Billboard Hot 100 | Top 5 – Week of August 22, 1960
The Billboard Hot 100 for the week ending August 22, 1960 showed Elvis Presley holding firmly at #1 with “It’s Now Or Never.” After climbing to the top the previous week, Elvis continued proving that his post-Army comeback was more than a return to rock-and-roll fame. This was a polished, dramatic pop record with international flavor, and it was now controlling the American chart.
Brian Hyland remained at #2 with “Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polkadot Bikini,” keeping summer novelty-pop near the top. The Ventures climbed to #3 with “Walk — Don’t Run,” giving instrumental guitar rock one of its biggest chart moments of 1960.
The biggest cultural signal this week came from Chubby Checker, whose “The Twist” jumped from #8 to #4. Written by Hank Ballard, the song was quickly becoming more than just another dance record. It was beginning to point toward a national dance craze that would soon become one of the defining pop culture movements of the early 1960s.
Brenda Lee rounded out the Top 5 with “I’m Sorry,” still holding strong after its run at #1. The week of August 22, 1960 captured a chart where Elvis’ dramatic pop, novelty music, instrumental rock, dance records, and emotional ballads all shared the national spotlight.
Top 5 Songs (August 22, 1960)
1. “It’s Now Or Never” – Elvis Presley With The Jordanaires
Elvis Presley remained at #1 with “It’s Now Or Never,” one of the most ambitious and successful recordings of his early 1960s career.
The song used the melody of “O Sole Mio,” giving Elvis a sweeping romantic setting that was far removed from the raw rock-and-roll sound of his 1950s breakthrough.
His vocal performance was smooth, controlled, and confident, showing that he could move into a more mature pop style without losing his star power.
By this week, “It’s Now Or Never” had firmly established itself as one of the biggest records of 1960 and one of the clearest examples of Elvis’ post-Army musical evolution.
2. “Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polkadot Bikini” – Brian Hyland
Brian Hyland held the #2 position with “Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polkadot Bikini,” the novelty-pop smash that had recently topped the chart.
The song’s playful story, unforgettable title, and bright summer sound made it one of the most recognizable records of the year.
Its continued strength showed that novelty records could have real staying power when they matched the mood of the season.
Even as Elvis controlled #1, Hyland’s hit remained one of the defining sounds of late-summer radio.
3. “Walk — Don’t Run” – The Ventures
The Ventures climbed to #3 with “Walk — Don’t Run,” one of the most important instrumental guitar records of the early 1960s.
The song’s clean electric-guitar lead, driving rhythm, and sharp arrangement helped define the sound that would soon influence surf rock, garage bands, and countless young guitar players.
Unlike the orchestral instrumentals that had succeeded earlier in the year, “Walk — Don’t Run” sounded young, electric, and modern.
Its rise into the Top 3 proved that instrumental rock was still a major commercial force when the guitar sound was strong enough.
4. “The Twist” – Chubby Checker
Chubby Checker climbed to #4 with “The Twist,” one of the most important dance records in American pop history.
The song was written by Hank Ballard, whose own group, Hank Ballard And The Midnighters, also appeared in this week’s Top 10 with “Finger Poppin’ Time.” That connection makes this chart especially interesting because it shows both the songwriter behind “The Twist” and the artist whose version would turn it into a national phenomenon.
Checker’s version had a clean, highly danceable feel that made the song easy for teenagers across the country to imitate.
By this week, “The Twist” was clearly moving beyond a normal hit single and beginning its climb toward full-blown dance-craze status.
5. “I’m Sorry” – Brenda Lee
Brenda Lee remained in the Top 5 with “I’m Sorry,” one of the most emotionally powerful ballads of 1960.
The song had already reached #1, but its continued presence near the top showed how deeply listeners connected with Lee’s performance.
Her vocal sounded mature, controlled, and sincere, helping the record stand apart from lighter teen-pop hits of the period.
“I’m Sorry” remained one of Brenda Lee’s signature recordings and one of the defining female vocal performances of the year.
More Weeks at #1 for “It’s Now or Never”
This song spent multiple weeks at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100. Explore each chart week below:
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🎵 It’s Now or Never by Elvis Presley
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Billboard Hot 100 Top 10 – Week of August 22, 1960
- It’s Now Or Never – Elvis Presley With The Jordanaires
- Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polkadot Bikini – Brian Hyland
- Walk — Don’t Run – The Ventures
- The Twist – Chubby Checker
- I’m Sorry – Brenda Lee
- Only The Lonely (Know How I Feel) – Roy Orbison
- Volare – Bobby Rydell
- Finger Poppin’ Time – Hank Ballard And The Midnighters
- Mission Bell – Donnie Brooks
- Image Of A Girl – Safaris with The Phantom’s Band
The Twist Was Moving Toward a Cultural Breakthrough
The Billboard Hot 100 for August 22, 1960 was led by Elvis Presley, but the future of the chart was beginning to move on the dance floor.
“The Twist” by Chubby Checker had already reached #4 in only its fourth week, and its momentum was unmistakable. The song was simple, physical, and easy to dance to, which made it perfect for television, teen parties, and dance shows.
This chart also showed how wide the Hot 100 had become by late summer. Elvis brought operatic pop drama, Brian Hyland carried novelty-pop energy, The Ventures pushed electric guitar instrumentals higher, Brenda Lee and Roy Orbison kept heartbreak ballads alive, and Bobby Rydell brought an Italian pop standard back into teen-pop circulation with “Volare.”
The week of August 22, 1960 remains a key transition point: Elvis was still on top, but Chubby Checker was closing in, and the dance-craze era was about to take over American pop culture.