Elvis And The Hot 100

Everyone loves countdowns-those arbitrary lists that needle their way into our brains, trying to represent some sort of meaning by ranking the “best-of” songs, artists or albums in particular rank and file. T.V. channels have been devoted to them and some careers have been momentarily resurrected because of them, but for most of us they are simply another form of revisiting the subjects we love and cherish.

Everyone loves countdowns-those arbitrary lists that needle their way into our brains, trying to represent some sort of meaning by ranking the “best-of” songs, artists or albums in particular rank and file. T.V. channels have been devoted to them and some careers have been momentarily resurrected because of them, but for most of us they are simply another form of revisiting the subjects we love and cherish.

That said, Billboard released their own countdown rehash that has thrown many devoted music fans into an existential hornet’s nest. Many are already aware of Mariah Carey’s recent coup of the charts for most No.1 Hit Singles over the history of a career, but Billboard released an all-time countdown of the leaders in Hot 100 chart toppers that might be very debatable.

The title, which is synonymous with most popular hit singles predictably places Mariah Carey at the top. But Elvis, the man with 17 chart-shattering hip teasers is ranked No. 14, alongside Phil Collins. I know, I know, we ask… is Phil Collins worthy? Regardless, the reason Elvis sits where he does is because he reigned in 10 of his 17 hit singles before the Hot 100 was even created. Before that, it was merely known as Billboard’s Top 100 with chart numbers based on radio play, jukebox usage and retail sales. But in an effort to brand the fledgling music publication (and lift its esteem in the industry), it changed to the Hot 100 in early August, 1958. Before that, Elvis rested at the top of the charts during 57 of the 141 weeks since the magazine’s creation in 1955.

Director of Charts, Geoff Mayfield responded to the recent fan backfire in a letter to Reuters. “We are not pretending that the observation of the chart’s 50th anniversary is anything more than a look at those 50 specific years. We take great care to couch comparisons of younger artists’ Hot 100 feats to those of Elvis, by informing readers that his chart feats predated the Hot 100’s launch.” Now that’s proof that it’s always relative.