All-Time Greatest Music

SONG CHART RATINGS

Data for Billboard‘s sales charts, which include all album charts are compiled by Nielsen Music/MRC Data from a universe of retailers that represents more than 90% of the U.S. music retail market.

The sample includes not only music stores and the music departments at electronics and department stores, but also direct-to-consumer transactions and Internet sales (both physical albums via Internet, and ones bought via digital downloads). A limited array of verifiable sales from concert venues is also tabulated. All sales charts use the entire Nielsen Music/MRC Data panel.

The Nielsen Music/MRC Data system utilizes that same point-of-sale that music merchants use to track their inventory, so an itemized receipt from one’s last visit to a music retailer essentially doubles as a ballot cast for our charts.

AIRPLAY

Billboard‘s radio charts are compiled using information tracked by Nielsen Music/MRC Data, which electronically monitors radio stations in more than 140 markets across the U.S. The Nielsen Music/MRC Data system looks for an audio fingerprint, i.e. a characteristic that differentiates a song from all of the other ones that it tracks.

Certain airplay charts are based on the number of plays that each song received in a given format that week, including Mainstream Top 40/Pop Songs, Adult Contemporary, Adult Top 40/Adult Pop Songs, Alternative Songs, Triple A/Adult Alternative Songs, Mainstream Rock Songs, Mainstream R&B/Hip-Hop, Rhythmic Songs, Adult R&B Songs, Christian Airplay, Christian AC Songs, Gospel Songs, Dance/Mix Show Airplay and Smooth Jazz Songs. Others are based on audience impressions, including Radio Songs, Rock Airplay, Country Airplay, R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay, Rap Airplay and Latin Airplay.

The audience charts cross-reference Nielsen Music/MRC Data information with listener information compiled by the Nielsen Audio ratings system to determine the approximate number of audience impressions made for each play. Thus, a song that plays at 4 a.m. does not count as much as one played at 4 p.m., and a station with a large audience will influence the chart more than either a station in a smaller market or one with a specialized format that attracts less audience.

With few exceptions, stations tracked for Billboard by Nielsen Music/MRC Data are commercial stations.

STREAMING DATA

Billboard‘s Streaming Songs chart ranks the week’s top streamed radio songs and on-demand songs and videos on leading online music services. On-Demand Songs ranks the top on-demand play requests and plays from listener-controlled radio channels on leading music subscription services.

MIXING DATA

While many Billboard charts are either purely streaming-, radio- or sales-based, we mingle that data on a selection of charts: The Billboard Hot 100, Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, Hot R&B Songs, Hot Rap Songs, Hot Country Songs, Hot Rock Songs, Hot Latin Songs, Hot Dance/Electronic Songs, Hot Christian Songs and Hot Gospel Songs (as well as the Hot 100’s Bubbling Under chart, which ranks the top 25 titles that have not yet reached the Hot 100).

We use these three pools of data because while the consumer’s decision to purchase or stream is a significant vote of popularity, singles have a job that extends beyond being a sales vehicle: to capture radio play and, hopefully, stimulate album sales.

ADDITIONAL CHARTS

Other Billboard charts are base on data from different sources.

The Social 50 is powered by data tracked by music analytics company Next Big Sound and ranks the most popular artists on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and Wikipedia. The chart’s methodology blends weekly additions of friends/fans/followers with artist page views and engagement.

Dance Club Songs is compiled from reports from a nationwide panel of club DJs, detailing the tracks that elicit the most audience response.

Smooth Jazz Songs combines airplay data from stations monitored by Nielsen Music/MRC Data with those that submit playlist reports online.

THE CHART WEEK

Generally, charts reflect sales and airplay between Friday and Thursday of any given week. Mixed-data charts, such as the Billboard Hot 100, also use an airplay cycle of Monday through Saturday.

Charts are refreshed every Tuesday on Billboard.com and reflect the date of the Billboard issue in which they appear; online-only charts display the same corresponding date.

The printed magazine first reaches newsstands on Saturday. Each issue is dated based on the end of its publication week. Thus, the Billboard that reaches newsstands on Saturday, March 19, for example, is dated that day.

Maybe, back in the 50s and 60s, these types of sources of data were not as accurate as they are today? It is for this reason that one might question the ratings given to a specific song. While re-listening to hundreds of songs while working on this project, I will offer up eleven examples that you might have thought the songs deserved a higher rating:

RESEARCH OF MUSIC FROM 1950-1969

Four playlists below for your listening enjoyment:

1950s Million Dollar records (17 videos): https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLqptie5CKN1hrcSu0v3tumMqe3_J9dbyr

1960 A-G Top Selling Records (12 videos): https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLqptie5CKN1hrcSu0v3tumMqe3_J9dby

1960 G-L Top Selling Records (18 videos): https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLqptie5CKN1gCVsH3AC0evVe6ZfsqZSBR

1960 J-V Top Selling Records (9 videos): https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLqptie5CKN1jHxFv4zk6cjcOKzvEyaGjV

Research from 1950-1969 supporting my claim that its the greatest era for music!

Once again, after looking over the Million Dollar Records book, I found another 25 artists (plus a “one hit wonder” The Crystals) to add to the years 1960-1969 (see their photos and song links below):

Louis Armstrong, Tony Bennett, Pat Boone, James Brown, The Bryds, Johnny Cash, Chubby Checker, Petula Clark, Bobby Darin, Bob Dylan, Sammy Davis Jr., Jan and Dean, Judy Garland, Bobby Gentry, Jefferson Airplane, B. B. King, Gary Lewis & The Playboys, Lulu, Peter, Paul & Mary, Gary Pucket & The Union Gap, Spencer Davis Group, The Lovin Spoonful, The Marvelettes, The Seekers, and Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons. Their bios follow below…

Within the book there are 158 pages dedicated to the decade’s artists and music groups from this decade. The numbers of artists continue to trend upward since the 1950s. The total artists per year were at a low of 64 (in 1960) and a high of 103 (in 1969). The number of million dollar songs also continue to trend upward. Between 1950-1955, there were 86-99 million dollar songs per year. Then from 1956-1960, they increased to 95-133 songs per year. The last thing I have tracked is the No1 songs recorded per year. This number ranged from a low of 11 in 1960 to a high of 37 in 1966. The average No1s per year was 23 for a grand total for the decade of 231.

Here are the added artists from the 1960s which I had not included in my original posts:

Louis Daniel Armstrong (August 4, 1901 – July 6, 1971), nicknamed “Satachmo.” He was an American trumpeter, composer, vocalist, and actor who was among the most influential figures in jazz. His career spanned five decades, from the 1920s to the 1960s, and different eras in the history of jazz. One of his most famous recordings in 1965 was “Hello Dolly” (https://youtu.be/1saGiuCZAno) (RQ 9). In 2017, he was inducted into the Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame.

Anthony Dominick Benedetto (born August 3, 1926), known professionally as Tony Bennett, is an American singer of traditional pop standards, big band, show tunes and jazz. He is also a painter, having created works under his birth name that are on permanent public display in several institutions. He is the founder of the Frank Sinatra School of the Arts in Astoria, Queens, NY. Born and raised in Astoria (NYC) to an Italian-American family, Bennett began singing at an early age. He fought in the final stages of World War II as a U. S. Army infantry in the European Theater. Afterward, he developed his singing technique, signed with Columbia Records and had his first number-one popular song with “Because of You” (https://youtu.be/i-4zvArJDGg) (RQ 7) in 1951. Several top hits such as “Rags to Riches” (https://youtu.be/VBuPGwYvuzY) (RQ 9) followed in early 1953. He then refined his approach to encompass jazz singing. He reached an artistic peak in the late 1950s with albums such as The Beat of My Heart and Basie Swings and Bennett Sings. In 1962, Bennett recorded his signature song “I Left My Heart in SanFrancisco” (https://youtu.be/I6d03gbmAzc) (RQ 8). His career and personal life experienced an extended downturn during the height of the rock music era.

