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.
Jay-Z was born in New York
on December 4, 1970. Before becoming one of the
most respected and best-selling rappers of the
latter half of the 90s, Jay-Z was growing up in
Brooklyn, New York as a struggling MC, cashier at
Kentucky Fried Chicken, and drug dealer. Jay-Z
took his success into the 2000s with a brief
retirement and a marriage to a superstar
songstress.
Jay-Z began a different career as a
solo rapper with the single "In My
Lifetime" which eventually led to a
distribution deal.
April 20: Jay-Z topped the
Billboard Dance Music Maxi-Singles Sales chart
for 5 weeks with "Ain't No.../Dead
Presidents."
June: Jay-Z released Reasonable
Doubt
with the tracks "Can't Knock The
Hustle,""Feelin' It," "Dead
Presidents," and "Brooklyn's
Finest."
May: Jay-Z appeared in the
film Streets
Is Watching and appeared on the soundtrack with
the tracks "It's Alright," "Love
For Free," "Only A Customer,"
"In My Lifetime" (remix), and
"Celebration."
September: Volume
2... Hard Knock Life was released. Jay-Z could
be heard on rap and even pop radio with his hits
"Hard Knock Life" and "Can I Get A..." and his videos
became a staple on MTV.
February 25: Jay-Z boycotted the Grammy Awards "...because too many
major rap artists continue to be overlooked...
Rappers deserve more attention from the Grammy
committee and from the whole world. If it's got a
gun everybody knows about it, but if we go on a
world tour, no one know." A spokesperson for
Jay-Z said after the awards: "If they want
to give us awards, we'll take them. But we aren't
gonna drop everything and run to the show to get
a small pat on the head when they don't even air
the award he won."
April: Jay-Z and DMX donated 1-night's worth of
concert profits to the families of the Columbine
victims when their Hard Knock Life tour hit
Denver. Jay-Z told MTV: "We decided to
donate the proceeds from this show as soon as we
saw the date on the schedule."
October: Jay-Z won a WB Radio
Music Award for Song of the Year (Rhythm/Urban)
("Can I
Get A...").
October 9: Jay-Z topped the
Billboard Hot 100 chart for 2 weeks,
R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks chart for 2
weeks, Hot 100 Singles Sales chart for 2 weeks,
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles Sales chart for 2
weeks, and Dance Music Maxi-Singles Sales chart
for 8 weeks helping out Mariah
Careywith "Heartbreaker."
December: Jay-Z was arrested after
turning himself in in New York for charges
related to a stabbing the night before - he was
later charged with 4 counts of assault, but
maintained his plea of innocence.
December: Jay-Z released Volume
3... The Life & Times Of S. Carterat the end of the
month with anticipation of selling over 1 million
copies in the first week of release.
December: Jay-Z won a Billboard
Music Award for Rap Artist of the Year.
January: By the end of the month,
a grand jury in New York indicted Jay-Z on 2
counts of attempted assault related to the
alleged stabbing last December.
January 15: Volume
3... The Life & Times Of S. Carterdebuted at #1 on
the LP charts selling less than half a million
copies in its first week of release in the U.S.
and topped the Billboard R&B Album chart for
2 weeks.
June 2: Jay-Z topped the
Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks
chart for 5 weeks and the R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay
chart for 1 week helping out R. Kellywith
"Fiesta."
September 29: Jay topped the Billboard
200 LP chart for 3 weeks and R&B/Hip-Hop
Albums chart for 3 weeks with The
Blueprint. The LP sold over 426,000 copies in
its first week of release in the US.
October: Jay-Z performed at The
Concert For New York City benefit concert in New
York City (later released as an LP) with proceeds
going to 9/11 charities.
December: Jay-Z received 3 years
probation for a 1999 stabbing.
December: Readers and critics of Rolling
Stone
voted Jay-Z as Best Hip-Hop Artist of the Year.
December 31: Jay-Z topped Billboard Year-End
Charts with the Top Hot R&B/Hip-Hop
Singles & Tracks ("Fiesta" with R. Kelly) and as the Top Hot
R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks Artist and
the Top Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks
Artist - Male.
