ASCAP: Top 100 Songs

ASCAP: Top 100 Songs

The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) formed in 1914. They are a membership association of more than 930,000 songwriters, composers and music publishers. In honor of their 100th birthday, they created a list of their top 100 songs as well as a list of the songs of the year from 1914 to 2013 (see here). I’ve posted the top 100 list here. Note that the original list refers to the songs and their songwriters. I have listed the songs with the artist who has the highest-ranked version of the song in Dave’s Music Database. Click here to see other lists from publications and/or organizations. 1. Patty S. Hill & Mildred J. Hill (songwriters) “Happy Birthday to You” (1893) 2. The Temptations “My Girl” (1964) 3. Bing Crosby with the Ken Darby Singers “White Christmas” (1942) 4. Judy Garland “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” (1944) 5. Bette Midler “Wind Beneath My Wings” (1989) 6. Martha & the Vandellas “Dancing in the Street” (1964) 7. Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” (1967) 8. Tina Turner “What’s Love Got to Do with It?” (1984) 9. Elvis Presley “Can’t Help Falling in Love” (1961) 10. Johnny Nash “I Can See Clearly Now” (1972) 11. Judy Garland “Over the Rainbow” (1939) 12. Peter Frampton “Baby I Love Your Way” (live, 1976) 13. Dooley Wilson “As Time Goes By” (1942) 14. Phil Collins “In the Air Tonight” (1981) 15. Billy Medley with Jennifer Warnes “I’ve Had the Time of My Life” (1987) 16. Eagles “Take It Easy” (1972) 17. Dobie Gray “Drift Away” (1973) 18. Bobby Helms “Jingle Bell Rock” (1957) 19. The Marcels “Blue Moon” (1961) 20. Eurythmics “Sweet Dreams Are Made of This” (1983) 21. Whitney Houston “The Greatest Love of All” (1985) 22. Lynyrd Skynyrd “Sweet Home Alabama” (1974) 23. Gene Autry & the Pinafores “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” (1949) 24. Stevie Wonder “I Just Called to Say I Love You” (1984) 25. The Temptations “Get Ready” (1966) 26. Berlin “Take My Breath Away” (1986) 27. Mary Wells “My Guy” (1964) 28. Vaughn Monroe “Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!” (1945) 29. Dionne Warwick & Friends “That's What Friends Are For” (1985) 30. Kool & the Gang “Celebration” (1980) 31. Simple Minds “Don’t You Forget about Me” (1985) 32. Louis Armstrong “What a Wonderful World” (1967) 33. Tears for Fears “Everybody Wants to Rule the World” (1985) 34. The Contours “Do You Love Me?” (1962) 35. Nat “King” Cole “When I Fall in Love” (1957) 36. U2 “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For” (1987) 37. The Mamas & the Papas “California Dreamin’” (1966) 38. Cyndi Lauper “Time After Time” (1983) 39. George Michael “Careless Whisper” (1984) 40. The Flamingos “I Only Have Eyes for You” (1959) 41. REO Speedwagon “Can’t Fight This Feeling” (1984) 42. Bing Crosby with John Scott Trotter’s Orchestra “I’ll Be Home for Christmas” (1943) 43. Natalie Cole with Nat “King” Cole “Unforgettable” (1991) 44. Harry Simeone Chorale “The Little Drummer Boy” (1958) 45. Gloria Gaynor “I Will Survive” (1978) 46. Don Henley “The Boys of Summer” (1984) 47. The Temptations “The Way You Do the Things You Do” (1964) 48. John Waite “Missing You” (1984) 49. Madonna “Vogue” (1990) 50. Huey Lewis & the News “The Power of Love” (1985) 51. Jerry Lee Lewis “Great Balls of Fire” (1957) 52. Eagles “Hotel California” (1976) 53. Bruce Springsteen “Dancing in the Dark” (1984) 54. Perry Como “Silver Bells” (1953) 55. The Beatles “Come Together” (1969) 56. The Miracles “The Tracks of My Tears” (1965) 57. Barbra Streisand “The Way We Were” (1973) 58. Joe Cocker “You Are So Beautiful” (1974) 59. Leroy Anderson “Sleigh Ride” (1949) 60. Bing Crosby with Trudy Erwin “Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin’” (1943) 61. Bryan Adams “(Everything I Do) I Do It for You” (1991) 62. Lionel Richie “All Night Long (All Night)” (1983) 63. The Doors “Light My Fire” (1967) 64. Joe Cocker & Jennifer Warnes “Up Where We Belong” (1982) 65. Wild Cherry “Play That Funky Music” (1976) 66. Marvin Gaye “What’s Going On” (1971) 67. Bryan Adams “Heaven” (1984) 68. Shania Twain “You’re Still the One” (1998) 69. Irene Cara “Flashdance...What a Feelin’” (1983) 70. Santana & Rob Thomas “Smooth” (1999) 71. The Beatles “Yesterday” (1965) 72. Ray Parker, Jr. “Ghostbusters” (1984) 73. Henry Mancini with Audrey Hepburn “Moon River” (1961) 74. Bruce Springsteen “Born in the U.S.A.” (1984) 75. Kenny Loggins “Footloose” (1984) 76. John Cougar Mellencamp “Jack and Diane” (1982) 77. The Jackson 5 “I’ll Be There” (1970) 78. Whitney Houston “How Will I Know” (1985) 79. Chicago “You’re the Inspiration” (1984) 80. Marvin Gaye “Sexual Healing” (1982) 81. John Cougar Mellencamp “Small Town” (1985) 82. Fine Young Cannibals “She Drives Me Crazy” (1989) 83. Tom Petty “Free Fallin’” (1989) 84. M.C. Hammer “U Can’t Touch This” (1990) 85. George Michael “Faith” (1987) 86. Bill Haley & the Comets “We’re Gonna Rock Around the Clock” (1954) 87. All-4-One “I Swear” (1994) 88. Faith Hill “Breathe” (1999) 89. Cyndi Lauper “Girls Just Want to Have Fun” (1983) 90. Richard Marx “Right Here Waiting” (1989) 91. Whitney Houston “Saving All My Love for You” (1985) 92. Marvin Gaye “Let’s Get It On” (1973) 93. Bon Jovi “Livin’ on a Prayer” (1986) 94. The Rolling Stones “Start Me Up” (1981) 95. Heart “These Dreams” (1985) 96. Aerosmith “I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing” (1998) 97. Heatwave “Always and Forever” (1977) 98. Dire Straits “Money for Nothing” (1985) 99. Natalie Imbruglia “Torn” (1997) 100. LeAnn Rimes “How Do I Live” (1997) Resources/Related Links: Dave’s Music Database: “Lists from other publications and/or organizations” Dave’s Music Database: “ASCAP: Songs of the Year” ASCAP.com ASCAP.com (2/13/2014). “ASCAP Celebrates 100th Birthday with Top Songs Lists” First posted 9/4/2023.