James Joseph Brown (May 3, 1933 – December 25, 2006) was an American singer, songwriter, dancer, musician, record producer and bandleader. A progenitor of funk music and a major figure of 20th century and dance, he is often referred to by the nicknames: “Godfather of Soul”, “Mr. Dynamite”, and “Soul Brother No. 1”. He produced 57 studio albums which included many charted songs including one of his most famous (and his first Grammy Award): “Papa’s Got a New Bag” in 1965 (https://youtu.be/QE5D2hJhacU) (RQ 10). In a career that lasted over 50 years, he influenced the development of several music genres. Brown was one of the first inductees into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame at its inaugural induction dinner in New York on January 23, 1986.

Patrick Charles Eugene Boon (born June 1, 1934) is an American singer, composer, actor, writer, television personality, motivational speaker, and spokesman. He was a successful pop singer in the United States during the 1950s and early 1960s. In addition to one of his charted great recordings “Moon River” (https://youtu.be/bLz-_X2SLzQ) (RQ 10) he sold more than 45 million records, had 38 Top 40 hits, and appeared in more than 12 Hollywood films.

The Byrds were an American rock band formed in Los Angeles, California in 1964. The band underwent multiple lineup changes throughout its existence, with frontman Roger McGuinn (known as Jim McGuinn until mid-1967) remaining the sole consistent member. Although their time as one of the most popular groups in the world only lasted for a short period in the mid-1960s, the Byrds are today considered by critics to be among the most influential rock acts of their era, alongside their contemporaries the Beatles, the Beach Boys and the Rolling Stones. Including their famous recording “ Mr. Tambourine Man” recording in 1965 (https://youtu.be/uPqAvgN6Tyw) (RQ 7) they had recorded another eleven albums. Their signature blend of clear harmony singing and McGuinn’s jangly twelve–string Rickenbacker guitar was “absorbed into the vocabulary of rock” and has continued to be influential. In 1967, their (11) Greatest Hits album included charted songs “Turn, Turn, Turn,” (https://youtu.be/W4ga_M5Zdn4) (RQ 10) and “Eight Miles High” (https://youtu.be/V_51PAR23sY) (RQ 6).

John R. Cash (born J. R. Cash; February 26, 1932 – September 12, 2003) was an American singer, songwriter, musician, and actor. Much of Cash’s music contained themes of sorrow, moral tribulation, and redemption, especially in the later stages of his career. Including such massive No1 hits as “Ring of Fire” (https://youtu.be/GCMz70Fm5pA) (RQ 10+) in 1963, he recorded sixty-seven albums. He also recorded five more No1 hits:

“Understand Your Man” (https://youtu.be/ipjaLMd8TqM) (RQ 10+).

“Don’t Take Your Guns to Town” (https://youtu.be/F-HIa3dq-0o) (RQ 9).

“Daddy Sang Bass” (https://youtu.be/x_geYBnMNG0) (RQ 10+).

“Folsom Prison Blues” (https://youtu.be/bDktBZzQIiU) (RQ 10).

“Ballad of a Teenage Queen” on his 1958 album: Songs that Made Him Famous. (https://youtu.be/V-DjCdKcg_s) (RQ 9).

He was known for his deep, calm bass-baratone voice, the distinctive sound of his Tennessee Three backing band characterized by train-like chugging guitar rhythms, a rebelliousness coupled with an increasingly somber and humble demeanor, free prison concerts, and a trademark all-black stage wardrobe which earned him the nickname “The Man in Black”.

Chubby Checker (born Ernest Evans; October 3, 1941) was an American rock and roll singer and dancer. He is widely known for popularizing many dance styles including the twist dance style with his 1960 hit cover of Hank Ballard & The Midnighter’s hit “The Twist” (https://youtu.be/im9XuJJXylw) (RQ 10+) and the Pony with hit “Pony Time” (https://youtu.be/JyaxcvHSyZYIn) (RQ 6). September 2008, “The Twist” topped Billboard’s list of the most popular singles to have appeared in the Hit 100 since its debut in 1958, an honor it maintained for an August 2013 update of the list. He also popularized the “Limbo Rock” (https://youtu.be/zSGB09ktsy0) (RQ 10) and its trademark limbo dance, as well as various dance styles such as The Fly (https://youtu.be/6y33iQhPWi8) (RQ 7).

Petula Clark, (born Sally Olwen Clark; 15 November 1932) is a British singer, actress and composer whose career spans eight decades. Clark’s professional career began during World War II, as an entertainer on BBC Radio. In 1954 she charted with “The Little Shoemaker,” (https://youtu.be/O50ZHG9LWFw) (RQ 9) the first of her big UK hits—and within two years began recording in French. International successes included “Prends mon coeur,” (https://youtu.be/b061ks8VLrs) (RQ 8), “Sailor,” a UK number one (https://youtu.be/ERy5sp3-jf0) (RQ 6), “Romeo” (https://youtu.be/SX6LWek–6Q) RQ 5) and “Chariot or I Will Follow Him” (https://youtu.be/v_Y4NXAMDhM) (RQ 10+). Hits in German, Italian and Spanish followed. In late 1964 Clark’s global success extended to America with a four-year run of career-defining, often upbeat singles, many written or co-written by Tony Hatch and Jack Trent. These include her signature song “Downtown” (https://youtu.be/Zx06XNfDvk0). (RQ 9).

Bobby Darin (born Walden Robert Cassotto; May 14, 1936 – December 20, 1973) was an American singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, impressionist, and actor in film and television. He performed jazz, pop, rock and roll, folk, swing, and country music. He started his career as a songwriter for Connie Francis. He recorded his first million-selling single, “Splish Splash” in 1958 (https://youtu.be/XKCDc8Eg_-U) (RQ 7). That was followed by “Dream Lover” (https://youtu.be/QzkECdHu1dQ) (RQ 8), “Mack the Knife,” (https://youtu.be/ygVgxGSQIsw) (RQ 10+) and “Beyond the Sea”, (https://youtu.be/5bRAtV-jgoQ) (RQ 10+) which brought him worldwide fame. In 1962 he won a Golden Globe Award for his first film, Come September, co-starring his first wife, actress Sandra Dee.

Bob Dylan (born Robert Allen Zimmerman; May 24, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter, author, and visual artist. Widely regarded as one of the greatest songwriters of all time, Dylan has been a major figure in popular culture for more than 50 years. Much of his most celebrated work dates from the 1960s, when songs such as “Blowin in the Wind” in 1963 (https://youtu.be/vWwgrjjIMXA) (RQ 6), “The Times They Are A Changin” in 1964 (https://youtu.be/90WD_ats6eE) (RQ 8) and “Like a Rolling Stone” (1965) (https://youtu.be/IwOfCgkyEj0) (RQ 9) became anthems for the civil rights and anti-war movements. His lyrics during this period incorporated a range of political, social, philosophical, and literary influences, defied pop music conventions and appealed to the burgeoning counterculture.

Samuel George Davis Jr. (December 8, 1925 – May 16, 1990) was an American singer, dancer, actor, vaudevillian and comedian who has been called “the greatest entertainer ever to grace a stage in these United States.” At age three, Davis began his career in vaudeville with his father Sammy Davis Sr.. and the Will Mason Trio, which toured nationally. After military service, he returned to the trio and became an overnight sensation following a nightclub performance at Ciro’s (in West Hollywood) after the 1951 Academy Awards. With the trio, he became a recording artist. In 1954, at the age of 29, he lost his left eye in a car accident. After a starring role on Broadway in Mr. Wonderful (1956), he returned to the stage in 1964’s Golden Boy. Davis’s film career began as a child in 1933. In 1960, he appeared in the Rat Pack film Ocean’s Eleven. In 1966, he had his own TV variety show, titled The Sammy Davis Jr. Show. While Davis’s career slowed in the late 1960s, his biggest hit, “The Candy Man,” (https://youtu.be/o5vFvt3fJpw) (RQ 9) reached the top of the Billboard Hot 100 in June 1972. His recording “What Kind of Fool Am I?” was popular as well (https://youtu.be/yUILRZGAfsA) (RQ 9). He then became a star in Las Vegas, earning him the nickname “Mister Show Business”.

