Saturday, December 31, 2022

Music VF: Songs of the Year, 1900-2018

Music VF:

Songs of the Year, 1900-2022

Music VF is an online database of more than 120,000 U.S. and UK chart hits. One can search for top songs and artists by year and by decade. Here are the top songs of each year according to Music VF:

Check out other “songs of the year” lists here.

2022: Sam Smith with Kim Petras “Unholy”
2021: Adele “Easy on Me”
2020: Doja Cat “Say So”
2019: Lil Nas X with Billy Ray Cyrus “Old Town Road”
2018: Ariana Grande “Thank U, Next”
2017: DJ Khaled “I’m the One”
2016: Rihanna with Drake “Work”
2015: Adele “Hello”
2014: Meghan Trainor “All About That Bass”
2013: Robin Thicke with T.I. & Pharrell Williams “Blurred Lines”
2012: Carly Rae Jepsen “Call Me Maybe”
2011: Gotye with Kimbra “Somebody That I Used to Know”
2010: Adele “Rolling in the Deep”
2009: Black Eyed Peas “Boom Boom Pow”
2008: Coldplay “Viva La Vida”
2007: Rihanna with Jay-Z “Umbrella”
2006: Beyoncé “Irreplaceable”
2005: Mariah Carey “We Belong Together”
2004: Mario “Let Me Love You”
2003: Beyoncé with Jay-Z “Crazy in Love”
2002: Eminem “Lose Yourself”
2001: Nickelback “How You Remind Me”
2000: Destiny’s Child “Independent Women”
1999: Santana with Rob Thomas “Smooth”
1998: Cher “Believe”
1997: Elton John “Candle in the Wind 1997 (Goodbye England’s Rose)”
1996: No Doubt “Don’t Speak”
1995: Mariah Carey with Boyz II Men “One Sweet Day”
1994: Boyz II Men “I’ll Make Love to You”
1993: Janet Jackson “That’s the Way Love Goes”
1992: Whitney Houston “I Will Always Love You”
1991: Bryan Adams > “(Everything I Do) I Do It for You”
1990: Sinéad O’Connor “Nothing Compares 2 U”
1989: Madonna “Like a Prayer”
1988: Phil Collins “A Groovy Kind of Love”
1987: Whitney Houston “I Wanna Dance with Somebody Who Loves Me”
1986: Patti LaBelle & Michael McDonald “On My Own”
1985: U.S.A. for Africa “We Are the World”
1984: Stevie Wonder “I Just Called to Say I Love You”
1983: The Police “Every Breath You Take”
1982: Survivor “Eye of the Tiger”
1981: The Human League “Don’t You Want Me?”
1980: Diana Ross “Upside Down”
1979: Anita Ward “Ring My Bell”
1978: Bee Gees “Night Fever”
1977: Bee Gees “How Deep Is Your Love”
1976: Elton John & Kiki Dee “Don’t Go Breaking My Heart”
1975: The Four Seasons “December 1963 (Oh What a Night)”
1974: Terry Jacks “Seasons in the Sun”
1973: Tony Orlando & Dawn “Tie a Yellow Ribbon ‘Round the Ole Oak Tree”
1972: Gilbert O’Sullivan “Alone Again (Naturally)”
1971: Harry Nilsson “Without You”
1970: Simon & Garfunkel “Bridge Over Troubled Water”
1969: The Archies “Sugar, Sugar”
1968: Marvin Gaye “I Heard It Through the Grapevine”
1967: Frank Sinatra & Nancy Sinatra “Somethin’ Stupid”
1966: The Monkees “I’m a Believer”
1965: The Rolling Stones “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction”
1964: The Supremes “Baby Love”
1963: The Beatles “I Want to Hold Your Hand”
1962: Ray Charles “I Can’t Stop Loving You”
1961: Del Shannon “Runaway”
1960: Elvis Presley “It’s Now or Never”
1959: Bobby Darin “Mack the Knife”
1958: The Everly Brothers “All I Have to Do Is Dream”
1957: Elvis Presley “All Shook Up”
1956: Elvis Presley “Hound Dog”
1955: Tennessee Ernie Ford “Sixteen Tons”
1954: Kitty Kallen “Little Things Mean a Lot”
1953: Frankie Laine “I Believe”
1952: Al Martino “Here in My Heart”
1951: Johnnie Ray & the Four Lads “Cry”
1950: Red Foley “Chattanoogie Shoe Shine Boy”
1949: Margaret Whiting & Jimmy Wakely “Slipping Around”
1948: Pee Wee Hunt “Twelfth Street Rag”
1947: Tex Williams “Smoke! Smoke! Smoke! (That Cigarette)”
1946: The Ink Spots “The Gypsy”
1945: The Andrews Sisters “Rum and Coca Cola”
1944: The Mills Brothers “You Always Hurt the One You Love”
1943: Al Dexter & His Troopers “Pistol Packin’ Mama”
1942: Glenn Miller with Ray Eberle & The Modernaires “Moonlight Cocktail”
1941: Glenn Miller with Tex Beneke & the Four Modernaires…Chattanooga Choo Choo
1940: Glenn Miller “Tuxedo Junction”
1939: Glenn Miller “In the Mood”
1938: Ella Fitzgerald with Chick Webb & His Orchestra “A-Tisket, A-Tasket”
1937: Bing Crosby with Lani McIntyre & His Hawaiians “Sweet Leilani”
1936: Bing Crosby “Pennies from Heaven”
1935: Fred Astaire with Ginger Rogers & Leo Reisman’s Orchestra “Cheek to Cheek”
1934: Ray Noble with Al Bowlly “Isle of Capri”
1933: George Olsen with Joe Morrison “The Last Round-Up”
1932: Ted Lewis “In a Shanty in Old Shanty Town”
1931: Wayne King “Goodnight Sweetheart”
1930: Rudy Vallee “Stein Song (University of Maine)”
1929: Nick Lucas “Tip Toe Through the Tulips”
1928: Al Jolson “Sonny Boy”
1927: Gene Austin “My Blue Heaven”
1926: Paul Whiteman with Franklyn Baur “Valencia (A Song of Spain)”
1925: Gene Austin with Billy Carpenter “Yes Sir! That’s My Baby”
1924: Wendell Hall “It Ain’t Gonna Rain No Mo’”
1923: Paul Whiteman “Parade of the Wooden Soldiers”
1922: Al Jolson “April Showers”
1921: Isham Jones “Wabash Blues”
1920: Paul Whiteman “Whispering”
1919: Henry Burr with Albert Campbell “Till We Meet Again”
1918: Henry Burr “Just a Baby’s Prayer at Twilight”
1917: American Quartet “Over There”
1916: Henry Burr “M-O-T-H-E-R (A Word That Means the World to Me)”
1915: George MacFarlane “A Little Bit of Heaven (Shure, They Call It Ireland)”
1914: Joe Hayman “Cohen on the Telephone”
1913: Chauncey Olcott “When Irish Eyes Are Smiling”
1912: American Quartet “Moonlight Bay”
1911: Arthur Collins and Bryon G. Harlan “Alexander’s Ragtime Band”
1910: Billy Murray with the Haydn Quartet “By the Light of the Silvery Moon”
1909: Haydn Quartet “Put on Your Old Grey Bonnet”
1908: Alan Turner “As Long As the World Rolls On”
1907: Bryon G. Harlan “School Days (When We Were a Couple of Kids)”
1906: Billy Murray “You’re a Grand Old Flag (aka “The Grand Old Rag”)”
1905: Arthur Collins “The Preacher and the Bear”
1904: Haydyn Quartet “Sweet Adeline (You’re the Flower of My Heart)”
1903: Haydn Quartet “In the Good Old Summertime”
1902: Len Spencer “The Arkansaw Traveler”
1901: Harry MacDonough & Grace Spencer “Tell Me, Pretty Maiden”
1900: George J. Gaskin “When You Were Sweet Sixteen”

