Top 100 songs for October 16, 1961
This weekly snapshot follows the songs and artists competing across the Billboard Hot 100. Open any entry for its full chart history, or explore 1961 and the 1960s.
This week’s No. 1 is “Hit The Road Jack” by Ray Charles and his Orchestra. Meanwhile, “Hollywood” by Connie Francis rises from No. 71 to No. 48. 16 songs are listed in their first chart week.
See debuts and biggest movers
This week’s chart highlights
Biggest climbers
- Hollywood — Connie Francisup 23 places, No. 71 → No. 48
- Let True Love Begin — Nat King Coleup 23 places, No. 96 → No. 73
- Tower Of Strength — Gene McDanielsup 22 places, No. 45 → No. 23
New to this week’s Top 10
- Sad Movies (Make Me Cry) — Sue ThompsonNo. 7
- Big Bad John — Jimmy DeanNo. 8
- Ya Ya — Lee DorseyNo. 10
New to this week’s Top 40
- Tower Of Strength — Gene McDanielsNo. 23
- You're The Reason — Bobby EdwardsNo. 24
- I Understand (Just How You Feel) — The G-ClefsNo. 33
- Please Mr. Postman — The MarvelettesNo. 35
- Anybody But Me — Brenda LeeNo. 38
- A Wonder Like You — Rick NelsonNo. 39
- I Really Love You — The StereosNo. 40
First-week entries
- Young Boy Blues — Ben E. KingNo. 75
- I Wanna Thank You — Bobby RydellNo. 76
- September In The Rain — Dinah WashingtonNo. 77
- I'll Be Seeing You — Frank SinatraNo. 78
- God, Country And My Baby — Johnny BurnetteNo. 81
- Rockin' Bicycle — Fats DominoNo. 83
- Tonight — Ferrante & TeicherNo. 84
- Under The Moon Of Love — Curtis LeeNo. 85
- The Bridge Of Love — Joe DowellNo. 86
- Goodbye Cruel World — James DarrenNo. 88
- 'Til — The AngelsNo. 91
- Why Not Now — Matt MonroNo. 95
- In The Middle Of A Heartache — Wanda JacksonNo. 96
- For Me And My Gal — Freddy CannonNo. 97
- Gypsy Woman — The ImpressionsNo. 99
- Backtrack — Faron YoungNo. 100
First-week entries have one recorded chart week. Climbs and Top 10/Top 40 arrivals use recorded previous positions for consecutive chart weeks; returning songs without a previous position are not classified as debuts.