Skip to content
Top Songs by Year – and the Chicago DJ Pros Who Know How to Play Them
- The Gypsy– Ink Spots (also Dinah Shore)
- Oh! What It Seemed to Be– Frankie Carle (also Frank Sinatra)
- Rumors Are Flying– Frankie Carle
- To Each His Own– Eddy Howard (also Freddy Martin and The Ink Spots)
- The Old Lamplighter– Sammy Kaye
- For Sentimental Reasons– Nat King Cole
- Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!– Vaughn Monroe
- Five Minutes More– Frank Sinatra
- Prisoner of Love– Perry Como
- Old Buttermilk Sky– Kay Kyser
- Near You– Francis Craig
- Heartaches– Ted Weems
- Ballerina– Vaughn Monroe
- Peg O’ My Heart– Harmonicats (also Buddy Clark and The Three Suns)
- Smoke! Smoke! Smoke!– Tex Williams
- Managua, Nicaragua– Freddy Martin
- Chi-Baba, Chi-Baba– Perry Como
- Mam’selle– Art Lund (also Frank Sinatra)
- Linda– Ray Noble with Buddy Clark
- Huggin’ and Chalkin’– Hoagy Carmichael
- Buttons and Bows– Dinah Shore
- Manana– Peggy Lee
- Twelfth Street Rag– Pee Wee Hunt
- Nature Boy– Nat King Cole
- You Can’t Be True, Dear– Ken Griffin
- Woody Woodpecker– Kay Kyser
- You Call Everybody Darlin’– Al Trace
- I’m Looking Over a Four-Leaf Clover– Art Mooney
- A Tree In the Meadow– Margaret Whiting
- Love Somebody– Doris Day with Buddy Clark
- Riders In the Sky– Vaughn Monroe
- That Lucky Old Sun– Frankie Laine
- Cruising Down the River– Blue Barron (also Russ Morgan)
- A Little Bird Told Me– Evelyn Knight
- Mule Train– Frankie Laine
- Some Enchanted Evening– Perry Como
- You’re Breaking My Heart– Vic Damone
- Slippin’ Around– Margaret Whiting & Jimmy Wakely
- Forever and Ever– Russ Morgan
- A You’re Adorable– Perry Como
- The Tennessee Waltz– Patti Page
- Goodnight, Irene– Weavers with Gordon Jenkins
- The Third Man Theme– Anton Karas (also Guy Lombardo)
- If I Knew You Were Comin’ I’d’ve Baked a Cake– Eileen Barton
- Chattanoogie Shoe Shine Boy– Red Foley
- Mona Lisa– Nat King Cole
- All My Love– Patti Page
- I Can Dream, Can’t I?– Andrews Sisters
- The Thing– Phil Harris
- Harbor Lights– Sammy Kaye
- Cry– Johnnie Ray
- Because of You– Tony Bennett
- How High the Moon– Les Paul & Mary Ford
- Sin– Eddy Howard
- If– Perry Como
- Come On-A My House– Rosemary Clooney
- Cold, Cold Heart– Tony Bennett
- Too Young– Nat King Cole
- Be My Love– Mario Lanza
- Mockin’ Bird Hill– Les Paul & Mary Ford
- You Belong to Me– Jo Stafford
- Wheel of Fortune– Kay Starr
- I Went to Your Wedding– Patti Page
- Auf Wiedersehen Sweetheart– Vera Lynn
- Kiss of Fire– Georgia Gibbs
- Why Don’t You Believe Me– Joni James
- Blue Tango– Leroy Anderson
- Half As Much– Rosemary Clooney
- Glow-Worm– Mills Brothers
- Slow Poke– Pee Wee King
- Vaya Con Dios– Les Paul & Mary Ford
- Song from “Moulin Rouge”– Percy Faith
- Rags to Riches– Tony Bennett
- The Doggie In the Window– Patti Page
- You You You– Ames Brothers
- I’m Walking Behind You– Eddie Fisher
- Till I Waltz Again with You– Teresa Brewer
- Don’t Let the Stars Get In Your Eyes– Perry Como
- No Other Love– Perry Como
- St. George and the Dragonet– Stan Freberg
- Sh-Boom– Crew-Cuts
- Little Things Mean a Lot– Kitty Kallen
