United States: Biggest #1 Songs

USA’s Biggest #1 Pop Songs: 1890-2022

These are the biggest #1 pop songs in the history of the United States pop charts from 1890 to present. Songs could have hit #1 on any of the following charts: Billboard’s pre-Hot 100 pop charts (1890-1958) (BB) Billboard Best Sellers chart (1940-1958) (BS) Billboard Juke Box Hits (1940-1957) (JB) Billboard Disc Jockey Hits (1944-1958) (DJ) Billboard Hot 100 chart (1958-present) (BB) Billboard Airplay (1984-present) (BA) Billboard Digital (2005-present) (DG) Billboard Streaming (2013-present) (ST) Edward Foote Gardner Popular Songs of the Twentieth Century (1900-1949) (GA) Your Hit Parade (1935-1959) (HP) Cashbox (1950-1996) (CB) Music Vendor/Record World (1954-1982) (HR) Radio & Records/Mediabase (1973-present) (RR) Links go to specific lists of the biggest songs of all time for that chart. All songs with 10 or more weeks on any of these charts are listed. If a song hit #1 on more than chart, only the chart where the song had the most weeks is noted. However, at times Hit Parade and Cashbox did not designate a specific artist with the #1 song. For example, “Some Enchanted Evening” was a #1 song on Hit Parade in 1949, but because there were multiple versions of the song out at the time, it wasn’t credited to any specific artist. In such cases, this list attributes the song only to an artist if that artist also hit #1 on another of the noted charts. One last note – in the event of ties, songs are ranked according to most overall points in Dave’s Music Database. For songs which hit #1 multiple times, the version which accumulated the most points is used. See other chart-based lists here. Spotify Podcast: Check out Dave’s Music Database podcast: The Biggest #1 Songs in Billboard Hot 100 History based on this list. It debuts September 7, 2021 at 7pm CST. New episodes based on Dave’s Music Database lists are posted every Tuesday at 7pm CST. 26 weeks: The Weeknd “Blinding Lights” (BA: 2020) 20 weeks: Lil Nas X with Billy Ray Cyrus “Old Town Road” (ST: 2018) 18 weeks: Goo Goo Dolls “Iris” (BA, 1998) BTS “Dynamite” (DG: 2020) Mariah Carey “All I Want for Christmas Is You” (ST: 1994) 17 weeks: Luis Fonsi with Daddy Yankee & Justin Bieber “Despacito” (DG: 2017) Francis Craig with Bob Lamm “Near You” (BB: 1947) 16 weeks: Mariah Carey “We Belong Together” (BA: 2005) Mariah Carey with Boyz II Men “One Sweet Day” (BB: 1995) No Doubt “Don’t Speak” (BA: 1996) Maroon 5 with Cardi B “Girls Like You” (BA: 2017) 15 weeks: Harry Styles “As It Was” (BB: 2015) 14 weeks: Bing Crosby with the Ken Darby Singers “White Christmas” (BB: 1942) Whitney Houston “I Will Always Love You” (BB: 1992) Mark Ronson with Bruno Mars “Uptown Funk!” (BB: 2014) Black Eyed Peas “I Gotta Feeling” (BB: 2009) Elton John “Candle in the Wind 1997 (Goodbye England’s Rose)” (BB: 1997) Los Del Rio “Macarena (Bayside Boys Mix)” (BB: 1995) Boyz II Men “I’ll Make Love to You” (BB: 1994) Celine Dion “Because You Loved Me” (BA: 1996) Alicia Keys “No One” (BA: 2001) Iggy Azalea with Charli XCX “Fancy” (ST: 2014) Post Malone with 21 Savage “Rockstar” (ST: 2017) Panic! At the Disco “High Hopes” (BA: 2018) Desiigner “Panda” (ST: 2015) 13 weeks: Glenn Miller “In the Mood” (BB: 1939) Gene Austin “My Blue Heaven” (BB: 1927) Patti Page “Tennessee Waltz” (BB: 1950) The Chainsmokers with Halsey “Closer” (DG: 2016) Debby Boone “You Light Up My Life” (HR: 1977) Ben Selvin “Dardanella” (BB: 1920) Artie Shaw “Frenesi” (BB: 1940) The Weavers with Gordon Jenkins’ Orchestra “Goodnight Irene” (BB: 1950) Harry James with Helen Forrest “I’ve Heard That Song Before” (BB: 1943) The Ink Spots “The Gypsy” (BB: 1946) Boyz II Men “End of the Road” (BB: 1992) Ted Weems with Elmo Tanner “Heartaches” (BB: 1947) Ace of Base “The Sign” (BA: 1994) TLC “No Scrubs” (BA: 1999) Donna Lewis “I Love You Always Forever” (BA: 1996) Brandy with Monica “The Boy Is Mine” (BB: 1998) Miley Cyrus “Wrecking Ball” (ST: 2013) Roddy Rich “The Box” (ST: 2019) BTS “Butter” (DG: 2021) Encanto Cast “We Don’t Talk About Bruno” (ST: 2022) 12 weeks: Ed Sheeran “Shape of You” (BB: 2017) Eminem “Lose Yourself” (BB: 2002) Usher with Lil’ Jon & Ludacris “Yeah!” (BB: 2004) Tommy Dorsey & His Orchestra with Frank Sinatra & the Pied Pipers “I’ll Never Smile Again” (BB: 1940) Robin Thicke with T.I. & Pharrell Williams “Blurred Lines” (BB: 2013) Santana with Rob Thomas “Smooth” (BB: 1999) Rihanna with Calvin Harris “We Found Love” (BA: 2011) The Mills Brothers “Paper Doll” (BB: 1943) Wiz Khalifa with Charlie Puth “See You Again” (BB: 2015) Black Eyed Peas “Boom Boom Pow” (BB: 2009) Vernon Dalhart “The Prisoner’s Song” (BB: 1925) Vaughn Monroe “Riders in the Sky (A Cowboy Legend)” (BB:1949) Jo Stafford “You Belong to Me” (BB: 1952) Al Jolson “Sonny Boy” (BB: 1928) Nelly with Kelly Rowland “Dilemma” (BA: 2002) Nat “King” Cole “Too Young” (HP: 1951) 11 weeks: Elvis Presley “Don’t Be Cruel” (BB: 1956) / Elvis Presley “Hound Dog” (BB: 1956) Leo Reisman & His Orchestra with Fred Astaire & Ginger Rogers “Cheek to Cheek” (BB: 1935) Pharrell Williams “Happy” (DG: 2013) Paul Whiteman’s Orchestra “Whispering” (BB: 1920) Al Jolson “April Showers” (BB: 1922) Adele “Hello” (BA: 2015) Bryon G. Harlan “School Days (When We Were a Couple of Kids)” (BB: 1907) Drake “God’s Plan” (BB: 2018) American Quartet with Billy Murray “Casey Jones” (BB: 1910) Puff Daddy with Faith Evans & 112 “I’ll Be Missing You” (BB: 1997) Beyoncé “Irreplaceable” (BA: 2006) Justin Bieber “Love Yourself” (BA: 2015) Haydn Quartet “Put on Your Old Grey Bonnet” (BB: 1909) Natalie Imbruglia “Torn” (BA: 1997) Toni Braxton “Un-Break My Heart” (BB: 1996) All-4-One “I Swear” (BB: 1994) Johnnie Ray & the Four Lads “Cry” (BB: 1951) Arthur Collins “The Preacher and the Bear” (BB: 1905) Paul Whiteman & His Orchestra with Franklyn Baur “Valencia (A Song of Spain)” (BB: 1926) Destiny’s Child “Independent Women” (BB: 2000) Les Paul with Mary Ford “Vaya Con Dios (May God Be with You)” (BB: 1953) Henry Burr “Just a Baby’s Prayer at Twilight (For Her Daddy Over There)” (BB: 1918) Anton Karas “The Third Man Theme” (BB: 1950), also by Guy Lombardo Tony Bennett “Because of You” (HP: 1951) Mariah Carey “Dreamlover” (BB: 1993) Frankie Carle & Marjorie Hughes “Oh What It Seemed to Be” (BB: 1946) Len Spencer “The Arkansaw Traveler” (BB: 1902) Post Malone “Circles” (BA: 2019) Mario “Let Me Love You” (BA: 2004) Boyz II Men “On Bended Knee” (BA: 1994) 24K Goldn with Iann Dior “Mood” (BA: 2020) Khalid “Talk” (BA: 2019) Miley Cyrus “We Can’t Stop” (ST: 2013) 10 weeks: Arthur Collins & Bryon G. Harlan “Alexander’s Ragtime Band” (BB: 1911) Leo Reisman’s Orchestra with Fred Astaire “Night and Day” (BB: 1932) Celine Dion “My Heart Will Go On” (BA: 1997) Billy Murray “You’re a Grand Old Flag (aka “The Grand Old Rag”)” (BB: 1906) Ella Fitzgerald with Chick Webb & His Orchestra “A-Tisket, A-Tasket” (BB: 1938) Haydn Quartet “Sweet Adeline (You’re the Flower of My Heart)” (BB: 1904) Flo Rida with T-Pain “Low” (BB: 2007) Bing Crosby with George Stoll’s Orchestra “Pennies from Heaven” (BB: 1936) Kanye West with Jamie Foxx “Gold Digger” (BB: 2005) Bing Crosby with John Scott Trotter’s Orchestra “I’ll Be Seeing You” (HP: 1944), also by Tommy Dorsey with Frank Sinatra George J. Gaskin “After the Ball” (BB: 1893) Olivia Newton-John “Physical” (BB: 1981) Dinah Shore & Her Harper Valley Boys “Buttons and Bows” (BB/HP: 1948) Macklemore & Ryan Lewis with Wanz “Thrift Shop” (DG: 2012) Leona Lewis “Bleeding Love” (RR: 2007) The Harmonicats “Peg O’ My Heart” (HP: 1947) Drake with Wizkid & Kyla “One Dance” (BB: 2016) Justin Timberlake “Can’t Stop the Feeling!” (DG: 2016) Bryon G. Harlan “My Gal Sal” (BB: 1907) Meghan Trainor “All About That Bass” (ST: 2014) Perry Como “Some Enchanted Evening” (HP: 