Post by briguy52748 on Dec 28, 2009 21:02:35 GMT -5
It's fair game. The first Billboard charts of the 2010s decade have been announced — those covering the week of Jan. 2, 2010 for country, pop and R&B. So, it's time to post the first No. 1 hits of each decade on the charts — the 1950s (the first full decade of official Billboard charts, given that none of the three major charts existed on Jan. 6, 1940).
Important note: All the songs listed are the first new No. 1 of the decade. No songs will be listed for the first weekend of January (or subsequent weekends) if they first reached No. 1 in December of the previous year and were still riding high atop the chart.
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Pop/Hot 100
• 1950s: Gene Autry's classic Christmas tune, "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer," from the Jan. 7, 1950, best-sellers chart. Incidentally, this song was the subject of a listener letter from the Aug. 4, 1979 AT40, wherein a listener asked if a song ever fell completely off the chart from its No. 1 peak — and Autry holds this dubious distinction.
• 1960s: Marty Robbins and "El Paso," a song that was currently ruling the roost on the Hot C&W Sides chart (at the time, in its second week at No. 1 country), Marty's tale of a cowboy who dies defending his true love's honor spent two weeks at No. 1, beginning Jan. 4, 1960.
• 1970s: The classic "Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head" by B.J. Thomas, from Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. A four-week No. 1 hit starting Jan. 3, 1970.
• 1980s: The fifth — and final — No. 1 hit by one of the top disco acts of the era, K.C. & the Sunshine Band. This'n was a disco-styled ballad: "Please Don't Go," which ascended to the pole position on Jan. 5, 1980 — it's only week at No. 1.
• 1990s: Michael Bolton, one of the top pop-adult contemporary artists of the late 1980s and early 1990s, was one of two artists not to have the first new chart-topper of the decade the first Saturday of January. He had to wait until Jan. 20, 1990, to ask the question, "How Am I Supposed to Live Without You?" (as Phil Collins' "Another Day in Paradise" remained at No. 1 for the first two weekends of January 1990).
• 2000s: The other artist who had to wait until later in January to have the decade's first noueva numero uno — Christina Aguilera, who told us "What a Girl Wants." She went to No. 1 on my 28th birthday: Jan. 15, 2000.
• 2010s: Already, we have the first new No. 1 hit of the 2010s. It's by 22-year-old electropop/electrodance singer Kesha, from Los Angeles, who has hit the top of the chart with her first solo single, "Tik Tok." She had been a featured artist on Flo Rida's big hit, "Right Round" (although she got no label credit, and did not appear in that song's video). She's also kept busy writing songs for Miley Cyrus and appearing on several other artists' albums.
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Hot Country Songs
• 1950s: Of the three country-oriented charts in use on Jan. 7, 1950, two of them featured No. 1 songs. I'm not sure which is which, but one of those songs was Gene Autry's "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer." The other was the original hit version of a song that, eight years later, became Elvis Presley's song and his alone. No doubt, Elvis did listen to — and enjoy — Ernest Tubb's honky-tonk version of "Blue Christmas" during those formative years. Also, as was the case on the pop chart, "Rudolph" tumbled off the chart the very next week, and with it also went the Texas Trubador's "Blue Christmas."
• 1960s: It wasn't until early February that Marty Robbins concluded his epic seven-week run at No. 1 with "El Paso," so the latest a first-No. 1-hit-of-the-decade came for the Hot Country Songs chart (then called Hot C&W Sides) was in 1960 — Feb. 8 of that year, to be exact. It was the smooth, velvet tones of Jim Reeves and his classic "He'll Have to Go." He had an even longer run at No. 1: 14 weeks! (Plus three weeks at No. 2 on the Hot 100 to boot.) And "Gentleman" Jim wouldn't even have the year's biggest country single. That honor went to the second new No. 1 hit of the 1960s, and it'd have to wait until May: Hank Locklin's "Please Help Me I'm Fallin'," which also spent 14 weeks at No. 1 (a No. 8 pop hit as well).
