The list contains recording artists who reached the
Top 40 of the U.S. pop chart (the
Billboard "Best Sellers in Stores" chart from January 1, 1955 to November 12, 1955, the
Billboard Top 100 from November 12, 1955 to August 4, 1958 and the
Billboard Hot 100 from August 4, 1958 on) with just one single. In some special cases, a "J" may appear next to the peak position, denoting that the act's only Top 40 hit was on the "Most Played by Jockeys" chart. An asterisk is shown when the date the song reached its peak position on the pop chart is unavailable.
This list begins in 1955, the traditional start of the modern
rock and roll era that gave rise to the popularity of the
top 40.
Artists in italics have only one Top 40 hit, but either
- had other songs chart on genre-specific charts
- have had success and influence within their genre or the annals of popular music and/or a long-lasting and devoted cult following
- are a non-American act who have had wider success in their homeland
| Song | Performer | Peak date | Peak |
|---|
| "Runaround" | The Three Chuckles | November 13, 1954* | 20 |
| "Let Me Go, Lover!" | The Lancers[1] | December 18, 1954* | 6 |
| "Let Me Go, Lover!" | Joan Weber | January 1, 1955 | 1 |
| "Earth Angel (Will You Be Mine)" | The Penguins | February 5, 1955 | 8 |
| "Make Yourself Comfortable" | Peggy King | February 5, 1955 | 30 |
| "(My Baby Don't Love Me) No More" | DeJohn Sisters | February 12, 1955 | 6 |
| "Pledging My Love" | Johnny Ace[2] | March 19, 1955 | 17 |
| "The Ballad of Davy Crockett" | The Voices of Walter Schumann | April 9, 1955* | 29 |
| "Dixie Danny" | Laurie Sisters | April 16, 1955 | 30 |
| "Plantation Boogie" | Lenny Dee | May 4, 1955 | 19 |
| "Don't Be Angry" | Nappy Brown | May 7, 1955 | 25 |
| "The Breeze and I (Andalucia)" | Caterina Valente[3] | May 14, 1955 | 8 |
| "Blue Star (The "Medic Theme")" | Felicia Sanders[4] | May 28, 1955* | 29 |
| "Alabama Jubilee" | Ferko String Band | June 18, 1955* | 18 |
| "Love Me or Leave Me" | Lena Horne[5] | July 9, 1955 | 19 |
| "The Bandit (O'Cangaceiro)" | Eddie Barclay and His Orchestra | July 16, 1955 | 18 |
| "The Man in the Raincoat" | Marion Marlowe | July 16, 1955* | 14 (J) |
| "The Man in the Raincoat" | Priscilla Wright with Don Wright and The Septette | August 6, 1955 | 16 |
| "The Popcorn Song" | Cliffie Stone and His Orchestra | August 20, 1955 | 14 |
| "The House of Blue Lights" | Chuck Miller | August 27, 1955 | 9 |
| "I Want You to Be My Baby" | Lillian Briggs | October 1, 1955 | 18 |
| "At My Front Door (Crazy Little Mama)" | The El Dorados | November 12, 1955 | 17 |
| "Daddy-O" | Bonnie Lou | December 3, 1955 | 14 |
| "It's Almost Tomorrow" | Snooky Lanson | December 3, 1955* | 20 |
| "Autumn Leaves" | Steve Allen[6] | December 10, 1955 | 35 |
| "Cry Me a River" | Julie London[7] | December 17, 1955 | 9 |
| "Oh! Susanna" | The Singing Dogs[8] | December 17, 1955 | 22 |
| "(I'm Gettin') Nuttin' for Christmas" | Ricky Zahnd and the Blue Jeaners | December 24, 1955 | 21 |
| "Nuttin' for Christmas" | Barry Gordon | December 31, 1955 | 6 |
| "Nuttin' for Xmas" | Joe Ward | December 31, 1955 | 20 |
| Song | Performer | Peak date | Peak |