Resources/Related Links:

Dave’s Music Database: “‘Songs of the Year’ lists”
MusicVF.com

First posted 4/8/2019; last updated 1/7/2023.

Dave's Music Database: Song of the Year, 1800-2022

DMDB Song of the Year:

1800-2022

These are the best songs for each year from 1800 to present, according to Dave’s Music Database. Rankings are determined by aggregating multiple best-of lists along with chart data, sales figures, radio and video airplay, and streams.

Check out other “songs of the year” lists here.

2022: Harry Styles “As It Was”
2021: Olivia Rodrigo “Drivers License”
2020: Glass Animals “Heat Waves”
2019: The Weeknd “Blinding Lights”
2018: Lil Nas X with Billy Ray Cyrus “Old Town Road”
2017: Ed Sheeran “Shape of You”
2016: The Chainsmokers with Halsey “Closer”
2015: Adele “Hello”
2014: Mark Ronson with Bruno Mars “Uptown Funk!”
2013: Pharrell Williams “Happy”
2012: Macklemore & Ryan Lewis with Wanz “Thrift Shop”
2011: Gotye with Kimbra “Somebody That I Used to Know”
2010: Adele “Rolling in the Deep”
2009: Black Eyed Peas “I Gotta Feeling”
2008: Beyoncé “Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)”
2007: Rihanna with Jay-Z “Umbrella”
2006: Gnarls Barkley “Crazy”
2005: Mariah Carey “We Belong Together”
2004: Usher, Lil Jon & Ludacris “Yeah!”
2003: OutKast “Hey Ya!”
2002: Eminem “Lose Yourself”
2001: Nickelback “How You Remind Me”
2000: U2 “Beautiful Day”
1999: Santana with Rob Thomas “Smooth”
1998: Britney Spears “Baby One More Time”
1997: Elton John “Candle in the Wind 1997 (Goodbye England’s Rose)”
1996: Spice Girls “Wannabe”
1995: Los Del Rio “Macarena (Bayside Boys Mix)”
1994: Boyz II Men “I’ll Make Love to You”
1993: Beck “Loser”
1992: Whitney Houston “I Will Always Love You”
1991: Nirvana “Smells Like Teen Spirit”
1990: Sinéad O’Connor “Nothing Compares 2 U”
1989: Madonna “Like a Prayer”
1988: Tracy Chapman “Fast Car”
1987: Guns N’ Roses “Sweet Child O’ Mine”
1986: Bon Jovi “Livin’ on a Prayer”
1985: USA for Africa “We Are the World”
1984: Prince “When Doves Cry”
1983: The Police “Every Breath You Take”
1982: Michael Jackson “Billie Jean”
1981: Joan Jett & the Blackhearts “I Love Rock and Roll”
1980: Blondie “Call Me”
1979: Pink Floyd “Another Brick in the Wall Part II”
1978: Gloria Gaynor “I Will Survive”
1977: Bee Gees “Stayin’ Alive”
1976: Eagles “Hotel California”
1975: Queen “Bohemian Rhapsody”
1974: Lynyrd Skynyrd “Sweet Home Alabama”
1973: Roberta Flack “Killing Me Softly with His Song”
1972: Stevie Wonder “Superstition”
1971: John Lennon “Imagine”
1970: Simon & Garfunkel “Bridge Over Troubled Water”
1969: Elvis Presley “Suspicious Minds”
1968: The Beatles “Hey Jude”
1967: Aretha Franklin “Respect”
1966: The Beach Boys “Good Vibrations”
1965: The Rolling Stones “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction”
1964: The Animals “The House of the Rising Sun”
1963: The Beatles “I Want to Hold Your Hand”
1962: Ray Charles “I Can’t Stop Loving You”
1961: Ben E. King “Stand by Me”
1960: Chubby Checker “The Twist”
1959: Bobby Darin “Mack the Knife”
1958: Chuck Berry “Johnny B. Goode”
1957: Elvis Presley “Jailhouse Rock”
1956: Elvis Presley “Heartbreak Hotel”
1955: Little Richard “Tutti Frutti”
1954: Bill Haley & His Comets “We’re Gonna Rock Around the Clock”
1953: Les Paul & Mary Ford “Vaya Con Dios (May God Be with You)”
1952: Jo Stafford “You Belong to Me”
1951: Les Paul & Mary Ford “How High the Moon”
1950: Patti Page “Tennessee Waltz”
1949: Gene Autry & the Pinafores “Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer”
1948: Dinah Shore & Her Harper Valley Boys “Buttons and Bows”
1947: : Francis Craig with Bob Lamm “Near You”
1946: Nat “King” Cole “The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire)”
1945: Les Brown with Doris Day “Sentimental Journey”
1944: Bing Crosby “Swinging on a Star”
1943: Harry James with Helen Forrest “I’ve Heard That Song Before”
1942: Bing Crosby with the Ken Darby Singers & the John Scott Trotter Orchestra “White Christmas”
1941: Artie Shaw “Stardust”
1940: Tommy Dorsey with Frank Sinatra “I’ll Never Smile Again”
1939: Judy Garland “Over the Rainbow”
1938: Artie Shaw Begin the Beguine
1937: Fred Astaire “They Can't Take That Away from Me”
1936: Fred Astaire “The Way You Look Tonight”
1935: Fred Astaire “Cheek to Cheek”
1934: Guy Lombardo “Winter Wonderland”
1933: Ethel Waters “Stormy Weather (Keeps Rainin' All the Time)”
1932: Fred Astaire “Night and Day”
1931: Duke Ellington “Mood Indigo”
1930: Ben Selvin “Happy Days Are Here Again”
1929: Fats Waller “Ain’t Misbehavin’”
1928: Cliff Edwards “I Can’t Give You Anything But Love”
1927: Gene Austin “My Blue Heaven”
1926: George Olsen with Fran Frey, Bob Rice, & Edward Joyce “Always”
1925: Bessie Smith with Louis Armstrong “St. Louis Blues”
1924: Isham Jones “It Had to Be You”
1923: Van & Schenck “Carolina in the Morning”
1922: Al Jolson “April Showers”
1921: Van & Schenck “Ain’t We Got Fun?”
1920: Al Jolson “Swanee”
1919: Henry Burr with Albert Campbell “Till We Meet Again”
1918: Al Jolson “Rock-a-Bye Your Baby with a Dixie Melody”
1917: American Quartet “Over There”
1916: Henry Burr “M-O-T-H-E-R (A Word That Means the World to Me)”