- Oh! My Papa– Eddie Fisher
- Wanted– Perry Como
- Mr. Sandman– Chordettes
- Make Love to Me– Jo Stafford
- Hey There– Rosemary Clooney
- Secret Love– Doris Day
- This Ole House– Rosemary Clooney
- I Need You Now– Eddie Fisher
- Rock Around the Clock– Bill Haley & His Comets
- Sixteen Tons– Tennessee Ernie Ford
- Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing– Four Aces
- The Yellow Rose of Texas– Mitch Miller
- Autumn Leaves– Roger Williams
- Learnin’ the Blues– Frank Sinatra
- Ain’t That a Shame– Fats Domino
- Moments to Remember– Four Lads
- I Hear You Knocking– Gale Storm
- A Blossom Fell– Nat King Cole
- Don’t Be Cruel/Hound Dog– Elvis Presley
- Singing the Blues– Guy Mitchell
- The Wayward Wind– Gogi Grant
- Heartbreak Hotel– Elvis Presley
- Rock and Roll Waltz– Kay Starr
- The Poor People of Paris– Les Baxter
- Memories Are Made of This– Dean Martin
- Love Me Tender– Elvis Presley
- My Prayer– Platters
- Lisbon Antigua– Nelson Riddle
- All Shook Up– Elvis Presley
- Love Letters In the Sand– Pat Boone
- Jailhouse Rock– Elvis Presley
- Teddy Bear– Elvis Presley
- April Love– Pat Boone
- Young Love– Tab Hunter
- Tammy– Debbie Reynolds
- Honeycomb– Jimmie Rodgers
- Wake Up Little Susie– Everly Brothers
- You Send Me– Sam Cooke
- At the Hop– Danny & the Juniors
- It’s All In the Game– Tommy Edwards
- The Purple People Eater– Sheb Wooley
- All I Have to Do Is Dream– Everly Brothers
- Tequila– Champs
- Don’t– Elvis Presley
- Volare– Domenico Modugno
- Sugartime– McGuire Sisters
- He’s Got the Whole World In His Hands– Laurie London
- The Chipmunk Song– David Seville/The Chipmunks
- Mack the Knife– Bobby Darin
- The Battle of New Orleans– Johnny Horton
- Venus– Frankie Avalon
- Stagger Lee– Lloyd Price
- The Three Bells– The Browns
- Lonely Boy– Paul Anka
- Come Softly to Me– Fleetwoods
- Smoke Gets In Your Eyes– Platters
- Heartaches By the Number– Guy Mitchell
- Sleep Walk– Santo & Johnny
- Theme from A Summer Place- Percy Faith
- Are You Lonesome Tonight?– Elvis Presley
- It’s Not Or Never– Elvis Presley
- Cathy’s Clown– Everly Brothers
- Stuck On You– Elvis Presley
- Running Bear– Johnny Preston
- Save the Last Dance for Me– Drifters
- Teen Angel– Mark Dinning
- My Heart Has a Mind of Its Own– Connie Francis
- Tossin’ and Turnin’– Bobby Lewis
- Big Bad John– Jimmy Dean
- Runaway– Del Shannon
- Wonderland By Night– Bert Kaempfert
- Pony Time– Chubby Checker
- The Lion Sleeps Tonight– Tokens
- Blue Moon– Marcels
- Take Good Care of My Baby– Bobby Vee
- Calcutta– Lawrence Welk
- Runaround Sue– Dion
- I Can’t Stop Loving You– Ray Charles
- Big Girls Don’t Cry– Four Seasons
- Sherry– Four Seasons
- Roses Are Red– Bobby Vinton
- Peppermint Twist– Joey Dee & the Starliters
- Telstar– Tornadoes
- Soldier Boy– Shirelles
- Hey! Baby– Bruce Channel
- Duke of Earl– Gene Chandler
- The Twist– Chubby Checker
- Sugar Shack– Jimmy Gilmer & the Fireballs
- He’s So Fine– Chiffons
- Dominique– Singing Nun
- Hey Paula– Paul & Paula
- My Boyfriend’s Back– Angels
- Blue Velvet– Bobby Vinton
- Sukiyaki– Kyu Sakamoto
- I Will Follow Him– Little Peggy March