• 1970s: David Houston, one of the biggest country hit-makers of the 1960s, rang in the decade of Watergate with his seventh — and last — No. 1 hit. Topping the chart on Jan. 3, 1970, for the first of four weeks was "Baby, Baby (I Know You're a Lady)." Houston, the godson of 1920s pop star Gene Austin and a descendant of 19th century politican Sam Houston and Gen. Robert E. Lee, continued to have top 5 hits into 1974, after which he began enjoying lesser success. He died in November 1993 at the young age of 54, his golden tenor silenced by an anerysm.
• 1980s: Kenny Rogers and his classic "Coward of the County," which topped the chart for the first of three weeks on Jan. 5, 1980. Yes, it was a movie, and no, it wasn't the real Gatlin Brothers that assaulted Becky.
• 1990s: Highway 101, one of the late 1980s most popular honky tonk-styled groups, was still led by Paulette Carlson (her backing vocalists were all male) when the group topped the chart for the final time with "Who's Lonely Now" on Jan. 6, 1990 — it's only week at No. 1.
• 2000s: The second latest-ever first No. 1 hit of a decade came in the decade just about to end. It was by the Dixie Chicks, who based their fourth No. 1 hit on the old soap commercial. Instead of Calgon, they begged, "Cowboy, Take Me Away." The Cowboy took the No. 1 hit spot away from Faith Hill (and her megahit "Breathe") away on Feb. 5, 2000 — for the first of a three-week run. Natalie Maines, Martie Maguire and Emily Robison remained one of the hottest acts in country music until 2003, when Natalie made her infamous remarks about President Bush ... and the backlash continues.
• 2010s: Well, Lady Antebellum couldn't quite become the first act in 45 years to spend Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day at No. 1 with the same No. 1 song. "Need You Now" fell to No. 3, yielding to a true chart veteran: Reba McEntire and her 24th No. 1 hit, Consider Me Gone," for the chart week ending Jan. 2, 2010. Reba now has a 27-year span between her first and most recent chart-topper, the first being "Can't Even Get the Blues" from January 1983. And now, "Consider Me Gone" is now considered a two-week No. 1 hit (hard to believe it, but it's a rarity for Reba, as most of her No. 1 hits were just one-weekers).
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R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
• 1950s: "I Almost Lost My Mind" by Ivory Joe Hunter, which had to wait until Feb. 18, 1950, to ascend to the top spot. He'd hold on for five weeks atop what was the black singles Best Sellers chart.
• 1960s: "Smokie (Part 2)" by Bill Black's Combo, topping the Hot R&B chart for the first of a four-week run starting Jan. 11, 1960.
• 1970s: A young, precocious Michael Jackson was just winning hearts of the fans in January 1970. On Jan. 10, 1970, he fronted the Jackson 5 when Michael and his brothers topped the Hot R&B with "I Want You Back." A 39-year ride in the spotlight was just starting — and it came to a shattering, sad end this past June.
• 1980s: Michael Jackson's ride was just getting bigger and better when the decade of Reaganomics dawned. He topped the Hot Soul Singles chart for the first of six weeks on Jan. 5, 1980, with "Rock With You," a song that was one of biggest R&B and mainstream pop hits of 1980.
• 1990s: Michael Jackson's kid sister, Janet, had the decade-dawning spotlight for the Jackson family for the third decade in the row. She topped the Hot Black Singles chart on Jan. 13, 1990, with the decade's first No. 1 hit, "Rhythm Nation" (also a soon-to-be Hot 100 No. 1).
• 2000s: From the bubblegum, disco and funky New Jack swing sound of the Jackson family ... to pure rap. Missy "Misdemeanor" Elliott featuring Nas, Eve and Q-Tip had the honors, hip-hopping about some "Hot Boys." The song peaked at No. 1 for two weeks on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, beginning Jan. 8, 2000.
• 2010s: No new song has topped the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart yet in the 2010s decade, as "I Invented Sex" by Trey Songz remained at No. 1 (for a third week) for the just-announced Jan. 9, 2010, chart. Tune back in for updates.
