Billboard Top 200 Over the Years
History: The Billboard Chart took its current name in 1967. In this blog, we will discuss the number 1 single from the first week in January through 6 consecutive decades (1967-2017). Though the genres may change, some things will just always work for hit songs. Let’s dive in!
1. “I’m A Believer” by the Monkees (#1 the week of January 7th, 1967 until February 11th, 1967. Six weeks at number 1, knocked off by “Kind of a Drag” by the Buckinghams).
Like many of the hits of the 60s and early days of rock n roll, there’s a simple, relatable story setup. The verses quickly express the narrator’s frustration with trying to find love. It establishes the credibility that he’s not some snob who forgot what it’s like to struggle finding love, but then quickly transitions to a chorus saying no more of that cynicism. The chord changes in the “Love was out to get me” and “What’s the use in trying?” sections (I’d call them pre-choruses, but the verses are so short, it’s hard to know), are so quick that you’re forced to pay attention to the progression of the narrator’s feelings immediately–and if you don’t, you’re gonna miss his happiness and continue to be cynical!
2. “You Don’t Have to Be a Star (To Be in My Show)” Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis, Jr. (Number 1 for the week of January 8th, knocked off by Leo Sayer’s “You Make Me Feel Like Dancing” on January 15th)
If rock n roll showed off true musicianship, disco got a reputation for the cheapening of those instrumentals, as well as the lyrical messages–placing more emphasis on being able to dance to the tune, rather than being introspective. But 10 years after “I’m a Believer” hit the top spot, we can still at least see one similarity between the two messages: You don’t have to be anything special in order to find love. The only thing this song did differently than “I’m a Believer” is use a metaphor of a star–as in an actor–instead of a character in a fairytale.
3. “Walk Like an Egyptian” by the Bangles (Number 1 for 2 weeks, from January 3-January 17).
Now I bet you’re wondering what this song has in common with the last two, you’re not alone. I had to take a second listen to a song that I’ve heard numerous times before it hit me: Although this song is a bit of escapism, with the narrator just talking about all the strange people she sees around town, it goes back to one singular commonality. Although all these people have completely different lives, there’s one thing that unites them: They all are walking like Egyptians. So in the first two songs, they’re looking for love, and all they have to do is be themselves. In this song, they don’t want to be themselves, because being themselves means standing out. But being able to go to a donut shop, being in school, at a restaurant, whatever, and being able to “walk like an Egyptian” provides the common escape that everybody needs to go back to what they were doing before.
All of what I just mentioned was my interpretation of the song, without doing any research as to what actually inspired it. The actual inspiration came from a ferry trip across the English Channel with choppy waters. While the waters were raging, all the passengers tip-toed around, and the writer, Liam Sternberg, noticed that they were all walking like Egyptians. So the true common theme is indeed struggling with life, but is more about everyone literally being in the same boat, trying to survive. You don’t have to be a star to be worthy of love and you don’t have to be a star to be in danger of sinking on a ferry either!
4. “Unbreak My Heart” by Toni Braxton (Number 1 for 7 weeks, from January 4th, 1997 until February 22, 1997, unseated by “Wannabe” by the Spice Girls)
This song is built entirely on the vulnerability of wanting someone who let you down. Actually not just wanting them, but needing them to come and heal you, even though they were the one who hurt you. Though the Billboard charts would contain everything from this to Bubble Gum Pop (including other emotionally-driven song) at number 1 throughout the year, “Unbreak My Heart” caught hold because of its universal message and a melody perfect for crying your eyes out.
5. “Irreplaceable” by Beyonce (Number 1 for 7 weeks, from January 6, 2007 until February 24, 2007, unseated by “Say it Right” by Nelly Furtado)
If you thought comparing The Monkees to The Bangles was difficult, comparing “Unbreak My Heart” to “Irreplaceable” is even harder, so I’m not going to even try. In fact, “Irreplaceable” was a hit for the exact opposite reason “Unbreak My Heart” was. By 2007, listeners were ready to hear about a man who broke a woman’s heart, and the woman doesn’t want him to come crawling back. It also builds in a way we’re not used to in pop songs of any kind. Going back to The Monkees, one of the things that made it work was how quickly it dove into the point of the song. But the song starts off with the iconic, “To the left, to the left” line. You’re wondering what she means. Is this another “Cha Cha Slide”, where you’re teaching me how to do the dance as the music plays? No! Everything her ex owns is in a box to the left! She’s kicking him to the curb, insisting, “I can find another you in a minute,” before finally concluding, “Don’t think you’re irreplaceable.” Closing structural note: If you want a pop song from the early 2000s that doesn’t sound like it was written for a Boy Band or Girl Group, this is a fabulous one to check out. It has so many unexpected rhythm changes, paired with memorable lines that don’t just appear in the chorus. It’s absolutely brilliant.
6. “Starboy” by The Weeknd ft. Daft Punk
Similar to “Irreplaceable”, “Starboy” is all about being better off with your current lifestyle than your prior one. There are twinges of talking to someone about how tiny their house is (they need a centerpiece), and it may not be an ex, but it’s certainly someone who’s done the person wrong, who they want to brag to. Without comparing it to anything, rap music tends to flock toward showing off once you’ve gotten out of the struggle, if it’s not talking about the struggle itself. The thing that gives rap an enduring power is that it’s not inherently about a racial struggle, but more about an economic one. And The Weeknd isn’t just successful, he’s a starboy. It’s something maybe not everyone can relate to, but something almost everyone has aspired to at some point in their life. Not mentioned in this chart run, but it’s the same reason why a song like “Travelin’ Band” by Creedence Clearwater Revival is successful. It’s the same reason why it works to make a car commercial imply that your life will be a million times better if you buy that particular vehicle. You may not be able to relate to it firsthand, like you can with the first two songs, but you can relate to the struggle to get there, and not feel bad for the person when he gets there–no matter how he does.
