Celebrating the 55th anniversary of the inception of the industry standard Hot 100, Billboard unveiled its Top 100 most successful songs of all time, where some interesting songs made interesting placements.
What is very important for fans and industry execs alike, is to understand that longevity is far better than a peak position. Slow and steady wins the race on Billboard. The biggest example of this perhaps, is LeAnn Rimes' How Do I Live. Though it peaked at No.2, it managed an all time No.4 ranking, after spending 69 weeks on the chart (including a record 32 in the Top 10). This put the song above songs like I Gotta Feeling by the Black Eyed Peas at No.6, which had an astounding 14 weeks on top the 100.
Another prominent example is the unstoppable Adele, who was seemingly the victim of an upset. After Rolling In The Deep clocked in at No.1 on the 2011 year end chart, it pulled in at No.31 for the all time chart. This put the song behind 2011's No.2, Party Rock Anthem (by LMFAO), which had the highest placement of any song from the 2000's overall, at No.5.
Other notable occurrences? the Pop smash Call Me Maybe ranked above Whitney Houston's iconic I Will Always Love You, even after its brief 2012 re-run, as Maybe pulled in at No.46, Houston came in at No.49 (Which is 19 spots better than the 2008 listing thanks to its 2012 re-run). And perhaps what shall devastate stans across the board, the likes of Katy Perry, Lady Gaga and Britney Spears were all absent from the list. Deep breaths, deep breaths.
Well, what was the No.1 song of all time? Chubby Checkers' The Twist, thanks to its two separate No.1 rankings, once in 1960 and again in 1962.
Check out the full list below:
01. Chubby Checker - The Twist 02:35
02. Santana - Smooth 04:56
03. Bobby Darin - Mack The Knife 03:08
04. Leann Rimes - How Do I Live 04:27
05. Lmfao - Party Rock Anthem (Feat. Lauren Bennett & Goonrock) 04:23
06. The Black Eyed Peas - I Gotta Feeling 04:48
07. Los Del Rio - Macarena (Bayside Boys Remix) 03:54
08. Olivia Newton-John - Physical 03:42
09. Debby Boone - You Light Up My Life 03:39
10. The Beatles - Hey Jude 07:08
11. Mariah Carey - We Belong Together 03:21
12. Toni Braxton - Un-Break My Heart 04:29
13. Usher - Yeah! 04:09
14. Kim Carnes - Bette Davis Eyes 03:54
15. Lionel Richie - Endless Love (With Diana Ross) 04:26
16. Rod Stewart - Tonight'S The Night (Gonna Be Alright) 03:56
17. Jewel - You Were Meant For Me 03:49
18. Bryan Adams - (Everything I Do) I Do It For You 06:33
19. Boyz Ii Men - I'Ll Make Love To You 03:57
20. The Percy Faith Orchestra - Theme From 'A Summer Place' 02:43
21. Chic - Le Freak 05:31
22. Bee Gees - How Deep Is Your Love 04:03
23. Survivor - Eye Of The Tiger 04:06
24. Rihanna - We Found Love (Feat. Calvin Harris) 03:35
25. Flo Rida - Low 03:48
26. Andy Gibb - I Just Want To Be Your Everything 03:47
27. Next - Too Close 04:19
28. The Police - Every Breath You Take 04:12
29. Gotye - Somebody That I Used To Know 04:04
30. Irene Cara - Flashdance... What A Feeling 03:57
31. Adele - Rolling In The Deep 03:48
32. Bobby Lewis - Tossin' & Turnin' 02:26
33. Horton, Johnny - Battle Of New Orleans, The 02:34
