DECEMBER 21
  • The #1 song in the U.S.A. on this date in history, according to Billboard magazine.
  • If you have a Rhapsody account, clicking on one of its links will allow you to hear the entire song and give you the option to purchase it.
  • If you have iTunes software installed, clicking on one of its links will allow you to hear a portion of the song and give you the option to purchase it.
  • If the song is not available in Rhapsody or iTunes, a link to Amazon or an informational website may be provided.
  • You can purchase more detailed historical data from Billboard research services or  Record Research.

© 2012 Billboard/Nielsen Business Media, Inc. All rights reserved.
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THE 2010s

2011 We Found Love Rihanna featuring Calvin Harris YouTube Rhapsody iTunes
2010 Firework Katy Perry YouTube Rhapsody iTunes

THE 2000s

2009 Empire State of Mind Jay-Z + Alicia Keys YouTube Rhapsody iTunes
2008 Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It) Beyoncé YouTube Rhapsody iTunes
2007 No One Alicia Keys YouTube Rhapsody iTunes
2006 Irreplaceable Beyoncé YouTube Rhapsody iTunes
2005 Run It! Chris Brown YouTube Rhapsody iTunes
2004 Drop It Like It's Hot Snoop Dogg featuring Pharrell YouTube Rhapsody iTunes
2003 Hey Ya! OutKast YouTube Rhapsody iTunes
2002 Lose Yourself Eminem YouTube Rhapsody iTunes
2001 How You Remind Me Nickelback YouTube Rhapsody iTunes
2000 Independent Women Part I Destiny's Child YouTube Rhapsody iTunes

THE 1990s

1999 Smooth Santana featuring Rob Thomas YouTube Rhapsody iTunes
1998 I'm Your Angel R. Kelly & Celine Dion YouTube Rhapsody iTunes
1997 Something About the Way You Look Tonight/
Candle in the Wind 1997		 Elton John YouTube/

YouTube

 Rhapsody/

Amazon/

 iTunes/

Amazon
1996 Un-Break My Heart Toni Braxton YouTube Rhapsody iTunes
1995 One Sweet Day Mariah Carey & Boyz II Men YouTube Rhapsody iTunes
1994 Here Comes the Hotstepper Ini Kamoze YouTube Rhapsody iTunes
1993 Hero Mariah Carey YouTube Rhapsody iTunes
1992 I Will Always Love You Whitney Houston YouTube Rhapsody iTunes
1991 Black or White Michael Jackson YouTube Rhapsody iTunes
1990 Because I Love You (The Postman Song) Stevie B YouTube Amazon  

THE 1980s

1989 Another Day in Paradise Phil Collins YouTube Rhapsody iTunes
1988 Every Rose Has Its Thorn Poison YouTube Rhapsody iTunes
1987 Faith George Michael YouTube Rhapsody iTunes
1986 Walk Like an Egyptian The Bangles YouTube Rhapsody iTunes
1985 Say You, Say Me Lionel Richie YouTube Rhapsody iTunes
1984 Like a Virgin Madonna YouTube Rhapsody iTunes
1983 Say, Say, Say Paul McCartney & Michael Jackson YouTube Rhapsody iTunes
1982 Maneater Daryl Hall & John Oates YouTube Rhapsody iTunes
1981 Physical Olivia Newton-John YouTube Rhapsody iTunes
1980 (Just Like) Starting Over John Lennon YouTube Rhapsody iTunes

THE 1970s

1979 Escape (The Piña Colada Song) Rupert Holmes Rhapsody iTunes
1978 Le Freak Chic Rhapsody iTunes
1977 How Deep Is Your Love The Bee Gees Rhapsody iTunes
1976 Tonight's the Night (Gonna Be Alright) Rod Stewart Rhapsody iTunes
1975 Let's Do It Again The Staple Singers Rhapsody iTunes
1974 Cat's in the Cradle Harry Chapin Rhapsody iTunes
1973 The Most Beautiful Girl Charlie Rich Rhapsody iTunes
1972 Me and Mrs. Jones Billy Paul Rhapsody iTunes
1971 Brand New Key Melanie Rhapsody iTunes
1970 My Sweet Lord/
Isn't It a Pity		 George Harrison   iTunes/
iTunes

THE 1960s

1969 Someday We'll Be Together Diana Ross & the Supremes Rhapsody iTunes
1968 I Heard It Through the Grapevine Marvin Gaye Rhapsody iTunes
1967 Daydream Believer The Monkees Rhapsody iTunes
1966 Winchester Cathedral The New Vaudeville Band Rhapsody iTunes
1965 Over and Over The Dave Clark Five Amazon  
1964 I Feel Fine The Beatles Amazon  
1963 Dominique The Singing Nun Amazon  
1962 Telstar The Tornadoes Rhapsody iTunes
1961 The Lion Sleeps Tonight The Tokens Rhapsody iTunes
1960 Are You Lonesome Tonight Elvis Presley Rhapsody iTunes

