The Top 100 Hits of My Lifetime - 39 years and counting.

Tomorrow morning I will take my midterm Hebrew exam, and sometime before Tuesday is over I will take my church history exam. I'm ready to be done with these and move on into next quarter!

Tomorrow is also my 39th birthday. Last year on my birthday I published a list of the 1,000 biggest pop hits of my lifetime (based on my own impartial rating system, painstakingly developed over the past 20 years or so, based on each song's performance on the Billboard chart). I've updated that list and present here the top 100. (I won't burden you with all 1,000 unless you really want a copy -- email me directly for that!)

So here's the list, and now I'm going back to studying. Enjoy!

100 .  Promiscuous - Nelly Furtado featuring Timbaland 2006
99 .  My Sharona - The Knack 1979
98 .  Everything You Want - Vertical Horizon 2000
97 .  Party Rock Anthem - LMFAO featuring Lauren Bennett & GoonRock 2011
96 .  Gangsta's Paradise - Coolio featuring L.V. 1995
95 .  Just Dance - Lady GaGa featuring Colby O'Donis 2009
94 .  Where My Girls At? - 702 1999
93 .  I'm Real - Jennifer Lopez featuring Ja Rule 2001
92 .  Stayin' Alive - Bee Gees 1978
91 .  In Da Club - 50 Cent 2003
90 .  Roll With It - Steve Winwood 1988
89 .  Unwell - matchbox twenty 2003
88 .  Another Day In Paradise - Phil Collins 1990
87 .  Tonight's The Night (Gonna Be Alright) - Rod Stewart 1977
86 .  Truly Madly Deeply - Savage Garden 1998
85 .  Bennie And The Jets - Elton John 1974
84 .  Out Of Touch - Daryl Hall  John Oates 1985
83 .  Since U Been Gone - Kelly Clarkson 2005
82 .  Family Affair - Mary J. Blige 2002
81 .  Kryptonite - 3 Doors Down 2000
80 .  The Way I Are - Timbaland featuring Keri Hilson & D.O.E. 2007
79 .  Eye Of The Tiger - Survivor 1982
78 .  Rolling In The Deep - Adele 2011
77 .  Alone - Heart 1987
76 .  Love Takes Time - Mariah Carey 1990
75 .  Fallin' - Alicia Keys 2001
74 .  Irreplaceable - Beyoncé 2007
73 .  Straight Up - Paula Abdul 1989
72 .  Nothing Compares 2 U - Sinead O'Connor 1990
71 .  Call Me - Blondie 1980
70 .  Every Rose Has Its Thorn - Poison 1989
69 .  Look Away - Chicago 1988
68 .  Livin' On A Prayer - Bon Jovi 1987
67 .  Shadow Dancing - Andy Gibb 1978
66 .  Seasons In The Sun - Terry Jacks 1974
65 .  Play That Funky Music - Wild Cherry 1976
64 .  Careless Whisper - Wham! featuring George Michael 1985
63 .  Flashdance...What A Feeling - Irene Cara 1983
62 .  Candle In The Wind 1997 - Elton John 1998
61 .  Night Fever - Bee Gees 1978
60 .  Another One Bites The Dust - Queen 1980
59 .  Too Close - Next 1998
58 .  Baby Boy - Beyoncé featuring Sean Paul 2003
57 .  A Fifth Of Beethoven - Walter Murphy & The Big Apple Band 1976
56 .  Miss You Much - Janet Jackson 1989
55 .  Run It! - Chris Brown 2006
54 .  Love Will Keep Us Together - Captain & Tennille 1975
53 .  Independent Women Part I - Destiny's Child 2001
52 .  Rush Rush - Paula Abdul 1991
51 .  December 1963 (Oh, What A Night)  -  Four Seasons 1976
50 .  Because I Love You (The Postman Song) - Stevie B 1991
49 .  Dilemma - Nelly featuring Kelly Rowland 2002
48 .  Tie A Yellow Ribbon Round The Ole Oak Tree - Dawn 1973
47 .  I Just Want To Be Your Everything - Andy Gibb 1977
46 .  Philadelphia Freedom - Elton John 1975
45 .  Let's Get It On - Marvin Gaye 1973
44 .  Bleeding Love - Leona Lewis 2008
43 .  Every Breath You Take - The Police 1983
42 .  How Deep Is Your Love - Bee Gees 1978
41 .  Iris - Goo Goo Dolls 1998
40 .  Lose Yourself - Eminem 2003
39 .  Boom Boom Pow - The Black Eyed Peas 2009
38 .  Faith - George Michael 1988
37 .  Endless Love - Diana Ross & Lionel Richie 1981
36 .  Big Girls Don't Cry - Fergie 2007
35 .  TiK ToK - Ke$ha 2010
34 .  Bette Davis Eyes - Kim Carnes 1981
33 .  I Swear - All-4-One 1994
32 .  Say You, Say Me - Lionel Richie 1986
31 .  Hey Ya! - OutKast 2004
30 .  Gold Digger - Kanye West featuring Jamie Foxx 2005
29 .  Apologize - Timbaland featuring OneRepublic 2008
28 .  Silly Love Songs - Wings 1976
27 .  That's What Friends Are For - Dionne & Friends 1986
26 .  Walk Like An Egyptian - The Bangles 1987
25 .  Rhinestone Cowboy - Glen Campbell 1975
24 .  The Sign - Ace Of Base 1994
23 .  Don't Speak - No Doubt 1997
22 .  Say Say Say - Paul McCartney & Michael Jackson 1984
21 .  We Belong Together - Mariah Carey 2005
20 .  Like A Virgin - Madonna 1985
19 .  The Way We Were - Barbra Streisand 1974
18 .  Le Freak - Chic 1979
17 .  Whoomp! (There It Is) - Tag Team 1993
16 .  Un-Break My Heart - Toni Braxton 1997
15 .  One Sweet Day - Mariah Carey & Boyz II Men 1996
14 .  Physical - Olivia Newton-John 1982
13 .  How Do I Live - LeAnn Rimes 1998
12 .  I Gotta Feeling - The Black Eyed Peas 2009
11 .  I Will Always Love You - Whitney Houston 1993
10 .  Hanging By A Moment - Lifehouse 2001
9 .  (Everything I Do) I Do It For You - Bryan Adams 1991
8 .  Low - Flo Rida featuring T-Pain 2008
7 .  You Light Up My Life - Debby Boone 1977
6 .  How You Remind Me - Nickelback 2002
5 .  Yeah! - Usher featuring Ludacris & Lil Jon 2004
4 .  I'll Make Love To You - Boyz II Men 1994
3 .  End Of The Road - Boyz II Men 1992
2 .  Macarena (bayside boys mix) - Los Del Rio 1996
1 .  Smooth - Santana featuring Rob Thomas 2000

