The worlds greatest song chart act

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As the site generation page explains the list of songs does not reflect the most popular songs of all time since there are variable levels of charts for different historical periods. There are a number of reasonable ways to compare artists of different periods, further down this page there is an analysis that examines the top songs, but first we show what happens when you list the top artists of each year and tallying up the number of years each artist held the top slots.

# Artist Years as Number 1 Artist Years as Number 2 Artist Years as Number 3 Artist Years as Number 4 Artist Years as Number 5 Artist
1 Paul Whiteman 1921 + 1922 + 1923 + 1924 + 1927 + 1932 1920 + 1925 + 1928 1933 1926 + 1934 1929
2 Bing Crosby 1933 + 1934 + 1944 1931 + 1942 + 1950 1932 + 1936 + 1937 + 1940 + 1943 + 1945 + 1949 1935 + 1948 1938 + 1939
3 Elvis Presley 1956 + 1957 + 1958 + 1960 + 1961 + 1962 1963 1959 + 1969 1964  
4 Madonna 1985 + 1986 + 1989 + 1990 + 1998 + 2000 1987 + 1995   1984  
5 The Beatles 1964 + 1965 + 1966 + 1967 + 1968 + 1969 1970      
6 Louis Armstrong 1926 + 1928 + 1929 + 1930 1932   1933 1931
7 Glenn Miller 1939 + 1940 + 1941 + 1942        
8 Abba 1974 + 1976 1975 1979   1978
9 Perry Como 1947 1945 + 1946   1949 + 1953 + 1954 + 1958  
10 Frank Sinatra 1945 + 1946   1947 + 1955 1943  
11 Michael Jackson 1983 + 1988   1992 1995  
12 Nat King Cole 1951   1948 + 1950 1946 1954 + 1955
13 The Black Eyed Peas 2003 + 2005 2009      
14 Elton John 1973 + 1975 1997      
15 Al Jolson 1920 1924 1922 + 1928   1926
16 Glee Cast 2010 + 2011     2009  
17 Tommy Dorsey 1937 1938   1936 + 1939 1940
18 Britney Spears 1999 2000 + 2004     2009
19 Bee Gees 1978 1968   1967 + 1969  
20 Frankie Laine 1949 + 1953        
21 The Rolling Stones   1965 1966 + 1967   1964 + 1968 + 1971
22 Duke Ellington   1933 + 1934 1931   1932 + 1941
23 Guy Lombardo   1937 1930 + 1934 1931 + 1932  
24 Fats Waller 1935   1929   1936
25 Katy Perry 2008   2010   2011

The charts for the 1920s are much less certain than later ones, so maybe Paul Whiteman does not deserve his position. It is also notable that since we last calculated these scores both The Beatles and Elvis Presley have lost one year at the top slot, this reflects the fact that we now have charts from a wider range of countries. It is interesting to note that this fact has improved Madonna's position.

The top five artists are far ahead of the rest. If the entries for John Lennon, George Harrison and Paul McCartney's groups were to be included The Beatles would clearly be top.

Here are the top five song artists for each year from 1920 to 2011.

