Posted by Rich Appel on September 11, 2008 at 11:41:40:
In Reply to: Re: Re: Re: Chubby #1 Of ALL TIME According to Billboard! posted by Mike Riccio on September 11, 2008 at 08:35:04:
Worth noting while perusing this list:
1. It's a ranking not a songs or singles but rather of "chart entries." When the Hot 100 began it ranked "sides" of 45s, which changed in 1969 when both sides were shown as one entry. That switched back to sides/songs in the late '80s, back to singles again when SoundScan was used, then back to songs again when tracks not commercially released were allowed to chart. Which is why the Jewel and Elton John songs reflect data for 2 songs, the highest-charting at any point, and why, for example "I Saw Her Standing There" isn't shown with "I Want to Hold Your Hand."
2. It's a ranking based on whatever the Hot 100 was at any time. Meaning there's still a heavy bias towards 1991-forward given longer chart runs, even with the 'cutoff rules' now. BB cut off chart runs as a matter of course during those earlier years, there was just no announced rule. But that's also a reflection of how the most powerful stations in the country would drop a song from their weekly lists from as high a spot as #4, if there was any indication of decline.
3. Whatever the weighting system used is, it's far from perfect. For whatever reason Whitney's "I Will Always Love You" is as low as it is, common sense tells us it was a bigger song than Paula's "Rush Rush" in 1991. Most likely, Whitney was penalized because there were 2 13-week #1s in 1992, which downplayed her achievement. Kinda strange.
-r