RockOnTheNet.com
presents The Top Pop Songs
Of All Time !
We have ranked the top pop songs that have charted over the past
50+ years on The ARC Weekly Top 40 and Billboard Hot 100, and
come up with
a definitive list that will continue to expand as we add to it,
and continue to modify as new songs chart on The ARC Weekly Top
40.
"I'm not
a diva... I'm a tadpole trying to be a frog" - Toni
Braxton
TIMELINE
Toni Braxton was born
October 7, 1968, in Maryland and grew up singing
with her sisters and winning talent contests. A
daughter of a minister, Toni was brought up
without the influences of pop culture. Toni's
exposure to music occurred when her parents were
out of the house, and Toni and her sisters could
sneak a look at Soul Train. The
combination of watching Soul Train and
admiring her mother's opera background led Toni
to attend to her own musical feelings. Since
arriving on the radio as a solo singer in 1993,
Toni has been able to claim critical acclaim and
diva status at the same time, while maintaining a
sense of elegance and seductiveness.
Toni began a
recording career with her sisters, The
Braxtons, who signed with Arista
Records.
Toni was preparing herself for a
career of music teaching while attending Bowie
State University (since 1989) when she signed
with LaFace Records, headed by producers Babyface and L.A. Reid, who had
been looking for their first female solo artist.
June 30: Toni's first appearance
on the pop and R&B charts came with 2 tracks
from the Boomerang soundtrack: "Love Shoulda Brought You Home" and a duet with Babyface, "Give U My Heart" - a lucky break
handed to Toni when Anita Baker
was not able to contribute her vocals to the
soundtrack.
November 14: While readying herself
for the all-important sophomore release, Toni
recorded a track for the hit movie, Waiting
To Exhale called "Let It Flow." The
soundtrack was a tour-de-force of premium R&B
singers under the production of Babyface.
June 18: Toni's second LP, Secrets, was released and gave
Toni her first #1 pop hits: "You're Makin' Me High" and "Un-Break My Heart." Toni said of the
LP: "The motivation for this album was to
include a little bit of everything. Our aim was
to come up with material that would have a
familiar 'feel' to the people who bought the
first album without being musically
redundant." She also had some help with the
LP including Babyface, R. Kelly, Tony Rich,
and David Foster. Toni also was
the co-executive producer of Secretsand co-wrote 2
songs including the hit "How Could An Angel Break My Heart" (which hit the Top
40 in 1997 and was included on the a Princess
Diana memorial LP).
December 7: Toni topped the Billboard
Hot 100 chart for 11 weeks, Rhythmic Top 40 chart
for 9 weeks and Dance Music Maxi-Singles Sales
for 11 weeks with "Un-Break My Heart."
December 21: Toni topped the Billboard
Singles Sales chart for 1 week and Dance Music
Club Play chart for 4 weeks with "Un-Break My Heart."
December 5: Toni filed a lawsuit
against her label, Arista and LaFace Records.
Toni claimed that she has fulfilled what her
original 7-year contract with her label had
required and she wished to be released from her
contract. Arista, however, has not agreed to let
Toni go. It was reported that Toni has received
far less per LP than most artists of her status
and record-selling abilities. With only 2 LP
releases, Toni has sold over 15 million LPs so
far. Her original contract is said to have
expired this past August. Toni has said of the
lawsuit: "I can't talk about the suit, but I
love those guys very much. It's just
business."
December 31: Toni topped the Billboard Year-End
Charts as the Top Hot 100 Singles Artist -
Female, Top R&B Artist - Female (singles
& albums), Top Hot R&B Singles Artist -
Female, Top Hot Dance Club Play Artist, Top Hot
Adult Contemporary Artist, and with the Top Hot
Dance Club Play Single and Top Hot Adult
Contemporary Track ("Un-Break My Heart").
January: Toni filed for bankruptcy
protection with liabilities totaling more than $1
million. The filing was a result of recent
disputes over her contract with Arista and LaFace
Records. Toni's publicist said of the action:
"...the only sensible option... She is
confident that with the court's protection, she
will be able to make a fresh start."
February: Word came that Toni had
resolved her conflicts with LaFace Records and
was recording new material with the label
planned. Babyface told MTV: "We're
getting ready to head back in the studio with
Toni and we've got everything worked out with
Toni..."
