Elvis’s 77 #1 Hits

[ForeverElvis]

On the USA Billboard charts Elvis was credited with 18 #1s during his lifetime. since his death Billboard had reduced that to 17 by counting Hound Dog/Don't Be Cruel as one entry, even though both sides of this single reached #1 on different weeks.

In the last decade Billboard has decided to reference the Hot 100 chart only (which began in 1958) in articles about contemporary artist's achievements that compare to artist’s achievements in the past. These articles reduce Elvis's #1s on the USA Billboard charts to 7 and ignore Elvis's peak period 1956-1958, except as a footnote in the past.

As Elvis was popular throughout the world, not just the main USA market, let's look at the these 77 Elvis songs that peaked at the #1 position on a chart somewhere in the world between 1954-2003.

There's enough evidence here that proves Elvis was and is a global artist that has reach far beyond what Billboard will acknowledge.

Thanks to another Elvis fan, Jimbo, for the list.

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Blue Moon Of Kentucky - 1954

Billboard Memphis Country & Western Chart

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I Forgot To Remember To Forget - 1955

Billboard Country Chart

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Heartbreak Hotel - 1956

Billboard Top 100 Pop Chart - Billboard Country Chart - Billboard Best Sellers

Billboard Disc Jockey - Billboard Jukebox - Cashbox Pop Chart

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I Want You, I Need You, I Love You - 1956

Billboard Pop Best Sellers Chart - Billboard Country Chart

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Hound Dog - 1956

Billboard Best Sellers Chart - Billboard Disc Jockey - Billboard Jukebox

Billboard R & B Chart - Billboard Country Chart - Cashbox Pop Chart

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Don't Be Cruel – 1956

Billboard Top 100 Pop Chart - Billboard Best Sellers - Billboard Disc Jockey

Billboard Jukebox - Billboard R & B Chart - Billboard Country Chart - Cashbox Pop Chart.

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Love Me Tender - 1956

Billboard Top 100 Pop Chart - Billboard Best Sellers - Billboard Disc Jockey Billboard Jukebox - Cashbox Pop Chart

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Too Much - 1957

Billboard Best Sellers Chart - Billboard Jukebox - Cashbox Pop Chart

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All Shook Up – 1957

Billboard Top 100 Pop Chart - Billboard Best Sellers - Billboard Disc Jockey - Billboard Jukebox

Billboard R & B Chart - Billboard Country Chart - Cashbox Pop Chart

Canada - UK NME Chart - UK Record Mirror Chart

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Teddy Bear - 1957

Billboard Top 100 Pop Chart - Billboard Best Sellers - Billboard Disc Jockey - Billboard R & B Chart

Billboard Country Chart - Cashbox Pop Chart - Canada

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Tutti Frutti - 1957

Italy

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Party - 1957

UK Melody Maker Chart

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Jailhouse Rock - 1957

Billboard Top 100 Pop Chart - Billboard Best Sellers - Billboard Disc Jockey - Billboard R & B Chart

Billboard Country Chart - Cashbox Pop Chart - Canada - South Africa - UK NME Chart - UK Record Mirror Chart

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Don't - 1958

Billboard Top 100 Pop Chart - Billboard Best Sellers - Billboard Disc Jockey - Cashbox Pop Chart

Canada - South Africa

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I Beg Of You - 1958

Canada

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Wear My Ring Around Your Neck - 1958

Billboard R & B Radio Chart - Cashbox Country Chart - Canada

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Hard Headed Woman - 1958

Billboard Best Sellers Chart - Billboard Disc Jockey

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King Creole - 1958

Sweden

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One Night - 1958

Canada - UK NME Chart - UK Record Mirror Chart

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I Got Stung - 1958

Canada

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A Fool Such As I - 1959

Australia - Canada - South Africa - UK NME Chart - UK Record Mirror Chart

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I Need Your Love Tonight - 1959

Canada

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A Big Hunk O' Love - 1959

Billboard Pop Hot 100 Chart - Canada

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My Wish Came True - 1959

Canada

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Stuck On You - 1960

Billboard Pop Hot 100 Chart - Cashbox Pop Chart - Canada

UK Disc Chart - UK Melody Maker Chart

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Fame And Fortune - 1960

Canada

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Girl Of My Best Friend - 1960

