1970 Billboard Number One Hits: Every Hot 100 Chart-Topper

The 1970 Billboard Number One Hits list opened a new decade with a huge mix of pop-soul, soft rock, protest soul, bubblegum, folk-rock, Motown, Beatles history, and early singer-songwriter classics. B.J. Thomas opened the year with Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head, Simon & Garfunkel delivered Billboard’s year-end No. 1 with Bridge over Troubled Water, The Jackson 5 exploded with four chart-toppers, and George Harrison closed the year with My Sweet Lord.

This page follows the Billboard Hot 100 issue dates for 1970, shown here as reader-friendly weekly date ranges. Because Billboard chart weeks can cross calendar years, this list begins with the first Billboard Hot 100 issue of 1970 and continues into early 1971 with George Harrison’s My Sweet Lord / Isn’t It a Pity.

The Billboard Hot 100 ranks the most popular songs in the United States using radio airplay and sales. These are official Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 songs, not pop-only, soul-only, adult-contemporary-only, rock-only, R&B-only, or “this was definitely coming out of every dashboard speaker” rankings.

1970 Billboard Number One Hits by Week

January 1 – January 24, 1970: Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head – B.J. Thomas
January 25 – January 31, 1970: I Want You Back – The Jackson 5
February 1 – February 7, 1970: Venus – Shocking Blue
February 8 – February 21, 1970: Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin) / Everybody Is a Star – Sly & the Family Stone
February 22 – April 4, 1970: Bridge over Troubled Water – Simon & Garfunkel
April 5 – April 18, 1970: Let It Be – The Beatles
April 19 – May 2, 1970: ABC – The Jackson 5
May 3 – May 23, 1970: American Woman / No Sugar Tonight – The Guess Who
May 24 – June 6, 1970: Everything Is Beautiful – Ray Stevens
June 7 – June 20, 1970: The Long and Winding Road – The Beatles
June 21 – July 4, 1970: The Love You Save – The Jackson 5
July 5 – July 18, 1970: Mama Told Me (Not to Come) – Three Dog Night
July 19 – August 14, 1970: (They Long to Be) Close to You – The Carpenters
August 15 – August 21, 1970: Make It with You – Bread
August 22 – September 11, 1970: War – Edwin Starr
September 12 – October 2, 1970: Ain’t No Mountain High Enough – Diana Ross
October 3 – October 9, 1970: Cracklin’ Rosie – Neil Diamond
October 10 – November 20, 1970: I’ll Be There – The Jackson 5
November 21 – December 4, 1970: I Think I Love You – The Partridge Family
December 5 – December 18, 1970: The Tears of a Clown – Smokey Robinson & the Miracles
December 19, 1970 – January 16, 1971: My Sweet Lord / Isn’t It a Pity – George Harrison

Song-by-Song Notes on the 1970 Billboard No. 1 Hits

Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head – B.J. Thomas

B.J. Thomas opened the 1970 Billboard Hot 100 calendar with Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head, the Burt Bacharach and Hal David song from Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. Its easygoing feel and film connection made it one of the most recognizable pop songs at the turn of the decade.

The song also won the Academy Award for Best Original Song. It is cheerful, relaxed, and oddly hard to separate from bicycle-riding movie imagery once you know the scene.

I Want You Back – The Jackson 5

The Jackson 5 earned their first Hot 100 No. 1 with I Want You Back. The song introduced Michael Jackson’s extraordinary young lead vocal to a wide pop audience and launched one of Motown’s biggest family-group runs.

Its one-week stay was the first of four Jackson 5 No. 1 songs in 1970. That is not a debut; that is a chart takeover wearing matching outfits.

Venus – Shocking Blue

Dutch band Shocking Blue reached No. 1 with Venus, a fuzzy, driving pop-rock single led by Mariska Veres’ memorable vocal. The song became one of the biggest international rock-pop hits of the year.

Its one-week run also gave the Netherlands a rare Hot 100 No. 1 moment. Bananarama later returned the song to No. 1 in 1986 with a very different dance-pop version.

Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin) / Everybody Is a Star – Sly & the Family Stone

Sly & the Family Stone topped the Hot 100 with the double-sided single Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin) / Everybody Is a Star. The A-side’s deep funk groove helped point toward the harder funk sound of the 1970s, while the flip side carried a more inclusive soul-pop message.

Its two-week run made the single one of the year’s most important soul and funk records. One side grooved hard; the other side invited everyone in.

