Click on a button to display a section for 1962
The year end charts as published by Billboard each year were necessarily limited.  In order to publish the chart the last week of December, the magazine stopped including rankings effectively the final week of November.  In some cases, this caused records whose popularity crossed over from one year to another to be underrated.  In some cases, these records ended up on the year end chart for two different years.  In some cases, the records were not included in either chart in spite of significant popularity.  The “Elvis Era Power Ranking” is an effort to correct this oversight by including all the weeks a record was on the charts, not just the weeks of a particular year.  The rating is based on the record's performance in the top twenty: 20 points for being #1, 19 for #2, etc. In the case of the “cross-over” records, whether a record is included in the chart for the year it first entered or the year it last charted, the record was assigned the year in which it enjoyed its highest popularity.  In some cases, there were records that were so closely split that they were included on two year end charts.
Click on the buttons below to access details about each particular set of rankings:
 

There were three number one records that debuted in 1961 but reached the top spot in 1962. The most significant was "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" by The Tokens. It first entered the top forty at the end of November, 1961 at #36 and was #1 for the last three weeks of 1961. It continued there for the first week of 1962 and was #2 for four additional weeks. "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" was that rare instance where its popularity was nearly evenly split between the two years. The result was that it was ignored by the end of the year Billboard charts for both 1961 and 1962 in spite of holding a #1 ranking for four weeks. Its over-all success earns it a #8 ranking on the EE chart for 1962. "The Twist" by Chubby Checker wasn't totally ignored by Billboard, but its 1961 time in the top twenty earns it the top spot in the EE ranking while it was #9 for Billboard in 1962. Similarly, "The Peppermint Twist" by Joey Dee and The Starliters was able to achieve a #2 EE ranking while being considerably lower for Billboard at #25. Elvis Presley's "Can't Help Falling In Love" was also a cross-over hit that suffered on the Billboard chart, only being ranked #57 while it was #22 on the EE chart.

"Limbo Rock" by Chubby Checker was ranked #4 by EE. Its top spot on the chart was achieved in 1962 on December 22nd and again on December 29th and it continued in the top ten for twe weeks into 1963. It was ignored by Billboard since its major success was after December 1st and only received a #55 ranking from Cashbox.