April 29: Toni topped the Billboard
Singles Sales chart for 5 weeks, R&B/Hip-Hop
Singles & Tracks chart for 4 weeks, and
R&B/Hip-Hop Singles Sales chart for 3 weeks
with "He Wasn't Man Enough."
May 13: Toni topped the Billboard
R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart for 1 week with The
Heati.
December 31: Toni topped Billboard Year-End
Charts as the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Artist -
Female, Top R&B/Hip-Hop Album Artist -
Female, and Top Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles &
Tracks Artist - Female.
Released: October 23, 2001 US: Gold Billboard Top
200 LPs
peak: # 119 Entertainment
Weekly: C+ Tracks: "Holiday
Celebrate" - "Christmas In
Jamaica" - "Snowflakes Of
Love" - "Christmas Time Is
Here" - "Santa Please..." -
"...Pretty Please" (Interlude) -
"Have Yourself A Merry Little
Christmas" - "This Time Next
Year" - "The Christmas Song" -
"Snowflakes Of Love" -
"Christmas In Jamaica" (Remix)
Released: November 19, 2002 US: Gold Billboard Top
200 LPs
peak: # 13 Entertainment
Weekly: B Tracks: "Let Me Show You
The Way (Out)" - "Give It
Back" - "A Better Man" -
"Hit The Freeway" - "Lies,
Lies, Lies" - "Rock Me, Roll
Me" - "Selfish" - "Do You
Remember When" - "Me And My
Boyfriend" - "Tell Me" -
"And I Love You" -
"Always"
Released: September 27, 2005 US: Gold Billboard Top
200 LPs
peak: # 4 Entertainment
Weekly: B+ Tracks: "Please" -
"Trippin' (That's The Way Love
Works)" - "What's Good" -
"Take This Ring" -
"Midnite" - "I Wanna Be (Your
Baby)" - "Sposed To Be" -
"Stupid" - "Finally" -
"Shadowless" - "Suddenly"
- "Long Way Home"
Released: May 4, 2010 Billboard Top
200 LPs
peak: # 9 Billboard #1: Top R&B/Hip-Hop
Albums Tracks: "Yesterday"
- "Make My Heart" - "Hands
Tied" - "Woman" - "If I
Have To Wait" - "Lookin' At
Me" - "Wardrobe" -
"Hero" - "No Way" -
"Pulse" - "Why Won't you Love
Me"
Released: February 4, 2014 Billboard Top
200 LPs
peak: # 4 Billboard #1: Top R&B/Hip-Hop
Albums, R&B Albums Grammy Winner: Best R&B Album Rolling Stone: Tracks: "Roller
Coaster" - "Sweat" -
"Hurt You" - "Where Did We Go
Wrong?" - "I Hope That You're
Okay" - "I Wish" - "Take
It Back" - "Reunited" -
"I'd Rather Be Broke" - "Heart
Attack" - "The D Word"
Released: March 23, 2018 Billboard Top
200 LPs
peak: # 22 Grammy Nominee: Best R&B Album Tracks: "Deadwood"
- "Sex & Cigarettes" -
"Long As I Live" - "FOH"
- "Sorry" - "My Heart"
(featuring Colbie Caillat) -
"Coping" - "Missin'"
Note: Song title and position
links lead you to the song's ARC Weekly Top 40 chart run, LP links take
you to Amazon.com for that LP's info (often
including track listings and track samples), and
single cover art takes you to Amazon.com for that CD single (if
available). Songs charting prior to 1980 have
information from Billboard magazine.
Toni Braxton was born
October 7, 1968, in Maryland and grew up singing
with her sisters and winning talent contests. A
daughter of a minister, Toni was brought up
without the influences of pop culture. Toni's
exposure to music occurred when her parents were
out of the house, and Toni and her sisters could
sneak a look at Soul Train. The
combination of watching Soul Train and
admiring her mother's opera background led Toni
to attend to her own musical feelings. Since
arriving on the radio as a solo singer in 1993,
Toni has been able to claim critical acclaim and
diva status at the same time, while maintaining a
sense of elegance and seductiveness. 
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