November 30: Jay-Z topped the
Billboard 200 LP chart for 1 week and the
R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart for 2 weeks with The
Blueprint 2: The Gift And The Curse selling over 545,000
copies its first week of release in the US.
January 4: Jay-Z topped the
Billboard Rhythmic Top 40 chart for 3 weeks with
help from Beyoncéon "'03 Bonnie & Clyde." The single also
topped the charts in Switzerland.
July: Jay-Z could be heard on
the Bad
Boys 2soundtrack with the track "La, La,
La."
July 6: Jay-Z topped the UK
singles chart for 3 weeks helping out Beyoncéwith
"Crazy In Love." The single also
topped the charts in Ireland.
July 12: Jay-Z topped the
Billboard Hot 100 Singles chart for 8, the Hot
100 Airplay chart for 8 weeks, and the Hot
Digital Tracks chart for 7 weeks helping out Beyoncéwith
"Crazy In Love."
November 29: Jay-Z topped the
Billboard 200 LP chart for 2 weeks and Top
R&B/Hip-Hop Album chart for 3 weeks with The
Black Album. The LP sold over 463,000 copies in
the US during its first shortened week of
release.
October: Jay-Z's fall tour with R. Kellywas
cancelled one night after Kelly was allegedly
pepper sprayed by a member of Jay-Z's entourage
at a show in New York which resulted in Kelly
leaving his set complaining of security concerns.
Jay-Z ended up performing longer for the show
with special guests.
November: Jay-Z announced he would
finish tour dates without R. Kelly and instead have special
guests at the remaining dates.
November 13: Jay-Z topped the
Billboard 200 LP chart for 1 week, Top
R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart for 1 week, and Rap
Albums chart for 1 week with The
Best Of Both Worlds: Unfinished Business with R. Kelly selling over 215,000
copies in the US its first week of release.
May: Jay-Z could be heard on Memphis
Bleek's 534 with "Dear
Summer."
July 2: Jay-Z performed in
Philadelphia as part of the worldwide Live 8 concerts. The mission of
the concerts was to raise awareness of the
on-going poverty in Africa and to pressure the G8
leaders to take action by doubling aid, canceling
debt, and delivering trade justice for Africa.
December 9: Jay-Z topped the
Billboard 200 LP chart for 1 week,
R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart for 2 weeks, Digital
Albums chart for 1 week, and the Rap Albums chart
for 2 weeks with Kingdom
Come
- the LP sold over 680,000 copies its first week
of release in the US.
May: Jay-Z could be heard on Ne-Yo's LP Because
Of You
on the track "Crazy."
May: Jay-Z topped the UK and
Canada singles chart helping out Rihannawith
"Umbrella."
June: Jay-Z topped the
Billboard Hot 100 chart, Hot Digital Songs chart,
Hot Digital Tracks chart, Hot Dance Airplay
chart, and Pop 100 chart helping out Rihannawith
"Umbrella."
June 9: Jay-Z topped the
Billboard Hot 100 chart for 7 weeks, Digital
Tracks chart for 5 weeks, Digital Songs chart for
5 weeks, and Pop 100 chart for 6 weeks helping
out Rihannawith
"Umbrella."
November: Jay-Z appeared on the
cover of Rolling Stone.
November 6: Jay-Z released American
Gangster. The LP was Jay-Z's first concept
LP and associated with the film of the same name
(although not its soundtrack).
November 24: Jay-Z topped the
Billboard 200 LP chart for 1 week, Rap Albums
chart for 6 weeks, and R&B/Hip-Hop Albums
chart for 1 week with American
Gangster. The LP sold over 425,000 copies
its first week of release in the US.
December: It was announced that
Jay-Z would be stepping down as the president of
Def Jam Records.
September 26: Jay-Z topped the
Billboard 200 LP chart for 2 weeks, Rap Albums
chart for 10 weeks, R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart
for 6 weeks, and Digital Albums chart for 2 weeks
with The
Blueprint 3. The LP sold over 476,000 copies
its first week of release in the US. It becomes
Jay-Z's 11th #1 LP which makes him the solo
artist with the most #1 LPs in the history of
Billboard LP charts (passing Elvis Presley) and the #2 overall act
having the most #1 LPs (behind The Beatles).
