Unique #1 Singles Between Cashbox & Billboard

Compiled by Stan Messmer

The Billboard Hot 100 Singles charts are today the most common form of compiling the hit singles we hear. However, it’s not the only publication to present the hottest songs each week, there have been a few that were close competitors to Billboard Magazine. Some will argue that Cashbox Magazine was more accurate than Billboard, however Billboard had the luxury of being closely associated with Casey Kasem’s American Top 40, which was one of the highest ranking radio shows of the 70’s and 80’s.

Through the years Billboard endured as the leading chart publication when Cashbox Magazine became defunct in 1996 – save only from its most recent presence online – which began as late as 2006. It is important to note that while Billboard ranked singles weekly mixing the total airplay on radio stations and singles sales from all across North America, Cashbox presented their rankings via all sales and airplay of songs without splitting up genres in order to formulate the generalized popularity of a single’s overall presence.

In other words, many singles hit #1 in Cashbox that didn’t on Billboard (and vice versa). Some people prefer Cashbox over Billboard for the fact that Cashbox was more generalized in their presentation, giving songs a more definitive ranking. But again, Billboard had the talents of Casey Kasem ‘counting them down’, using Billboard exclusively.

Below, Stan Messmer researched the unique differences between Cashbox and Billboard’s #1 singles, finding some weeks the two magazines formulated different unique #1 placements.

In the posts below we present the entire decades (60’s, 70’s and 80’s only) with Billboard’s #1 songs being represented first, followed by Cashbox below it. Each entry shows the artist, song and the amount of weeks at #1, followed by it’s peak position on it’s opposing chart.

Billboard Number One Singles Which Did Not Hit Cash Box Number One 1960 – 1969

Total: 20

1960

  • Marty Robbins – El Paso (2 weeks) CB#2
  • Larry Verne – Mr. Custer (1 week) CB#3
  • Brenda Lee – I Want To Be Wanted (1 week) CB#2
  • Ray Charles – Georgia On My Mind (1 week) CB#3
  • Maurice Williams – Stay (1 week) CB#4

1961

  • Pat Boone – Moody River (1 week) CB#2
  • Joe Dowell – Wooden Heart (1 week) CB#3
  • Marvelettes – Please Mr. Postman (1 week) CB#2

1962

  • Joey Dee & Starliters – Peppermint Twist (3 weeks) CB#2
  • Connie Francis – Don’t Break The Heart That Loves You (1 week) CB#2
  • Tommy Roe – Sheila (2 weeks) CB#2
  • Crystals – He’s A Rebel (2 weeks) CB#2

1963

  • The Tymes – So Much In Love (1 week) CB#2

1964

  • Bobby Vinton – Mr. Lonely (1 week) CB#2

1965

  • Temptations – My Girl (1 week) CB#2

1966

  • Petula Clark – My Love (2 weeks) CB#2

1967

  • Buckinghams – Kind Of A Drag (2 weeks) CB#3

1968

  • Otis Redding – (Sittin’ On) The Dock Of The Bay (4 weeks) CB#3

1969

  • Temptations – I Can’t Get Next To You (2 weeks) CB#3
  • Steam – Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye (2 weeks) CB#3

Cash Box Number One Singles Which Did Not Hit Billboard Number One 1960 – 1969

Total: 52

1960

  • None

1961

  • Ferrante & Teicher – Exodus (2 weeks) BB#2
  • Roy Orbison – Crying (1 week) BB#2

1962

  • Chubby Checker & Dee Dee Sharp – Slow Twistin’ (1 week) BB#3
  • Dee Dee Sharp – Mashed Potato Time (1 week) BB#2
  • Elvis Presley – Return To Sender (1 week) BB#2
  • Chubby Checker – Limbo Rock (1 week) BB#2

1963

  • Andy Williams – Can’t Get Used To Losing You (1 week) BB#2
  • Allan Sherman – Hello Mudduh, Hello Fadduh (1 week) BB#2
  • Ronettes – Be My Baby (1 week) BB#2

