Billboard Hot 100 | Top 5 – Week of November 14, 1964
The Billboard Hot 100 for November 14, 1964 kept Motown firmly at the center of American popular music. The Supremes held the #1 position with “Baby Love,” continuing one of the most important chart runs in the label’s history.
Teen drama was also having a powerful moment. The Shangri-Las climbed to #2 with “Leader Of The Pack,” while J. Frank Wilson and The Cavaliers remained near the top with “Last Kiss.” Both records showed how deeply story songs could connect with young listeners.
The chart also featured British Invasion energy from The Honeycombs, Manfred Mann, and The Zombies, while Dean Martin continued his late-1964 success with “The Door Is Still Open To My Heart.”
By mid-November, the Hot 100 was a mix of Motown polish, teenage tragedy, British rock, traditional pop, and country-flavored novelty records. It was another reminder of how wide the sound of 1964 had become.
Top 5 Songs
1. Baby Love – The Supremes
“Baby Love” remained at #1 for another week, giving The Supremes one of the strongest chart runs of the year. The song followed the success of “Where Did Our Love Go” and proved that the group had become Motown’s leading force.
Diana Ross delivered a smooth and memorable lead vocal, while the production captured the clean, polished sound that made Motown so effective on pop radio.
With “Baby Love,” The Supremes were no longer simply a breakthrough act. They were becoming one of the defining groups of the 1960s.
2. Leader Of The Pack – The Shangri-Las
The Shangri-Las climbed to #2 with “Leader Of The Pack,” one of the most dramatic records of the decade. The song combined romance, rebellion, spoken dialogue, and tragedy into a miniature pop drama.
Its motorcycle sound effects and emotional storyline made it stand apart from almost everything else on the chart. It sounded cinematic, dangerous, and unforgettable.
The record’s rise showed that girl-group music could be bold, theatrical, and emotionally intense.
3. Last Kiss – J. Frank Wilson And The Cavaliers
“Last Kiss” slipped to #3 but remained one of the most powerful story songs on the chart. Its tale of young love and tragedy continued to resonate with listeners.
The record’s emotional pull gave it staying power beyond a typical pop single. It asked listeners to feel the story as much as hear the melody.
Together with “Leader Of The Pack,” it gave this week’s chart a strong current of teenage heartbreak and drama.
4. Come A Little Bit Closer – Jay And The Americans
Jay And The Americans climbed to #4 with “Come A Little Bit Closer,” a lively pop record with a dramatic storyline of its own. The song mixed romance, danger, and Latin-flavored atmosphere into one of the group’s biggest hits.
Its catchy chorus and colorful narrative helped it stand out during a crowded period on the Hot 100.
The record’s rise showed that American vocal groups could still compete strongly during the British Invasion and Motown boom.
5. Have I The Right? – The Honeycombs
The Honeycombs reached #5 with “Have I The Right?,” one of the most forceful British Invasion records of the season. Its pounding beat and urgent vocal gave it a raw, exciting sound.
The song’s production made it feel bigger and louder than many other pop records of the period. It brought a tougher edge to the Top 5.
Its success proved once again that British groups beyond The Beatles were still making a major impact on American radio.
More Weeks at #1 for “Baby Love”
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 November 14, 1964, this was your birthday song:
🎵 Baby Love by The Supremes
▶ Watch and experience this song →
🎂 Try your own birthday:
Top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 This Week
- Baby Love – The Supremes
- Leader Of The Pack – The Shangri-Las
- Last Kiss – J. Frank Wilson And The Cavaliers
- Come A Little Bit Closer – Jay And The Americans
- Have I The Right – The Honeycombs
- The Door Is Still Open To My Heart – Dean Martin
- Do Wah Diddy Diddy – Manfred Mann
- Let It Be Me – Betty Everett And Jerry Butler
- She’s Not There – The Zombies
- Ringo – Lorne Greene
Chart Movers This Week
Teen Drama and Motown Power Share the Chart
The week of November 14, 1964 showed The Supremes holding Motown’s place at the top while teen tragedy records surged just below them. “Leader Of The Pack” and “Last Kiss” gave the chart a dramatic emotional tone.
At the same time, British acts remained highly visible. The Honeycombs, Manfred Mann, and The Zombies all represented different sides of the British Invasion, from pounding beat records to moodier rock sounds.
This chart captures late 1964 as one of the most diverse moments of the decade: polished Motown, dramatic girl-group storytelling, British rock, traditional pop, and American vocal-group hits all competing at once.