Billboard published its first popularity song chart in 1940 and now publishes a variety of weekly and yearly lists such as top songs by genre, top albums and a year-end overall top song list. To determine song popularity they now combine sales of singles with radio airplay and, since 2005, digital downloads.
The top 50 music songs from each of the last fifty years - the top song from 1959 through to 2009 - starts with Johnny Horton's 1959 The Battle of New Orleans and ends with Boom Boom Pow by The Black Eyed Peas, Billboard's number one ranked song in 2009.
Watching a grainy video of Johnny Horton sing The Ballad of New Orleans - he stands in one place the entire time - and watching The Black Eyed Peas explosive performance is an indicator of just how much pop music has changed in 50 years.
The first 17 years, 1959 to 1975, has a great mixture of styles as it includes The Everyly Brothers, Patsy Cline, The Beachboys, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Roberta Flack and Tony Orlando and Dawn.
50 Music Songs: The Top Songs from Years 1959 to 1975
- 1959 - The Ballad of New Orleans by Johnny Horton
- 1960 - Cathy's Clown by the Everly Brothers
- 1961 - I Fall to Pieces by Patsy Cline
- 1962 - Roses are Red, My Love by Bobby Vinton
- 1963 - Surfin' U.S.A. by The Beachboys
- 1964 - I Want to Hold Your Hand by The Beatles
- 1965 - (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction by The Rolling Stones
- 1966 - The Ballad of The Green Beret by Sgt. Barry Sadler
- 1967 - To Sir With Love by Lulu
- 1968 - Hey Jude by The Beatles
- 1969 - Aquarius by The Fifth Dimension
- 1970 - Bridge Over Troubled Water by Simon and Garfunkel
- 1971 - Joy to the World by Three Dog Night
- 1972 - The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face - Roberta Flack
- 1973 - Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree - Tony Orlando and Dawn
- 1974 - The Way We Were by Barbara Streisand
- 1975 - Love Will Keep Us Together by The Captain and Tennille
It's a dramatic shift from The Battle of New Orleans and Cathy's Clown, in 8 years, to Hey Jude, Aquarius and Bridge Over Troubled Water. Even before that the Rolling Stones I Can't Get No Satisfaction in 1965 was an indicator things were changing. Things regress a little with Tie a Yellow Ribbon 'Round the Ole Oak Tree and Love Will Keep Us Together.
50 Music Songs: The Top Songs from Years 1976 to 1992
- 1976 - Silly Love Songs by Paul McCartney and Wings
- 1977 - Tonight's the Night (Gonna be Alright) Rod Stewart
- 1978 - Shadow Dancing by Andy Gibb
- 1979 - My Sharona by The Knack
- 1980 - Call Me by Blondie
- 1981 - Bette Davis Eyes by Kim Carnes
- 1982 - Physical by Olivia Newton-John
- 1983 - Every Breath You Take by The Police
- 1984 - When Doves Cry by Prince
- 1985 - Careless Whisper by Wham!
- 1986 - That's What Friends are For - Dionne Warwick, Elton John and Gladys Knight
- 1987 - Walk Like an Egyptian by The Bangles
- 1988 - Faith by George Michael
- 1989 - Look Away by Chicago
- 1990 - Hold On by Wilson Phillips
- 1991 - Everything I Do (I Do it For You) Bryan Adams
- 1992 - End of the Road by Boys II Men
Paul McCartney's Silly Love Songs all the way to Boys II Men and End of the Road is not such a great leap and overall these 17 years are lead by ballads and rather tame ones at that. Even Physical, which was considered sexy and a little avant garde at the time, seems pretty innocent now. The Bangles in 1987 manage to outsell Madonna, U2, Heart and Crowded House, among others.
50 Music Songs: The Top Songs from Years 1993 to 2009
- 1993 - I Will Always Love You by Whitney Houston
- 1994 - The Sign by Ace of Bass
- 1995 - Gangsta's Paradise by Coolio
- 1996 - Macarena by Los Del Rio
- 1997 - Candle in the Wind by Elton John
- 1998 - Too Close by Next
- 1999 - Believe by Cher
- 2000 - Breathe by Faith Hill
- 2001 - Lady Marmalade by Christina Aguilera, Lil' Kim, Mya and Pink
- 2002 - A Thousand MIles by Vanessa Carlton
- 2003 - Crazy in Love by Beyonce Knowles featuring Jay-Z
- 2004 - The Reason by Hoobastank
- 2005 - We Belong Together by Mariah Carey
- 2006 - Bad Day by Daniel Powter
- 2007 - Irreplaceable by Beyonce
- 2008 - Low by Flow Rida Feature T-Pain
- 2009 - Boom Boom Pow by The Black Eyed Peas
This last list shows how fickle pop music is, elevating Elton John's Candle in the Wind two years after Coolio's Gangsta's Paradise. There is no sure formula to get into the number one spot, many greats have never got there like Lionel Ritchie, The Eagles and Madonna, and it doesn't matter your age (Cher was 53 when she managed it with the saccharin Believe in 1999).
In the final analysis looking at Billboard top songs for each of 50 consecutive years is an indicator that the most popular song in terms of sales is rarely the best.