The Top 1000 of my lifetime ... #1, at long last!

OK, I've kept you all waiting long enough. Congrats to Paul Dec, who guessed correctly! The #1 song of the past 38 years (at least, by my extremely painstaking calculations) is ...

(drum roll, please) ...

"Smooth" by Santana featuring Rob Thomas.

It was #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart for 12 weeks, straddling the years 1999-2000. It spent 58 weeks on the chart. It was huge. And I'm happy to say it's a song I actually love.

The Top 1000 of my lifetime ... #2

This countdown has taken so darn long to get through that I hope someone's still paying attention! The #2 hit in the U.S. in the past 38 years is by Los Del Rio: "Macarena."

So what's #1? Any guesses, anyone? Post on the blog or on Facebook. I may give clues if people guess first.

The Top 1000 of my lifetime ... #4 & #3

On the list of the top pop hits of the past 38 years, #4 and #3 are by the same recording act: BOYZ II MEN!

#4: "I'll Make Love to You" (spent 14 weeks at #1 in 1994)

#3: "End of the Road" (spent 13 weeks at #1 in 1992)

Only two hits left. Up next, a song that had a dance to go with it. I first tried to dance to it at a wedding. Come to think of it, a wedding is one place you may still dance to it today. And the band that recorded the song hails from Spain. What's the song?

