Monday, November 27, 2023

R&B: Annual Song Awards, 1942-2023

R&B:

Annual Song Awards, 1942-2023

This page offers a consolidated list of the R&B songs of each year as determined by various organizations and entities. They include:

  • American Music Awards: R&B/Soul Song of the Year (1974-1995, 2016-)
  • Billboard: R&B Song of the Year, 1942-.
  • Broadcast Music, Inc. (BMI): R&B Song of the Year, 2001-. Music publishing company tracks most-played songs each year.
  • Grammys: Best Rhythm & Blues Performance (1959-1961), Best Rhythm & Blues Performance (1962-1968), Best R&B Song (1969)
  • Soul Train: Song of the Year (1989-1996, 2009-), Song of the Year by Male, Female, or Group/Duo (1987-2007)

See links at bottom of page for more details on above.

In some cases, awards are listed a year earlier than they were often given. For example, Bruno Mars won the Grammy for Best R&B Song in 2018 for “That’s What I Like” but the song is listed under 2017 because that was its eligibility year.

Click here to see other ‘Songs of the Year’ lists.


2023:
  • Billboard: SZA “Kill Bill”
  • Soul Train: SZA “Snooze”
2022:
  • AMA: WizKid with Tems “Essence”
  • Billboard: Jack Harlow “First Class”
  • DMDB: Lizzo “About Damn Time”
  • Grammy: Beyoncé “Cuff It”
  • Soul Train: Beyoncé “Break My Soul”

2021:
2020:
  • AMA: Kanye West “Heartless”
  • Billboard: The Weeknd “Blinding Lights”
  • BMI: Doja Cat “Say So”
  • DMDB: Chris Brown with Young Thug “Go Crazy”
  • Grammy: Robert Glasper with H.E.R. & Me’Shell Ndegeocello “Better Than I Imagined”
  • Soul Train: Chris Brown with Young Thug “Go Crazy”

2019:
  • AMA: Khalid “Talk”
  • Billboard: Lil Nas X with Billy Ray Cyrus “Old Town Road”
  • BMI: Khalid “Talk”
  • DMDB: The Weeknd “Blinding Lights”
  • Grammy: PJ Morton with JoJo “Say So”
  • Soul Train: Chris Brown with Drake “No Guidance”
2018:
  • AMA: Bruno Mars & Cardi B “Finesse”
  • Billboard: Drake “God’s Plan”
  • BMI: Drake “God’s Plan”
  • DMDB: Ella Mai “Boo’d Up”
  • Grammy: Ella Mai “Boo’d Up”
  • Soul Train: Ella Mai “Boo’d Up”
2017:

2016:
  • AMA: Rihanna with Drake “Work”
  • Billboard: Drake with WizKid & Kyla “One Dance”
  • BMI: G-Eazy with Bebe Rexha “Me, Myself & I”
  • DMDB: Rihanna with Drake “Work”
  • Grammy: Maxwell “Lake by the Ocean”
  • Soul Train: Beyoncé “Formation”
2015:

2014:
  • Billboard: Pharrell Williams “Happy”
  • BMI: John Legend “All of Me”
  • DMDB: Mark Ronson with Bruno Mars “Uptown Funk!”
  • Grammy: Beyoncé with Jay-Z “Drunk in Love”
  • Soul Train: Pharrell Williams “Happy”
2013:
  • Billboard: Macklemore & Ryan Lewis with Wanz “Thrift Shop”
  • BMI: Macklemore & Ryan Lewis with Ray Dalton “Can’t Hold Us”
  • DMDB: Pharrell Williams “Happy”
  • Grammy: Justin Timberlake “Pusher Love Girl”
  • Soul Train: Robin Thicke with T.I. & Pharrell Williams “Blurred Lines”

2012:
  • Billboard: Rihanna “Diamonds”
  • BMI: Nicki Minaj “Starships”
  • DMDB: Bruno Mars “Locked Out of Heaven”
  • Grammy: Miguel “Adorn”
  • Soul Train: Tyrese “Stay”
2011:
  • Billboard: DJ Khaled with Drake, Rick Ross & Lil Wayne “I’m on One”
  • BMI: Nicki Minaj “Super Bass”
  • DMDB: Rihanna with Calvin Harris “We Found Love”
  • Grammy: Cee-Lo Green with Melanie Fiona “Fool for You”
  • Soul Train: Kelly Rowland with Lil Wayne “Motivation”
2010:
  • Billboard: Alicia Keys “Un-Thinkable (I’m Ready)”
  • BMI: B.o.B. with Bruno Mars “Nothin’ on You”
  • DMDB: Bruno Mars “Just the Way You Are (Amazing)”
  • Grammy: John Legend & the Roots “Shine”
  • Soul Train: B.o.B. with Bruno Mars “Nothin’ on You”
2009:

2008:
2007:
  • Billboard: Robin Thicke “Lost Without U”
  • BMI: Beyoncé “Irreplaceable”
  • DMDB: Rihanna with Jay-Z “Umbrella”
  • Grammy: Alicia Keys “No One”
  • Soul Train (Female): Beyoncé “Irreplaceable”
  • Soul Train (Male): John Legend “Save Room”
  • Soul Train (Group/Duo): Gnarls Barkley “Crazy”
2006:
  • Billboard: Mary J. Blige “Be Without You”
  • BMI: Beyoncé with Slim Thug & Bun B “Check on It”
  • DMDB: Gnarls Barkley “Crazy”
  • Grammy: Mary J. Blige “Be Without You”
  • Soul Train (Female): Mariah Carey “We Belong Together”
  • Soul Train (Male): John Legend with will.i.am “Ordinary People”
  • Soul Train (Group/Duo): Destiny’s Child “Cater 2 U”

2005:
2004:
  • Billboard: Usher with Lil’ Jon & Ludacris “Yeah!”
  • BMI: Usher with Lil’ Jon & Ludacris “Yeah!”
  • DMDB: Usher with Lil’ Jon & Ludacris “Yeah!”
  • Grammy: Alicia Keys “You Don’t Know My Name”
  • Soul Train (Female): Alicia Keys “You Don’t Know My Name”
  • Soul Train (Male): Luther Vandross “Dance with My Father”
  • Soul Train (Group/Duo): Floetry “Say Yes”