UK Melody Maker Chart

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It's Now Or Never - 1960

Billboard Pop Hot 100 Chart - Cashbox Pop Chart - Ireland - Canada

Norway - Sweden - Belgium - Switzerland - Austria - Australia - Spain

South Africa - UK Record Retailers - UK NME Chart - UK Record Mirror Chart

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A Mess Of Blues - 1960

Canada - Ireland - UK Melody Maker Chart

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Are You Lonesome Tonight? - 1960

Billboard Pop Hot 100 Chart - Cashbox Pop Chart - Canada - Belgium - Australia

Ireland - Spain - South Africa - UK Record Retailers - UK NME Chart - UK Record Mirror Chart

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I Gotta Know - 1960

Canada

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Wooden Heart - 1961

Austria - Ireland - Holland - Belgium - Australia - South Africa

UK Record Retailers - UK NME Chart - UK Record Mirror Chart

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Surrender - 1961

Billboard Pop Hot 100 Chart - Cashbox Pop - Canada - Ireland - Belgium - Australia - NS wales

Sweden - UK Record Retailers - UK NME Chart - UK Record Mirror Chart

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Lonely Man - 1961

Canada

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Wild In The Country - 1961

UK NME Chart - Ireland

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His Latest Flame - 1961

Canada - Ireland - Spain - Australia :Vic - UK Record Retailers

UK NME Chart - UK Record Mirror Chart

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Little Sister - 1961

Belgium - Canada - Ireland - Spain - UK

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Can't Help Falling In Love - 1962

Billboard Easy Listening Chart - Australia - South Africa - UK

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Rock-A-Hula Baby - 1962

UK Record Retailers - Ireland

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No More - 1962

Italy - Spain

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Good Luck Charm - 1962

Billboard Pop Hot 100 Chart - Cashbox Pop Chart - Canada - Norway - Australia - Spain

Sweden - Ireland - South Africa - UK Record Retailers - UK NME Chart

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Anything That's Part Of You - 1962

Canada

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She's Not You – 1962

UK Record Retailers - UK NME Chart - Ireland

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Return To Sender - 1962

Cashbox Pop Chart - Canada - Norway - Ireland - Sweden - Spain

UK Record Retailers - UK NME Chart

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King Of The Whole Wide World - 1962

Norway

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Joshua Fit The Battle - 1963

Sweden

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Kiss Me Quick - 1963

Brazil

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Devil In Disguise - 1963

Canada - France - Belgium - Norway - Ireland - Holland - Sweden - UK Record Retailers

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Bossa Nova Baby - 1963

Belgium

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Viva Las Vegas - 1964

Australia

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Ain't That Lovin' You Baby - 1964

Australia - South Africa

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Ask Me - 1964

Australia

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Blue Christmas - 1964

Billboard Christmas Chart

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Do The Clam - 1965

Singapore - Japan - Malaysia

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Crying In The Chapel - 1965

Billboard Easy Listening Chart - Canada - Norway - Israel - Australia: NS Wales - Australia: Vic

Hong Kong - Spain - UK Record Retailers - UK NME Chart

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Easy Question - 1965

Billboard Easy Listening Chart - Indonesia

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I'm Yours - 1965

Billboard Easy Listening Chart

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Summer Kisses, Winter Tears - 1965

Tiawan

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Animal Instinct - 1966

Thailand

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The Love Machine - 1967

India

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A Little Less Conversation - 1968

Singapore

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Edge Of Reality - 1968

Australia: Vic - Australia - Melbourne

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In The Ghetto - 1969

Cashbox Pop Chart - Record world Chart - UK NME Chart - Sweden - New Zealand

Norway - Belgium - Ireland - Australia - Australia: Vic - Germany - Spain - India