The Top 1000 of my lifetime ... #5

"Yeah!" Usher, with help from Ludacris and Lil Jon, has the #5 hit overall since 1972.

What's at #4? Well, think about #3 as well. Because they're both by the same group. What group could possibly be so popular as to have two of the top five hits of the past 38 years? Hmmm ...

The Top 1000 of my lifetime ... #6

At #6: What band will give you change for your dollar? Nickelback, of course.

Up next at #5, another song from the 2000s -- a one-word title with an important punctuation mark. Sounds great in a club at a high volume. And the lead artist could be someone who works in a theater or volunteers in a church. Can you guess?

The Top 1000 of my lifetime ... #7

Nobody guessed this one correctly. The #7 song of my particular lifetime so far is "You Light Up My Life" by Debby Boone. With 10 weeks at #1, it was the biggest hit of the 1970s.

Up next at #6, a band many people love to hate -- a rock-pop band from the 2000s. Give 'em a dollar, and they'll give you change. Who are they, and which song?

The Top 1000 of my lifetime ... #8

At #8, the most recent hit among the top 10 hits of my lifetime comes from rapper Flo Rida: "Low." It's the biggest hit of the past five years, with Black Eyed Peas' "I Gotta Feeling" running a close second. (That one landed at #12 on the top 1000.)

Up next: the oldest song in the top 10 is pre-MTV, pre-new wave, contemporary with disco, but definitely not disco. It was the biggest pop hit of the 1970s, but it was also a huge contemporary Christian hit. What is it?

The Top 1000 of my lifetime ... #9

At #9 in my lifetime, we find Bryan Adams with the biggest hit of 1991, "Everything I Do (I Do It for You)," from the soundtrack of the Kevin Costner film "Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves." It spent seven weeks at #1, which was REALLY amazing at the time.


Up next: a Florida rapper I've already named. I might also note that this southern state is not at a very high altitude. Got it figured out yet?

The Top 1000 of my lifetime ... #10

The #10 song of my particular lifetime so far is "Hanging by a Moment" by Lifehouse. While I adored the song at the time (2001), I got VERY sick of it after it spent more than a year on the charts. Lifehouse is an interesting band ... while they market themselves in the mainstream, their lyrics carry a decidedly Christian theme.


Up next at #9 ... a Canadian prince who robs from the rockers and gives to the pop-heads. Can you guess?

The Top 1000 of my lifetime, #40 through #11

I’ve gotta say that my favorite song in the top 40 of my lifetime (outside of the top 10) is “Hey Ya!” by OutKast.

What’s your favorite of these 30 songs?