2003:
  • Billboard: 50 Cent “In Da Club”
  • BMI: R. Kelly “Ignition (remix)”
  • DMDB: OutKast “Hey Ya!”
  • Grammy: Beyoncé with Jay-Z “Crazy in Love”
  • Soul Train (Female): Ashanti with Ja Rule “Foolish”
  • Soul Train (Male): Musiq Soulchild “Don’t Change”
  • Soul Train (Group/Duo): M2K with P. Diddy “Bump Bump Bump”
2002:
  • Billboard: Ashanti with Ja Rule “Foolish”
  • BMI: Nelly “Hot in Herre”
  • DMDB: Ashanti with Ja Rule “Foolish”
  • Grammy: Erykah Badu with Common “Love of My Life (An Ode to Hip Hop)”
  • Soul Train (Female): Aaliyah “Rock the Boat”
  • Soul Train (Male): Musiq Soulchild “Love”
  • Soul Train (Group/Duo): The Isley Brothers with Chante Moore “Contagious”
2001:
  • Billboard: Usher “U Got It Bad”
  • BMI: Janet Jackson “All for You”
  • DMDB: Alicia Keys “Fallin’”
  • Grammy: Alicia Keys “Fallin’”
  • Soul Train (Female): Yolanda Adams “Open My Heart”
  • Soul Train (Male): R. Kelly “I Wish”
  • Soul Train (Group/Duo): Jagged Edge “Let’s Get Married”
2000:
  • Billboard: Erykah Badu “Bag Lady”
  • BMI: Santana with the Product G&B “Maria Maria”
  • DMDB: Destiny’s Child “Independent Women”
  • Grammy: Destiny’s Child “Say My Name”
  • Soul Train (Female): Lauryn Hill “Ex-Factor”
  • Soul Train (Male): Maxwell “Fortunate”
  • Soul Train (Group/Duo): TLC “No Scrubs”
1999:
  • Billboard: Destiny’s Child “Bills, Bills, Bills”
  • DMDB: TLC “No Scrubs”
  • Grammy: TLC “No Scrubs”
  • Soul Train (Female): Deborah Cox “Nobody’s Supposed to Be Here”
  • Soul Train (Male): Brian McKnight “Anytime”
  • Soul Train (Group/Duo): Next “Too Close”
1998:
  • Billboard: Deborah Cox “Nobody’s Supposed to Be Here”
  • DMDB: Brandy & Monica “The Boy Is Mine”
  • Grammy: Lauryn Hill “Doo Wop (That Thing)”
  • Soul Train (Female): Erykah Badu “On and On”
  • Soul Train (Male): Usher “U Make Me Wanna…”
  • Soul Train (Group/Duo): Dru Hill “In My Bed”
1997:
  • Billboard: Usher “U Make Me Wanna…”
  • DMDB: Puff Daddy with Faith Evans & 112 “I’ll Be Missing You”
  • Grammy: R. Kelly “I Believe I Can Fly”
  • Soul Train (Female): Toni Braxton “You’re Makin’ Me High” / “Let It Flow”
  • Soul Train (Male): Maxwell “Ascension (Don’t Ever Wonder)”
  • Soul Train (Group/Duo): Blackstreet with Dr. Dre & Queen Pen “No Diggity”
1996:
  • Billboard: R. Kelly with Ronald Isley “Down Low (Nobody Has to Know)”
  • DMDB: Toni Braxton “Un-Break My Heart”
  • Grammy: Whitney Houston “Exhale (Shoop Shoop)”
  • Soul Train: The Notorious B.I.G. “One More Chance”
  • Soul Train (Female): Whitney Houston “Exhale (Shoop Shoop)”
  • Soul Train (Male): D’Angelo “Brown Sugar”
  • Soul Train (Group/Duo): TLC “Waterfalls”
1995:
  • AMA: Boyz II Men “I’ll Make Love to You”
  • Billboard: The Notorious B.I.G. “One More Chance” / “Stay with Me”
  • DMDB: Mariah Carey with Boyz II Men “One Sweet Day”
  • Grammy: Stevie Wonder “For Your Love”
  • Soul Train: Barry White “Practice What You Preach”
  • Soul Train (Female): Anita Baker “Body and Soul”
  • Soul Train (Male): R. Kelly “Bump N’ Grind”
  • Soul Train (Group/Duo): Boyz II Men “I’ll Make Love to You”

1994:
1993:
  • AMA: Michael Jackson “Remember the Time”
  • Billboard: Silk “Freak Me”
  • DMDB: Janet Jackson “That’s the Way Love Goes”
  • Grammy: Janet Jackson “That’s the Way Love Goes”
  • Soul Train: Boyz II Men “End of the Road”
  • Soul Train (Female): Whitney Houston “I Will Always Love You”
  • Soul Train (Male): Michael Jackson “Remember the Time”
  • Soul Train (Group/Duo): Boyz II Men “Please Don’t Go”

1992:
  • AMA: Color Me Badd “I Wanna Sex You Up”
  • Billboard: Whitney Houston “I Will Always Love You”
  • DMDB: Whitney Houston “I Will Always Love You”
  • Grammy: Boyz II Men “End of the Road”
  • Soul Train: Color Me Badd “I Wanna Sex You Up”
  • Soul Train (Female): Lisa Fischer “How Can I Ease the Pain?”
  • Soul Train (Male): Keith Washington “Kissing You”
  • Soul Train (Group/Duo): Color Me Badd “I Wanna Sex You Up”
1991:
  • AMA: MC Hammer “U Can’t Touch This”
  • Billboard: Shanice “I Love Your Smile”
  • DMDB: Natalie Cole with Nat “King” Cole “Unforgettable”
  • Grammy: Luther Vandross “Power of Love/Love Power”
  • Soul Train: MC Hammer “U Can’t Touch This”
  • Soul Train (Female): Mariah Carey “Vision of Love”
  • Soul Train (Male): Johnny Gill “My My My”
  • Soul Train (Group/Duo): En Vogue “Hold On”

1990:
  • AMA: Janet Jackson “Miss You Much”
  • Billboard: Pebbles “Giving You the Benefit”
  • DMDB: C + C Music Factory “Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now)”
  • Grammy: MC Hammer “U Can’t Touch This”
  • Soul Train: Soul II Soul “Keep on Movin’”
  • Soul Train (Female): Janet Jackson “Miss You Much”
  • Soul Train (Male): Luther Vandross “Here and Now”
  • Soul Train (Group/Duo): Soul II Soul “Keep on Movin’”
1989:
  • AMA: Freddie Jackson “Nice N Slow”
  • Billboard: Karyn White “Superwoman”
  • DMDB: Soul II Soul “Back to Life (How Ever Do You Want Me)”
  • Grammy: Simply Red “If You Don’t Know Me by Now”
  • Soul Train: Anita Baker “Giving You the Best That I Got”
  • Soul Train (Female): Anita Baker “Giving You the Best That I Got”
  • Soul Train (Male): Michael Jackson “Man in the Mirror”
  • Soul Train (Group/Duo): E.U. “Da Butt”
1988:
  • AMA: Michael Jackson “Bad”
  • Billboard: Keith Sweat “I Want Her”
  • DMDB: Bobby McFerrin “Don’t Worry, Be Happy”
  • Grammy: Anita Baker “Giving You the Best That I Got”
  • Soul Train (Female): Natalie Cole “I Live for Your Love”
  • Soul Train (Male): Michael Jackson “Bad”
  • Soul Train (Group/Duo): Levert “Casanova”
  • Soul Train (Rap): LL Cool J “I Need Love”
1987:
  • AMA: Janet Jackson “Nasty”
  • Billboard: Michael Jackson “The Way You Make Me Feel”
  • DMDB: Whitney Houston “I Wanna Dance with Somebody Who Loves Me”
  • Grammy: Club Nouveau “Lean on Me”
  • Soul Train (Female): Anita Baker “Sweet Love”
  • Soul Train (Male): Gregory Abbott “Shake You Down”
  • Soul Train (Group/Duo): Cameo “Word Up!”
  • Soul Train (Rap): Run-D.M.C. with Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler & Joe Perry “Walk This Way”
1986:
  • AMA: Whitney Houston “You Give Good Love”
  • Billboard: Prince “Kiss”
  • DMDB: Prince “Kiss”
  • Grammy: Anita Baker “Sweet Love”
1985:
  • AMA: Prince “When Doves Cry”
  • Billboard: Freddie Jackson “Rock Me Tonight (For Old Time’s Sake)”
  • DMDB: Dionne & Friends (Dionne Warwick, Elton John, Gladys Knight & Stevie Wonder) “That's What Friends Are For”
  • Grammy: Aretha Franklin “Freeway of Love”

