Let’s make something crystal clear. There are two things at the top of the list when it comes to difficult things for human beings to do. The first is to be in a band—that chemistry experiment is hard. The second is to write a No. 1 hit song—yes, great art is rare! Yet, somehow, there are some people on this good green Earth who are able to achieve both feats at the same time. How? Let’s explore.
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That’s right, we wanted to highlight three bands from the pivotal and influential decade of the 1960s that hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. A trio of classic rock groups from the era that had songs that not only rocketed up the charts but that peaked at the top spot. Indeed, these are three classic rock bands from the 1960s that achieved immortality.
The Rolling Stones
The British-born blues-rock band known as the Rolling Stones saw five of their tunes hit the top spot on the Billboard Hot 100 in the 1960s. They also happen to be some of the band’s best songs, too. Those hits include “Paint It Black”, “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction”, and “Get Off Of My Cloud”. Put those tunes on at any party and watch the attendees begin to tap their toes and shake their hips. Indeed, the Rolling Stones knew how to bring the energy in a room up, up, up.
The Beatles
It comes as no surprise to fans of the Fab Four that they’re on this list. Indeed, the Beatles boast a whopping 20 songs that hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, and all of them came in the decade of the 1960s. The group came into the pop culture landscape with cute songs like “I Want to Hold Your Hand” and “She Loves You” and left the decade with thought-provoking tunes like “Yesterday”. Each sticks to your bones like a home-cooked meal.
The Doors
The Los Angeles-born psychedelic rock group known as the Doors hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 twice in the 1960s, thanks to their tracks “Light My Fire” in 1967 and “Hello, I Love You” in 1968. Led by the poetic and romantic Jim Morrison, the band wrote songs that felt more like fever dreams than musical pieces. Listening to the Doors meant you were inside Morrison’s mind, meandering through all the surreal artifacts floating inside. How lovely!
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