1964

  • Kingsmen – Louie Louie (2 weeks) BB#2
  • Beatles – Twist And Shout (1 week) BB#2
  • Gale Garnett – We’ll Sing In The Sunshine (1 week) BB#4
  • Frank Wilson & Cavaliers – Last Kiss (1 week) BB#2
  • Zombies – She’s Not There (1 week) BB#2

1965

  • Herman’s Hermits – Can’t You Hear My Heartbeat (1 week) BB#2
  • Bob Dylan – Like A Rolling Stone (1 week) BB#2
  • Toys – A Lover’s Concerto (1 week) BB#2
  • Len Barry – 1-2-3 (1 week) BB#2
  • 4 Seasons – Let’s Hang On (1 week) BB#3
  • Herb Alpert – A Taste Of Honey (1 week) BB#7

1966

  • Beach Boys – Barbara Ann (1 week) BB#2
  • Rolling Stones – 19th Nervous Breakdown (1 week) BB#2
  • Lovin’ Spoonful – Daydream (1 week) BB#2
  • Mindbenders – A Groovy Kind Of Love (1 week) BB#2
  • Napoleon XIV – They’re Coming To Take Me Away, Ha-Haaa! (1 week) BB#3
  • Sam The Sham & The Pharaohs – Lil’ Red Riding Hood (1 week) BB#2
  • Bobby Hebb – Sunny (1 week) BB#2
  • Beatles – Yellow Submarine (1 week) BB#2

1967

  • Seekers – Georgy Girl (1 week) BB#2
  • Monkees – A Little Bit Me, A Little Bit You (2 weeks) BB#2
  • Happenings – I Got Rhythm (1 week) BB#3
  • Frankie Valli – Can’t Take My Eyes Off You (2 weeks) BB#2
  • Association – Never My Love (1 week) BB#2
  • Sam & Dave – Soul Man (1 week) BB#2
  • Cowsills – The Rain, The Park And Other Things (1 week) BB#2

1968

  • Gladys Knight & Pips – I Heard It Through The Grapevine (1 week) BB#2
  • Aretha Franklin – Chain Of Fools (1 week) BB#2
  • Monkees – Valleri (2 weeks) BB#3
  • Gary Puckett & The Union Gap – Young Girl (1 week) BB#2
  • Rolling Stones – Jumpin’ Jack Flash (1 week) BB#3
  • Gary Puckett & The Union Gap – Lady Willpower (1 week) BB#2
  • Mason Williams – Classical Gas (1 week) BB#2
  • Mary Hopkin – Those Were The Days (2 weeks) BB#2
  • Stevie Wonder – For Once In My Life (1 week) BB#2

1969

  • Diana Ross & Supremes & Temptations – I’m Gonna Make You Love Me (1 week) BB#2
  • Doors – Touch Me (1 week) BB#3
  • Foundations – Build Me Up Buttercup (2 weeks) BB#3
  • Zombies – Time Of The Season (1 week) BB#3
  • Cowsills – Hair (2 weeks) BB#2
  • Elvis Presley – In The Ghetto (1 week) BB#3
  • Bobby Sherman – Little Woman (1 week) BB#3
  • Blood, Sweat & Tears – And When I Die (1 week) BB#2

Billboard Number One Singles Which Did Not Hit Cash Box Number One 1970 – 1979

Total: 18

1970

  • None

1971

  • Janis Joplin – Me And Bobby McGee (2 weeks) CB#3
  • Rolling Stones – Brown Sugar (2 weeks) CB#2

1972

1973

  • Maureen McGovern – The Morning After (2 weeks) CB#3

1974

  • Cher – Dark Lady (1 week) CB#2

1975

  • Eagles – Best Of My Love (1 week) CB#4
  • Doobie Brothers – Black Water (1 week) CB#3
  • America – Sister Golden Hair (1 week) CB#2

1976

  • Ohio Players – Love Rollercoaster (1 week) CB#3

1977

  • Eagles – New Kid In Town (1 week) CB#2
  • Thelma Houston – Don’t Leave Me This Way (1 week) CB#3
  • Barry Manilow – Looks Like We Made It (1 week) CB#3

1978

  • Johnny Mathis & Deniece Williams – Too Much, Too Little, Too Late (1 week) CB#2
  • John Travolta & Olivia Newton-John – You’re The One That I Want (1 week) CB#3
  • Anne Murray – You Needed Me (1 week) CB#4