1984:
1983:

1982:
  • AMA: Lionel Richie & Diana Ross “Endless Love”
  • Billboard: Marvin Gaye “Sexual Healing”
  • DMDB: Michael Jackson “Billie Jean”
  • Grammy: George Benson “Turn Your Love Around”
1981:
  • AMA: Diana Ross “Upside Down”
  • Billboard: Earth, Wind & Fire “Let’s Groove”
  • DMDB: Lionel Richie & Diana Ross “Endless Love”
  • Grammy: Bill Withers with Grover Washington Jr. “Just the Two of Us”
1980:
1979:
  • AMA: Johnny Mathis & Deniece Williams “Too Much, Too Little, Too Late”
  • Billboard: Chic “Good Times”
  • DMDB: Sister Sledge “We Are Family”
  • Grammy: Earth, Wind & Fire “After the Love Has Gone”
1978:
  • AMA: The Emotions “Best of My Love”
  • Billboard: Funkadelic “One Nation Under a Groove”
  • DMDB: Gloria Gaynor “I Will Survive”
  • Grammy: Donna Summer “Last Dance”
1977:
  • AMA: Lou Rawls “You’ll Never Find Another Love Like Mine” and Wild Cherry “Play That Funky Music”
  • Billboard: Earth, Wind & Fire “Serpentine Fire”
  • DMDB: Bee Gees “Stayin’ Alive”
  • Grammy: Leo Sayer “You Make Me Feel Like Dancing”
1976:
  • AMA: KC & the Sunshine Band “Get Down Tonight”
  • Billboard: Johnnie Taylor “Disco Lady”
  • DMDB: Wild Cherry “Play That Funky Music”
  • Grammy: Boz Scaggs “Lowdown”
1975:
  • AMA: Gladys Knight & the Pips “Midnight Train to Georgia”
  • Billboard: The Isley Brothers “Fight the Power (Part 1)”
  • DMDB: Van McCoy “The Hustle”
  • Grammy: Betty Wright “Where Is the Love”
1974:
  • AMA: Stevie Wonder “Superstition”
  • Billboard: Roberta Flack “Feel Like Makin’ Love”
  • DMDB: Bob Marley & the Marleys “No Woman, No Cry”
  • Grammy: Stevie Wonder “Living for the City”

1973:
1972:
1971:
  • Billboard: Jean Knight “Mr. Big Stuff”
  • DMDB: Marvin Gaye “What’s Going On”
  • Grammy: Bill Withers “Ain’t No Sunshine”
1970:
  • Billboard: The Jackson 5 “The Love You Save”
  • DMDB: The Jackson 5 “I’ll Be There”
  • Grammy: Clarence Carter “Patches”
1969:
  • Billboard: Marvin Gaye “Too Busy Thinking About My Baby”
  • DMDB: The Jackson 5 “I Want You Back”
  • Grammy: The Winstons “Color Him Father”
1968:
1967:
  • Billboard: Aretha Franklin “Respect”
  • DMDB: Aretha Franklin “Respect”
  • Grammy: Aretha Franklin “Respect”

1966:
  • Billboard: The Temptations “Ain’t Too Proud to Beg”
  • DMDB: Four Tops “Reach Out (I’ll Be There)”
  • Grammy: Ray Charles “Crying Time”
1965:
1964:
  • Billboard: Mary Wells “My Guy”
  • DMDB: The Temptations “My Girl”
  • Grammy: Nancy Wilson “How Glad I Am”
1963:
1962:

1961:
  • Billboard: Bobby Lewis “Tossin’ and Turnin’”
  • DMDB: Ben E. King “Stand by Me”
  • Grammy: Ray Charles “Hit the Road Jack”
1960:
  • Billboard: Dinah Washington & Brook Benton “Baby, You’ve Got What It Takes”
  • DMDB: Chubby Checker “The Twist”
  • Grammy: Ray Charles “Let the Good Times Roll”
1959:
  • Billboard: Brook Benton “It’s Just a Matter of Time”
  • DMDB: Ray Charles “What’d I Say”
  • Grammy: Dinah Washington “What a Diff’rence a Day Makes”
1958:
  • Billboard: Jackie Wilson “Lonely Teardrops”
  • DMDB: Chuck Berry “Johnny B. Goode”
  • Grammy: The Champs “Tequila”
1957:
  • Billboard: The Coasters “Searchin’”
  • DMDB: The Coasters “Searchin’”
1956:
1955:
  • Billboard: Fats Domino “Ain’t That a Shame”
  • DMDB: Little Richard “Tutti Frutti”
1954:
1953:
1952:
  • Billboard: The Dominoes “Have Mercy Baby”
  • DMDB: Lloyd Price “Lawdy Miss Clawdy”
1951:
  • Billboard: The Dominoes “Sixty Minute Man”
  • DMDB: Jackie Brenston & His Delta Cats “Rocket 88”
1950:
  • Billboard: Joe Liggins & His Honeydrippers “Pink Champagne”
  • DMDB: Nat “King” Cole “Mona Lisa”
1949:
  • Billboard: Charles Brown “Trouble Blues”
  • DMDB: John Lee Hooker “Boogie Chillen”
1948:
  • Billboard: Julia Lee & Her Boy Friends “King Size Papa”
  • DMDB: Nat “King” Cole “Nature Boy”
1947:
  • Billboard: Louis Jordan “Ain’t Nobody Here But Us Chickens”
  • DMDB: T-Bone Walker “Call It Stormy Monday”
1946:
1945:
  • Billboard: Joe Liggins & His Honeydrippers “The Honeydripper”
  • DMDB: Billie Holiday “Lover Man (Oh Where Can You Be?)”
1944:
  • Billboard: The Ink Spots with Ella Fitzgerald “Into Each Life Some Rain Must Fall”
  • DMDB: Nat “King” Cole “Straighten Up and Fly Right”
1943:
  • Billboard: Erskine Hawkins with Jimmy Mitchelle “Don’t Cry Baby”
  • DMDB: The Ink Spots “Don’t Get Around Much Anymore”
1942:
  • Billboard: Paul Whiteman with Billie Holiday “Travl’lin’ Light”
  • DMDB: The Mills Brothers “Paper Doll”

Resources/Related Links:

First posted 11/23/2021; last updated 11/27/2023.

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Saturday, November 25, 2023

Jimi Hendrix: Top 25 Songs

Jimi Hendrix

Top 25 Songs

Legendary psychedelic-blues/rock guitarist Jimi Hendrix was born Johnny Allen Hendrix on 11/27/1942 in Seattle, Washington. He was only 27 when he died of a drug overdose in London on 9/18/1970 but his is one of rock music’s greatest legacies.

