2006 Billboard Number One Hits: Every Hot 100 Chart-Topper

The 2006 Billboard Number One Hits list captured the sound of mid-2000s pop, R&B, hip-hop, dancehall, ringtone-era rap, and digital-sales momentum all sharing the same chart. Mariah Carey carried over from 2005, Daniel Powter had the year’s biggest overall Hot 100 song, Rihanna scored her first No. 1, Shakira brought Latin-pop crossover energy back to the top, and Beyoncé closed the year with one of her signature breakup anthems.

This page follows the Billboard Hot 100 issue dates for 2006, shown here as reader-friendly weekly date ranges. Because Billboard chart weeks can cross calendar years, this list begins with Mariah Carey’s late-2005 carryover and continues into early 2007 with Beyoncé’s Irreplaceable.

The Billboard Hot 100 ranks the most popular songs in the United States using radio airplay, sales, and later streaming activity. These are official Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 songs, not pop-only, rock-only, airplay-only, R&B-only, ringtone-only, or “that song was definitely on every flip phone” rankings.

2006 Billboard Number One Hits by Week

January 1 – January 7, 2006: Don’t Forget About Us – Mariah Carey
January 8 – January 14, 2006: Laffy Taffy – D4L
January 15 – January 28, 2006: Grillz – Nelly featuring Paul Wall, Ali & Gipp
January 29 – March 4, 2006: Check on It – Beyoncé featuring Slim Thug
March 5 – March 11, 2006: You’re Beautiful – James Blunt
March 12 – March 25, 2006: So Sick – Ne-Yo
March 26 – April 1, 2006: Temperature – Sean Paul
April 2 – May 6, 2006: Bad Day – Daniel Powter
May 7 – May 27, 2006: SOS – Rihanna
May 28 – June 10, 2006: Ridin’ – Chamillionaire featuring Krayzie Bone
June 11 – June 24, 2006: Hips Don’t Lie – Shakira featuring Wyclef Jean
June 25 – July 1, 2006: Do I Make You Proud – Taylor Hicks
July 2 – August 12, 2006: Promiscuous – Nelly Furtado featuring Timbaland
August 13 – September 2, 2006: London Bridge – Fergie
September 3 – October 21, 2006: SexyBack – Justin Timberlake
October 22 – November 4, 2006: Money Maker – Ludacris featuring Pharrell
November 5 – November 25, 2006: My Love – Justin Timberlake featuring T.I.
November 26 – December 9, 2006: I Wanna Love You – Akon featuring Snoop Dogg
December 10, 2006 – February 17, 2007: Irreplaceable – Beyoncé

Song-by-Song Notes on the 2006 Billboard No. 1 Hits

Don’t Forget About Us – Mariah Carey

Mariah Carey opened the 2006 Billboard Hot 100 calendar with Don’t Forget About Us, a late-2005 carryover from her major comeback era. The song followed the huge success of The Emancipation of Mimi and gave Carey another No. 1 during one of the strongest runs of her career.

Its early-January placement made 2006 start with polished R&B-pop before the year quickly shifted into ringtone rap, dancehall, pop ballads, and Timberlake bringing “sexy” back like he found it in storage.

Laffy Taffy – D4L

D4L reached No. 1 with Laffy Taffy, one of the most recognizable ringtone-era rap hits of the mid-2000s. Its minimalist beat, repeated hook, and novelty energy made it a perfect fit for the digital singles market of the time.

The song’s one-week run says a lot about 2006. A track did not need lush production to move the Hot 100; sometimes it just needed a hook, a beat, and enough people downloading it to annoy their friends.

Grillz – Nelly featuring Paul Wall, Ali & Gipp

Nelly reached No. 1 with Grillz, featuring Paul Wall, Ali and Gipp. The song turned jeweled dental fashion into a mainstream pop-rap hit, which is about as mid-2000s as chart history gets.

Its two-week run also showed the power of regional hip-hop trends crossing into national pop culture. The song was flashy by design, right down to the subject matter.

Check on It – Beyoncé featuring Slim Thug

Beyoncé spent five weeks at No. 1 with Check on It, featuring Slim Thug. The song was connected to the Pink Panther soundtrack and later appeared on editions of B’Day, giving it both movie and album-era visibility.

Its bright production, dance-ready hook, and colorful video helped make it one of the first major No. 1 hits of 2006. Beyoncé would return to the top again at the end of the year with a very different breakup anthem.

