Hot100Hits.com — The Longest Runs at #1

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Consecutive Decades of #1 Chart-Toppers

The Titans Who Sustained #1s

Think of all the great executives or attorneys the music industry would recognize. Apply one rigorous standard — a Pop chart / Hot 100 #1 song in consecutive decades, drawn from the artists, writers, and producers whose work the company or individual represents. Grubman and Passman are still active and likely headed for six. Only one — whose run started in the 1950s — could get to eight.

Decade →	1950s	1960s	1970s	1980s	1990s	2000s	2010s	2020s
David J. Steinberg Counsel · Seven 5/2/34 – 1/8/21 · age 86	Teddy Bear^† Elvis · ’57 · (Lowe / Kal Mann, Writers) Butterfly · Charlie Gracie · ’57 +1 more number one	The Twist (re-release) Chubby Checker · ’62 · only song to hit #1 twice The Twist · Chubby Checker · ’60 (Appell/Mann, Prod.) Pony Time · Chubby Checker · ’61 (Mann, writer) So Much in Love · The Tymes · ’63 +3 more number ones	Then Came You Spinners & Dionne Warwick · ’74 · (Thom Bell, Prod.) Knock Three Times · Tony Orlando & Dawn · ’70 (Appell, Prod.) Me & Mrs. Jones · Billy Paul · ’72 (Gamble & Huff) Love Train · The O’Jays · ’73 (Gamble & Huff) Tie a Yellow Ribbon · Tony Orlando & Dawn · ’73 (Appell, Prod.) +2 more number ones T.S.O.P. · MFSB ft. The Three Degrees · ’74 Don’t Leave Me This Way · Thelma Houston · ’77 +6 more number ones	Greatest Love of All Whitney · ’86 · (Linda Creed, Writer) If You Don’t Know Me by Now · Simply Red (cover) · ’89 (Gamble & Huff) +1 more number one	I Don’t Have the Heart James Ingram · ’90 · (Thom Bell, Co-Prod.)	Don’t Matter Akon · ’07 · Marley	Rude MAGIC! · ’14 · Marley	OPEN catalog still charting
Ahmet Ertegun Atlantic · Six 7/31/23 – 12/14/06 · age 83	Mack the Knife Bobby Darin · ’59	Respect Aretha · ’67 Save the Last Dance for Me · The Drifters · ’60 I Got You Babe · Sonny & Cher (Atco) · ’65 Tighten Up · Archie Bell & The Drells · ’68 (Sittin’ On) The Dock of the Bay · Otis Redding · ’68 +4 more number ones	Killing Me Softly Roberta Flack · ’73 The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face · Roberta Flack · ’72 Feel Like Makin’ Love · Roberta Flack · ’74 Le Freak · Chic · ’78 Good Times · Chic · ’79 +4 more number ones	Sussudio Phil Collins · ’85 Against All Odds · Phil Collins · ’84 Owner of a Lonely Heart · Yes (Atco) · ’84 I Want to Know What Love Is · Foreigner · ’85 Need You Tonight · INXS · ’88 +4 more number ones One More Night · Phil Collins · ’85 Separate Lives · Phil Collins & Marilyn Martin · ’85 A Groovy Kind of Love · Phil Collins · ’88 Two Hearts · Phil Collins · ’89 +8 more number ones	The Boy Is Mine Brandy & Monica · ’98 Another Day in Paradise · Phil Collins · ’89–’90 I Swear · All-4-One · ’94 (11 wks #1) Have You Ever? · Brandy · ’99 +3 more number ones	Get Busy Sean Paul (VP/Atlantic) · ’03 Bent · matchbox twenty (Lava/Atlantic) · ’00 Temperature · Sean Paul (VP/Atlantic) · ’06 You’re Beautiful · James Blunt (Custard/Atlantic) · ’06 +3 more number ones	— d. 2006	—
Chris Blackwell^* Island · Six b. 6/22/37 · age 88	—	Keep On Running Spencer Davis · ’66 (UK) Somebody Help Me · Spencer Davis Group · ’66 (UK #1) +1 more number one	I Shot the Sheriff Clapton · ’74 · Marley	Addicted to Love Robert Palmer · ’86 With or Without You · U2 · ’87 (Hot 100 #1) I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For · U2 · ’87 (Hot 100 #1) Desire · U2 · ’88 (UK #1) Higher Love · Steve Winwood · ’86 (Hot 100 #1) +4 more number ones	Discotheque U2 · ’97 (UK) The Fly · U2 · ’91 (UK #1) +1 more number one	Beautiful Day U2 · ’00 (UK #1) Vertigo · U2 · ’04 (UK #1) Don’t Matter · Akon · ’07 (Hot 100 #1, Marley sample) +2 more number ones	Rude MAGIC! · ’14 · Marley	OPEN Marley catalog still firing
Allen Grubman Grubman Shire · 5 & counting active counsel	—	—	—	Every Breath You Take The Police · ’83 Jack & Diane · John Mellencamp · ’82 Hello · Lionel Richie · ’84 Like a Virgin · Madonna · ’84 Like a Prayer · Madonna · ’89 +11 more number ones Truly · Lionel Richie · ’82 All Night Long (All Night) · Lionel Richie · ’83 Say You, Say Me · Lionel Richie · ’85 Crazy for You · Madonna · ’85 Live to Tell · Madonna · ’86 Papa Don’t Preach · Madonna · ’86 Open Your Heart · Madonna · ’86 That’s What Friends Are For · Dionne & Friends · ’86 I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For · U2 · ’87 Who’s That Girl · Madonna · ’87 Wind Beneath My Wings · Bette Midler · ’89 +15 more number ones	Candle in the Wind 1997 Elton John · ’97 Vogue · Madonna · ’90 Take a Bow · Madonna · ’95 I’ll Be Missing You · Puff Daddy & Faith Evans · ’97 Heartbreaker · Mariah Carey ft. Jay-Z · ’99 +9 more number ones Justify My Love · Madonna · ’90 Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me · George Michael & Elton John · ’91 This Used to Be My Playground · Madonna · ’92 All for Love · Bryan Adams, Rod Stewart & Sting · ’93 Honey · Mariah Carey · ’97 Can’t Nobody Hold Me Down · Puff Daddy ft. Mase · ’97 Mo Money Mo Problems · Notorious B.I.G. · ’97 My All · Mariah Carey · ’98 If You Had