He first worked as a sideman with Rosa Lee Brooks (1964), Isley Brothers (1964), Buddy & Stacey and the Upsetters (1965); Little Richard, Curtis Knight, and Ronnie Youngblood. He formed Jimmy James and the Blue Flames in 1965. The next year he was discovered by the Animals’ Chas Chandler at New York City’s Café Wha? He went to London and formed the Jimi Hendrix Experience (1966-1969) with bassist Noel Redding and drummer Mitch Mitchell. He also helmed the Band of Gypsys with drummer Buddy Miles and bassist Buddy Cox from 1969 to 1970.

His albums Are You Experienced (1967) and Electric Ladyland (1968) are featured in the DMDB book The Top 100 Albums of All Time. His cover of Bob Dylan’s “All Along the Watchtower” (1968) is featured in the DMDB book The Top 100 Songs of the Rock Era 1954-1999.

Links:

Awards:

Top 25 Songs

Dave’s Music Database lists are determined by song’s appearances on best-of lists, appearances on compilations and live albums by the featured act, and songs’ chart success, sales, radio airplay, streaming, and awards.

1. All Along the Watchtower (1968)
2. Purple Haze (1967)
3. Hey Joe (1966)
4. Voodoo Chile (Slight Return) (1968)
5. Little Wing (1967)

6. Crosstown Traffic (1968)
7. Foxey Lady (1967)
8. Fire (1967)
9. The Wind Cries Mary (1967)
10. Red House (1967)

11. The Star Spanged Banner (live, 1969)
12. Are You Experienced? (1967)
13. Freedom (1970)
14. Burning of the Midnight Lamp (1967)
15. Dolly Dagger (1970)

16. Stone Free (1966)
17. Manic Depression (1967)
18. Angel (1970)
19. Up from the Skies (1967)
20. Castles Made of Sand (1967)

21. Like a Rolling Stone (live, 1967)
22. If 6 Was 9 (1967)
23. Gloria (live, 1968)
24. I Don’t Live Today (1967)
25. Wild Thing (live, 1967)

Resources and Related Links:

First posted 5/21/2019; last updated 11/25/2023.

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Wednesday, November 22, 2023

Dave's Music Hall of Fame: Album Inductees (November 2023)

The Top 10 Classic (‘80s and ‘90s) Rap

Originally posted 11/22/2023.

January 22, 2019 marked the 10-year anniversary of the DMDB blog. To honor that, Dave’s Music Database announced its own Hall of Fame. This month marks the twentieth group of album inductees. These are taken from are taken from the DMDB’s top rap albums of all time list. The focus of this set inductees is only on those albums from the ‘80s and ‘90s. Previous inductees to fit this category are MC Hammer’s Please Hammer Don’t Hurt ‘Em and Public Enemy’s It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back.

See the full list of album inductees here.

Beastie Boys Licensed to Ill (1986)

Inducted November 2023 as “Top Classic Rap (‘80s and ‘90s) Albums.”

About. Read more.

De La Soul 3 Feet High and Rising (1989)

Inducted November 2023 as “Top Classic Rap (‘80s and ‘90s) Albums.”

About. Read more.

Dr. Dre The Chronic (1992)

Inducted November 2023 as “Top Classic Rap (‘80s and ‘90s) Albums.”

About. Read more.

Lauryn Hill The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill (1998)

Inducted November 2023 as “Top Classic Rap (‘80s and ‘90s) Albums.”

About. Read more.

The Notorious B.I.G. Ready to Die (1994)

Inducted November 2023 as “Top Classic Rap (‘80s and ‘90s) Albums.”

About. Read more.

N.W.A. Straight Outta Compton (1989)

Inducted November 2023 as “Top Classic Rap (‘80s and ‘90s) Albums.”

About. Read more.

Run-D.M.C. Raising Hell (1986)

Inducted November 2023 as “Top Classic Rap (‘80s and ‘90s) Albums.”

About. Read more.

Tupac Shakur All Eyez on Me (1996)

Inducted November 2023 as “Top Classic Rap (‘80s and ‘90s) Albums.”

About. Read more.

Snoop Dogg Doggystyle (1993)

Inducted November 2023 as “Top Classic Rap (‘80s and ‘90s) Albums.”

About. Read more.

Wu-Tang Clan Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) (1993)

Inducted November 2023 as “Top Classic Rap (‘80s and ‘90s) Albums.”

About. Read more.
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Today in Music (1963): The Beatles released With the Beatles

With the Beatles

The Beatles

Released: November 22, 1963

Peak: -- US, 121 UK, -- CN, -- AU Click for codes to charts.

Sales (in millions): -- US, 1. 0 UK, 1.0 world (includes US and UK)

Genre: pop/rock

Tracks:

Click on a song title for more details.
  1. It Won’t Be Long [2:13]
  2. All I’ve Got to Do [2:02]
  3. All My Loving [2:07]
  4. Don’t Bother Me [2:28]
  5. Little Child [1:46]
  6. Till There Was You [2:14]
  7. Please Mr. Postman [2:34]
  8. Roll Over Beethoven [2:45]
  9. Hold Me Tight [2:32]
  10. You Really Got a Hold on Me [3:01]
  11. I Wanna Be Your Man [1:59]
  12. Devil in Her Heart [2:26]
  13. Not a Second Time [2:07]
  14. Money (That’s What I Want) [2:49]

Total Running Time: 33:07

Also from This Era:

The Players:

  • John Lennon (vocals, guitar)
  • Paul McCartney (vocals, bass)
  • George Harrison (guitar, vocals)
  • Ringo Starr (drums, vocals)

Rating:

4.163 out of 5.00 (average of 23 ratings)

Quotable:

"This is the one that turned the world upside-down…With the Beatles both affirmed promise and proclaimed genius" – CdUniverse.com

Awards for With the Beatles:

Meet the Beatles

The Beatles

Released: January 20, 1964

Peak: 111 US, -- UK, 1 CN, -- AU Click for codes to charts.

Sales (in millions): 5.7 US, -- UK, 7.0 world (includes US and UK)

Genre: pop/rock

Tracks on Meet the Beatles: Click on a song title for more details.

  1. I Want to Hold Your Hand [2:27]
  2. I Saw Her Standing There [2:55]
  3. This Boy [2:16]
  4. It Won’t Be Long [2:13]
  5. All I’ve Got to Do [2:02]
  6. All My Loving [2:07]
  7. Don’t Bother Me [2:28]
  8. Little Child [1:46]
  9. Till There Was You [2:14]
  10. Hold Me Tight [2:32]
  11. I Wanna Be Your Man [1:59]
  12. Not a Second Time [2:07]

Total Running Time: 26:43

The Players:

  • John Lennon (vocals, guitar)
  • Paul McCartney (vocals, bass)
  • George Harrison (guitar, vocals)
  • Ringo Starr (drums, vocals)

Rating for Meet the Beatles:

4.618 out of 5.00 (average of 5 ratings)

Awards for Meet the Beatles:

The Beatles’ Second Album

The Beatles

Released: April 10, 1964

Peak: 15 US, -- UK, 1 CN, -- AU Click for codes to charts.

