Jon Merrill's Pop Music Favorites
FIRST OF ALL:
The Billboard Hot 100 celebrated its 50th Anniversary in summer 2008, the
first one having been dated Saturday,
August 9, 1958. Here was the Top 10 that historic first week:
1. Poor Little Fool - Ricky Nelson
2. Patricia - Perez Prado
3. Splish Splash - Bobby Darin
4. Hard-Headed Woman - Elvis Presley
5. When - The Kalin Twins
6. Rebel Rouser - Duane Eddy
7. Yakety Yak - The Coasters
8. My True Love - Jack Scott
9. Willie And The Hand Jive - Johnny Otis
10. Fever - Peggy Lee
How's that for perhaps history's GREATEST Top 10 ever? Every
single one of the 10 is a super, great record. A lot
different from the the top 10s of today, on which we
are lucky to get maybe a couple of decent songs only.
My Favorites
I
began listening to pop music and following the charts in January 1955 when I
was 9-1/2 years old. The following lists are a small sampling of the best
records I have heard in the past 45 years. The year references are according to
the songs' chart performances in Billboard magazine as compiled by the Joel Whitburn chart books.
My Favorite Records of the 2010s, so far
1. Brighter Than The Sun - Colbie
Caillat
2. Ching Ching Ching - Nikka Costa
3. Why - Erin Torpey
(came out in the 2000s but first heard in 2011)
4. Kiss The Girl - Colbie
Caillat (came out in 2008 but first heard in 2011)
5. O Holy Night - Jackie Evancho
6. I Do - Colbie Caillat
7. Hey Soul Sister - Train
8. Today Was A Fairy Tale - Taylor Swift
9. Angel - Jackie Evancho
10. Ours - Taylor Swift
My Favorite Records of the
2000s
1. In The Ghetto - Elvis Presley/Lisa Marie Presley (2007)
2. Twentieth Century - Alabama (2000)
3. My Sweet Lord 2000 - George Harrison (2000)
4. Where Were You When The World Stopped Turning - Alan Jackson (2002)
5. Good-bye, Earl - Dixie Chicks (2000)
6. I Hope You Dance - Lee Ann Womack (2001)
7. To Washington - John Mellencamp (2003)
8. Ready, Set, Don’t Go - Billy Ray Cyrus/Miley Cyrus (2008)
9. M.Y.O.B. - Deborah Gibson (2001)
10. Charmed Life - Leigh Nash (2003)
My Favorite Records of the
1990s
1. Renegade (Take My Breath Away) - Nikka Costa (1989) (came out in 1989 but heard first in 1990)
2. Come Tomorrow - Patti Scialfa (1993)
3. Make a Little Room - Street Vendors (1994)
4. She's In Love With The Boy - Trisha Yearwood (1991)
5. Swing The Mood - Jive Bunny and the Master Mixers (1990)
6. Black Velvet - Alannah Myles (1990)
7. Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm - Crash Test Dummies (1994)
8. Sweet Tears of Heartache - Carol-Ann Planté (1996)
9. Jessie - Joshua Kadison (1994)
10. Mouth - Merril Bainbridge (1996)
My Favorite Records of the
1980s
1. Only in My Dreams (12" Dance Mix) - Debbie Gibson (1987)
2. Three Times in Love - Tommy James (1980)
3. Tomorrow - Aileen Quinn (1982)
4. Angels - Amy Grant (1985)
5. Graceland - Paul Simon (1987)
6. I Don't Like Mondays - Boomtown Rats (1980)
7. Orinoco Flow (Sail Away) - Enya (1989)
8. Bette Davis Eyes - Kim Carnes (1981)
9. Anchorage - Michelle Shocked (1989)
10. Fascinated (12" Dance Mix) - Company B (1987)
My Favorite Records of the
1970s
1. Maggie May - Rod Stewart (1971)
2. Our Last Song Together - Neil Sedaka (1973)
3. Getting Straight - P. K. Limited (1970)
4. Bohemian Rhapsody - Queen (1976)
5. American Pie - Don McLean (1972)
6. My Sweet Lord - George Harrison (1970)
7. It's a Heartache - Bonnie Tyler (1978)
8. Don't Change My Luck - Suzi Quatro (1979)
9. Garden Party - Rick Nelson (1972)
10. I Feel Love (12" Dance Mix) - Donna Summer (1977)
My Favorite Records of the
1960s
1. Sittin' on a Fence - Twice as Much (1966)
2. My Beautiful People - Melanie (1968)
3. Wonderful Land - Shadows (1962)
4. It Ain't Me, Babe - Turtles (1965)
5. Johnny Angel - Shelley Fabares (1962)
6. Sandy - Larry Hall (1960)
7. The Little Black Egg - Nightcrawlers (1967)
8. Laugh, Laugh - Beau Brummels (1965)
9. As Tears Go By - Marianne Faithfull (1965)
10. Light My Fire (long cut) - Doors (1967) tied with
10. The House of the Rising Sun - Animals (1964)
My Favorite Records of the
1950s
1. Diana - Paul Anka (1957)
2. Sixteen Tons - Tennessee Ernie Ford (1955)
3. Green Door - Jim Lowe (1956)
4. Velvet Waters - Megatrons (1959)
5. Young Love - Sonny James (1957)
6. At the Hop - Danny and the Juniors (1958)
7. Jennie Lee - Jan and Arnie (1958)
8. Fever - Peggy Lee (1958)
9. Guitar Boogie Shuffle - Virtues (1959)
10. Never Be Anyone Else but You - Ricky Nelson (1959)
The Worst Record of All-time
1955-2008
1. Jump - Kris Kross (1992)
While we’re on the subject of “worst,” here are, in my humble opinion…
The 50 WORST songs of the 1960s and 1970s:
1.
