1958 Billboard Number One Hits: Pre-Hot 100 and First Hot 100 Chart-Toppers

The 1958 Billboard Number One Hits list is one of the most important bridge years in pop-chart history. The year began with Billboard’s pre-Hot 100 pop charts, then changed forever on August 4, 1958, when the Billboard Hot 100 officially debuted with Ricky Nelson’s Poor Little Fool at No. 1.

This page keeps 1958 together as one reader-friendly chart year. The first section covers the major Billboard pop No. 1 hits from the pre-Hot 100 portion of 1958, while the second section begins with the first official Billboard Hot 100 chart on August 4, 1958. That way, the year flows naturally without pretending the Hot 100 existed before it did.

The official Billboard Hot 100 began on August 4, 1958. Before that, Billboard used several major pop charts, including Best Sellers in Stores, Most Played by Jockeys, Top 100, and Honor Roll of Hits. For historical continuity, these early-1958 hits are included here as Billboard-era No. 1 pop records, with the Hot 100 section clearly marked.

1958 Billboard Number One Hits by Week

Pre-Hot 100 Billboard Pop No. 1 Hits

December 30, 1957 – January 3, 1958: April Love – Pat Boone
January 4 – February 7, 1958: At the Hop – Danny & the Juniors
February 8 – March 14, 1958: Don’t / I Beg of You – Elvis Presley
March 15 – April 11, 1958: Tequila – The Champs
April 12 – April 25, 1958: Twilight Time – The Platters
April 26 – May 9, 1958: Witch Doctor – David Seville
May 10 – June 6, 1958: All I Have to Do Is Dream / Claudette – The Everly Brothers
June 7 – July 18, 1958: The Purple People Eater – Sheb Wooley
July 19 – August 3, 1958: Hard Headed Woman / Don’t Ask Me Why – Elvis Presley

Official Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 Hits

August 4 – August 11, 1958: Poor Little Fool – Ricky Nelson
August 18 – August 24, 1958: Volare (Nel blu dipinto di blu) – Domenico Modugno
August 25 – August 31, 1958: Little Star – The Elegants
September 1 – September 28, 1958: Volare (Nel blu dipinto di blu) – Domenico Modugno
September 29 – November 3, 1958: It’s All in the Game – Tommy Edwards
November 10 – November 16, 1958: It’s Only Make Believe – Conway Twitty
November 17 – November 23, 1958: Tom Dooley – The Kingston Trio
November 24 – November 30, 1958: It’s Only Make Believe – Conway Twitty
December 1 – December 15, 1958: To Know Him Is to Love Him – The Teddy Bears
December 22, 1958 – January 12, 1959: The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don’t Be Late) – The Chipmunks with David Seville

Song-by-Song Notes on the 1958 Billboard No. 1 Hits

April Love – Pat Boone

Pat Boone opened the 1958 Billboard pop chart year with April Love, a romantic ballad from the film of the same name. Boone was one of the biggest clean-cut pop stars of the pre-Beatles era, and this song fit his smooth, wholesome image perfectly.

Its carryover into 1958 shows how traditional pop and teen-friendly ballads still had strong chart power before rock and roll fully reshaped the singles market. It was gentle, polished, and very far from the guitar storms coming later in the decade.

At the Hop – Danny & the Juniors

Danny & the Juniors spent the early part of 1958 at No. 1 with At the Hop, one of the definitive rock-and-roll dance records of the late 1950s. The song celebrated sock hops, teen dancing, and the growing youth culture around rock and roll.

The record’s energy made it a perfect soundtrack for gym-floor dances and jukebox culture. If 1958 had a school dance starter button, this song was probably it.

Don’t / I Beg of You – Elvis Presley

Elvis Presley reached No. 1 with the double-sided single Don’t / I Beg of You. Don’t leaned into Elvis’ smoother ballad style, while I Beg of You gave the single a more upbeat side.

The single showed how Elvis could dominate both rock-and-roll and pop-ballad territory before his Army years changed the rhythm of his recording career.

