Billboard Hot 100 | Top 5 – Week of December 19, 1960
The Billboard Hot 100 for the week ending December 19, 1960 kept Elvis Presley at #1 with “Are You Lonesome To-night?” The romantic ballad continued its strong late-year run and remained one of the defining records of Elvis’ post-Army comeback.
Floyd Cramer held at #2 with “Last Date,” while Bert Kaempfert And His Orchestra climbed to #3 with “Wonderland By Night.” Johnny Horton moved to #4 with “North To Alaska,” and Lolita reached #5 with “Sailor (Your Home Is The Sea).”
This Top 5 showed just how varied late-1960 radio had become: Elvis balladry, Nashville piano, orchestral instrumental pop, country adventure storytelling, and international-flavored pop all sitting together near the top of the chart.
Top 5 Songs (December 19, 1960)
1. “Are You Lonesome To-night?” – Elvis Presley With The Jordanaires
Elvis Presley remained at #1 with “Are You Lonesome To-night?,” continuing one of his strongest ballad runs of 1960.
The song’s gentle vocal, spoken-word passage, and sentimental mood gave Elvis another major success in his smoother post-Army style.
Its continued hold at the top showed that Elvis could dominate the chart with emotional pop ballads as strongly as he once had with rock-and-roll.
2. “Last Date” – Floyd Cramer
Floyd Cramer stayed at #2 with “Last Date,” one of the most successful instrumentals of the year.
The record’s slip-note piano style gave it a soft, emotional sound that helped Nashville musicianship reach a broad pop audience.
Its long stay near the top showed that instrumental records still had major power when they carried a memorable melody.
3. “Wonderland By Night” – Bert Kaempfert And His Orchestra
Bert Kaempfert And His Orchestra climbed to #3 with “Wonderland By Night,” a lush instrumental record with a romantic, easy-listening sound.
The trumpet-led melody and polished orchestration gave the chart a smooth international flavor.
Its rise showed how strongly instrumental pop could still compete beside major vocal hits at the close of 1960.
4. “North To Alaska” – Johnny Horton
Johnny Horton climbed to #4 with “North To Alaska,” one of his strongest country crossover story songs.
The record carried a frontier-adventure feel tied to the film North To Alaska, with vivid imagery and a driving rhythm.
Its Top 5 success showed that country storytelling still had strong appeal on the national pop chart.
5. “Sailor (Your Home Is The Sea)” – Lolita
Lolita reached #5 with “Sailor (Your Home Is The Sea),” bringing international pop flavor into the Top 5.
The song’s seafaring theme, dramatic melody, and European pop style helped it stand apart from the American teen-pop and rhythm-and-blues records around it.
Its rise showed the Hot 100 still had room for records with a more global sound and romantic atmosphere.
More Weeks at #1 for “Are You Lonesome Tonight?”
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 December 24, 1960, this was your birthday song:
🎵 Are You Lonesome Tonight? by Elvis Presley
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Billboard Hot 100 Top 10 – Week of December 19, 1960
- Are You Lonesome To-night? – Elvis Presley With The Jordanaires
- Last Date – Floyd Cramer
- Wonderland By Night – Bert Kaempfert And His Orchestra
- North To Alaska – Johnny Horton
- Sailor (Your Home Is The Sea) – Lolita
- Exodus – Ferrante & Teicher
- A Thousand Stars – Kathy Young With The Innocents
- Many Tears Ago – Connie Francis
- You’re Sixteen – Johnny Burnette
- He Will Break Your Heart – Jerry Butler
Instrumentals and International Pop Filled the Late-Year Chart
The Billboard Hot 100 for December 19, 1960 showed Elvis still at #1, but instrumentals and international-flavored records were unusually strong.
Floyd Cramer, Bert Kaempfert, and Ferrante & Teicher all held Top 10 positions with instrumental records, while Lolita’s “Sailor” brought European pop style into the Top 5.
At the same time, Johnny Horton kept country storytelling alive, Kathy Young brought teenage doo-wop romance, Connie Francis remained present with another pop ballad, Johnny Burnette added teen rock-and-roll, and Jerry Butler carried early soul into the Top 10.
The week of December 19, 1960 remains a rich late-year snapshot: Elvis balladry at #1, Nashville piano at #2, orchestral instrumentals rising, country adventure in the Top 5, international pop at #5, and soul, teen pop, and doo-wop still holding their ground.