My Love · Jennifer Lopez · ’99 +13 more number ones	We Belong Together Mariah Carey · ’05 Music · Madonna · ’00 I’m Real (Murder Remix) · J.Lo ft. Ja Rule · ’01 All I Have · J.Lo ft. LL Cool J · ’03 Touch My Body · Mariah Carey · ’08 +5 more number ones Thank God I Found You · Mariah Carey · ’00 Bump, Bump, Bump · B2K & P. Diddy · ’02 Ain’t It Funny (Murder Remix) · Jennifer Lopez ft. Ja Rule · ’02 Shake Ya Tailfeather · Nelly, P. Diddy & Murphy Lee · ’03 Don’t Forget About Us · Mariah Carey · ’05 +9 more number ones	Shallow Lady Gaga & B. Cooper · ’18 Born This Way · Lady Gaga · ’11 Can’t Feel My Face · The Weeknd · ’15 Starboy · The Weeknd ft. Daft Punk · ’16 All I Want for Christmas Is You · Mariah Carey · ’19 +2 more number ones The Hills · The Weeknd · ’15 Heartless · The Weeknd · ’19 +6 more number ones	Blinding Lights The Weeknd · ’20 Rain on Me · Lady Gaga & Ariana Grande · ’20 Save Your Tears · The Weeknd · ’21 Die With a Smile · Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars · ’24 +3 more number ones
Don Passman Gang Tyre Ramer · 5 & counting active counsel	—	—	—	What’s Love Got to Do with It Tina Turner · ’84	That’s the Way Love Goes Janet Jackson · ’93 Love Will Never Do (Without You) · Janet Jackson · ’91 Again · Janet Jackson · ’93 Together Again · Janet Jackson · ’98 +3 more number ones	Gold Digger Kanye W. ft. Jamie Foxx · ’05 Doesn’t Really Matter · Janet Jackson · ’00 All for You · Janet Jackson · ’01 Stronger · Kanye West · ’07 Heartless · Kanye West · ’08 +2 more number ones Makes Me Wonder · Maroon 5 · ’07 So What · Pink · ’08 +6 more number ones	Hello Adele · ’15 Raise Your Glass · Pink · ’10 Shake It Off · Taylor Swift · ’14 Blank Space · Taylor Swift · ’14 Look What You Made Me Do · Taylor Swift · ’17 +7 more number ones E.T. · Katy Perry ft. Kanye West · ’11 Moves Like Jagger · Maroon 5 ft. Christina Aguilera · ’11 One More Night · Maroon 5 · ’12 Just Give Me a Reason · Pink ft. Nate Ruess · ’13 Bad Blood · Taylor Swift ft. Kendrick Lamar · ’15 Girls Like You · Maroon 5 ft. Cardi B · ’18 All I Want for Christmas Is You · Mariah Carey · ’19 +11 more number ones	Anti-Hero Taylor Swift · ’22 Cardigan · Taylor Swift · ’20 Easy on Me · Adele · ’21 Cruel Summer · Taylor Swift · ’23 Fortnight · Taylor Swift ft. Post Malone · ’24 +3 more number ones Willow · Taylor Swift · ’20 All Too Well (10 Min Version) · Taylor Swift · ’21 Is It Over Now? (Taylor’s Version) · Taylor Swift · ’23 +7 more number ones
Clive Davis Columbia · Arista · Five b. 4/4/32 · age 94	—	Everyday People Sly & Family Stone · ’69 Mrs. Robinson · Simon & Garfunkel · ’68 (Columbia) +1 more number one	Mandy Barry Manilow · ’75 Bridge Over Troubled Water · Simon & Garfunkel · ’70 (Columbia) I Write the Songs · Barry Manilow · ’76 (Arista) Looks Like We Made It · Barry Manilow · ’77 (Arista) Me and Bobby McGee · Janis Joplin · ’71 (Columbia) +4 more number ones	Greatest Love of All Whitney · ’86 Saving All My Love for You · Whitney Houston · ’85 How Will I Know · Whitney Houston · ’86 I Wanna Dance with Somebody · Whitney Houston · ’87 Where Do Broken Hearts Go · Whitney Houston · ’88 +3 more number ones Didn’t We Almost Have It All · Whitney Houston · ’87 So Emotional · Whitney Houston · ’88 That’s What Friends Are For · Dionne & Friends (Arista) · ’86 +7 more number ones	I Will Always Love You Whitney · ’92 Exhale (Shoop Shoop) · Whitney Houston · ’95 Un-Break My Heart · Toni Braxton · ’96 (LaFace/Arista) Waterfalls · TLC · ’95 (LaFace/Arista) Smooth · Santana ft. Rob Thomas · ’99 (Arista) +3 more number ones I’m Your Baby Tonight · Whitney Houston · ’90 All the Man That I Need · Whitney Houston · ’91 Creep · TLC · ’95 +7 more number ones	Fallin’ Alicia Keys · ’01 Maria Maria · Santana ft. Product G&B · ’00 (Arista) My Boo · Usher & Alicia Keys · ’04 (J) No One · Alicia Keys · ’07 (J Records) +3 more number ones	—	—
Mo Ostin Warner–Reprise · Four 3/27/27 – 7/31/22 · age 95	—	Strangers in the Night Sinatra · ’66 Everybody Loves Somebody · Dean Martin (Reprise) · ’64 These Boots Are Made for Walkin’ · Nancy Sinatra (Reprise) · ’66 Somethin’ Stupid · Frank & Nancy Sinatra (Reprise) · ’67 +3 more number ones	Black Water Doobie Brothers · ’75 You’ve Got a Friend · James Taylor (Warner) · ’71 A Horse with No Name · America (Warner) · ’72 Dreams · Fleetwood Mac (Warner) · ’77 Da Ya Think I’m Sexy? · Rod Stewart (Warner) · ’79 +2 more number ones Sister Golden Hair · America · ’75 Tonight’s the Night · Rod Stewart · ’76 +6 more number ones	When Doves Cry Prince · ’84 Like a Virgin · Madonna (Sire/Warner) · ’84 Let’s Go Crazy · Prince & The Revolution · ’84 Jump · Van Halen · ’84 Kiss · Prince & The Revolution · ’86 +5 more number ones Sailing · Christopher Cross · ’80 Crazy for You · Madonna · ’85 Papa Don’t Preach · Madonna · ’86 Who’s That Girl · Madonna · ’87 Batdance · Prince · ’89 +9 more number ones	Vogue Madonna (Sire/Warner) · ’90 Cream · Prince & The N.P.G. · ’91 Justify My Love · Madonna · ’90 This Used to Be My Playground · Madonna · ’92 Take a Bow · Madonna · ’95 +4 more number ones	— left Warner ’94	—	—