August 27: Watch
The Thronetopped the Billboard 200
chart for 2 weeks selling over 436,000 copies its
first week of release. The LP also topped the
Digital Albums chart for 2 weeks, R&B/Hip-Hop
Albums chart for 2 weeks, and Rap Albums chart
for 2 weeks.
November 12: Jay-Z topped the
Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop chart for 7 weeks,
R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay chart for 7 weeks, and
Mainstream R&B/Hip-Hop chart for 3 weeks with
Kanye West with "N***** In Paris."
July 27: Jay-Z topped the
Billboard 200 LP chart for 2 weeks,
Hip-Hop/R&B Albums chart for 3 weeks, Rap
Albums chart for 6 weeks, and Digital Albums
chart for 2 weeks with Magna
Carta... Holy Grail. The LP sold over 528,000 copies
its first week of release in the US.
June 15: Jay-Z became the first
rapper to be inducted into the Songwriters Hall
of Fame. Jay-Z did not attend the ceremony as his
wife Beyoncé was close to giving birth
to their twins.
July 29: Jay-Z topped the
Billboard 200 LP chart for 2 weeks, Digital
Albums chart for 2 weeks, Album Sales chart for 2
weeks , R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart for 2 weeks,
and Rap Albums chart for 2 weeks with 4
:44.
Released: June, 1996 US: Platinum Billboard Top
200 LPs
peak: # 23 Rolling Stone:
The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time: # 248 Entertainment
Weekly: A- Tracks: "Can't Knock The
Hustle" - "Politics As Usual"
- "Brooklyn's Finest" - "Dead
Presidents II" - "Feelin' It"
- "D'Evils" - "22 Two's"
- "Can I Live" - "Ain't
No..." - "Friend Or Foe" -
"Coming Of Age" - "Cashmere
Thoughts" - "Bring It On" -
"Regrets" - "Can I Live
II"
Released: November, 1997 US: Platinum Billboard Top
200 LPs
peak: # 3 Rolling Stone: - Entertainment
Weekly: B+ Tracks: "A Million And
One Questions / Rhyme No More" -
"The City Is Mine" - "I Know
What Girls Like" - "Imaginary
Player" - "Streets Is
Watching" - "Friend Or Foe 98"
- "Lucky Me" - "(Always Be My)
Sunshine" - "Who You Wit II" -
"Face Off" - "Real...." -
"Rap Game / Crack Game" -
"Where I'm From" - "You Must
Love Me"
Released: December, 1999 US: 3x Platinum Billboard Top
200 LPs
peak: # 1 (1 week) Billboard #1: R&B/Hip-Hop
Albums Grammy Nominee: Best Rap Album Rolling Stone: - Entertainment
Weekly: A- Tracks: "Hova Song"
- "So Ghetto" - "Do It Again
(Put Ya Hand Up)" - "Dope Man"
- "Things That U Do" - "It's
Hot (Some Like It Hot)" - "Snoopy
Track" - "S. Carter" -
"Pop 4 Roc" - "Watch Me"
- "Big
Pimpin'"
- "There's Been A Murder" -
"Come And Get Me" -
"Nymp"
Released: October, 2000 US: 2x Platinum Billboard Top
200 LPs
peak: # 1 (1 week) Billboard #1: R&B/Hip-Hop
Albums Rolling Stone: - Entertainment
Weekly: B- Tracks: "Change The
Game" - "I
Just Wanna Love U (Give It To Me)" - "Streets
Is Talking" - "This Can't Be
Life" - "Get Your Mind Right
Mami" - "Stick 2 The Script" -
"You, Me, Him And Her" -
"Guilty Until Proven Innocent" -
"Parking Lot Pimpin'" -
"Holla" - "1-900-Hustler"
- "The R.O.C." - "Soon You'll
Understand" - "Squeeze 1st" -
"Where Have You Been"
Released: March, 2002 US: Platinum Billboard Top
200 LPs
peak: # 2 Billboard #1: R&B/Hip-Hop
Albums Rolling Stone: - Entertainment
Weekly: C+ Tracks: "The Best Of
Both Worlds" - "Take You Home With
Me A.K.A. Body" - "Break Up To Make
Up" - "It Ain't Personal" -
"The Streets" - "Green
Light" - "Naked" - "Shake
