The Beatles occupy the top five positions on the Billboard Hot 100

For the chart dated 4 April 1964, The Beatles simultaneously held the top five positions on the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States — an achievement that has never been repeated by any other act. In addition to occupying numbers one through five, the group had a further seven songs in the chart, giving them a total of twelve entries on the Hot 100 that week.

The top five positions were:

1. Can’t Buy Me Love
2. Twist And Shout
3. She Loves You
4. I Want To Hold Your Hand
5. Please Please Me

The remaining seven songs on the chart were: From Me To You (at number 41), Thank You Girl (79), Roll Over Beethoven (68), Love Me Do (81), Boys (74), There’s A Place (74), and I Saw Her Standing There (68). The feat reflected the extraordinary commercial momentum The Beatles had built during and after their February 1964 visit to the United States.

“We couldn’t believe it when we heard that we had the top five records in America. That was something else. Nobody had ever done that before. You’d think, ‘Well, that’s impossible’ — and yet there it was.”

Paul McCartney

“Can’t Buy Me Love” had been released on 20 March 1964 and entered the Billboard Hot 100 at number 27 — the highest new entry ever at that time. It rose to number one within two weeks, replacing “She Loves You” at the top of the chart. The same week, “Can’t Buy Me Love” also debuted at number one in the United Kingdom, making it the first single by any artist to simultaneously top the charts in both countries.

Going further

The Beatles Diary Volume 1: The Beatles Years

With greatly expanded text, this is the most revealing and frank personal 30-year chronicle of the group ever written. Insider Barry Miles covers the Beatles story from childhood to the break-up of the group.

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