Billboard's all-time top jazz digital songs

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stevejazz
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Billboard's all-time top jazz digital songs

Post by stevejazz »

I've researched the history of Billboard' top-selling jazz digital songs from the first chart in January 2010 through December 2018. Like the history of the top blues digital songs that I posted earlier, this has value and can help strengthen one of Acclaimed Music's weak areas First off, i must acknowledge some odd elements of these charts: 1) There's a ridiculous number of Michael Buble songs; 2) there are a whole lot of Christmas songs, due to the fact that these songs reliably return to the chart for several weeks every holiday season across nine years; and 3) over 95% of the chart leaders are vocals; with a handful of exceptions, jazz instrumentals are not to be found.

Still, with those caveats (and the obvious dominance of songs from the past 20 years), it's a fascinating list. It's impressive that such vintage classics as "Take Five," "In the Mood," and "Girl from Ipanema" do so spectacularly well alongside all the recent releases. While Louis Armstrong's instrumentals are overlooked, his vocals are a big presence here. And it's noteworthy that Nina Simone was huge on these charts even before her Rock Hall of Fame induction, and that Sade scored big with songs from 1985 to the 2010s.

So, here are Billboard's all-time jazz digital song leaders:

Steve Sullivan

1.WHAT A WONDERFUL WORLD (1967) - LOUIS ARMSTRONG (244 weeks at #1, 468 total weeks)
2.HAVEN’T MET YOU YET (2009) - MICHAEL BUBLE (81 weeks at #1, 457 total weeks)
3. FEELING GOOD (2005) - MICHAEL BUBLE (6 weeks at #1, 464 total weeks)
4.COME AWAY WITH ME (2002) - NORAH JONES (5 weeks at #1, 449 total weeks)
5.EVERYTHING (2007) - MICHAEL BUBLE (4 weeks at #1, 448 total weeks)
6.DON’T KNOW WHY (2002) - NORAH JONES (4 weeks at #1, 444 total weeks)
7.FEELING GOOD (1965) - NINA SIMONE (2 weeks at #1, 441 total weeks)
8.WHAT YOU WON’T DO FOR LOVE (1979) - BOBBY CALDWELL (16 weeks at #1, 292 total weeks)
9.LA VIE EN ROSE (1950) - LOUIS ARMSTRONG (1 week at #1, 414 total weeks)
10.TAKE FIVE (1960) - DAVE BRUBECK QUARTET (1 week at #1, 404 total weeks)

11.In the Mood (1939) - Glenn Miller & His Orchestra (#4 peak, 410 weeks)
(highest-ranking pre-1950 song)
12.Save the Last Dance for Me (2005) - Michael Buble (#2 peak, 362 weeks)
13.Just the Two of Us (1981) - Grover Washington with Bill Withers (#2 peak, 359 weeks)
14.It’s a Beautiful Day (2013) - Michael Buble (25 weeks at #1, 190 total weeks)
15.Sway (2003) - Michael Buble (#5 peak, 323 weeks)
16.The Girl from Ipanema (1964) - Stan Getz/Joao & Astrud Gilberto (#6 peak, 259 weeks)
17.Sinnerman (1965) - Nina Simone (#2 peak, 257 weeks)
18.By Your Side (2001) - Sade (#2 peak, 238 weeks)
19.No Ordinary Love (1992) - Sade (#4 peak, 232 weeks)
20.I’ve Got You Under My Skin (1956) - Frank Sinatra (#5 peak, 231 weeks)

21.Smooth Operator (1985) - Sade (#5 peak, 229 weeks)
22.The Sweetest Taboo (1985) - Sade (#4 peak, 220 weeks)
23.Dream a Little Dream of Me (1950) - Louis Armstrong (#3 peak, 210 weeks)
24.The Way You Look Tonight (2003) - Michael Buble (#10 peak, 214 weeks)
25.Every Time I Close My Eyes (1996) - Kenny G with Babyface (#3 peak, 205 weeks)
26.It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas (2011) - Michael Buble (22 weeks at #1, 48 total weeks)
27.Crazy Love (2009) - Michael Buble (#6 peak, 205 weeks)
28.Put Your Records On (2006) - Corinne Bailey Rae (3 weeks at #1, 171 total weeks)
29.Fever (1958) - Peggy Lee (#3 peak, 176 weeks)
30.Turn Me On (2002) - Norah Jones (#10 peak, 183 weeks)