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Suspicious Minds - 1969

Billboard Pop Hot 100 Chart - Cashbox Pop Chart - Record World Chart

Canada - Belgium - New Zealand - Australia

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The Wonder Of You - 1970

Billboard Easy Listening Chart - Australia: Vic - Ireland

UK Record Retailers - UK NME Chart

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You Don't Have To Say You Love Me - 1970

Billboard Easy Listening Chart - France

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Sylvia - 1972

Brazil

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Burning Love - 1972

Cashbox Pop Chart

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My Boy - 1975

Billboard Easy Listening Chart

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Promised Land - 1975

Malaysia

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Moody Blue - 1977

Billboard Country Chart - Cashbox Country Chart

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Way Down - 1977

Billboard Country Chart - Cashbox Country Chart - Ireland

UK Record Retailers - UK NME Chart

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Pledging My Love - 1977

Cashbox Country Chart

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My Way - 1977

Cashbox Country Chart

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Guitar Man (Remix) - 1981

Billboard Country Chart - Cashbox Country Chart

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A Little Less Conversation (Remix) - 2002

Billboard Singles Sales Chart - UK Record Retailers - Norway - Denmark - Canada - Sweden

Portugal - Hong Kong - Netherlands - Australia - Hungaria - Ireland - New Zealand

South Korea - Croatia - Estonia - Slovenia - Chile - Singapore - Switzerland - China

Czech Republic - Malaysia - Mexico - Spain

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Rubberneckin' (Remix) – 2003

Billboard Singles Sales Chart - Billboard Dance Sales Chart

Australia Dance Chart - Croatia

[brian]

Some observations.

1.Elvis-express used to have that list on their website. After Lee Dawson's untimely passing they shutdown so it's not available to read anymore.

2. I believe it's incomplete. I had read the list when it was on the Elvis express website and I counted that Elvis had around 120 different songs that hit #1 on various charts throughout the world.

3. I don't believe that some of those B-sides that are listed actually were number one hits. For example I don't think Pledging my love hit #1 on the country charts and shouldn't be counted as such.

4. I wouldn't count Blue Moon of Kentucky as a number one hit because it was just a local chart.

5. Ain't that loving you baby is listed as hitting #1 in Australia in 1964 but it also was #1 in Canada as well.

6. Kentucky rain went to #1 on the RPM country charts in Canada for 2 weeks in 1970. That's one that's missing on that list.

[ForeverElvis]

Some observations.

1.Elvis-express used to have that list on their website. After Lee Dawson's untimely passing they shutdown so it's not available to read anymore.

2. I believe it's incomplete. I had read the list when it was on the Elvis express website and I counted that Elvis had around 120 different songs that hit #1 on various charts throughout the world.

3. I don't believe that some of those B-sides that are listed actually were number one hits. For example I don't think Pledging my love hit #1 on the country charts and shouldn't be counted as such.

4. I wouldn't count Blue Moon of Kentucky as a number one hit because it was just a local chart.

5. Ain't that loving you baby is listed as hitting #1 in Australia in 1964 but it also was #1 in Canada as well.

6. Kentucky rain went to #1 on the RPM country charts in Canada for 2 weeks in 1970. That's one that's missing on that list.

3.
cashbox sept 3, 1977
its the only entry that lists both sides of a single.
Pledging My love must have had enough traction to get to #1.

Sept 3 1977 cashbox country.png

[brian]

No. Sometimes Billboard would list the B-side with the A-side on their listings. Like they did with Don't cry daddy and Rubberneckin but Rubberneckin wasn't a top ten hit and it was never counted as one. In the past some people would get confused and think that Rubberneckin was also a top ten in 1969 but it wasn't. Way Down was #1 on the country chart but Pledging my love wasn't a number one hit. Billboard listing the two songs together didn't mean Pledging my love was also #1. Besides I think that Billboard had stopped counting double sided hits for all artists by 1977. Regardless Elvis hadn't had a double sided hit in years anyway.

[emjel]

I’m not sure what the point of this listing is other than one that could be classed as a numbers manipulation game just to excite certain fans. Billboard gives info relative to their chart so Billboard don’t need to acknowledge data beyond their boundaries, in the same way as Record Retailer/Music Week did and do for the UK and these are the charts that are recognised as being official when looking at chart achievements and stats.