1915: John McCormack “It’s a Long, Long Way to Tipperary”
1914: Arthur Collins and Bryon G. Harlan “The Aba Daba Honeymoon”
1913: Al Jolson “You Made Me Love You (I Didn't Want to Do It)”
1912: American Quartet “Moonlight Bay”
1911: Arthur Collins and Bryon G. Harlan “Alexander’s Ragtime Band”
1910: Billy Murray with the Haydn Quartet “By the Light of the Silvery Moon”
1909: Harry MacDonough with Elise Stevenson (as Miss Walton) “Shine on, Harvest Moon”
1908: Billy Murray with the Haydn Quartet “Take Me Out to the Ball Game”
1907: Bryon G. Harlan “School Days (When We Were a Couple of Kids)”
1906: Billy Murray “You’re a Grand Old Flag (aka “The Grand Old Rag”)”
1905: Billy Murray “Give My Regards to Broadway”
1904: Haydn Quartet “Sweet Adeline (You’re the Flower of My Heart)”
1903: Haydn Quartet “In the Good Old Summertime”
1902: Arthur Collins “Bill Bailey, Won’t You Please Come Home”
1901: Harry MacDonough & Grace Spencer “Tell Me, Pretty Maiden”
1900: Vess Ossman “The Old Folks at Home (Swanee River)”
1899: Arthur Collins “Hello Ma Baby”
1898: Edison Male Quartette “My Old Kentucky Home”
1897: John Philip Sousa “The Stars and Stripes Forever”
1896: Dan Quinn “A Hot Time in the Old Town”
1895: Dan Quinn “The Band Played On”
1894: Vess Ossman “Yankee Doodle”
1893: George J. Gaskin “After the Ball”
1892: Len Spencer “Ta-Ra-Ra Boom-De-Ay”
1891: John Yorke Atlee “Listen to the Mocking Bird (aka “The Mocking Bird”)”
1890: U.S. Marine Band “Semper Fidelis”
1889: “Little Annie Rooney”
1888: “Where Did You Get That Hat”
1887: “Away in a Manger”
1886: “Johnny Get Your Gun”
1885: “How Great Thou Art”
1884: “Rock-a-Bye Baby”
1883: “The Farmer in the Dell”
1882: “Wabash Cannonball” (aka “The Great Rock Island Route”)
1881: “I’ve Been Working on the Railroad”
1880: “Funicili Funicula”
1879: “Dem Golden Slippers” (aka “Oh! Dem Golden Slippers”)
1878: “Mary Had a Little Lamb”
1877: “Chopsticks”
1876: “Grandfather’s Clock”
1875: “I’ll Take You Home Again, Kathleen”
1874: “Carve Dat Possum”
1873: “Home on the Range”
1872: “Peace and Music”
1871: “Onward Christian Soldiers”
1870: “She’ll Be Comin’ ‘Round the Mountain”
1869: “Shoo Fly Don't Bother Me”
1868: “O Little Town of Bethlehem”
1867: “Michael Row the Boat”
1866: “Goober Peas”
1865: “What Child Is This?” (1865)
1864: “O Where, O Where Has My Little Dog Gone”
1863: “When Johnny Comes Marching Home Again”
1862: “The Battle Cry of Freedom”
1861: “The Battle Hymn of the Republic”
1860: “Dixie”
1859: “Ave Maria”
1858: “Wedding March from Midsummer’s Night Dream”
1857: “Jingle Bells”
1856: “Listen to the Mocking Bird (aka “The Mocking Bird”)”
1855: “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing”
1854: “I Dream of Jeannie with the Light Brown Hair”
1853: “The Yellow Rose of Texas”
1852: “Pop Goes the Weasel”
1851: “The Old Folks at Home (Swanee River)”
1850: “Camptown Races (Gwine to Run All Night)”
1849: “Blow the Man Down”
1848: “Jimmy Crack Corn (The Blue Tail Fly)”
1847: “O Holy Night (Minuit, Chrétiens)”
1846: “Oh Susanna”
1845: “Paris Qui Rit”
1844: “Buffalo Gals (Buffalo Girls Will You Come Out Tonight)”
1843: “Polly Wolly Doodle (All the Day)”
1842: “This Old Man (Nick Nack Paddiwak)”
1841: “On Top of Old Smoky”
1840: “The Pesky Sargent” (aka “Springfield Mountain” and “On Springfield Mountain”)
1839: “Near the Lake Where Drooped the Willow”
1838: “A Life on the Ocean Wave”
1837: “Shenandoah”
1836: “Corn Cobs Twist Your Hair”
1835: “Down in the Valley (Birmingham Jail)”
1834: “By the Margin of Fair Zurich’s Waters”
1833: “I Saw Three Ships”
1832: “Skip to My Lou”
1831: “My Country ‘Tis of Thee (America)”
1830: “Mary Had a Little Lamb”
1829: “William Tell Overture”
1828: “Jim Crow”
1827: “The Coal Black Rose”
1826: “Hokey Pokey”
1825: “All Through the Night”
1824: “O Christmas Tree (O Tannenbaum)”
1823: “The First Noel”
1822: “The Fortune I Crave”
1821: “Invitation to the Dance (Aufforderung Zum Tanze)”
1820: “Turkey in the Straw”
1819: --
1818: “Silent Night, Holy Night (Stille Nacht, Heilge Nacht)”
1817: “La Gazza Ladra”
1816: --
1815: “The Blue Bells of Scotland”
1814: “The Star-Spangled Banner”
1813: “Tis the Last Rose of Summer”
1812: “The Battle of the Wabash”
1811: “Au Clair de la Lune (By the Light of the Moon)”
1810: “Hail to the Thief”
1809: --
1808: --
1807: “The Wayfaring Stranger”
1806: “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star”
1805: “Little Miss Muffet”
1804: “A Foggy, Foggy Dew”
1803: “Polly Put the Kettle On”
1802: --
1801: “Alknomook”
1800: “Billy Boy”

Resources:

Dave’s Music Database: Top Songs and Albums by Year lists
Dave’s Music Database: Songs of the Year lists
Dave’s Music Database: “Songs-of-the-Decade Lists

First posted 3/31/2019; last updated 8/28/2023.

Canada: Songs of the Year, 1967-2022

Canada:

Songs of the Year, 1967-2022

These are the biggest hits for Canada each year from 1967 to present. 1967 to 1999 are based on Year-End RPM charts. 2008 onward are based on Billboard Canadian Hot 100 year-end charts. Other years are determined by selecting the song which spent the most weeks at #1 that year.

