Billboard Hot 100 | Top 5 – Week of November 21, 1964
The Billboard Hot 100 for November 21, 1964 showed The Supremes still holding the #1 position with “Baby Love.” Motown was no longer just gaining ground — it was now one of the strongest forces in American popular music.
Teen drama remained powerful as The Shangri-Las held at #2 with “Leader Of The Pack,” while Jay And The Americans climbed to #3 with “Come A Little Bit Closer.” Both songs used storytelling to pull listeners into vivid scenes of romance, danger, and heartbreak.
The British Invasion was also changing shape. The Zombies entered the Top 5 with “She’s Not There,” The Kinks reached the Top 10 with “You Really Got Me,” and The Rolling Stones appeared with “Time Is On My Side.” A harder, moodier sound was beginning to push through.
This week captures late 1964 at a turning point: Motown was shining, teen story songs were thriving, and British rock was starting to sound sharper and more serious.
Top 5 Songs
1. Baby Love – The Supremes
“Baby Love” remained at #1, continuing The Supremes’ remarkable run at the top of the Billboard Hot 100. The song followed “Where Did Our Love Go” and proved that the group had become Motown’s most reliable hitmakers.
Diana Ross delivered another smooth lead vocal, while the clean production and simple hook helped make the record instantly memorable. It was polished, direct, and perfectly built for pop radio.
By this point, The Supremes were not just representing Motown. They were helping define the sound of 1964.
2. Leader Of The Pack – The Shangri-Las
“Leader Of The Pack” held at #2, keeping one of the most dramatic girl-group records of the decade close to the top. The song mixed romance, rebellion, spoken dialogue, and tragedy into a record that felt almost like a short film.
The motorcycle sound effects and emotional storyline gave it a unique identity. Few records on the chart sounded as theatrical or as unforgettable.
The Shangri-Las showed that girl-group music could be bold, cinematic, and emotionally intense.
3. Come A Little Bit Closer – Jay And The Americans
Jay And The Americans climbed to #3 with “Come A Little Bit Closer,” one of the group’s most memorable hits. The song blended romance, danger, and a colorful border-town storyline into a catchy pop record.
Its lively arrangement and dramatic lyrics helped it stand apart from the Motown and British Invasion records surrounding it.
The record’s success showed that American vocal groups still had plenty of room to compete during a crowded chart season.
4. Last Kiss – J. Frank Wilson And The Cavaliers
“Last Kiss” slipped to #4 but remained one of the most emotional records on the Hot 100. Its tragic story of young love and loss continued to resonate with teenage listeners.
The song belonged to the teen tragedy tradition, but its direct emotional delivery gave it unusual staying power.
Alongside “Leader Of The Pack,” it helped make this one of the most dramatic Top 5 lineups of the year.
5. She’s Not There – The Zombies
The Zombies entered the Top 5 with “She’s Not There,” one of the moodiest and most distinctive British records of 1964. Its cool vocal, jazz-influenced keyboard feel, and mysterious atmosphere set it apart from the more upbeat British Invasion hits.
The song helped show that British rock was moving beyond simple beat-group excitement. It could be darker, smoother, and more sophisticated.
Its rise hinted at the more adventurous sounds that would develop as the decade continued.
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 21, 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
- Come A Little Bit Closer – Jay And The Americans
- Last Kiss – J. Frank Wilson And The Cavaliers
- Shes Not There – The Zombies
- Ringo – Lorne Greene
- Have I The Right – The Honeycombs
- You Really Got Me – The Kinks
- The Door Is Still Open To My Heart – Dean Martin
- Time Is On My Side – The Rolling Stones
Chart Movers This Week
Motown Leads as British Rock Gets Sharper
The week of November 21, 1964 showed The Supremes still leading the chart, but the sound around them was changing quickly. Motown remained polished and dominant, while British groups like The Zombies, The Kinks, and The Rolling Stones brought a moodier edge to the Top 10.
Teen storytelling was also at a peak, with “Leader Of The Pack,” “Last Kiss,” and “Come A Little Bit Closer” all using narrative drama to stand out on radio.
Looking back, this chart feels like a bridge between early-1960s pop traditions and the more intense rock and soul sounds that would shape the second half of the decade.