The inclusion of sub-genre charts like Country, Christmas, Easy Listening or Australian Dance Chart and local charts like Memphis or Australian Melbourne are basically irrelevant against the main recognised charts and seem to be there just to get the numbers up. I believe a record company makes the decision at the outset whether a record is a double A side release where both songs can take credit and I have never heard or read that Way Down/Pledging My Love was such a contender.

[ForeverElvis]

No. Sometimes Billboard would list the B-side with the A-side on their listings. Like they did with Don't cry daddy and Rubberneckin but Rubberneckin wasn't a top ten hit and it was never counted as one. In the past some people would get confused and think that Rubberneckin was also a top ten in 1969 but it wasn't. Way Down was #1 on the country chart but Pledging my love wasn't a number one hit. Billboard listing the two songs together didn't mean Pledging my love was also #1. Besides I think that Billboard had stopped counting double sided hits for all artists by 1977. Regardless Elvis hadn't had a double sided hit in years anyway.

I understand that.
But, this is Cashbox, not billboard.
It means something that in the whole chart that is the only entry that lists both sides.

[TheKingOfMusicEP]

IMG_20240701_100917.jpg

I have to find again this Internet page were I got this from.
I think I posted this before somewhere on here
That person did list every Elvis song with it's entry in what country ever it could find.

[ForeverElvis]

I’m not sure what the point of this listing is other than one that could be classed as a numbers manipulation game just to excite certain fans. Billboard gives info relative to their chart so Billboard don’t need to acknowledge data beyond their boundaries, in the same way as Record Retailer/Music Week did and do for the UK and these are the charts that are recognised as being official when looking at chart achievements and stats.

The inclusion of sub-genre charts like Country, Christmas, Easy Listening or Australian Dance Chart and local charts like Memphis or Australian Melbourne are basically irrelevant against the main recognised charts and seem to be there just to get the numbers up. I believe a record company makes the decision at the outset whether a record is a double A side release where both songs can take credit and I have never heard or read that Way Down/Pledging My Love was such a contender.

I found this particular list and it reminded me that while the USA is the biggest market then, as it is now, that Elvis was a global icon.

So seeing the vast number, and type of songs, that reached the top of other country’s charts was interesting. I’m in Canada and I find it fascinating the number of songs that reached the top up here and how some were different on the east coast compared to the west coast. We didn’t have a national chart until 1964. Prior to that you had the Toronto and Vancouver charts (separated by 4500km (2800 mi))

As for way down/pledging my love see my previous post. This is Cashbox, not billboard.

[emjel]

I’m not sure what the point of this listing is other than one that could be classed as a numbers manipulation game just to excite certain fans. Billboard gives info relative to their chart so Billboard don’t need to acknowledge data beyond their boundaries, in the same way as Record Retailer/Music Week did and do for the UK and these are the charts that are recognised as being official when looking at chart achievements and stats.

The inclusion of sub-genre charts like Country, Christmas, Easy Listening or Australian Dance Chart and local charts like Memphis or Australian Melbourne are basically irrelevant against the main recognised charts and seem to be there just to get the numbers up. I believe a record company makes the decision at the outset whether a record is a double A side release where both songs can take credit and I have never heard or read that Way Down/Pledging My Love was such a contender.

I found this particular list and it reminded me that while the USA is the biggest market then, as it is now, that Elvis was a global icon.

So seeing the vast number, and type of songs, that reached the top of other country’s charts was interesting. I’m in Canada and I find it fascinating the number of songs that reached the top up here and how some were different on the east coast compared to the west coast. We didn’t have a national chart until 1964. Prior to that you had the Toronto and Vancouver charts (separated by 4500km (2800 mi))

As for way down/pledging my love see my previous post. This is Cashbox, not billboard.

I guess if we drilled down enough, we could find lots of memorable artists had big hits with slightly more unusual songs that were never released as singles in the big markets of the US and UK.

