Billboard Hot 100 | Top 5 – Week of September 5, 1964
The Billboard Hot 100 for September 5, 1964 brought one of the darkest and most dramatic records of the decade to #1. The Animals climbed to the top with “House Of The Rising Sun,” replacing The Supremes and giving the British Invasion one of its most powerful statements.
This was not the bright, handclapping sound of early Beatlemania. “House Of The Rising Sun” felt older, heavier, and more mysterious, with Eric Burdon’s commanding vocal and Alan Price’s haunting organ creating a sound unlike anything else in the Top 10.
The chart around it was still wonderfully varied. Motown remained strong with The Supremes, Dean Martin continued his remarkable late-career run, The Dave Clark Five climbed with “Because,” and Bobby Freeman kept summer dance music alive with “C’mon And Swim.”
By early September, 1964 had already moved through several different musical moods. This week showed the chart turning toward a deeper and more serious rock sound while still holding onto pop, soul, dance, and vocal traditions.
Top 5 Songs
1. House Of The Rising Sun – The Animals
“House Of The Rising Sun” reached #1 this week and gave The Animals their defining American breakthrough. The song’s folk roots, dramatic arrangement, and powerful vocal performance made it stand apart from the lighter pop records that had dominated much of 1964.
Eric Burdon’s voice gave the record a sense of danger and urgency, while the organ-driven arrangement created a haunting atmosphere. It sounded less like teen pop and more like a warning from another world.
The song’s rise to #1 marked an important expansion of the British Invasion. It showed that British groups could bring not only excitement and charm, but also darkness, intensity, and emotional weight to American radio.
2. Where Did Our Love Go – The Supremes
After two weeks at #1, “Where Did Our Love Go” slipped to #2 but remained one of the most important records on the chart. The Supremes had officially arrived as Motown’s leading female group.
The record’s polished production, simple hook, and Diana Ross’s cool lead vocal helped create a sound that would soon dominate the Hot 100. It was smooth, catchy, and perfectly suited for pop radio.
Even after leaving the top spot, the song continued to build the foundation for The Supremes’ extraordinary run of hits.
3. Everybody Loves Somebody – Dean Martin
Dean Martin held at #3 with “Everybody Loves Somebody,” continuing one of the year’s most surprising success stories. In a chart filled with younger rock and soul acts, Martin’s traditional pop style still connected strongly with listeners.
The song’s relaxed warmth and familiar vocal style gave it broad appeal across generations. It offered a very different kind of comfort from the sharper rock sounds moving up the chart.
Its long stay near the top showed that 1964 was not only about youth culture. Established stars could still have major moments when the right song reached the right audience.
4. Because – The Dave Clark Five
The Dave Clark Five climbed to #4 with “Because,” showing a softer side of one of the British Invasion’s loudest and most energetic groups. The song’s gentle melody and romantic mood made it stand apart from their harder-driving hits.
Its rise proved that the group could succeed with more than pounding beat records. American listeners responded to the smoother, more emotional approach.
With The Animals at #1 and Gerry and the Pacemakers also in the Top 10, British acts remained a major force on the chart.
5. C’mon And Swim – Bobby Freeman
Bobby Freeman held at #5 with “C’mon And Swim,” keeping the summer dance-party spirit alive as the calendar turned toward September. The record was upbeat, physical, and made for movement.
Dance records had been a major part of early-1960s pop, and this song continued that tradition with a fresh West Coast feel. It gave the Top 5 a burst of fun alongside darker and more dramatic records.
Its continued success showed that even during a serious rock breakthrough like “House Of The Rising Sun,” listeners still wanted songs built for the dance floor.
More Weeks at #1 for “The House of the Rising Sun”
This song spent multiple weeks at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100. Explore each chart week below:
🎂 What Was the #1 Song on Your Birthday?
If you were born during the week ending September 5, 1964, this was your birthday song:
🎵 The House of the Rising Sun by The Animals
▶ Watch and experience this song →
🎂 Try your own birthday:
Top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 This Week
- House Of The Rising Sun – The Animals
- Where Did Our Love Go – The Supremes
- Everybody Loves Somebody – Dean Martin
- Because – The Dave Clark Five
- C’mon And Swim – Bobby Freeman
- Bread And Butter – The Newbeats
- Under The Boardwalk – The Drifters
- A Hard Day’s Night – The Beatles
- How Do You Do It? – Gerry And The Pacemakers
- G.T.O. – Ronny And The Daytonas
Chart Movers This Week
A Darker Sound Reaches Number One
The week of September 5, 1964 stands out because “House Of The Rising Sun” brought a new kind of intensity to the top of the Hot 100. It was not cheerful pop or dance music. It was dramatic, brooding, and unforgettable.
At the same time, the rest of the chart showed how wide popular music had become. Motown, traditional pop, British beat groups, dance records, and summer soul all shared space in the Top 10.
This chart helped point the way toward the more serious rock sounds that would grow later in the decade. The Animals did not just score a hit — they expanded what a #1 pop record could sound like.