You’re Beautiful – James Blunt

James Blunt reached No. 1 with You’re Beautiful, a soft-rock ballad that became one of the year’s most recognizable adult-pop hits. Its gentle arrangement and wistful vocal made it stand apart from the hip-hop and R&B-heavy No. 1 songs surrounding it.

The song only spent one week at the top, but its cultural footprint lasted much longer. Depending on where you were in 2006, it may have sounded like every coffee shop had signed a contract.

So Sick – Ne-Yo

Ne-Yo earned his first Hot 100 No. 1 as a lead artist with So Sick. The song’s smooth R&B production and breakup-fatigue lyric made it one of the year’s strongest early ballads.

Its two-week run helped establish Ne-Yo as both a performer and a major songwriting voice in mid-2000s R&B and pop.

Temperature – Sean Paul

Sean Paul hit No. 1 with Temperature, one of the biggest dancehall-pop singles of the 2000s. The song’s fast rhythm, club energy, and instantly recognizable vocal delivery made it a major crossover moment.

Its one-week stay at No. 1 was brief, but the song became one of Sean Paul’s signature hits. It also helped keep dancehall influence visible in mainstream U.S. pop.

Bad Day – Daniel Powter

Daniel Powter’s Bad Day spent five weeks at No. 1 and became Billboard’s year-end Hot 100 song of 2006. The song’s piano-pop melody and relatable “rough day” message made it a natural fit for radio and television.

Its use as an elimination song on American Idol helped make it even more familiar to U.S. audiences. Few songs have ever turned disappointment into this much chart success.

SOS – Rihanna

Rihanna earned her first Hot 100 No. 1 with SOS. The song prominently used the synth hook from Soft Cell’s 1981 hit Tainted Love, giving it a familiar pulse inside a modern dance-pop setting.

Its three-week run marked a major step in Rihanna’s rise from new island-pop artist to one of the most consistent hitmakers of the next decade.

Ridin’ – Chamillionaire featuring Krayzie Bone

Chamillionaire reached No. 1 with Ridin’, featuring Krayzie Bone. The song’s dark beat, rapid delivery, and memorable hook helped it become one of the year’s biggest rap hits.

Its two-week run also gained extra pop-culture life through “Weird Al” Yankovic’s parody White & Nerdy. That is when you know a rap hit has crossed into the broader cultural bloodstream.

Hips Don’t Lie – Shakira featuring Wyclef Jean

Shakira and Wyclef Jean reached No. 1 with Hips Don’t Lie, a global pop crossover hit built around Latin, dance, and hip-hop influences. The song gave Shakira her first Hot 100 No. 1.

Its success made it one of the most recognizable international pop hits of 2006. The title made a bold claim, and the chart appeared to agree.

Do I Make You Proud – Taylor Hicks

Taylor Hicks debuted at No. 1 with Do I Make You Proud after winning the fifth season of American Idol. The song followed the show’s then-powerful pattern of launching winner singles directly onto the Hot 100.

Its one-week run was short, but it showed how much chart power American Idol still had in the mid-2000s. The show could turn finale momentum into immediate sales and a No. 1 debut.

Promiscuous – Nelly Furtado featuring Timbaland

Nelly Furtado reached No. 1 with Promiscuous, featuring Timbaland. The song marked a major reinvention for Furtado, shifting from folk-pop and alternative-pop roots into a sleek, club-ready sound.

Its six-week run made it one of the biggest Hot 100 hits of 2006 and helped define the sound of her album Loose. Timbaland’s production was everywhere in this period, and this track was one of the clearest reasons why.

London Bridge – Fergie

Fergie earned her first solo Hot 100 No. 1 with London Bridge. The song’s brash hook, club-pop attitude, and Black Eyed Peas-era momentum helped launch her solo album The Dutchess.

Its three-week run showed that Fergie could move from group success into solo chart power. The song was loud, cheeky, and not especially concerned with architectural accuracy.

SexyBack – Justin Timberlake

Justin Timberlake spent seven weeks at No. 1 with SexyBack, the lead single from FutureSex/LoveSounds. Produced with Timbaland, the song introduced a darker, more electronic sound than Timberlake’s earlier solo work.

Its long run made it one of the central hits of 2006 and a major turning point in Timberlake’s pop identity. The title sounded like a mission statement, and radio accepted the assignment.