34. Mariah Carey - One Sweet Day [Mariah Carey & Boyz Ii Men] 04:43
35. Savage Garden - Truly Madly Deeply 04:39
36. Paul Mccartney & Wings - Silly Love Songs 06:04
37. Marvin Gaye - Let'S Get It On 04:50
38. Bee Gees - Night Fever 03:32
39. Queen - Another One Bites The Dust 03:34
40. Michael Jackson - Say, Say, Say (With Paul Mccartney) 03:56
41. Nickleback - How You Remind Me 03:43
42. Dawn - Tie A Yellow Ribbon Round The Ole Oak Tree 03:26
43. Tommy Edwards - It'S All In The Game - Tommy Edwards 1951 02:38
44. The Beatles - I Want To Hold Your Hand 02:26
45. Andy Gibb - Shadow Dancing 04:33
46. Carly Rae Jepsen - Call Me Maybe 03:13
47. Elton John - Something About The Way You Look Tonight 03:59
48. Alicia Keys - No One (Live) 06:10
49. Whitney Houston - I Will Always Love You 04:30
50. Boyz Ii Men - End Of The Road 05:31
51. Black Eyed Peas - Boom Boom Pow 04:12
52. Blondie - Call Me (Theme From American Gigolo) 03:32
53. Mario - Let Me Love You 04:09
54. Bee Gees - Stayin' Alive 04:47
55. Kenny Rogers - Lady 03:50
56. Kesha - Tik Tok 03:19
57. The Monkees - I'M A Believer 02:45
58. Kanye West - Gold Digger (Feat. Jamie Foxx) 03:28
59. Timbaland Ft One Republic - Apologize 03:03
60. Ace Of Base - (I Saw) The Sign 03:12
61. J. Geils Band - Centerfold 03:39
62. John Lennon - (Just Like) Starting Over 03:57
63. Monica - The Boy Is Mine 04:50
64. Stevie B - Because I Love You (The Postman Song) 04:20
65. Joan Jett And The Blackhearts (Cd 1 Of 2) - I Love Rock N' Roll 02:55
66. The 5Th Dimension - Aquarius/Let The Sunshine In (The Flesh Failures) 04:49
67. Tag Team - Whoomp (There It Is) (Radio Edit) 03:46
68. Maroon 5 - Moves Like Jagger (The Voice Performance) [Feat. Christina Aguilera] 03:21
69. Stevie Wonder - Ebony And Ivory 03:40
70. Paula Abdul - Rush Rush 04:52
71. Dionne Warwick - That'S What Friends Are For 04:14
72. Diana Ross - Upside Down 04:05
73. The Archies - Sugar, Sugar 02:47
74. Bruno Mars - Just The Way You Are 03:40
75. Nelly - Dilemma (Feat. Kelly Rowland) 04:49
76. Marvin Gaye - I Heard It Through The Grapevine 03:17
77. Shania Twain - You'Re Still The One 03:32
78. Donna Summer - Hot Stuff 03:51
79. Coolio - Gangsta'S Paradise 04:00
80. Steve Miller Band - Abracadabra 05:08
81. Michael Jackson - Billie Jean 04:53
82. Carly Simon - You'Re So Vain 04:17
83. Wild Cherry - Play That Funky Music 04:59
84. Lionel Richie - Say You, Say Me 04:01
85. The Knack - My Sharona 04:55
86. Lionel Richie - All Night Long (All Night) 06:22
87. Sinead O'Connor - Nothing Compares 2 U 05:10
88. All-4-One - I Swear 04:19
89. Mary J. Blige - Family Affair 04:26
90. Foreigner - Waiting For A Girl Like You 04:50
91. Elvis Presley - Are You Lonesome Tonight? [Laughing] 02:53
92. Roberta Flack - Killing Me Softly With His Song 04:48
93. John Mellencamp - Hurts So Good 03:39
94. Puff Daddy - I'Ll Be Missing You 05:43
95. B.J. Thomas - Raindrops Keep Fallin' On My Head 03:02
96. Phil Collins - Another Day In Paradise 05:22
97. Maroon 5 - One More Night 03:39
98. The Emotions - Best Of My Love 03:40
99. Fun. - We Are Young (Feat. Janelle Monáe) 04:10
100. Usher - You Make Me Wanna [Albumversion] 03:38