1949) Nick Lucas “Tip-Toe Thru the Tulips with Me” (BB: 1929) The Andrews Sisters with Vic Schoen’s Orchestra “Rum and Coca-Cola” (BB: 1945) Seal “Kiss from a Rose” (BA: 1994) Bing Crosby with Lani McIntire & His Hawaiians “Sweet Leilani” (BB: 1937) Perry Como “Till the End of Time” (BB: 1945) Lady Gaga with Bradley Cooper “Shallow” (DG: 2018) Rudy Vallee & His Connecticut Yankees “Stein Song (University of Maine)” (BB: 1930) Drake “In My Feelings” (BB: 2018) Ted Lewis & His Band “In a Shanty in Old Shanty Town” (BB: 1932) Guy Mitchell “Singing the Blues” (BB: 1956) Pat Boone “Love Letters in the Sand” (HP: 1957) Jimmy Dorsey & His Orchestra with Bob Eberly & Helen O’Connell “Amapola (Pretty Little Poppy)” (BB: 1941) Janet Jackson “That’s the Way Love Goes” (BA: 1993) George J. Gaskin “On the Banks of the Wabash” (BB: 1897) Dan Quinn “The Band Played On” (BB: 1895) Vaughn Monroe’s Orchestra “Ballerina” (BB: 1947) Percy Faith with Felicia Sanders “Where Is Your Heart (Song from “Moulin Rouge”)” (BB: 1953) The McGuire Sisters “Sincerely” (BB: 1955) N Sync “Bye Bye Bye” (RR: 2000) Lil Wayne with Static Major “Lollipop” (BA: 2008) Perez “Prez” Prado “Cherry Pink and Apple Blossom White” (BB: 1955) Silentó “Watch Me (Whip/Nae Nae)” (ST: 2015) Glenn Miller Orchestra with Ray Eberle & The Modernaires “Moonlight Cocktail” (BB: 1942) Mariah Carey “Hero” (BA: 1993) Kay Starr “Wheel of Fortune” (BB: 1952) Ashanti with Ja Rule “Foolish” (BB: 2002) Bing Crosby with the Ken Darby Singers “Now Is the Hour (Maori Farewell Song)” (HP: 1948) Rosemary Clooney “Hey There” (HP: 1954) George W. Johnson “The Laughing Song” (BB: 1891) Margaret Whiting “A Tree in the Meadow” (HP: 1948) George J. Gaskin “My Old New Hampshire Home” (BB: 1898) Santana with the Product G&B “Maria Maria” (BB: 2000) Debbie Reynolds “Tammy” (HP: 1957) Eileen Barton “If I Knew You Were Comin’ I’d’ve Baked a Cake” (BB: 1950) Perry Como “If (They Made Me a King)” (HP: 1951) Patti Page “I Went to Your Wedding” (BB: 1952) Mariah Carey “Someday” (BA: 1990) Usher “U Got It Bad” (BA: 2001) Jimmy Dorsey with Bob Eberly “I Hear a Rhapsody” (HP: 1941), also by Charlie Barnet with Bob Carroll DaBaby with Roddy Rich “Rockstar” (ST: 2020) Migos with Lil Uzi Vert “Bad and Boujee” (ST: 2016) Cardi B with Megan Thee Stallion “WAP” (ST: 2020) Bruno Mars with Anderson.Paak as Silk Sonic “Leave the Door Open” (BA: 2021) Adele “Easy on Me” (BB: 2021) Resources/Related Links: Dave’s Music Database: “Other Chart-Based Lists” Dave’s Music Database: “USA: #1 Pop Songs, 1890-present” First posted 10/29/2017; last updated 1/12/2023.

