Special Report

The Most Popular Song Every Year Since 1966

Songs serve as the soundtrack to our lives. You hear a melody and you’re instantly transported back to a time and a place in your past. Each year, one song rises to the top of the charts – and in your mind – and becomes instantly associated with a particular era, film, or artist. That’s true of the ones listed here. (These are the most popular hit singles of the 21st century.)

To identify the most popular song the year you were born, 24/7 Tempo reviewed the Billboard Hot 100 going back to January 1966. We looked at the song that peaked at #1 and spent the most amount of weeks on the chart. (Copies of each single sold come from the Recording Industry Association of America.)

Looking over the songs, many are from well-known artists still performing today. Frankie Valli hit the charts with “My Eyes Adored You” in 1975, and still plays concert halls. Others could be classified as one-hit wonders, typified by Nick Gilder’s 1979 catchy ditty “Hot Child in the City.” And has anyone heard from the Archies since 1969’s “Sugar, Sugar”?

One artist scored hits in consecutive years. The Weeknd dominated the charts for 74 weeks in 2021 with “Blinding Lights.” This year, his collaboration with Ariana Grande, “Save Your Tears,” has sold 3 million copies. Although not quite in consecutive years, Boyz II Men had chart-topping tunes in 1993 (“End Of The Road”) and 1995 (“I’ll Make Love to You”).

Click here to see the most popular song the year you were born.

It doesn’t hurt a song’s chances for hit status if it accompanied a popular movie. “Beaches,” the 1989 tearjerker, propelled Bette Midler’s “The Wind Beneath My Wings” to the top of the charts. Same goes for Barbra Streisand’s “The Way We Were” from the 1974 movie of the same name, and B.J. Thomas’s rendition of “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ On My Head,” from the 1970 classic “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.” (These are the greatest songs from American movies.)

Click here to see the the most popular song the year you were born

MGM Records - Billboard, page 1, 18 June 1966 / Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

1966
> Song: Lightnin’ Strikes
> Artist: Lou Christie
> Weeks at #1 7
> Copies of single sold: 0.5 million

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Central Press / Getty Images

1967
> Song: Light My Fire
> Artist: The Doors
> Weeks at #1 15
> Copies of single sold: 1 million

via Facebook / courtesy of Paul Mauriat Orchestra

1968
> Song: Love Is Blue (L’amour Est Bleu)
> Artist: Paul Mauriat And His Orchestra
> Weeks at #1 13
> Copies of single sold: 0.5 million

Central Press / Hulton Royals Collection via Getty Images

1969
> Song: Sugar, Sugar
> Artist: The Archies
> Weeks at #1 14
> Copies of single sold: 0.5 million

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1970
> Song: Raindrops Keep Fallin’ On My Head
> Artist: B.J. Thomas
> Weeks at #1 13
> Copies of single sold: 0.5 million

Perenchio Artists / Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

1971
> Song: Indian Reservation (The Lament Of The Cherokee Reservation Indian)
> Artist: The Raiders
> Weeks at #1 7
> Copies of single sold: 1 million

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David Redfern / Redferns via Getty Images

1972
> Song: The Candy Man
> Artist: Sammy Davis, Jr. with The Mike Curb Congregation
> Weeks at #1 8
> Copies of single sold: 0.5 million

1973
> Song: Tie A Yellow Ribbon Round The Ole Oak Tree
> Artist: Dawn Featuring Tony Orlando
> Weeks at #1 14
> Copies of single sold: 0.5 million

Jeff Fusco / Getty Images

1974
> Song: The Way We Were
> Artist: Barbra Streisand
> Weeks at #1 13
> Copies of single sold: 0.5 million

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1975
> Song: My Eyes Adored You
> Artist: Frankie Valli
> Weeks at #1 6
> Copies of single sold: 0.5 million

NBC Photo / Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

1976
> Song: Venus
> Artist: Frankie Avalon
> Weeks at #1 24
> Copies of single sold: 0.5 million

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Stuart Nicol / Hulton Archive via Getty Images

