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've
come to the conclusion that there are 2 types
of people in life: those who have been to
Graceland and those who have not. I am
thankful to say that I am 1 of those people
who has."
- Rob Thomas, Matchbox 20
TIMELINE
Rob Thomas was born in
Germany and raised in South Carolina and Florida.
After quitting high school and eventually
settling in the Orlando, Florida area, Thomas
hooked up with Paul Douchette (drummer) and Brian
Yale (bassist). The trio began playing music
together as 'Tabitha's Secret' (with 2 other
members) and then left the band, added guitarists
Kyle Cook and Adam Gaynor, and created Matchbox
20. With a quick "Push," Matchbox 20 began a steady
rise to fame that left them with a
multi-million-selling debut LP, radio saturation
of singles, and many tour dates.
Matchbox 20 hooked up with producer
Matt Serletic (who had worked on LPs by Collective
Soul) and soon their demos landed the
band a contract with Atlantic Records.
October 1: Matchbox 20 released Yourself
Or Someone Like You. The band's first appearance on
radio began with "Long Day" which had
some success on alternative radio.
December: In an interview, Thomas
addressed some controversy surrounding the hit
"Push": "I dont
understand how people who claim to have a brain
can misunderstand ["Push"] so much. Its not about
physical violence. Its about emotions and
how somebody can push you around without even
lifting a finger. Its all emotional.
Its all far more subtle. Anyway, in that
song its the guy who gets pushed around by
a girl hes having a relationship with. I
had a relationship like that where I was
emotionally pushed around, and you know what? I
grew almost comfortable with it. I got used to
it. Almost enjoyed it because I thought
thats how relationships work. I thought
its about getting manipulated and
controlled. Its a bit crazy that people
claim that Im a chauvinist and have a
violent attitude towards women."
February 23: Rob Thomas won 3 Grammy Awards for Record of the Year and
Best Pop Collaboration with
Vocals
along with Santana, and Song of the Year with
Itaal Shur - all for "Smooth." Thomas
said of his work on "Smooth": "I
just fell bass-ackwards into luck again.
Everything about "Smooth" has been so
special and so beautiful. (The band) were taking
our time making Mad
Season,
so "Smooth" became this really good
bridge. We needed a break, and it kept us from
the 'Where Are They Now?' file."
May 23: Matchbox Twenty released Mad
Season.
Thomas said of the new LP: "When we made our
first record, we hadn't really been a band for
very long. We hadn't had any really good fights,
we hadn't had any really good laughs, we hadn't
done much of anything together. But now, so much
has happened to us that we've formed a character
within ourselves. So this is really the first
time we're saying, 'This is matchbox twenty
making a record,' because now matchbox twenty is
its own entity. This is the first one where we
can really say, this is our sound."
June 10: Matchbox Twenty topped
the Billboard Internet Album Sales chart for 1
week with Mad
Season.
May 25: Matchbox Twenty released
the DVD Show:
A Night In The Life Of Matchbox 20. The live DVD was taped
from a June, 2003 performance in Atlanta, Georgia
and includes 20 songs and a documentary. The DVD
topped the Billboard Top Music Videos chart.
June 25: Thomas topped the
Billboard Dance Music Club Play chart for 1 week
with the remixes of "Lonely No More."
July 2: Thomas 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.
August 20: Thomas topped the
Billboard Adult Contemporary chart for 18 weeks
with "Lonely No More."
September 10: Thomas performed on ReAct
Now: Music & Relief - a benefit program
shown on music video channels to raise money for
those affected by Hurricane Katrina.
September 22: Matchbox Twenty topped
the Billboard 200 LP chart for 1 week, Internet
Albums chart for 1 week, and Rock Albums chart
for 1 week with North. The LP sold over 95,000
copies its first week of release in the US.
Released: September 4, 2012 US: Gold Billboard Top
200 LPs
peak: # 1 (for 1
week) Billboard #1: Internet Albums, Rock
Albums Tracks: "Parade" -
"She's So Mean" -
"Overjoyed" - "Put Your Hands
Up" - "Our Song" - "I
Will" - "English Town" -
"How Long" - "Radio" -
"The Way" - "Like Sugar"
- "Sleeping At The Wheel"
Released: June 25, 2009 US: Gold Billboard Top
200 LPs
peak: # 3 Billboard #1: Rock Albums Rolling Stone: Tracks: "Her Diamonds" -
"Gasoline" - "Give Me The
Meltdown" - "Someday" -
"Mockingbird" - "Real World
'09" - "Fire On The Mountain"
- "Hard On You" - "Still Ain't
Over You" - "Natural" -
"Snowblind" - "Wonderful"
- "Cradlesong" - "Getting
Late"
Released: August 21, 2015 Billboard Top
200 LPs
peak: # 6 Tracks: "I Think We'd
Feel Good Together" - "Trust
You" - "Hold On Forever" -
"Wind It Up" - "One Shot"
- "The Great Unknown" -
"Absence Of Affection" -
"Things You Said" - "Paper
Dolls" - "NLYTM" -
"Heaven Help Me" - "Lie To
Me" - "Pieces"
Released: April 26, 2019 Tracks: "One Less Day
(Dying Young)" - "Timeless" -
"Can't Help Me Now" -
"Funny" - "I Love It" -
"The Man To Hold The Water" -
"We Were Beautiful" - "It's
Only Love" - "Early In The
Morning" - "The Worst In Me" -
"Tomorrow" - "Breathe
Out"
Released: October 22, 2021 Tracks: "Save Some
Christmas" - "Doesn't Feel Like
Christmas (Samy's Song)" -
"Christmas Time" (with Ingrid
Michaelson) - "That Spirit Of
Christmas" (with Bebe Winans) -
"Small Town Christmas" - "New
Year's Day" - "Santa Don't Come
Here Anymore" (with Brad Paisley) -
"I Believe In Santa Claus" (with
Abby Anderson) - "A New York Christmas
'21" - "Have Yourself A Merry
Little Christmas"
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.