Check out other “songs of the year” lists here.

2022: Elton John & Dua Lipa “Cold Heart (Pnau Remix)”
2021: Dua Lipa with DaBaby “Levitating”
2020: Tones and I “Dance Monkey”
2019: Lil Nas X with Billy Ray Cyrus “Old Town Road”
2018: Camila Cabello with Young Thug “Havana”
2017: Ed Sheeran “Shape of You”
2016: Justin Bieber “Sorry”
2015: Mark Ronson with Bruno Mars “Uptown Funk!”
2014: Happy…Pharrell Williams
2013: Robin Thicke with T.I. & Pharrell Williams “Blurred Lines”
2012: Gotye with Kimbra “Somebody That I Used to Know”
2011: Adele “Rolling in the Deep”
2010: Katy Perry & Snoop Dogg “California Gurls”
2009: Black Eyed Peas “I Gotta Feeling”
2008: One Republic with Timbaland “Apologize”
2007: Flo Rida with T-Pain “Low”
2006: Taylor Hicks “Do I Make You Proud?”
2005: Madonna “Hung Up”
2004: Usher, Lil Jon & Ludacris “Yeah!”
2003: Clay Aiken “Bridge Over Troubled Water”
2002: Elvis Presley vs. JXL “A Little Less Conversation”
2001: Sugar Jones “Days Like That”
2000: Madonna “Music”
1999: Ricky Martin “Livin’ La Vida Loca”
1998: Natalie Imbruglia “Torn”
1997: Sarah McLachlan “Building a Mystery”
1996: Alanis Morissette “You Learn”
1995: The Rembrandts “I’ll Be There for You”
1994: Bryan Adams with Rod Stewart & Sting “All for Love”
1993: Whitney Houston “I Will Always Love You”
1992: Patty Smyth & Don Henley “Sometimes Love Just Ain’t Enough”
1991: Bryan Adams “(Everything I Do) I Do It for You”
1990: Phil Collins “I Wish It Would Rain Down”
1989: Madonna “Like a Prayer”
1988: Billy Ocean “Get Outta My Dreams, Get into My Car” (1988)
1987: Los Lobos “La Bamba”
1986: Jennifer Rush “The Power of Love”
1985: Corey Hart “Never Surrender”
1984: Stevie Wonder “I Just Called to Say I Love You”
1983: The Police “Every Breath You Take”
1982: Joan Jett & the Blackhearts “I Love Rock and Roll”
1981: Stars on 45 “Medley I”
1980: Pink Floyd “Another Brick in the Wall Part II”
1979: Supertramp “The Logical Song”
1978: Bee Gees “Night Fever”
1977: Debby Boone “You Light Up My Life”
1976: Rod Stewart “Tonight’s the Night (Gonna Be Alright)”
1975: Captain & Tennille “Love Will Keep Us Together”
1974: Terry Jacks “Seasons in the Sun”
1973: Tony Orlando & Dawn “Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree”
1972: Don McLean “American Pie”
1971: Three Dog Night “Joy to the World”
1970: Simon & Garfunkel “Bridge Over Troubled Water”
1969: The Beatles “Get Back”
1968: The Beatles “Hey Jude”
1967: The Box Tops “The Letter”

Resources/Related Links:

Dave’s Music Database: “‘Songs of the Year’ lists”
Billboard.com “Year-End Charts: Canadian Hot 100” (2008-2019)
Dave’s Music Database (7/16/2019). “Canada” Biggest #1 Songs” (1964-2019)
Wikipedia.org “RPM Year-End” (1967-1999)

First posted 4/24/2020; last updated 1/7/2023.

Steve Sullivan: Songs of the Year, 1889-2022

Steve Sullivan:

Songs of the Year, 1889-2022

To my delight, Steve Sullivan was one of my early fans on my Dave’s Music Database Facebook page. He did vital research for the Pop Memories 1890-1954 Record Research book, which has become one of my chart bibles. He has since published some of his own lists and several volumes of his Encyclopedia of Great Popular Song Recordings. By tapping into those sources (see bottom of page) and his own posts on his personal Facebook page, I’ve assembled his picks for song of the year from 1889 to present.

Check out other “songs of the year” lists here.