31.Like a Star (2007) - Corinne Bailey Rae (#6 peak, 180 weeks)
32.I’ll Be Seeing You (1944) - Billie Holiday (#14 peak, 180 weeks)
(second highest ranking pre-1950 song)
33.Sunrise (2004) - Norah Jones (#3 peak, 169 weeks)
34.Lost (2007) - Michael Buble (#16 peak, 174 weeks)
35.Hold On (2009) - Michael Buble (#7 peak, 170 weeks)
36.Songbird (1987) - Kenny G (#15 peak, 162 weeks)
37.Moments in Love (1984) - The Art of Noise (#16 peak, 159 weeks)
38.You Don’t Know Me (2005) - Michael Buble (#11 peak, 153 weeks)
39.Unforgettable (1991) - Natalie Cole & Nat King Cole (1 week at #1, 131 total weeks)
40.Cantaloop (1993) - US3 (#7 peak, 139 weeks)

41.Soldier of Love (2010) - Sade (#2 peak, 130 weeks)
42.Your Love is King (1985) Sade (#12 peak, 130 weeks)
43.I Put a Spell on You (1965) - Nina Simone (#8 peak, 128 weeks)
44.Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas (2011) - Michael Buble (5 weeks at #1, 69 total weeks)
45.Linus and Lucy (1965) - Vince Guaraldi Trio (#3 peak, 101 weeks)
46.Summertime (1957) - Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong (#4 peak, 95 weeks)
47.All I Want for Christmas is You (2011) - Michael Buble (4 weeks at #1, 54 total weeks)
48.A Kiss to Build a Dream On (1951) - Louis Armstrong (#8 peak, 89 weeks)
49.Georgia on My Mind (2006) - Ray Charles/Count Basie Orchestra (#9 peak, 87 weeks)
50.The Best is Yet to Come (1964) - Frank Sinatra with Count Basie Orchestra (#18 peak, 88 weeks)

51.I Wanna Be Like You (1967) - Louis Prima & Phil Harris
52.Close Your Eyes (2013) - Michael Buble
53.Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) (2011) - Michael Buble
54.Come Fly With Me (2003) - Michael Buble
55.In a Sentimental Mood (1962) - Duke Ellington & His Orchestra with John Coltrane
56.Christmas Time is Here (1965) - Vince Guaraldi Trio
57.All About That Bass (2014) - Scott Bradlee
58.White Christmas (2011) - Michael Buble & Shania Twain
59.Creep (2014) - Scott Bradlee
60.Stitched Up (2005) - Herbie Hancock with John Mayer

61.Baby, It’s Cold Outside (1949) - Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Jordan
62.Holly Jolly Christmas (2011) - Michael Buble
63.The Lady is a Tramp (2011) - Tony Bennett & Lady Gaga
64.Moonlight Serenade (1939) - Glenn Miller & His Orchestra
65.Moondance (2003) - Michael Buble
66.Fever (2003) - Michael Buble
67.O Tennanbaum (1965) - Vince Guaraldi Trio
68.Magalenha (1992) - Sergio Mendes
69.The “Pink Panther” Theme (1964) - Henry Mancini
70.Sleigh Ride (1960) - Ella Fitzgerald

71.My Valentine (2012) - Paul McCartney
72.This Guy’s in Love with You (1968) - Herb Alpert
73.Jump Up Superstar (2017) - Super Mario Players
74.I Left My Heart in San Francisco (1962) - Tony Bennett
75.So What (1959) - Miles Davis
76.Georgia On My Mind (2009) - Michael Buble
77.Everybody Loves the Sunshine (1976) - Roy Ayers
78.Santa Claus is Coming to Town (2011) - Michael Buble
79.Holding On (2015) - Gregory Porter
80.Carry On (2016) - Norah Jones

81.Try (2017) - Mandy Harvey
82.City of Stars (2016) - Ryan Gosling
83.I’ll Be Home for Christmas (2011) - Michael Buble
84.Frosty the Snowman (1960) - Ella Fitzgerald
85.Breezin’ (1976) - George Benson
86.Maker of Love (2013) - Boney James
87.Cold December Night (2011) - Michael Buble
88.Back It Up (2013) - Caro Emerald
89.Kiss of Life (1992) - Sade
90.Rockit (1983) - Herbie Hancock