40  Iris  -  Goo Goo Dolls  1998

39  Lose Yourself  -  Eminem  2003

38  Boom Boom Pow  -  The Black Eyed Peas  2009

37  Faith  -  George Michael  1988

36  Endless Love  -  Diana Ross & Lionel Richie  1981

35  Big Girls Don't Cry  -  Fergie  2007

34  Bette Davis Eyes  -  Kim Carnes  1981

33  I Swear  -  All-4-One  1994

32  Say You, Say Me  -  Lionel Richie  1986

31  Hey Ya!  -  OutKast  2004

30  Gold Digger  -  Kanye West featuring Jamie Foxx  2005

29  Apologize  -  Timbaland featuring OneRepublic  2008

28  Silly Love Songs  -  Wings  1976

27  That's What Friends Are For  -  Dionne & Friends  1986

26  Walk Like An Egyptian  -  The Bangles  1987

25  Rhinestone Cowboy  -  Glen Campbell  1975

24  The Sign  -  Ace Of Base  1994

23  Don't Speak  -  No Doubt  1997

22  Say Say Say  -  Paul McCartney & Michael Jackson  1984

21  We Belong Together  -  Mariah Carey  2005

20  Like A Virgin  -  Madonna  1985

19  The Way We Were  -  Barbra Streisand  1974

18  Le Freak  -  Chic  1979

17  Whoomp! (There It Is)  -  Tag Team  1993

16  Un-Break My Heart  -  Toni Braxton  1997

15  One Sweet Day  -  Mariah Carey & Boyz II Men  1996

14  Physical  -  Olivia Newton-John  1982

13  How Do I Live  -  LeAnn Rimes  1998

12  I Gotta Feeling  -  The Black Eyed Peas  2009

11  I Will Always Love You  -  Whitney Houston  1993

The Top 1000 of my lifetime, #70-41

After this, there are only 40 left! And included in this segment is the OTHER song in our 1000-hit countdown that has been a significant hit twice since 1972. (The other one was “Bohemian Rhapsody” by Queen, a hit in 1976 and 1992, back at #454.)

So which of these 30 songs is the one that was a big hit twice? Can you guess?

70  Every Rose Has Its Thorn  -  Poison  1989

69  Look Away  -  Chicago  1988

68  Livin' On A Prayer  -  Bon Jovi  1987

67  Shadow Dancing  -  Andy Gibb  1978

66  Seasons In The Sun  -  Terry Jacks  1974

65  Play That Funky Music  -  Wild Cherry  1976

64  Careless Whisper  -  Wham! featuring George Michael  1985

63  Flashdance...What A Feeling  -  Irene Cara  1983

62  Candle In The Wind 1997  -  Elton John  1998

61  Night Fever  -  Bee Gees  1978

60  Another One Bites The Dust  -  Queen  1980

59  Too Close  -  Next  1998

58  Baby Boy  -  Beyoncé featuring Sean Paul  2003

57  A Fifth Of Beethoven  -  Walter Murphy & The Big Apple Band  1976

56  Miss You Much  -  Janet Jackson  1989

55  TiK ToK  -  Ke$ha  2010

54  Run It!  -  Chris Brown  2006

53  Love Will Keep Us Together  -  Captain & Tennille  1975

52  Independent Women Part I  -  Destiny's Child  2001

51  Rush Rush  -  Paula Abdul  1991

50  December 1963 (Oh, What A Night)   -   Four Seasons  1976

49  Because I Love You (The Postman Song)  -  Stevie B  1991

48  Dilemma  -  Nelly featuring Kelly Rowland  2002

47  Tie A Yellow Ribbon Round The Ole Oak Tree  -  Dawn  1973

46  I Just Want To Be Your Everything  -  Andy Gibb  1977

45  Philadelphia Freedom  -  Elton John  1975

44  Let's Get It On  -  Marvin Gaye  1973

43  Bleeding Love  -  Leona Lewis  2008

42  Every Breath You Take  -  The Police  1983

41  How Deep Is Your Love  -  Bee Gees  1978

The Top 1000 of my lifetime, #100-71

As we get closer to finishing this amazingly huge countdown, of course, we can’t keep going in 50-song segments. Let’s cut it to 30 … you know, to keep the suspense up.

Entering the top 100 of my lifetime (and perhaps something like yours too), I’m reminded that Mariah Carey was at her very best on her first single, “Vision of Love.” No matter how many times she has hit #1 over the past 20 years, she just hasn't matched her phenomenal debut offering.

Also in this segment, we have my very first favorite pop song: "Eye of the Tiger" by Survivor. It's not very original, I'm afraid; "Eye of the Tiger" was EVERY nine-year-old boy's favorite song at the time.

Believe it or not, one of my favorite songs here is a very recent one: “Just Dance” by Lady Gaga. And my least favorite? “Promiscous” by Nelly Furtado and Timbaland.

How about yours?