2022: Harry Styles “As It Was”
2021: Taylor Swift “All Too Well (Taylor’s Version)”
2020: John Prine “I Remember Everything”
2019: Keb’ Mo’ “This Is My Home”
2018: Brandi Carlile “The Joke”
2017: Drive-By Truckers “The Perilous Night”
2016: Leonard Cohen “You Want It Darker”
2015: Adele “Hello”
2014: Rosanne Cash “The Long Way Home”
2013: Marc Anthony “Vivir mi Vida”
2012: Adele “Skyfall”
2011: Adele “Someone Like You”
2010: Adele “Rolling in the Deep”
2009: Jay-Z with Alicia Keys “Empire State of Mind”
2008: Duffy “Mercy”
2007: Rihanna with Jay-Z “Umbrella”
2006: Gnarls Barkley “Crazy”
2005: James McMurtry “We Can’t Make It”
2004: Green Day “Boulevard of Broken Dreams”
2003: Black Eyed Peas with Justin Timberlake “Where Is the Love?”
2002: Eminem “Lose Yourself”
2001: Atomic Kitten “Whole Again”
2000: Bruce Springsteen “American Skin (41 Shots)”
1999: Gary Allan “Smoke Rings in the Dark”
1998: Cher “Believe”
1997: Elton John “Candle in the Wind 1997 (Goodbye England’s Rose)”
1996: Spice Girls “Wannabe”
1995: PJ Harvey “Down by the Water”
1994: Wet Wet Wet “Love Is All Around”
1993: Meat Loaf “I’d Do Anything for Love (But I Won’t Do That)”
1992: Whitney Houston “I Will Always Love You”
1991: Bryan Adams “(Everything I Do) I Do It for You”
1990: Sinéad O’Connor “Nothing Compares 2 U”
1989: Black Box “Ride on Time”
1988: Tracy Chapman “Fast Car”
1987: Rick Atley “Never Gonna Give You Up”
1986: Robert Cray “Smoking Gun”
1985: Jennifer Rush “The Power of Love”
1984: Whitney Houston “The Greatest Love of All”
1983: Frankie Goes to Hollywood “Relax”
1982: Michael Jackson “Billie Jean”
1981: Soft Cell “Tainted Love”
1980: Frank Sinatra “New York, New York (Theme from)”
1979: Art Garfunkel “Bright Eyes”
1978: Olivia Newton-John & John Travolta “You’re the One That I Want”
1977: John Williams “Star Wars”
1976: Eagles “Hotel California”
1975: Queen “Bohemian Rhapsody”
1974: Charles Aznavour “She”
1973: Barbra Streisand “The Way We Were”
1972: Ray Charles “America the Beautiful”
1971: John Lennon “Imagine”
1970: Judy Collins “Amazing Grace”
1969: Frank Sinatra “My Way”
1968: The Beatles “Hey Jude”
1967: Louis Armstrong “What a Wonderful World”
1966: Tom Jones “The Green, Green Grass of Home”
1965: Frank Sinatra “It Was a Very Good Year”
1964: Stan Getz with Astrud Gilberto “The Girl from Ipanema”
1963: The Beatles “I Want to Hold Your Hand”
1962: Tony Bennett “I Left My Heart in San Francisco”
1961: Henry Mancini with Audrey Hepburn “Moon River”
1960: Ray Charles “Georgia on My Mind”
1959: Johnny Mathis “Misty”
1958: Frank Sinatra “Blues in the Night (My Mama Done Tol’ Me)”
1957: Nat “King” Cole “Stardust”
1956: Frank Sinatra “I’ve Got You Under My Skin”
1955: Count Basie with Joe Williams “Everyday I Have the Blues”
1954: Frank Sinatra “I Get a Kick Out of You”
1953: Hank Williams “Your Cheatin’ Heart”
1952: Rosemary Clooney “Tenderly”
1951: Les Paul & Mary Ford “How High the Moon”
1950: Goodnight Irene
1949: Vaughn Monroe “Riders in the Sky (A Cowboy Legend)”
1948: T-Bone Walker “Call It Stormy Monday”
1947: Harry Choates “Jole Blon”
1946: Nat “King” Cole “The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire)”
1945: Les Brown with Doris Day “Sentimental Journey”
1944: Woody Guthrie “This Land Is Your Land”
1943: Nat “King” Cole “Embraceable You”
1942: Bing Crosby with the Ken Darby Singers & the John Scott Trotter Orchestra “White Christmas”
1941: Duke Ellington “Take the ‘A’ Train”
1940: Coleman Hawkins “Body and Soul”
1939: Glenn Miller “In the Mood”
1938: Artie Shaw “Begin the Beguine”
1937: Robert Johnson “Hellhound on My Trail”
1936: Billie Holiday “Summertime”
1935: Fred Astaire with Ginger Rogers & Leo Reisman’s Orchestra “Cheek to Cheek”
1934: Duke Ellington “Solitude”
1933: Ethel Waters “Stormy Weather (Keeps Rainin' All the Time)”
1932: Bing Crosby “Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?”
1931: Duke Ellington “Mood Indigo”
1930: Louis Armstrong “St. Louis Blues”
1929: Louis Armstrong “Ain’t Misbehavin’”
1928: Marion Harris “The Man I Love”
1927: Paul Robeson “Ol’ Man River”
1926: Bessie Smith “Lost Your Head Blues”
1925: Bessie Smith with Louis Armstrong “St. Louis Blues”
1924: Paul Whiteman with George Gershwin “Rhapsody in Blue”
1923: Bessie Smith “Down Hearted Blues”
1922: Al Jolson “April Showers”
1921: Eubie Blake “Sounds of Africa”
1920: Paul Whiteman “Whispering”
1919: Marion Harris “After You’ve Gone”
1918: Original Dixieland Jazz Band “Tiger Rag”
1917: American Quartet “Over There”
1916: Billy Murray “I Love a Piano”
1915: Harry MacDonough & Olive Kline (as Alice Green) “They Didn't Believe Me”
1914: American Quartet “It’s a Long, Long Way to Tipperary”
1913: Al Jolson “You Made Me Love You (I Didn't Want to Do It)”
1912: Heidelberg Quintet “Waiting for the Robert E. Lee”
1911: Arthur Collins and Bryon G. Harlan “Alexander’s Ragtime Band”
1910: American Quartet with Billy Murray “Casey Jones”
1909: Ada Jones with Billy Murray “Shine on Harvest Moon”
1908: Billy Murray with the Haydn Quartet “Take Me Out to the Ball Game”
1907: Vess Ossman “Maple Leaf Rag”
1906: Billy Murray “You’re a Grand Old Flag (aka “The Grand Old Rag”)”
1905: Billy Murray “Yankee Doodle Boy”
1904: Haydn Quartet “Sweet Adeline (You’re the Flower of My Heart)”
1903: Haydn Quartet “In the Good Old Summertime”
1902: Arthur Collins “Bill Bailey, Won’t You Please Come Home”
1901: Columbia Orchestra “Creole Belles”
1900: Vess Ossman “A Coon Band Contest”
1899: Vess Ossman “A Bunch of Rags”
1898: Edison Male Quartet “My Old Kentucky Home”
1897: John Philip Sousa “The Stars and Stripes Forever”
1896: --
1895: John Philip Sousa “The Washington Post March”
1894: Edward M. Favor “Daisy Bell (A Bicycle Built for Two)”
1893: George J. Gaskin “After the Ball”
1892: --
1891: Voss’ 1st Regiment Band “One Minute Too Late”
1890: U.S. Marine Band “The Washington Post March”
1889: Issler’s Orchestra “Electric Light Quadrille”

Resources/Related Links:

Dave’s Music Database: “‘Songs of the Year’ lists”

Steve Sullivan Song Lists:

“His Personal Top 100 Songs” (8/14/2022)
“Songs of the Year, 1889-2021” (1/1/2022)
“Top 100 Songs, 1897-1956” (2/7/2018)
“Greatest Popular Song Recordings: 2010-2017” (2/7/2018)
Encyclopedia of Great Popular Song Recordings (Volumes I & II). Scarecrow Press: Lanham, Maryland (2013).
“Traditional Pop: The All-Time 200+ Classic Performances” (9/17/2012).
Steve Sullivan (7/20/2012). “Top 200+ British Hits, 1945-2011” (7/20/2012).
“The 200 Greatest Song Recordings: 1889-1953” (6/26/2012).
“Country Music’s All-Time Classics According to the Classic Pop Yahoo Group” (6/1/2012).

First posted 4/14/2019; last updated 12/31/2022.

Australia: Songs of the Year, 1950-2022

Australia:

Sogs of the Year, 1950-2022

The top songs from 1988 on are based on the Australian (ARIA) charts’ actual year-end lists (link at bottom of page). Year-end #1 songs prior to 1988 are based on which song had the most weeks at #1 that year.

Check out other “songs of the year” lists here.