1977
> Song: I Just Want To Be Your Everything
> Artist: Andy Gibb
> Weeks at #1 17
> Copies of single sold: 0.5 million

my_public_domain_photos / Flickr

1978
> Song: How Deep Is Your Love
> Artist: Bee Gees
> Weeks at #1 20
> Copies of single sold: 0.5 million

via Facebook / courtesy of Nick Gilder

1979
> Song: Hot Child In The City
> Artist: Nick Gilder
> Weeks at #1 11
> Copies of single sold: 1 million

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Michael Ochs Archives / Michael Ochs Archives via Getty Images

1980
> Song: Do That To Me One More Time
> Artist: Captain & Tennille
> Weeks at #1 10
> Copies of single sold: 0.5 million

Mike Lawrie / Getty Images Entertainment via Getty Images

1981
> Song: Jessie’s Girl
> Artist: Rick Springfield
> Weeks at #1 14
> Copies of single sold: 0.5 million

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Michael Ochs Archives / Michael Ochs Archives via Getty Images

1982
> Song: Chariots Of Fire – Titles
> Artist: Vangelis
> Weeks at #1 7
> Copies of single sold: 1 million

Patti Austin / Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

1983
> Song: Baby, Come To Me
> Artist: Patti Austin A Duet With James Ingram
> Weeks at #1 10
> Copies of single sold: 0.5 million

1984
> Song: Total Eclipse Of The Heart
> Artist: Bonnie Tyler
> Weeks at #1 18
> Copies of single sold: 1 million

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1985
> Song: Caribbean Queen (No More Love On The Run)
> Artist: Billy Ocean
> Weeks at #1 14
> Copies of single sold: 0.5 million

1986
> Song: Take On Me
> Artist: a-ha
> Weeks at #1 13
> Copies of single sold: 1 million

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1987
> Song: Here I Go Again
> Artist: Whitesnake
> Weeks at #1 14
> Copies of single sold: 1 million

1988
> Song: Red Red Wine
> Artist: UB40
> Weeks at #1 16
> Copies of single sold: 0.5 million

Mike Coppola / Getty Images

1989
> Song: Wind Beneath My Wings (From “Beaches”)
> Artist: Bette Midler
> Weeks at #1 15
> Copies of single sold: 1 million

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David Redfern / Redferns via Getty Images

1990
> Song: Close To You
> Artist: Maxi Priest
> Weeks at #1 16
> Copies of single sold: 0.5 million

via Facebook / courtesy of James Ingram

1991
> Song: I Don’t Have The Heart
> Artist: James Ingram
> Weeks at #1 15
> Copies of single sold: 0.5 million

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Kevin Winter / Getty Images

1992
> Song: All 4 Love
> Artist: Color Me Badd
> Weeks at #1 17
> Copies of single sold: 0.5 million

Michael Ochs Archives / Michael Ochs Archives via Getty Images

1993
> Song: End Of The Road (From “Boomerang”)
> Artist: Boyz II Men
> Weeks at #1 28
> Copies of single sold: 1 million

Michael Ochs Archives / Michael Ochs Archives via Getty Images

1994
> Song: The Sign
> Artist: Ace Of Base
> Weeks at #1 31
> Copies of single sold: 1 million

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Michael Ochs Archives / Michael Ochs Archives via Getty Images

1995
> Song: I’ll Make Love To You
> Artist: Boyz II Men
> Weeks at #1 31
> Copies of single sold: 1 million

1996
> Song: Macarena (Bayside Boys Mix)
> Artist: Los Del Rio
> Weeks at #1 28
> Copies of single sold: 4 million

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Brad Barket / Getty Images

1997
> Song: Un-Break My Heart
> Artist: Toni Braxton
> Weeks at #1 36
> Copies of single sold: 1 million

Patrick Riviere / Getty Images

1998
> Song: Truly Madly Deeply
> Artist: Savage Garden
> Weeks at #1 46
> Copies of single sold: 0.5 million

1999
> Song: Too Close
> Artist: Next
> Weeks at #1 43
> Copies of single sold: 1 million

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Scott Gries / Getty Images

2000
> Song: Smooth
> Artist: Santana Featuring Rob Thomas
> Weeks at #1 46
> Copies of single sold: 1 million