Jan and Dean were an American rock duo consisting of William Jan Berry (April 3, 1941 – March 26, 2004) and Dean Ormsby Torrence (born March 10, 1940). In the early 1960s, they were pioneers of the California sound and vocal surf music styles popularized by the Beach Boys. Among their most successful songs was 1963’s “Surf City” (https://youtu.be/ERrwjR4ZlfI) (RQ 10+), the first surf song to top the Hot 100. Their other charting top 10 singles were “Drag City” in 1963 (https://youtu.be/c2GwDGjiV4k) (RQ 9), “Dead Man’s Curve” in 1964,(https://youtu.be/yrCuMPeSu9s) (RQ 8) and “Little Old Lady from Pasadena in 1964 (https://youtu.be/D7f9hsFrKUY) (RQ 10+). They were inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2008.

Judy Garland (born Frances Ethel Gumm; June 10, 1922 – June 22, 1969) was an American actress, singer, vaudevillian and dancer. With a career spanning 45 years, she attained international stardom as an actress in both musical and dramatic roles, as a recording artist, and on the concert stage. Renowned for her versatility, she received an Academy Juvenile Award, a Golden Globe Award, a Special Tony Award, and was the first woman to win the Grammy Award for the Album of the Year for her 1961 live recording Judy at Carnegie Hall. Garland began performing in vaudeville as a child with her two older sisters and was later signed to Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer as a teenager. She appeared in more than two dozen films for MGM and is remembered for portraying Dorothy Gale in The Wizard of Oz (1939). She sang “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” (https://youtu.be/iDXL_5JsiC0) (RQ 6) in this film. As a side note, my personal favorite recording of this song was re-done in 2012 by Katherine McPhee (https://youtu.be/vtOI8q-PpLw) (RQ 10+). Of course, Katherine married David Foster in 2019. What an amazing musical couple! David owns 16 Grammy Awards for producing records for the likes of Christina Aguilera, Michael Buble, Natalie Cole, Whitney Houston, Michael Jackson, Rod Stewart, Barbara Streisand and many others…

Bobbie Lee Gentry (born Roberta Lee Streeter; July 27, 1942) is a retired American singer-songwriter who was one of the first female artists to compose and produce her own material.

Gentry rose to international fame in 1967 with her Southern Gothic narrative “Ode to Billie Joe” (https://youtu.be/rNB8AKMdqiQ) (RQ 10). The track spent four weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and was third in the Billboard year-end chart of 1967, earning Gentry Grammy awards for Best New Artist and Best Female Pop Vocal Performance in 1968.

Gentry charted 11 singles on the Billboard Hot 100 and four singles on the United Kingdom Top 40. Her album “Fancy” (https://youtu.be/ORfoK5Ap0FA) (RQ 10) brought her a Grammy nomination for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance. After her first albums, she had a successful run of variety shows on the Las Vegas strip.

Jefferson Airplane was an American rock band based in San Francisco, CA that became one of the pioneering bands of psychedelic rock. Formed in 1965, the group defined the San Francisco Sound and was the first from the Bay Area to achieve international commercial success. The members were: Grace Slick – vocals, keyboards. Marty Balin – vocals, rhythm guitar. Jorma Kaukonen – lead guitar, vocals. Paul Kantner – rhythm guitar, vocals. Jack Casady – bass. Spencer Dryden – drums. They were headliners at the Monterey Pop Festival (1967), Woodstock (1969), Altamont Free Concert (1969), and the first Isle of Wright (1968) in England. Their 1967 break-out album Surrealistic Pillow ranks on the short list of the most significant recordings of the Summer of Love. Two songs from that album, “Somebody to Love” (https://youtu.be/JUbMWtUyIIE) (RQ 10) and “White Rabbit” (https://youtu.be/WANNqr-vcx0) (RQ 10+)are among Rolling Stone‘s “500 Greatest Songs of All Time”.

Riley B. King (September 16, 1925 – May 14, 2015), known professionally as B.B. King, was an American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and record producer. King introduced a sophisticated style of soloing based on fluid string bending and shimmering vibrato that influenced many later blues electric guitar players. King was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987, and is one of the most influential blues musicians of all time, earning the nickname “The King of the Blues”, and is considered one of the “Three Kings of the Blues Guitar” (along with Albert King and freddie King, neither of whom are blood related). One of his greatest recordings was “The Thrill Is Gone” (https://youtu.be/BPlsqo2bk2M) (RQ 10). He recorded 43 studio albums. King performed tirelessly throughout his musical career, appearing on average at more than 200 concerts per year into his 70s. In 1956 alone, he appeared at 342 shows.

Gary Lewis & the Playboys were an American 1960s era pop and rock group, fronted by musician Gary Lewis, the son of comedian Jerry Lewis. The other group members were:

Nick Rather (bass/guitar)
Bobby Bond (drums)
Dominic Trincini (bass)
Mike Gladstone (guitar)
Willy O’Riley (keys)

They are best known for their 1965 Billboard Hot 100 number-one single “This Diamond Ring” (https://youtu.be/L5V9KUcYneg) (RQ 8), which was the first of a string of hit singles they had in 1965 and 1966. They produced five more Top10 songs:

“She’s Just My Style” (https://youtu.be/JPEpabBbRGw) (RQ 10).

“Everybody Loves a Clown” (https://youtu.be/rowkJcfv5ks) (RQ 10+).

“Count Me In” (https://youtu.be/NuVLAzALp6Y) (RQ 8).

“Save Your Heart for Me” (https://youtu.be/aqHy8LpKqYk) (RQ 10+).

“Green Grass” (https://youtu.be/6ZYE1TIxGMA) (RQ 10+).

The band had an earnest, boy-next-door image similar to British invasion contemporaries such as Herman’s Hermits and Gerry and the Pacemakers. The group folded in 1970, but a version of the band later resumed touring and continues to tour, often playing for veterans’ benefits.

The Lovin’ Spoonful had its roots in the folk music scene based in the Greenwich Village section of lower Manhattan during the early 1960s. John B. Sebastian, the son of classical harmonicist John Sebastian, grew up in the Village in contact with music and musicians, including some of those involved with the American folk music revival of the 1950s through the early 1960s. Sebastian formed the Spoonful with guitarist Zal Yanovsky from a bohemian folk group playing local coffee houses and small clubs called The Mugwamps, two other members of which, Cass Elliot and Denny Doherty later formed half of The Mamas and Papas. The formation of the Lovin’ Spoonful during this period was later described in the lyrics of the Mamas & the Papas’ name dropping 1967 top ten hit, “Creeque Alley”. Drummer Jan Carl and bassist Steve Boone rounded out the group, but Carl was replaced by drummer-vocalist Joe Butler after the group’s first gig at The Night Owl in Greenwich Village.

The band worked with producer Erik Jacobsen to release their first single on July 20, 1965, “Do You Believe in Magic”, written by Sebastian. Additionally, they wrote their own material (aside from a few covers, mostly on their first album), including “Younger Girl” (https://youtu.be/b53EbA1NBRk) (RQ 10), which was a hit for The Critters in mid-1966.

“Do You Believe in Magic” (https://youtu.be/JnbfuAcCqpY) (RQ 7) reached #9 on the Hit 100, and the band followed it up with a series of hit singles and albums throughout 1965 and 1966, all produced by Jacobsen. The Lovin’ Spoonful became known for such folk-flavored pop hits as “You Didn’t Have To Be So Nice” (https://youtu.be/YpZI8biFsn8) (RQ 8) which reached #10, and “Daydream” (https://youtu.be/M7u5SdjDSQQ) (RQ 10+) which went to #2. Other hits included “Did You Ever Have To Make Up Your Mind?” (https://youtu.be/7sqXBB1ETU0) (RQ 7) which was another #2 hit and “Summer in the City,” (https://youtu.be/U7ofnHmxE-I) (RQ 10+) their only song to reach #1 on the Hot 100 (August 13–27, 1966). Later that year, the #10 hit “Rain on the Roof” (https://youtu.be/Ev5E-UC2DXg) (RQ 8) and the #8 hit “Nashville Cats” (https://youtu.be/P4p7prURvIk) (RQ 10+) completed the group’s first seven consecutive Hot 100 hits to reach that chart’s top 10. Nashville Cats also went on to become a staple in the concerts of bluegrass legend Del McCoury. The only other 1960s act to achieve that feat is Gary Lewis & The Playboys.