And do we need such a list to tell us that Elvis was a global icon - I think many would ascertain that this could be shown by the start of the 60s regardless of the odd song reaching number 1 in some lesser known countries through the later 60s. I can remember back in early 1969 when fans were shouting out that Edge of Reality had hit the top spot in Australia instead of If I Can Dream. Later we were told that this wasn’t exactly a truthful claim for the main Australian Chart as it was only on one of the southern territories.

Yep I know it’s Cashbox but as I said, I haven’t seen any other reference to the record being a double A sided hit anywhere in the world. Way Down got to the top spot for 6 weeks in the UK, but I cannot recall anyone referring to Pledging My Love as a joint A side with it.

[dougkapp]

Congratulations on your work! Kiss me Quick and Sylvia were a real hit in Brazil. My Boy too. My Boy was even included as the first track on the B-side of the Brazilian LP Promised Land. I can't say if My Boy reached number one in the charts, but I know it reached number three.

[brian]

I understand that.
But, this is Cashbox, not billboard.
It means something that in the whole chart that is the only entry that lists both sides.

It was the same way with Cash box. That didn't mean that Pledging my love was a #1 on the Cash box country singles chart in 1977. Since this thread is about all of Elvis's number one hits on various charts I'm just pointing that out. Pledging my love shouldn't be on the list of Elvis's number one hits.

[ForeverElvis]

I understand that.
But, this is Cashbox, not billboard.
It means something that in the whole chart that is the only entry that lists both sides.

It was the same way with Cash box. That didn't mean that Pledging my love was a #1 on the Cash box country singles chart in 1977. Since this thread is about all of Elvis's number one hits on various charts I'm just pointing that out. Pledging my love shouldn't be on the list of Elvis's number one hits.

I am surprised to see it listed on Cashbox’s chart. it is very curious why it is the only single on that particular chart that has its B-side listed with the A-Side. Every other song listed is an individual track. It’s not a typo.

I don’t remember why Billboard listed both sides of a single on their singles chart between 1969-1971. But, this is 6 years later so I don’t know if that point of view is still valid in 1977.

For whoever put together this list I can see how listing Pledging My Love as a number 1 made sense, according to this Cashbox County Chart it is.

There was no such reference in the USA and Canada as double-A side records. There was an A and a B side.

[brian]

The inclusion of sub-genre charts like Country, Christmas, Easy Listening or Australian Dance Chart and local charts like Memphis or Australian Melbourne are basically irrelevant against the main recognised charts and seem to be there just to get the numbers up. I believe a record company makes the decision at the outset whether a record is a double A side release where both songs can take credit and I have never heard or read that Way Down/Pledging My Love was such a contender.

I agree with you except the Country and Easy listening charts. In the United States getting a #1 hit on the country charts was considered an achievement. It wasn't as big of an achievement as getting a #1 on the pop charts but it was still an achievement. Conway Twitty, Ronnie Milsap, Alabama and George Strait would all boast about all the #1 hits they had on the Country charts. It was a national chart published by Billboard, Cash Box and Record world. Elvis should get credit for all his country, R&B and Easy listening chart hits.

[brian]

I am surprised to see it listed on Cashbox’s chart. it is very curious why it is the only single on that particular chart that has its B-side listed with the A-Side. Every other song listed is an individual track. It’s not a typo.

I don’t remember why Billboard listed both sides of a single on their singles chart between 1969-1971. But, this is 6 years later so I don’t know if that point of view is still valid in 1977.

For whoever put together this list I can see how listing Pledging My Love as a number 1 made sense, according to this Cashbox County Chart it

You don't fully understand what I'm saying. Every now and then Billboard, Cash Box and Record world would list an A side and a B Side together when listing the charts. That doesn't mean that both sides were #1. They weren't. Moody Blue went to #1 on the country charts on the Billboard charts and it was sometimes credited as Moody Blue/She thinks I still care. Moody Blue went to #1 on the country charts and is counted as a #1 but She thinks I still care isn't. Some people years later see that and mistakenly think She thinks I still care was a double sided #1 with Moody Blue but it wasn't. Okay now Cashbox listing Way Down/Pledging my love together in their chart listings confused the people making the list you posted. They thought because both songs were listed together that Pledging my love was also a #1 on the Cash box country charts but it wasn't. That's a mistake on their part. That shouldn't be hard for you to understand. Elvis didn't have a #1 country hit on Cash box with Pledging my love they made a mistake it shouldn't be on the list. That's all I'm saying I'm just pointing that out. Moving on.