91.Insanity (2017) - Gregory Porter & Lalah Hathaway
92.You’re My Music (2013) - Brian Culbertson
93.The Kind You Can’t Afford (2011) - Madeleine Peyroux
94.Jingle Bells (2011) - Michael Buble & Puppin Sisters
95.Unforgettable (2017) - Sia
96.Caravan (2015) - John Wasson
97.The Christmas Song (1946) - Nat King Cole
98.On Broadway (1978) - George Benson
99.Cry Me a River (2009) - Michael Buble
100.Friend Like Me (2016) - Ne-Yo

101.Jaan Pehechaan Ho (2012) - Special EFX
102.The Look of Love (2001) - Diana Krall
103.Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow (2011) - Michael Buble
104.It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas (2008) - Harry Connick, Jr.
105.Winter Wonderland (2014) - Tony Bennett & Lady Gaga
106.Moon and the Sky (2010) - Sade
107.Cherish the Day (1992) - Sade
108.Something Stupid (2013) - Michael Buble & Reese Witherspoon
109.Forever in Love (1992) - Kenny G
110.Anything Goes (2011) - Tony Bennett & Lady Gaga
111.Skies Wide Open (2010) - Brian Culbertson
112.Some Kind of Wonderful (2009) - Michael Buble
113.Similau (1949) - Peggy Lee
114.’Zat You, Santa Claus? (1953) - Louis Armstrong
115.Silent Night (2011) - Michael Buble
116.My Way (2017) - Seth MacFarlane
117.It Had to Be You (2011) - Tony Bennett & Carrie Underwood
118.Can’t Help Falling in Love (2001) - Michael Buble
119.We’re In This Love Together (1981) - Al Jarreau
120.At This Moment (2009) - Michael Buble

Honorable Mentions (Artist alpha)
Rise (1979) - Herb Alpert
Route 101 (1982) - Herb Alpert
Cool Yule (1953) - Louis Armstrong
When You’re Smiling (1958) - Louis Armstrong
When the Saints Go Marching In (1938) - Louis Armstrong
.I’d Do It All Again (2010) - Corinne Bailey Rae
I Can’t Give You Anything But Love (2011) - Tony Bennett & Lady Gaga
Cheek to Cheek (2011) - Tony Bennett & Lady Gaga
Steppin’ Out with My Baby (2012) - Tony Bennett & Christina Aguilera
This Masquerade (1976) - George Benson
“Treme” Song (2010) - John Boutte
White Christmas (2012) - Michael Buble & Bing Crosby
Gran Torino (2011) - Jamie Cullum & Clint Eastwood
Jeep’s Blues (1956) - Duke Ellington & His Orchestra
What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve (1949) - Ella Fitzgerald
Skating (1965) - Vince Guaraldi Trio
Mara’s Song (2017) - Mandy Harvey
Good Morning Heartache (1946) - Billie Holiday
Stormy Weather (1941) - Lena Horne
Mornin’ (1983) - Al Jarreau
Thinking About You (2007) - Norah Jones
Flipside (2016) - Norah Jones
Peace (2011) - Norah Jones
Desperado (2014) - Diana Krall
Bang Bang (2014) - Lady Gaga
Summertime (2014) - Annie Lennox
Georgia on My Mind (2014) - Annie Lennox
Feels So Good (1978) - Chuck Mangione
I’m Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself a Letter (2012) - Paul McCartney
Somewhere (1967) - Lee Morgan
Take Me to the Alley (2016) - Gregory Porter
Still in Love with You (2011) - Sade
Love is Found (2012) - Sade
La Virgen de la Macarena (2016) - Arturo Sandoval
The Revolution Will Not Be Televised (1970) - Gil Scott-Heron
Me and the Devil (2011) - Gil Scott-Heron
I Shall Be Released (1969) - Nina Simone
Here Comes the Sun (1971) - Nina Simone
The Lady is a Tramp (1956) - Frank Sinatra
Wild is the Wind (2011) - Esperanza Spalding
Black Gold (2012) - Esperanza Spalding
Time After Time (1999) - Cassandra Wilson
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