1979

  • Bee Gees – Too Much Heaven (2 weeks) CB#2
  • Bee Gees – Love You Inside Out (1 week) CB#2
  • M – Pop Muzik (1 week) CB#4

Cash Box Number One Singles Which Did Not Hit Billboard Number One 1970 – 1979

Total: 92

1970

  • Norman Greenbaum – Spirit In The Sky (2 weeks) BB#3
  • Simon & Garfunkel – Cecilia (1 week) BB#4
  • Temptations – Ball Of Confusion (1 week) BB#3
  • Stevie Wonder – Signed, Sealed, Delivered, I’m Yours (1 week) BB#3
  • Eric Burdon & War – Spill The Wine (1 week) BB#3
  • Clarence Carter – Patches (1 week) BB#4
  • Creedence Clearwater Revival – Lookin’ Out My Back Door (1 week) BB#2
  • Dawn – Candida (1 week) BB#3
  • Carpenters – We’ve Only Just Begun (1 week) BB#2
  • Dean Taylor – Indiana Wants Me (1 week) BB#5

1971

  • Bee Gees – Lonely Days (1 week) BB#3
  • Lynn Anderson – Rose Garden (1 week) BB#3
  • Jackson Five – Mama’s Pearl (1 week) BB#2
  • Tom Jones – She’s A Lady (1 week) BB#2
  • Partridge Family – Doesn’t Somebody Want To Be Wanted (1 week) BB#6
  • Marvin Gaye – What’s Going On (1 week) BB#2
  • Jackson Five – Never Can Say Goodbye (1 week) BB#2
  • Ringo Starr – It Don’t Come Easy (1 week) BB#4
  • Hamilton, Joe Frank & Reynolds – Don’t Pull Your Love (1 week) BB#4
  • John Denver – Take Me Home, Country Roads (1 week) BB#2
  • Aretha Franklin – Spanish Harlem (1 week) BB#2
  • Undisputed Truth – Smiling Faces Sometimes (1 week) BB#3

1972

  • Michael Jackson – Got To Be There (1 week) BB#4
  • Climax – Precious And Few (1 week) BB#3
  • Michael Jackson – Rockin’ Robin (1 week) BB#2
  • Hook & The Medicine Show – Sylvia’s Mother (1 week) BB#5
  • Gallery – Nice To Be With You (1 week) BB#4
  • Billy Preston – Outa-Space (1 week) BB#2
  • Cornelius Bros. & Sister Rose – Too Late To Turn Back Now (1 week) BB#2
  • Wayne Newton – Daddy Don’t You Walk So Fast (1 week) BB#4
  • Al Green – I’m Still In Love With You (1 week) BB#3
  • Hollies – Long Cool Woman (1 week) BB#2
  • O’Jays – Back Stabbers (1 week) BB#3
  • Main Ingredient – Everybody Plays The Fool (1 week) BB#3
  • Moody Blues – Nights In White Satin (1 week) BB#2
  • Elvis Presley – Burning Love (1 week) BB#2
  • Spinners – I’ll Be Around (1 week) BB#3
  • Lobo – I’d Love You To Want Me (1 week) BB#2

1973

  • Hurricane Smith – Oh Babe, What Would You Say? (1 week) BB#3
  • Spinners – Could It Be I’m Falling In Love (1 week) BB#4
  • Eric Weissberg & Steve Mandell – Dueling Banjos (1 week) BB#2
  • Gladys Knight & Pips – Neither One Of Us (1 week) BB#2
  • Four Tops – Ain’t No Woman (Like The One I’ve Got) (1 week) BB#4
  • Three Dog Night – Shambala (1 week) BB#3
  • Carpenters – Yesterday Once More (1 week) BB#2
  • Paul McCartney & Wings – Live And Let Die (1 week) BB#2
  • Paul Simon – Loves Me Like A Rock (1 week) BB#2
  • Stevie Wonder – Higher Ground (1 week) BB#4
  • Allman Brothers Band – Ramblin’ Man (1 week) BB#2
  • DeFranco Family – Heartbeat, It’s A Love Beat (1 week) BB#3
  • Elton John – Goodbye Yellow Brick Road (1 week) BB#2
  • Chicago – Just You ‘N’ Me (1 week) BB#4

