Quote:
Originally Posted by WalkAThinLine.
I have a book by Fred Bronson titled [Billboard's Hottest Hot 100 Hits][/I] that attempts to quantify the biggest hits of the rock era by assigning a song points based on their chart run. A song earned 500 points for every week they were at the number 1 position, 400 points for every week at the number 2 position, 300 points for the number 3 position, 200 points for the number 4 position, 100 points for the number 5 position, 95 points for the number 6 position, 94 points for the number 7 position, and so on. This methodology rewards songs for both their chart peak and duration on the chart (ex. a song that peaks at #14 but stays on the Hot 100 for 15 weeks could still do better than a song that peaks at #8 but only stays in the Hot 100 for 7 weeks.
According to the book, "Waiting for a Girl Like You" is the 135th most successful song from the years 1955-2007. Meanwhile, "I Want to Know What Loves Is" ranks at #641.
If you're curious, I could also provide you with the top 30 most successful Fleetwood Mac songs on the Billboard Hot 100. The list includes Fleetwood Mac songs in addition to solo material from Christine McVie, Lindsey Buckingham, and Stevie Nicks, but not Bob Welch and Dave Mason, who would have otherwise had songs on the list had they been included.
|
Yes if you take that formula and philosophy Hold Me is Fleetwood Mac's biggest hit. Dreams is their only #1. As I mentioned earlier, Foreigner has this debate too because you will always here that "I Want To Know What Love Is" was their biggest "hit" because it was #1 for a few weeks.
A #1 song gives bragging rights. Most dont care about weeks on charts.
One of the most fascinating chart stories is Paul Davis's, I Go Crazy. It spent over 9 months on the Billboard charts. It peaked only at #7 but slowly rose and then would not drop off the charts. It ended 1978 as the 12th biggest hit that year even though it never came close to the #1 spot. It was released in August 1977 but did not peak until April 1978. That's insane.
"I Go Crazy" is a song written, composed, and recorded by American singer-songwriter Paul Davis. It was the first single released from his 1977 album Singer of Songs: Teller of Tales, and his second-highest peaking pop hit, peaking at #7 on the Billboard chart in 1978. The song entered the Billboard US Hot 100 pop singles chart on 27 August 1977 and began slowly climbing, peaking in March and April 1978, before dropping off the chart the week after 27 May 1978. Overall, it spent 40 weeks (nine months and one week) on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, setting what was then the record for the longest run on that chart, of consecutive weeks or not