100  Vision Of Love  -  Mariah Carey  1990

99  No Scrubs  -  TLC  1999

98  Promiscuous  -  Nelly Furtado featuring Timbaland  2006

97  My Sharona  -  The Knack  1979

96  Everything You Want  -  Vertical Horizon  2000

95  Gangsta's Paradise  -  Coolio featuring L.V.  1995

94  Just Dance  -  Lady Gaga featuring Colby O'Donis  2009

93  Where My Girls At?  -  702  1999

92  I'm Real  -  Jennifer Lopez featuring Ja Rule  2001

91  Stayin' Alive  -  Bee Gees  1978

90  In Da Club  -  50 Cent  2003

89  Roll With It  -  Steve Winwood  1988

88  Unwell  -  matchbox twenty  2003

87  Another Day In Paradise  -  Phil Collins  1990

86  Tonight's The Night (Gonna Be Alright)  -  Rod Stewart  1977

85  Truly Madly Deeply  -  Savage Garden  1998

84  Bennie And The Jets  -  Elton John  1974

83  Out Of Touch  -  Daryl Hall  John Oates  1985

82  Since U Been Gone  -  Kelly Clarkson  2005

81  Family Affair  -  Mary J. Blige  2002

80  Kryptonite  -  3 Doors Down  2000

79  The Way I Are  -  Timbaland featuring Keri Hilson & D.O.E.  2007

78  Eye Of The Tiger  -  Survivor  1982

77  Alone  -  Heart  1987

76  Love Takes Time  -  Mariah Carey  1990

75  Fallin'  -  Alicia Keys  2001

74  Irreplaceable  -  Beyoncé  2007

73  Straight Up  -  Paula Abdul  1989

72  Nothing Compares 2 U  -  Sinead O'Connor  1990

71  Call Me  -  Blondie  1980

The Top 1000 of my lifetime, #150-101

With 850 songs down and 150 to go, we’re into an area of really huge smash hits! If you’re a follower of pop music, you may be hard-pressed to find songs here that you aren’t familiar with.

My personal favorite here is “Gonna Make You Sweat” by C+C Music Factory (affectionately known by its hook, “Everybody dance now!”).

And hearing “Can’t Fight This Feeling” by REO Speedwagon still takes me back to a junior high school dance in Rupert, Idaho … for better or worse.

Luckily, I was too young to suffer through the few awful weeks when “The Streak” by Ray Stevens was all over the radio.

