Here’s a sampling of charting singles (and B-Sides that charted) from rock and pop music from the 50s through the 80s – the BEST music ever made!
Entries are: Year • Artist • Track Title • Genre • Album • B-Side
(If a non-album single, then [Single]. If the charting track was the B-Side, then [B-Side]. Any “UK” entry designates a single different from its US counterpart).
August 01
1960 • Jerry Lee Lewis • “John Henry” • Rock ‘n’ Roll • [Single] • “Hang Up My Rock and Roll Shoes”
1963 • Roy Orbison • “Blue Bayou” • Pop-Rock • [Single] • “Mean Woman Blues”
1972 • Elvis Presley • “It’s A Matter Of Time” • Country-Pop • Burning Love And Hits From His Movies, Vol. 3 • [B-Side]
1972 • Elvis Presley • “Burning Love” • Rock ‘n’ Roll • Burning Love And Hits From His Movies, Vol. 3 • “It’s A Matter Of Time”
1972 • Eagles • “Witchy Woman” • Country-Rock • Eagles • “Early Bird”
1980 • David Bowie • “Ashes To Ashes” • Glam Rock • Scary Monsters • “It’s No Game (Pt. 1)”
1984 • Stevie Wonder • “I Just Called To Say I Love You” • Pop-R&B • The Woman In Red • “I Just Called To Say I Love You” [Instrumental]
1985 • Sting • “Love Is The Seventh Wave” [UK] • Jazz-Rock • The Dream Of The Blue Turtles • “Consider Me Gone” [Live]
1989 • Madonna • “Cherish” • Pop Shuffle • Like A Prayer • “Supernatural”
2002 • Matchbox Twenty • “Bright Lights” • Alt. Rock • More Than You Think You Are • “Disease” [Live] / “Bright Lights” [Live]
August 02
1965 • Len Barry • “1-2-3” • Blue Eyed-Soul • 1-2-3 • “Bullseye”
1967 • Dave Davies • “Death Of A Clown” • Folk-Rock • Something Else By The Kinks • “Love Me ‘Til The Sun Shines”
1968 • The Bee Gees • “I’ve Gotta Get A Message To You” [UK] • Pop-Rock • Idea • “Kitty Can”
1969 • Three Dog Night • “Easy To Be Hard” • Blue-Eyed Soul • Suitable For Framing • “Dreaming Isn’t Good For You”
1971 • Paul & Linda McCartney • “Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey” • Pop-Rock • Ram • “Too Many People”
1974 • Barry White • “Can’t Get Enough Of Your Love, Babe” [UK] • Smooth Soul • Can’t Get Enough • “Just Not Enough”
1978 • Boston • “Don’t Look Back” • Arena Rock • Don’t Look Back • “The Journey”
1982 • Rush • “New World Man” • Prog/Art Rock • Signals • “Vital Signs” [Live]
1984 • Thompson Twins • “You Take Me Up” • New Wave Synth-Pop • Into The Gap • “Passion Planet”
1990 • Jane’s Addiction • “Stop!” • Funk-Metal • Ritual De Lo Habitual • “Three Days” [Double A-Side]
1990 • Jane’s Addiction • “Three Days” • Alt. Rock • Ritual De Lo Habitual • “Stop!” [Double A-Side]
August 03
1962 • Aretha Franklin • “Try A Little Tenderness” • Soul • The Tender, The Moving, The Swinging Aretha Franklin, • “Just For A Thrill”
1967 • Martha Reeves & The Vandellas • “Love Bug Leave My Heart Alone” • Soul-Dance • Riding High • “One Way Out”
1973 • Edgar Winter Group • “Free Ride” [UK] • Blues-Rock • They Only Come Out At Night • “When It Comes”
1981 • Sheena Easton • “For Your Eyes Only” • Pop-Rock • For Your Eyes Only {Sndtrk] • “For Your Eyes Only” [Instrumental]
1982 • Don Henley • “Johnny Can’t Read” • Pop-Rock • I Can’t Stand Still • “Long Way Home”
1985 • Bon Jovi • “In And Out Of Love” • Glam Metal • 7800° Fahrenheit • “Roulette” [Live]
1999 • Santana Feat. Rob Thomas • “Smooth” • Jazz-Rock Fusion • Supernatural • “El Farol”
