Best Record Breaking Songs

There are always songs that are uniquely peculiar, not because of their catchy lyrics, beats, or whatnot, but because they broke records. Yes, people break records, but songs do too! From the Guinness Book of Records to the Billboard Top Charts, records have been broken and new ones set.

Whatever it is that makes these songs so phenomenal, there’s no denying their impact on the music industry and the world at large. So join us as we journey through some of the most recognizable and record breaking songs of all time.

Most Weeks at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100

The Billboard Hot 100 has been the definitive chart for ranking the most popular songs since it was first introduced. Over the years, many songs have climbed to the top of the chart, but only a select few have managed to hold on to the number-one spot for multiple weeks, breaking records and solidifying their place in music history.

Although there are a couple of songs that have held the top spot for the most weeks in history, “Old Town Road” by Lil Nas X feat. Billy Ray Cyrus is currently the record holder for the most weeks at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100, with a total of 19 non-consecutive weeks in the top spot.

“Old Town Road” was released in 2019, and nobody could have predicted that it would spend 19 weeks at number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, but it did, replacing hits such as “One Sweet Day” by Mariah Carey and Boyz II Men, which held the previous record for most weeks at #1. The song, which blends elements of country and hip-hop, quickly became a viral sensation on social media platforms like TikTok.

Best-Selling Single of All Time

We have had hits in the music industry, and most of these hits have sold millions of copies worldwide, but one of the best-selling singles of all time is “White Christmas” by Bing Crosby.

When it comes to Christmas songs, there are few that are as iconic as Bing Crosby’s “White Christmas.” The song, which was originally recorded in 1942, has sold over 50 million copies worldwide, making it the best-selling single of all time.

Before “White Christmas” broke the record for the best-selling single of all time, Elton John’s “Something About the Way You Look Tonight”/”Candle in the Wind” held the title with an estimated 33 million copies sold.
What’s remarkable about “White Christmas” is that it has managed to maintain its popularity and the title of the best-selling single of all time for over 50 years.

Most Awarded Song

Phenomenal songs get to receive awards, and what song is more phenomenal than Lady Gaga’s “Shallow”? “Shallow” from the 2018 film “A Star is Born” made history as the most-awarded song ever. The emotional ballad, which was written specifically for the movie, has won a total of 81 awards across various platforms and award shows.

Shallow” has been recognized by various award-giving bodies, including the 2018 Hollywood Music in Media Awards, where it won Best Original Song in the Feature Film category. It also won the Best Original Song award at the 23rd Satellite Awards and the Los Angeles Online Film Critics Society. The foreign song won the Best Song award at the Critics’ Choice Movie Awards and Best Original Song at the 76th Golden Globe Awards.

At the 61st Annual Grammy Awards, “Shallow” was awarded Best Pop Duo/Group Performance and Best Song Written for Visual Media, while also being nominated for Record of the Year and Song of the Year. The song also won the BAFTA Award for Best Film Music at the 72nd BAFTA Awards and the Oscar for Best Original Song at the 91st Academy Awards. This made Gaga the first woman in history to win an Academy Award, a BAFTA Award, a Grammy Award, and a Golden Globe Award in the same year.

Most Streamed Songs

Music streaming has revolutionized the music industry, and as a result, we have seen an influx of record-breaking songs in recent years. One such song that holds the record for most streamed songs is Blinding Lights by The Weeknd.
“Blinding Lights” has not only become the most-streamed song on Spotify of all time with 3.528 billion streams, but it has also broken numerous records in the music industry.

The song spent a staggering 57 weeks in the top ten of the Billboard Hot 100 and 43 weeks in the top five, breaking the record for the most time logged in these regions over the chart’s 62-year history.

Furthermore, “Blinding Lights” held the title of the longest-running single in the history of the Hot 100 chart for a brief period during 2022, with a total of 90 weeks, surpassing Imagine Dragons’ “Radioactive,” which spent 87 weeks on the chart.

Longest-Charting Songs

When it comes to the music industry, there are some hits that just never seem to quit. One such record is the title of the longest-charting song in the history of the Billboard Hot 100. For decades, chart-topping tracks have come and gone, but only a few have managed to stand the test of time, spending years on the charts.

Glass Animals’ hit song “Heat Waves” has made history by becoming the longest-charting song in the 64-year history of the Billboard Hot 100. As of the latest chart dated October 22, 2022, the song has spent a record-breaking 91 weeks on the chart, surpassing the previous record holder, “Blinding Lights” by The Weeknd.

The song, which peaked at No. 1 on the Hot 100 for five weeks, made a steady climb to the top, breaking the record for the steadiest climb to No. 1 when it reached the summit in its 59th week in March.

“Heat Waves” is not only Glass Animals’ first Hot 100 hit, but it has also spent a total of 37 weeks at No. 1 on both Hot Rock & Alternative Songs and Hot Alternative Songs. It has also spent six weeks at No. 1 on Radio Songs, three weeks at No. 1 on Alternative Airplay, and two weeks at No. 1 on both Pop Airplay and Adult Pop Airplay. In addition, it reached No. 5 on Rock and Alternative Airplay, No. 7 on Adult Contemporary, and No. 17 on Adult Alternative Airplay.