Marie McDonald McLaughlin Lawrie was born in Lennoxtown, Stirlingshire and grew up in Dennistoun, Glasgow, where she attended Thomson Street Primary School and Onslow Drive School. She lived in Gallowgate for a while before moving to Garfield Street, Dennistoun. At the age of 13, she and her manager approached a band called the Bellrocks seeking stage experience as a singer. She appeared with them every Saturday night: Alex Thomson, the group’s bass player, has reported that even then her voice was remarkable. She has two brothers and a sister, and her father was a heavy drinker. Aged 14, she received the stage name “Lulu” from her future manager Marion Massey, who commented: “Well, all I know is that she’s a real lulu of a kid.”

In August 2017, Lulu’s family history was the subject of an episode in the UK series Who Do You Think You Are? The research showed that her mother had been brought up by another family. The investigation into her genealogy showed that Lulu’s maternal grandparents had come from across the religious divide in Glasgow. Her grandfather Hugh Cairns was a Catholic and her grandmother, Helen Kennedy, was a Protestant. Cairns had been a member of a Catholic gang and was found in the research to have been in and out of prison at the time of the birth of Lulu’s mother. Kennedy was found to be the daughter of a Worthy Mistress of the Ladies’ Orange Lodge 52; the discovery explained why the two families had opposed the union between Kennedy and Cairns.

In 1964, under the wing of Marion Massey, she was signed to Decca Records. When she was only fifteen, her version of the Isley Brothers’ “Shout” (https://youtu.be/NUP7YCuls78) (RQ 8) credited to ‘Lulu & the Luvvers and delivered in a raucous but mature voice, peaked at no. 7 on the UK charts. Massey guided her career for more than 25 years, for most of which time they were partners in business, and Massey’s husband Mark produced some of Lulu’s recordings.

After the success of “Shout,” Lulu’s next charting single was “Leave a Little Love” (https://youtu.be/XN_kFGvNUJ4) (RQ 7) in 1965, which returned her to the UK Top Ten. Her next record, “Try to Understand,” (https://youtu.be/O_U7p_KarYA) (RQ 8) made the Top 40.

In 1966, Lulu toured Poland with the Hollies as the first British female singer to appear live behind the Iron Curtain. In the same year, she recorded two German-language tracks; “Wenn du da bist” and “So fing es an” for the Decca Germany label. All her Decca recordings were made available in 2009 on a 2-CD set entitled Shout!, issued on TOM Records. After two hit singles with the Luvvers, Lulu embarked on a solo career.

After failing to reach the charts in 1966, Lulu left Decca and signed with Columbia, to be produced by Mickie Most. She returned to the UK singles chart in April 1967, reaching no. 6 with “The Boat That I Row,” (https://youtu.be/ahEMnbnAXuQ) (RQ 8) written by Neil Diamond. All seven singles she cut with Mickie Most made the UK Singles Chart, ending with “Boom Bang-A-Bang” (https://youtu.be/BTq9T3SbS4M) (RQ 9) reaching number 2 in 1969. When Most died in 2003, Lulu was full of praise for him and told the BBC that they had been very close. She made her acting debut in 1967 To Sir With Love, a British vehicle for Sidney Poitier. Lulu both acted in the film and sang the title song, with which she had a major hit in the United States, reaching no. 1. “To Sir With Love” (https://youtu.be/JOVQ4vAmM7Y) (RQ 10+) became the best-selling single of 1967 in the United States, selling well in excess of 1,000,000 copies; it was awarded a gold disc, and was ranked by Billboard magazine as the no. 1 song of the year. In the UK, “To Sir With Love” was released on the B-side of “Let’s Pretend”, a number 11 hit.

The Marvelettes was an American girl group that achieved popularity in the early- to mid-1960s. They consisted of schoolmates Gladys Horton, Katherine Anderson, Georgeanna Tillman, Juanita Cowart (now Cowart Motley), and Georgia Dobbins, who was replaced by Wanda Young prior to the group signing their first deal. They were the first major successful act of Motown Records after the Miracles and its first significantly successful girl group after the release of the 1961 number-one single, “Please Mr. Postman” (https://youtu.be/425GpjTSlS4) (RQ 10+). This was one of the first number-one singles recorded by an all-female vocal group and the first by a Motown recording act. “Don’t Mess with Bill” (https://youtu.be/OVsW_6AomOQ) (RQ 7) in 1965, also received another gold award from RIAA.

The group’s full names are: Peter Yarrow, Noel Paul Stookey and Mary Travers. Manager Albert Grossman created Peter, Paul and Mary in 1961, after auditioning several singers in the New York folk scene, including Dave Van Ronk, who was rejected as too idiosyncratic and uncommercial, and Carolyn Hester. After rehearsing Yarrow, Stookey and Travers out of town in Boston and Miami, Grossman booked them into The Bitter End, a coffee house, nightclub and popular folk music venue in New York City’s Greenwich Village..

The group recorded their debut album, Peter, Paul & Mary and it was released by Warner Bros. the following year. It included “Lemon Tree” (https://youtu.be/MLhYghzNfII) (RQ 10+), 500 Miles” (https://youtu.be/ADN1lLEp3H0) (RQ 10) and the Pete Seeger hit tunes “If I Had a Hammer” (https://youtu.be/XxWTDcP9Y5E) (RQ 8) and “Where Have All the Flowers Gone?” (https://youtu.be/aOD2G7fLCRc) (RQ 10+). The album was listed in the Billboard Magazine Top Ten for 10 months, including seven weeks in the No. 1 position. It remained a main catalog-seller for decades to come, eventually selling over two million copies, earning double platinum certification from the RIAA in the United States alone.

In 1963 the group released “Puff the Magic Dragon,” (https://youtu.be/z15pxWUXvLY) (RQ 9) with music by Yarrow and words based on a poem that had been written by a fellow student at Cornell, Leonard Lipton. Despite rumors that the song refers to drugs, it is actually about the lost innocence of childhood.

That year the group performed “If I Had a Hammer” and “Blowin in the Wind” (https://youtu.be/Ld6fAO4idaI) (RQ 8) at the 1963 March on Washington, best remembered for the Reverend Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream” speech. The Bob Dylan song “Blowin’ in the Wind” (https://youtu.be/vWwgrjjIMXA) (RQ 8) was one of their biggest hit singles.

The Seekers are an Australian folk-influenced pop-quartet, originally formed in Melbourne in 1962. They were the first Australian pop music group to achieve major chart and sales success in the United Kingdom and the United States. They were popular during the 1960s with their best-known configuration as: Judith Durham on vocals, piano, and tambourine; Athol Guy on double bass and vocals; Keith Potger on twelve-string guitar, banjo and vocals; and Bruce Woodley on guitar, mandolin, banjo, and vocals. The group had Top 10 hits in the 1960s with “I’ll Never Find Another You (https://youtu.be/4Ga9Bs4fzSY) (RQ 9), “A World of Our Own” (https://youtu.be/PSxwqBJLU8A) (RQ 10+), “Morningtown Ride”, “Someday, One Day” (written by Paul Simon), “Georgy Girl” (https://youtu.be/wsIbfYEizLk) (RQ 10) and “The Carnival Is Over” by Tom Springfield, the last being an adaptation of the Russian folk song “Stenka Razin”. It is still one of the top 50 best-selling singles in the UK. Australian music historian Ian McFarland described their style as “concentrated on a bright, uptempo sound, although they were too pop to be considered strictly folk and too folk to be rock.”