[brian]

Conway Twitty used to promote himself in this way. He still is sometimes given credit for it when people talk about his achievements as a singer. Conway Twitty had a #1 hit in the U.S. and U.K. pop charts in 1958 with It's only make believe. Then when Conway Twitty switched to being a country singer in the late sixties he accumulated a lot of country number one hits between 1968 and 1986. Conway Twitty would say that he had 50 #1 hits he was counting all the various songs that went to number one on the Billboard, Cashbox, Record world and Canadian country charts. He would count all those songs plus it's Only make believe and say that he had more #1 hits than any other singer in history. Conway Twitty would claim to have more #1 hits than everyone else including Elvis which was bullshit. Circa 1974 Elvis Presley could have started promoting himself in the same way that Conway Twitty eventually did. Elvis could have said that he had accumulated over 100 #1 hits in his career which is way more than anyone else. Elvis probably didn't know that he had that many #1 hits throughout the world. He didn't follow that or keep up with that and he never thought about promoting himself in such a way like Conway Twitty did. I think that would've been kinda cool if he did do that but of course he didn't. It would have been more accurate for Elvis to do that than it was for Conway Twitty.

[emjel]

The inclusion of sub-genre charts like Country, Christmas, Easy Listening or Australian Dance Chart and local charts like Memphis or Australian Melbourne are basically irrelevant against the main recognised charts and seem to be there just to get the numbers up. I believe a record company makes the decision at the outset whether a record is a double A side release where both songs can take credit and I have never heard or read that Way Down/Pledging My Love was such a contender.

I agree with you except the Country and Easy listening charts. In the United States getting a #1 hit on the country charts was considered an achievement. It wasn't as big of an achievement as getting a #1 on the pop charts but it was still an achievement. Conway Twitty, Ronnie Milsap, Alabama and George Strait would all boast about all the #1 hits they had on the Country charts. It was a national chart published by Billboard, Cash Box and Record world. Elvis should get credit for all his country, R&B and Easy listening chart hits.

But the problem with the country chart or other genre charts is that they are still sub charts, in other words, the artist cannot get into the main chart because sales are not good enough but let’s show it in a lesser chart where competition is not the same. And not every song or album falls into that specific category. The country album chart shows Elvis Xmas albums, Gospel albums, Elvis Sings for Children and the most ridiculous entry Having Fun on Stage. How the hell can that album be regarded as a country album.
On the Country singles you see songs like The Wonder Of You, Blue Christmas, One Night and My Way. How do they get categorised as Country Songs. If My Way falls into that category, why isn’t Sinatra’s version listed. In fact none of Sinatra’s recordings are shown in a Country chart. And if you use the argument that Elvis was a country singer whereas Sinatra was not, then every Elvis single and album would have been included but they aren’t.
It’s a complete farce where some fans choose to use it as a way of increasing or improving Elvis’ stats.

[brian]

The majority of the time country singers are the people that get country hits. Artists that aren't country artists won't usually get played on country radio and so they won't get country hits. Elvis was one of the exceptions as he would get quite a lot of country radio play during his career. However Elvis didn't always get radio play on country radio so his singles didn't always chart on the country chart. By 1977 he was getting a lot of radio play on the country music stations so Moody Blue, Way Down and My Way were big country hits for him at the time. Tom Jones wasn't a country artist but he dabbled in country music and he scored a few hits on the country charts during his career. That's to Elvis's credit that his music was able to appeal to different audiences and different formats. Most people weren't able to do that but Elvis's achievements shouldn't be degraded because of that. If you are a pop artist but you are able to score country hits that should be acknowledged. Tom Jones was a pop artist but he's always been credited with a #1 country hit with Say you'll stay until Tomorrow. Olivia Newton John and the Everly Brothers also had some country hits even though they weren't country singers. Some people are dismissive of the country charts because it's not as important as the pop charts but not me. Some people feel the same way you do about it but not everyone. James Brown got a lot of pop hits but he also got #1 hits on the R&B chart and he got recognition for that. The Temptations, Ray Charles, The Surpemes etc. had pop hits but they also had R&B #1 hits and they got recognized for that. Conway Twitty, George Strait, Eddy Arnold, Ronnie Milsap and Alabama etc. have gotten recognition for all the country hits they all had. Artists have gotten recognized for scoring #1 hits on those charts. The pop charts are not the only thing an artist gets recognized for.

