Christmas classics may vastly out-number Hanukkah hits, but there's
been no shortage of Jewish artists that have topped the Billboard
charts over the years. With Hanukkah, the Jewish festival of lights,
beginning on the evening of Saturday, December 8, now is the
perfect time to celebrate the Jewish musicians who have made the
biggest impact on the Hot 100 over the decades. We've gathered the
Tribe's biggest Billboard stars on our top 30 countdown.
30. David Guetta
The French DJ, whose Moroccan father is Jewish, helped
EDM make a mainstream crossover with hit productions such
as the Black Eyed Peas' 2009 track "I Gotta Feeling" and his
own smash "Turn Me On," which features Nicki Minaj.
Highest Charting Hot 100 Hits: "Turn Me On" (No. 4, peak date: Feb. 4, 2012); "Without You" feat. Usher (No. 4, peak date: Nov. 26, 2011)
29. Lenny Kravitz
Kravitz, whose dad is Jewish and mom is Christian, fired
up a vintage rock sound that earned multiplatinum status
on albums such as 1993's "Are You Gonna Go My Way" and
1998's "Five."
Highest Charting Hot 100 Hit: "It Ain't Over 'Til It's Over" (No. 2, peak date: Aug. 24, 1991)
28. KISS
The larger-than-life hard-rock act exploded after 1975
live set "Alive!," bringing songs such as "Rock and Roll
All Nite" -- and the band's ever-present glam-rock makeup --
to an audience of millions. "Beth" brought Kiss to the top 10
of the Hot 100 in 1976; "Forever," which peaked at No. 8,
returned them to the top 10 club in 1990.
Highest Charting Hot 100 Hits: "Beth" (No. 7, peak date: Dec. 4, 1976); "Forever" (No. 8, peak date: April 21, 1990)
27. Donald Fagen (Steely Dan)
Co-founded by Fagen, Steely Dan stands as of the '70s'
most enigmatic groups. The band infused their sharp,
sometimes sarcastic rock with jazz chops and studio
perfectionism on albums such as key 1975 set "Katy Lied.
Highest Charting Hot 100 Hit: "Rikki Don't Lose That Number" (No. 4, peak date: Aug. 3, 1974)
26. Mark Knopfler (Dire Straits)
Knopfler and Dire Straits hit the top 10 of the Hot 100
with 1979's "Sultans of Swing" but the MTV-era brought
the rockers their biggest hit, "Money For Nothing," which
name-checks the music channel and features backing vocals by
Sting.
Highest Charting Hot 100 Hit: "Money For Nothing" (No. 1 for 3 weeks, peak date: Sept. 21, 1985)
25. Bob Dylan
Few artists have carried more influence or been more
provocative in the rock era than Dylan, born Robert
Zimmerman, whose '60s protest songs gave way to an electric
epiphany and later, a gospel period as 1979's "Slow Train
Coming" marked his conversion to Christianity.
Highest Charting Hot 100 Hits:
"Like A Rolling Stone" (No. 2, peak date: Sept. 4, 1965);
"Rainy Day Women #12 & #35" (No. 2, peak date: May 21,
1966)
24. The J. Geils Band
A live juggernaut, the hard-touring group drew upon
soul, blues and rock throughout the '70s. The band's 1981
album "Freeze-Frame," spawned two singles that reached the top
five of the Hot 100: the title song and "Centerfold."
Highest Charting Hot 100 Hit: "Centerfold" (No. 1 for 6 weeks, peak date: Feb. 6, 1982)
23. Eric Carmen
After '70s power-pop beginnings with the Raspberries
(and a Hot 100 No. 2 solo hit with "All By Myself), the
rocker wrote hits for the "Footloose" and "Dirty Dancing"
soundtracks, hitting the top five with his own "Hungry Eyes"
in 1988.
Highest Charting Hot 100 Hit: "All By Myself" (No. 2, peak date: March 6, 1976)
22. Lesley Gore
The '60s singer was a successful solo voice during the
girl-group era with songs such as "It's My Party" and
1964's "You Don't Own Me" -- an influence on decades of
independent women to come.
Highest Charting Hot 100 Hit: "It's My Party" (No. 1 for 2 weeks, peak date: June 1, 1963)
21. Carole King
The prolific songwriter rose to fame notching hits for
Aretha Franklin, the Crystals and other '60s stars, and
she proved her solo chops with 1971's big-selling "Tapestry"
and the smash "It's Too Late / I Feel The Earth Move."