The Spencer Davis Group are a British band formed in Birmingham in 1963, by Spencer Davis (guitar) with Steve Winwood (keyboards, guitar) and his brother, Muff Winwood (bass guitar) and Pete York (drums). Steve Winwood also played a future key role for the bands Traffic, Blind Faith and Go. Plus, he excelled as a solo artist recording such hits as “ Higher Love” (https://youtu.be/k9olaIio3l8) (RQ 10). The Spencer Davis Group’s best known songs include the UK number ones: “Somebody Help Me” (https://youtu.be/bWeE3lyAA_8) (RQ 5) and “Keep on Runnin” (https://youtu.be/pH53DfX50-8) (RQ 9). Both written by reggae musician Jackie Edwards, “I’m a Man” and “Gimme Some Lovin” (https://youtu.be/ko3m0NBbq1o) (RQ 10+) which reached #2 in the UK and #7 in the US.

Gary Puckett & The Union Gap was an American pop rock group active in the late 1960s. The group, formed by Gary Puckett, Gary ‘Mutha’ Withem, Dwight Bement, Kerry Chater and Paul Wheatbread, who eventually named it The Union Gap, had its biggest hits with “Woman, Woman” (https://youtu.be/0Mqsnx2E3ys) (RQ 10+), Young Girl” (https://youtu.be/qJFVPxBpezk) (RQ 10+), “Lady Willpower” (https://youtu.be/e1CLjF8Q8xo) (RQ 10+), “Over You” (https://youtu.be/Z34xaDQ3ra4) (RQ 10), “Don’t Give In To Him” (https://youtu.be/GXqJhEA8E8Y) (RQ 5) and “This Girl is a Woman Now” (https://youtu.be/ICn3nTa90N8) (RQ 9). The members featured costumes that were based on the Union Army uniforms worn during the American Civil War. Jerry Fuller gave the act a recording contract with Columbia Records. The group eventually grew unhappy with doing material written and produced by others, leading them to stop working with Fuller. The band eventually disbanded, and Puckett went on to do both solo work and collaborations.

In 1960, despite the changes of personnel, the fortunes of the Four Lovers had not changed—they failed an audition for a lounge at a Union Township, Union County, New Jersey, bowling establishment. According to Gaudio, “We figured we’ll come out of this with something. So we took the name of the bowling alley. It was called the Four Seasons.” Despite the last few years of frustration of the Four Lovers, this proved to be the turning point for the band. Later, on a handshake agreement between tenor vocals/keyboardist/composer Bob Gaudio and lead singer Frankie Valli, the Four Seasons Partnership was formed. The other two original group members were: Tommy DeVito (lead guitar and baritone vocals) and Nick Massi (electric base and base vocals).

The Four Seasons signed as artists to Crewe’s production company, and they released their first Crewe-produced single under their new name in 1961: “Bermuda”/”Spanish Lace” (https://youtu.be/Lt_F_o3_Jm4) (RQ 7) on Gone Records. The single did not chart. The band continued working with producer Bob Crewe as background vocalists and sometimes leads under different names, for productions on Crewe’s own Topix label. As a follow-up, Bob Gaudio wrote a song that, after some discussion between Crewe and Gaudio, was titled “Sherry”. After the song was recorded, Crewe and the members of the band solicited record labels to release it. It was Frankie Valli who spoke with Randy Wood. West Coast sales manager for Vee-Jay Records (not the founder of Dot Records) who, in turn, suggested the release of “Sherry” to the decision-makers at Vee-Jay. “Sherry” made enough of an impression that Crewe was able to sign a deal between his production company and Vee-Jay for its release. They were the first white artists to sign with Vee-Jay.

In 1962, the band released their first album, featuring the single “Sherry” (https://youtu.be/jMcWldfg28s) (RQ 10+), which was not only their first charted hit but also their first number-one song. Under the guidance of Bob Crewe, the Four Seasons followed up “Sherry” with several million selling singles, generally composed by Crewe and Gaudio, including their second #1 hit: “Big Girls Don’t Cry” (https://youtu.be/DAgQIb77UhU) (RQ 6), their third #1 song: “Walk Like a Man” (https://youtu.be/aaKpo2lFzH8) (RQ 7), “Candy Girl” (https://youtu.be/R-efs62E0SE) (RQ 10), “Ain’t That a Shame” (https://youtu.be/_hqVoQRqd9o) (RQ 8) and several others. Also, they released a Christmas album in December 1962 and charted with a unique rendition of “Santa Claus Is Coming to Town” (https://youtu.be/6I1WujBgK64) (RQ 8).

In 1962, they were invited to perform their hit “Big Girls Don ‘t Cry” on the show American Bandstand. In 1964, they recorded their fourth #1 hit: “Rag Doll” (https://youtu.be/X2zPhOirjhI) (RQ 10+).

RESEARCH FROM THE MUSIC FROM THE 1950s and 1960s

As I have been saying all along, the 50’s and 60’s were simply loaded with musical talent. While I have already posted detailed bios of 85 groups or artists, after studying the Million Selling Records book, I want to add another 16 from the 1950s:

Frankie Avalon, Nat King Cole, Perry Como, Connie Francis, Bill Haley & His Comets, Kingston Trio, Frankie Laine, Jerry Lee Lewis, Frankie Lyman, Dean Martin, Johnny Mathis, Patti Page, Little Richard, Frank Sinatra, Dodie Stevens, and The Four Aces (the respective biographies follow below).

Acknowledging this, I began a deep-dive into the million dollar sellers of the 1950s. There are 74 pages dedicated to this decade. From these pages, I took 42 pages of notes. I learned that between 1950-55 there were between 30-40 million dollar artists per year. Then, starting in 1956, this number goes up to 56-59 per year through 1959. These artists generated between 40-48 songs per year between 1950-55. Then, up to 78-105/year during the years 1956-59. The last trend I looked at was the number of No1 hits pet year. The highest year for No1 hits was 1958 with 22. The lowest was 1953 with only 5.

I plan do the same research for the 1960s in my next post. These artists may have not generated the same high volume of sales (with one exception: Bill Hayley and His Comets) but, due to their high quality of work, they also need to be recognized. I will include a photo and a link to one of their best songs. Here they are:

The Four Aces are an American male traditional pop music quartet, popular since the 1950s. Over the last half-century, the group amassed many gold records. Its million-selling signature tunes include “Love is a Many-Splendored Thing” (https://youtu.be/GnDtxiNwDS8) (RQ 8), “Three Coins in a Fountain”, “Stranger in Paradise”, “Tell Me Why”, and “Its No Sin”. Other big sellers included “Shangri-La”, “Perfidia”, and “Sincerely”. The original members, responsible for every song made popular by the group, included Al Roberts, Dave Mahoney, Lou Silvestri, and Rosario “Sod” Vaccaro.

Frankie Avalon (born Francis Thomas Avallone; September 18, 1940) is an American actor, singer, and former teen idol. Avalon had 31 charting U.S. Billboard singles from 1958 to late 1962, including the Number One hits “Venus” (https://youtu.be/fakpqLDEQAo) (RQ 8) and “Why” in 1959.

Bill Haley & His Comets were an American tock and roll band, founded in 1952 and continued until Haley’s death in 1981. The band was also known as Bill Haley and the Comets. The original members of this group were Haley, pianist and accordion player Johnny Grande and steel guitarist Billy Williamson. Al Thompson was the group’s first bass player, followed by Al Rex and Marshall Lytle. From late 1954 to late 1956, the group placed nine singles in the Top 20, one of those a number one and three more in the Top Ten. The single “Rock Around the Clock” (https://youtu.be/ZgdufzXvjqw) (RQ 10) became the biggest selling rock and roll single in the history of the genre and retained that position for some years.

Nathaniel Adams Coles (March 17, 1919 – February 15, 1965), known professionally as Nat King Cole, was an American singer and jazz pianist. He recorded 41 albums and over 100 songs that became hits on the pop charts. His hit singles include “Straighten Up and Fly Right” 1944 #8, “The Christmas Song” 1946, “Nature Boy” 1948 #1, “Mona Lisa 1950 #1 (https://youtu.be/NIDX18Xl16s) (RQ 8), “Frosty, The Snowman” 1950 #9, “Too Young” 1951 #1, “Unforgettable” 1951 #12, “Somewhere Along the Way” 1952 #8, “Answer Me, My Love” 1954 #6, “A Blossom Fell” 1955 #2, “If I May” 1955 #8, “Send for Me” 1957 #6, “Looking Back” 1958 #5, “Ramblin’ Rose” 1962 #2, “Those Lazy, Hazy, Crazy Days of Summer” 1963 #6, “Unforgettable” 1991 (with daughter Natalie).