|---|
| "Band of Gold" | Kit Carson | January 7, 1956 | 11 |
| "When You Dance" | The Turbans | January 14, 1956 | 33 |
| "April in Paris" | Count Basie[9] | February 4, 1956* | 28 |
| "(A Theme from) the Three Penny Opera (Moritat)" | Richard Hayman and Jan August | February 11, 1956* | 12 |
| "Chain Gang" | Bobby Scott | February 18, 1956 | 13 |
| "Cry Baby" | Bonnie Sisters | March 3, 1956 | 18 |
| "Lovely One" | The Four Voices | March 17, 1956 | 20 |
| "Eloise" | Kay Thompson | March 17, 1956 | 39 |
| "Lullaby of Birdland" | The Blue Stars | March 24, 1956 | 16 |
| "Mr. Wonderful" | Teddi King | March 24, 1956 | 18 |
| "11th Hour Melody" | Lou Busch and His Orchestra | March 24, 1956 | 35 |
| "Eddie My Love" | The Teen Queens | March 31, 1956 | 14 |
| "(Themes From) The Man with the Golden Arm" | Richard Maltby and His Orchestra[10] | March 31, 1956* | 32 |
| "Main Theme from The Man with the Golden Arm" | Elmer Bernstein[10] | April 28, 1956 | 32 |
| "Blue Suede Shoes" | Carl Perkins[11] | May 19, 1956 | 2 |
| "Moonglow and Theme from Picnic" | Morris Stoloff Conducting the Columbia Pictures Orchestra[10] | June 2, 1956 | 2 |
| "The Happy Whistler" | Don Robertson[12] | June 2, 1956 | 6 |
| "Ivory Tower" | Cathy Carr | June 16, 1956 | 2 |
| "Portuguese Washerwomen" | Joe "Fingers" Carr | June 16, 1956* | 25 |
| "Graduation Day" | The Rover Boys | June 23, 1956 | 16 |
| "Free" | Tommy Leonetti | July 7, 1956* | 23 |
| "Stranded in the Jungle" | The Cadets | July 28, 1956 | 15 |
| "Stranded in the Jungle" | The Jayhawks | July 28, 1956 | 18 |
| "Stranded in the Jungle" | The Gadabouts | August 4, 1956 | 39 |
| "The Old Philosopher" | Eddie Lawrence | September 1, 1956 | 34 |
| "A Casual Look" | The Six Teens | September 1, 1956 | 25 |
| "The Fool" | Sanford Clark | September 22, 1956 | 7 |
| "When the White Lilacs Bloom Again" | Helmut Zacharias and His Magic Violins | September 22, 1956 | 12 |
| "Tonight You Belong to Me" | The Lennon Sisters[13] | September 29, 1956* | 16 |
| "True Love" | Grace Kelly[14] | October 6, 1956* | 3 |
| "Peanuts" | Little Joe and the Thrillers | October 13, 1956 | 22 |
| "True Love" | Jane Powell | October 27, 1956 | 15 |
| "Priscilla" | Eddie Cooley | November 24, 1956 | 20 |
| "City of Angels" | The Highlights | November 24, 1956 | 19 |
| "Confidential" | Sonny Knight | November 24, 1956 | 17 |
| "Garden of Eden" | Joe Valino | December 8, 1956 | 12 |
| "Blueberry Hill" | Gordon Jenkins and His Orchestra and Chorus | December 15, 1956* | 29 |
| "Slow Walk" | Sil Austin | December 22, 1956 | 17 |
| "Cindy, Oh Cindy" | Vince Martin | December 22, 1956 | 9 |
| "Rock-a-Bye Your Baby with a Dixie Melody" | Jerry Lewis[6] | December 29, 1956 | 10 |
| "Since I Met You Baby" | Ivory Joe Hunter[15] | December 29, 1956 | 12 |
| Song | Performer | Peak date | Peak |
|---|
| "Your Wild Heart" | Joy Layne | February 23, 1957 | 20 |
| "Cinco Robles (Five Oaks)" | Russell Arms | February 23, 1957 | 22 |
| "The Swingin' Shepherd Blues" | Moe Koffman Quartette | February 23, 1957 | 23 |
| "Love Is Strange" | Mickey & Sylvia[16] | March 2, 1957 | 11 |
| "The Walk" | Jimmy McCracklin with his Band | March 9, 1957 | 7 |