[ForeverElvis]

I am surprised to see it listed on Cashbox’s chart. it is very curious why it is the only single on that particular chart that has its B-side listed with the A-Side. Every other song listed is an individual track. It’s not a typo.

I don’t remember why Billboard listed both sides of a single on their singles chart between 1969-1971. But, this is 6 years later so I don’t know if that point of view is still valid in 1977.

For whoever put together this list I can see how listing Pledging My Love as a number 1 made sense, according to this Cashbox County Chart it

You don't fully understand what I'm saying. Every now and then Billboard, Cash Box and Record world would list an A side and a B Side together when listing the charts. That doesn't mean that both sides were #1. They weren't. Moody Blue went to #1 on the country charts on the Billboard charts and it was sometimes credited as Moody Blue/She thinks I still care. Moody Blue went to #1 on the country charts and is counted as a #1 but She thinks I still care isn't. Some people years later see that and mistakenly think She thinks I still care was a double sided #1 with Moody Blue but it wasn't. Okay now Cashbox listing Way Down/Pledging my love together in their chart listings confused the people making the list you posted. They thought because both songs were listed together that Pledging my love was also a #1 on the Cash box country charts but it wasn't. That's a mistake on their part. That shouldn't be hard for you to understand. Elvis didn't have a #1 country hit on Cash box with Pledging my love they made a mistake it shouldn't be on the list. That's all I'm saying I'm just pointing that out. Moving on.

I completely understand what you are saying.

I’m just pointing out that how it’s listed on the actual chart from 1977 isn’t a typo and there may have been more radio airplay on country music stations at the time than you are assuming.

[ForeverElvis]

The majority of the time country singers are the people that get country hits. Artists that aren't country artists won't usually get played on country radio and so they won't get country hits. Elvis was one of the exceptions as he would get quite a lot of country radio play during his career. However Elvis didn't always get radio play on country radio so his singles didn't always chart on the country chart. By 1977 he was getting a lot of radio play on the country music charts so Moody Blue, Way Down and My Way were big country hits for him at the time. Tom Jones wasn't a country artist but he dabbled in country music and he scored a few hits on the country charts during his career. That's to Elvis's credit that his music was able to appeal to different audiences and different formats. Most people weren't able to do that but Elvis's achievements shouldn't be degrading because of that. If you are a pop artist but you are able to score country hits that should be acknowledged. Tom Jones was a pop artist but he's always been credited with a #1 country hit with Say you'll stay until Tomorrow. Olivia Newton John and the Every Brothers also had some country hits even though they weren't country singers. Some people are dismissive of the country charts because it's not as important as the pop charts but not me. Some people feel the same way you do about but not everyone. James Brown got a lot of pop hits but he also got #1 hits on the R&B chart and he got recognition for that. The Temptations, Ray Charles, The Surpemes etc. had pop hits but they also had R&B #1 hits and they got recognized for that. Conway Twitty, George Strait, Eddy Arnold, Ronnie Milsap and Alabama etc. have gotten recognition for all the country hits they all had. Artists have gotten recognized for scoring #1 hits on those charts. The pop charts are not the only thing an artist gets recognized for.

Completely agree.