"Cottonfields" by The Highwaymen is on the other end of the EE scale. While its record sales, etc. made it the #36 record of 1962 for Billboard, its performance on the chart (its highest weekly rank was #13) left it out of the top 100 on the EE chart (#124).
The chart below is sortable by clicking on the column header:
EE Rank BB Rank title artist Top Twenty Points highest ranking Weeks in Top Twenty Weeks in Top Forty week debuted Date Highest Rank
1 9 The Twist Chubby Checker 263 1 15 18 1961—11—20 1962—1—13
2 25 Peppermint Twist Joey Dee & the Starliters 209 1 14 14 1961—12—4 1962—1—27
3 2 I Can't Stop Loving You Ray Charles 204 1 12 14 1962—5—19 1962—6—2
4
Limbo Rock Chubby Checker 200 2 14 17 1962—9—29 1962—12—22
5
Big Girls Don't Cry The Four Seasons 199 1 13 14 1962—10—27 1962—11—17
6 4 Roses Are Red Bobby Vinton 189 1 12 13 1962—6—16 1962—7—14
7 1 Stranger On The Shore Acker Bilk 188 1 13 15 1962—4—7 1962—5—26
8
The Lion Sleeps Tonight The Tokens 184 1 12 13 1961—11—27 1962—1—6
9
Return to Sender Elvis Presley 178 2 12 14 1962—10—27 1962—11—17
10 3 Mashed Potato Time Dee Dee Sharp 171 2 12 15 1962—3—17 1962—5—5
11 6 Johnny Angel Shelley Fabares 170 1 10 13 1962—3—17 1962—4—7
12 10 Soldier Boy The Shirelles 163 1 10 13 1962—3—31 1962—5—5
13 55 Sherry The Four Seasons 161 1 10 12 1962—9—1 1962—9—15
14 5 The Stripper David Rose Orchestra 158 1 11 13 1962—6—2 1962—7—7
15
Telstar The Tornadoes 156 1 11 13 1962—11—17 1962—12—22
17 13 Duke of Earl Gene Chandler 154 1 11 11 1962—1—27 1962—2—17
18 11 Hey! Baby Bruce Channel 151 1 10 12 1962—2—10 1962—3—10
19 28 Ramblin' Rose Nat King Cole
2 10 13 1962—8—18 1962—9—22
20
Bobby's Girl Marcie Blane 150 3 11 13 1962—11—10 1962—12—1
21 7 The Locomotion Little Eva 147 1 10 12 1962—7—21 1962—8—25
22 57 Can't Help Falling in Love Elvis Presley
2 11 12 1961—12—18 1962—2—3
23 15 Breaking Up Is Hard To Do Neil Sedaka 144 1 10 12 1962—7—7 1962—8—11
24 20 Good Luck Charm Elvis Presley 142 1 10 11 1962—3—24 1962—4—21
25
He's a Rebel The Crystals 141 1 10 12 1962—10—6 1962—11—3
26
Monster Mash Bobby Boris Pickett 140 1 9 12 1962—9—15 1962—10—20
27 22 Sheila Tommy Roe 133 1 9 11 1962—8—11 1962—9—1
28 24 The Wah Watusi The Orlons 127 2 9 11 1962—6—23 1962—7—21
29 17 Slow Twistin' Chubby Checker
3 10 12 1962—3—10 1962—4—14
30 31 Don't Break The Heart That Loves You Connie Francis 123 1 8 10 1962—2—24 1962—3—31
31 12 The Wanderer Dion
2 11 13 1961—12—16 1962—2—24
32
All Alone Am I Brenda Lee 121 3 9 12 1962—10—6 1962—11—10
33 21 Midnight in Moscow Kenny Ball 120 2 9 12 1962—2—17 1962—3—17
34 33 Norman Sue Thompson 117 3 9 11 1962—1—13 1962—2—24
35 14 Palisades Park Freddy Cannon 116 3 9 12 1962—5—26 1962—6—23
36 18 It Keeps Right On A Hurtin' Johnny Tillotson 115 3 9 12 1962—5—19 1962—6—16
37
Happy Birthday Sweet 16 Neil Sedaka 108 6 9 11 1961—11—27 1962—1—13
38 29 Sealed With a Kiss Brian Hyland 106 3 8 11 1962—6—30 1962—7—28
39 53 Green Onions Booker T. & The MGs 105 3 8 12 1962—9—1 1962—9—29
40 26 Break It To Me Gently Brenda Lee
4 9 11 1962—1—20 1962—3—3
41 74 Patches Dickey Lee 104 6 9 11 1962—9—8 1962—10—6
42 42 I Know (You Don't Love Me No More) Barbara George 99 3 8 11 1961—12—18 1962—1—27
43
Don't Hang Up The Orlons
4 8 11 1962—11—3 1962—12—8
44
Only Love Can Break a Heart Gene Pitney 95 2 8 11 1962—9—29 1962—11—3
45 16 Wolverton Mountain Claude King
6 10 11 1962—6—16 1962—7—21
46
Do You Love Me The Contours 93 3 8 19 1962—9—22 1962—10—20
47 54 You Don't Know Me Ray Charles 92 2 6 9 1962—8—4 1962—9—8
48 8 Let Me In The Sensations 90 4 8 12 1962—2—10 1962—3—17
49 68 Let's Dance Chris Montez 89 4 7 9 1962—9—8 1962—10—6
50 61 Ahab the Arab Ray Stevens
5 8 9 1962—7—14 1962—8—4
51 47 Crying in the Rain The Everly Brothers 84 6 8 9 1962—2—2 1962—3—3
52 43 Young World Ricky Nelson 83 5 7 10 1962—3—17 1962—4—21
53
She's Not You Elvis Presley


9 1962—8—11 1962—9—8
54
When I Fall In Love The Lettermen
6 9 11 1961—12—4 1962—1—27
55
Lonely Bull Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass 79 6 9 11 1962—11—10 1962—12—8
56 45 Speedy Gonzales Pat Boone