1974

  • Helen Reddy – Leave Me Alone (Ruby Red Dress) (1 week) BB#3
  • Byron MacGregor – The Americans (1 week) BB#4
  • Eddie Kendricks – Boogie Down (1 week) BB#2
  • David Essex – Rock On (1 week) BB#5
  • Three Dog Night – The Show Must Go On (1 week) BB#4
  • Jackson Five – Dancing Machine (1 week) BB#2
  • Marvin Hamlisch – The Entertainer (1 week) BB#3
  • Stylistics – You Make Me Feel Brand New (1 week) BB#2
  • Elton John – Don’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me (1 week) BB#2
  • Rufus – Tell Me Something Good (1 week) BB#3
  • Bad Company – Can’t Get Enough (1 week) BB#5
  • Carole King – Jazzman (1 week) BB#2
  • Three Degrees – When Will I See You Again (1 week) BB#2

1975

  • Barry White – You’re The First, The Last, My Everything (1 week) BB#2
  • Stevie Wonder – Boogie On Reggae Woman (1 week) BB#3
  • Ringo Starr – No No Song (1 week) BB#3
  • Ozark Mountain Daredevils – Jackie Blue (2 weeks) BB#3
  • Ace – How Long (1 week) BB#3
  • Linda Ronstadt – When Will I Be Loved (1 week) BB#2
  • Olivia Newton-John – Please Mr. Please (1 week) BB#3
  • Elton John – Someone Saved My Life Tonight (1 week) BB#4
  • Janis Ian – At Seventeen (1 week) BB#3
  • David Geddes – Run, Joey, Run (1 week) BB#4
  • Dickie Goodman – Mr. Jaws (1 week) BB#4

1976

  • Eric Carmen – All By Myself (1 week) BB#2
  • Gary Wright – Dream Weaver (1 week) BB#2
  • Captain & Tennille – Lonely Night (Angel Face) (1 week) BB#3
  • Maxine Nightingale – Right Back Where We Started From (1 week) BB#2
  • Silver Convention – Get Up And Boogie (1 week) BB#2
  • Wings – Let ‘Em In (1 week) BB#3
  • Boz Scaggs – Lowdown (1 week) BB#3
  • Gordon Lightfoot – The Wreck Of The Edmund Fitzgerald (1 week) BB#2

1977

  • Peter Frampton – I’m In You (1 week) BB#2
  • Rita Coolidge – Higher And Higher (1 week) BB#2
  • Fleetwood Mac – Don’t Stop (1 week) BB#3
  • Crystal Gayle – Don’t It Make My Brown Eyes Blue (2 weeks) BB#2

1978

  • Randy Newman – Short People (1 week) BB#2
  • Samantha Sang – Emotion (1 week) BB#3
  • Gerry Rafferty – Baker Street (2 weeks) BB#2

1979

  • Commodores – Sail On (1 week) BB#4

Billboard Number One Singles Which Did Not Hit Cash Box Number One 1980 – 1989

Total: 28

1980

  • KC & The Sunshine Band – Please Don’t Go (1 week) CB#3
  • Paul McCartney – Coming Up (3 weeks) CB#2

1981

  • None

1982

  • Chicago – Hard To Say I’m Sorry (2 weeks) CB#2
  • Toni Basil – Mickey (1 week) CB#2

1983

  • Toto – Africa (1 week) CB#3
  • Patti Austin & James Ingram – Baby, Come To Me (2 weeks) CB#2
  • Michael Sembello – Maniac (2 weeks) CB#3
  • Billy Joel – Tell Her About It (1 week) CB#3

1984

  • Billy Ocean – Caribbean Queen (2 weeks) CB#2
  • Hall & Oates – Out Of Touch (2 weeks) CB#3

1985

  • Madonna – Crazy For You (1 week) CB#2
  • Ready For The World – Oh, Sheila (1 week) CB#3
  • Whitney Houston – Saving All My Love For You (1 week) CB#5

1986

  • Simply Red – Holding Back The Years (1 week) CB#4
  • Bananarama – Venus (1 week) CB#3
  • Peter Cetera & Amy Grant – The Next Time I Fall (1 week) CB#3