THE 1950s

1959 Heartaches by the Number Guy Mitchell Rhapsody iTunes
1958 The Chipmunk Song David Seville & the Chipmunks Rhapsody iTunes
1957 April Love Pat Boone Rhapsody iTunes
1956 Singing the Blues Guy Mitchell Rhapsody iTunes
1955 Sixteen Tons Tennessee Ernie Ford Rhapsody iTunes
1954 Mr. Sandman The Chordettes Rhapsody iTunes
1953 Rags to Riches Tony Bennett Rhapsody iTunes
1952 I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus Jimmy Boyd Rhapsody iTunes
1951 Sin (It's No Sin) Eddy Howard Rhapsody iTunes
1950 The Thing Phil Harris Rhapsody iTunes

THE 1940s

1949 Mule Train Frankie Laine Rhapsody iTunes
1948 Buttons and Bows Dinah Shore Rhapsody iTunes
1947 Ballerina Vaughn Monroe Rhapsody iTunes
1946 Ole Buttermilk Sky Kay Kyser Rhapsody iTunes
1945 It's Been a Long, Long Time Harry James Rhapsody iTunes
1944 Don't Fence Me In Bing Crosby & the Andrews Sisters Rhapsody iTunes
1943 Paper Doll The Mills Brothers Rhapsody iTunes
1942 White Christmas Bing Crosby Rhapsody iTunes
1941 Chattanooga Choo Choo Glenn Miller Rhapsody iTunes
1940 Frenesi Artie Shaw Rhapsody iTunes

THE 1930s

1939 Scatter-Brain Frankie Masters Rhapsody iTunes
1938 You Must Have Been a Beautiful Baby Bing Crosby Rhapsody iTunes
1937 The Dipsy Doodle Tommy Dorsey Rhapsody iTunes
1936 Pennies from Heaven Bing Crosby Rhapsody iTunes
1935 On Treasure Island Tommy Dorsey Rhapsody iTunes
1934 Stay as Sweet as You Are Jimmie Grier Rhapsody iTunes
1933 Did You Ever See a Dream Walking? Eddy Duchin Rhapsody iTunes
1932 Night and Day Fred Astaire with Leo Reisman Rhapsody iTunes
1931 Tiger Rag The Mills Brothers Rhapsody iTunes
1930 You're Driving Me Crazy! (What Did I Do?) Guy Lombardo Rhapsody iTunes

THE 1920s

1929 Tip Toe Through the Tulips Nick Lucas Rhapsody iTunes
1928 Sonny Boy Al Jolson Rhapsody iTunes
1927 My Blue Heaven Gene Austin Rhapsody iTunes
1926 The Birth of the Blues Paul Whiteman Rhapsody iTunes
1925 The Prisoner's Song Vernon Dalhart Rhapsody iTunes
1924 Somebody Loves Me Paul Whiteman   iTunes
1923 No, No, Nora Eddie Cantor Rhapsody iTunes
1922 Three O'Clock in the Morning Paul Whiteman Rhapsody iTunes
1921 Say It with Music Paul Whiteman Rhapsody iTunes
1920 Whispering Paul Whiteman Rhapsody iTunes

THE 1910s

1919 ... "Oh! What a Pal Was Mary" by Henry Burr
1918 ... "I'm Always Chasing Rainbows" by Charles Harrison
1917 ... "Over There" by American Quartet
1916 ... "Turn Back the Universe and Give Me Yester Day" by Harry MacDonough & Orpheus Quartet
1915 ... "They Didn't Believe Me" by Harry MacDonough & Olive Kline
1914 ... "It's a Long, Long Way to Tipperary" by American Quartet
1913 ... "Peg O' My Heart" by Charles Harrison
1912 ... "Be My Little Baby Bumble Bee" by Ada Jones & Billy Murray
1911 ... "Let Me Call You Sweetheart" by Columbia Male Quartet (Peerless Quartet)
1910 ... "Meet Me To-Night in Dreamland" by Henry Burr

THE 1900s

1909 ... "Put On Your Old Gray Bonnet" by Haydn Quartet
1908 ... "Sunbonnet Sue" by Harry MacDonough & Haydn Quartet
1907 ... "Let's Take an Old-Fashioned Walk" by Ada Jones & Billy Murray
1906 ... "Love Me and the World Is Mine" by Henry Burr
1905 ... "Where the Morning Glories Twine Around the Door" by Byron G. Harlan
1904 ... "You're the Flower of My Heart, Sweet Adeline" by Columbia Male Quartet (Peerless Quartet)
1903 ... "Any Rags?" by Arthur Collins
1902 ... "Under the Bamboo Tree" by Arthur Collins
1901 ... "Any Old Place I Hang My Hat Is 'Home, Sweet Home' to Me" by Will Denny
1900 ... "When You Were Sweet Sixteen" by George J. Gaskin

THE 1890s

1899 ... "I'd Leave My Happy Home for You" by Arthur Collins
1898 ... "My Old New Hampshire Home" by George J. Gaskin
1897 ... "On the Banks of the Wabash" by George J. Gaskin
1896 ... "A Hot Time in the Old Town" by Dan Quinn
1895 ... "The Little Lost Child" by Dan Quinn
1894 ... "And Her Golden Hair Was Hanging Down Her Back" by Dan Quinn
1893 ... "The Fatal Wedding" by George J. Gaskin
1892 ... "Love's Old Sweet Song" by Thomas Bott
1891 ... "Drill, Ye Terriers, Drill" by George J. Gaskin