Billboard, over the years, has established itself as the most important music ranking platform in the world. There are Rolling Stone charts, World Music charts, but Billboard charts is one everyone gets on and one that really matters.
Once upon a time, music used to be about vocals—the bigger the better—a la Aretha Franklyn, Gladys Knight, and Whitney Houston. It soon evolved into a dance fiesta a la Madonna, Cindy Lauper, and Michael Jackson. And now, it’s all about vibes.
There are songs out there that, for whatever reason, just seem to stick. Our culture is filled with songs that just don’t quit, Lil Nas X’s “Old Town Road.”
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.
Old Town Road – Lil Nas X Ft. Billy Ray Cyrus
Old Town Road spent a total of 19 Weeks at #1. And had a total of 44 weeks on chart. It topped the charts from: April 13 to Aug. 17, 2019. Old Town Road took a rare, organic rise to the top. Originally released on Tik-Tok in December 2018, the song became a crossover between rap and country music. Lil Nas X bought the beat for just $30. Billy Ray Cyrus was brought in for the remix after Billboard dropped the music from the country charts. The remix and accompanying long-form video propelled the song to the longest-running #1 of all time.
Despacito – Luis Fonsi & Daddy Yankee Ft. Justin Bieber
Despacito became that annoying bug that wouldn’t just go away. It spent a total of 16 weeks at #1, 32 weeks on chart, and topped the charts from: May 27 to Sept. 9, 2017.
It became a go-to meme song and, with over 6 billion views, the most viewed song on YouTube.
One Sweet Day – Mariah Carey & Boyz II Men
It spent 16 weeks at #1, a total of 16 weeks on chart, and topped the charts from: Dec. 2, 1995 to March 16, 1996.
A collaboration birthed from death and a chance encounter, they merged two songs and produced a 16-week reign atop the charts that stood alone for over 21 years.
Macarena (Bayside Boys Mix) – Los Del Rio
It spent 14 weeks at #1, a total of 46 weeks on chart, and topped the charts from: Aug. 3 to Nov. 2, 1996
Macarena was a TikTok song before TikTok became a thing. It set off one of the biggest dance crazes of the 1990s and was the first hit for the Spanish flamenco group since the 1960s.
We Belong Together – Mariah Carey
It spent 14 weeks at #1, a total of 22 weeks on chart, and topped the charts from: June 4 to Sept. 10, 2005. According to Jermain Dupri, We Belong Together was written and recorded in a 12-hour span. It would earn Carey three of her five Grammy Awards and Song of the Decade honors from Billboard. Mariah Carey has a total of 18 songs that reached #1.