2022: Harry Styles “As It Was”
2021: Glass Animals “Heat Waves”
2020: The Weeknd “Blinding Lights”
2019: Lil Nas X with Billy Ray Cyrus “Old Town Road”
2018: 5 Seconds of Summer “Youngblood”
2017: Ed Sheeran “Shape of You”
2016: The Chainsmokers with Halsey “Closer”
2015: Mark Ronson with Bruno Mars “Uptown Funk!”
2014: Pharrell Williams “Happy”
2013: Katy Perry “Roar”
2012: Carly Rae Jepsen “Call Me Maybe”
2011: LMFAO with Lauren Bennett & GoonRock “Party Rock Anthem”
2010: Eminem & Rihanna “Love the Way You Lie”
2009: Black Eyed Peas “I Gotta Feeling”
2008: Flo Rida & T-Pain “Low”
2007: Fergie “Big Girls Don’t Cry (Personal)”
2006: Sandi Thom “I Wish I Was a Punk Rocker with Flowers in My Hair”
2005: Anthony Callea “The Prayer”
2004: Shannon Noll “What About Me”
2003: Guy Sebastian “Angels Brought Me Here”
2002: Eminem “Without Me”
2001: LeAnn Rimes “Can’t Fight the Moonlight”
2000: Anastacia “I’m Outta Love”
1999: Lou Bega “Mambo No. 5 (A Little Bit of…)”
1998: Ricky Martin “The Cup of Life”/ “Maria”
1997: Elton John “Candle in the Wind 1997 (Goodbye England’s Rose)”
1996: Los Del Rio “Macarena (Bayside Boys Mix)”
1995: Coolio with L.V. “Gangsta’s Paradise”
1994: Wet Wet Wet “Love Is All Around”
1993: Meat Loaf “I’d Do Anything for Love (But I Won’t Do That)”
1992: Billy Ray Cyrus “Achy Breaky Heart”
1991: Bryan Adams “(Everything I Do) I Do It for You”
1990: Sinéad O’Connor “Nothing Compares 2 U”
1989: Madonna “Like a Prayer”
1988: Bill Medley & Jennifer Warnes “I’ve Had the Time of My Life”
1987: Rick Astley “Never Gonna Give You Up” (7 wks)
1986: Bananarama “Venus” (7 wks)
1985: U.S.A. for Africa “We Are the World“ (9 wks)
1984: Stevie Wonder “I Just Called to Say I Love You“ (8 wks)
1983: Austen Tayshus “Australiana” (8 wks)
1982: Laura Branigan “Gloria” (7 wks)
1981: Joe Dolce Music Theatre “Shaddap You Face” (8 wks)
1980: Split Enz “I Got You” (8 wks)
1979: Queen “Crazy Little Thing Called Love” (7 wks)
1978: Olivia Newton-John & John Travolta “You’re the One That I Want” (9 wks)
1977: Paul McCartney & Wings “Mull of Kintyre” (11 wks)
1976: Abba “Fernando” (14 wks)
1975: Abba “Mamma Mia” (10 wks)
1974: Paper Lace “The Night Chicago Died” (8 wks)
1973: Tony Orlando & Dawn “Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree” (7 wks)
1972: Michael Jackson “Ben” (8 wks)
1971: Daddy Cool “Eagle Rock” (10 wks)
1970: George Harrison “My Sweet Lord“ (8 wks)
1969: The Beatles “Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da” / “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” (6 wks)
1968: The Beatles “Hey Jude“ (13 wks)
1967: Engelbert Humperdinck “The Last Waltz” (9 wks)
1966: The Beatles “Yellow Submarine” / “Eleanor Rigby” (8 wks)
1965: The Beatles “Help!” (8 wks)
1964: The Beatles “I Feel Fine” (8 wks)
1963: The Beatles “I Want to Hold Your Hand” (7 wks)
1962: The Beatles “I Saw Her Standing There”/“Love Me Do” (7 wks)
1961: Eddie Hodges “I’m Gonna Knock on Your Door” (7 wks)
1960: Elvis Presley “It’s Now or Never” (7 wks)
1959: Bill Haley & His Comets “Joey’s Song” (8 wks)
1958: The Platters “Smoke Gets in Your Eyes” (10 wks)
1957: Paul Anka “Diana” (8 wks)
1956: Johnnie Ray “Just Walkin’ in the Rain” (9 wks)
1955: Bill Haley & His Comets “We’re Gonna Rock Around the Clock” (6 wks)
1954: Frank Weir/Oberkirchen Children’s Choir “The Happy Wanderer” (8 wks)
1953: Nat “King” Cole “Pretend” (7 wks)
1952: Vera Lynn/Eddy Howard “Auf Wiederseh’n Sweetheart” (7 wks)
1951: Nat “King” Cole/Toni Arden “Too Young” (9 wks)
1950: Bing Crosby with the Andrews Sisters “Quicksilver” (8 wks)

Resources/Related Links:

Dave’s Music Database: “‘Songs of the Year’ lists”
ARIA.com “End of Year Charts” (1988-2019)
DMDB blog (2/26/2013). 1000 #1 Songs in Australia, 1940-2013
Wikipedia (7/15/2019). ARIA Charts: Number-one Singles

First posted 4/24/2020; last updated 1/7/2023.

Pop Culture Madness: Songs of the Year, 1898-2022

Pop Culture Madness:

Songs of the Year, 1898-2022

Pop Culture Madness bills itself as having charts which reflect continued popularity of songs, not just what was popular in its time. As such, their choices for best songs each year are often songs which never hit #1 on the charts. They have annual charts dating from 1955 to the present. With lists for 1900-1919 and another for the 1800s, that span can be stretched back to 1898.

Check out other “songs of the year” lists here.