Billboard: Airplay, 1984-present

Billboard’s Biggest Airplay Hits: 1984-present

Billboard magazine started its airplay chart on October 20, 1984 to track the biggest hits as played on radio. This list focuses on the biggest hits on that chart based on weeks at #1. All songs which spent seven weeks or more at #1 are included in this list. Ties are broken by songs’ overall Dave’s Music Database points. See other chart-based lists here and specific Billboard lists here. 26 weeks: The Weeknd “Blinding Lights” (2019) 18 weeks: Goo Goo Dolls “Iris (1998) 16 weeks: Mariah Carey “We Belong Together” (2005) No Doubt “Don’t Speak” (1995) Maroon 5 with Cardi B “Girls Like You” (2017) 14 weeks: Céline Dion “Because You Loved Me (1996) Alicia Keys “No One” (2007) Panic! At the Disco “High Hopes” (2018) 13 weeks: Mariah Carey with Boyz II Men “One Sweet Day” (1995) Boyz II Men “End of the Road” (1992) Ace of Base “The Sign” (1993) TLC “No Scrubs’ (1999) Donna Lewis “I Love You Always Forever” (1996) 12 weeks: Mark Ronson with Bruno Mars “Uptown Funk!” (2014) Ed Sheeran “Shape of You” (2017) Usher with Lil’ Jon & Ludacris “Yeah!” (2004) Rihanna with Calvin Harris “We Found Love” (2011) Boyz II Men “I’ll Make Love to You” (1994) Nelly with Kelly Rowland “Dilemma” (2002) 11 weeks: Whitney Houston “I Will Always Love You” (1992) Eminem “Lose Yourself” (2002) Robin Thicke with T.I. & Pharrell Williams “Blurred Lines” (2013) Adele “Hello” (2015) The Chainsmokers with Halsey “Closer” (2016) Beyoncé “Irreplaceable” (2006) Justin Bieber “Love Yourself” (2015) Natalie Imbruglia “Torn” (1997) Mariah Carey “Dreamlover” (1993) Post Malone “Circles” (2019) Mario “Let Me Love You” (2004) Boyz II Men “On Bended Knee” (1994) 24K Goldn with Iann Dior “Mood” (2020) Khalid “Talk” (2019) 10 weeks: Céline Dion “My Heart Will Go On” (1997) Seal “Kiss from a Rose” (1995) Janet Jackson “That’s the Way Love Goes” (1993) Lil Wayne with Static Major “Lollipop” (2008) Mariah Carey “Hero” (1993) Ashanti with Ja Rule “Foolish” (2002) Mariah Carey “Someday” (1990) Usher “U Got It Bad” (2001) Bruno Mars & Anderson.Paak as Silk Sonic “Leave the Door Open” (2021) 9 weeks: OutKast “Hey Ya!” (2003) 50 Cent “In Da Club” (2002) Ed Sheeran with Beyoncé “Perfect” (2017) Jay-Z with Alicia Keys “Empire State of Mind” (2009) All-4-One “I Swear” (1994) Destiny’s Child “Independent Women” (2000) Madonna “Take a Bow” (1994) Bruno Mars “That’s What I Like” (2016) Chumbawamba “Tubthumping” (1997) Jewel “You Were Meant for Me” (1995) Paula Abdul “Rush Rush” (1991) Mary J. Blige “Be Without You” (2005) Zedd with Maren Morris & Grey “The Middle” (2018) Beyoncé with Sean Paul “Baby Boy” (2003) Aaliyah “Try Again” (2000) Brandy “Have You Ever?” (1998) 8 weeks: Bryan Adams “(Everything I Do) I Do It for You” (1991) Pharrell Williams “Happy” (2013) Beyoncé with Jay-Z “Crazy in Love” (2003) Eminem with Rihanna “Love the Way You Lie” (2010) Sia with Sean Paul “Cheap Thrills” (2016) Vanessa Williams “Save the Best for Last” (1992) T.I. with Rihanna “Live Your Life” (2008) Maroon 5 “One More Night” (2012) T.I. “Whatever You Like” (2008) The Rembrandts “I’ll Be There for You” (1995) Usher “Burn” (2004) Mariah Carey “I’ll Be There” (live, 1992) Maroon 5 “Don’t Wanna Know” (2016) T-Pain with Yung Joc “Buy U a Drank (Shawty Snappin’)” (2007) Chris Brown with Young Thug “Go Crazy” (2020) 7 weeks: Nelly “Hot in Herre” (2002) Maroon 5 with Christina Aguilera “Moves Like Jagger” (2011) Ke$ha “Tik Tok” (2009) Bruno Mars “Just the Way You Are (Amazing)” (2010) John Legend “All of Me” (2013) The Weeknd “Can’t Feel My Face” (2015) Fergie “Big Girls Don’t Cry (Personal)” (2007) Mariah Carey “Fantasy” (1995) Bruno Mars “Locked Out of Heaven” (2012) 50 Cent with Olivia “Candy Shop” (2005) Usher with will.i.am “OMG” (2010) Justin Timberlake “Mirrors” (2013) Ciara with Petey Pablo “Goodies” (2004) Rihanna with Drake “What’s My Name?” (2010) Chris Brown with Juelz Santana “Run It!” (2005) Janet Jackson “Love Will Never Do without You” (1989) Sisqó “Thong Song” (2000) Dionne Farris “I Know” (1995) T.I. with Justin Timberlake “Dead and Gone” (2008) Destiny’s Child “Jumpin’ Jumpin’” (1999) Cassie “Me & U” (2006) Dua Lipa “Levitating” (2020) Resources and Related Links: Dave’s Music Database “Other Best-of Billboard lists” Dave’s Music Database: “Other Chart-Based Lists” Dave’s Music Database: “USA: #1 Pop Songs, 1890-present” First posted 9/7/2021.

