For 65 years, the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart has ranked the most popular songs of each week. In 1958, Ricky Nelson’s “Poor Little Fool” became the first song to ever top the Hot 100. (Read more about the first songs to ever top the Billboard chart.)
Since then, thousands of songs have made their way onto the chart – and some have remained there for over a year. To determine the songs with the longest stays on the definitive popular music charts, 24/7 Tempo reviewed data on performance from the Billboard Hot 100. Songs were ranked based on the total number of weeks charted on the Billboard Hot 100. Total weeks listed may not be consecutive. Chart data is current through Sept. 2, 2023.
Every song on this list remained in the Hot 100 for at least 56 weeks. Two songs, however, had record stays of 90 weeks or more – “Blinding Lights” by the Weeknd and “Heat Waves” by Glass Animals. Nearly half the songs with the longest stays peaked at No. 1. (Here are the songs with the longest stays at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100.)
The list contains multiple hits from Imagine Dragons, Morgan Wallen, and The Weeknd, while Ed Sheeran appears the most, with four songs. While the vast majority of the singles here are from the mid ‘90s to the present day, one song released in the ‘60s made the cut. “Unchained Melody” by the Righteous Brothers briefly entered the charts in 1965, then found its way back in 1990 after its use during a steamy scene in the film “Ghost.”
40. The Black Eyed Peas, “I Gotta Feeling”
> Total time on the Hot 100: 56 weeks
> Peak position on the Hot 100: No. 1 (for 14 weeks)
> Entered the Hot 100: June 27, 2009 (at No. 2)
39. Ed Sheeran, “Perfect”
> Total time on the Hot 100: 56 weeks
> Peak position on the Hot 100: No. 1 (for 5 weeks)
> Entered the Hot 100: March 25, 2017 (at No. 37)
38. Ed Sheeran, “Bad Habits”
> Total time on the Hot 100: 56 weeks
> Peak position on the Hot 100: No. 2 (for 2 weeks)
> Entered the Hot 100: July 10, 2021 (at No. 5)
37. Mark Ronson featuring Bruno Mars, “Uptown Funk!”
> Total time on the Hot 100: 56 weeks
> Peak position on the Hot 100: No. 1 (for 14 weeks)
> Entered the Hot 100: Nov. 29, 2014 (at No. 65)
36. The Righteous Brothers, “Unchained Melody”
> Total time on the Hot 100: 57 weeks
> Peak position on the Hot 100: No. 4 (for 2 weeks)
> Entered the Hot 100: July 17, 1965 (at No. 72)
35. Ellie Goulding, “Lights”
> Total time on the Hot 100: 57 weeks
> Peak position on the Hot 100: No. 2 (for 2 weeks)
> Entered the Hot 100: Aug. 20, 2011 (at No. 85)
34. Creed, “Higher”
> Total time on the Hot 100: 57 weeks
> Peak position on the Hot 100: No. 7 (for 2 weeks)
> Entered the Hot 100: Sept. 11, 1999 (at No. 81)
33. Morgan Wallen, “Wasted on You”
> Total time on the Hot 100: 57 weeks
> Peak position on the Hot 100: No. 9 (for 1 week)
> Entered the Hot 100: Jan. 23, 2021 (at No. 9)
32. Kings Of Leon, “Use Somebody”
> Total time on the Hot 100: 57 weeks
> Peak position on the Hot 100: No. 4 (for 1 week)
> Entered the Hot 100: Oct. 11, 2008 (at No. 86)
31. Katy Perry featuring Juicy J, “Dark Horse”
> Total time on the Hot 100: 57 weeks
> Peak position on the Hot 100: No. 1 (for 4 weeks)
> Entered the Hot 100: Oct. 5, 2013 (at No. 17)
30. Mariah Carey, “All I Want for Christmas Is You”
> Total time on the Hot 100: 57 weeks
> Peak position on the Hot 100: No. 1 (for 12 weeks)
> Entered the Hot 100: Jan. 8, 2000 (at No. 83)
29. The Fray, “How To Save a Life”
> Total time on the Hot 100: 58 weeks
> Peak position on the Hot 100: No. 3 (for 1 week)
> Entered the Hot 100: April 15, 2006 (at No. 93)
28. Ed Sheeran, “Thinking Out Loud”
> Total time on the Hot 100: 58 weeks
> Peak position on the Hot 100: No. 2 (for 8 weeks)
> Entered the Hot 100: Oct. 25, 2014 (at No. 69)
27. Santana featuring Rob Thomas, “Smooth”
> Total time on the Hot 100: 58 weeks
> Peak position on the Hot 100: No. 1 (for 12 weeks)
> Entered the Hot 100: July 31, 1999 (at No. 78)
26. Ed Sheeran, “Shape of You”
> Total time on the Hot 100: 58 weeks
> Peak position on the Hot 100: No. 1 (for 12 weeks)
> Entered the Hot 100: Jan. 28, 2017 (at No. 1)
25. John Legend, “All of Me”
> Total time on the Hot 100: 59 weeks
> Peak position on the Hot 100: No. 1 (for 3 weeks)