Highest Charting Hot 100 Hit: "It's Too Late / I Feel The Earth Move" (No. 1 for 5 weeks, peak date: June 19, 1971)
20. Drake
The "Take Care" MC, whose mom is Jewish, celebrated his
heritage alongside Young Money label boss Lil Wayne in
the Bar Mitzvah-themed video for "HYFR" earlier this year. His
biggest Hot 100 celebration so far has been his featured spot
on Rihanna's No. 1 hit "What's My Name?"
Highest Charting Hot 100 Hit: "What's My Name?" Rihanna feat. Drake (No. 1, peak date: Nov. 20, 2010)
19. Bette Midler
The Divine Miss M showcased her many talents on stage
and screen. Her biggest hit encompassed both talents:
1989's "Wind Beneath My Wings," which reached No. 1, was from
the film "Beaches," in which the singer also co-starred.
Highest Charting Hot 100 Hit: "Wind Beneath My Wings" (No. 1, peak date: June 10, 1989)
18. David Lee Roth (Van Halen)
Exuberant frontman David Lee Roth singing atop Eddie Van
Halen's Olympic-level guitar solos helped the hard-rock
act dominate the late '70s/early '80s rock scene, earning a
No. 1 hit with "Jump" in 1984.
Highest Charting Hot 100 Hit: "Jump" (No. 1, peak date: Feb. 25, 1984)
17. Chris Stein (Blondie)
New York punk/new wave rockers Blondie wouldn't have
been Blondie without both Debbie Harry AND guitarist Chris
Stein. From 1979 to 1981, the group scored a whopping four Hot
100 No. 1s including "Heart of Glass," "Call Me," "The Tide
Is High," and "Rapture."
Highest Charting Hot 100 Hit: "Call Me" (No. 1 for 6 weeks, peak date: April 19, 1980)
16. Susanna Hoffs (Bangles)
Led by singer-guitarist Susanna Hoffs, the all-female
band became synonymous with the '80s thank to songs such
as "Manic Monday" and "Walk Like an Egyptian."
Highest Charting Hot 100 Hit: "Walk Like An Egyptian" (No. 1 for 4 weeks, peak date: Dec. 20, 1986)
15. Herb Alpert
The band leader reached the top 10 with The Tijuana
Brass in the early '60s, but he rose to No. 1 with a
memorable version of Burt Bacharach and Hal David's "This
Guy's In Love With You" in 1968 and again with "Rise" in
1979.
Highest Charting Hot 100 Hit: "This Guy's In Love With You" (No. 1 for 4 weeks, peak date: June 22, 1968)
14. Carly Simon
With "You're So Vain," the '70s singer/songwriter posed
a pop culture question that's yet to be answered -- who
is the song about? -- and scored a huge No. 1 hit in a decade
where she also notched several other Hot 100 top 10s.
Highest Charting Hot 100 Hit: "You're So Vain" (No. 1 for 3 weeks, peak date: Jan. 6, 1973)
13. Paul Simon
Paul Simon has been such a force in popular music, he's
earned a spots on this list both as a member of Simon
& Garfunkel and for his own rich solo career. His reached
the Hot 100 top 10 for songs such as "Mother and Child
Reunion" and "Kodachrome," but the singer/songwriter's top
solo hit came in 1976 with the No. 1 song "50 Ways To Leave
Your Lover."
Highest Charting Hot 100 Hit: "50 Ways To Leave Your Lover" (No. 1 for 3 weeks, peak date: Feb. 7, 1976)
12. Taylor Dayne
With debut album "Tell It To My Heart," the dance-pop
singer went double platinum and landed a handful of top 10
hits, including a No. 7 showing in 1988 with the
synth-powered title track. She rose the highest, however, two
years later with the ballad "Love Will Lead You Back," which
hit the top.
Highest Charting Hot 100 Hit: "Love Will Lead You Back" (No. 1, peak date: April 7, 1990)
11. Helen Reddy
The '60s and '70s singer-actress had 14 top 40 hits,
with chart-toppers such as "Delta Dawn," "Angie Baby" and
"I Am Woman."
Highest Charting Hot 100 Hits:
"I Am Woman" (No. 1, peak date: Dec. 9, 1972); "Delta Dawn"
(No. 1, peak date: Sept. 15, 1973); "Angie Baby" (No. 1,
peak date: Dec. 28, 1974)
10. Simon & Garfunkel
Thanks "The Sounds of Silence," the New York duo
comprised of Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel became known as
perceptive, golden-voiced icons of the '60s folk movement (and
earned two weeks at No. 1 on the Hot 100 in 1966 with the
song while they were at it).
Highest Charting Hot 100 Hits:
"Bridge Over Troubled Water" (No. 1 for 6 weeks, peak date:
Feb. 28, 1970); "Mrs. Robinson" (No. 1 for 3 weeks, peak date:
June 1, 1968)
9. Michael Bolton
The "Time, Love and Tenderness" singer took adult
contemporary to a new level when his 1990 song "How Am I
Supposed To Live Without You" and his 1991 cover of "When a
Man Loves a Woman," which both became Hot 100 No. 1 hits.