August 04
1964 • The Kinks • “You Really Got Me” [UK] • Garage Rock • The Kinks • “It’s All Right”
1966 • The Temptations • “Beauty Is Only Skin Deep” • Soul • [Single] • “You’re Not An Ordinary Girl”
1967 • The Small Faces • “Itchycoo Park” [UK] • Britbeat • [Single] • “I’m Only Dreaming”
1972 • 10cc • “Donna” [UK] • Doo Wop Parody • 10cc • “Hot Rock Sun”
1972 • Procol Harum • “Conquistador” [UK] • Prog Rock • Procol Harum Live: In Concert With The Edmonton Symphony Orchestra • “A Salty Dog”
1976 • The Doobie Brothers • “Wheels Of Fortune” • Pop-Rock • Takin’ It To The Streets • “Slat Key Soquel Rag”
August 05
1963 • Garnet Mimms & The Enchanters • “Cry Baby” • Soul-Blues • Cry Baby • “Don’t Change Your Heart”
1966 • The Small Faces • “All Or Nothing” [UK] • Britbeat • [Single] • “Understanding”
1966 • The Beatles • “Eleanor Rigby” [UK] • Baroque Pop • Rubber Soul • “Yellow Submarine” [Double A-Side]
1966 • The Beatles • “Yellow Submarine” [UK] • Psychedelic Pop • Magical Mystery Tour • “Eleanor Rigby” [Double A-Side]
1980 • Elton John • “Sartorial Eloquence (Don’t Ya Wanna Play This Game No More?)” [UK] • Pop-Rock • 21 At 33 • “Cartier” / “White Man Danger”
1986 • The Pretenders • “Don’t Get Me Wrong” [UK] • Post-Punk • Get Close • “Dance”
1991 • R.E.M. • “Near Wild Heaven” • Alt. Pop-Rock • Out Of Time • “Pop Song ’89” [Live Acoustic]
1992 • Madonna • “Rain” • Dance-Pop • Erotica • “Waiting”
1997 • Aerosmith • “Hole In My Soul” • Power Ballad • Nine Lives • “Falling Off”
August 06
1965 • The Small Faces • “Whatcha Gonna Do About It” [UK] • Britbeat • The Small Faces • “What’s A Matter Baby”
1966 • The Byrds • “5 D (Fifth Dimension)” [UK] • Folk-Rock • Fifth Dimension • “Captain Soul” [Instrumental]
1971 • James Taylor • “You’ve Got A Friend” [UK] • Folk-Rock • Mud Slide Slim And The Blue Horizon • “You Can Close Your Eyes”
1973 • Eagles • “Outlaw Man” • Country-Rock • Desperado • “Certain Kind Of Fool”
1976 • Manfred Mann’s Earth Band • “Blinded By The Light” [UK] • Art Rock • The Roaring Silence • “Starbird No. 2”
1976 • ABBA • “Dancing Queen” • Euro-Pop • Arrival • “That’s Me”
1977 • Little River Band • “Help Is On Its Way” • Pop-Rock • Diamantina Cocktail • “The Inner Light”
1979 • Triumph • “Hold On” • Arena Rock • Just A Game • “Just A Game”
1981 • The Rolling Stones • “Start Me Up” • Blues-Rock • Tattoo You • “No Use In Crying”
1982 • The Cars • “Think It Over” [UK] • New Wave Synth-Pop • Shake It Up • “I’m Not The One”
1984 • Tears For Fears • “Mothers Talk” [UK] • New Wave Synth-Pop • Songs From The Big Chair • “Sea Song”
1988 • Rod Stewart • “Forever Young” [UK] • Blues-Rock • Out Of Order • “Days Of Rage”
1990 • The Human League • “Heart Like A Wheel” [UK] • New Wave Synth-Pop • Romantic? • “Rebound”
August 07
1964 • The Yardbirds • “I Wish You Would” • Blues-Rock • [Single] • “A Certain Girl”
1969 • Marvin Gaye • “That’s The Way Love Is” • Soul • M.P.G. • “Gonna Keep Tryin’ Till I Win Your Love”
1975 • The Who • “Slip Kid” • British Rock • The Who By Numbers • “Dreaming From The Waist”
1977 • 10cc • “People In Love” [UK] • Art Pop-Rock • Deceptive Bends • “I’m So Laid Back I’m Laid Out”
1981 • Foreigner • “Urgent” [UK] • Hard Rock • 4 • “Girl On The Moon”