Bridge over Troubled Water – Simon & Garfunkel

Simon & Garfunkel spent six weeks at No. 1 with Bridge over Troubled Water, Billboard’s year-end Hot 100 song of 1970. The song was also Simon & Garfunkel’s most successful single and later won major Grammy Awards, including Record of the Year and Song of the Year. :contentReference[oaicite:4]{index=4}

Its six-week run was the longest Hot 100 reign of 1970. The song’s gospel-inspired build, Art Garfunkel’s lead vocal, and emotional lyric made it one of the defining ballads of the decade.

Let It Be – The Beatles

The Beatles reached No. 1 with Let It Be, one of their final major singles as a band. The song’s hymn-like structure, Paul McCartney vocal, and message of comfort made it one of their most enduring late-period recordings.

Its two-week run was one of two final Beatles No. 1 songs in 1970. The band was ending, but the chart still had room for one more visit — actually two.

ABC – The Jackson 5

The Jackson 5 returned to No. 1 with ABC, a bright Motown pop-soul single that quickly followed the success of I Want You Back. The song’s schoolroom metaphor and tight arrangement made it a perfect vehicle for Michael Jackson’s youthful energy.

Its two-week run proved the group’s first No. 1 was not a fluke. They were teaching the alphabet, and the Hot 100 was taking notes.

American Woman / No Sugar Tonight – The Guess Who

The Guess Who spent three weeks at No. 1 with the double-sided single American Woman / No Sugar Tonight. The Canadian band’s rock hit became one of the year’s most famous guitar-driven chart-toppers.

American Woman is often heard as a political or cultural statement, while No Sugar Tonight gave the single extra radio power. Together, they gave The Guess Who their biggest U.S. pop moment.

Everything Is Beautiful – Ray Stevens

Ray Stevens reached No. 1 with Everything Is Beautiful, a gentle pop song with a message of tolerance and inclusion. Stevens was often known for novelty records, but this song showed his more sentimental side.

Its two-week run gave 1970 a soft, earnest moment between rock, Motown, and Beatles chart-toppers.

The Long and Winding Road – The Beatles

The Beatles reached No. 1 for the final time with The Long and Winding Road. The song came from Let It Be and became famous partly because of Phil Spector’s orchestral production, which Paul McCartney later criticized.

Its two-week run gave the Beatles their last Hot 100 No. 1 as a group. The title feels almost too perfect for a final chart-topper.

The Love You Save – The Jackson 5

The Jackson 5 scored their third No. 1 of 1970 with The Love You Save. The song continued the group’s incredible debut streak and kept Motown’s youthful pop-soul sound at the center of the chart.

Its two-week run meant the group had already placed three consecutive singles at No. 1 before summer fully settled in.

Mama Told Me (Not to Come) – Three Dog Night

Three Dog Night reached No. 1 with Mama Told Me (Not to Come), written by Randy Newman. The song’s party-gone-wrong lyric and bluesy rock arrangement gave the band one of its most distinctive hits.

Its two-week stay at No. 1 made uncomfortable party vibes surprisingly profitable.

(They Long to Be) Close to You – The Carpenters

The Carpenters spent four weeks at No. 1 with (They Long to Be) Close to You, written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David. Karen Carpenter’s warm vocal and the song’s elegant arrangement helped launch the duo into major pop stardom.

The song became Billboard’s No. 2 year-end Hot 100 single of 1970, behind Bridge over Troubled Water. It also set the tone for The Carpenters’ soft-pop dominance in the early 1970s.

Make It with You – Bread

Bread reached No. 1 with Make It with You, a soft rock ballad written by David Gates. The song became the group’s only Hot 100 chart-topper and helped define the gentle singer-songwriter side of early-1970s radio.

Its one-week run proved that softness had serious commercial strength in 1970.

War – Edwin Starr

Edwin Starr spent three weeks at No. 1 with War, one of the most direct antiwar hits of the Vietnam era. Originally recorded by The Temptations, Starr’s version turned the song into a sharper, more explosive protest soul record.

Its famous “What is it good for?” refrain gave the song a lasting political and pop-cultural life. The answer, of course, was not exactly subtle.

Ain’t No Mountain High Enough – Diana Ross

Diana Ross reached No. 1 with Ain’t No Mountain High Enough, her first solo Hot 100 chart-topper after leaving The Supremes. The song had first been a hit for Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell, but Ross’ version transformed it into a dramatic, spoken-and-sung production.

Its three-week run helped launch Ross’ solo career in a major way. Motown had changed the packaging, but the chart power remained.

Cracklin’ Rosie – Neil Diamond

Neil Diamond earned his first Hot 100 No. 1 with Cracklin’ Rosie. The song’s bright pop-rock sound and singalong chorus made it one of Diamond’s signature early-1970s hits.

Its one-week run gave Diamond a major pop breakthrough after several successful singles as both songwriter and performer.