Sales (in millions): 2.0 US, -- UK, 3.0 world (includes US and UK)

Genre: pop/rock

Tracks on The Beatles’ Second Album: Click on a song title for more details.

  1. Roll Over Beethoven [2:45]
  2. Thank You Girl [2:01]
  3. You Really Got a Hold on Me [3:01]
  4. Devil in Her Heart [2:26]
  5. Money (That’s What I Want) [2:49]
  6. You Can’t Do That [2:35]
  7. Long Tall Sally [2:00]
  8. I Call Your Name [2:09]
  9. Please Mr. Postman [2:34]
  10. I’ll Get You [2:05]
  11. She Loves You [2:20]

Total Running Time: 26:43

The Players:

  • John Lennon (vocals, guitar)
  • Paul McCartney (vocals, bass)
  • George Harrison (guitar, vocals)
  • Ringo Starr (drums, vocals)

Rating:

4.217 out of 5.00 (average of 9 ratings)

Awards for The Beatles’ Second Album:

About With the Beatles:

“This is the one that turned the world upside-down. Released as its creators evolved from pop group to phenomenon, With the Beatles both affirmed promise and proclaimed genius.” CD While it shares “several similarities with its predecessor – there is an equal ratio of covers-to-originals, a familiar blend of girl group, Motown, R&B, pop, and rock, and a show tune that interrupts the flow of the album,” STE the album “is a sequel of the highest order – one that betters the original by developing its own tone and adding depth.” STE This time around, The Beatles demonstrated a “growing toughness,” SP With the Beatles “not only rocks harder, it's considerably more sophisticated.” STE

“The heart of [the album] lies…in…the originals” STE which “are well-crafted and tuneful.” DBW “No band in the history of rock music can boast…sing[ing] harmony like these guys…Those nasal, working-class accents just manage to melt into some of the most beautiful combinations of notes ever.” DC “The Lennon-McCartney writing team was gathering steam and beginning to knock out pop classics as if they were pulling them out of thin air.” AZ “A slew of memorable…compositions embraced pop at its most multi-faceted, robust, melancholic, excited, and wistful.” CD The group “had acquired a unique sound in the blend of John's and Paul's voices, while George was coming on by leaps and bounds as a guitar player.” AZ “It was clear that, even at this early stage, the Beatles were rapidly maturing and changing, turning into expert craftsmen and musical innovators.” STE

“With the Beatles freed artists to record their own material, and the course of pop was irrevocably changed.” CD “This album successfully shows a band with plenty of talent and charisma. It is a testament to the Beatles that one of their lesser albums is this good.” GA “This is probably the best document of the Beatles as high-energy, three-guitar rock and roll band." DBW

About Meet the Beatles:

Vee-Jay Records had released Introducing the Beatles, its version of the Beatles’ UK debut Please Please Me, and went largely unnoticed until Beatlemania hit American shores in the beginning of 1964. That meant that Meet the Beatles, Capitol Records’ version of With the Beatles, was the true introduction to the Beatles for most Americans.

While it was common practice in the UK to treat singles and albums as separate entities, American audiences wanted the hits on the albums. Most notably that meant adding I Want to Hold Your Hand, the song that launched Beatlemania in the United States. That also meant adding This Boy, the original B-side of the UK single, and “I Saw Her Standing There,” the B-side in the U.S. and a cut from Please Please Me.

To meet demand for shorter running times for albums, that also meant excising five cover songs from the original UK album – “Please Mr. Postman,” “Roll Over Beethoven,” “You Really Got a Hold on Me,” “Devil in Her Heart,” and “Money (That’s What I Want).”

About The Beatles’ Second Album:

Those five songs found their way on to the next American release, The Beatles’ Second Album, which also gathered the She Loves You / I’ll Get You single and two cuts from the Long Tall Sally EP – the title song and I Call Your Name.

Chopping up the original UK album actually made for two more unified albums. Meet the Beatles focused more on original material while The Beatles’ Second Album was centered around covers which had largely already become rock-n-roll standards.

Reissues

In 2004, the Capitol Records Vol. 1 box set gathered the U.S. albums Meet the Beatles, The Beatles’ Second Album, Something New, and Beatles ‘65 on CD for the first time.

In 2006, the Capitol Records Vol. 2 box set gathered the U.S. albums The Early Beatles, Beatles VI, Help!, and Rubber Soul on CD for the first time.

The Songs

Here’s information on the individual songs.

It Won’t Be Long

The Beatles

Writer(s): John Lennon, Paul McCartney

Lead vocals: John Lennon

Released: Please Please Me (UK album, 11/22/1963), Meet the Beatles (U.S. album, 1/20/1964)

Peak: 25 CL, 39 DF Click for codes to charts.

Sales (in millions): --

Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 37.68 streaming

About the Song:

It Won't Be Long is one of the album’s “propulsive rockers.” STE It “is a Beatle-mania crowd-pleaser” AD “with it’s yeah yeah yeah’s” GA and is “unremarkable musically but fairly remarkable vocally, especially the swoon-some harmony at the end.” AD

All I’ve Got to Do

The Beatles

Writer(s): John Lennon, Paul McCartney

Lead vocals: John Lennon

Released: Please Please Me (UK album, 11/22/1963), Meet the Beatles (U.S. album, 1/20/1964)

Peak: -- Click for codes to charts.

Sales (in millions): --

Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 37.29 streaming

About the Song:

“Sweet ballads [like] the achingly gorgeous All I’ve Got to Do,” STE showcased “great Lennon vocals.” DBW This is “a semi-successful attempt at rewriting the Burt Bacharach/Hal David song ‘Baby It's You’ which they covered on Please Please Me.” GA It “has a nice structure about it [and] it's a good song that shows practice makes, if not perfect, then at least a little better than before.” AD

All My Loving

The Beatles

Writer(s): John Lennon, Paul McCartney (see lyrics here)

Lead vocals: Paul McCartney

Released: single (2/7/1964), Please Please Me (UK album, 11/22/1963), Meet the Beatles (U.S. album, 1/20/1964), All My Loving EP (2/7/1964), The Beatles 1962-1966 (compilation, 4/2/1973)

B-Side: “This Boy”

Peak: 45 BB, 31 CB, 11 GR, 32 HR, 4 CL, 15 CN, 13 AU, 1 DF Click for codes to charts.

Sales (in millions): -- US, -- UK, -- world (includes US + UK)

Airplay/Streaming (in millions): 3.0 radio, 7.7 video, 222.69 streaming

Covered by: Hollyridge Strings (1964, #93 BB), Chet Atkins & Suzy Boggus (1995), Maxi Priest (2013), Darlene Love (2014), Maroon 5 (2014)

Awards:

(Click on award to learn more).

About the Song:

All My Loving, a “sprightly pop/rocker,” STE “is about as good a song as the Beatles have ever released. It has one of those Beatlesque melodies that is sure to stick in your head for a long time.” GA “The little country guitar break in the middle is delightful. It shows The Beatles beginning to think a little more about their songs, even at this early stage.” AD

Don’t Bother Me

The Beatles

Writer(s): George Harrison

Lead vocals: George Harrison

Released: Please Please Me (UK album, 11/22/1963), Meet the Beatles (U.S. album, 1/20/1964)

Peak: 37 DF Click for codes to charts.

