Top Songs By the Decade

"George J. Gaskin “After the Ball” (1893)

1890

The song is a classic waltz written in 1891 by Charles K Harris. It is tearjerker, a melodramatic evocation of lost love with over 5 million copies of sheet music sold. "After the Ball" became the most successful song of its era.

Haydn Quartet “Take Me Out to the Ball Game” (1908)

1900

This song has become the unofficial anthem of North American baseball written in 1908 by Jack Norworth. It is traditionally sung during the middle of the seventh inning of a baseball game and fans are generally encouraged to sing along. Sold over 10 million copies.

Arthur Collins & Byron Harlan “Alexander’s Ragtime Band” (1911)

1910

This is a rag song written in 1911 by Irving Berlin. Within fifty years of its release, the song had at least a dozen hit covers with over 2 million copies of sheet music sold. Within fifty years of its release, the song had at least a dozen hit covers.

Bessie Smith with Louis Armstrong “St. Louis Blues” (1925)

1920

This song is a blues style song that happened to succeed as a pop song. It was written in 1914 by W.C Handy and had was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1993. It has been covered countless times ranging from jazz to R&B to country to rock.

Judy Garland “Over the Rainbow” (1939)

1930

This song was a ballad written in 1939 by Harold Arlen. It was written for th film The Wizard of Oz and was sung by actress Judy Garland herself. It won the Academy Award for Best Original Song and has sold over 4.2 million copies.

Bing Crosby with the Ken Darby Singers “White Christmas” (1942)

1940

This song was a Christmas song written in 1942 by Irving Berlin. It was written for the musical film Holiday Inn that same year. The composition won the Academy Award for Best Original Song at the 15th Academy Awards with over 100 million copies sold.

Bill Haley & His Comets “We’re Gonna Rock Around the Clock” (1954)

1950

This song was a rock and roll song in the 12-bar blues format written by Max C in 1954. It was the first rock and roll record to reach #1 on the U.S charts and sold over 25 million copies in over 30 languages.

The Rolling Stones “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction” (1965)

1960

This is a rock song written by the band the Rolling Stones in 1965. It was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1998 and it features a guitar riff by Keith Richards which is considered to be one of the greatest hooks of all time.

Queen “Bohemian Rhapsody” (1975)

1970

This song was a progressive rock song written by Freddy Mercury in 1975. Bohemian Rhapsody" topped the UK Singles Chart for nine weeks and had sold more than a million copies. It is the only song to reach the UK Christmas number one twice by the same artist.

Michael Jackson “Billie Jean” (1982)

1980

This song is a post-disco, rhythm and blues, funk and dance-pop blend written in 1982 by michael Jackson. Billie Jean" reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100, topped the Billboard Hot Black Singles chart within three weeks and has sold over 10 million copies.

Whitney Houston “I Will Always Love You” (1992)

1990

This song is a country single written by Dolly Parton in 1973. Whitney Houston's single spent 14 weeks at the number one spot of the Billboard Hot 100 chart, becoming one of the best-selling singles of all time, and the best-selling single by a woman.

OutKast “Hey Ya!” (2003)

2000

This song is a funk, pop song written by André Lauren Benjamin in 2003. The track became a commercial success, reaching number one in the United States, Australia, Canada, the Czech Republic, Norway, and Sweden with over one million copies.

Mark Ronson with Bruno Mars “Uptown Funk!” (2014)

2010

This song is a funk-pop, soul style written by Mark Ronson, Bruno Mars, Philip Lawrence and Jeff Bhasker in 2014. This song topped the charts of 19 countries. "Uptown Funk" topped the Billboard Hot 100 for 14 weeks and spent seven weeks on the top of the UK Singles Chart and sold over 12 million downloads.