Tuesday, October 22, 2019

Dave's Music Database Hall of Fame: Song Inductees (October 2019)

Originally posted 10/22/2019.

In honor of the 10th anniversary of the DMDB blog on January 22, 2019, Dave’s Music Database launched its own Hall of Fame. This is the fourth set of song inductees. These are the ten biggest #1 pop songs of the rock era (post-1955), although none is older than 1995. Each of these songs spent 14 weeks or more at #1 on one or more Billboard pop charts, including the Hot 100, airplay, digital, and streaming charts. Not listed here is previous inductee “I Will Always Love You” by Whitney Houston. Note: click on song title for the full blog entry and key for the footnote codes.

Mariah Carey “We Belong Together” (2005)

Inducted October 2019 as “Top 10 #1 Pop Songs of the Rock Era.”

Mariah Carey was the singer of the ‘90s with her pop/R&B/AC blend of music, but was quickly derailing in the first half of the next decade. In 2005, however, she found herself back on top when Def Jam signed her and she collaborated with Jermaine Dupri for “We Belong Together.” Not only was it the best-selling song of the decade, SF but Billboard magazine named it the most successful song in history by a female artist WK Read more.

Mariah Carey with Boyz II Men “One Sweet Day” (1995)

Inducted October 2019 as “Top 10 #1 Pop Songs of the Rock Era.”

This ballad paired “some of the best R&B ballad singers of their generation” BBC emphasizing Carey’s “vocal gymnastics, artfully supported by the more restrained vocalizing of…Boyz II Men.” JA The song, inspired by the deaths of friends, spent 16 weeks atop the Billboard Hot 100. The only song of the 20th century to spend more time at the pinnacle was Francis Craig with 1947’s “Near You” (17 weeks). Read more.

Luis Fonsi with Daddy Yankee & Justin Bieber “Despacito” (2017)

Inducted October 2019 as “Top 10 #1 Pop Songs of the Rock Era.”

Puerto Rican singer Luis Fonsi not only turned out one of the biggest Spanish-language hits ever (39 weeks atop the Billboard Hot Latin Songs chart, first #1 predominantely in Spanish since 1996’s “Macarena”), but one of the biggest hits period. The song hit #1 in 47 countries, WK including 16 weeks at the summit in the United States. It became the first video on YouTube to reach three, and then four, billion views. WK Read more.

Goo Goo Dolls “Iris” (1998)

Inducted October 2019 as “Top 10 #1 Pop Songs of the Rock Era.”

“Iris” was the Goo Goo Dolls’ contribution to the City of Angels soundtrack and the lead single for their Dizzy Up the Girl album. It spent a whopping 18 weeks atop the Billboard airplay chart, which would have made it the biggest pop chart in history, except that it didn’t qualify for the Hot 100 since it wasn’t available as an actual physical single release until after it had already peaked. Read more.

Elton John “Candle in the Wind 1997 (Goodbye England’s Rose)” (1997)

Inducted October 2019 as “Top 10 #1 Pop Songs of the Rock Era.”

Lyricist Bernie Taupin wrote the original song in 1973 as a tribute to Marilyn Monroe. After Princess Diana was killed in a car crash in 1997, her friend Elton John proposed the idea of revising the lyrics as a eulogy. Elton performed it at her funeral for a worldwide audience of more than 2.5 billion people. BR1 The subsequent single release of the song became the U.K.’s biggest seller ever MG and sold 11 million in the U.S. Only Bing Crosby’s “White Christmas” has sold more. Read more.

Lil Nas X with Billy Ray Cyrus “Old Town Road” (2018)

Inducted October 2019 as “Top 10 #1 Pop Songs of the Rock Era.”

Lil Nas X released “Old Town Road” independently in 2018. After it went viral on social video sharing app TikTok, it was picked up by radio stations and initially made Billboard’s R&B and country charts. It was disqualified from the latter chart, provoking some cries of racism. In the wake of the controversy a remix featuring country singer Billy Ray Cyrus sent the song into overdrive. By the end of its run, it became the biggest #1 pop song in Billboard’s history with 19 weeks on top. Read more.

Maroon 5 with Cardi B “Girls Like You” (2017)

Inducted October 2019 as “Top 10 #1 Pop Songs of the Rock Era.”

Maroon 5’s fourth trip to the top of the Billboard Hot 100 tied Ed Sheeran’s “Shape of You” for the most weeks in the top 10 on that chart. It also spent 16 weeks atop the airplay chart and became the biggest hit in the history of the adult contemporary chart with 30 weeks at #1. The video, Vevo’s most-viewed of 2018, WK featured lead singer Adam Levine and a slew of female celebrities dancing and lip-syching around him. Read more.

No Doubt “Don’t Speak” (1995)

Inducted October 2019 as “Top 10 #1 Pop Songs of the Rock Era.”

It’s one of the biggest #1 pop songs in history thanks to 16 weeks atop the radio airplay chart, but it never hit the Billboard Hot 100 because it was never given an official single release. It propelled the band into the spotlight and its parent album, Tragic Kingdom spent nine weeks atop the Billboard album chart. Read more.

Mark Ronson with Bruno Mars “Uptown Funk!” (2014)

Inducted October 2019 as “Top 10 #1 Pop Songs of the Rock Era.”

Mark Ronson had produced hits such as Bruno Mars’ #1 “Locked Out of Heaven” and Amy Winehouse’s top-ten “Rehab,” but had never hit the Billboard Hot 100 as a solo artist. “Uptown Funk,” featuring Mars on vocals, wasn’t just the hit of Ronson’s career, but one of the biggest #1 hits of all-time. It set the record for most streaks in a week (15 million) WK and was one of only four to top the Hot 100 and the UK charts for at least seven weeks. Read more.

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