Sales (in millions): --

Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 31.59 streaming

About the Song:

“The midtempo pop number Don’t Bother Me,” GA which is George Harrison’s first contribution, “is a standout, with its wonderfully foreboding minor-key melody.” STE

Little Child

The Beatles

Writer(s): John Lennon, Paul McCartney

Lead vocals: John Lennon, Paul McCartney

Released: Please Please Me (UK album, 11/22/1963), Meet the Beatles (U.S. album, 1/20/1964)

Peak: 26 CL, 39 DF Click for codes to charts.

Sales (in millions): --

Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 8.05 streaming

About the Song:

They could also “twist it around with a little Latin lilt [such as on]Little Child, one of their most underrated early rockers” STE that “makes good use of the harmonica.” AD

Till There Was You

The Beatles

Writer(s): Meredith Wilson

Lead vocals: Paul McCartney

Released: Please Please Me (UK album, 11/22/1963), Meet the Beatles (U.S. album, 1/20/1964)

Charted: 3/6/1964

Peak: 10 GR, 21 DF Click for codes to charts.

Sales (in millions): --

Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 100.13 streaming

First Recorded by: Eileen Wilson as “Til I Met You” (1950)

About the Song:

The song was popularized by Meredith Willson when it was featured in his 1957 musical The Music Man. Babara Cook recorded it for the Broadway cast album. It was a top-40 hit for Anita Bryant in 1959, but first recorded by Eileen Wilson in 1950 as “Til I Met You.” That version was also performed by Fran Warren for The Big Show in 1951.

The song “endeared itself to Paul McCartney thanks to Peggy Lee’s Latin-tinged version from her 1960 album Latin Ala Lee. It became a staple of their live show, with Paul cheekily introducing it at the Royal Command Performance as being by ‘Our favorite American group, Sophie Tucker.’” UD

He does a “respectable job” GA on the “endearing…near-standard hit.” TB It “is a lovely lilting Spanish flavoured song” AD that demonstrates how the Beatles “listened to a lot of different kinds of music to come up with their unique sound.” GA

Please Mr. Postman

The Beatles

Writer(s): Georgia Dobbins, William Garrett, Freddie Gorman, Brian Holland, Robert Bateman

Lead vocals: John Lennon

Released: B-side of “Roll Over Beethoven” (3/21/1964), Please Please Me (UK album, 11/22/1963), The Beatles’ Second Album (U.S. album, 4/10/1964)

Peak: 92 BB, 86 CB, 97 HR, 32 CL, 11 AU, 18 DF Click for codes to charts.

Sales (in millions): --

Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 34.70 streaming

First Recorded by: The Marvelettes (1961, #1 BB). Read more “here.

Awards:

(Click on award to learn more).

About the Song:

The Beatles complete a trilogy of Motown covers (“Money” and “You Really Got a Hold on Me” being the other two), with their “playful” GA version of The Marvelettes’ Please Mister Postman, the first Motown single to top the Billboard Hot 100.

“Those handclaps! It’s not hard to listen to this and imagine the excitement of seeing the fledgling Beatles in the Cavern Club one hot and sweaty lunchtime. This high-energy cover…sees John’s double-tracked lead trade call-and-response with Paul and George over a breathtaking two-and-a-half minutes that knocks the original into a cocked hat.” UD

Roll Over Beethoven

The Beatles

Writer(s): Chuck Berry

Lead vocals: George Harrison

Released: single (3/21/1964), Please Please Me (UK album, 11/22/1963), The Beatles’ Second Album (U.S. album, 4/10/1964), The Beatles 1962-1966 (compilation, 2023 reissue)

B-Side: “Please Mr. Postman”

Peak: 68 BB, 30 CB, 16 GR, 35 HR, 12 CL, 2 CN, 12 AU, 22 DF Click for codes to charts.

Sales (in millions): --

Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 40.71 streaming

First Recorded by: Chuck Berry (1956, #29 BB, 2 RB)

Awards:

(Click on award to learn more).

About the Song:

The Beatles’ first album, Please Please Me, features a couple of “high-energy 50s rock ‘n’ rollers” JA like Roll Over Beethoven, “a surprisingly stiff reading,” STE in which “Harrison does a dead-on Chuck Berry guitar lick” GA and double-tracked lead vocals.

“All The Beatles loved Chuck Berry…John Lennon once remarked: ‘If you tried to give rock’n’roll another name, you might call it ‘Chuck Berry’.” UD

Hold Me Tight

The Beatles

Writer(s): John Lennon, Paul McCartney

Lead vocals: Paul McCartney

Released: Please Please Me (UK album, 11/22/1963), Meet the Beatles (U.S. album, 1/20/1964)

Peak: -- Click for codes to charts.

Sales (in millions): --

Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 14.15 streaming

You Really Got a Hold on Me

The Beatles

Writer(s): Smokey Robinson

Lead vocals: John Lennon, George Harrison

Released: Please Please Me (UK album, 11/22/1963), The Beatles’ Second Album (U.S. album, 4/10/1964), The Beatles 1962-1966 (compilation, 2023 reissue)

Peak: ? Click for codes to charts.

Sales (in millions): 36 DF

Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 43.33 streaming

First Recorded by: The Miracles as “You’ve Really Got a Hold on Me” (1962, #8 BB, 1 RB)

Awards:

(Click on award to learn more).

About the Song:

Smokey Robinson wrote this song for his group The Miracles after hearing Sam Cooke’s “Bring It on Home to Me.” Tony Barrow wrote in the sleevenotes for With the Beatles that “The boys have an immense admiration for America’s rhythmic group The Miracles.” UD

On the Beatles’ “soaring interpretation” STE “the guitars are less to the fore varying the sound of the album when it needed a little sonic variation.” AD Barrow said, “John and George tackle the wild, relentless vocal with Paul joining them for the chorus.” UD The song also features piano by producer George Martin.

I Wanna Be Your Man

The Beatles

Writer(s): John Lennon, Paul McCartney

Lead vocals: Ringo Starr

Released: Please Please Me (UK album, 11/22/1963), Meet the Beatles (U.S. album, 1/20/1964)

Charted: 3/6/1964

Peak: 14 GR, 19 DF Click for codes to charts.

Sales (in millions): --

Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 13.16 streaming

Covered by: The Rolling Stones (1963, #32 CL, 12 UK)

About the Song:

“They could deliver rock & roll straight [such as on] I Wanna Be Your Man,” STE which “is a good original Beatles’ song [with] a decent energetic Ringo vocal.” AD After “observing the tremendous audience response that Ringo [got] whenever he [sang] ‘Boys’, John and Paul…pen[ned this] new number” TB with Ringo in mind. It was also a song “which Rolling Stones' manager Andrew Loog Oldham had coaxed from the band earlier.” DC

Devil in Her Heart

The Beatles

Writer(s): Richard Drapkin

Lead vocals: George Harrison

Released: B-side of “Baby It’s You” (4/1/1995), Please Please Me (UK album, 11/22/1963), The Beatles’ Second Album (U.S. album, 4/10/1964)

Peak: 48 CL, 37 DF Click for codes to charts.