| "Bad Boy" | The Jive Bombers | March 16, 1957 | 36 |
| "Sittin' in the Balcony" | Johnny Dee[17] | March 16, 1957 | 38 |
| "Marianne" | Terry Gilkyson and the Easy Riders | April 6, 1957 | 4 |
| "Almost Paradise" | Lou Stein | April 6, 1957 | 31 |
| "I'm Stickin' with You" | Jimmy Bowen with The Rhythm Orchids | April 27, 1957 | 14 |
| "Pledge of Love" | Ken Copeland[18] | May 6, 1957 | 12 |
| "Rosie Lee" | The Mello-Tones | May 13, 1957 | 24 |
| "After School" | Randy Starr | May 13, 1957 | 32 |
| "Dark Moon" | Bonnie Guitar | June 10, 1957 | 6 |
| "Gonna Find Me a Bluebird" | Marvin Rainwater | June 10, 1957 | 18 |
| "Freight Train" | Charles McDevitt Skiffle Group | June 10, 1957 | 40 |
| "A Fallen Star" | Jimmy Newman | June 10, 1957 | 23 |
| "With All My Heart" | Jodie Sands | June 24, 1957 | 15 |
| "Let the Four Winds Blow" | Roy Brown[19] | July 1, 1957 | 29 |
| "(Main Theme) Around the World" | Victor Young and His Singing Strings | July 8, 1957* | 26 |
| "Over the Mountain; Across the Sea" | Johnnie & Joe | July 22, 1957 | 8 |
| "White Silver Sands" | Dave Gardner | July 29, 1957 | 22 |
| "Rainbow" | Russ Hamilton | September 16, 1957 | 7 |
| "Mr. Lee" | The Bobbettes | September 13, 1957 | 6 |
| "Moonlight Swim" | Tony Perkins | October 7, 1957 | 24 |
| "Black Slacks" | Joe Bennett and the Sparkletones | October 14, 1957 | 17 |
| "Happy, Happy Birthday Baby" | The Tune Weavers | October 28, 1957 | 5 |
| "Silhouettes/Daddy Cool" | The Rays | November 4, 1957 | 3 |
| "Little Bitty Pretty One" | Thurston Harris | November 11, 1957 | 6 |
| "Alone (Why Must I Be Alone)" | Shepherd Sisters | November 11, 1957 | 18 |
| "Liechtensteiner Polka" | Will Glahe and His Orchestra | November 25, 1957 | 16 |
| "Could This Be Magic" | The Dubs | December 2, 1957 | 23 |
| "The Joker (That's What They Call Me)" | Billy Myles | December 2, 1957 | 25 |
| "Hey Little Girl" | The Techniques[20] | December 9, 1957 | 29 |
| "Raunchy" | Bill Justis[21] | December 16, 1957 | 2 |
| "Raunchy" | Ernie Freeman | December 30, 1957 | 4 |
| "I'm Available" | Margie Rayburn | December 16, 1957 | 9 |
| Song | Performer | Peak date | Peak |
|---|
| "Buzz-Buzz-Buzz" | The Hollywood Flames | January 27, 1958 | 11 |
| "At the Hop" | Nick Todd | February 10, 1958 | 21 |
| "The Swingin' Shepherd Blues" | Moe Koffman Quartette | February 10, 1958* | 36 |
| "Get a Job" | The Silhouettes | February 24, 1958 | 1 |
| "She's Neat" | Dale Wright with the Rock-Its | February 24, 1958 | 38 |
| "Oh Julie" | The Crescendos | March 3, 1958 | 5 |
| "Oh Julie" | Sammy Salvo | March 3, 1958 | 23 (J) |
| "7-11" | The Gone All Stars | March 3, 1958 | 30 |
| "We Belong Together" | Robert & Johnny | March 3, 1958 | 32 |
| "You Can Make It If You Try" | Gene Allison | March 10, 1958 | 36 |
| "Been So Long" | The Pastels | March 10, 1958 | 24 |
| "Tequila" | Eddie Platt | March 31, 1958 | 20 |
| "Dinner with Drac–Part 1" | John Zacherle "The Cool Ghoul"[22] | March 31, 1958 | 6 |
| "He's Got the Whole World in His Hands" | Laurie London | April 14, 1958 | 1 |
| "Lollipop" | Ronald & Ruby | April 14, 1958 | 20 |