Tequila – The Champs

The Champs reached No. 1 with Tequila, one of the most famous rock-and-roll instrumentals of the 1950s. Built around a sax-driven groove and one very memorable shouted title, the song became a party record with almost no lyrics.

Its success showed that instrumentals could still compete with teen idols and vocal groups. One word, repeated with confidence, can apparently carry a whole record.

Twilight Time – The Platters

The Platters reached No. 1 with Twilight Time, a lush vocal-group ballad that updated an older song for the rock-and-roll-era pop chart. Tony Williams’ lead vocal helped give the recording its polished romantic sound.

The song showed The Platters’ ability to bridge traditional pop, doo-wop, and early rock-era audiences.

Witch Doctor – David Seville

David Seville reached No. 1 with Witch Doctor, a novelty record built around sped-up vocal effects. Ross Bagdasarian, performing as David Seville, would soon use similar studio tricks to create The Chipmunks.

The famous “oo-ee-oo-ah-ah” hook made it one of 1958’s most memorable novelty hits. Serious? Not remotely. Effective? Annoyingly, yes.

All I Have to Do Is Dream / Claudette – The Everly Brothers

The Everly Brothers reached No. 1 with All I Have to Do Is Dream / Claudette. All I Have to Do Is Dream became one of the duo’s most beloved harmony records, while Claudette was written by Roy Orbison.

The single showed how strongly the Everlys’ close harmonies could connect across pop, country, and early rock audiences. Their sound would influence generations of vocal groups and rock acts.

The Purple People Eater – Sheb Wooley

Sheb Wooley dominated the summer with The Purple People Eater, a novelty song about a strange creature who wants to play in a rock-and-roll band. The title creature was often misunderstood: the lyric describes a “one-eyed, one-horned, flying purple people eater,” not necessarily a purple monster eating people.

The song became one of the most famous novelty records of the decade. Monster? Maybe. Career goal? Rock star. Honestly, relatable.

Hard Headed Woman / Don’t Ask Me Why – Elvis Presley

Elvis Presley returned to No. 1 before the Hot 100 officially began with Hard Headed Woman / Don’t Ask Me Why. Hard Headed Woman came from the film King Creole, one of Elvis’ strongest early movie roles.

The single’s success kept Elvis at the center of pop before his military service reshaped his schedule and public image.

Poor Little Fool – Ricky Nelson

Ricky Nelson made history on August 4, 1958, when Poor Little Fool became the first official Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 song. Nelson was already a television star through The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet, and his music career quickly became a major teen-pop force.

The song’s two-week run was short, but its place in chart history is enormous. Every Hot 100 No. 1 list starts here, with Ricky Nelson standing at the front door.

Volare (Nel blu dipinto di blu) – Domenico Modugno

Domenico Modugno reached No. 1 with Volare (Nel blu dipinto di blu), one of the most internationally important pop songs of the 1950s. Sung in Italian, the song became Billboard’s year-end No. 1 for 1958.

Volare also won the first Grammy Awards for Record of the Year and Song of the Year. That is a pretty strong résumé for a song many Americans knew mostly by one soaring word.

Little Star – The Elegants

The Elegants reached No. 1 with Little Star, a doo-wop record inspired by the melody of “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star.” The song interrupted Volare for one week before Modugno returned to the top.

Its brief run made The Elegants one of the first acts to top the new Billboard Hot 100. Nursery-rhyme DNA and doo-wop harmonies turned out to be a surprisingly good combination.

It’s All in the Game – Tommy Edwards

Tommy Edwards spent six weeks at No. 1 with It’s All in the Game, the longest Hot 100 run of 1958. The melody had an unusual origin: it was based on music written decades earlier by Charles G. Dawes, who later became Vice President of the United States.

That makes It’s All in the Game one of the rare No. 1 pop songs with a vice-presidential connection. Politics rarely sounds this smooth.

It’s Only Make Believe – Conway Twitty

Conway Twitty reached No. 1 with It’s Only Make Believe, a dramatic pop-rock ballad that showcased his powerful vocal style. Before becoming a country music giant, Twitty had major pop success with this record.

