No. 1 Hits of 1964 Besides the Beatles

February 9th marks the 50th anniversary of the Beatles’ first Ed Sullivan appearance and there are loads of tributes and hoopla. The Beatles had 6 No. 1 hits in Billboard’s Hot 100 in 1964, far more than any other act, so there is no disputing that they “dominated the airwaves” and also opened the door for a whole wave of British groups, three of whom also achieved a No. 1 record in the States that year. But what American artists managed to knock them out of the top spot in 1964?

“I Want to Hold Your Hand” was the Beatles’ first No. 1 in February. Bobby Vinton’s “There I’ve Said It Again” held the top honor throughout January of that year. The Beatles continued at No. 1 with “She Loves You” and “Can’t Buy Me Love” all the way through May, when old timer Louis Armstrong took them down with “Hello Dolly.

By the end of May, the Beatles were back at No. 1 with “Love Me Do.” The Dixie Cups, out of New Orleans, took over the first three 3 weeks in June with every girl’s dream: “Going to the Chapel.”

It took the Beatles until August to return to No. 1 with “A Hard Day’s Night.” Once again, they were ousted by another old timer. Dean Martin took them down with “Everybody Loves Somebody,” his first No. 1 since 1955’s “Memories are Made of This.”

The Beatles had the last laugh, finishing their breakout year at No. 1 with “I Feel Fine.”

In between those remarkable events, The Supremes (Diana Ross, Florence Ballard and Mary Wilson) had the second most No. 1 hits of 1964 with “Come See About Me,” “Baby Love,” and “Where Did Our Love Go.”

Bobby Vinton turned in another No. 1 in December with “Mr. Lonely.”

Lorne Greene, better known as Ben Cartwright on TV’s Bonanza, had a ringer with “Ringo,” a spoken story about outlaw Johnny Ringo. It was first recorded by Greene for an album before he’d ever heard of Ringo Starr, but it was Starr’s popularity that prompted the release of “Ringo” as a single. That’s called serendipity.

Mary Wells also brought the Motown sound to the forefront with her now classic “My Guy.”

More American No. 1 Hits from 1964:
Beach Boys – “I Get Around”
Four Seasons – “Rag Doll”
Roy Orbison – “Pretty Woman”
Shangri-Las – “Leader of the Pack”

British No. 1s:
Peter and Gordon – “A World Without Love” (written by Paul McCartney)
The Animals – “The House of the Rising Sun”
Manfred Mann – “Do Wah Diddy Diddy”