Sales (in millions): --

Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 12.49 streaming

First Recorded by: The Donays as “There’s a Devil in His Heart” (1962)

About the Song:

The Michigan girl group The Donays recorded this song as “There’s a Devil in Her Heart.” It was their only single but lead singer, Yvonne Symington, later joined the Elgins at Motown.

“The competition between Liverpool beat groups for new material was intense. Each band would do their best to seek out increasingly obscure records to cover, and George’s “Devil In Her Heart”…was as obscure as any they recorded. The classic girl group call-and-response style fitted in perfectly on their second long player, With the Beatles.” UD

“Since the Beatles covered so much ground with their originals, their covers pale slightly in comparison, particularly since they rely on familiar hits.” STE Only Devil in Her Heart “qualifies as a forgotten gem.” STE “The band was always remarkably competent even when covering the most vapid material” JA and, after all, “the group always turns in thoroughly enjoyable performances.” STE

Not a Second Time

The Beatles

Writer(s): John Lennon, Paul McCartney

Lead vocals: John Lennon

Released: Please Please Me (UK album, 11/22/1963), Meet the Beatles (U.S. album, 1/20/1964)

Peak: 22 CL, 33 DF Click for codes to charts.

Sales (in millions): --

Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 11.30 streaming

Covered by: Robert Palmer (1980)

About the Song:

There were also “richly melodic…slower songs [such as] Not a Second Time,” STE which “benefits from piano in the mix.” AD

Money (That’s What I Want)

The Beatles

Writer(s): Janie Bradford, Berry Gordy

Lead vocals: John Lennon

Released: Please Please Me (UK album, 11/22/1963), All My Loving EP (2/7/1964), The Beatles’ Second Album (U.S. album, 4/10/1964)

Peak: 21 DF Click for codes to charts.

Sales (in millions): --

Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 15.18 streaming

First Recorded by: Barrett Strong (1959, #23 BB, 2 RB)

About the Song:

“Money (That’s What I Want)” was the first hit for Motown, co-written by founder Berry Gordy. It was recorded by Barrett Strong, a future Songwriters Hall of Fame inductee known for co-writing classics such as “I Heard It Through the Grapevine” and “War” with Norman Whitfield.

The Beatles closed their first album with “the raucous ‘Twist and Shout’ so what could they do to close their second album in similar fashion?” UD They came through with a cover of “Money,” one of the “high-energy 50s rock ‘n’ rollers” JA on With the Beatles. It “is slightly bizarre with its jazzy parts and all, but once John lets his vocals loose, you're slightly pinned back to the wall.” AD “John’s searing vocal highlights why he is, for many, among the ultimate rock’n’roll singers of all time.” UD

From Me to You

The Beatles

Writer(s): John Lennon, Paul McCartney (see lyrics here)

Lead vocals: John Lennon, Paul McCartney

Released: single (4/11/1963), The Beatles 1962-1966 (compilation, 4/2/1973), Past Masters Volume One (compilation, 3/7/1988), The Beatles 1 (compilation, 11/14/2000)

B-Side: “Thank You Girl”

Peak: 41 BB, 41 CB, 46 HR, 4 CL, 17 UK, 6 CN, 9 AU, 9 DF Click for codes to charts.

Sales (in millions): 2.0 US, 0.8 UK

Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, 4.6 video, 71.63 streaming

Awards:

(Click on award to learn more).

About the Song:

After “Love Me Do” hit #17, the Beatles got to #2 with the follow-up, “Please Please Me.” When the group recorded the song, producer George Martin told the group, “Congratulations, you have just made your first number one.” KL His prediction was close, but it wasn’t until the Beatles’ third UK chart entry, “From Me to You,” that the group found themselves at the chart pinnacle.

It didn’t fare as well in the U.S. It was released on the Vee Jay label on May 27, 1963, SF and failed to hit the Billboard Hot 100 chart until after the success of “I Want to Hold Your Hand.” Even then, it only reached #41. Del Shannon actually hit the charts first in the U.S. with his cover of the song. He was the first American to cover a Beatles song. SF His version charted on June 29, 1963, and peaked at #77.

The song “is crisp, catchy and hip – more of that fashionable harmonica; throaty Everleys harmonies; a teasing lyric; a no-nonsense beat that accelerates thrillingly into the chorus; and shouting.” FT The song is “an archetypal Merseybeat recording,” KL which “was the fad that changed the world.” FT It is “upbeat and strong in the harmony and melody department, and performed by a white male group with lead, rhythm and bass guitars, and drum.” KL

“Merseybeat, like skiffle, was a small club music and even if technique was valuable it was rarely shown off: what counted was energy and pace. There had been aggressive music at the top of the British charts before (‘Great Balls of Fire’!) but generally played by Americans…or incorporating safer comic aspects.” FT

“From Me to You” was credited to John Lennon and Paul McCartney, as were more than 200 Beatles’ compositions. However, few were genuine examples of the pair writing together. KP They wrote the song on a bus while touring with Helen Shapiro, a 16-year-old who was more popular in America at the time. SF The Beatles wrote it as a message to their fans. SF The title was inspired by the letter column entitled “From You to Us” from the British music newspaper New Musical Express. SF

Thank You Girl

The Beatles

Writer(s): John Lennon, Paul McCartney

Lead vocals: John Lennon, Paul McCartney

Released: B-side of “From Me to You” (4/11/1963), The Beatles’ Second Album (U.S. album, 4/10/1964), Past Masters Volume One (compilation, 3/7/1988)

Peak: 35 BB, 38 CB, 39 HR, 27 CL, 38 DF Click for codes to charts.

Sales (in millions): --

Airplay/Streaming (in millions): 1.0 radio, -- video, 3.97 streaming

Awards:

(Click on award to learn more).

About the Song:

A

She Loves You

The Beatles

Writer(s): John Lennon, Paul McCartney (see lyrics here)

Lead vocals: John Lennon, Paul McCartney

Released: single (8/23/1963), The Beatles’ Second Album (U.S. album, 4/10/1964), The Beatles 1962-1966 (compilation, 4/2/1973), Past Masters Volume One (compilation, 3/7/1988), The Beatles 1 (compilation, 11/14/2000)

B-Side: “I’ll Get You”

Peak: 12 BB, 12 CB, 12 GR, 11 HR, 1 CL, 16 UK, 13 CN, 3 AU, 1 DF Click for codes to charts.

Sales (in millions): 3.0 US, 1.95 UK, 6.0 world (includes US + UK)

Airplay/Streaming (in millions): 1.0 radio, 31.34 video, 188.85 streaming

Covered by: Count Basie (1966), Billy Joel (1987)

Awards:

(Click on award to learn more).

About the Song:

With record-breaking advance orders of 300,000, “She Loves You” became the first million-selling single in the UK KL and was the song that launched Beatlemania in the UK. AMG The song became the biggest single of the sixties TC and was the top-selling UK single until 1977 when the Wings’ “Mull of Kintyre” (led by ex-Beatle Paul McCartney) passed it. SF

It spent a whopping 36 weeks on the UK charts, marked by two stints at #1. It held the top slot for four weeks, slipped, and then climbed back for another two-week run after a seven-week break. It was their own “I Want to Hold Your Hand” which dethroned them the second time, making the Beatles the first artist to knock themselves off the top of the UK charts. TB

In a reversal of the British charts, “She Loves You” followed “I Want to Hold Your Hand” to the pinnacle of the U.S. charts. Capitol Records broke the Beatles in the U.S. with the latter song FB and then Swan Records re-released “She Loves You.” In an unprecedented achievement, TB the Beatles followed that with a third consecutive chart-topper in the U.S. with “Can’t Buy Me Love.”