2022: Harry Styles “As It Was”
2021: Dua Lipa with DaBaby “Levitating”
2020: The Weeknd “Blinding Lights”
2019: Post Malone with Swae Lee “Sunflower”
2018: Ed Sheeran with Beyoncé “Perfect”
2017: Ed Sheeran “Shape of You”
2016: The Chainsmokers with Halsey “Closer”
2015: Walk the Moon “Shut Up and Dance”
2014: Taylor Swift “Shake It Off”
2013: Robin Thicke with T.I. & Pharrell Williams “Blurred Lines”
2012: Psy “Gangnam Style”
2011: LMFAO with Lauren Bennett & Goon Rock “Party Rock Anthem”
2010: Katy Perry “Firework”
2009: Black Eyed Peas “I Gotta Feeling”
2008: Beyoncé “Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)”
2007: Cupid “Cupid Shuffle”
2006: Justin Timberlake “Sexyback”
2005: Gwen Stefani “Hollaback Girl”
2004: Usher with Lil’ Jon & Ludacris “Yeah!”
2003: Beyoncé with Jay-Z “Crazy in Love”
2002: Kelly Clarkson “A Moment Like This”
2001: Mr. C the Slide Man “Cha-Cha Slide”
2000: The Baha Men “Who Let the Dogs Out”
1999: Smash Mouth “All Star”
1998: Aerosmith “I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing”
1997: Aqua “Barbie Girl”
1996: Olivia Newton-John & John Travolta “The Grease Megamix”
1995: Rednex “Cotton Eye Joe”
1994: Shery Crow “All I Wanna Do”
1993: Haddaway “What Is Love?”
1992: Sir Mix-a-Lot “Baby Got Back”
1991: Natalie Cole with Nat “King” Cole “Unforgettable”
1990: Marcia Griffiths “Electric Slide (Electric Boogie)”
1989: The B-52’s “Love Shack”
1988: Def Leppard “Pour Some Sugar on Me”
1987: Bon Jovi “Livin’ on a Prayer”
1986: Dionne Warwick with Elton John, Gladys Knight, & Stevie Wonder “That's What Friends Are For”
1985: Starship “We Built This City”
1984: Michael Jackson “Thriller”
1983: The Weather Girls “It’s Raining Men”
1982: The Sugarhill Gang “Apache (Jump on It)”
1981: Journey “Don’t Stop Believin’”
1980: AC/DC “You Shook Me All Night Long”
1979: Village People “Y.M.C.A.”
1978: Donna Summer “Last Dance”
1977: Abba “Dancing Queen”
1976: Wild Cherry “Play That Funky Music”
1975: KC & the Sunshine Band “Get Down Tonight”
1974: Lynyrd Skynyrd “Sweet Home Alabama”
1973: Marvin Gaye “Let’s Get It On”
1972: Gary Glitter “Rock and Roll Part 2”
1971: James Taylor “You’ve Got a Friend”
1970: The Jackson 5 “I’ll Be There”
1969: The Foundations “Build Me Up Buttercup”
1968: Otis Redding “(Sittin’ on) The Dock of the Bay”
1967: Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough”
1966: Frank Sinatra “Summer Wind”
1965: The Righteous Brothers “The Righteous Brothers “Unchained Melody”
1964: The Beatles “Twist and Shout”
1963: Boots Randolph & His Combo “Yakety Sax (Benny Hill Theme)”
1962: Dick Dale “Misirlou”
1961: Etta James “At Last”
1960: Chubby Checker Chubby Checker “The Twist”
1959: Bobby Darin “Mack the Knife”
1958: The Champs “Tequila”
1957: Elvis Presley “Jailhouse Rock”
1956: Elvis Presley “Don’t Be Cruel”/“Hound Dog”
1955: Tennessee Ernie Ford “Sixteen Tons”
1954: Bill Haley & His Comets “We’re Gonna Rock Around the Clock”
1953:
1952:
1951: Tommy Edwards “It’s All in the Game”
1950:
1949: Vaughn Monroe “Riders in the Sky (A Cowboy Legend)”
1948: Art Mooney “I’m Looking Over a Four-Leaf Clover”
1947: Nat “King” Cole “The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire)”
1946: Johnny Mercer “Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah”
1945: Les Brown with Doris Day “Sentimental Journey”
1944: Bing Crosby with John Scott Trotter’s Orchestra “Too-Ra-Loo-Ra-Loo-Ral (That's an Irish Lullaby)”
1943: Alfred Drake “Oklahoma!”
1942: Bing Crosby with the Ken Darby Singers & the John Scott Trotter Orchestra “White Christmas”
1941: Artie Shaw “Stardust”
1940: Cliff Edwards “When You Wish Upon a Star”
1939: Judy Garland “Over the Rainbow”
1938: Seven Dwarfs “Whistle While You Work”
1937: Count Basie “One O’Clock Jump”
1936: Bing Crosby “Pennies from Heaven”
1935: Shirley Temple “On the Good Ship Lollipop”
1934: Guy Lombardo “Winter Wonderland”
1933: Dick Powell “The Gold Digger’s Song (We’re in the Money)”
1932: Fred Astaire “Night and Day”
1931: Ted Lewis “Just a Gigolo”
1930: Ben Selvin “Happy Days Are Here Again”
1929: Louis Armstrong “When You’re Smiling”
1928: Bertolt Brecht “Mack the Knife”
1927: Nick Lucas “I’m Looking Over a Four-Leaf Clover”
1926: Vincent Lopez “Show Me the Way to Go Home”
1925: Ben Bernie “Sweet Georgia Brown”
1924: Al Jolson “California, Here I Come”
1923: Paul Whiteman “I’ll Build a Stairway to Paradise”
1922: Al Jolson “April Showers”
1921: Marion Harris: “I Ain’t Got Nobody”
1920: Al Jolson “Swanee”
1919: Al Bernard “St. Louis Blues”
1918: Ernestine Schumann-Heink “Danny Boy”
1917: Douglas Furber & A. Emmett Adams (writers) “The Bells of St. Mary’s”
1916: Harry B. Smith & Victor Herbert “You Belong to Me”
1915: John McCormack “It’s a Long, Long Way to Tipperary”
1914: Kenneth J. Alford (aka Frederick Joseph Ricketts) (writer) “Colonel Bogey March”
1913: Chauncey Olcott “When Irish Eyes Are Smiling”
1912: Arthur Collins with Bryon G. Harlan “I’m Going Back to Dixie (aka ‘I Want to Be in Dixie’)”
1911: Victor Herbert “March of the Toys”
1910: Evan Williams “Because”
1909: Haydn Quartet Haydn Quartet “Put on Your Old Grey Bonnet”
1908: Billy Murray with Haydn Quartet “Take Me Out to the Ball Game”
1907: Billy Murray “Harrigan”
1906: Billy Murray “You’re a Grand Old Flag (aka “The Grand Old Rag”)”
1905: Billy Murray “Yankee Doodle Boy”
1904: Billy Murray “Meet Me in St. Louis, Louis”
1903: Dan Quinn “The Beer That Made Milwaukee Famous”
1902: Edward Elgard (writer) “Pomp and Circumstance”
1901: Charles H. Loomis, Allan M. Hirsch, & G.L. Atwater Jr. (writers) “Yale Boola! (March and Two Step)”
1900: Paul Dresser (writer) “Give Us Just Another Lincoln”
1899: Cal Stewart “Uncle Josh in Society”
1898: Billy Golden “Bye Bye My Honey”

Resources/Related Links:

Dave’s Music Database: “‘Songs of the Year’ lists”
Pop Culture Madness

First posted 4/12/2019; last updated 1/7/2023.

Dave’s Faves: Songs of the Year

Dave’s Faves:

Songs of the Year, 1900-2022

These are my personal favorite songs for each year from 1900 to present.

Click here to see other Dave’s Faves song lists.