> Entered the Hot 100: Sept. 21, 2013 (at No. 97)
24. Gotye featuring Kimbra, “Somebody That I Used To Know”
> Total time on the Hot 100: 59 weeks
> Peak position on the Hot 100: No. 1 (for 8 weeks)
> Entered the Hot 100: Jan. 21, 2012 (at No. 91)
23. Los Del Rio, “Macarena (Bayside Boys Mix)”
> Total time on the Hot 100: 60 weeks
> Peak position on the Hot 100: No. 1 (for 14 weeks)
> Entered the Hot 100: Sept. 2, 1995 (at No. 70)
22. Lady Antebellum, “Need You Now”
> Total time on the Hot 100: 60 weeks
> Peak position on the Hot 100: No. 2 (for 2 weeks)
> Entered the Hot 100: Aug. 29, 2009 (at No. 85)
21. Imagine Dragons, “Demons”
> Total time on the Hot 100: 61 weeks
> Peak position on the Hot 100: No. 6 (for 4 weeks)
> Entered the Hot 100: Jan. 26, 2013 (at No. 99)
20. Harry Styles, “As It Was”
> Total time on the Hot 100: 61 weeks
> Peak position on the Hot 100: No. 1 (for 15 weeks)
> Entered the Hot 100: April 16, 2022 (at No. 1)
19. Post Malone, “Circles”
> Total time on the Hot 100: 61 weeks
> Peak position on the Hot 100: No. 1 (for 3 weeks)
> Entered the Hot 100: Sept. 14, 2019 (at No. 7)
18. Lifehouse, “You and Me”
> Total time on the Hot 100: 62 weeks
> Peak position on the Hot 100: No. 5 (for 1 week)
> Entered the Hot 100: Feb. 12, 2005 (at No. 92)
17. The Lumineers, “Ho Hey”
> Total time on the Hot 100: 62 weeks
> Peak position on the Hot 100: No. 3 (for 5 weeks)
> Entered the Hot 100: June 23, 2012 (at No. 90)
16. Gabby Barrett featuring Charlie Puth, “I Hope”
> Total time on the Hot 100: 62 weeks
> Peak position on the Hot 100: No. 3 (for 1 week)
> Entered the Hot 100: Jan. 11, 2020 (at No. 74)
15. Morgan Wallen, “You Proof”
> Total time on the Hot 100: 62 weeks
> Peak position on the Hot 100: No. 5 (for 1 week)
> Entered the Hot 100: May 28, 2022 (at No. 6)
14. The Kid LAROI & Justin Bieber, “Stay”
> Total time on the Hot 100: 63 weeks
> Peak position on the Hot 100: No. 1 (for 7 weeks)
> Entered the Hot 100: July 24, 2021 (at No. 3)
13. Carrie Underwood, “Before He Cheats”
> Total time on the Hot 100: 64 weeks
> Peak position on the Hot 100: No. 8 (for 1 week)
> Entered the Hot 100: Sept. 16, 2006 (at No. 92)
12. Adele, “Rolling In The Deep”
> Total time on the Hot 100: 65 weeks
> Peak position on the Hot 100: No. 1 (for 7 weeks)
> Entered the Hot 100: Dec. 25, 2010 (at No. 68)
11. Jewel, “Foolish Games/You Were Meant For Me”
> Total time on the Hot 100: 65 weeks
> Peak position on the Hot 100: No. 2 (for 2 weeks)
> Entered the Hot 100: Nov. 30, 1996 (at No. 61)
10. Zach Bryan, “Something In The Orange”
> Total time on the Hot 100: 66 weeks
> Peak position on the Hot 100: No. 10 (for 1 week)
> Entered the Hot 100: May 7, 2022 (at No. 55)
9. OneRepublic, “Counting Stars”
> Total time on the Hot 100: 68 weeks
> Peak position on the Hot 100: No. 2 (for 2 weeks)
> Entered the Hot 100: July 6, 2013 (at No. 32)
8. LMFAO featuring Lauren Bennett & GoonRock, “Party Rock Anthem”
> Total time on the Hot 100: 68 weeks
> Peak position on the Hot 100: No. 1 (for 6 weeks)
> Entered the Hot 100: Feb. 12, 2011 (at No. 78)
7. LeAnn Rimes, “How Do I Live”
> Total time on the Hot 100: 69 weeks
> Peak position on the Hot 100: No. 2 (for 4 weeks)
> Entered the Hot 100: June 21, 1997 (at No. 89)
6. The Weeknd & Ariana Grande, “Save Your Tears”
> Total time on the Hot 100: 69 weeks
> Peak position on the Hot 100: No. 1 (for 2 weeks)
> Entered the Hot 100: April 4, 2020 (at No. 41)
5. Jason Mraz, “I’m Yours”
> Total time on the Hot 100: 76 weeks
> Peak position on the Hot 100: No. 6 (for 1 week)
> Entered the Hot 100: May 3, 2008 (at No. 93)
4. AWOLNATION, “Sail”
> Total time on the Hot 100: 79 weeks
> Peak position on the Hot 100: No. 17 (for 1 week)
> Entered the Hot 100: Sept. 3, 2011 (at No. 89)
3. Imagine Dragons, “Radioactive”
> Total time on the Hot 100: 87 weeks
> Peak position on the Hot 100: No. 3 (for 4 weeks)
> Entered the Hot 100: Aug. 18, 2012 (at No. 93)
2. The Weeknd, “Blinding Lights”
> Total time on the Hot 100: 90 weeks
> Peak position on the Hot 100: No. 1 (for 4 weeks)
> Entered the Hot 100: Dec. 14, 2019 (at No. 11)
1. Glass Animals, “Heat Waves”
> Total time on the Hot 100: 91 weeks
> Peak position on the Hot 100: No. 1 (for 5 weeks)
> Entered the Hot 100: Jan. 16, 2021 (at No. 100)