The number ones Twenty chart-topping hits that reveal the history of pop music

Review by Booklist Review

Expanding on his Stereogum column that shares this book's name, debut author Breihan explores 20 Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles from Chubby Checker's "The Twist" to BTS' "Dynamite." Acknowledging the problems that have plagued the Hot 100 list (notably corruption rumors and calculation complaints) since Billboard debuted it in 1958, Breihan shows how it nonetheless illustrates the history of pop music and culture. Not every song is its artist's biggest hit ("I Want to Hold Your Hand" was the Beatles' first single to reach number one) or has shown staying power (George McCrae, the first disco artist to reach the peak with "Rock Your Baby," "didn't stay famous, and he never got rich"). Every song, however, holds a fascinating history, which Breihan radiates outward to the larger musical landscape; the Shirelles' "Will You Love Me Tomorrow" becomes an exploration of the 1960s song-writing factories, while T-Pain's "Buy U A Drank" offers a short history of vocal distortion and the rise of Auto-Tune. While much in the book has been explored more deeply elsewhere, this fantastic overview carries loads of fascinating trivia. Great fun for any music fan.

From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.

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Review by Publisher's Weekly Review

Music critic Breihan debuts with a rich analysis of chart-topping hits from the Billboard Hot100 charts from 1960 to 2020, contending that each song marks a moment in history when pop culture pivoted in a new direction. Breihan starts with Chubby Checker's "The Twist," noting the dance sensation it caused, and goes on to correlate hit songs with changes in the musical landscape: Brian Wilson used different studios and musicians to record the Beach Boys' 1966 song "Good Vibrations," making it the most expensive single of its time; 2007's "Crank That (Soulja Boy)" harnessed the power of the internet to rise to fame; and Michael Jackson's 1983 hit "Billie Jean" was a "marvel of engineering" that melded different styles into one "layered psychological portrait." Breihan also addresses how the music business was reflected in songs and the performance of them, whether via Dick Clark's strict onstage dress code, Motown's upsurge from a small label to an empire (triggered by the Supremes), or the role MTV played in moving heavy metal into the mainstream. Breihan makes a persuasive case for the broader power of a #1 hit, spotlighting music's ability to connect on a deep level in the most unexpected ways. Music lovers will find this universally appealing. Agent: Jack Gernert, Gernert Company. (Nov.)

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Review by Library Journal Review

In 1958, Billboard magazine combined its singles sales and radio-play charts into one list, calling it the Hot 100. Breihan assigned himself the daunting task of reviewing every song to reach the number one spot on the magazine's Top 100 chart for stereogum.com. Collected here are the stories of 20 songs the author deems historically important, from Chubby Checker's "The Twist" in 1960 to BTS's "Dynamite" in 2020, with other songs by the likes of the Supremes, the Beach Boys, Prince, and Puff Daddy. Breihan admits that being ranked number one doesn't mean that these are necessarily the best songs of their time; there are many wonderful releases and performers that did not grace that top spot, and several fairly questionable ones that did. What makes this book fascinating is the author's ability to set these songs firmly in their social, cultural, and musical contexts. These songs often act as apt representations of pivotal and changing times and tastes. VERDICT An entertaining and informative survey of some milestones of popular music. This book should delight anyone who has felt the magic only pop music can provide.--Bill Baars

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Review by Kirkus Book Review

Trying to capture the last seven decades of popular music through 20 songs sounds daunting, but this breezy history is gripping and entertaining. Breihan is a senior editor at Stereogum, where he writes "The Number Ones" column, which catalogs the story behind every No. 1 single on Billboard's Hot 100 chart. In this book version of his project, he attacks his subject with an engaging mix of clever facts and savvy observations. With only 20 slots to fill, he has to make some tough choices, meaning the Rolling Stones and Elton John aren't on the list, but Rae Sremmurd and Soulja Boy are. It's a testament to Breihan's arguments that all these choices make sense, as he tries to explain how we moved from Chubby Checker's "The Twist" to the current state of pop music. That road involves shifting business and racial influences in addition to musical developments, and the author reveals it all. Writing about "Billie Jean," Breihan notes, "Michael Jackson is a tragic and troubling figure, but he's also a pivotal one. [He] changed the size and scope of pop music. He moved things away from segregated radio formats and toward a pan-racial, pan-genre music-video future." The author also explains the current power of streaming services and social media. "Since the streaming services' playlists and algorithms constantly updated themselves," he writes, "a viral fad like the Mannequin Challenge could have an immediate effect on the charts. Rae Sremmurd and their label were smart enough to connect the group to a viral fad, and in the new streaming economy, this was enough to push them to #1." For those looking for more conventional commentary, Breihan offers plenty of interesting insights into hits from the Beatles, Fleetwood Mac, Prince, and Mariah Carey, but the surprises are where he shines brightest. A fun, buzzy history that effectively uses context and criticism to explain the effervescence of pop music. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

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