Today in Music (1944): “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” charted

Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas Judy Garland

Writer(s): Hugh Martin (music), Ralph Blane (lyrics) (see lyrics here) First Charted: December 30, 1944 Peak: 27 PM, 2 DF (Click for codes to charts.) Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, 5.6 video, 160.0 streaming

Awards: Click on award for more details.

About the Song: The 1944 MGM musical Meet Me in St. Louis is set in 1903 leading up to the World’s Fair in St. Louis the following year. The movie featured some songs from the period as well as new material by composer Hugh Martin and lyricist Ralph Blane. Among the songs was “The Trolley Song,” which nominated for an Oscar for Best Song, and “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” a now holiday classic named to the American Film Institute’s list of top 100 movie songs. In the film, Judy Garland’s family is moving to New York, against the wishes of everyone except the father. Her sister is worried Santa won’t find her in their new home. Garland sings “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” to her. She refused to perform the song as it was originally written because it was “too somber, too full of pain” TY1 with original lyrics “Have yourself a merry little Christmas / It will be your last / Next year we will be living in the past.” TY1 The director Vincente Minnelli and her co-star Tom Drake agreed and the lines were changed to “Let your heart be light / Next year all our troubles will be out of sight.” WK The suggestion that things would be better the next year resonated with United States troops during World War II. When she performed the song at the Hollywood Canteen, it brought many soldiers to tears. WK Although Blane and Martin were credited with the songs in Meet Me in St. Louis, Martin has claimed that he wrote the music and lyrics to most of the songs. He said he allowed Blane credit because of “my naïve and atrocious lack of business acumen.” WK Despite becoming such a Christmas favorite, “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” went nearly fifty years from Garland initially charting with the song in 1944 before it charted again. Vince Gill hit #52 on the country chart with it in 1993. Others to chart with it include Kenny G (1994, #26 AC), Martina McBride (1999, #53 CW), James Taylor (2001, #4 AC), Ruben Studdard & Tamyra Gray (2003, #25 AC), Clay Aiken (2005, #32 AC), Joe Nichols (2005, #57 CW), LeAnn Rimes (2005, #60 CW), Sarah McLachlan (2006, #6 AC), Barry Manilow (2007, #11 AC), Colbie Caillat (2009, #12 AC), David Archuleta (2009, #22 AC), Katharine McPhee (2010, #16 AC), Michael Bublé (2011, #47 BB, 99 UK, 9 AU), Rod Stewart (2012, #28 AC, 51 UK), Little Big Town (2012, #49 CW), Susan Boyle (2013, #17 AC), Sam Smith (2014, #90 BB, 50 RR, 6 AC), Dan + Shay (2014, #17 AC), Train (2015, #5 AC), Josh Groban (2016, #1 AC), John Legend with Esperanza Spalding (2018, #1 AC), and the Rua (2018, #25 AC). Resources: TY2 Don Tyler (2007). Hit Songs, 1900-1955. McFarland & Company, Inc.: Jefferson, North Carolina. Page 278. WK Wikipedia Related Links: First posted 12/21/2023.