The 1956–2012 window captures the entire lifecycle of the physical music industry, ending just as the Streaming Era began to fundamentally rewrite the rules of what constitutes a "hit".
Before the official "Hot 100" launched in August 1958, Billboard tracked hits through several charts, including "Best Sellers in Stores" and "Most Played by Jockeys". The year 1956 was dominated by Elvis Presley , whose "Heartbreak Hotel" and "Don't Be Cruel / Hound Dog" defined the sound of the mid-50s. billboard top 100 hits of 19562012 241gb link
: Comprehensive lists for every year, such as the Billboard Year-End Hot 100 singles of 2012 , provide a clear table of the top 100 songs. The 1956–2012 window captures the entire lifecycle of
~241 GB Scope: Billboard Top 100 Singles Timeline: 1956 to 2012 : Comprehensive lists for every year, such as
To give you a "piece" of what's inside, here are the top-ranked songs from the start and end dates of the collection: "Heartbreak Hotel" Elvis Presley "Don't Be Cruel" Elvis Presley "Somebody That I Used to Know" Gotye feat. Kimbra "Call Me Maybe" Carly Rae Jepsen Where to Find It