Paul McCartney explained he’d planned on an answer song to Bobby Rydell’s “Forget Him” in which “a couple of us would sing ‘She loves you’ and the other ones would answer ‘Yeah Yeah.’…So we sat in the hotel bedroom for a few hours and wrote it; John and I, sitting on twin beds with guitars.” SF

After hearing it, McCartney’s father said, “Son, there are enough Americanisms around. Couldn’t you sing, ‘Yes, yes, yes,’ just for once?’ McCartney said, ‘You don’t understand, Dad. It wouldn’t work.’” RS500 Ever since, the music universe has been grateful Paul didn’t heed his father’s advice.

I’ll Get You

The Beatles

Writer(s): John Lennon, Paul McCartney

Lead vocals: John Lennon, Paul McCartney

Released: B-side of “She Loves You” (8/23/1963), The Beatles’ Second Album (U.S. album, 4/10/1964), Past Masters Volume One (compilation, 3/7/1988)

Peak: 18 GR, 48 CL, 39 DF Click for codes to charts.

Sales (in millions): --

Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 4.46 streaming

I Want to Hold Your Hand

The Beatles

Writer(s): John Lennon/Paul McCartney (see lyrics here)

Lead vocals: John Lennon, Paul McCartney

Released: UK single (11/29/1963), US single (1/13/1964), Meet the Beatles (U.S. album, 1/20/1964), The Beatles 1962-1966 (compilation, 4/2/1973), Past Masters Volume One (compilation, 3/7/1988), The Beatles 1 (compilation, 11/14/2000)

B-Side: “This Boy” (UK), “I Saw Her Standing There” (US)

Peak: 17 US, 18 CB, 12 GR, 19 HR, 15 UK, 16 CN, 17 AU Click for codes to charts.

Sales (in millions): 4.0 US, 1.86 UK, 12.0 world (includes US + UK)

Airplay/Streaming (in millions): 3.0 radio, 67.9 video, 262.00 streaming

Covered by: Boston Pops Orchestra (1964, #55 BB, 80 CB, 55 HR, 10 AC), Glee Cast (2010, #36 BB, 74 UK)

Awards:

(Click on award to learn more).

About the Song:

About the Song:

Beatlemania exploded in the UK in 1963. “From Me to You” hit #1 in May, followed by “She Loves You” in September and “I Want to Hold Your Hand” in December. Manager Brian Epstein couldn’t get Capitol Records (EMI’s American company) interested because, as one label executive said, “We don’t think the Beatles will do anything in this market.” FB He couldn’t have been more wrong.

“I Want to Hold Your Hand” ended up launching the group in the United States. Paul McCartney remembers the group telling Epstein, “We’re not going to America till we’ve got a #1 record.” RS500 They kept their promise. When the Beatles touched down in New York for their first U.S. visit, “I Want to Hold Your Hand” was the number one song in the U.S. BB On February 9, 1964, the Beatles performed for an estimated 73 million people on The Ed Sullivan Show.

It went on to become the biggest hit of the year CPM and the Beatles’ first of twenty #1’s on the Billboard Hot 100, a still untouched record. BB It was also the opening shot for the British Invasion. AMG Previously, only two British artists had topped the U.S. charts – Acker Bilk with “Stranger on the Shore” and the Tornados with “Telstar.” LW However, during 1964 and 1965, the Brits occupied a whopping 52 weeks at the American chart pinnacle. LW

The tame sexuality of the title phrase was mocked by some critics AMG but “the lyrics are typical of the period – all euphemism and innuendo.” TC The Beatles had more on their minds than hand holding. KL Their goal was to “make maximum impact rather than last as a transcendent song,” LW However, they achieved the latter nonetheless with “one of the most important songs in rock history.” AMG

This Boy

The Beatles

Writer(s): John Lennon, Paul McCartney

Lead vocals: John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison

Released: B-side of “I Want to Hold Your Hand” (11/29/1963), B-side of “All My Loving” (US, 2/7/1964), Meet the Beatles (U.S. album, 1/20/1964), The Beatles 1962-1966 (compilation, 2023 reissue), Past Masters Volume One (compilation, 3/7/1988)

Peak: 92 BB, 86 CB, 97 HR, 46 CL, 15 CN Click for codes to charts.

Sales (in millions): --

Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 26.56 streaming

Covered by: Rufus Wainwright with Sean Lennon (2001)

About the Song:

A

Resources/References

  • GA George Agnos, Daily Vault
  • STE AllMusic.com review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine of Please Please Me
  • AMG AllMusic.com page for “She Loves You”
  • AMG AllMusic.com page for “I Want to Hold Your Hand”
  • JA John Alroy, Wilson & Alroy’s Record Reviews
  • AZ Amazon.com review by Chris Nickson
  • TB Tony Barrow, liner notes for With the Beatles
  • BB Billboard (9/08). “All-Time Hot 100”
  • FB Fred Bronson (2003). The Billboard Book of Number One Hits (5th edition). Billboard Books: New York, NY. Pages 143-144.
  • DC David Connolly, AllMusic.com
  • CD CD Universe
  • TC Toby Creswell (2005). 1001 Songs: The Great Songs of All Time. Thunder’s Mouth Press: New York, NY.
  • AD Adrian Denning, Adrian’s Album Reviews
  • FT FreakyTrigger.co.uk (11/19/2004). “Popular (UK #1 Singles)” by Tom Ewing
  • DJ David Jasen (2002). A Century of American Popular Music: 2000 Best-Loved and Remembered Songs (1899-1999). Routledge: Taylor & Francis, Inc. Page 89.
  • KL Jon Kutner and Spencer Leigh (2005). 1000 UK Number One Hits: The Stories Behind Every Number One Single Since 1952. London, Great Britain: Omnibus Press. Pages 91, 95, and 96.
  • LW Alan Lewens (2001). Popular Song – Soundtrack of the Century. Billboard Books: New York, NY. Page 121.
  • SP Steve Pond, Rolling Stone. Original review from print issue 504/505.
  • RS500 Rolling Stone (2011). “The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time” (“She Loves You”)
  • RS500 Rolling Stone (12/04). “The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time” (“I Want to Hold Your Hand”)
  • SF Songfacts page for “From Me to You”
  • SF Songfacts.com page for “She Loves You”
  • TB Thunder Bay Press (2006). Singles: Six Decades of Hot Hits & Classic Cuts. Outline Press Ltd.: San Diego, CA. Page 56.
  • UD Udiscovermusic.com (11/4/2024). “Every Cover Version the Beatles Recorded and Released” by Paul McGuinnes
  • MU Marco Ursi
  • CPM Joel Whitburn (1999). A Century of Pop Music. Record Research, Inc.: Menomonee Falls, WI. Page 89.
  • DBW David Bertrand Wilson, Wilson & Alroy’s Record Reviews

    Related DMDB Pages:

    First posted 4/7/2008; last updated 8/20/2025.

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