[seaward]

The majority of the time country singers are the people that get country hits. Artists that aren't country artists won't usually get played on country radio and so they won't get country hits. Elvis was one of the exceptions as he would get quite a lot of country radio play during his career. However Elvis didn't always get radio play on country radio so his singles didn't always chart on the country chart. By 1977 he was getting a lot of radio play on the country music charts so Moody Blue, Way Down and My Way were big country hits for him at the time. Tom Jones wasn't a country artist but he dabbled in country music and he scored a few hits on the country charts during his career. That's to Elvis's credit that his music was able to appeal to different audiences and different formats. Most people weren't able to do that but Elvis's achievements shouldn't be degrading because of that. If you are a pop artist but you are able to score country hits that should be acknowledged. Tom Jones was a pop artist but he's always been credited with a #1 country hit with Say you'll stay until Tomorrow. Olivia Newton John and the Every Brothers also had some country hits even though they weren't country singers. Some people are dismissive of the country charts because it's not as important as the pop charts but not me. Some people feel the same way you do about but not everyone. James Brown got a lot of pop hits but he also got #1 hits on the R&B chart and he got recognition for that. The Temptations, Ray Charles, The Surpemes etc. had pop hits but they also had R&B #1 hits and they got recognized for that. Conway Twitty, George Strait, Eddy Arnold, Ronnie Milsap and Alabama etc. have gotten recognition for all the country hits they all had. Artists have gotten recognized for scoring #1 hits on those charts. The pop charts are not the only thing an artist gets recognized for.

Completely agree.

Joel Whitburn does not give credit to Pledging My Love in his Cashbox book and he should know, so that weekly listing could possibly be mistaken. It does happen from time to time with trade paper syndications.

[ForeverElvis]

The majority of the time country singers are the people that get country hits. Artists that aren't country artists won't usually get played on country radio and so they won't get country hits. Elvis was one of the exceptions as he would get quite a lot of country radio play during his career. However Elvis didn't always get radio play on country radio so his singles didn't always chart on the country chart. By 1977 he was getting a lot of radio play on the country music charts so Moody Blue, Way Down and My Way were big country hits for him at the time. Tom Jones wasn't a country artist but he dabbled in country music and he scored a few hits on the country charts during his career. That's to Elvis's credit that his music was able to appeal to different audiences and different formats. Most people weren't able to do that but Elvis's achievements shouldn't be degrading because of that. If you are a pop artist but you are able to score country hits that should be acknowledged. Tom Jones was a pop artist but he's always been credited with a #1 country hit with Say you'll stay until Tomorrow. Olivia Newton John and the Every Brothers also had some country hits even though they weren't country singers. Some people are dismissive of the country charts because it's not as important as the pop charts but not me. Some people feel the same way you do about but not everyone. James Brown got a lot of pop hits but he also got #1 hits on the R&B chart and he got recognition for that. The Temptations, Ray Charles, The Surpemes etc. had pop hits but they also had R&B #1 hits and they got recognized for that. Conway Twitty, George Strait, Eddy Arnold, Ronnie Milsap and Alabama etc. have gotten recognition for all the country hits they all had. Artists have gotten recognized for scoring #1 hits on those charts. The pop charts are not the only thing an artist gets recognized for.

Completely agree.

Joel Whitburn does not give credit to Pledging My Love in his Cashbox book and he should know, so that weekly listing could possibly be mistaken. It does happen from time to time with trade paper syndications.

Thank you for looking that up.
His books I consider the Bible of the Charts. Is there any additional notation regarding the B-side on the Way Down entry? Or if B-sides were listed with the A’s, in general for the country chart at that time? Like the 1969-1971 period on the Billboard Hot 100.

[bajo]

If a record sells one million copies, it actually contains two songs! If an EP sells one million copies, it includes at least 4 songs....go figure...And who knows who plays which side the most? Just a thought!...

[emjel]

If a record sells one million copies, it actually contains two songs! If an EP sells one million copies, it includes at least 4 songs....go figure...And who knows who plays which side the most? Just a thought!...

That’s basically irrelevant. A record is a record whether it is a single, EP or LP with 10 or 12 tracks, and the latter two generally have a specific title to their releases, unless in cases with Elvis where the EP or LP uses a movie title that includes a song of the same name. But people will generally ask for a record by its "A" side title, or it’s EP or LP title. What sides they play most and enjoy most when the get home is not part of the sales/chart process.