Scott Gries / Getty Images

2001
> Song: With Arms Wide Open
> Artist: Creed
> Weeks at #1 21
> Copies of single sold: 2 million

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Buda Mendes / Getty Images Entertainment via Getty Images

2002
> Song: How You Remind Me
> Artist: Nickelback
> Weeks at #1 34
> Copies of single sold: 0.5 million

Mark Mainz / Getty Images

2003
> Song: Get Busy
> Artist: Sean Paul
> Weeks at #1 21
> Copies of single sold: 1 million

Frank Micelotta / Getty Images Entertainment via Getty Images

2004
> Song: Yeah!
> Artist: Usher Featuring Lil Jon & Ludacris
> Weeks at #1 38
> Copies of single sold: 1 million

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2005
> Song: Goodies
> Artist: Ciara Featuring Petey Pablo
> Weeks at #1 27
> Copies of single sold: 3 million

2006
> Song: We Belong Together
> Artist: Mariah Carey
> Weeks at #1 36
> Copies of single sold: 4 million

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Kevin Winter / Getty Images

2007
> Song: SexyBack
> Artist: Justin Timberlake
> Weeks at #1 29
> Copies of single sold: 3 million

2008
> Song: Big Girls Don’t Cry
> Artist: Fergie
> Weeks at #1 30
> Copies of single sold: 1 million

Jason Merritt / Getty Images

2009
> Song: Viva La Vida
> Artist: Coldplay
> Weeks at #1 46
> Copies of single sold: 3 million

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Francois Durand / Getty Images Entertainment via Getty Images

2010
> Song: I Gotta Feeling
> Artist: The Black Eyed Peas
> Weeks at #1 54
> Copies of single sold: 10 million

Kevork Djansezian / Getty Images Entertainment via Getty Images

2011
> Song: Rolling In The Deep
> Artist: Adele
> Weeks at #1 48
> Copies of single sold: 8 million

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2012
> Song: Party Rock Anthem
> Artist: LMFAO Featuring Lauren Bennett & GoonRock
> Weeks at #1 54
> Copies of single sold: 10 million

Jason Merritt / Getty Images Entertainment via Getty Images

2013
> Song: Somebody That I Used To Know
> Artist: Gotye Featuring Kimbra
> Weeks at #1 45
> Copies of single sold: 14 million

Ian Gavan / Getty Images Entertainment via Getty Images

2014
> Song: All Of Me
> Artist: John Legend
> Weeks at #1 30
> Copies of single sold: 14 million

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Larry Busacca / Getty Images Entertainment via Getty Images

2015
> Song: Uptown Funk!
> Artist: Mark Ronson Featuring Bruno Mars
> Weeks at #1 49
> Copies of single sold: 11 million

Theo Wargo / Getty Images Entertainment via Getty Images

2016
> Song: See You Again
> Artist: Wiz Khalifa Featuring Charlie Puth
> Weeks at #1 48
> Copies of single sold: 11 million

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2017
> Song: Cheap Thrills
> Artist: Sia Featuring Sean Paul
> Weeks at #1 30
> Copies of single sold: 8 million

2018
> Song: Shape Of You
> Artist: Ed Sheeran
> Weeks at #1 58
> Copies of single sold: 10 million

Kevin Winter / Getty Images Entertainment via Getty Images

2019
> Song: Sunflower (Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse)
> Artist: Post Malone & Swae Lee
> Weeks at #1 42
> Copies of single sold: 11 million

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Matt Winkelmeyer / Getty Images Entertainment via Getty Images

2020
> Song: Circles
> Artist: Post Malone
> Weeks at #1 50
> Copies of single sold: 4 million

Rich Fury / Getty Images Entertainment via Getty Images

2021
> Song: Blinding Lights
> Artist: The Weeknd
> Weeks at #1 74
> Copies of single sold: 10 million

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Kevin Winter / Getty Images Entertainment via Getty Images

2022
> Song: Save Your Tears
> Artist: The Weeknd & Ariana Grande
> Weeks at #1 48
> Copies of single sold: 3 million

 

 

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