Barbara Ann - Beach Boys - 1966
2. I’m
Blue (The Gong-Gong Song) - Ikettes - 1962
3.
Julie Do Ya Love Me - Bobby Sherman - 1970
4.
Since I Fell For You - Lenny Welch - 1963
5. The
Men In My Little Girl’s Life - Mike Douglas - 1966
6.
Angel Baby - Rosie and the Originals - 1961
7. Judy
In Disguise - John Fred and His Playboy Band - 1968
8. Play
That Funky Music - Wild Cherry - 1976
9. A
Groovy Kind Of Love - Mindbenders - 1966
10. Daddy Don’t You Walk So Fast - Wayne Newton -
1972
11. My Ding-A-Ling - Chuck Berry - 1972
12. Tighten Up - Archie Bell and the Drells - 1968
13. Kung Fu Fighting - Carl Douglas - 1974
14. Bottle Of Wine -
Fireballs - 1968
15. I Dig Rock And Roll
Music - Peter, Paul, and Mary - 1967
16. Tell Me Something Good - Rufus - 1974
17. One Less Bell To Answer - Fifth
Dimension - 1970
18. I’m Leaving It Up To
You - Dale and Grace - 1963
19. Please Love Me Forever - Cathy Jean and the
Roommates - 1961
20. Cry Baby - Garnet Mimms
and the Enchanters - 1963
21. The Candy Man - Sammy Davis Jr. - 1972
22. She’s Just My Style - Gary Lewis and the
Playboys - 1966
23. Jungle Boogie - Kool
and the Gang - 1974
24. Don’t Stop ‘Til You
Get Enough - Michael Jackson - 1979
25. Loop De Loop - Johnny Thunder - 1963
26. Duke Of Earl - Gene
Chandler - 1962
27. Hanky Panky - Tommy
James and the Shondells - 1966
28. The Funky Worm - Ohio Players - 1973
29. On Top Of Spaghetti - Tom Glazer - 1963
30. Chick-A-Boom (Don’t Ya
Jes’ Love It) - Daddy Dewdrop - 1971
31. I Shot The Sheriff -
Eric Clapton - 1974
32. Hey There Lonely Girl - Eddie Holman - 1970
33. Valleri - Monkees - 1968
34. Up Up And Away - Fifth Dimension - 1967
35. Fire - Ohio
Players - 1975
36. Tossin’ And Turnin’ - Bobby Lewis - 1961
37. Vacation - Connie Francis - 1962
38. Hello, I Love You - Doors - 1968
39. Bennie And The Jets
- Elton John - 1974
40. Everyday People - Sly and the Family Stone -
1969
41. What A Fool Believes
- Doobie Brothers - 1979
42. Stay Awhile - Bells - 1971
43. Me And Mrs. Jones -
Billy Paul - 1972
44. YMCA - Village People - 1979
45. Iko Iko - Dixie Cups - 1965
46. Yogi - Ivy Three - 1960
47. Let Me In -
Sensations - 1962
48. Hey Girl - Freddie Scott - 1963
49. Over And Over - Dave
Clark Five - 1965
50. That’s Life - Frank Sinatra - 1966
More material forthcoming on
this page
http://www.hingepepper.com/popmusic.htm