The #1 Song the Year You Turned 16
The #1 Song the Year You Turned 16
Turning 16 is a milestone — driver’s licenses, first cars, and freedom. But do you remember which song was sitting at the top of the charts when you hit “Sweet 16”?
We’ve pulled together the #1 Billboard Hot 100 song for every year you might have turned 16. Scroll down, find your birth year, and rediscover the soundtrack of your teenage years.
#1 Songs the Year You Turned 16
- Born in 1950 → At 16 in 1966: “Ballad of the Green Berets” – SSgt. Barry Sadler
- 1951 → 1967: “To Sir With Love” – Lulu
- 1952 → 1968: “Hey Jude” – The Beatles
- 1953 → 1969: “Sugar, Sugar” – The Archies
- 1954 → 1970: “Bridge Over Troubled Water” – Simon & Garfunkel
- 1955 → 1971: “Joy to the World” – Three Dog Night
- 1956 → 1972: “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face” – Roberta Flack
- 1957 → 1973: “Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree” – Dawn feat. Tony Orlando
- 1958 → 1974: “The Way We Were” – Barbra Streisand
- 1959 → 1975: “Love Will Keep Us Together” – Captain & Tennille
- 1960 → 1976: “Silly Love Songs” – Paul McCartney & Wings
- 1961 → 1977: “Tonight’s the Night (Gonna Be Alright)” – Rod Stewart
- 1962 → 1978: “Shadow Dancing” – Andy Gibb
- 1963 → 1979: “My Sharona” – The Knack
- 1964 → 1980: “Call Me” – Blondie
- 1965 → 1981: “Endless Love” – Diana Ross & Lionel Richie
- 1966 → 1982: “Physical” – Olivia Newton-John
- 1967 → 1983: “Every Breath You Take” – The Police
- 1968 → 1984: “When Doves Cry” – Prince
- 1969 → 1985: “Careless Whisper” – Wham!
- 1970 → 1986: “That’s What Friends Are For” – Dionne & Friends
- 1971 → 1987: “Walk Like an Egyptian” – The Bangles
- 1972 → 1988: “Faith” – George Michael
- 1973 → 1989: “Look Away” – Chicago
- 1974 → 1990: “Hold On” – Wilson Phillips
- 1975 → 1991: “(Everything I Do) I Do It For You” – Bryan Adams
- 1976 → 1992: “End of the Road” – Boyz II Men
- 1977 → 1993: “I Will Always Love You” – Whitney Houston
- 1978 → 1994: “The Sign” – Ace of Base
- 1979 → 1995: “Gangsta’s Paradise” – Coolio feat. L.V.
- 1980 → 1996: “Macarena (Bayside Boys Mix)” – Los Del Rio
- 1981 → 1997: “Candle in the Wind 1997 / Something About the Way You Look Tonight” – Elton John
- 1982 → 1998: “Too Close” – Next
- 1983 → 1999: “Believe” – Cher
- 1984 → 2000: “Breathe” – Faith Hill
- 1985 → 2001: “Fallin’” – Alicia Keys
- 1986 → 2002: “How You Remind Me” – Nickelback
- 1987 → 2003: “In Da Club” – 50 Cent
- 1988 → 2004: “Yeah!” – Usher feat. Lil Jon & Ludacris
- 1989 → 2005: “We Belong Together” – Mariah Carey
- 1990 → 2006: “Bad Day” – Daniel Powter
- 1991 → 2007: “Irreplaceable” – Beyoncé
- 1992 → 2008: “Low” – Flo Rida feat. T-Pain
- 1993 → 2009: “Boom Boom Pow” – The Black Eyed Peas
- 1994 → 2010: “Tik Tok” – Kesha
- 1995 → 2011: “Rolling in the Deep” – Adele
- 1996 → 2012: “Somebody That I Used to Know” – Gotye feat. Kimbra
- 1997 → 2013: “Thrift Shop” – Macklemore & Ryan Lewis feat. Wanz
- 1998 → 2014: “Happy” – Pharrell Williams
- 1999 → 2015: “Uptown Funk” – Mark Ronson feat. Bruno Mars
- 2000 → 2016: “Love Yourself” – Justin Bieber
- 2001 → 2017: “Shape of You” – Ed Sheeran
- 2002 → 2018: “God’s Plan” – Drake
- 2003 → 2019: “Old Town Road” – Lil Nas X feat. Billy Ray Cyrus
- 2004 → 2020: “Blinding Lights” – The Weeknd
- 2005 → 2021: “Levitating” – Dua Lipa feat. DaBaby
- 2006 → 2022: “As It Was” – Harry Styles
- 2007 → 2023: “Last Night” – Morgan Wallen
- 2008 → 2024: “Flowers” – Miley Cyrus
- 2009 → 2025: “Lose Control” – Teddy Swims
