Billboard Hot 100 Chart – Week of December 20, 1969

Billboard Hot 100 | Top 5 – Week of December 20, 1969

As Christmas approached in 1969, the Billboard Hot 100 reflected a music industry in transition. Folk music, Southern rock, Motown soul, and cinematic pop all battled for attention as the decade prepared to come to an end.

The week of December 20, 1969 delivered one of the strongest and most diverse Top 5 charts of the entire year.

🎵 Top 5 Songs (December 20, 1969)

1. “Leaving On A Jet Plane” – Peter, Paul & Mary
   The emotional folk classic reached #1 and became the trio’s biggest Billboard hit.
2. “Someday We’ll Be Together” – Diana Ross & The Supremes
   Motown’s farewell single for Diana Ross continued its climb toward the top.
3. “Down On The Corner/Fortunate Son” – Creedence Clearwater Revival
   CCR’s double-sided smash remained one of the defining records of late 1969.
4. “Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye” – Steam
   The singalong anthem continued its surprisingly strong chart run.
5. “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ On My Head” – B.J. Thomas
   One of the smoothest and most recognizable pop songs of the era entered the Top 5.

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Folk, Film, and Southern Rock Close Out the Decade

The biggest story this week was Peter, Paul & Mary finally reaching #1 with “Leaving On A Jet Plane.” Written by a young John Denver, the song became the trio’s signature hit and one of the final major folk-pop records to top the charts during the 1960s.

Its success reflected how audiences still connected deeply with emotional storytelling songs, even as rock music became heavier and more experimental.

At #2, Diana Ross & The Supremes continued their emotional farewell run with “Someday We’ll Be Together.” The record carried enormous significance because Diana Ross was preparing to leave the group for a solo career after years as Motown’s premier female act.

Creedence Clearwater Revival remained one of America’s hottest bands at #3. “Fortunate Son” had already become a defining anti-war anthem, while “Down On The Corner” celebrated simple working-class joy through roots-rock energy and catchy rhythms.

Steam’s “Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye” stayed inside the Top 5 after becoming one of the most unexpected chart sensations of the decade. The song’s unforgettable chorus transformed it into a stadium favorite that would live on for generations.

Meanwhile, B.J. Thomas was rapidly climbing with “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ On My Head,” a song featured prominently in the film Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. Written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David, the smooth, optimistic record provided a softer contrast to the heavier rock dominating much of late-1960s music.

The Billboard Hot 100 for December 20, 1969 showcased the remarkable variety that defined the end of the decade — folk harmonies, cinematic pop, Southern rock, Motown soul, and novelty singalongs all competing side by side as America prepared to enter the 1970s.