1987

  • Kim Wilde – You Keep Me Hangin’ On (1 week) CB#2

1988

  • Whitney Houston – So Emotional (1 week) CB#4
  • Expose – Seasons Change (1 week) CB#4
  • Richard Marx – Hold On To The Nights (1 week) CB#3

1989

  • Bobby Brown – My Prerogative (1 week) CB#2
  • Roxette – The Look (1 week) CB#2
  • Paula Abdul – Forever Your Girl (2 weeks) CB#2
  • New Kids On The Block – I’ll Be Loving You (Forever) (1 week) CB#5
  • Milli Vanilli – Baby Don’t Forget My Number (1 week) CB#2
  • Simply Red – If You Don’t Know Me By Now (1 week) CB#2
  • Martika – Toy Soldiers (2 weeks) CB#4
  • New Kids On The Block – Hangin’ Tough (1 week) CB#2

Cash Box Number One Singles Which Did Not Hit Billboard Number One 1980 – 1989

Total: 42

1980

  • Kenny Rogers – Coward Of The County (1 week) BB#3
  • Smokey Robinson – Cruisin’ (1 week) BB#4
  • Dan Fogelberg – Longer (1 week) BB#2
  • Bette Midler – The Rose (1 week) BB#3
  • S.O.S. Band – Take Your Time (1 week) BB#3
  • Stevie Wonder – Master Blaster (2 weeks) BB#5

1981

  • John Lennon – Woman (2 weeks) BB#2
  • Smokey Robinson – Being With You (1 week) BB#2
  • Oak Ridge Boys – Elvira (1 week) BB#5
  • Joey Scarbury – Theme From “The Greatest American Hero” (1 week) BB#2

1982

  • Journey – Open Arms (1 week) BB#2
  • Stevie Wonder – That Girl (1 week) BB#4
  • John Cougar – Hurts So Good (1 week) BB#2
  • Laura Branigan – Gloria (1 week) BB#2

1983

  • Culture Club – Do You Really Want To Hurt Me (2 weeks) BB#2
  • Styx – Mr. Roboto (1 week) BB#3
  • Eddy Grant – Electric Avenue (1 week) BB#2
  • Taco – Puttin’ On The Ritz (2 weeks) BB#4
  • Men Without Hats – The Safety Dance (1 week) BB#3
  • Duran Duran – Union Of The Snake (3 weeks) BB#3

1984

  • Nena – 99 Luftballoons (1 week) BB#2
  • Cyndi Lauper – Girls Just Want To Have Fun (2 weeks) BB#2
  • Bruce Springsteen – Dancing In The Dark (2 weeks) BB#2
  • Prince – Purple Rain (2 weeks) BB#2
  • Chaka Khan – I Feel For You (1 week) BB#3
  • Duran Duran – The Wild Boys (2 weeks) BB#2

1985

  • Philip Bailey & Phil Collins – Easy Lover (1 week) BB#2
  • Madonna – Material Girl (1 week) BB#2
  • Prince – Raspberry Beret (1 week) BB#2

1986

  • Billy Ocean – When The Going Gets Tough, The Tough Get Going (1 week) BB#2
  • Van Halen – Why Can’t This Be Love (1 week) BB#3
  • Tina Turner – Typical Male (1 week) BB#2
  • Wang Chung – Everybody Have Fun Tonight (3 weeks) BB#2

1987

  • None

1988

  • Pet Shop Boys & Dusty Springfield – What Have I Done To Deserve This? (1 week) BB#2
  • Def Leppard – Pour Some Sugar On Me (2 weeks) BB#2

1989

  • Taylor Dayne – Don’t Rush Me (1 week) BB#2
  • Milli Vanilli – Girl You Know It’s True (1 week) BB#2
  • Jody Watley – Real Love (2 weeks) BB#2
  • Madonna – Express Yourself (1 week) BB#2
  • Madonna – Cherish (1 week) BB#2
  • Tears For Fears – Sowing The Seeds Of Love (1 week) BB#2
  • Paula Abdul – (It’s Just) The Way That You Love Me (1 week) BB#3