Billboard Hot 100 Chart – Week of December 13, 1969

Billboard Hot 100 | Top 5 – Week of December 13, 1969

By mid-December 1969, the music world was closing out one of the most revolutionary decades in popular music history. The charts reflected an incredible blend of pop singalongs, Motown soul, folk harmonies, British rock, and socially conscious American music.

The Billboard Hot 100 for the week of December 13, 1969 captured the sound of a changing era.

🎵 Top 5 Songs (December 13, 1969)

1. “Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye” – Steam
   The unlikely singalong phenomenon remained at #1 for another week.
2. “Leaving On A Jet Plane” – Peter, Paul & Mary
   The emotional folk farewell ballad continued its climb near the top.
3. “Someday We’ll Be Together” – Diana Ross & The Supremes
   One of Motown’s most important farewell hits entered the Top 3.
4. “Come Together/Something” – The Beatles
   The Beatles’ legendary Abbey Road single remained one of the hottest records in America.
5. “Down On The Corner/Fortunate Son” – Creedence Clearwater Revival
   CCR continued their powerful chart run with one of the era’s defining double-sided singles.

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Motown Says Goodbye to an Era

The biggest story on the charts this week may have been the rise of “Someday We’ll Be Together” by Diana Ross & The Supremes.

The song carried extra emotional weight because it marked Diana Ross’s final single with The Supremes before beginning her solo career. Motown promoted the record heavily as a major farewell event, and audiences responded immediately. The song would soon become another #1 hit for the legendary group.

Meanwhile, Steam’s “Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye” remained one of the decade’s most surprising chart-toppers. Originally intended almost as a throwaway studio recording, the song’s simple chorus turned it into a nationwide anthem.

At #2, Peter, Paul & Mary’s “Leaving On A Jet Plane” gave folk music one of its final major chart moments of the 1960s. Written by a young John Denver, the song captured the emotional uncertainty and longing that many Americans felt during a turbulent time in history.

The Beatles continued their dominance with “Come Together/Something,” a single that highlighted the maturity and depth of the Abbey Road album. George Harrison’s “Something” especially gained enormous praise and helped establish him as a world-class songwriter alongside Lennon and McCartney.

Creedence Clearwater Revival also remained one of America’s hottest bands. “Fortunate Son” had become a powerful protest anthem during the Vietnam era, while “Down On The Corner” showcased the group’s rootsy, working-class charm.

The Billboard Hot 100 for December 13, 1969 perfectly reflected the musical crossroads of America at the end of the 1960s — where Motown elegance, British rock brilliance, folk sincerity, protest music, and catchy pop hooks all shared the same stage.