U.S. Biggest #1 Pop Songs in Chart History

USA’s Biggest #1 Pop Songs

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

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

Mariah Carey “We Belong Together” (2005) Inducted October 2019 as “Top 10 #1 Pop Songs of the Rock Era.”

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

Mariah Carey with Boyz II Men “One Sweet Day” (1995) Inducted October 2019 as “Top 10 #1 Pop Songs of the Rock Era.”

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

Luis Fonsi with Daddy Yankee & Justin Bieber “Despacito” (2017) Inducted October 2019 as “Top 10 #1 Pop Songs of the Rock Era.”

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

Goo Goo Dolls “Iris” (1998) Inducted October 2019 as “Top 10 #1 Pop Songs of the Rock Era.”

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

Elton John “Candle in the Wind 1997 (Goodbye England’s Rose)” (1997) Inducted October 2019 as “Top 10 #1 Pop Songs of the Rock Era.”

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

Lil Nas X with Billy Ray Cyrus “Old Town Road” (2018) Inducted October 2019 as “Top 10 #1 Pop Songs of the Rock Era.”

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

Maroon 5 with Cardi B “Girls Like You” (2017) Inducted October 2019 as “Top 10 #1 Pop Songs of the Rock Era.”

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

No Doubt “Don’t Speak” (1995) Inducted October 2019 as “Top 10 #1 Pop Songs of the Rock Era.”

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

Mark Ronson with Bruno Mars “Uptown Funk!” (2014) Inducted October 2019 as “Top 10 #1 Pop Songs of the Rock Era.”

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

Goo Goo Dolls spend first of 18 weeks atop airplay chart with “Iris”

Iris Goo Goo Dolls

Writer(s):John Rzeznik (see lyrics here) Released: April 7, 1998 First Charted: April 11, 1998 Peak: 9 US, 118 BA, 14RR, 22 AC, 117 A40, 2 AA, 8 AR, 15 MR, 3 UK, 18 CN, 15 AU, 6 DF (Click for codes to charts.) Sales (in millions): 7.0 US, 1.25 UK, 8.39 world (includes US + UK) Airplay/Streaming (in millions): 0.8 radio, 217.0 video, 1276.98 streaming

Awards: Click on award for more details.

About the Song: The Goo Goo Dolls formed in 1986, but didn’t really gain traction until almost a decade into their career when “Name” became a top 5 hit on the Billboard Hot 100. They were even more successful with “Iris” in 1998. The song, named after country-folk singer-songwriter Iris DeMent, WK was arguably the biggest pop song in the history of the Billboard charts, despite a #9 peak. Huh? In the mid-to-late-‘90s, record companies sometimes refrained from releasing radio hits as singles in an effort to drive sales of the album instead. Such songs weren’t eligible for the Hot 100, but would show up on the airplay chart. “Iris” proved a monster at radio, spending an astonishing 18 weeks atop the chart – a feat which, had it been on the Hot 100, would have made it the biggest #1 pop song in the history of the chart. Billboard changed its rules in December 1998, WK but the song had already peaked, accounting for the #9 chart position. The song also spent a whopping 17 weeks at the pinnacle on Billboard’s Adult Top 40 chart and hit #1 on the alternative rock chart. It was also a #1 on the United States’ Radio & Records chart and reached the top in Australia, Canada, and Italy. WK It was also one of the the best-selling singles of all time in Ireland. WK “Iris” also landed Grammy nominations for Song and Record of the Year. John Rzeznik, the lead singer of the Goo Goo Dolls, said he wrote the power ballad with the Nicolas Cage City of Angels character in mind. Cage is an angel helping humans transition to the afterlife, but he falls in love with a human (Meg Ryan). As Rzeznik, said, “This guy is completely willing to give up his own immortality just to be able to feel something very human. And I think, ‘Wow! What an amazing thing it must be like to love someone so much that you give up everything to be with them.” WK Resources: DMDB Encyclopedia entry for Goo Goo Dolls SF Songfacts WK Wikipedia First posted 1/22/2020; last updated 7/24/2023.