Billboard Hot 100 | Top 5 – Week of December 5, 1960
The Billboard Hot 100 for the week ending December 5, 1960 kept Elvis Presley at #1 with “Are You Lonesome To-night?” The sentimental ballad held the top spot for a second week, continuing Elvis’ strong late-year run and showing how completely his smoother post-Army style had connected with American listeners.
Floyd Cramer remained at #2 with “Last Date,” giving RCA Victor control of the top two chart positions for another week. Johnny Tillotson climbed to #3 with “Poetry In Motion,” while Maurice Williams & The Zodiacs slipped to #4 with “Stay.” Kathy Young With The Innocents held at #5 with “A Thousand Stars,” keeping teenage doo-wop romance in the upper chart.
The lower half of the Top 10 added even more variety. Johnny Horton brought country storytelling with “North To Alaska,” Jerry Butler entered the Top 10 with the soul ballad “He Will Break Your Heart,” U.S. Bonds kept New Orleans rock-and-roll alive, Lolita added international pop flavor with “Sailor,” and Hank Ballard And The Midnighters continued their danceable rhythm-and-blues run.
Top 5 Songs (December 5, 1960)
1. “Are You Lonesome To-night?” – Elvis Presley With The Jordanaires
Elvis Presley remained at #1 with “Are You Lonesome To-night?,” one of the defining ballads of his early 1960s comeback period.
The record showed Elvis in a soft, dramatic setting, built around a tender vocal, gentle backing, and a famous spoken-word section that gave the song a theatrical quality.
After “It’s Now Or Never” earlier in the year, this song further proved that Elvis could dominate the Hot 100 with romantic ballads as powerfully as he had with rock-and-roll.
Its continued hold at #1 showed that Elvis’ audience had fully embraced his more mature pop direction.
2. “Last Date” – Floyd Cramer
Floyd Cramer stayed at #2 with “Last Date,” one of the most recognizable piano instrumentals of 1960.
The song featured Cramer’s famous slip-note piano style, giving the melody a smooth, emotional character without the need for lyrics.
Its success showed how strong Nashville’s influence had become on the national pop chart. Cramer’s sound was elegant, melodic, and instantly identifiable.
With “Last Date” holding just below Elvis, RCA Victor had both the #1 and #2 songs on the Hot 100 this week.
3. “Poetry In Motion” – Johnny Tillotson
Johnny Tillotson climbed to #3 with “Poetry In Motion,” one of the bright teen-pop hits of late 1960.
The song’s catchy title, smooth vocal, and polished rhythm made it a strong radio favorite during a chart period filled with ballads, instrumentals, and rhythm-and-blues records.
Tillotson’s clean delivery gave the record youthful charm without sounding rough or rebellious.
Its continued rise showed that polished teen pop still had major strength as 1960 moved into December.
4. “Stay” – Maurice Williams & The Zodiacs
Maurice Williams & The Zodiacs slipped to #4 with “Stay,” but the record remained one of the most unforgettable vocal-group hits of the year.
The song was short, urgent, and direct. Its pleading lyric and energetic vocal arrangement helped it stand apart from the smoother ballads around it.
Written by Maurice Williams, “Stay” turned one simple request into a classic doo-wop-flavored pop hit.
Even after leaving #1, the record continued showing the staying power of vocal-group music on the Hot 100.
5. “A Thousand Stars” – Kathy Young With The Innocents
Kathy Young With The Innocents held the #5 position with “A Thousand Stars,” a romantic vocal-group ballad that continued to connect with teenage listeners.
The record’s dreamy atmosphere, sincere vocal, and soft doo-wop backing gave it a tender late-night quality.
Its presence in the Top 5 showed that gentle teenage love songs still had a strong place on the chart alongside Elvis, Nashville piano, and rhythm-and-blues records.
“A Thousand Stars” remained one of the sweetest romantic hits of late 1960.
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?
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🎵 Are You Lonesome Tonight? by Elvis Presley
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Billboard Hot 100 Top 10 – Week of December 5, 1960
- Are You Lonesome To-night? – Elvis Presley With The Jordanaires
- Last Date – Floyd Cramer
- Poetry In Motion – Johnny Tillotson
- Stay – Maurice Williams & The Zodiacs
- A Thousand Stars – Kathy Young With The Innocents
- North To Alaska – Johnny Horton
- He Will Break Your Heart – Jerry Butler
- New Orleans – U.S. Bonds
- Sailor (Your Home Is The Sea) – Lolita
- Let’s Go, Let’s Go, Let’s Go – Hank Ballard And The Midnighters
Elvis and Floyd Cramer Kept RCA Victor on Top
The Billboard Hot 100 for December 5, 1960 showed RCA Victor controlling the top two spots with two very different records.
Elvis Presley’s “Are You Lonesome To-night?” was a sentimental vocal ballad, while Floyd Cramer’s “Last Date” was a Nashville piano instrumental. Together, they showed the label’s strength across both vocal pop and instrumental country-pop.
The rest of the Top 10 showed how wide American pop had become by the end of 1960. Johnny Tillotson and Kathy Young brought teen appeal, Maurice Williams & The Zodiacs carried doo-wop energy, Johnny Horton added country storytelling, Jerry Butler brought early soul, U.S. Bonds delivered New Orleans rock-and-roll, Lolita added international pop flavor, and Hank Ballard kept rhythm-and-blues dance energy alive.
The week of December 5, 1960 remains a strong late-year snapshot of the Hot 100 — Elvis at #1, Nashville piano at #2, and a Top 10 filled with teen pop, doo-wop, soul, country, international pop, and rhythm-and-blues.