20 surprising songs to reach No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100

Although Shaggy had several hits throughout the ‘90s, such as “Nice and Lovely” and “Boombastic,” his major chart-topper came in 2000 with his single “It Wasn’t Me.” Teaming up with singer RikRok, the song tells the story of how a man gets caught cheating on his partner, and his best bet is to deny it. 

Lil Nas X took the world by storm in 2018 when he released his debut country-rap single “Old Town Road.” After the song was released, Lil Nas X created memes on social media, before it became part of the Yeehaw Challenge for TikTok users. With the song gaining more traction on the social media app, the song entered the Hot 100 chart at No. 83. Due to the song’s popularity, Nas X was able to team up with country legend Billy Ray Cyrus on the remix, and both versions reached No. 1 on the chart. “Old Town Road” broke the record at the time for most weeks atop the chart; it was there for 19 weeks.

It’s not an easy feat for a debut single to reach the top of the charts, but Right Said Fred did just that with their 1991 single “I’m Too Sexy.” In the music video, the band depicted themselves as models walking a catwalk on a runway, with additional video clips featuring actual models at fashion shows. 

One of the things that made Los Del Rio’s hit song “Macarena (Bayside Boys mix) so successful, it was catchy and had a dance routine to match it. Not only would fans get up and do the dance when they saw the music video, but it’s also innate for folks to make sure they show off their moves on the dance floor. 

During the ‘90s, hip-hop was the genre that would often get censored for its lyrics or music videos, which didn’t always occur with songs in other genres. In 1992, Sir Mix-a-Lot released his hit song “Baby Got Back,” which caused some controversy due to the lyrics objectifying women’s physical appearance. In fact, MTV even banned the video for a short time from airing on its network. But that didn’t stop the song from being a hit. It spent five weeks atop the Hot 100.

One of the cool things about rapper Mims’ debut single “This Is Why I’m Hot,” is just how catchy it was between the production and the lyrics. Mims uses the track to show off his confidence in his rapping ability and what he represents.

Jason Aldean has been in the music industry for two decades, and it took nearly 18 years for the country star to get his first entry on the Hot 100. Not only was the single “Try That in a Small Town” his first entry on the chart, but the song reached No. 1. In addition to the song’s success, it came with heavy criticisms from fans and fellow musicians who believed the lyrics promoted violence and lynching. In fact, Country Music Television pulled the music video from airing due to the outcry over the video's setting and lyrics. 

Vanilla Ice came onto the scene in 1990 with his debut single “Ice Ice Baby.” The smooth track utilized a sample of the Queen and David Bowie single “Under Pressure,” which helped boost Vanilla Ice’s popularity in both hip-hop and pop. 

In 1972, rocker Chuck Berry released his cover version of Dave Bartholomew’s 1952 track “My Ding-a-Ling.” Although the lyrics refer to a toy given to the singer by his grandmother, they can also be seen as a double entendre for a man’s private parts. 

In 2011, pop singer Gotye released his third album, Making Mirrors, which featured the breakthrough single “Somebody That I Used To Know.” This was one of those tracks that saw No. 1 success across a plethora of charts worldwide, and it won several awards, including a Grammy for Record of the Year. 

In 2012, DJ and producer Baauer released his debut single “Harlem Shake.” Although the track has a minimal amount of lyrics, it’s the type of EDM and pop record that had listeners go crazy on nightclub dancefloors. 

In 1962, Bobby “Boris” Pickett and the Crypt-Kickers released their hit song “Monster Mash.” The lyrics depict a first-person perspective of a scientist whose monster comes to life to perform a dance inspired by the popular "Mashed Potato" dance. Due to the song’s monster theme, it’s no wonder the song reached No. 1 before Halloween. 

Before Mark Wahlberg was well-known as an actor, he was part of a pop and hip-hop group called Marky Mark and Funky Bunch. In 1991, the group released their debut album Music for the People, which was led by the single “Good Vibrations.” Produced by Mark’s brother, Donnie Wahlberg, the song features an energetic groove that was perfect for dance floors. 

Although rap duo Rae Sremmurd had several hit songs since their debut in 2015, it was their 2016 single “Black Beatles” that became their first No. 1 single on the Hot 100. One of the reasons the song became even more popular was due to the viral "Mannequin Challenge" on social media. The song stayed at the top of the chart for seven weeks and became a diamond-selling success. 

Sometimes, songs with a unique connection end up being successful. This was the case in 1976 when Rick Dees and His Cast of Idiots released the track “Disco Duck,” a satirical disco track that featured elements of a Donald Duck voice. The song spent one week atop the Hot 100. 

In 1989, Prince was tapped as the architect of the soundtrack for the film Batman. Due to the film’s popularity, the single “Batdance” was not only a chart-topper on the Hot 100, but also the Hot R&B Songs and Dance Club Songs charts. 

Atlanta-based hip-hop group D4L was known for helping to popularize the sub-genre of snap. In 2005, the group released their only album, Down for Life, which featured the hit single “Laffy Taffÿ.”   

In 2000, rock band Crazy Town released their album, The Gift of Game, which featured their hit single “Butterfly.” With a sample of the Red Hot Chili Peppers’ track “Pretty Little Ditty,” Crazy Town uses the track to describe how a man feels about their lover. 

In 1985, pop-rock band Starship released their debut album Knee Deep in the Hoopla, which was led by the single “We Built This City.” On the track, the band reflects on how corporate politics and greed could have negative effects on cities and communities. 

Pop reggae band Magic! released their debut album Don’t Kill the Magic, which was led by the song “Rude.” Although the song reached No. 1 on the Hot 100, some critics were not fans of the song.