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Well, there it is. Have a safe and happy new year ... and a prosperous and fulfilling 2010s decade. We'll do this again — in about 10 years! 'Til then, keep your feet on the ground ... and keep reaching for the stars!
Brian
Important note: All the songs listed are the first new No. 1 of the decade. No songs will be listed for the first weekend of January (or subsequent weekends) if they first reached No. 1 in December of the previous year and were still riding high atop the chart.
--------------------
Pop/Hot 100
• 1950s: Gene Autry's classic Christmas tune, "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer," from the Jan. 7, 1950, best-sellers chart. Incidentally, this song was the subject of a listener letter from the Aug. 4, 1979 AT40, wherein a listener asked if a song ever fell completely off the chart from its No. 1 peak — and Autry holds this dubious distinction.
• 1960s: Marty Robbins and "El Paso," a song that was currently ruling the roost on the Hot C&W Sides chart (at the time, in its second week at No. 1 country), Marty's tale of a cowboy who dies defending his true love's honor spent two weeks at No. 1, beginning Jan. 4, 1960.
• 1970s: The classic "Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head" by B.J. Thomas, from Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. A four-week No. 1 hit starting Jan. 3, 1970.
• 1980s: The fifth — and final — No. 1 hit by one of the top disco acts of the era, K.C. & the Sunshine Band. This'n was a disco-styled ballad: "Please Don't Go," which ascended to the pole position on Jan. 5, 1980 — it's only week at No. 1.
• 1990s: Michael Bolton, one of the top pop-adult contemporary artists of the late 1980s and early 1990s, was one of two artists not to have the first new chart-topper of the decade the first Saturday of January. He had to wait until Jan. 20, 1990, to ask the question, "How Am I Supposed to Live Without You?" (as Phil Collins' "Another Day in Paradise" remained at No. 1 for the first two weekends of January 1990).
• 2000s: The other artist who had to wait until later in January to have the decade's first noueva numero uno — Christina Aguilera, who told us "What a Girl Wants." She went to No. 1 on my 28th birthday: Jan. 15, 2000.
• 2010s: Already, we have the first new No. 1 hit of the 2010s. It's by 22-year-old electropop/electrodance singer Kesha, from Los Angeles, who has hit the top of the chart with her first solo single, "Tik Tok." She had been a featured artist on Flo Rida's big hit, "Right Round" (although she got no label credit, and did not appear in that song's video). She's also kept busy writing songs for Miley Cyrus and appearing on several other artists' albums.
--------------------
Hot Country Songs
• 1950s: Of the three country-oriented charts in use on Jan. 7, 1950, two of them featured No. 1 songs. I'm not sure which is which, but one of those songs was Gene Autry's "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer." The other was the original hit version of a song that, eight years later, became Elvis Presley's song and his alone. No doubt, Elvis did listen to — and enjoy — Ernest Tubb's honky-tonk version of "Blue Christmas" during those formative years. Also, as was the case on the pop chart, "Rudolph" tumbled off the chart the very next week, and with it also went the Texas Trubador's "Blue Christmas."
• 1960s: It wasn't until early February that Marty Robbins concluded his epic seven-week run at No. 1 with "El Paso," so the latest a first-No. 1-hit-of-the-decade came for the Hot Country Songs chart (then called Hot C&W Sides) was in 1960 — Feb. 8 of that year, to be exact. It was the smooth, velvet tones of Jim Reeves and his classic "He'll Have to Go." He had an even longer run at No. 1: 14 weeks! (Plus three weeks at No. 2 on the Hot 100 to boot.) And "Gentleman" Jim wouldn't even have the year's biggest country single. That honor went to the second new No. 1 hit of the 1960s, and it'd have to wait until May: Hank Locklin's "Please Help Me I'm Fallin'," which also spent 14 weeks at No. 1 (a No. 8 pop hit as well).