Money Maker – Ludacris featuring Pharrell

Ludacris reached No. 1 with Money Maker, featuring Pharrell. The song’s Neptunes-style bounce, playful hook, and club-friendly feel gave Ludacris one of his biggest mainstream hits.

Its two-week run interrupted Justin Timberlake’s late-year dominance and added another hip-hop No. 1 to a chart year already full of rap and R&B crossover success.

My Love – Justin Timberlake featuring T.I.

Justin Timberlake returned to No. 1 with My Love, featuring T.I. The song’s futuristic production, falsetto hook, and sleek structure made it one of the defining singles from FutureSex/LoveSounds.

It spent three weeks at No. 1 and gave Timberlake a second major chart-topper in the same album cycle. Between SexyBack and My Love, he had one of the strongest pop runs of the year.

I Wanna Love You – Akon featuring Snoop Dogg

Akon reached No. 1 with I Wanna Love You, featuring Snoop Dogg. The song’s smooth hook and relaxed club-R&B production made it a late-2006 chart success.

Its two-week run helped set up Akon’s huge presence across the 2006–2007 period, both as a lead artist and featured collaborator.

Irreplaceable – Beyoncé

Beyoncé closed the 2006 Billboard Hot 100 year with Irreplaceable, which carried deep into 2007. The song’s acoustic guitar figure, direct breakup lyric, and “to the left” hook made it one of her most famous solo singles.

Its long cross-year run helped make it Billboard’s best-performing Hot 100 single of 2007. Technically, it started its No. 1 run in 2006. Culturally, it walked straight into 2007 and changed the locks.

Biggest Billboard Hot 100 Stories of 2006

Bad Day Was Billboard’s Year-End No. 1

Daniel Powter’s Bad Day topped Billboard’s year-end Hot 100 for 2006. Its radio strength, broad adult-pop appeal, and connection to American Idol made it one of the year’s most familiar songs.

Timbaland Helped Shape the Sound of the Year

Timbaland appeared on or helped shape several major 2006 No. 1 songs, including Promiscuous, SexyBack, and My Love. His production style became one of the defining sounds of mid-2000s pop.

Rihanna Scored Her First No. 1

SOS gave Rihanna her first Hot 100 chart-topper. It was the beginning of one of the most successful No. 1 runs of the 2000s and 2010s.

Justin Timberlake Had a Major Reinvention

SexyBack and My Love pushed Justin Timberlake into a more electronic, futuristic pop sound. Both songs reached No. 1 and helped make FutureSex/LoveSounds one of the era’s most important pop albums.

Hip-Hop and R&B Crossovers Stayed Strong

Laffy Taffy, Grillz, Ridin’, Money Maker, and I Wanna Love You all showed how central hip-hop and R&B were to the 2006 Hot 100. The ringtone era, digital downloads, and club play were all helping push these songs to the top.

2006 Billboard Number One Hits Trivia

Bad Day by Daniel Powter was Billboard’s year-end Hot 100 song of 2006.
SexyBack spent seven weeks at No. 1, the longest run of any song that first reached No. 1 during the 2006 chart year.
Irreplaceable began its No. 1 run in December 2006 and became Billboard’s best-performing Hot 100 single of 2007.
SOS gave Rihanna her first Hot 100 No. 1.
Hips Don’t Lie gave Shakira her first Hot 100 No. 1.
London Bridge gave Fergie her first solo Hot 100 No. 1.
Do I Make You Proud debuted at No. 1 after Taylor Hicks won American Idol.
Ridin’ later inspired “Weird Al” Yankovic’s parody White & Nerdy.
My Love by Justin Timberlake featuring T.I. is often missed in older 2006 lists, but it spent three weeks at No. 1.

Why the 2006 Billboard Number One Hits Matter

The 2006 Billboard Number One Hits list shows the Hot 100 in the middle of a major transition. Radio still mattered, but digital sales and ringtone culture were changing which songs could rise quickly and dominate.

The year also reflected a broad mainstream mix: adult-pop ballads, dancehall, Latin pop, R&B, hip-hop, club tracks, American Idol singles, and futuristic Timbaland productions all reached No. 1. The chart was not locked into one sound.

For chart fans, 2006 was a handoff year. Mariah Carey carried over from 2005, Beyoncé carried into 2007, Rihanna’s No. 1 story began, and Justin Timberlake returned with a sound that helped point pop toward the late-2000s digital era.