During their reign, The Beatles were the No. 1 band in the world. You can argue that fact until you’re blue in the face, but that is the reality, and the numbers prove it. In the roughly eight years they were together, The Beatles had 20 No. 1 hits and 19 No. 1 albums. Needless to say, they dominated the charts, and consequently, they kicked these three iconic songs from No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100.
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“Let It Be” & “Bridge Over Troubled Water” by Simon & Garfunkel
Both of these songs are certainly among the greatest of all time. Without context, determining which song knocked the other out of the No. 1 spot is a coin toss. In 1970, Simon & Garfunkel’s “Bridge Over Troubled Water” peaked at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for six consecutive weeks. However, when “Let It Be” was released, that changed.
A month after the release of “Let It Be”, The Beatles booted Simon & Garfunkel’s “Bridge Over Troubled Water” from the top spot. Subsequently, the iconic Beatles single stayed at the No. 1 spot for two weeks. It was the band’s penultimate No. 1 hit on the chart.
“Paperback Writer” & “Paint It Black” by The Rolling Stones
In 1966, the Rolling Stones’ early smash hit, “Paint It Black”, peaked at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and remained there for two consecutive weeks. Like clockwork, The Beatles swooped in and claimed the top spot on the chart with “Paperback Writer”.
Released in May of 1966, “Paperback Writer” took over the No. 1 spot roughly a month after its release. Following its No. 1 placement, the quintessential Beatles number spent two non-consecutive weeks at No. 1 on the chart. Despite overtaking the Stones, “Paint It Black” is still remembered as one of the greatest songs of 1966.
“Help!” & Sonny & Cher’s “I Got You Babe”
In addition to preventing Bob Dylan’s “Like A Rolling Stone” from hitting No.1, “Help!” also ended the reign of Sonny & Cher’s “I Got You Babe”. Released in 1965, “I Got You Babe” reached the top spot on the chart in August of that year. Before “Help!” kicked it off its first-place pedestal, Sonny & Cher’s single spent three weeks at No. 1.
In September of 1965, The Beatles’ “Help!” went to No. 1 and remained there for three weeks as well. Impressively, it was The Beatles’ fourth consecutive single on the Billboard Hot 100. So, to an extent, Sonny & Cher were bound to get taken over by The Beatles, because they were rolling.
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