is A Many Splendored Thing" was the first US number one record that was specifically written for a motion picture.

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