Billboard Hot 100 | Top 5 – Week of January 20, 1962
By the third week of January 1962, America was still twisting. Chubby Checker held the #1 spot with “The Twist,” while Joey Dee & the Starliters climbed to #2 with “Peppermint Twist.” That gave the top of the Billboard Hot 100 an unmistakable dance-floor feel. The chart was not just reflecting what people were hearing on the radio. It was reflecting what they were doing at parties, clubs, school dances, and living rooms across the country.
This was a week where the Twist craze looked almost unstoppable. Checker’s original dance hit had already made history by returning to #1, and now “Peppermint Twist” was moving quickly behind it. The moment showed how a single dance idea could expand into a larger pop culture wave, with records, television appearances, nightclubs, and teenagers all feeding the excitement.
But the chart was not only about dance records. The Tokens were still strong with “The Lion Sleeps Tonight,” Elvis Presley remained in the Top 5 with “Can’t Help Falling In Love,” and Barbara George held firm with the soulful “I Know (You Don’t Love Me No More).” That variety gave the week a rich early-1960s personality: playful, romantic, rhythmic, and full of movement.
Looking back, January 20, 1962 feels like one of those weeks where popular music had found a new pulse. The polished pop of the early decade was still there, but dance music and rhythm and blues were pulling the Hot 100 toward something more active and more physical. The new year was no longer warming up. It was already moving.
Top 5 Songs
1. The Twist – Chubby Checker
“The Twist” held onto #1 this week, continuing one of the most unusual and important chart stories of the early 1960s. Chubby Checker had already taken the song to the top in 1960, but its return to #1 in 1962 proved that the record had grown beyond a normal hit single.
The song worked because it invited everyone in. The beat was simple, the dance was easy to learn, and the record carried a feeling of freedom that made it irresistible. Unlike older partner dances, the Twist let people move in a more independent way, which gave it a modern youth-culture edge.
Checker became the face of that movement. His version of “The Twist” helped change American social dancing and showed how television, radio, and teenage enthusiasm could turn a song into a national event. This week, with another Twist record right behind it at #2, the craze was clearly still at full strength.
2. Peppermint Twist – Joey Dee & the Starliters
Joey Dee & the Starliters climbed from #3 to #2 with “Peppermint Twist,” putting even more dance energy near the top of the chart. With “The Twist” at #1, this was a remarkable moment: two Twist records held the top two positions on the Billboard Hot 100.
“Peppermint Twist” had a different flavor from Chubby Checker’s record. It felt more like a nightclub celebration, tied closely to the Peppermint Lounge in New York City. The song’s pounding rhythm and party atmosphere made it sound like a record meant to be experienced in motion.
Its rise showed how quickly a cultural craze could multiply. Once the Twist became a national obsession, listeners wanted more songs that gave them the same feeling. Joey Dee & the Starliters delivered exactly that, turning a dance-floor trend into one of the biggest pop stories of early 1962.
3. The Lion Sleeps Tonight – The Tokens
“The Lion Sleeps Tonight” slipped from #2 to #3 this week, but The Tokens were still firmly inside the Top 5. After its memorable run at #1, the song remained one of the most distinctive records on the radio.
Its sound was unlike the dance records surrounding it. The soaring falsetto, layered harmonies, and chant-like hook gave the song a dreamy personality that made it instantly recognizable. Even as it moved down the chart, it still felt larger than a passing novelty.
The record’s long-term legacy would prove that point. “The Lion Sleeps Tonight” became one of the most familiar pop songs of the early 1960s, living on through oldies radio, television, movies, and family singalongs. This week captured it in the early stage of that long afterlife.
4. Can’t Help Falling In Love – Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley held at #4 with “Can’t Help Falling In Love,” giving the chart a graceful romantic counterweight to the dance records above it. While much of the Top 5 was full of movement and rhythm, Elvis brought tenderness and restraint.
The song’s arrangement was gentle, but its emotional pull was strong. Presley’s vocal performance was warm and controlled, allowing the melody to carry the feeling instead of overwhelming it. That subtle approach helped the record become one of his most lasting ballads.
In 1962, Elvis was already far more than a rock and roll star. He was a pop institution, a film star, and one of the most recognizable voices in American music. “Can’t Help Falling In Love” showed that he could still create a timeless hit without chasing the week’s loudest trend.
5. I Know (You Don’t Love Me No More) – Barbara George
Barbara George held at #5 with “I Know (You Don’t Love Me No More),” keeping a strong rhythm and blues presence in the upper reaches of the Hot 100. After jumping into the Top 5 the previous week, the record proved it had real staying power.
The song carried a New Orleans flavor that separated it from the smoother pop records around it. George’s vocal was direct, emotional, and grounded, giving the record a sense of honesty that connected with listeners. It was soulful without being overdone.
Its success showed how much broader the pop chart had become. Records rooted in rhythm and blues were finding wider national audiences, helping shape the sound of the decade ahead. Barbara George’s hit brought grit, groove, and heartbreak into a chart dominated by dance records and pop ballads.
More Weeks at #1 for “The Twist”
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 January 20, 1962, this was your birthday song:
🎵 The Twist by Chubby Checker
▶ Watch and experience this song →
🎂 Try your own birthday:
- The Twist – Chubby Checker
- Peppermint Twist – Joey Dee & the Starliters
- The Lion Sleeps Tonight – The Tokens
- Can’t Help Falling In Love – Elvis Presley With The Jordanaires
- I Know (You Don’t Love Me No More) – Barbara George
- Happy Birthday, Sweet Sixteen – Neil Sedaka
- Walk On By – Leroy Van Dyke
- Run To Him – Bobby Vee
- When I Fall In Love – The Lettermen
- Norman – Sue Thompson
Chart Movers This Week
The Twist Still Ruled the Moment
The January 20, 1962 Hot 100 was one of the clearest examples of how powerful the Twist craze had become. Chubby Checker remained at #1, while Joey Dee & the Starliters climbed to #2 with “Peppermint Twist.” The top of the chart looked almost like a dance-floor takeover.
Still, the week had more than one sound. The Tokens kept their dreamy vocal-group classic in the Top 5, Elvis Presley continued to offer one of his most elegant ballads, and Barbara George represented the growing strength of rhythm and blues on the pop chart.
That combination made this week feel lively and balanced. The dance craze supplied the energy, but the rest of the Top 10 showed the full range of early 1962 pop: romance, soul, vocal harmony, teen appeal, and novelty charm all moving together through the Billboard Hot 100.