List of Billboard Hot 100 number ones of 1969

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The Billboard Hot 100 is a chart published since August 1958 by Billboard magazine which ranks the best-performing singles in the United States.[1] In 1969, it was compiled based on a combination of sales and airplay data sourced from surveys of retail outlets and playlists submitted by radio stations respectively.[1] During the year, 17 different singles spent time at number one.

A black-and-white photograph of the musical group the 5th Dimension performing on stage with a backing band
The 5th Dimension had two chart-toppers in 1969.

In 1969's first issue of Billboard, "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" by Marvin Gaye was at number one, retaining its position from the final chart of 1968.[2] In February, Sly & the Family Stone topped the chart for the first time with "Everyday People";[3] the 5th Dimension achieved the same feat in April with "Medley: Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In (The Flesh Failures)", from the soundtrack of the stage musical Hair (1967).[4] The medley topped the Hot 100 for six consecutive weeks, one of two singles during the year to spend six weeks at number one. The 5th Dimension returned to the top spot in November with "Wedding Bell Blues" and was one of only two acts to take more than one single to number one during the year; their total of nine weeks in the top spot was the most achieved by any act in 1969. The group's first number one was replaced in the peak position by "Get Back" by the Beatles with Billy Preston. Other than two re-issued singles on which the Beatles had acted as the backing band for the singer Tony Sheridan prior to their rise to fame, "Get Back" is the only Hot 100 entry on which another musician received joint credit with the band.[5] It was the 17th number one for the Beatles but the first appearance on the Hot 100 for Preston, who went on to achieve two solo chart-toppers.[6] The Beatles returned to number one in November with the double A-sided single "Come Together" / "Something" and were the second act with more than one number one during 1969.

Five more acts gained their first Hot 100 number ones between June and December. The arranger and orchestra leader Henry Mancini, who had regularly charted during the 1960s with film and television themes, reached number one for the first time with "Love Theme from Romeo and Juliet", taken from the 1968 film adaptation of the Shakespeare play directed by Franco Zeffirelli.[7] Zager and Evans spent six weeks at number one in July and August with "In the Year 2525 (Exordium and Terminus)", tying for the year's longest-running chart-topper. Despite this, it was the only single which the duo ever placed on the Hot 100, leaving them viewed as a one-hit wonder.[8][9] In September, "Sugar, Sugar" was the first Hot 100 number one for the Archies.[10] The group was a fictional one consisting of characters from the animated television series The Archie Show, based on the comic books published by Archie Comics;[10] the male and female vocals on the record were provided by the session singers Ron Dante and Toni Wine respectively.[10] In December, Steam reached number one for the first and only time with "Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye" and Peter, Paul and Mary did the same with "Leaving on a Jet Plane".[11] The year's final number one was "Someday We'll Be Together" by Diana Ross & the Supremes. It was officially the final Supremes single to feature Diana Ross as lead vocalist before she departed for a solo career but was itself effectively a Ross solo single, as Mary Wilson and Cindy Birdsong, the group's other members, did not perform on it and were replaced by session singers.[12][13]

Chart history

A black-and-white close-up portrait of a smiling Billy Preston with a prominent afro hairstyle and beard
Billy Preston is one of only two musicians to have received joint billing on a Hot 100 entry by the Beatles.
A black-and-white promotional headshot of Henry Mancini wearing a classic tuxedo and bow tie
Henry Mancini took "Love Theme from Romeo and Juliet" to number one.
A black-and-white photograph of the three members of the Supremes sitting together indoors
"Someday We'll Be Together" was the final single by the Supremes to feature lead singer Diana Ross (right).
A black-and-white promotional photograph of Elvis Presley posing in a striped shirt and dark jacket in front of a jail cell backdrop
"Suspicious Minds" was the final Hot 100 number one for Elvis Presley.[14]
More information No., Issue date ...
Chart history
No.[a] Issue date Title Artist(s) Ref.
210 January 4 "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" Marvin Gaye [2]
January 11 [16]
January 18 [17]
January 25 [18]
211 February 1 "Crimson and Clover" Tommy James and the Shondells [19]
February 8 [20]
212 February 15 "Everyday People" Sly & the Family Stone [21]
February 22 [22]
March 1 [23]
March 8 [24]
213 March 15 "Dizzy" Tommy Roe [25]
March 22 [26]
March 29 [27]
April 5 [28]
214 April 12 "Medley: Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In (The Flesh Failures)" The 5th Dimension [29]
April 19 [30]
April 26 [31]
May 3 [32]
May 10 [33]
May 17 [34]
215 May 24 "Get Back" The Beatles with Billy Preston [35]
May 31 [36]
June 7 [37]
June 14 [38]
June 21 [39]
216 June 28 "Love Theme from Romeo and Juliet" Henry Mancini [40]
July 5 [41]
217 July 12 "In the Year 2525 (Exordium and Terminus)" Zager and Evans [42]
July 19 [43]
July 26 [44]
August 2 [45]
August 9 [46]
August 16 [47]
218 August 23 "Honky Tonk Women" The Rolling Stones [48]
August 30 [49]
September 6 [50]
September 13 [51]
219 September 20 "Sugar, Sugar" The Archies [52]
September 27 [53]
October 4 [54]
October 11 [55]
220 October 18 "I Can't Get Next to You" The Temptations [56]
October 25 [57]
221 November 1 "Suspicious Minds" Elvis Presley [58]
222 November 8 "Wedding Bell Blues" The 5th Dimension [59]
November 15 [60]
November 22 [61]
223 November 29 "Come Together" / "Something"[b] The Beatles [62]
224 December 6 "Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye" Steam [63]
December 13 [64]
225 December 20 "Leaving on a Jet Plane" Peter, Paul and Mary [65]
226 December 27 "Someday We'll Be Together" Diana Ross & the Supremes [66]
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Notes

  1. The "No." column indicates the numerical sequence of number ones in Hot 100 history.[15]

Number-one artists

See also

References

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