His trio was the model for small jazz ensembles that followed. Cole also acted in films and on television and performed on Broadway. He was the first African-American man to host an American television series. He was the father of singer-songwriter Natalie Cole (1950–2015).

Pierino Ronald “Perry” Como (May 18, 1912 – May 12, 2001) was an American singer, actor and television personality. During a career spanning more than half a century, he recorded exclusively for RCA Victor for 44 years, after signing with the label in 1943. “Mr. C.”, as he was nicknamed, sold millions of records (recorded 100’s) and pioneered a weekly musical variety television show. His song “Round and Round” (https://youtu.be/lz_B8JP2pA8) (RQ 10) is good example of the popularity for his singing voice. His weekly television shows and seasonal specials were broadcast throughout the world. In the official RCA Records Billboard magazine memorial, his life was summed up in these few words: “50 years of music and a life well lived. An example to all.”

Concetta Rosa Maria Franconero (December 12, 1937), better known as Connie Francis, is an American pop singer, former actress, and top-charting female vocalist of the late 1950s and early 1960s. Although her chart success waned in the second half of the 1960s, Francis remained a top concert draw.

Francis considered a career in medicine and was about to accept a four-year scholarship offered at New York University. At what was to have been her final recording session for MGM on October 2, 1957 with Joe Lipman and his orchestra, she recorded a cover version of the 1923 song “Who’s Sorry Now?” (https://youtu.be/EIRuqRNKvoQ) (RQ 10), written by Bert Kalmar and Harry Ruby, Francis has said that she recorded it at the insistence of her father, who was convinced it stood a chance of becoming a hit because it was a song adults already knew and that teenagers would dance to if it had a contemporary arrangement.

Francis, who did not like the song and had been arguing about it with her father heatedly, delayed the recording of the two other songs during the session so much, that in her opinion, no time was left on the continuously running recording tape. Her father insisted, though, and when the recording “Who’s Sorry Now?” was finished, only a few seconds were left on the tape.

The single seemed to go unnoticed like all previous releases, just as Francis had predicted, but on January 1, 1958, it debuted on Dick Clark’s American Bandstand, and on February 15 of that same year, Francis performed it on the first episode of The Saturday night Beechnut Show, also hosted by Clark. By mid-year, over a million copies had been sold, and Francis was suddenly launched into worldwide stardom. In April 1958, “Who’s Sorry Now?” reached number 1 on the UK Singles Chart and number 4 in the US. For the next four years, Francis was voted the “Best Female Vocalist” by American Bandstand viewers.

The Kingston Trio is an American folk and pop music group that helped launch the folk revival of the late 1950s to late 1960s. The group started as a San Francisco Bay Area nightclub act with an original lineup of Dave Guard, Bob Shane, and Nick Reynolds. It rose to international popularity fueled by unprecedented sales of LP records and helped alter the direction of popular music in the U.S. The Kingston Trio was one of the most prominent groups of the era’s pop-folk boom that started in 1958 with the release of their first album and its hit recording of “Tom Dooley” ( https://youtu.be/VhXuO4Gz3Wo) (RQ 9), which sold over three million copies as a single. The Trio released nineteen albums that made Billboard’s Top 100, fourteen of which ranked in the top 10, and five of which hit the number 1 spot. Four of the group’s LPs charted among the 10 top-selling albums for five weeks in November and December 1959,a record unmatched for more than 50 years, and the group still ranks in the all-time lists of many of Billboards cumulative charts, including those for most weeks with a number 1 album, most total weeks charting an album, most number 1 albums, most consecutive number 1 albums, and most top ten albums. In 1961, the Trio was described as “the most envied, the most imitated, and the most successful singing group, folk or otherwise, in all show business” and “the undisputed kings of the folksinging rage by every yardstick”. The Trio’s massive record sales in its early days made acoustic folk music commercially viable, paving the way for singer-songwriter, folk rock, and Americana artists who followed in their wake.

Frankie Laine (born Francesco Paolo LoVecchio; March 30, 1913 – February 6, 2007) was an American singer, songwriter, and actor whose career spanned nearly 75 years, from his first concerts in 1930 with a marathon dance company to his final performance of “That’s My Desire” in 2005. Often billed as “America’s Number One Song Stylist”, his other nicknames include “Mr. Rhythm”, “Old Leather Lungs”, and “Mr. Steel Tonsils”. His additional hits from the 1950’s included: “That Luck Old Sun”, “Mule Train”, “Jezebel”, “High Noon”, “Save Your Sorrow”, “I Believe”(https://youtu.be/–j7wvtOi1s) (RQ 10), Hey Joe!“, “The Kid’s Last Fight”, “Cool Water”, “Rawhide”, and “Lord, You Gave Me a Mountain”

Jerry Lee Lewis (born September 29, 1935) is an American singer, musician, and pianist, often known by his nickname, The Killer. He has been described as “rock & roll’s first great wild man and one of the most influential pianists of the twentieth century.” A pioneer of rock and roll and rockabilly music, Lewis made his first recordings in 1956 at Sun Records in Memphis. “Crazy Arms” sold 300,000 copies in the South, but it was his 1957 hit “Whole Lotta Shakin’ Going On” (https://youtu.be/1dC0DseCyYE) (RQ 7) that shot Lewis to fame worldwide. He followed this with “Great Balls of Fire” (https://youtu.be/0VJ1NuAbEBI) (RQ 10+), “Breathless” and “High School Confidential”. However, Lewis’s rock and roll career faltered in the wake of his marriage to Mrya Gale Brown, his 13-year-old cousin.

Franklin Joseph Lymon (September 30, 1942– February 27, 1968) was an American rock and roll rhythm and blues singer and songwriter, best known as the boy soprano lead singer of the New York City-based early rock and roll group The Teenagers. The group was composed of five boys, all in their early to mid-teens. The original lineup of the Teenagers, an integrated group, included three African-American members, Frankie Lymon, Jimmy Merchant and Sherman Garnes; and two Puerto Rican members, Joe Negroni and Herman Santiago. The Teenagers’ first single, 1956’s “Why Do Fools Fall in Love” (https://youtu.be/q96ylFiQK_I) (RQ 6) was also their biggest hit. After Lymon went solo in mid-1957, both his career and that of the Teenagers fell into decline. He was found dead at the age of 25 on the floor of his grandmother’s bathroom from a heroin overdose. His life was dramatized in the 1998 film Why Do Fools Fall in Love.

Dean Martin (born Dino Paul Crocetti; June 7, 1917 – December 25, 1995) was an American actor, singer and comedian. One of the most popular and enduring American entertainers of the mid-20th century, Martin was nicknamed “The King of Cool” for his seemingly effortless charisma and self-assurance.

Martin established himself as a notable singer, recording numerous contemporary songs as well as standards from the Great American Songbook. He became one of the most popular acts in Las Vegas and was known for his friendship with fellow artists Frank Sinatra and Sammy Davis Jr., who together formed the Rat Pack.

Starting in 1965, Martin was the host of the television variety program The Dean Martin Show which centered on Martin’s singing talents and was characterized by his relaxed, easy-going demeanor. From 1974 to 1984, he was roastmaster on the popular Dean Martin Celebrity Roast, which drew notable celebrities, comedians and politicians. Throughout his career, Martin performed in concert stages, nightclubs, audio recordings and appeared in 85 film and television productions. His relaxed, warbling, crooning voice earned him dozens of hit singles, including his signature songs “Memories Are Made of This”, “That’s Amore” (https://youtu.be/OnFlx2Lnr9Q) (RQ 10), “Everybody Loves Somebody”, “You’re Nobody Until Somebody Loves You”, “Seay”, “Ain’t That a Kick in the Head?” and “Volare”.