The song had an interrupted Hot 100 run, first reaching No. 1 for one week, losing the top spot to Tom Dooley, then returning for one more week.

Tom Dooley – The Kingston Trio

The Kingston Trio reached No. 1 with Tom Dooley, a folk ballad based on the real 19th-century story of Tom Dula. The song helped spark the commercial folk revival that would grow much larger in the early 1960s.

Its one-week run briefly interrupted Conway Twitty’s It’s Only Make Believe. Folk music had entered the Hot 100 chat, banjo and all.

To Know Him Is to Love Him – The Teddy Bears

The Teddy Bears spent three weeks at No. 1 with To Know Him Is to Love Him, written by Phil Spector. The title came from the inscription on Spector’s father’s tombstone.

The song became an early hit for Spector before he became one of the most famous producers of the 1960s. It was soft, sad, and historically loaded.

The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don’t Be Late) – The Chipmunks with David Seville

The Chipmunks with David Seville closed the 1958 Billboard Hot 100 year with The Chipmunk Song, which carried into January 1959. Ross Bagdasarian used sped-up vocal effects to create Alvin, Simon, and Theodore, turning a studio gimmick into a pop-culture franchise.

The song became one of the most successful Christmas novelty records ever. Alvin wanted a hula hoop, and Billboard apparently agreed to hear him out.

Biggest Billboard Chart Stories of 1958

The Billboard Hot 100 Officially Began

The most important 1958 chart story is the debut of the Billboard Hot 100 on August 4, with Ricky Nelson’s Poor Little Fool at No. 1. Before that, Billboard published several major pop charts, which is why 1958 needs a clear pre-Hot 100 and Hot 100 split on the same page.

Volare Was Billboard’s Year-End No. 1

Domenico Modugno’s Volare became Billboard’s year-end No. 1 song of 1958. Its Italian-language success made it one of the most unusual and important international hits in early Hot 100 history.

Novelty Records Were Huge

Witch Doctor, The Purple People Eater, and The Chipmunk Song all reached the top during 1958. That is a lot of studio tricks, monsters, and fictional animals for one chart year.

Instrumentals Still Had Strong Pop Power

Tequila and several other instrumental records from the period show how strongly non-vocal hits could perform in the late 1950s. The early rock-era pop chart still had plenty of room for saxophones, organs, and studio atmosphere.

Folk Music Began Moving Toward the Mainstream

The Kingston Trio’s Tom Dooley gave folk music a major Hot 100 breakthrough. That success helped set the stage for the larger folk boom that followed in the early 1960s.

1958 Billboard Number One Hits Trivia

Poor Little Fool by Ricky Nelson was the first official Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 song.
The Billboard Hot 100 officially began with the August 4, 1958 issue.
Volare by Domenico Modugno was Billboard’s year-end No. 1 song of 1958.
Volare won the first Grammy Awards for Record of the Year and Song of the Year.
Little Star interrupted Volare for one week before Volare returned to No. 1.
It’s All in the Game spent six weeks at No. 1, the longest Hot 100 run of 1958.
Tom Dooley helped launch the commercial folk revival.
To Know Him Is to Love Him was written by Phil Spector before his major 1960s producer fame.
The Chipmunk Song closed 1958 and carried into the 1959 Billboard chart year.

Why the 1958 Billboard Number One Hits Matter

The 1958 Billboard Number One Hits list matters because it marks the birth of the Hot 100 era. The year began with Billboard’s older pop charts and ended with the new Hot 100 becoming the central singles chart used for modern pop-history tracking.

The music itself shows a chart still wide open. Teen idols, Elvis, doo-wop, novelty records, instrumentals, folk, Italian pop, vocal groups, and early rock and roll all shared the top. The Hot 100 had not yet settled into one sound, which is part of what makes 1958 so interesting.

For chart fans, 1958 had everything: Pat Boone ballads, sock-hop energy, Elvis movie hits, purple monsters, Italian Grammy history, Ricky Nelson’s first Hot 100 milestone, folk murder ballads, Phil Spector’s early songwriting, and chipmunks demanding Christmas gifts. The Hot 100 started weird, which feels completely appropriate.