Musicians With the Most Chart-Topping Hits

To make it in the music business back in the day, musical artists needed to be discovered by record labels. These labels then granted musicians access to the main promoters of the time – radio and media. Without these channels, it was hard for an artist to gain mainstream recognition. Thankfully times have changed and with streaming services like YouTube, Spotify, and Pandora, musicians have direct access to audiences with more opportunities for fame, like Justin Bieber. But fame doesn't necessarily equate to musicians with the most chart-topping hits.

While there is no magic formula for writing music that climbs the charts, these artists with the most chart-topping hits have demonstrated that they are creative forces of nature that continually work hard for their craft and their loyal fans. They know that music is a significant part of many peoples' lives and it can have a huge impact.

To determine the musicians with the most chart-topping hits, 24/7 Tempo reviewed data on the Hot 100 chart from Billboard magazine. Artists were ranked based on the total number of No. 1 hits on the Hot 100 through June 1, 2024. Songs were ranked based on an inverse point system wherein a week at No. 1 is worth 100 points, a week at No. 2 is worth 99 points, and so on, up to a week at No. 1 is worth one point. (Also See Songs That Stayed the Longest At No. 1 on the Hot 100)

46. Paula Abdul

No. 1 entries on the Hot 100: 5 songs
Total time spent at No. 1: 12 weeks
Total Hot 100 entries: 15 songs
Biggest No. 1 song: Straight Up (No. 1 for 3 weeks)

45. Eagles

No. 1 entries on the Hot 100: 5 songs
Total time spent at No. 1: 5 weeks
Total Hot 100 entries: 21 songs
Biggest No. 1 song: Hotel California (No. 1 for 1 week)

44. Lionel Richie

No. 1 entries on the Hot 100: 5 songs
Total time spent at No. 1: 21 weeks
Total Hot 100 entries: 20 songs
Biggest No. 1 song: All Night Long (All Night) (No. 1 for 4 weeks)

43. Adele

No. 1 entries on the Hot 100: 5 songs
Total time spent at No. 1: 34 weeks
Total Hot 100 entries: 25 songs
Biggest No. 1 song: Rolling In The Deep (No. 1 for 7 weeks)

42. The 4 Seasons

No. 1 entries on the Hot 100: 5 songs
Total time spent at No. 1: 18 weeks
Total Hot 100 entries: 42 songs
Biggest No. 1 song: December 1963 (Oh, What a Night) (No. 1 for 3 weeks)

41. Barbra Streisand

No. 1 entries on the Hot 100: 5 songs
Total time spent at No. 1: 13 weeks
Total Hot 100 entries: 41 songs
Biggest No. 1 song: Woman In Love (No. 1 for 3 weeks)

40. Boyz II Men

No. 1 entries on the Hot 100: 5 songs
Total time spent at No. 1: 50 weeks
Total Hot 100 entries: 18 songs
Biggest No. 1 song: I'll Make Love To You (No. 1 for 14 weeks)

39. Olivia Newton-John

No. 1 entries on the Hot 100: 5 songs
Total time spent at No. 1: 18 weeks
Total Hot 100 entries: 38 songs
Biggest No. 1 song: Physical (No. 1 for 10 weeks)

38. Christina Aguilera

No. 1 entries on the Hot 100: 5 songs
Total time spent at No. 1: 20 weeks
Total Hot 100 entries: 30 songs
Biggest No. 1 song: Genie In A Bottle (No. 1 for 5 weeks)

37. Britney Spears

No. 1 entries on the Hot 100: 5 songs
Total time spent at No. 1: 6 weeks
Total Hot 100 entries: 36 songs
Biggest No. 1 song: …Baby One More Time (No. 1 for 2 weeks)

36. Lady Gaga

No. 1 entries on the Hot 100: 5 songs
Total time spent at No. 1: 12 weeks
Total Hot 100 entries: 36 songs
Biggest No. 1 song: Just Dance (ft. Colby O'Donis) (No. 1 for 3 weeks)

35. Prince

No. 1 entries on the Hot 100: 5 songs
Total time spent at No. 1: 12 weeks
Total Hot 100 entries: 47 songs
Biggest No. 1 song: When Doves Cry (No. 1 for 5 weeks)

34. Cardi B

No. 1 entries on the Hot 100: 5 songs
Total time spent at No. 1: 16 weeks
Total Hot 100 entries: 47 songs
Biggest No. 1 song: I Like It (ft. Bad Bunny & J Balvin) (No. 1 for 1 week)