- Fingertips (Pt. 2)– Little Stevie Wonder
- Walk Like a Man– Four Seasons
- I Want to Hold Your Hand– Beatles
- Can’t Buy Me Love– Beatles
- There! I’ve Said It Again– Bobby Vinton
- Baby Love– Supremes
- Oh, Pretty Woman– Roy Orbison
- The House of the Rising Sun– Animals
- Chapel of Love– Dixie Cups
- I Feel Fine– Beatles
- She Loves You– Beatles
- I Get Around– Beach Boys
- Satisfaction– Rolling Stones
- Yesterday– Beatles
- Turn! Turn! Turn!– Byrds
- Mrs. Brown You’ve Got a Lovely Daughter– Herman’s Hermits
- I Got You Babe– Sonny & Cher
- Help!– Beatles
- I Can’t Help Myself– Four Tops
- You’ve Lost The Lovin’ Feelin’– Righteous Brothers
- Downtown– Petula Clark
- This Diamond Ring– Gary Lewis & the Playboys
- I’m a Believer– Monkees
- The Ballad of the Green Berets– S/Sgt. Barry Sadler
- Winchester Cathedral– New Vaudeville Band
- Soul and Inspiration– Righteous Brothers
- Monday, Monday– The Mama’s & the Papa’s
- We Can Work It Out– Beatles
- Summer In the City– Lovin’ Spoonful
- Cherish– Association
- You Can’t Hurry Love– Supremes
- Wild Thing– Troggs
- To Sir with Love– Lulu
- Daydream Believer– Monkees
- Windy– Association
- Ode to Billie Joe– Bobbie Gentry
- Somethin’ Stupid– Nancy & Frank Sinatra
- Groovin’– Young Rascals
- The Letter– Box Tops
- Light My Fire– Doors
- Happy Together– Turtles
- Hello Goodbye– Beatles
- Hey Jude– Beatles
- I Heard It Through the Grapevine– Marvin Gaye
- Love Is Blue– Paul Mauriat
- Honey– Bobby Goldsboro
- People Got to Be Free– Rascals
- The Dock of the Bay– Otis Redding
- This Guy’s In Love with You– Herb Alpert
- Mrs. Robinson– Simon & Garfunkel
- Love Child– Diana Ross & the Supremes
- Tighten Up– Archie Bell & the Drells
- Aquarius/Let the Sun Shine In– Fifth Dimension
- In the Year 2525– Zager & Evans
- Get Back– Beatles (with Billy Preston)
- Sugar, Sugar– Archies
- Honky Tonk Women– Rolling Stones
- Everyday People– Sly & the Family Stone
- Dizzy– Tommy Roe
- Wedding Bell Blues– Fifth Dimension
- I Can’t Get Next to You– Temptations
- Crimson & Clover– Tommy James & the Shondells
- Bridge Over Troubled Water– Simon & Garfunkel
- I’ll Be There– Jackson Five
- Raindrops Keep Fallin’ On My Head– B.J. Thomas
- Close to You– Carpenters
- My Sweet Lord– George Harrison
- I Think I Love You– Partridge Family
- Ain’t No Mountain High Enough– Diana Ross
- American Woman– Guess Who
- War– Edwin Starr
- Let It Be– Beatles
- Joy to the World– Three Dog Night
- Maggie May– Rod Stewart
- It’s Too Late– Carole King
- One Bad Apple– Osmonds
- How Can You Mend a Broken Heart– Bee Gees
- Knock Three Times– Dawn
- Brand New Key– Melanie
- Go Away Little Girl– Donny Osmond
- Family Affair– Sly & the Family Stone
- Gypsies, Tramps & Thieves– Cher
- The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face– Roberta Flack
- Alone Again (Naturally)– Gilbert O’Sullivan
- American Pie– Don McLean
- Without You– Nilsson
- I Can See Clearly Now– Johnny Nash
- A Horse with No Name– America
- Baby Don’t Get Hooked On Me– Mac Davis
- Me and Mrs. Jones– Billy Paul
- The Candy Man– Sammy Davis, Jr.
