The Best Guitar-Driven #1 Hit Is…

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Guitar is a cornerstone of rock, but what about pop? Specifically, what
about the pinnacle of pop: a Billboard Number One Hit? Using one my favorite
reference books–Joel Whitburn’s “The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits”–as well
as some Wikipedia lists, I looked at the many #1 hits over the years, from 1955
(when the Billboard “rock era” began) up to 1992, after which guitar in a #1
hit song basically fell off the face of the earth.
Here are my top #1 hits featuring
some kind of nice guitar work from each year. I list the song, the artist and the guitar player (when known).
 
At the end, I whittle the winners down and choose an overall
champion–you know, just for fun!
 
1955
“Rock Around the Clock” by Bill Haley and His Comets (Danny Cedrone)
 
1956
“Heartbreak Hotel” by Elvis Presley (Scotty Moore)
(Note: Chet Atkins on acoustic and Floyd Cramer on piano!)
 
1957
“That’ll Be The Day” by the Crickets (Buddy Holly)
 
1958
“Bird Dog” by the Everly Brothers (Don and Phil Everly)
 
1959
“Sleep Walk” by Santo & Johnny (Santo Farina–lap steel guitar)

1960
“El Paso” by Marty Robbins (Grady Martin)
 
1961
“Tossin’ and Turnin’” by Bobby Lewis (Ritchie Adams and Eric Gale)
 
1962
“Peppermint Twist” by Joey Dee & The Starliters (Unknown)
 
1963
“Walk Right In” by the Rooftop Singers (Bill Svanoe)
 
1964
 “I Feel Fine” by The Beatles
(John Lennon main riff, George Harrison solo)
 
1965
 “Hang On Sloopy” by the McCoys
(Rick Derringer)
 
1966
“Wild Thing” by the Troggs (Chris Britton)
 
1967
“Light My Fire” by the Doors (Robby Krieger)
 
1968
“Tighten Up” by Archie Bell & the Drells (Cal Thomas of the TSU
Toronadoes, who on this song were the backing band for AB&D, a vocal group)
 
1969
“Crimson and Clover” by Tommy James & The Shondells (Tommy James)


1970
“American Woman” by the Guess Who (Randy Bachman)

1971
“Want Ads” by Honey Cone (Unknown)
Runners-up: Me and Bobby McGee, Brown Sugar, You’ve Got A Friend,
Maggie May, Theme from Shaft, Family Affair
 
1972
“A Horse With No Name” by America (One or more of Dewey Bunnell, Dan Peek, and Gerry Beckley)
Runner-up: Heart of Gold
 
1973
“Give Me Love (Give Me Peace On Earth)” by George Harrison
Runner-up: Frankenstein
 
1974
“Sundown” by Gordon Lightfoot (Terry Clements)
Runners-up: The Joker, You Ain’t Seen Nothing Yet
 
1975
“One Of These Nights” by the Eagles (Bernie Leadon rhythm, Don Felder
lead)
Runners-up: Pick Up the Pieces, Let’s Do It Again, Black Water, Thank
God I’m A Country Boy, Sister Golden Hair, Jive Talkin’, Shining Star
 
1976
“Play That Funky Music” by Wild Cherry (Bryan Bassett)
Runners-up: Rollercoaster of Love, You Should Be Dancing, Rock’n Me,
December 1963
 
1977
“Hotel California” by the Eagles (Don Felder and Joe Walsh)
Runner-up: Southern Nights
 
1978
“Le Freak” by Chic (Nile Rodgers)
Runner-up: Night Fever
 
1979
“My Sharona” by The Knack (Berton Averre)
Runner-up: Love You Inside Out


1980
“Another Brick In the Wall (Part II)” by Pink Floyd (David Gilmour)
Runner-up: Crazy Little Thing Called Love
 
1981
“Keep On Loving You” by REO Speedwagon (Gary Richrath)
 
1982
“I Love Rock ‘n’ Roll” by Joan Jett & the Blackhearts (Ricky Byrd)
 
1983
“Beat It” by Michael Jackson (Eddie Van Halen)
Runner-up: “Let’s Dance” by David Bowie (SRV)
 
1984
“Jump” by Van Halen (Eddie Van Halen)
 
1985
“Money for Nothing” by Dire Straits (Mark Knopfler)
 
1986
“Kiss” by Prince
 
1987
“Faith” by George Michael
 
1988
“Sweet Child o’ Mine” by Guns ‘n’ Roses (Slash)
 
1989
“Every Rose Has Its Thorn” by Poison (C.C. DeVille)


1990
“Blaze of Glory” by Bon Jovi (Richie Sambora)
 
1991
“More Than Words” by Extreme (Nuno Bettencourt)
 
1992

“To Be With You” by Mr. Big (Paul Gilbert)


Champions by Decade (Warning: highly subjective)
50s: “Rock Around the Clock” (Danny Cedrone)
60s: “Light My Fire” (Robby Krieger)
70s: “My Sharona” (Berton Averre)
80s: “Another Brick In the Wall (Part II)” (David Gilmour by a whisker
over EVH)
90s: “More Than Words” (Nuno Bettencourt)
Top 3 (Warning: brutally subjective)
Cedrone, Averre, Gilmour
 
And the final standings
Bronze: Cedrone
Silver: Gilmour
Gold: Averre
It’s all cued up–enjoy!

 

There we have it! “My Sharona” is the king of guitar-driven #1 pop songs, with Gilmour and Cedrone close behind. I hope you have enjoyed this six-string trip down memory lane!

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