Achieving even a single #1 hit song on the Billboard Hot 100 charts is quite a dream for most artists, and many accomplished names in music haven’t been lucky enough to score that.
On the other hand the Popular charts have also seen names that achieved double-digit chart-toppers in their careers – a feat that is accomplished by an extremely few number of artists over the past many decades.
Billboard Hot 100 – ranks songs across all genres, that have sold or streamed the most during a particular week within the United States. And while for many it took a career to score a #1, there are some exceptional artists who achieved multiple #1’s to their names.
Today we rank those historic acts in music that have achieved the most number of chart-toppers in their careers.
Here are artists with most #1 songs on Hot 100:
10) Stevie Wonder – 10
Stevie Wonder started his career as a teenager back in the 60’s and immediately established himself as a musical phenomenon. He earned his first number one song, ‘Fingertips’ when he was 13 – during the ‘Motown’ era. Some other of his popular chart-topping tunes include – ‘Superstition,’ ‘I Just Called To Say I Love You’ and ‘Part-Time Lover’.
9) Janet Jackson – 10
How extra iconic and phenomenal does one have to be to establish their own niche in the industry and in Popular music, despite an already world-famous sibling? Janet Jackson did all that and more. With 10 number one songs to her name, tying up with Stevie Wonder, she is among the rare hit-makers who have double-digit chart-toppers under their belt. Some of her iconic #1’s include – ‘Miss You Much’, ‘Escapade,’ ‘Black Cat’, and ‘That’s The Way Love Goes’.
8) Whitney Houston – 11
With her debut album released in the year 1985, Whitney Houston established herself as an overnight star and America’s newest sweetheart, birthing three #1 songs from the album. She continued that streak onto her second album, earning 4 more chart-toppers, affirming her place in history books – by becoming the artist with most consecutive #1 hit singles on the chart (7) – a record previously held jointly by The Beatles and Bee Gees. She had 4 more #1 songs after that including the iconic ‘I Will Always Love You’ in 1992, and her final #1 hit ‘Exhale (Shoop Shoop) – giving her a total tally of 11.
7) Madonna – 12
Apart from holding the spot of the highest selling female artist of all time, Madonna also boasts of no less than 12 chart-toppers to her name in the United States. The Pop diva scored her very first #1 1984-released ‘Like A Virgin’, and continued that streak with some other number one songs through her career, like – ‘Papa Don’t Preach’, ‘Open Your Heart’, ‘Vogue’ and ‘Like a Prayer’.
6) The Supremes – 12
If you thought Destiny’s Child was the most successful female group on Billboard, think again. This Diana Ross led iconic trio, churned hit-after-hit throughout the 60’s. This was prior to the iconic diva starting her own solo career, but with their 12 #1’s The Supremes paved the way for several female artists who came after them.
5) Michael Jackson – 13
The King Of Pop Michael Jackson – the most successful artist in history, earned 13 #1 songs during his unprecedented career. Before he started his solo career at a young age, Michael as part of The Jackson 5 had already earned four #1’s on Billboard as the band’s front singer. As a soloist, he scored his first solo No. 1 with “Ben” in 1972, and his most recent one being ‘You Are Not Alone’ from the year 1995.
4) Rihanna- 14
The fact that Rihanna has surpassed so many mega-selling artists in history, in such a short span of time – gives us a hint at what may lie ahead in the future when it comes to churning out more #1’s on Billboard, and breaking more records. Earning even a single #1 song isn’t easy for some well known Pop stars out there today, and not everybody has that to their name – but here is Rihanna with 14 #1’s to her name in her 30’s.
3) Elvis Presley – 18
‘The King’ – Elvis Presley shimmied his way to #1 on several occasions during his illustrious career. With women screaming, drooling and fainting over his gorgeous looks, he was one of those stars whose stage-persona became grander than them. And that contributed to the phenomenal singer also turning himself into one of the biggest selling artists of all time – with 18 #1’s to his name.
2) Mariah Carey – 19
Mariah Carey rose in the wake of an era that was very welcoming of Pop divas, who sustained through their powerhouse vocals. Churning out 4 number one hits from her debut LP along in the year 1990, Mariah continued her #1 streaks throughout the 90’s, until she slowed down a bit through the 2000’s, finally earning her 19th chart-topper several years later, with her previously released classic, ‘All I Want For Christmas Is You’ – which peaked at #1 in 2019, 25 years after it was actually released. Among solo artists, Mariah Carey now has more #1’s than any other singer in history.
1) The Beatles – 20
With 20 number one songs, The Beatles have conveniently sat at the top for several decades, with more #1’s to their names than any other artist in history. For years, their record seemed invincible, up until some like Mariah Carey came along and sat so close to their spot. Their first #1 on the charts was ‘I Want to Hold Your Hand’ in the year 1964, the what is even more fantastic is the fact that they achieved the rest of their 19 #1’s within the next 6 years. Their final #1 was ‘The Long And winding Road’ in the year 1970. Phew!
Would be interesting to see if there’s a shift in these rankings in the coming years, considering a number of these artists are still out here making hit records.
Watch out The Beatles-fans for that spot, Mariah Carey is coming for the throne!