• 1970s: David Houston, one of the biggest country hit-makers of the 1960s, rang in the decade of Watergate with his seventh — and last — No. 1 hit. Topping the chart on Jan. 3, 1970, for the first of four weeks was "Baby, Baby (I Know You're a Lady)." Houston, the godson of 1920s pop star Gene Austin and a descendant of 19th century politican Sam Houston and Gen. Robert E. Lee, continued to have top 5 hits into 1974, after which he began enjoying lesser success. He died in November 1993 at the young age of 54, his golden tenor silenced by an anerysm.
• 1980s: Kenny Rogers and his classic "Coward of the County," which topped the chart for the first of three weeks on Jan. 5, 1980. Yes, it was a movie, and no, it wasn't the real Gatlin Brothers that assaulted Becky.
• 1990s: Highway 101, one of the late 1980s most popular honky tonk-styled groups, was still led by Paulette Carlson (her backing vocalists were all male) when the group topped the chart for the final time with "Who's Lonely Now" on Jan. 6, 1990 — it's only week at No. 1.
• 2000s: The second latest-ever first No. 1 hit of a decade came in the decade just about to end. It was by the Dixie Chicks, who based their fourth No. 1 hit on the old soap commercial. Instead of Calgon, they begged, "Cowboy, Take Me Away." The Cowboy took the No. 1 hit spot away from Faith Hill (and her megahit "Breathe") away on Feb. 5, 2000 — for the first of a three-week run. Natalie Maines, Martie Maguire and Emily Robison remained one of the hottest acts in country music until 2003, when Natalie made her infamous remarks about President Bush ... and the backlash continues.
• 2010s: Well, Lady Antebellum couldn't quite become the first act in 45 years to spend Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day at No. 1 with the same No. 1 song. "Need You Now" fell to No. 3, yielding to a true chart veteran: Reba McEntire and her 24th No. 1 hit, Consider Me Gone," for the chart week ending Jan. 2, 2010. Reba now has a 27-year span between her first and most recent chart-topper, the first being "Can't Even Get the Blues" from January 1983. And now, "Consider Me Gone" is now considered a two-week No. 1 hit (hard to believe it, but it's a rarity for Reba, as most of her No. 1 hits were just one-weekers).
--------------------
R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
• 1950s: "I Almost Lost My Mind" by Ivory Joe Hunter, which had to wait until Feb. 18, 1950, to ascend to the top spot. He'd hold on for five weeks atop what was the black singles Best Sellers chart.
• 1960s: "Smokie (Part 2)" by Bill Black's Combo, topping the Hot R&B chart for the first of a four-week run starting Jan. 11, 1960.
• 1970s: A young, precocious Michael Jackson was just winning hearts of the fans in January 1970. On Jan. 10, 1970, he fronted the Jackson 5 when Michael and his brothers topped the Hot R&B with "I Want You Back." A 39-year ride in the spotlight was just starting — and it came to a shattering, sad end this past June.
• 1980s: Michael Jackson's ride was just getting bigger and better when the decade of Reaganomics dawned. He topped the Hot Soul Singles chart for the first of six weeks on Jan. 5, 1980, with "Rock With You," a song that was one of biggest R&B and mainstream pop hits of 1980.
• 1990s: Michael Jackson's kid sister, Janet, had the decade-dawning spotlight for the Jackson family for the third decade in the row. She topped the Hot Black Singles chart on Jan. 13, 1990, with the decade's first No. 1 hit, "Rhythm Nation" (also a soon-to-be Hot 100 No. 1).
• 2000s: From the bubblegum, disco and funky New Jack swing sound of the Jackson family ... to pure rap. Missy "Misdemeanor" Elliott featuring Nas, Eve and Q-Tip had the honors, hip-hopping about some "Hot Boys." The song peaked at No. 1 for two weeks on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, beginning Jan. 8, 2000.
• 2010s: No new song has topped the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart yet in the 2010s decade, as "I Invented Sex" by Trey Songz remained at No. 1 (for a third week) for the just-announced Jan. 9, 2010, chart. Tune back in for updates.
--------------------
Well, there it is. Have a safe and happy new year ... and a prosperous and fulfilling 2010s decade. We'll do this again — in about 10 years! 'Til then, keep your feet on the ground ... and keep reaching for the stars!
Brian