John Royce Mathis (born September 30, 1935) is an American singer-songwriter of popular music. Starting his career with singles of standard music, he became highly popular as an album artist, with several dozen of his albums achieving gold or platinum status and 73 making the Billboard Charts to date. Mathis has received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award and has been inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame for three separate recordings.

Mathis has recorded 73 studio albums, 18 of which achieved sales of 500,000 units and were awarded Gold certification by RIAA. Five of his greatest hits albums also accomplished this, and of these 18 Gold albums, six eventually went Platinum by reaching sales of one million copies. In 1999, sales figures totaled five million for his first holiday LP, Merry Christmas, and three million for Johnny’s Greatest Hits, a 1958 collection that has been described as the “original greatest-hits package” and once held the record for most weeks on Billboard magazine’s album chart with a total of 490 (three of which were spent at number one). His second longest album chart run was the 295 weeks belonging to his Platinum 1959 album Heavenly, which gave him five weeks in the top spot. In a ranking of the top album artists of the last half of the 1950s in terms of Billboard chart performance, he comes in at number two, for the 1960s, number 10, and for the period from 1955 to 2009 he is at number six.

Mathis also recorded 43 songs that reached Billboard magazine’s Hit 100 chart in the United States and another nine that “bubbled under” the Hot 100. Six of these 52 recordings made the top 10, including 1957’s “Chances Are” (https://youtu.be/NEH3uqbpsm8) (RQ 10) and the 1978 Denise Williams duet, “Too Much, Too Little, Too Late”, which each spent a week at number one, and 32 of them are also on the list of 50 entries that Mathis had on the magazine’s Easy Listening chart, which was started in 1961. 19 of those 50 songs made the top 10 on that list. Two of them: “I’m Coming Home” and “Too Much, Too Little, Too Late” (https://youtu.be/bPkK1CNPtjk) (RQ9) went on to number one. The Williams duet also spent four weeks at number one on the magazine’s R&B chart and was certified Gold after selling one million copies.

Clara Ann Fowler (November 8, 1927 – January 1, 2013), known by her stage name Patti Page, was an American singer of pop and country music and occasional actress. She was the top-charting female vocalist and best-selling female artist of the 1950s, selling over 100 million records during a six-decade long career. She was often introduced as “the Singin’ Rage, Miss Patti Page”. New York WNEW disc-jockey WillIam B. Williams introduced her as “A Page in my life called Patti”.

Page signed with Mercury Records in 1947, and became their first successful female artist, starting with 1948’s “Confess”. In 1950, she had her first million-selling single “With My Ryes Wide Open I’m Dreaming”, and would eventually have 14 additional million-selling singles between 1950 and 1965. Page’s signature song, “Tennessee Waltz” (https://youtu.be/-XCvfy6Huyc) (RQ 8), was one of the biggest-selling singles of the 20th century, and is recognized today as one of the official songs of the state of Tennessee. It spent 13 weeks atop the Billboard’s Magazine Best-Sellers List in 1950/51. Page had three additional No. 1 hit singles between 1950 and 1953, “All My Love”, “I Went To Your Wedding”, and “How much Is That Doggie in the Window”.

Richard Wayne Penniman (December 5, 1932 – May 9, 2020), known as Little Richard, was an American musician, singer, and songwriter. He was an influential figure in popular music and culture for seven decades. Nicknamed “The Innovator, The Originator, and the Architect of Rock and Roll”, Richard’s most celebrated work dates from the mid-1950s, when his charismatic showmanship and dynamic music, characterized by frenetic piano playing, pounding back beat and raspy shouted vocals, laid the foundation for rock and roll. Richard’s innovative emotive vocalizations and uptempo rhythmic music also played a key role in the formation of other popular music genres, including soul and funk. He influenced numerous singers and musicians across musical genre from rock to hip hop; his music helped shape rhythm and blues for generations. “Tutti Frutti” (https://youtu.be/F13JNjpNW6c) (RQ 10), one of Richard’s signature songs and became an instant hit, crossing over to the pop charts in both the United States and overseas in the United Kingdom. His next hit single in 1956, “Long Tall Sally” (https://youtu.be/eFFgbc5Vcbw) (RQ 10) hit No. 1 on the Billboard Rhythm and Blues Best-Sellers chart, followed by a rapid succession of fifteen more in less than three years.

Francis Albert Sinatra (December 12, 1915 – May 14, 1998) was an American singer, actor and producer who was one of the most popular and influential musical artists of the 20th century. He is one of the best-selling music artists of all time having sold more than 150 million records worldwide. He recorded 57 studio albums.

One of his best songs that featured his famous crooning voice was “Young at Heart” (https://youtu.be/BG7suS4YJWk) (RQ 10+) is a pop standard, a ballad with music by Johnny Richards and lyrics by Carolyn Leigh. The song was written and published in 1953, with Leigh contributing the lyrics to what was originally a Richards instrumental called “Moonbeam”. Sinatra was the first performer to record the song, which became a million-selling hit in 1953 (and spilling over with popularity into 1954) where it reached the No. 2 spot in the Billboard charts. The song was such a hit that a movie that Sinatra was filming at the same time with Doris Day was renamed to match the song title, and the song was included in the opening and closing credits of the movie (one of 45 movies he acted in).

Dodie Stevens (born Geraldine Ann Pasquale, February 17, 1946) is an American and popsinger. She is best known for her 1959 song “Pink Shoe Laces” (https://youtu.be/WGgaZZl_GVg) (RQ 8). It debuted at #96 on the Billboard Hot 100 when Stevens was one day short of 13 years old, and eventually peaked at #3.

Stevens married at the age of sixteen and moved to Missouri to live on a farm. A few years later, she had a daughter, Stephanie. Soon thereafter, in 1966, she ended her marriage and resumed her singing career. In 1969, she once again appeared in the Billboard charts, peaking at #117 pop, #57 country, with “Billy, I’ve Got to Go to Town” (https://youtu.be/Ys-enA8Jsrw) (RQ 6) recorded under the name Geraldine Stevens. She took additional vocal lessons and in 1972 began appearing and recording with Sergio Mendes and Brasil ’77. In the ensuing years she toured as a backup singer with such recording artists as Loretta Lynn, Frankie Avalon, and Boz Scaggs, and for twelve years with Mac Davis. In the 1990s, as Geri Stevens, she toured with Fabian and her own company “Dodie Stevens and The Pink Shoe Laces Review.” Recently, she has performed with her daughter Stephanie and appeared at oldies concerts across the country. She also teaches singing and stage performance out of her studio in San Diego County.

Eminem is the fourth largest single record producer at 107.5M in this current decade. With the overall impact of digital downloading, his total sales will possibly overtake the likes of The Beatles and Elvis. His albums were certified 12 Gold, 9 Platinum, 8 Multi-Platinum and 2 Diamond. His name at birth was Marshall Bruce Mathers III. Like a couple of the other top producing artists, he also had a tough time growing up. For example he repeated ninth grade three times and was arrested for shooting someone with a paintball gun. He is the oldest of the top five producing artists at 47. He was born in St. Joseph, Missouri but now lives in Detroit. He is considered to be a rapper, song writer, record producer, record executive and actor. In addition to his solo career he was a member of the hip hop group D12. His successes include: “Relapse” (https://youtu.be/2-Bv1-LDUUI) (RQ 6- skit) and “Talking 2 Myself” (https://youtu.be/LG369AbsWfI) (RQ 7) which both won Grammy awards. Also, within the movie 8 Mile, his song “Lose Yourself” (https://youtu.be/_Yhyp-_hX2s) (RQ 9) won an Academy Award for Best Original Song. Overall he has won 15 Grammys, 8 American Music Awards and 17 Billboard Music awards.