33. Eminem

No. 1 entries on the Hot 100: 5 songs
Total time spent at No. 1: 25 weeks
Total Hot 100 entries: 96 songs
Biggest No. 1 song: Love The Way You Lie (ft. Rihanna) (No. 1 for 7 weeks)

32. Justin Timberlake

No. 1 entries on the Hot 100: 5 songs
Total time spent at No. 1: 14 weeks
Total Hot 100 entries: 39 songs
Biggest No. 1 song: Can't Stop The Feeling! (No. 1 for 1 week)

31. Ludacris

No. 1 entries on the Hot 100: 5 songs
Total time spent at No. 1: 18 weeks
Total Hot 100 entries: 56 songs
Biggest No. 1 song: Stand Up (ft. Shawnna) (No. 1 for 1 week)

30. Kanye West

No. 1 entries on the Hot 100: 5 songs
Total time spent at No. 1: 18 weeks
Total Hot 100 entries: 157 songs
Biggest No. 1 song: Gold Digger (ft. Jamie Foxx) (No. 1 for 10 weeks)

29. BTS

No. 1 entries on the Hot 100: 6 songs
Total time spent at No. 1: 16 weeks
Total Hot 100 entries: 27 songs
Biggest No. 1 song: Dynamite (No. 1 for 3 weeks)

28. KC And The Sunshine Band

No. 1 entries on the Hot 100: 6 songs
Total time spent at No. 1: 6 weeks
Total Hot 100 entries: 15 songs
Biggest No. 1 song: Please Don't Go (No. 1 for 1 week)

27. Daryl Hall & John Oates

No. 1 entries on the Hot 100: 6 songs
Total time spent at No. 1: 14 weeks
Total Hot 100 entries: 34 songs
Biggest No. 1 song: Maneater (No. 1 for 4 weeks)

26. Diana Ross

No. 1 entries on the Hot 100: 6 songs
Total time spent at No. 1: 23 weeks
Total Hot 100 entries: 40 songs
Biggest No. 1 song: Endless Love (ft. Lionel Richie) (No. 1 for 9 weeks)

25. Phil Collins

No. 1 entries on the Hot 100: 7 songs
Total time spent at No. 1: 15 weeks
Total Hot 100 entries: 27 songs
Biggest No. 1 song: Against All Odds (Take A Look At Me Now) (No. 1 for 3 weeks)

24. Elvis Presley

No. 1 entries on the Hot 100: 7 songs
Total time spent at No. 1: 22 weeks
Total Hot 100 entries: 109 songs
Biggest No. 1 song: It's Now Or Never (ft. The Jordanaires) (No. 1 for 5 weeks)

23. The Weeknd

No. 1 entries on the Hot 100: 7 songs
Total time spent at No. 1: 18 weeks
Total Hot 100 entries: 98 songs
Biggest No. 1 song: Blinding Lights (No. 1 for 4 weeks)

22. George Michael

No. 1 entries on the Hot 100: 8 songs
Total time spent at No. 1: 18 weeks
Total Hot 100 entries: 19 songs
Biggest No. 1 song: Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me (ft. Elton John) (No. 1 for 1 week)

21. The Rolling Stones

No. 1 entries on the Hot 100: 8 songs
Total time spent at No. 1: 17 weeks
Total Hot 100 entries: 57 songs
Biggest No. 1 song: Miss You (No. 1 for 1 week)

20. Bruno Mars

No. 1 entries on the Hot 100: 8 songs
Total time spent at No. 1: 32 weeks
Total Hot 100 entries: 32 songs
Biggest No. 1 song: That's What I Like (No. 1 for 1 week)

19. Justin Bieber

No. 1 entries on the Hot 100: 8 songs
Total time spent at No. 1: 32 weeks
Total Hot 100 entries: 105 songs
Biggest No. 1 song: Love Yourself (No. 1 for 2 weeks)

18. Paul McCartney

No. 1 entries on the Hot 100: 9 songs
Total time spent at No. 1: 21 weeks
Total Hot 100 entries: 47 songs
Biggest No. 1 song: Say Say Say (ft. Michael Jackson) (No. 1 for 6 weeks)

17. Bee Gees

No. 1 entries on the Hot 100: 9 songs
Total time spent at No. 1: 27 weeks
Total Hot 100 entries: 43 songs
Biggest No. 1 song: How Deep Is Your Love (No. 1 for 3 weeks)