Ya Body" - "Somebody's Girl" -
"Get This Money" -
"Shorty" - "Honey" -
"P****"
Released: November 12, 2002 US: 3x Platinum Billboard Top
200 LPs
peak: # 1 (for 1
week) Billboard #1: R&B/Hip-Hop
Albums Grammy Nominee: Best Rap Album Rolling Stone: - Entertainment
Weekly: B- Tracks: "A Dream"
(with Faith Evans and The Notorious B.I.G.) -
"Hovi Baby" - "The Watcher
2" (with Dr. Dre, Rakim and Truth Hurts)
- "'03 Bonnie & Clyde" (with Beyoncé
Knowles) - "Excuse Me Miss" - "What
They Gonna Do (with Sean Paul) - "All
Around The World" (with LaToiya
Williams) - "Poppin' Tags" (with
Big Boi, Killer Mike and Twista) - "All
Nite" - "The Bounce" (with Kanye West) - "I Did It My
Way" - "Diamonds Is Forever" -
"Guns & Roses" (with Lenny
Kravitz) - "U Don't Know" (Remix)
(with M.O.P.) - "Meet The Parents"
- "Some How Some Way" (with Beanie
Sigel and Scarface) - "Some People
Hate" - "Blueprint 2" -
"N Please" (with Young Chris) -
"2 Many Hoes" - "As One"
(with Memphis Bleek, Freeway, Young Guns,
Peedi Crakk, Sparks and Rell) - "A
Ballad For The Fallen Soldier" -
"Show You How" - "Bitches
& Sisters" - "What They Gonna
Do Part II"
Released: April , 2003 Billboard Top
200 LPs
peak: # 17 Rolling Stone: Tracks: "A Dream" -
"Hovi Baby" - "Excuse Me Miss" - "'03 Bonnie & Clyde" (with Beyoncé
Knowles) - "Guns & Roses" -
"The Watcher 2" - "All Around
The World" - "Some How, Some
Way" - "Meet The Parents" -
"N**** Please" - "Poppin'
Tags" - "The Bounce" - "2
Many Hoes" - "What They Gonna Do
Part II"
Released: October, 2004 US: Platinum Billboard Top
200 LPs
peak: # 1 (for 1
week) Billboard #1: R&B/Hip-Hop
Albums, Rap Albums Rolling Stone: - Entertainment
Weekly: C Tracks: "Return" -
"Big Chips" - "We Got Em
Goin'" - "She's Coming Home With
Me" - "Feelin' You In Stereo"
- "Stop" - "Mo' Money" -
"Pretty Girls" - "Break Up
(That's All We Do)" - "Don't Let Me
Die" - "Return" (Remix)
Released: November 30, 2004 US: 2x Platinum Billboard Top
200 LPs
peak: # 1 (for 1
week) Rolling Stone: - Entertainment
Weekly: C Tracks: "Dirty Off Your
Shoulder/Lying From You" - "Big
Pimpin'/Papercut" - "Jigga
WhatFaint" - "Numb/Encore" - "Izzo/In
The End" - "Points Of Authority/99
Problems/One Step Closer"
Released: November 26, 2006 US: 2x Platinum Billboard Top
200 LPs
peak: # 1 (for 1
week) Billboard #1: Digital Albums,
R&B/Hip-Hop Albums, Rap Albums Grammy Nominee: Best Rap Album Rolling Stone: - Entertainment
Weekly: B Tracks: "The
Prelude" - "Oh My God" -
"Kingdom Come" - "Show Me What
You Got" - "Lost One" -
"Do U Wanna Ride" (with John
Legend) - "30 Something" - "I
Made It" - "Anything" (with
Usher & Pharrell) - "Hollywood"
(with Beyoncé) - "Trouble" -
"Dig A Hole" - "Minority
Report" (with Ne-Yo) - "Beach
Chair" (with Chris Martin) -
"Politics As Usual" - "Can't
Knock The Hustle" - "Can I
Live"
Released: September 8, 2009 US: Platinum Billboard Top
200 LPs
peak: # 1 (for 2
weeks) Billboard #1: Digital Albums,
R&B/Hip-Hop Albums, Rap Albums Grammy Nominee: Best Rap Album Rolling Stone: - Entertainment
Weekly: B+ Tracks: "What We Talkin'
About" - "Thank You" -
"D.O.A. (Death Of Auto-Tune) - "Run This Town" (featuring
Rihanna & Kanye West) - "Empire State Of Mind" (featuring
Alicia Keys) - "Real As It Gets"
(featuring Young Jeezy) - "On To The
Next One" (featuring Swizz Beatz) -
"Off That" (featuring Drake) -
"A Star Is Born" (featuring J.