Year Number 1 Artist Number 2 Artist Number 3 Artist Number 4 Artist Number 5 Artist
2011 Glee Cast Bruno Mars Adele Lady GaGa Katy Perry
2010 Glee Cast Rihanna Katy Perry Taylor Swift Ke$ha
2009 Lady GaGa The Black Eyed Peas Beyonce Glee Cast Britney Spears
2008 Katy Perry Leona Lewis Rihanna Coldplay Pink
2007 Fergie Mika Rihanna & Jay-Z Avril Lavigne Rihanna
2006 Justin Timberlake Beyonce Nelly Furtado Rihanna Red Hot Chili Peppers
2005 The Black Eyed Peas Mariah Carey Green Day The Pussycat Dolls Gwen Stefani
2004 Usher Britney Spears Avril Lavigne Maroon 5 Nelly
2003 The Black Eyed Peas Beyonce Christina Aguilera 50 Cent t.A.T.u.
2002 Eminem Shakira Pink Avril Lavigne Nickelback
2001 Jennifer Lopez Destiny's Child Kylie Minogue Linkin Park Christina Aguilera, Lil' Kim, Mya & Pink
2000 Madonna Britney Spears Eminem Destiny's Child N Sync
1999 Britney Spears Ricky Martin TLC The Backstreet Boys Offspring
1998 Madonna Celine Dion Spice Girls Aerosmith Cher
1997 Hanson Elton John The Backstreet Boys Spice Girls U2
1996 The Fugees Spice Girls Celine Dion Alanis Morissette Oasis
1995 TLC Madonna Mariah Carey Michael Jackson Coolio
1994 Ace of Base Boyz II Men All-4-One Mariah Carey Prince
1993 Janet Jackson UB40 Ace of Base Mariah Carey Haddaway
1992 Nirvana Whitney Houston Michael Jackson Eric Clapton Boyz II Men
1991 Bryan Adams Roxette REM C&C Music Factory Color Me Badd
1990 Madonna Sinead O'Connor MC Hammer Janet Jackson Snap
1989 Madonna New Kids On The Block Roxette Fine Young Cannibals Paula Abdul
1988 Michael Jackson The Pet Shop Boys INXS Kylie Minogue Tiffany
1987 U2 Madonna Whitney Houston George Michael Rick Astley
1986 Madonna The Pet Shop Boys The Bangles Falco Billy Ocean
1985 Madonna Tears For Fears Bruce Springsteen Bryan Adams USA For Africa
1984 Prince Cyndi Lauper Frankie Goes To Hollywood Madonna Wham!
1983 Michael Jackson Culture Club The Police Irene Cara David Bowie
1982 Joan Jett & The Blackhearts The Human League Men At Work Survivor J Geils Band
1981 Kim Carnes Sheena Easton The Police John Lennon Starsound
1980 Queen Blondie Pink Floyd Diana Ross Barbra Streisand
1979 Blondie Donna Summer Abba Chic Earth, Wind & Fire
1978 Bee Gees Boney M John Travolta & Olivia Newton-John The Village People Abba
1977 Boney M Eagles Fleetwood Mac Smokie Donna Summer
1976 Abba Queen The Bay City Rollers Pussycat Chicago
1975 Elton John Abba KC & The Sunshine Band The Sweet Eagles
1974 Abba Terry Jacks Wings George McCrae The Rubettes
1973 Elton John The Sweet Slade Stevie Wonder Wings
1972 Gilbert O'Sullivan Don McLean Al Green The Sweet Harry Nilsson
1971 George Harrison John Lennon Rod Stewart T Rex The Rolling Stones
1970 Creedence Clearwater Revival The Beatles Simon & Garfunkel The Jackson 5 Shocking Blue
1969 The Beatles Creedence Clearwater Revival Elvis Presley Bee Gees Tommy James & the Shondells
1968 The Beatles Bee Gees Tom Jones Gary Puckett & The Union Gap The Rolling Stones
1967 The Beatles The Monkees The Rolling Stones Bee Gees Procol Harum
1966 The Beatles The Beach Boys The Rolling Stones Simon & Garfunkel The Mamas & The Papas
1965 The Beatles The Rolling Stones Herman's Hermits Petula Clark Bob Dylan
1964 The Beatles Roy Orbison The Supremes Elvis Presley The Rolling Stones
1963 Cliff Richard Elvis Presley Rita Pavone Petula Clark Roy Orbison