16. Katy Perry

No. 1 entries on the Hot 100: 9 songs
Total time spent at No. 1: 33 weeks
Total Hot 100 entries: 35 songs
Biggest No. 1 song: Dark Horse (ft. Juicy J) (No. 1 for 4 weeks)

15. Beyonce

No. 1 entries on the Hot 100: 9 songs
Total time spent at No. 1: 40 weeks
Total Hot 100 entries: 85 songs
Biggest No. 1 song: Irreplaceable (No. 1 for 10 weeks)

14. Ariana Grande

No. 1 entries on the Hot 100: 9 songs
Total time spent at No. 1: 22 weeks
Total Hot 100 entries: 85 songs
Biggest No. 1 song: 7 Rings (No. 1 for 8 weeks)

13. Usher

No. 1 entries on the Hot 100: 9 songs
Total time spent at No. 1: 47 weeks
Total Hot 100 entries: 53 songs
Biggest No. 1 song: Yeah! (ft. Lil Jon & Ludacris) (No. 1 for 12 weeks)

12. Elton John

No. 1 entries on the Hot 100: 9 songs
Total time spent at No. 1: 28 weeks
Total Hot 100 entries: 71 songs
Biggest No. 1 song: Candle In The Wind 1997/Something About The Way You Look Tonight (No. 1 for 14 weeks)

11. Janet Jackson

No. 1 entries on the Hot 100: 10 songs
Total time spent at No. 1: 21 weeks
Total Hot 100 entries: 41 songs
Biggest No. 1 song: Again (No. 1 for 2 weeks)

10. Stevie Wonder

No. 1 entries on the Hot 100: 10 songs
Total time spent at No. 1: 18 weeks
Total Hot 100 entries: 63 songs
Biggest No. 1 song: I Just Called To Say I Love You (No. 1 for 3 weeks)

9. Whitney Houston

No. 1 entries on the Hot 100: 11 songs
Total time spent at No. 1: 31 weeks
Total Hot 100 entries: 40 songs
Biggest No. 1 song: I Will Always Love You (No. 1 for 14 weeks)

8. Taylor Swift

No. 1 entries on the Hot 100: 11 songs
Total time spent at No. 1: 34 weeks
Total Hot 100 entries: 232 songs
Biggest No. 1 song: Anti-Hero (No. 1 for 8 weeks)

7. The Supremes

No. 1 entries on the Hot 100: 12 songs
Total time spent at No. 1: 22 weeks
Total Hot 100 entries: 45 songs
Biggest No. 1 song: Come See About Me (No. 1 for 2 weeks)

6. Madonna

No. 1 entries on the Hot 100: 12 songs
Total time spent at No. 1: 32 weeks
Total Hot 100 entries: 58 songs
Biggest No. 1 song: Take A Bow (No. 1 for 7 weeks)

5. Michael Jackson

No. 1 entries on the Hot 100: 13 songs
Total time spent at No. 1: 37 weeks
Total Hot 100 entries: 51 songs
Biggest No. 1 song: Billie Jean (No. 1 for 7 weeks)

4. Drake

No. 1 entries on the Hot 100: 13 songs
Total time spent at No. 1: 56 weeks
Total Hot 100 entries: 329 songs
Biggest No. 1 song: God's Plan (No. 1 for 11 weeks)

3. Rihanna

No. 1 entries on the Hot 100: 14 songs
Total time spent at No. 1: 60 weeks
Total Hot 100 entries: 63 songs
Biggest No. 1 song: We Found Love (ft. Calvin Harris) (No. 1 for 10 weeks)

2. Mariah Carey

No. 1 entries on the Hot 100: 19 songs
Total time spent at No. 1: 93 weeks
Total Hot 100 entries: 49 songs
Biggest No. 1 song: All I Want For Christmas Is You (No. 1 for 14 weeks)

1. The Beatles

25th November 1963: Liverpudlian beat combo The Beatles, from left to right Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, John Lennon (1940 - 1980), and George Harrison (1943 - 2001), performing in front of a camera-shaped drum kit on Granada TVs Late Scene Extra television show filmed in Manchester, England on November 25, 1963. (Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images)

No. 1 entries on the Hot 100: 20 songs
Total time spent at No. 1: 59 weeks
Total Hot 100 entries: 72 songs
Biggest No. 1 song: Hey Jude (No. 1 for 9 weeks)