THIRD HIGHEST PRODUCER

Following Drake and Rihanna, Taylor stands in third place overall in singles sold at 121M in this current decade. With the overall impact of digital downloading, her total sales will possibly overtake the likes of The Beatles and Elvis. She also achieved album certificates of 8 Gold, 8 Platinum, 7 Multi-Platinum and 1 Diamond. She is the youngest of the top five artists at 30 being born in Reading, PA in 1989. She received advanced training at an early age. While In gradeschool, she regularly traveled to New York City for acting and vocal lessons. By the age of 11, she went to Nashville and presented her first demo tape to recording label companies. In hopes of supporting her, her family relocated to Nashville when she was 14. Then, she began working with songwriter Liz Rose. Soon afterward she signed her first contract with Sony/ATV. In 2004 she moved over to Big Machine Records (her father became a minority owner). In 2006, she produced her first debut album: “Taylor Swift.” By 2016 it had sold 7.75M copies. Between 2007-08 she recorded four new singles. Both “Our Song” (https://youtu.be/Jb2stN7kH28) (RQ 10) and “Should’ve Said No” (https://youtu.be/f85AAi3VOLo) (RQ 10+) reached a chart rating of No1. Then between 2008-09 she produced five more hit singles. “You Belong To Me” (https://youtu.be/VuNIsY6JdUw) (RQ 10+) charted the highest of the five at No2. “Speak Now” (https://youtu.be/zlWMJbbLyA0) (RQ 9) earned a No1 rating. In 2010, Billboard rated Taylor as the “Artist of the Year.” Overall, her 278,000 downloads in one week set an all time record for a female singer.

SECOND HIGHEST PRODUCER…

Rihanna (Robyn Rihanna Fenty) has the second most singles sold total at 128M in this current decade. With the overall impact of digital downloading, her total sales will possibly overtake the likes of The Beatles and Elvis. In addition, she has earned 8 Gold, 7 Platinum and 7 Multi-Platinum certifications for her albums. She is only 32 years old and was born in Barbados in 1988. Like Drake, she experienced a tough life while growing up. For example, in her early teens she sold clothing on the streets to make ends meet. In 2003, she had her first professional audition. Two years later (2005), she provided a demo tape to Pet Jam along with Jay-2 in New York City. She waited until 3am to sign off on her first contract. Soon afterward, she produced her first single: “Pon de Replay” (https://youtu.be/lr9wk-hfgW4) (RQ 8). It took her one more recording to start experiencing a high degree of success: “Music of the Sun.” In 2006, she completed her second studio album: “A Girl Like Me” (https://youtu.be/efSc9D2BeMc) (RQ 10+). This album reached No1 in Canada and No5 in the U.S. Her career really mushroomed in 2007 with her hit single: “Umbrella” (https://youtu.be/CvBfHwUxHIk) (RQ 7). It sold 7M copies and won a Grammy award.

HIGHEST PRODUCER…

Number one in singles sales with a total of 163.5M in this current decade. With the overall impact of digital downloading, his total sales will possibly overtake the likes of The Beatles and Elvis. Also, he has produced 8 gold, 7 platinum and 5 multi-platinum certified albums. He is only 33 years old. Was born in 1986 in Toronto. He had a tough childhood raised by his mother. He dropped out of high school. He began his career at 15 as an actor in “Degrassi: The Next Generation.” In 2006, he self-released his first tape. By 2007, he released his second tape including “Replacement Girl.” By 2009, he recorded singles: “Best I Ever Had” (https://youtu.be/SMcIHAMLpdM) (RQ 8) and “Successful” (https://youtu.be/s_IATuze-R0) (RQ 10). They both were certified gold recordings. Then, “I’m Goin In” (https://youtu.be/4UiLRJ2AqIE) (RQ R5) won the rap recording of the year. That same year, he released four more charted singles. Also, his album “Thank Me Later” (https://youtu.be/AoQt_BV8q_A) (RQ 3) became a top seller. By 2011, he had the most number one charted singles with 12.

TRENDS in the 2000’s

Hasn’t the age of digital downloading totally taken over the popular music marketplace? Five artists (four only in their early 30’s) lead in net singles sales: Drake (163.5M), Rihanna (128M), Taylor Swift (121M), Eminem (107.5M) and Katy Perry (103M). At this pace, these artists will soon overtake the likes of The Beatles and Elvis. Lets take a look at a brief biography for each of the five…see the 24th post.

Carrie Underwood – One of the best of the 2000s. “Jesus Take the Wheel.”(https://youtu.be/lydBPm2KRaU) (RQ 10). She has recorded 7 studio albums, 1 compilation album, 1 video album, 36 music videos, 35 singles, 16 No1 singles, 11 other charted songs and 20 promotional singles. It is unclear exactly how many total digital downloads she has to date.

1950 and 1960s ARTIST LIST (U-Z)

This post includes artists with last names ending with “U – Z”

This is the last of my major artists posts which support my claim that the 1950-60s was the greatest era for music. These 1960s artists (and one from 2020) included are: The Yardbirds, The Young Rascals, Frank Zappa, Led Zeppelin and The Zombies.

Yardbirds, The. 1963-1968

From London. They sang blues and rock. They are known for starting the careers of Eric Clapton, Jimmy Page and Jeff Beck (were on the list of Rolling Stone’s magazine Top100 guitarists of all time). They produced four hits in the mid-1960s including: “For Your Love.” (https://youtu.be/HU5zqidlxMQ) (RQ 6). They split up in 1968. Afterward, members Relf and McCarty formed Renaissance and Jimmy Page formed Led Zeppelin. They have been inducted into the Rock & Roll HOF.

Young Rascals, The. 1966-68

The Young Rascals are from Garfield, NJ (ten miles west of NYC). They produced nine Top20 singles including three No1s: “Good Lovin” (https://youtu.be/Oy625sZAHN8) (RQ 10+), “Groovin” (https://youtu.be/falI0baGhBQ) (RQ 10) and “People Got to be Free” (https://youtu.be/CYcz7gMnifk) (RQ 9). On top of these songs they also had these other Top10 hits: “How Can I Be Sure” (https://youtu.be/OrpLpbqBYsw) (RQ 9), “A Beautiful Morning” (https://youtu.be/cJqjlFGZxtE) (RQ 10+) and “A Girl Like You” (https://youtu.be/8X9PjUpWpLk) (RQ 9). Each record sold more than 500,000 copies. They were inducted into the Rock & Roll HOF.

Zappa, Frank (Mothers of Invention). 1955-93

Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention are from Baltimore, MD. They played hard rock and blues. Their music trademark was that they were characterized by nonconformity, freeform, improvisation, sound experiments, musical virtuosity and satire of the American culture. Produced 60 albums while alive and 50 were recorded posthumously. A sample of his work: “ Don’t Eat Yellow Snow” (https://youtu.be/TLIppgE45wM) (RQ 8). He was a strong believer of self-education. Also, was inducted into the Rock & Roll HOF.

Zeppelin, Led. 1968-80

The Led Zepplin was formed in London. Their hit song in 1969 was: “Whole Lotta Love” (https://youtu.be/HQmmM_qwG4k) (RQ 10+). Then, in 1971, their top hit was: “Stairway to Heaven.” (https://youtu.be/QkF3oxziUI4) (RQ 10+). The members were: Robert Plant, guitarist Jimmy Page, bass/keyboarder John Paul Jones, and drummer John Bonham. From 1969-79 they produced ten albums that nine were charted Top10s. The group disbanded when Bonham died from alcohol-related asphyxiation in 1980. The group was considered to be one of the greatest music artists in the history of audio recording. They sold between 200-300M records and were awarded 4 Grammys. The group is a member of the Rock & Roll HOF.

Zombies, The. 1962-present

The Zombies are from St. Albans, UK (northwest suburb of London). Group was led by vocalist Colin Blonstone and keyboardist Rod Argent. The group produced nineteen singles. Of these, in 1964, they recorded: “She’s Not There.” (https://youtu.be/it68QbUWVPM) (RQ 10+). The song charted No2. Again in 1965, they had two more hits: “Time of Season” (https://youtu.be/qzpPy9hJYA8) (RQ 9) and “Tell Her No” (https://youtu.be/q4nmxz5bQhk) (RQ 10+) were also successful. They have been inducted into the HOF.