Billboard Hot 100 | Top 5 – Week of May 29, 1965
The Billboard Hot 100 for May 29, 1965 brought The Beach Boys back to #1 with “Help Me, Rhonda.” After climbing from #4, the record gave the group one of its biggest chart moments and brought a strong California sound back to the top of American pop radio.
The Beatles slipped to #2 with “Ticket To Ride,” while The Supremes continued their fast rise with “Back In My Arms Again.” That gave the Top 3 a powerful mix of American surf-pop harmony, British rock maturity, and Motown polish.
Herman’s Hermits fell to #4 with “Mrs. Brown You’ve Got A Lovely Daughter,” but the song was still one of the biggest hits of the spring. At #5, Sam The Sham and the Pharaohs pushed higher with “Wooly Bully,” a record that was quickly becoming one of the most recognizable singles of 1965.
Below the Top 5, Elvis Presley returned with “Crying In The Chapel,” Gary Lewis and the Playboys remained in the Top 10, and Tom Jones arrived with “It’s Not Unusual.” The week captured a chart in transition, with spring hits still hanging on while several summer-defining records moved upward.
Top 5 Songs
1. Help Me, Rhonda – The Beach Boys
“Help Me, Rhonda” reached #1 this week, giving The Beach Boys another major national triumph. The song’s climb showed that the group could still compete at the highest level during a period heavily shaped by British acts and Motown records.
The record had the group’s classic blend of bright harmonies, youthful emotion, and California energy. Its chorus was instantly memorable, and the arrangement gave it the kind of lift that made Beach Boys singles stand out on radio.
By reaching #1, “Help Me, Rhonda” became one of The Beach Boys’ signature mid-1960s hits. It also showed that American harmony pop still had enormous strength in the middle of the British Invasion.
2. Ticket To Ride – The Beatles
“Ticket To Ride” slipped from #1 to #2, but The Beatles remained one of the strongest forces on the chart. The song’s brief stay at the top had already added another major hit to their remarkable American run.
The record’s heavier rhythm and more serious mood made it feel different from many earlier Beatles singles. It pointed toward the group’s growing musical confidence and suggested that their sound was becoming more complex.
Even after leaving #1, “Ticket To Ride” remained one of the most important records of the season and another sign that The Beatles were still moving forward creatively.
3. Back In My Arms Again – The Supremes
“Back In My Arms Again” jumped from #6 to #3, putting The Supremes close to the top once more. After “Stop! In The Name Of Love,” the group was already building another major Motown hit.
The song carried the polished sound that made The Supremes so effective on pop radio. Diana Ross delivered the lead vocal with confidence, while the arrangement kept the record bright, smooth, and instantly accessible.
This move into the Top 3 showed just how dependable The Supremes had become. By this point, every new single from the group felt like a serious contender for #1.
4. Mrs. Brown You’ve Got A Lovely Daughter – Herman’s Hermits
“Mrs. Brown You’ve Got A Lovely Daughter” slipped from #2 to #4, but Herman’s Hermits remained a major presence on the chart. The song had already completed a strong run at #1 and continued to hold listener attention.
Its gentle, old-fashioned charm made it one of the most unusual British Invasion chart-toppers. Peter Noone’s vocal gave the record a shy personality that helped it stand apart from louder beat-group hits.
Even as it moved down the chart, the song remained one of the defining records of spring 1965 and a key part of Herman’s Hermits’ American breakthrough.
5. Wooly Bully – Sam The Sham And The Pharaohs
“Wooly Bully” climbed from #8 to #5, bringing Sam The Sham and the Pharaohs into the Top 5 with one of the most distinctive records of the year. Its raw, party-like energy made it stand apart from the polished pop and soul records around it.
The song’s appeal came from its groove, chant-like vocal, and playful spirit. It sounded loose and fun, almost like a garage-band celebration spilling out of the speakers.
Its move into the Top 5 was a sign of bigger things ahead. “Wooly Bully” would become one of the defining singles of 1965 and one of the year’s most memorable pop culture moments.
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More Weeks at #1 for “Help Me, Rhonda”
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 May 29, 1965, this was your birthday song:
🎵 Help Me, Rhonda by The Beach Boys
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🎂 Try your own birthday:
Top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 This Week
- Help Me, Rhonda – The Beach Boys
- Ticket To Ride – The Beatles
- Back In My Arms Again – The Supremes
- Mrs. Brown You’ve Got A Lovely Daughter – Herman’s Hermits
- Wooly Bully – Sam The Sham And The Pharaohs
- Crying In The Chapel – Elvis Presley With The Jordanaires
- Count Me In – Gary Lewis And The Playboys
- I’ll Never Find Another You – The Seekers
- Just A Little – The Beau Brummels
- It’s Not Unusual – Tom Jones
Chart Movers This Week
Why This Chart Week Mattered
The May 29, 1965 chart mattered because The Beach Boys returned to #1 with “Help Me, Rhonda,” giving American pop a major victory during a year filled with British chart power. The song’s success showed that The Beach Boys remained one of the country’s most important groups.
The week also set up several major June stories. The Supremes were moving quickly with “Back In My Arms Again,” “Wooly Bully” had entered the Top 5, and Elvis Presley was climbing with “Crying In The Chapel.” Each of those records would help shape the coming weeks.
With The Beach Boys, The Beatles, The Supremes, Herman’s Hermits, Elvis Presley, Tom Jones, and Sam The Sham and the Pharaohs all in the Top 10, this chart captured the full variety of mid-1965 pop. It was energetic, international, and packed with future classics.