Cole) - "Venus Vs. Mars" -
"Hate" (featuring Kanye West) -
"Reminder" - "So
Ambitious" (featuring Pharrell) - "Young Forever" (featuring Mr.
Hudson)
Released: November, 2010 Billboard Top
200 LPs
peak: # 43 Tracks: "Public Service
Announcement" (Interlude) - "Run This Town" (featuring
Rihanna & Kanye West) - "'03 Bonnie & Clyde" (featuring
Beyonce) - "Encore" - "I Just
Wanna Love U (Give It 2 Me)" -
"Izzo (H.O.V.A.)" - "D.O.A.
(Death Of Auto-Tune)" - "99 Problems" - "Empire State Of Mind" (featuring
Alicia Keys) - "Dirt Off Your
Shoulder" - "Hard Knock Life
(Ghetto Anthem)" - "Show Me What
You Got" - "Roc Boys (And The
Winner Is...)" - "Big Pimpin'"
Released: August 12, 2011 US: 5x Platinum Billboard Top
200 LPs
peak: # 1 (for 2
weeks) Billboard #1: Digital Albums,
R&B/Hip-Hop Albums, Rap Albums Grammy Nominee: Best Rap Album Tracks: "No Church In
The Wild" (featuring Frank Ocean) -
"Life It Off" (featuring Beyonce) -
"N***** In Paris" - "Otis" (featuring Otis
Redding) - "Gotta Have It" -
"New Day" - "That's My
Bitch" - "Who Gon Stop Me" -
"Murder To Excellence" -
"Welcome To The Jungle" -
"Made In America" (featuring Frank
Ocean) - "Why I Love You"
(featuring Mr. Hudson)
Released: July 9, 2013 US: 2x Platinum Billboard Top
200 LPs
peak: # 1 (for 2
weeks) Billboard #1: Digital Albums,
R&B/Hip-Hop Albums, Rap Albums Grammy Nominee: Best Rap Album Tracks: "Holy Grail" (featuring
Justin Timberlake) - "Picasso Baby"
- "Tom Ford" -
"F***WithMeYouKnowIGotIt"
(featuring Rick Ross) - "Oceans"
(featuring Frank Ocean) -
"F.U.T.W." - "Somewhere In
America" - "Crown" -
"Heaven" - "Versus" -
"Part II (On The Run)" (featuring
Beyonce) - "Beach Is Better" -
"BBC"
Released: June 29, 2017 US: Platinum Billboard Top
200 LPs
peak: # 1 (for 2
weeks) Grammy Nominee: Album of the Year, Best Rap Album Billboard #1: Albums Sales, Digital
Albums, R&B/Hip-Hop Albums, Rap Albums Tracks: "Kill Jay
Z" - "The Story Of O.J." -
"Smile" (featuring Gloria Carter) -
"Caught In Their Eyes" (featuring
Frank Ocean) - "4:44" -
"Family Feud" (featuring Beyonce) -
"Bam" (featuring Damian Marley) -
"Moonlight" - "Marcy Me"
- "Legacy"
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.
Jay-Z was born in New York
on December 4, 1970. Before becoming one of the
most respected and best-selling rappers of the
latter half of the 90s, Jay-Z was growing up in
Brooklyn, New York as a struggling MC, cashier at
Kentucky Fried Chicken, and drug dealer. Jay-Z
took his success into the 2000s with a brief
retirement and a marriage to a superstar
songstress.
January: By the end of the month,
a grand jury in New York indicted Jay-Z on 2
counts of attempted assault related to the
alleged stabbing last December. 
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