| "Don't You Just Know It" | Huey "Piano" Smith and the Clowns[23] | April 14, 1958 | 9 |
| "Book of Love" | The Monotones | April 21, 1958 | 5 |
| "Chanson D'Amour (Song of Love)" | Art and Dotty Todd | May 5, 1958 | 6 |
| "Wishing for Your Love" | The Voxpoppers | May 5, 1958 | 18 |
| "You" | The Aquatones | May 26, 1958 | 21 |
| "Torero" | Renato Carosone | June 2, 1958 | 18 |
| "Padre" | Toni Arden | June 2, 1958* | 18 |
| "Purple People Eater" | Sheb Wooley[24] | June 9, 1958 | 1 |
| "For Your Love" | Ed Townsend | June 9, 1958 | 13 |
| "When the Boys Talk About the Girls" | Valerie Carr | June 9, 1958 | 19 |
| "Cha-Hua-Hua" | The Pets | June 9, 1958 | 34 |
| "(It's Been a Long Time) Pretty Baby" | Gino and Gina | June 23, 1958 | 20 |
| "Jennie Lee" | Jan and Arnie[25] | June 30, 1958 | 8 |
| "Endless Sleep" | Jody Reynolds | June 30, 1958 | 5 |
| "Got a Match?" | The Daddy O's | July 7, 1958 | 39 |
| "Delicious" | Jim Backus and Friend[26] | July 21, 1958 | 40 |
| "One Summer Night" | The Danleers | July 28, 1958 | 7 |
| "Judy" | Frankie Vaughan | July 28, 1958 | 22 |
| "Baubles, Bangles and Beads" | Kirby Stone Four | July 28, 1958 | 25 |
| "Willie and the Hand Jive" | Johnny Otis Show [27] | August 4, 1958 | 9 |
| "The Freeze" | Tony and Joe | August 4, 1958 | 33 |
| "Crazy Eyes for You" | Bobby Hamilton | August 4, 1958 | 40 |
| "Early in the Morning" | The Rinky Dinks[28] | August 11, 1958 | 24 |
| "Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blu (Volare)" | Domenico Modugno[29] | August 18, 1958 | 1 |
| "Little Star" | The Elegants | August 25, 1958 | 1 |
| "Born Too Late" | The Poni-Tails | September 15, 1958 | 7 |
| "Down the Aisle of Love" | The Quin-Tones | September 15, 1958 | 18 |
| "Tea for Two Cha Cha" | The Tommy Dorsey Orchestra[9] and Warren Covington | September 15, 1958* | 7 |
| "Summertime, Summertime" | The Jamies | September 22, 1958 | 26 |
| "Weekend" | The Kingsmen[30] | September 22, 1958 | 35 |
| "Cerveza" | Boots Brown | September 29, 1958 | 23 |
| "You Cheated" | The Shields | October 6, 1958 | 12 |
| "Itchy Twitchy Feeling" | Bobby Hendricks | October 6, 1958 | 25 |
| "Need You" | Donnie Owens | October 6, 1958 | 25 |
| "Rockin' Robin" | Bobby Day[11] | October 13, 1958 | 2 |
| "The End" | Earl Grant | October 13, 1958 | 7 |
| "Susie Darlin'" | Robin Luke | October 13, 1958 | 5 |
| "The Blob" | The Five Blobs | November 3, 1958 | 33 |
| "Back to School Again" | Timmie "Oh Yeah" Rogers | November 18, 1958 | 36 |
| "Poor Boy" | The Royaltones | December 1, 1958 | 17 |
| "To Know Him Is to Love Him" | The Teddy Bears[31] | December 15, 1958 | 1 |
| "Philadelphia, U.S.A." | The Nu-Tornados | December 22, 1958 | 26 |
| Song | Performer | Peak date | Peak |
|---|
| "The Little Drummer Boy" | Harry Simeone Chorale | January 12, 1959 | 13 |
| "Gotta Travel On" | Billy Grammer[32] | January 19, 1959 | 4 |
| "Teasin'" | The Quaker City Boys | January 26, 1959 | 39 |
| "Manhattan Spiritual" | Reg Owen | February 9, 1959 | 10 |
| "The Little Space Girl" | Jesse Lee Turner | February 9, 1959 | 20 |
| "Pretty Girls Everywhere" | Eugene Church and the Fellows | February 23, 1959* | 36 |
| "Petite Fleur (Little Flower)" | Chris Barber's Jazz Band[33] | March 2, 1959 | 5 |