I’ll Be There – The Jackson 5

The Jackson 5 spent five weeks at No. 1 with I’ll Be There, their fourth No. 1 of 1970. The ballad showed a more emotional side of the group and gave Michael Jackson one of his most mature early vocal showcases.

It became the group’s longest-running No. 1 and helped complete one of the most spectacular debut-year chart streaks in pop history.

I Think I Love You – The Partridge Family

The Partridge Family reached No. 1 with I Think I Love You, a TV-linked pop single featuring David Cassidy on lead vocals. The fictional family band from the television series became a real chart force almost immediately.

Its two-week run showed how powerful television could be in launching a pop hit. Sitcom first, chart-topper second, lunchbox sales probably somewhere nearby.

The Tears of a Clown – Smokey Robinson & the Miracles

Smokey Robinson & the Miracles spent two weeks at No. 1 with The Tears of a Clown. The song had originally appeared earlier but became a major hit after its later single release, pairing a circus-like melody with heartbreak lyrics.

Its run gave Smokey Robinson and the Miracles their only Hot 100 No. 1 together. The clown smiled; the chart cried happy tears.

My Sweet Lord / Isn’t It a Pity – George Harrison

George Harrison closed the 1970 Billboard Hot 100 year with My Sweet Lord / Isn’t It a Pity, a double-sided single from All Things Must Pass. The single carried into January 1971.

My Sweet Lord made Harrison the first former Beatle to top the Hot 100 as a solo artist. After The Beatles’ final No. 1s earlier in the year, Harrison’s solo chart-topper felt like the next chapter starting almost immediately.

Biggest Billboard Hot 100 Stories of 1970

Bridge over Troubled Water Was Billboard’s Year-End No. 1

Simon & Garfunkel’s Bridge over Troubled Water spent six weeks at No. 1 and finished as Billboard’s top Hot 100 song of 1970. It was also their most successful single and later won major Grammy Awards. :contentReference[oaicite:5]{index=5}

The Jackson 5 Had a Stunning Debut Year

The Jackson 5 topped the Hot 100 four times in 1970 with I Want You Back, ABC, The Love You Save, and I’ll Be There. That debut run made them one of the defining pop and Motown stories of the year.

The Beatles Ended, Then Solo Beatles Took Over

The Beatles had their final two Hot 100 No. 1 singles in 1970 with Let It Be and The Long and Winding Road. George Harrison then closed the year with My Sweet Lord / Isn’t It a Pity, beginning the post-Beatles solo No. 1 era almost immediately.

Motown Remained a Major Force

The Jackson 5, Diana Ross, Edwin Starr, and Smokey Robinson & the Miracles all reached No. 1 in 1970. Motown was changing with the times, but it still had plenty of chart muscle.

Soft Rock and Singer-Songwriter Pop Moved to the Center

Bridge over Troubled Water, Close to You, Make It with You, Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head, and Everything Is Beautiful showed how strongly softer pop sounds shaped the early 1970s.

1970 Billboard Number One Hits Trivia

Bridge over Troubled Water by Simon & Garfunkel was Billboard’s year-end Hot 100 song of 1970.
Bridge over Troubled Water spent six weeks at No. 1, the longest run of the year. :contentReference[oaicite:6]{index=6}
The Jackson 5 had four Hot 100 No. 1 songs in 1970.
The Beatles had their final two Hot 100 No. 1 singles in 1970.
The Long and Winding Road was the Beatles’ final Hot 100 No. 1 as a group.
War by Edwin Starr became one of the most famous antiwar songs of the Vietnam era.
Ain’t No Mountain High Enough gave Diana Ross her first solo Hot 100 No. 1.
The Tears of a Clown gave Smokey Robinson & the Miracles their only Hot 100 No. 1 together.
My Sweet Lord closed 1970 and made George Harrison the first former Beatle to reach No. 1 as a solo artist.

Why the 1970 Billboard Number One Hits Matter

The 1970 Billboard Number One Hits list shows the sound of pop music turning the corner from the 1960s into the 1970s. The Beatles were ending, Motown was still powerful, softer singer-songwriter pop was rising, and young acts like The Jackson 5 were already shaping the next wave.

The year also gave major milestones to Simon & Garfunkel, Diana Ross, Neil Diamond, The Carpenters, Bread, Three Dog Night, George Harrison, and The Jackson 5. Some songs sounded like farewells, while others sounded like the opening chapter of the new decade.

For chart fans, 1970 was a true handoff year: Beatles endings, Jackson 5 beginnings, Motown muscle, antiwar soul, soft-pop comfort, and George Harrison waiting at the door with a solo hit.