7 10 1962—6—30 1962—7—28
57 67 Lovers Who Wander Dion 78 3 7 9 1962—5—5 1962—6—9
58 30 She Cried Jay & the Americans
5 8 11 1962—4—7 1962—5—19
59
Gina Johnny Mathis
6 7 9 1962—10—13 1962—11—17
60 62 Things Bobby Darin 77 3 6 9 1962—7—21 1962—8—25
61
Next Door To An Angel Neil Sedaka 76 5 6 9 1962—10—20 1962—11—17
62 32 Dear Lady Twist Gary U.S. Bonds
9 8 11 1962—1—13 1962—2—24
63 63 The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance Gene Pitney 75 4 6 8 1962—5—19 1962—6—16
64 34 Love Letters Ketty Lester 72 5 7 11 1962—3—10 1962—4—14
65 44 Baby It's You The Shirelles 70 8 9 11 1962—1—6 1962—2—3
66
Ride Dee Dee Sharp 69 5 6 9 1962—11—10 1962—12—8
67 27 Playboy The Marvelettes
7 7 11 1962—5—26 1962—6—23
68 58 Shout Joey Dee & The Starliters 68 6 7 9 1962—3—31 1962—5—5
69 41 Lover Please Clyde McPhatter 67 7 8 10 1962—3—24 1962—4—21
70 81 Old Rivers Walter Brennan 66 5 6 9 1962—4—21 1962—5—26
71 56 Johnny Get Angry Joanie Sommers
7 7 11 1962—6—16 1962—7—21
72 50 What's Your Name Don & Juan


9 1962—2—24 1962—3—17
73
Release Me Esther Phillips
8 7 10 1962—11—17 1962—12—22
74 48 Al Di La Emilio Pericoli 65 6 7 10 1962—6—9 1962—7—7
75 35 Party Lights Claudine Clark 64 5 6 10 1962—7—21 1962—9—1
76 19 The One Who Really Loves You Mary Wells
8 7 10 1962—5—5 1962—6—9
77 73 Everybody Loves Me But You Brenda Lee 63 6 6 8 1962—4—28 1962—5—26
78 46 A Little Bitty Tear Burl Ives
9 8 11 1962—1—6 1962—2—10
79 77 Teenage Idol Ricky Nelson 62 5 6 9 1962—2—28 1962—9—22
80 37 Alley Cat Bent Fabric
7 8 12 1962—8—25 1962—9—29
81
I Remember You Frank Ifield 60 5 5 8 1962—9—22 1962—10—13
82 49 Shout Shout Ernie Maresca 59 6 6 9 1962—4—21 1962—5—19
83 85 P.T. 109 Jimmy Dean 57 8 6 9 1962—4—14 1962—5—26
84
Unchain My Heart Ray Charles
9 7 10 1961—12—10 1962—1—13
85 75 Venus In Blue Jeans Jimmy Clanton 52 7 7 10 1962—9—1 1962—10—6
86
You Are My Sunshine Ray Charles 51 7 5 9 1962—12—1 1962—12—29
87
When the Boy In Your Arms Connie Francis 50 10 7 9 1961—12—4 1962—1—13
88 23 Twistin' the Night Away Sam Cooke 49 9 7 13 1962—2—17 1962—3—24
89 88 Twist Twist Senora Gary U.S. Bonds

6 9 1962—4—7 1962—5—12
90 70 You Beat Me to the Punch Mary Wells 48 9 5 9 1962—8—25 1962—9—22
91 80 Her Royal Majesty James Darren 47 6 5 8 1962—2—17 1962—3—17
92 90 Gravy Dee Dee Sharp
9 5 9 1962—6—23 1962—7—14
93
Second Hand Love Connie Francis 46 7 5 7 1962—5—19 1962—6—9
94 66 Snap Your Fingers Joe Henderson
8 6 10 1962—6—2 1962—7—7
95
The Cha Cha Cha Bobby Rydell
10 6 8 1962—10—27 1962—11—17
96 86 Little Diane Dion 45 8 5 8 1962—7—21 1962—8—18
97 69 Cindy's Birthday Johnny Crawford

4 9 1962—6—2 1962—6—23
98 64 You Belong to Me The Duprees 43 7 6 9 1962—8—25 1962—9—22
99 98 If I Had A Hammer Peter, Paul & Mary
10 5 8 1962—9—8 1962—10—13
100 65 Dream Baby Roy Orbison 42 4 6 9 1962—3—30 1962—3—31