Tuesday, December 31, 2024

New Musical Express (NME): Songs of the Year, 1953-2024

New Musical Express (NME):

Songs of the Year, 1953-2024

New Musical Express (NME) is a British music magazine first published in 1952. The magazine was responsible for the first UK singles chart that same year and has gone on to publish multiple best-of lists (links at bottom of page) throughout its history. Based on those lists are the top songs of each year from 1952 to 2008. From 2009 on, the top songs are determined by year-end lists.

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


Resources/Related Links:


First posted 4/12/2019; last updated 1/3/2025.

Rolling Stone Magazine: Songs of the Year, 1949-2024

Rolling Stone:

Songs of the Year, 1949-2024

These are the songs of each year as selected by Rolling Stone. The magazine was first published in 1967. By at least 1977, the magazine was selecting a “song of the year” annually. Prior to that, the songs of the year listed below were determined by the song with the highest ranking based on an aggregate of multiple best-of lists (see resources at bottom of page) over the years.

You can also see the result of the aggregate as a list of Rolling Stone’s top 200 songs).

Click here to see other genre-specific song lists.


Resources and Related Links:


First posted 4/15/2019; last updated 1/3/2025.

UK Streaming Song of the Year (1952-2024)

UK Streaming:

Song of the Year, 1952-2024

These are the most streamed songs in the UK from 1952 to the present.

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


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First posted 11/3/2022; last updated 12/31/2024.

USA’s Biggest #1 Pop Songs by Year (1890-2024)

USA’s Biggest #1 Pop Songs:

1890-2024

These are the songs from each year from 1890 to 2023 which spent the most weeks at #1 on the pop charts in the United States. Songs could have hit #1 on any of the following charts:

Billboard Charts:

Non-Billboard Charts:

After the song title, the chart on which it reached #1 for the most weeks, and the total weeks at #1, is noted. The year indicates when the song was first released, not necessarily the same as the year when it hit #1. You can also check out the biggest #1 pop songs all-time here.

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



Resources/Related Links:


First posted 3/27/2020; last updated 12/31/2024.

Spotify: Songs of the Year (1960-2024)

Spotify:

Songs of the Year, 1960-2024

These are the top songs each year (1960 to present) according to most streams on Spotify.

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


Resources/Related Links:


First posted 11/6/2021; last updated 12/31/2024.

Steve Sullivan: Songs of the Year, 1889-2024

Steve Sullivan:

Songs of the Year, 1889-2024

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.


Resources/Related Links:


Steve Sullivan Song Lists:


First posted 4/14/2019; last updated 1/3/2025.

Pop Culture Madness: Songs of the Year (1898-2024)

Pop Culture Madness:

Songs of the Year, 1898-2024

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.


Resources/Related Links:


First posted 4/12/2019; last updated 12/31/2024.