This timeline details the United States best-selling singles by year from 1946 to present day.
Data Source – Billboard USA
See also: United States Best Selling Albums by Year
UK Best Selling Singles by Year
Australia Best Selling Singles by Year
Canada Best Selling Singles by Year
1946
Prisoner of Love – Perry Como
1947
Near to You – Francis Craig
1948
Twelfth Street Rag – Pee Wee Hunt
1949
Riders in the Sky – Vaughn Monroe
1950
Goodnight Irene – Gordon Jenkins and The Weavers
1951
Too Young – Nat King Cole
1952
Blue Tango – Leroy Anderson
1953
The Song From Moulin Rouge (Where is Your Heart) – Percy Faith
1954
Little Things Mean A Lot – Kitty Kallen
1955
Cherry Pink and Apple Blossom White – Perez Prado
1956
Heartbreak Hotel – Elvis Presley
1957
All Shook Up – Elvis Presley
1958
Volare – Domenico Modugno
1959
The Battle of New Orleans – Johnny Horton
1960
Theme from ‘A Summer Place’ – Percy Faith
1961
Tossin’ and Turnin’ – Bobby Lewis
1962
Stranger on the Shore – Acker Bilk
1963
Sugar Shack – Jimmy Gilmer and the Fireballs
1964
I Want to Hold Your Hand – The Beatles
1965
I Can’t Help Myself (Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch) – Four Tops
1966
Ballad of the Green Berets – Barry Sadler
1967
To Sir With Love – Lulu
1968
Hey Jude – The Beatles
1969
Sugar, Sugar – The Archies
1970
Bridge Over Troubled Water – Simon and Garfunkel
1971
Joy To The World – Three Dog Night
1972
The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face – Roberta Flack
1973
Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree – Dawn featuring Tony Orlando
1974
The Way We Were – Barbra Streisand
1975
Love Will Keep Us Together – Captain and Tennille
1976
Silly Love Songs – Wings
1977
Tonight’s the Night – Rod Stewart
1978
Shadow Dancing – Andy Gibb
1979
My Sharona – The Knack
1980
Call Me – Blondie
1981
Bette Davis Eyes – Kim Carnes
1982
Physical – Olivia Newton-John
1983
Every Breath You Take – Police
1984
When Doves Cry – Prince
1985
Careless Whisper – Wham! ft George Michael
1986
That’s What Friends Are For – Dionne Warwick
1987
Walk Like An Egyptian – The Bangles
1988
Faith – George Michael
1989
Look Away – Chicago
1990
Hold On – Wilson Phillips
1991
(Everything I Do) I Do It For You – Bryan Adams
1992
End of the Road – Boyz II Men
1993
I Will Always Love You – Whitney Houston
1994
The Sign – Ace of Base
1995
Gangsta’s Paradise – Coolio
1996
Macarena – Los Del Rio
1997
Candle in the Wind 1997/ Something About The Way You Look Tonight – Elton John
1998
Too Close – Next
1999
Believe – Cher
2000
Smooth – Santana ft Rob Thomas
2001
Maria Maria – Santana
2002
How You Remind Me – Nickelback
2003
In da Club – 50 Cent
2004
Yeah! – Usher
2005
We Belong Together – Mariah Carey
2006
Bad Day – Daniel Powter
2007
Irreplaceable – Beyoncé
2008
Low – Flo Rida
2009
Boom Boom Pow – The Black Eyed Peas
2010
Tik Tok – Kesha
2011
Rolling in the Deep – Adele
2012
Somebody That I Used to Know – Gotye featuring Kimbra
2013
Thrift Shop – Macklemore and Ryan Lewis ft Wanz
2014
Happy – Pharrell Williams
2015
Uptown Funk – Mark Ronson featuring Bruno Mars
2016
Love Yourself – Justin Bieber
2017
Shape of You – Ed Sheeran
2018
God’s Plan – Drake
2019
Old Town Road – Lil Nas X
2020
Blinding Lights – The Weeknd
2021
Levitating – Dua Lipa
Published June 3, 2020 @ 11:47 am – Updated – [last-modified]
Harvard Reference for this page:
Heather Y Wheeler. (2020 – 2021). United States Best Selling Singles by Year 1946 – Present. https://www.thetimelinegeek.com/united-states-best-selling-singles-by-year-1946-present. Last accessed [date]