The top song that came out the year you were born

Callie Ahlgrim,Kirsten AcunaDec 28, 2022, 02:03 IST

Dave Bayley of Glass Animals, Nat King Cole, and Kesha.Matthew Baker/Metronome/Jerritt Clark/Getty Images

Insider looked at Billboard's year-end No. 1 singles since 1940 to determine the top song from each year.
The list includes Bing Crosby, Elvis Presley, Prince, Whitney Houston, Adele, Dua Lipa, and more.

1940: "I'll Never Smile Again" — Tommy Dorsey

Tommy Dorsey.Getty Images

1941: "Amapola (Pretty Little Poppy)" — Jimmy Dorsey

Jimmy Dorsey.Hulton Archive via Getty Images

1942: "White Christmas" — Bing Crosby

Vera-Ellen, Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney, and Bing Crosby in "White Christmas."Paramount/Getty Images

1943: "I've Heard That Song Before" — Harry James

Harry James in a scene from "Springtime in the Rockies."Bettmann via Getty Images

1944: "Swinging on a Star" — Bing Crosby

Bing Crosby at the 1945 Oscars.Bettmann via Getty Images

1945: "'Till the End of Time" — Perry Como

Perry Como.Bettmann / Contributor via Getty Images

1946: "The Gypsy" — The Ink Spots

The Ink Spots.Getty Images

1947: "Near You" — Francis Craig

Music for "Near You" featuring Francis Craig on the cover.ronpoxify/YouTube

1948: "Buttons and Bows" — Dinah Shore

Dinah Shore won best female singer at the 1956 Emmys.AP Photo

1949: "Riders in the Sky (A Cowboy Legend)" — Vaughn Monroe

Vaughn Monroe.PoPsie Randolph/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

1950: "Goodnight, Irene" — Gordon Jenkins and The Weavers

Gordon Jenkins.Archive Photos/Getty Images

1951: "Too Young" — Nat King Cole

Nat King Cole.Smith Collection/Gado/Getty Images

1952: "Blue Tango" — Leroy Anderson

Leroy Anderson.Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

1953: "The Song From Moulin Rouge (Where Is Your Heart)" — Percy Faith

Zsa Zsa Gabor in "Moulin Rouge."Baron/Getty Image

1954: "Little Things Mean A Lot" — Kitty Kallen

Kitty Kallen.CBS via Getty Images

1955: "Cherry Pink (and Apple Blossom White)"— Pérez Prado

Pérez Prado.YouTube

1956: "Heartbreak Hotel" — Elvis Presley

Elvis performs in 1957.AP Photo/File

1957: "All Shook Up" — Elvis Presley

Elvis Presley performing at the Mississippi-Alabama State Fair in Mississippi on September 27, 1956.AP Photo/RCA Victor

1958: "Nel Blu Dipinto di Blu (Volare)" — Domenico Modugno

Domenico Modugno.AP Photo/File

1959: "The Battle of New Orleans" — Johnny Horton

Johnny Horton.YouTube

1960: "Theme From a Summer Place" — Percy Faith

"A Summer Place."Warner Bros.

1961: "Tossin' and Turnin'" — Bobby Lewis

Bobby Lewis.YouTube

1962: "Big Girls Don't Cry" — Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons

Frankie Valli & the Four Seasons.Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images

1963: "Surfin' U.S.A." — The Beach Boys

The Beach Boys.Shutterstock / Thomas Owen Martin

1964: "I Want to Hold Your Hand" — The Beatles

The Beatles.Getty Images

1965: "I Can't Help Myself" — Four Tops

The Four Tops.YouTube

1966: "The Ballad of the Green Berets" — Staff Sergeant Barry Allen Sadler

Barry Sadler was an American soldier, singer, songwriter, and author.When The Cowboy Sings

1967: "Respect" — Aretha Franklin

Aretha Franklin.Express Newspapers/Getty Images

1968: "Hey Jude" — The Beatles

The Beatles.AP

1969: "Sugar, Sugar" — The Archies

"The Archie Show."The Archies/YouTube

1970: "Bridge Over Troubled Water" — Simon & Garfunkel

Art Garfunkel and Paul Simon at the 1971 Grammys.AP Photo

1971: "Joy to the World" — Three Dog Night

Three Dog Night.YouTube

1972: "Let's Stay Together" — Al Green

Al Green.AP PHOTO/L.M. Otero

1973: "Let's Get It On" — Marvin Gaye

Marvin Gaye.AP Photo/Nancy Kaye

1974: "The Way We Were" — Barbra Streisand

Barbra Streisand.AP Photo/HC

1975: "Love Will Keep Us Together" — Captain & Tennille

Daryl Dragon and Toni Tennille.AP Photo

1976: "Silly Love Songs" — Wings

Paul McCartney and his wife, Linda, in Wings.AP Photo

1977: "Tonight's The Night (Gonna Be Alright)" — Rod Stewart

Rod Stewart recording a TV special in 1976.Central Press/Getty Images

1978: "Shadow Dancing" — Andy Gibb

Andy Gibb.AP Photo/Ron Frehm

1979: "My Sharona" — The Knack

The Knack.YouTube

1980: "Call Me" — Blondie

Debbie Harry, aka Blondie.AP Photo/Kevork Djansezian

1981: "Bette Davis Eyes" — Kim Carnes

Kim Carnes.Rick Diamond/Getty Images for CMHOF

1982: "Physical" — Olivia Newton-John

Olivia Newton-John.Olivia Newton-John/YouTube

1983: "Every Breath You Take" — The Police

Sting, Stewart Copeland, and Andy Summers.Showtime/Courtesy of Getty Images

1984: "When Doves Cry" — Prince

Prince.AP Photo/Liu Heung Shing, File

1985: "Careless Whisper" — George Michael

George Michael.Michael Putland/Getty Images

1986: "That's What Friends Are For" — Dionne Warwick featuring Elton John, Gladys Knight, and Stevie Wonder

Dionne Warwick, Stevie Wonder, and Gladys Knight.AP Photo/Mark Avery

1987: "Walk Like An Egyptian" — The Bangles

A still from The Bangles' music video for "Walk Like an Egyptian."TheBanglesVEVO/YouTube

1988: "Faith" — George Michael

George Michael.DR/AAD/STAR MAX/IPx via AP

1989: "Look Away" — Chicago

A still from the "Look Away" music video.Rhino/YouTube

1990: "Hold On" — Wilson Phillips

Wilson Phillips in the music video for "Hold On."WilsonPhillipsVEVO

1991: "(Everything I Do) I Do It For You" — Bryan Adams

Bryan Adams.AP photo/Adrian Dennis

1992: "End Of The Road" — Boyz II Men

Mike McCary, Nathan Vanderpool, Wanya Morris, and Shawn Stockman.AP Photo/Reed Saxon

1993: "I Will Always Love You" — Whitney Houston

Whitney Houston.AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill

1994: "The Sign" — Ace of Base

Ace of Base.AP Photo/Magnus Torle

1995: "Gangsta's Paradise" — Coolio featuring L.V.

Coolio.Tim Mosenfelder/Getty Images

1996: "Macarena" — Los del Rio

A still from the music video for "Macarena."YouTube

1997: "Something About The Way You Look Tonight" — Elton John

Elton John.AP Photo/Paul Hackett, Pool

1998: "Too Close" — Next

Next in their music video for "Too Close."NextVEVO/YouTube

1999: "Believe" — Cher

Cher.Photo/Christof Stache

2000: "Breathe" — Faith Hill

Faith Hill.AP Photo/Dave Martin

2001: "Hanging By A Moment" — Lifehouse

Jason Wade of Lifehouse.AP Photo/Evan Agostini

2002: "How You Remind Me" — Nickelback

Chad Kroeger of Nickelback.Dan Regan/Getty Images

2003: "In Da Club" — 50 Cent

50 Cent.Vince Bucci/Getty Images

2004: "Yeah!" — Usher featuring Lil' Jon and Ludacris

Usher.Carlo Allegri/Getty Images

2005: "We Belong Together" — Mariah Carey

Mariah Carey.Kevin Winter/Getty Image

2006: "Bad Day" — Daniel Powter

Daniel Powter.Jo Hale/Getty Images

2007: "Irreplaceable" — Beyoncé

Beyoncé.James Devaney/WireImage

2008: "Low" — Flo Rida featuring T-Pain

Flo Rida.AP Photo/Matt Sayles

2009: "Boom Boom Pow" — The Black Eyed Peas

Fergie in the music video for "Boom Boom Pow."BlackEyedPeasVevo/YouTube

2010: "Tik Tok" — Kesha

Kesha in the music video for "Tik Tok."Kesha/YouTube

2011: "Rolling In The Deep" — Adele

Adele in the music video for "Rolling in the Deep."Adele/YouTube

2012: "Somebody That I Used To Know" — Gotye featuring Kimbra

Gotye and Kimbra in the music video for "Somebody That I Used to Know."gotyemusic/YouTube

2013: "Thrift Shop" — Macklemore & Ryan Lewis featuring Wanz

Macklemore in the music video for "Thrift Shop."Macklemore/YouTube

2014: "Happy" — Pharrell Williams

Pharrell Williams in the music video for "Happy."Pharrell/YouTube

2015: "See You Again" — Wiz Khalifa featuring Charlie Puth

Paul Walker (center) in "Furious 7."Wiz Khalifa/YouTube, Universal

2016: "Love Yourself" — Justin Bieber

Justin Bieber.Christopher Polk/Getty Images

2017: "Despacito" — Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee featuring Justin Bieber

Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee.Matt Sayles/Invision/AP

2018: "God's Plan" — Drake

Drake in the music video for "God's Plan."Drake/YouTube

2019: "Old Town Road" by Lil Nas X featuring Billy Ray Cyrus

Lil Nas X and Billy Ray Cyrus in the music video for "Old Town Road."Lil Nas X/YouTube

2020: "Blinding Lights" by The Weeknd

The Weeknd.The Weeknd/YouTube

2021: "Levitating" by Dua Lipa

Dua Lipa.Dua Lipa/Warner Records UK

2022: "Heat Waves" by Glass Animals

Dave Bayley of Glass Animals.Matthew Baker/Getty Images

From Megan Thee Stallion's cameo in 'She-Hulk' to Michelle Obama's guest appearance in 'Blackish,' here are 10 celebrity cameos that made you do a double take this year

Cookies on the Business Insider India website