Highest Charting Hot 100 Hits:
"How Am I Supposed To Live Without You" (No. 1 for 3 weeks,
peak date: Jan. 20, 1990); "When A Man Loves A Woman" (No. 1,
peak date: Nov. 23, 1991)
8. Adam Levine (Maroon 5)
Since early hits such as 2002's "This Love," the
pop-rockers have made climbing the charts routine, with the
band's success extending to frontman Adam Levine's role as a
coach on "The Voice."
Highest Charting Hot 100 Hits:
"One More Night" (No. 1 for 9 weeks, peak date: Sept. 29,
2012); "Moves Like Jagger" (No. 1 for 4 weeks, peak date:
Sept. 10, 2011)
7. Neil Sedaka
The singer and composer's songs landed him his first
"American Bandstand" appearance in 1958, with '60s hit
"Breaking Up Is Hard to Do" covered by everyone from the
Partridge Family to the Four Seasons.
Highest Charting Hot 100 Hit: "Bad Blood" (No. 1 for 3 weeks, peak date: Oct. 11, 1975)
6. P!nk
The "Get the Party Started" singer has become one of the
decade's biggest, boldest pop divas, offering sass in
hits including "So What" and "Blow Me (One Last Kiss)." Her
biggest hit (so far) came as a huge collab with fellow singers
Christina Aguilera, Mya, and Lil Kim on a 2001 cover of "Lady
Marmalade."
Highest Charting Hot 100 Hits:
"Lady Marmalade" w/ Christina Aquilera, Lil Kim, Mya (No. 1
for 5 weeks, peak date: June 2, 2001); "So What" (No. 1, peak
date: Sept. 27, 2008); "Raise Your Glass" (No. 1, peak
date: Dec. 11, 2010
5. Paula Abdul
The award-winning choreographer and "Straight Up"
singer, who was a regular on the Hot 100 in the late '80s and
early '90s, found her next burst of fame as Simon Cowell's
foil at the judge's table on the game-changing "American
Idol."
Highest Charting Hot 100 Hits:
"Rush Rush" (No. 1 for 5 weeks, peak date: June 15, 1991);
"Straight Up" (No. 1 for 3 weeks, peak date: Feb. 11,
1989); "Opposites Attract" w/ The Wild Pair (No. 1 for 3
weeks, peak date: Feb. 10, 1990)
4. Barry Manilow
The "I Write the Songs" singer had his beloved brand of
pop immortalized on the stage and screen in the musical
"Copacabana."
Highest Charting Hot 100 Hits:
"Mandy" (No. 1, peak date: Jan. 18, 1975); "I Write The
Songs" (No. 1, peak date: Jan. 17, 1976); "Looks Like We Made
It" (No. 1, peak date: July 23, 1977);
3. Barbra Streisand
With a career spanning film, Broadway and music, the
"Funny Girl" star has released No. 1 albums on the
Billboard 200 across decades -- and picked up Oscars and
Grammys along the way.
Highest Charting Hot 100 Hits:
"The Way We Were" (No. 1 for 3 weeks, peak date: Feb. 2,
1974); "Woman In Love" (No. 1 for 3 weeks, peak date: Oct. 25,
1980); "Evergreen ( Love Theme From 'A Star Is Born')"
(No. 1 for 3 weeks, peak date: March 5, 1977)
2. Neil Diamond
Penning the Monkees' "I'm a Believer" made him a
songwriting star, but solo hits such as "Sweet Caroline" and
"Song Sung Blue" made him a music legend in his own right.
Highest Charting Hot 100 Hits:
"You Don't Bring Me Flowers" w/ Barbra Streisand (No. 1 for 2
weeks, peak date: Dec. 2, 1978); "Song Sung Blue" (No. 1,
peak date: July 1, 1972); "Cracklin' Rosie" (No. 1, peak
date: Oct. 10, 1970)
1. Billy Joel
The "Piano Man" and Rock and Roll Hall of Famer boasts
seven Hot 100 top five hits -- spanning decades --
including a trio of No. 1s: "We Didn't Start The Fire," It's
Still Rock And Roll To Me" and "Tell Her About It."
Highest Charting Hot 100 Hits:
"It's Still Rock and Roll To Me" (No. 1 for 2 weeks, peak
date: July 19, 1980); "We Didn't Start The Fire" (No. 1 for 2
weeks, peak date: Dec. 9, 1989)
SOURCE FROM: http://www.billboard.com