2022: Lyle Lovett “12th of June”
2021: John Mellencamp with Bruce Springsteen “Wasted Days”
2020: Fish “This Party’s Over”
2019: Sheryl Crow with Johnny Cash “Redemption Day”
2018: Lady Gaga with Bradley Cooper “Shallow”
2017: Keala Settle with the Greatest Show Ensemble “This Is Me”
2016: Sturgill Simpson “In Bloom”
2015: Michael Franti & Spearhead with Sonna Rele “Once a Day”
2014: The War on Drugs “Under the Pressure”
2013: Charles Bradley “Changes”
2012: Willie Nelson with Lukas Nelson “Just Breathe”
2011: Gotye with Kimbra “Somebody That I Used to Know”
2010: Michael Franti & Spearhead “The Sound of Sunshine”
2009: Pearl Jam “Just Breathe”
2008: John Mellencamp “If I Die Sudden”
2007: Crowded House “Silent House”
2006: Dresden Dolls “Sing”
2005: Sandi Thom “I Wish I Was a Punk Rocker with Flowers in My Hair”
2004: Beck “Everybody’s Gotta Learn Sometime”
2003: Michael Franti & Spearhead “Everyone Deserves Music”
2002: Michael Andrews & Gary Jules “Mad World”
2001: Alan Jackson “Where Were You When the World Stopped Turning”
2000: Eminem with Dido “Stan”
1999: Bruce Springsteen “American Skin (41 Shots)”
1998: Lyle Lovett “Step Inside This House”
1997: Marillion “Estonia”
1996: K’s Choice “Not an Addict”
1995: Melissa Etheridge with Bruce Springsteen “Thunder Road (live)”
1994: Frente! “Bizarre Love Triangle”
1993: Israel Kamakawiwo’ole “Over the Rainbow/What a Wonderful World”
1992: Shawn Colvin “I Don’t Know Why”
1991: Tori Amos “Me and a Gun”
1990: Toy Matinee “There Was a Little Boy”
1989: Indigo Girls “Closer to Fine”
1988: Kate Bush “This Woman’s Work”
1987: R.E.M. “It’s the End of the World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine)”
1986: David + David “Welcome to the Boomtown”
1985: Marillion “Kayleigh”
1984: U2 “Bad”
1983: Marillion “Script for a Jester’s Tear”
1982: The Alan Parsons Project “Old and Wise”
1981: Squeeze “Tempted”
1980: Peter Gabriel “Biko”
1979: The Police “Message in a Bottle”
1978: Styx “Renegade”
1977: Styx “Come Sail Away”
1976: Eagles “Hotel California”
1975: Queen “Bohemian Rhapsody”
1974: Harry Chapin “Cat’s in the Cradle”
1973: Eagles “Desperado”
1972: Lou Reed “Walk on the Wild Side”
1971: Led Zeppelin “Stairway to Heaven”
1970: Derek & the Dominos “Layla”
1969: The Rolling Stones “You Can’t Always Get What You Want”
1968: Otis Redding “(Sittin’ on) The Dock of the Bay”
1967: The Beatles “A Day in the Life”
1966: Four Tops “Reach Out (I’ll Be There)”
1965: The Rolling Stones “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction”
1964: Sam Cooke A Change Is Gonna Come
1963: The Beatles “I Want to Hold Your Hand”
1962: The Contours “Do You Love Me”
1961: Ben E. King “Stand by Me”
1960: Chubby Checker “The Twist”
1959: Wilbert Harrison “Kansas City”
1958: Harry Simeone Chorale “The Little Drummer Boy”
1957: Buddy Holly & the Crickets “That’ll Be the Day”
1956: Elvis Presley “Hound Dog”
1955: Little Richard “Tutti Frutti”
1954: Bill Haley & His Comets “We’re Gonna Rock Around the Clock”
1953: Hank Williams “Your Cheatin’ Heart”
1952: Gene Kelly “Singin’ in the Rain”
1951: Bing Crosby “It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas”
1950: Nat “King” Cole “Mona Lisa”
1949: Gene Autry & the Pinafores “Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer”
1948: Art Mooney “I’m Looking Over a Four-Leaf Clover”
1947: Hank Williams “Move It on Over”
1946: Nat “King” Cole “The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire)”
1945: Vaughn Monroe “Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!”
1944: Woody Guthrie “This Land Is Your Land”
1943: Bing Crosby & the Andrews Sisters “Jingle Bells”
1942: Bing Crosby with the Ken Darby Singers & the John Scott Trotter Orchestra “White Christmas”
1941: Glenn Miller with Tex Beneke & the Four Modernaires “Chattanooga Choo Choo”
1940: Cliff Edwards “When You Wish Upon a Star”
1939: Billie Holiday “Strange Fruit”
1938: Ella Fitzgerald with Chick Webb & His Orchestra “A-Tisket, A-Tasket”
1937: Seven Dwarfs “Whistle While You Work”
1936: Robert Johnson “Cross Road Blues (aka ‘Crossroads’)”
1935: Bing Crosby “Silent Night”
1934: Guy Lombardo “Winter Wonderland”
1933: Ethel Waters “Stormy Weather (Keeps Rainin' All the Time)”
1932: Fred Astaire “Night and Day”
1931: Rudy Vallee “As Time Goes By”
1930: Ben Selvin “Happy Days Are Here Again”
1929: Nick Lucas “Tip Toe Through the Tulips”
1928: Helen Kane “I Wanna Be Loved by You”
1927: Gene Austin “My Blue Heaven”
1926: Gene Austin “Five Foot Two, Eyes of Blue”
1925: Louise Homer “America the Beautiful”
1924: Isham Jones “It Had to Be You”
1923: Isham Jones “Who’s Sorry Now”
1922: Ben Selvin “Chicago (That Toddlin’ Town)”
1921: Marion Harris “I Ain’t Got Nobody”
1920: Al Jolson “Swanee”
1919: Orpheus Quartet “My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean” (as “Bring Back My Bonnie to Me”)
1918: Ernestine Schumann-Heink “Danny Boy”
1917: American Quartet “Over There”
1916: Prince’s Orchestra “The Star Spangled Banner”
1915: John McCormack “It’s a Long, Long Way to Tipperary”
1914: Arthur Collins & Bryon G. Harlan “The Aba Daba Honeymoon”
1913: Walter Van Brunt “And the Green Grass Grew All Around”
1912: American Quartet “Moonlight Bay”
1911: Arthur Clough & the Brunswick Quartet “Down by the Old Mill Stream”
1910: Billy Murray with the Haydn Quartet “By the Light of the Silvery Moon”
1909: Arthur Pryor’s Band “1812 Overture”
1908: Billy Murray with the Haydn Quartet “Take Me Out to the Ball Game”
1907: Frank Stanley “Auld Lang Syne”
1906: Billy Murray “You’re a Grand Old Flag (aka “The Grand Old Rag”)”
1905: Billy Murray “Yankee Doodle Boy”
1904: Billy Murray “Meet Me in St. Louis, Louis”
1903: Haydn Quartet “In the Good Old Summertime”
1902: Arthur Collins “Bill Bailey, Won’t You Please Come Home”
1901: Harry MacDonough & Grace Spencer “Tell Me, Pretty Maiden”
1900: Vess Ossman “The Old Folks at Home (Swanee River)”

Resources and Related Links:

Dave’s Music Database: “Dave’s Faves: Song Lists”
Dave’s Music Database: “Dave’s Faves: Albums/Works”
Dave’s Music Database: “Dave’s Faves: Top 100 Acts”
Dave’s Music Database: Other Best-of Song Lists

Last updated 1/7/2023.

Pages

Saturday, December 31, 2022

Music VF:

Songs of the Year, 1900-2022

Resources/Related Links:

DMDB Song of the Year:

1800-2022

Resources:

Canada:

Songs of the Year, 1967-2022

Resources/Related Links:

Steve Sullivan:

Songs of the Year, 1889-2022

Resources/Related Links:

Steve Sullivan Song Lists:

Australia:

Sogs of the Year, 1950-2022

Resources/Related Links:

Pop Culture Madness:

Songs of the Year, 1898-2022

Resources/Related Links:

Dave’s Faves:

Songs of the Year, 1900-2022

Resources and Related Links: