Besides knowing which song is the best of all-time, sometimes it would be nice to know how the artists have fared during the pop era. We have selected the years from 1955-2010, or a total of 66 years of historical information to compile the top 150 artists during this period.
What makes an artist popular is their music and how many singles they released charted on the Billboard Hot 100 charts over the years. This is an attempt to provide information on these top artists over this period.
There were a total of 1,091 songs that reached the #1 position during this period. The year of 2002 had the fewest #1 songs with 7. The years 1974 and 1975 had the most #1 songs with 35. There were over 8,400 artists and 42,000 songs that hit the charts in this era.
This listing will include the top ten artists for special achievements which include:
- Most chart hits
- Most top 40 hits
- Most top 10 hits
- Most #1 hits
- Most weeks at the #1 position
The source used for the top 100 artists is “Top Pop Singles 1955-2010” by Joel Whitburn.
Ranking Of The Top 150 Artists 1955-2010
To determine the top 150 artists, we had to use a point system that would be fair to all artists. The point system used is as follows:
- The highest chart position reached on the Hot 100, Hot 100 Airplay or Bubbling Under charts.
- Point breakdown as follows:
- #1 = 100 points for its first week at #1, plus 10 points for each additional week.
- #2 = 90 points for its first week at #2, plus 5 points for each additional week.
- #3 = 80 points for its first week at #3, plus 3 points for each additional week.
- #4-5 = 70 points
- #6-10 = 60 points
- #11-15 = 50 points
- #16-20 = 45 points
- #21-30 = 40 points
- #31-40 = 35 points
- #41-50 = 30 points
- #51-60 = 25 points
- #61-70 = 20 points
- #71-90 = 15 points
- #91-100 = 10 points
- #101-110 = 5 points
- #111-120 = 4 points
- #121-135 = 3 points
3. Total weeks charted are added in.
4. In case of a tie, the artist listed first is determined by the following tie-breaker rules:
- Most charted singles
- Most top 40 singles
- Most top 10 singles
When two artists combine for a hit single, such as Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton, the full point total is given to both artists. Duos like Simon & Garfunkel and Hall & Oates are considered recording teams and their points are not shared.
An adjustment is made for featured and lead artists. A featured artist on a single will receive 20% of the point total and the lead artist receives 100% of the point total.
Top 150 Artists All-Time 1955-2010
Rank / Artist | Points |
1. Elvis Presley | 9,029 |
2. The Beatles | 5,147 |
3. Elton John | 4,881 |
4. Madonna | 4,840 |
5. Mariah Carey | 4,671 |
6. Stevie Wonder | 4,133 |
7. Michael Jackson | 3,945 |
8. Janet Jackson | 3,921 |
9. James Brown | 3,749 |
10. The Rolling Stones | 3,681 |
11. Aretha Franklin | 3,669 |
12. Pat Boone | 3,527 |
13. Whitney Houston | 3,433 |
14. Rod Stewart | 3,365 |
15. Marvin Gaye | 3,317 |
16. Paul McCartney | 3,303 |
17. Prince | 3,220 |
18. Ray Charles | 3,183 |
19. The Beach Boys | 3,134 |
20. Chicago | 3,078 |
21. The Temptations | 3,045 |
22. Ricky Nelson | 3,036 |
23. Fats Domino | 3,029 |
24. The Supremes | 3,026 |
25. Neil Diamond | 2,972 |
26. Connie Francis | 2,971 |
27. Bee Gees | 2,954 |
28. Usher | 2,931 |
29. Frank Sinatra | 2,860 |
30. Paul Anka | 2,808 |
31. R. Kelly | 2,790 |
32. Dionne Warwick | 2,740 |
33. The 4 Seasons | 2,726 |
34. Olivia Newton-John | 2,679 |
35. Jay-Z | 2,647 |
36. Billy Joel | 2,621 |
37. Daryl Hall & John Oates | 2,603 |
38. Brenda Lee | 2,602 |
39. Diana Ross | 2,599 |
40. Nat “King” Cole | 2,536 |
41. George Michael | 2,530 |
42. Perry Como | 2,474 |
43. Kenny Rogers | 2,441 |
44. Eminem | 2,386 |
45. The Everly Brothers | 2,382 |
46. Barbara Streisand | 2,323 |
47. The Miracles | 2,311 |
48. Bobby Vinton | 2,295 |
49. Rihanna | 2,266 |
50. Taylor Swift | 2,242 |
51. Gladys Knight & The Pips | 2,227 |
52. Brook Benton | 2,226 |
53. Donna Summer | 2,206 |
54. Phil Collins | 2,204 |
55. The Platters | 2,168 |
56. Andy Williams | 2,166 |
57. Beyonce | 2,163 |
58. Sam Cooke | 2,150 |
59. Four Tops | 2,136 |
60. Puff Daddy/P. Diddy/Diddy | 2,114 |
61. Tim McGraw | 2,107 |
62. Jackie Wilson | 2,081 |
63. Bobby Darin | 2,074 |
64. The Jackson 5 | 2,065 |
65. Bon Jovi | 2,064 |
66. Cher | 2,063 |
67. Mary J. Blige | 2,055 |
68. Bryan Adams | 2,034 |
69. John Cougar Mellencamp | 2,017 |
70. Johnny Mathis | 1,999 |
71. Boyz II Men | 1,999 |
72. Linda Ronstadt | 1,997 |
73. Nelly | 1,992 |
74. Carpenters | 1,978 |
75. Kool & The Gang | 1,975 |
76. Gloria Estefan & Miami Sound Machine | 1,951 |
77. Ludacris | 1,950 |
78. Chubby Checker | 1,929 |
79. 50 Cent | 1,929 |
80. Jefferson Airplane | 1,897 |
81. T. I. | 1,845 |
82. Celine Dion | 1,843 |
83. Barry Manilow | 1,840 |
84. Kenny Chesney | 1,823 |
85. Dion (Dion & The Belmonts) | 1,823 |
86. Roy Orbison | 1,823 |
87. Kanye West | 1,822 |
88. Neil Sedaka | 1,813 |
89. Heart | 1,804 |
90. U2 | 1,803 |
91. Lil Wayne | 1,792 |
92. Lionel Richie | 1,790 |
93. Bob Seger | 1,783 |
94. Glen Campbell | 1,760 |
95. Aerosmith | 1,757 |
96. Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass | 1,746 |
97. Earth, Wind & Fire | 1,743 |
98. The Isley Brothers | 1,717 |
99. The 5th Dimension | 1,707 |
100. Santana | 1,664 |
101. Pink | 1,663 |
102. Johnny Cash | 1,658 |
103. John Denver | 1,646 |
104. Huey Lewis & The News | 1,646 |
105. Alicia Keys | 1,644 |
106. Tommy James & The Shondells | 1,643 |
107. Patti Page | 1,626 |
108. Eagles | 1,625 |
109. Three Dog Night | 1,623 |
110. Pointer Sisters | 1,617 |
111. Fleetwood Mac | 1,613 |
112. Christina Aguilera | 1,600 |
113. Spinners | 1,592 |
114. Bruce Springsteen | 1,589 |
115. The Drifters | 1,580 |
116. Foreigner | 1,576 |
117. Black Eyed Peas | 1,576 |
118. Duran Duran | 1,565 |
119. Tom Jones | 1,564 |
120. Snoop Dogg | 1,564 |
121. Commodores | 1,564 |
122. Britney Spears | 1,553 |
123. The Impressions | 1,547 |
124. Dean Martin | 1,547 |
125. Chris Brown | 1,537 |
126. Jerry Butler | 1,532 |
127. Wilson Pickett | 1,526 |
128. Johnny Rivers | 1,525 |
129. Bobby Vee | 1,519 |
130. Queen | 1,515 |
131. Destiny’s Child | 1,503 |
132. Rascal Flatts | 1,502 |
133. TLC | 1,491 |
134. Electric Light Orchestra | 1,490 |
135. Toby Keith | 1,489 |
136. Bobby Rydell | 1,474 |
137. Tony Orlando & Dawn | 1,467 |
138. Journey | 1,467 |
139. George Strait | 1,459 |
140. Michael Bolton | 1,453 |
141. LL Cool J | 1,442 |
142. Monica | 1,440 |
143. Richard Marx | 1,436 |
144. Eric Clapton | 1,405 |
145. Genesis | 1,401 |
146. Brad Paisley | 1,394 |
147. Jennifer Lopez | 1,389 |
148. Dave Clark Five | 1,387 |
149. The Doobie Brothers | 1,385 |
150. Herman’s Hermits | 1,382 |
Top Artist Special Achievements
Most Charted Hits
Most Charted Hits | ||
Rank | Artist | No. |
1 | Elvis Presley | 165 |
2 | James Brown | 107 |
3 | Ray Charles | 91 |
4 | Aretha Franklin | 88 |
5 | Fats Domino | 77 |
6 | The Beatles | 75 |
7 | Frank Sinatra | 75 |
8 | Elton John | 71 |
9 | Connie Francis | 67 |
10 | Nat “King” Cole | 66 |
Most Top 40 Hits
Most Top 40 Hits | ||
Rank | Artist | No. |
1 | Elvis Presley | 104 |
2 | Elton John | 56 |
3 | The Beatles | 50 |
4 | Madonna | 49 |
5 | Stevie Wonder | 45 |
6 | James Brown | 44 |
7 | Aretha Franklin | 43 |
8 | Rolling Stones | 41 |
9 | Marvin Gaye | 40 |
10 | Michael Jaskson | 38 |
Most Top Ten Hits
Most Top 10 Hits | ||
Rank | Artist | No. |
1 | Elvis Presley | 38 |
2 | Madonna | 37 |
3 | The Beatles | 33 |
4 | Mariah Carey | 28 |
5 | Michael Jackson | 28 |
6 | Janet Jackson | 28 |
7 | Stevie Wonder | 27 |
8 | Elton John | 26 |
9 | The Rolling Stones | 23 |
10 | Whitney Houston | 23 |
Most #1 Hits
Most #1 Hits | ||
Rank | Artist | No. |
1 | The Beatles | 20 |
2 | Elvis Presley | 18 |
3 | Mariah Carey | 18 |
4 | Michael Jackson | 13 |
5 | Madonna | 12 |
6 | The Supremes | 12 |
7 | Whitney Houston | 11 |
8 | Janet Jackson | 10 |
9 | George Michael | 10 |
10 | Stevie Wonder | 9 |
Most Weeks At #1
Most Weeks At #1 | ||
Rank | Artist | No. |
1 | Elvis Presley | 80 |
2 | Mariah Carey | 79 |
3 | The Beatles | 59 |
4 | Boyz II Men | 50 |
5 | Usher | 47 |
6 | Michael Jackson | 37 |
7 | Beyonce | 36 |
8 | Janet Jackson | 33 |
9 | Madonna | 32 |
10 | Whitney Houston | 31 |
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