150  Bent  -  matchbox twenty  2000

149  Lost In Your Eyes  -  Debbie Gibson  1989

148  Upside Down  -  Diana Ross  1980

147  I Will Survive  -  Gloria Gaynor  1979

146  Got My Mind Set On You  -  George Harrison  1988

145  Money For Nothing  -  Dire Straits  1985

144  No One  -  Alicia Keys  2008

143  Here I Go Again  -  Whitesnake  1987

142  I Write The Songs  -  Barry Manilow  1976

141  I'll Be Missing You  -  Puff Daddy & Faith Evans (feat. 112)  1997

140  Shake You Down  -  Gregory Abbott  1987

139  Separate Lives  -  Phil Collins and Marilyn Martin  1985

138  Broken Wings  -  Mr. Mister  1985

137  Can't Fight This Feeling  -  REO Speedwagon  1985

136  Sweet Child O' Mine  -  Guns N' Roses  1988

135  One Of These Nights  -  Eagles  1975

134  Right Here Waiting  -  Richard Marx  1989

133  With Arms Wide Open  -  Creed  2000

132  Complicated  -  Avril Lavigne  2002

131  Never Gonna Give You Up  -  Rick Astley  1988

130  Let Me Love You  -  Mario  2005

129  It Must Have Been Love  -  Roxette  1990

128  Crazy For You  -  Madonna  1985

127  Killing Me Softly With His Song  -  Roberta Flack  1973

126  We Are The World  -  USA for Africa  1985

125  Blame It On The Rain  -  Milli Vanilli  1989

124  Gonna Make You Sweat  -  C+C Music Factory featuring Freedom Williams  1991

123  One More Try  -  George Michael  1988

122  Dancing Machine  -  Jackson 5  1974

121  Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now  -  Starship  1987

120  Disco Duck (Part 1)  -  Rick Dees & His Cast Of Idiots  1976

119  When Doves Cry  -  Prince  1984

118  La Bamba  -  Los Lobos  1987

117  On My Own  -  Patti LaBelle & Michael McDonald  1986

116  Hold On  -  Wilson Phillips  1990

115  Need You Tonight  -  INXS  1988

114  My Prerogative  -  Bobby Brown  1989

113  I Want To Know What Love Is  -  Foreigner  1985

112  Another Night  -  Real McCoy  1995

111  Red Red Wine  -  UB40  1988

110  Vogue  -  Madonna  1990

109  Hot Stuff  -  Donna Summer  1979

108  Nobody's Supposed To Be Here  -  Deborah Cox  1999

107  You're So Vain  -  Carly Simon  1973

106  Believe  -  Cher  1999

105  I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me)  -  Whitney Houston  1987

104  The Boy Is Mine  -  Brandy & Monica  1998

103  SexyBack  -  Justin Timberlake  2006

102  We Didn't Start The Fire  -  Billy Joel  1989

101  The Streak  -  Ray Stevens  1974

The Top 1000 of my lifetime, #200-151

Well, all right. We’re really getting close now. In this 50-song segment, you’ll find everyone from Paul McCartney to Jay Sean, from Steve Miller to T.I.

I have a soft spot for Paula Abdul’s “Cold Hearted,” which I once wrote a marching band arrangement of in high school. And I can’t decide which is worse: Soulja Boy Tell’em, or Timmy -T-.

Enjoy!

200  Ebony And Ivory  -  Paul McCartney & Stevie Wonder  1982

199  Hot In Herre  -  Nelly  2002

198  Love's Theme  -  Love Unlimited Orchestra  1974

197  The Way You Move  -  OutKast featuring Sleepy Brown  2004

196  You Make Me Wanna...  -  Usher  1997

195  What's Love Got To Do With It  -  Tina Turner  1984

194  I Knew I Loved You  -  Savage Garden  2000

193  U Got It Bad  -  Usher  2002

192  I Love Rock 'N Roll  -  Joan Jett & the Blackhearts  1982

191  I'm Yours  -  Jason Mraz  2009

190  Drops Of Jupiter (Tell Me)  -  Train  2001

189  Live Your Life  -  T.I. Featuring Rihanna  2009

188  Lady  -  Kenny Rogers  1981

187  Jump  -  Van Halen  1984

186  Best Of My Love  -  The Emotions  1977

185  Waterfalls  -  TLC  1995

184  Genie In A Bottle  -  Christina Aguilera  1999

183  Down  -  Jay Sean featuring Lil Wayne  2009

182  Can't Help Falling In Love  -  UB40  1993

181  You Were Meant For Me  -  Jewel  1997

180  You're Still The One  -  Shania Twain  1998

179  The Way It Is  -  Bruce Hornsby & the Range  1987

178  When A Man Loves A Woman  -  Michael Bolton  1991

177  Crank That (Soulja Boy)  -  Soulja Boy Tell'em  2007

176  ...Baby One More Time  -  Britney Spears  1999

175  Wind Beneath My Wings  -  Bette Midler  1989

174  The Joker  -  Steve Miller Band  1974

173  Dreamlover  -  Mariah Carey  1993

172  Billie Jean  -  Michael Jackson  1983

171  From A Distance  -  Bette Midler  1991

170  Here Without You  -  3 Doors Down  2004

169  With Or Without You  -  U2  1987

168  Set Adrift On Memory Bliss  -  P.M. Dawn  1991

167  Torn  -  Natalie Imbruglia  1998

166  Bad Day  -  Daniel Powter  2006

165  How To Save A Life  -  The Fray  2006

164  Before The Next Teardrop Falls  -  Freddy Fender  1975

163  My Love  -  Paul McCartney  1973

162  Baby Got Back  -  Sir Mix-A-Lot  1992

161  Could've Been  -  Tiffany  1988

160  Do That To Me One More Time  -  The Captain & Tennille  1980

159  Cold Hearted  -  Paula Abdul  1989

158  The Reason  -  Hoobastank  2004

157  Emotions  -  Mariah Carey  1991

156  One More Try  -  Timmy -T-  1991

155  Crazy In Love  -  Beyoncé featuring Jay-Z  2003

154  I Wanna Sex You Up  -  Color Me Badd  1991

153  Foolish  -  Ashanti  2002

152  The Most Beautiful Girl  -  Charlie Rich  1974

151  Centerfold  -  J. Geils Band  1982