1962 Elvis Presley Ray Charles Pat Boone Paul Anka Connie Francis
1961 Elvis Presley Chubby Checker Ben E King Ricky Nelson Connie Francis
1960 Elvis Presley Connie Francis The Everly Brothers Paul Anka Brenda Lee
1959 Paul Anka Bobby Darin Elvis Presley Frankie Avalon Lloyd Price
1958 Elvis Presley The Everly Brothers Chuck Berry Perry Como Connie Francis
1957 Elvis Presley Pat Boone Harry Belafonte Jerry Lee Lewis Johnny Mathis
1956 Elvis Presley The Platters Fats Domino Doris Day Bill Haley & his Comets
1955 Bill Haley & his Comets Four Aces Frank Sinatra Tennessee Ernie Ford Nat King Cole
1954 Rosemary Clooney Eddie Fisher Doris Day Perry Como Nat King Cole
1953 Frankie Laine Tony Bennett Les Paul & Mary Ford Perry Como Nat King Cole
1952 Eddie Fisher Jo Stafford Vera Lynn Al Martino Rosemary Clooney
1951 Nat King Cole Les Paul & Mary Ford Tony Bennett Guy Mitchell Mario Lanza
1950 Patti Page Bing Crosby Nat King Cole Sammy Kaye Anton Karas
1949 Frankie Laine Vaughn Monroe Bing Crosby Perry Como Hank Williams
1948 Kay Kyser Art Mooney Nat King Cole Bing Crosby Peggy Lee
1947 Perry Como Vaughn Monroe Frank Sinatra Louis Jordan Sammy Kaye
1946 Frank Sinatra Perry Como Freddy Martin Nat King Cole The Ink Spots
1945 Frank Sinatra Perry Como Bing Crosby Johnny Mercer Harry James
1944 Bing Crosby Bing Crosby & The Andrews Sisters Ella Fitzgerald & The Ink Spots Jimmy Dorsey Louis Jordan
1943 Harry James Dick Haymes Bing Crosby Frank Sinatra Tommy Dorsey & Frank Sinatra
1942 Glenn Miller Bing Crosby Kay Kyser Jimmy Dorsey Harry James
1941 Glenn Miller Jimmy Dorsey The Andrews Sisters Artie Shaw Duke Ellington
1940 Glenn Miller The Ink Spots Bing Crosby Tommy Dorsey & Frank Sinatra Tommy Dorsey
1939 Glenn Miller Judy Garland Artie Shaw Tommy Dorsey Bing Crosby
1938 Larry Clinton Tommy Dorsey Artie Shaw The Andrews Sisters Bing Crosby
1937 Tommy Dorsey Guy Lombardo Bing Crosby Billie Holiday Shep Fields & his Rippling Rhythm Orchestra
1936 Benny Goodman Fred Astaire Bing Crosby Tommy Dorsey Fats Waller
1935 Fats Waller Benny Goodman Fred Astaire Bing Crosby The Dorsey Brothers
1934 Bing Crosby Duke Ellington Guy Lombardo Paul Whiteman Eddy Duchin
1933 Bing Crosby Duke Ellington Paul Whiteman Louis Armstrong Eddy Duchin
1932 Paul Whiteman Louis Armstrong Bing Crosby Guy Lombardo Duke Ellington
1931 Cab Calloway & his Cotton Club Orchestra Bing Crosby Duke Ellington Guy Lombardo Louis Armstrong
1930 Louis Armstrong Ben Selvin Guy Lombardo Rudy Vallee & his Connecticut Yankees Fiddlin' John Carson
1929 Louis Armstrong Rudy Vallee & his Connecticut Yankees Fats Waller Gene Austin Paul Whiteman
1928 Louis Armstrong Paul Whiteman Al Jolson Jimmie Rodgers Gene Austin
1927 Paul Whiteman Gene Austin George Olsen Nat Shilkret Blind Lemon Jefferson
1926 Louis Armstrong Gene Austin George Olsen Paul Whiteman Al Jolson
1925 Bessie Smith Paul Whiteman Isham Jones Clara Smith Fiddlin' John Carson
1924 Paul Whiteman Al Jolson Isham Jones Clara Smith Jelly Roll Morton
1923 Paul Whiteman Bessie Smith Isham Jones Marion Harris Alberta Hunter
1922 Paul Whiteman Marion Harris Al Jolson Ben Selvin Nora Bayes
1921 Paul Whiteman Marion Harris Mamie Smith Ben Selvin Frank Crumit
1920 Al Jolson Paul Whiteman Ben Selvin Art Hickman Eddie Cantor

