The Number Ones: Twenty Chart-Topping Hits That Reveal the History of Pop Music

Music critic Breihan debuts with a rich analysis of chart-topping hits from the Billboard Hot100 charts from 1960 to 2020, contending that each song marks a moment in history when pop culture pivoted in a new direction. Breihan starts with Chubby Checker’s “The Twist,” noting the dance sensation it caused, and goes on to correlate hit songs with changes in the musical landscape: Brian Wilson used different studios and musicians to record the Beach Boys’ 1966 song “Good Vibrations,” making it the most expensive single of its time; 2007’s “Crank That (Soulja Boy)” harnessed the power of the internet to rise to fame; and Michael Jackson’s 1983 hit “Billie Jean” was a “marvel of engineering” that melded different styles into one “layered psychological portrait.” Breihan also addresses how the music business was reflected in songs and the performance of them, whether via Dick Clark’s strict onstage dress code, Motown’s upsurge from a small label to an empire (triggered by the Supremes), or the role MTV played in moving heavy metal into the mainstream. Breihan makes a persuasive case for the broader power of a #1 hit, spotlighting music’s ability to connect on a deep level in the most unexpected ways. Music lovers will find this universally appealing. Agent: Jack Gernert, Gernert Company. (Nov.)