| "I've Had It" | The Bell Notes | March 9, 1959 | 6 |
| "You Can Make It If You Try" | Gene Allison | March 9, 1959 | 36 |
| "I Got a Wife" | The Mark IV | March 16, 1959 | 24 |
| "Tragedy" | Thomas Wayne with the DeLons | March 23, 1959 | 5 |
| "Guess Who" | Jesse Belvin | March 30, 1959 | 31 |
| "Sea Cruise" | Frankie Ford | April 6, 1959 | 14 |
| "This Should Go on Forever" | Rod Bernard | April 13, 1959 | 20 |
| "Pink Shoe Laces" | Dodie Stevens | April 13, 1959 | 3 |
| "Tell Him No" | Travis and Bob | April 27, 1959 | 8 |
| "Guitar Boogie Shuffle" | The Virtues | April 27, 1959 | 5 |
| "Three Stars" | Tommy Dee | May 4, 1959 | 11 |
| "Kookie, Kookie (Lend Me Your Comb)" | Edward Byrnes[29][34] | May 11, 1959 | 4 |
| "Sorry (I Ran All the Way Home)" | The Impalas | May 11, 1959 | 2 |
| "Only You" | Franck Pourcel's French Fiddles | June 1, 1959 | 9 |
| "Lonely for You" | Gary Stites | June 1, 1959 | 24 |
| "I've Come of Age" | Billy Storm | June 1, 1959 | 28 |
| "No Chemise, Please" | Gerry Granahan[35] | June 9, 1959 | 23 |
| "So Fine" | The Fiestas | June 15, 1959 | 11 |
| "Tall Cool One"[36] | The Wailers[37] | June 22, 1959 | 36 |
| "Bongo Rock" | Preston Epps | June 29, 1959 | 14 |
| "Hushabye" | The Mystics | June 29, 1959 | 20 |
| "Little Dipper" | Mickey Mozart Quintet[38] | July 6, 1959 | 30 |
| "You're So Fine" | The Falcons | July 13, 1959 | 17 |
| "Waterloo" | Stonewall Jackson[39] | July 13, 1959 | 4 |
| "Mona Lisa" | Carl Mann | August 10, 1959 | 25 |
| "Ciao, Ciao Bambina" | Jacky Noguez and His Musette Orchestra | August 10, 1959 | 24 |
| "Here Comes Summer" | Jerry Keller | August 17, 1959 | 14 |
| "Robbin the Cradle" | Tony Bellus | August 17, 1959 | 25 |
| "Mary Lou" | Ronnie Hawkins and the Hawks[40] | August 17, 1959 | 26 |
| "Sea of Love" | Phil Phillips with the Twilights | August 24, 1959 | 2 |
| "The Mummy" | Bob McFadden and Dor[41] | August 24, 1959 | 39 |
| "See You in September" | The Tempos | September 7, 1959 | 23 |
| "The Three Bells (The Jimmy Brown Story)" | Dick Flood | September 14, 1959 | 23 |
| "Morgen" | Ivo Robic and the Song-Masters | September 21, 1959 | 13 |
| "Makin' Love" | Floyd Robinson | September 28, 1959 | 20 |
| "I Loves You, Porgy" | Nina Simone[42] | October 5, 1959 | 18 |
| "Say Man" | Bo Diddley[23] | October 26, 1959 | 20 |
| "Battle Hymn of the Republic" | Mormon Tabernacle Choir[43] | October 26, 1959 | 13 |
| "You Were Mine" | The Fireflies | October 26, 1959 | 21 |
| "Deck of Cards" | Wink Martindale[44] | November 2, 1959 | 7 |
| "The Enchanted Sea" | The Islanders | November 16, 1959 | 15 |
| "High School U.S.A. (Area)" | Tommy Facenda | November 16, 1959 | 28 |
| "Woo Hoo" | The Rock-A-Teens | November 23, 1959 | 16 |
| "Midnight Stroll" | The Revels | November 30, 1959 | 35 |
| "In the Mood" | Ernie Fields | December 14, 1959 | 4 |
| "Marina" | Rocco Granata and the International Quintet | December 21, 1959 | 31 |
| "Uh! Oh! Part 2" | The Nutty Squirrels | December 28, 1959 | 14 |
| "The Happy Reindeer" | Dancer, Prancer and Nervous[45] | December 28, 1959 | 34 |
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