This analysis was done with data version 2.1.044

Back to Introduction

Another Similar Approach

Artists with top songs 1930-2010

The figure above shows the order that results from looking at the songs rather than artist's success. Each song has been scored based on the position it reached in the overall year chart, 1.0 for the number 1, 0.5 for number 2 and so on, and each artist has been rated based on the number of songs reaching the number one slot, or top 5, or top 10 etc. We started these at 1930, because the earlier ones are too sparse to give reasonable results.

The first thing to note is that once again the top 5 artists are significantly ahead of the rest. In this measure The Beatles are ahead of Elvis Presley (but not by much).

This analysis was done with data version 1.10.0014

Back to Introduction


Comment on the contents of the 'The worlds greatest song chart act' page
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Previous Comments (newest first)

18 Jun 2013

Paul whiteman+

There are also similar issues to Paul whiteman's ranking on this page compared to the actual year pages.like 1920 and 1933 for example

Yes. Different versions of the input data and a range of ways of calculating.

We see this as a strength (getting a range of different views)


18 Jun 2013

Bing crosby 1939

There is a similar issue on this page for bing being at fifth place while on the actual 1939 page he is at fourth. Can you clarify these conflicting datas please?

Thanks :)

There are two different issues, one is that some of the pages are based on the most recent version of the data and others on older sets. "The worlds greatest song chart act" page was based on the 2.1.044 data (as it says on the page).

The other issue is that we apply a number of different algorithms and parameters values to get as many different ways to view the results as possible.

Obviously as we correct issues with the source data, or add extra sources, these positions change. We'd be happy to say that Glenn Miller was the top artist of 1939 (he is top in most of the calculated lists), and that Bing Crosby is one of the top 5 artists of that year (again he is in all the lists), but we would be unsure if Bing should be number 4 or 5 (that depends much more on the details of how you calculate)


18 Jun 2013

Bing crosby 1950?

On this page bing crosby was the 2nd most successful artist of 1950 but when I go to the actual 1950 page bing is at first place. Can you clarify this for me? ++ ++ ++ ++ ++ ++ ++ ++ ++ ++ ++ + Thanks :)


4 Dec 2012

Songs from 1995

I have a question: Why is Mariah Carey not listed in the top 5 song artists for 1995?

According to your data, she had the #2, #5 and #18 most successful songs of the year while Take That only had the #7 and #59 most successful songs of the same year. Please explain.

The issue is that the "top 5 song artists" list you were looking at was calculated on data set 1.10.0014 (as it said at the bottom of the page) and the song listing you're looking at was based on 2.1.0044

The charts you were looking at have been recalculated with the most recent version. With this improved data Take That are not in the top 5 of any year.


4 Dec 2012

Songs from 1995

I have a question: Why is Mariah Carey not listed in the top 5 song artists for 1995?

According to your data, she had the #2, #5 and #18 most successful songs of the year while Take That only had the #7 and #59 most successful songs of the same year. Please explain.

The issue is that the "top 5 song artists" list you were looking at was calculated on data set 1.10.0014 (as it said at the bottom of the page) and the song listing you're looking at was based on 2.1.0044

The charts you were looking at have been recalculated with the most recent version. With this improved data Take That are not in the top 5 of any year.


4 Dec 2012

Songs from 1995

I have a question: Why is Mariah Carey not listed in the top 5 song artists for 1995?

According to your data, she had the #2, #5 and #18 most successful songs of the year while Take That only had the #7 and #59 most successful songs of the same year. Please explain.

The issue is that the "top 5 song artists" list you were looking at was calculated on data set 1.10.0014 (as it said at the bottom of the page) and the song listing you're looking at was based on 2.1.0044

The charts you were looking at have been recalculated with the most recent version. With this improved data Take That are not in the top 5 of any year.