: The decade was notable for pop instrumentals that "featured" a specific orchestra or sound. Percy Faith's "Theme from A Summer Place" was the No. 1 overall song of 1960 and remains one of the longest-running instrumental number ones in chart history. Top Billboard Hot 100 Hits of the 1960s
The most successful songs of the decade, based on their performance on the Hot 100, include: Song Title Chubby Checker Sept. 19, 1960 "Hey Jude" The Beatles Sept. 28, 1968 "Theme from A Summer Place" Percy Faith Feb. 27, 1960 "Tossin' and Turnin'" Bobby Lewis July 15, 1961 "I Want to Hold Your Hand" The Beatles Feb. 1, 1964 "I'm a Believer" The Monkees Dec. 31, 1966 "Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In" The 5th Dimension April 12, 1969
: Guest "features" were not a standard industry practice for the Hot 100 in the '60s. Instead, most collaborative hits were listed as duos (e.g., "Dinah Washington & Brook Benton") or as a main artist "with" their backing group (e.g., "Elvis Presley with The Jordanaires").
: Many hits featured guest vocals that were uncredited or relegated to "with" status. For example, Elvis Presley dominated the charts in 1960 with 14 weeks at No. 1, often with The Jordanaires credited as support rather than as "featured" artists in the modern sense.
"The Twist" by Chubby Checker holds a unique place in history as it reached No. 1 in two separate years () and was later named the "biggest hit" of the 1960s by Billboard .