^* Blackwell evaluated on the better of UK Singles Chart or US Hot 100 per decade — Island is a British label with substantial US presence, so both home charts apply. Spencer Davis Group “Keep On Running” (UK #1, ’66), Blackwell’s discovery and production, released on Fontana via his licensing arrangement. Blackwell and Steinberg share the common connection to Bob Marley.

^† “Teddy Bear” (Elvis, 1957) was #1 on the pre–Hot 100 Top 100 chart, written by David’s clients Kal Mann & Bernie Lowe. The 1950s here include pre–Hot 100 #1s (the chart launched Aug 4, 1958); applied identically to every name. Covers, samples, and interpolations count in the decade they chart, credited to the original’s label or role — the rule that lets Whitney’s 1986 cover count for both Clive (Arista) and David (Creed wrote it).

The Linda Creed Factor — Linda co-wrote “Hold Me” — Whitney Houston’s very first hit, in 1984, a duet with Teddy Pendergrass. Without that hit, would Whitney have made it to her first smash in late 1985? Probably. But we’ll never know. Whitney was singing Linda’s “Greatest Love of All” in clubs before that first hit — before Clive Davis ever discovered her. A year later, the song Linda had written with Michael Masser became Whitney’s third Hot 100 #1. Sadly, Linda didn’t live to see it reach the top — dying just weeks before. Clive Davis’s greatest artist might have been a very different story without Linda Creed and Teddy Pendergrass.