- Lean On Me– Bill Withers
- Killing Me Softly with His Song– Roberta Flack
- Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Old
- Oak Tree– Dawn
- My Love– Paul McCartney & Wings
- You’re So Vain– Carly Simon
- Crocodile Rock– Elton John
- Let’s Get It On– Marvin Gaye
- Keep On Truckin’– Eddie Kendricks
- Bad, Bad Leroy Brown– Jim Croce
- Top of the World– Carpenters
- Midnight Train to Georgia– Gladys Knight & the Pips
- The Way We Were– Barbra Streisand
- Seasons In the Sun– Terry Jacks
- The Streak– Ray Stevens
- Having My Baby– Paul Anka
- Kung Fu Fighting– Carl Douglas
- Billy, Don’t Be a Hero– Bo Donaldson & the Heywoods
- Annie’s Song– John Denver
- The Loco-Motion– Grand Funk
- TSOP (The Sound of Philadelphia)–
- MFSB with the Three Degrees
- I Can Help– Billy Swan
- Love Will Keep Us Together– Captain & Tennille
- Fly, Robin, Fly– Silver Convention
- Island Girl– Elton John
- He Don’t Love You– Tony Orlando & Dawn
- Bad Blood– Neil Sedaka
- Rhinestone Cowboy– Glen Campbell
- Philadelphia Freedom– Elton John
- That’s the Way (I Like It)– KC & the Sunshine Band
- Jive Talkin’– Bee Gees
- Fame– David Bowie
- Tonight’s the Night– Rod Stewart
- Silly Love Songs– Wings
- Don’t Go Breaking My Heart– Elton John & Kiki Dee
- Disco Lady– Johnnie Taylor
- Play The Funky Music– Wild Cherry
- December, 1963 (Oh What a Night)– Four Seasons
- 50 Ways to Leave Your Lover– Paul Simon
- Kiss and Say Goodbye– Manhattans
- If You Leave Me Now– Chicago
- Love Hangover– Diana Ross
- You Light Up My Life– Debby Boone
- Best of My Love– Emotions
- I Just Want to Be Your Everything– Andy Gibb
- How Deep Is Your Love– Bee Gees
- Evergreen (from “A Star Is Born”)– Barbra Streisand
- Sir Duke– Stevie Wonder
- Torn Between Two Lovers– Mary MacGregor
- Rich Girl– Daryl Hall & John Oates
- Star Wars Theme/Cantina Band– Meco
- Got to Give It Up– Marvin Gaye
- Night Fever– Bee Gees
- Shadow Dancing– Andy Gibb
- Le Freak– Chic
- Stayin’ Alive– Bee Gees
- Kiss You All Over– Exile
- Boogie Oogie Oogie– A Taste of Honey
- Baby Come Back– Player
- MacArthur Park– Donna Summer
- Thicker Than Water– Andy Gibb
- Three Times a Lady– Commodores
- My Sharona– The Knack
- Bad Girls– Donna Summer
- Da Ya Think I’m Sexy?– Rod Stewart
- Reunited– Peaches & Herb
- Hot Stuff– Donna Summer
- I Will Survive– Gloria Gaynor
- Escape (The Pina Colada Song)– Rupert Holmes
- Ring My Bell– Anita Ward
- Babe– Styx
- Too Much Heaven– Bee Gees
- Lady– Kenny Rogers
- Upside Down– Diana Ross
- Call Me– Blondie
- Starting Over– John Lennon
- Another Brick In the Wall– Pink Floyd
- Crazy Little Thing Called Love– Queen
- Rock with You– Michael Jackson
- Magic– Olivia Newton-John
- Funkytown– Lipps, Inc.
- Another One Bites the Dust– Queen
- Physical– Olivia Newton-John
- Bette Davis Eyes– Kim Carnes
- Endless Love– Diana Ross & Lionel Richie
- Arthur’s Theme– Christopher Cross
- Kiss On My List– Daryl Hall & John Oates
- Jessie’s Girl– Rick Springfield
- I Love a Rainy Night– Eddie Rabbitt
- 9 to 5– Dolly Parton
- Private Eyes– Daryl Hall & John Oates
- Rapture– Blondie
- I Love Rock ‘n’ Roll– Joan Jett & the Blackhearts
- Eye of the Tiger– Survivor
- Ebony and Ivory– Paul McCartney & Stevie Wonder
- Centerfold– J. Geils Band
- Maneater– Daryl Hall & John Oates
- Jack & Diane– John Cougar
- Don’t You Want Me– Human League
- Up Where We Belong– Joe Cocker & Jennifer Warnes
- Abracadabra– Steve Miller Band
- Hard to Say I’m Sorry– Chicago
- Every Breath You Take– Police
- Billie Jean– Michael Jackson
- Flashdance– Irene Cara
- Say Say Say– Paul McCartney & Michael Jackson
- All Night Long– Lionel Richie
- Total Eclipse of the Heart– Bonnie Tyler
- Down Under– Men at Work
- Beat It– Michael Jackson
- Islands In the Stream– Kenny Rogers & Dolly Parton
- Baby, Come to Me– Patti Austin & James Ingram
- Like a Virgin– Madonna
- When Doves Cry– Prince
- Jump– Van Halen
- Footloose– Kenny Loggins
- What’s Love Got to Do with It– Tina Turner
- Against All Odds– Phil Collins
- I Just Called to Say I Love You– Stevie Wonder
- Ghostbusters– Ray Parker Jr.
- Karma Chameleon– Culture Club
- Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go– Wham!
