Pick a Day

Music History Events: Charts

September 21, 1959 Santo and Johnny's "Sleep Walk" hits #1 for the first of two weeks.

August 24, 1959 The Browns' "The Three Bells" hits #1 for the first of four weeks.

August 10, 1959 Elvis Presley's "A Big Hunk O' Love" hits #1.

July 31, 1959 Cliff Richard charts his first UK #1 hit with "Living Doll," which becomes the top-selling single of 1959 in Britain.

July 13, 1959 Paul Anka's "Lonely Boy" hits #1 for the first of four weeks.

June 8, 1959 Bobby Darin's "Dream Lover" reaches its chart peak of #2 in America. His next single is something quite different: a song about a murderous cad called "Mack The Knife." That one goes to #1.

June 3, 1959 Billboard magazine responds to the growing popularity of stereophonic recordings by splitting its album chart in two: one chart for mono, one for stereo.

June 1, 1959 Johnny Horton's "Battle of New Orleans," about a real battle in the War of 1812, hits #1 on both the country and pop charts in the US.

May 18, 1959 Wilbert Harrison's "Kansas City," written by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, hits #1 in America.

May 11, 1959 "The Happy Organ" by Dave "Baby" Cortez goes to #1 in America, marking the first time an instrumental song featuring on organ tops the chart.

April 13, 1959 The Fleetwoods' "Come Softly To Me" hits #1.

March 9, 1959 Frankie Avalon's "Venus" hits #1 in America.

February 9, 1959 Lloyd Price's "Stagger Lee" hits #1 for the first of four weeks.

January 19, 1959 The Platters' "Smoke Gets In Your Eyes" is on top of the Billboard Pop Chart.

December 15, 1958 Billboard declares "Volare" by Domenico Modugno the best-selling single of 1958.

December 1, 1958 The Teddy Bears' "To Know Him Is To Love Him" hits #1 for the first of three weeks.

November 24, 1958 The Kingston Trio's LP The Kingston Trio hits #1.

November 17, 1958 The Kingston Trio's "Tom Dooley" hits #1 in America.

November 10, 1958 Conway Twitty's "It's Only Make Believe" hits #1 for the first of two weeks.

September 29, 1958 Tommy Edwards' "It's All In The Game" hits #1, where it stays for six weeks.

August 25, 1958 The Elegants' "Little Star," an adaptation of "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star," hits #1 in America.

August 18, 1958 Domenico Modugno's "Nel Blu, Dipinto di Blu (Volare)" hits #1 for the first of five weeks.

July 21, 1958 The Coasters' "Yakety Yak" hits #1.

July 21, 1958 Elvis Presley's "Hard Headed Woman" hits #1 for the first of two weeks.

June 5, 1958 The first-ever greatest hits compilation, Johnny Mathis' Johnny's Greatest Hits goes #1 in America. It stays on the chart for nine years.

May 12, 1958 The Everly Brothers' "All I Have to Do Is Dream" hits #1 for the first of five weeks.

April 28, 1958 David Seville's "Witch Doctor" hits #1. The song is his first using sped-up vocals to create the squeaky sound that later becomes The Chipmunks.

April 21, 1958 The Platters' "Twilight Time" hits #1.

February 24, 1958 The Silhouettes' "Get A Job" hits #1.

February 10, 1958 Elvis Presley's "Don't" hits #1 for the first of five weeks.