List of Billboard Hot 100 number ones of 1961
These are the Billboard magazine Hot 100 number one hits of 1961.
| The yellow background indicates the #1 song on Billboard's 1961 Year-End Chart of Pop Singles. |
| Issue Date | Song | Artist(s) | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|
| January 2 | "Are You Lonesome Tonight?" | Elvis Presley | |
| January 9 | "Wonderland by Night" | Bert Kaempfert | |
| January 16 | |||
| January 23 | |||
| January 30 | "Will You Love Me Tomorrow" | The Shirelles | |
| February 6 | |||
| February 13 | "Calcutta" | Lawrence Welk | |
| February 20 | |||
| February 27 | "Pony Time" | Chubby Checker | |
| March 6 | |||
| March 13 | |||
| March 20 | "Surrender" | Elvis Presley | |
| March 27 | |||
| April 3 | "Blue Moon" | The Marcels | |
| April 10 | |||
| April 17 | |||
| April 24 | "Runaway" | Del Shannon | |
| May 1 | |||
| May 8 | |||
| May 15 | |||
| May 22 | "Mother-in-Law" | Ernie K-Doe | |
| May 29 | "Travelin' Man" | Ricky Nelson | |
| June 5 | "Running Scared" | Roy Orbison | |
| June 12 | "Travelin' Man" | Ricky Nelson | |
| June 19 | "Moody River" | Pat Boone | |
| June 26 | "Quarter to Three" | U.S. Bonds | |
| July 3 | |||
| July 10 | "Tossin' and Turnin'" | Bobby Lewis | |
| July 17 | |||
| July 24 | |||
| July 31 | |||
| August 7 | |||
| August 14 | |||
| August 21 | |||
| August 28 | "Wooden Heart" | Joe Dowell | |
| September 4 | "Michael" | The Highwaymen | |
| September 11 | |||
| September 18 | "Take Good Care of My Baby" | Bobby Vee | |
| September 25 | |||
| October 2 | |||
| October 9 | "Hit the Road Jack" | Ray Charles | |
| October 16 | |||
| October 23 | "Runaround Sue" | Dion | |
| October 30 | |||
| November 6 | "Big Bad John" | Jimmy Dean | |
| November 13 | |||
| November 20 | |||
| November 27 | |||
| December 4 | |||
| December 11 | "Please Mr. Postman" | The Marvelettes | |
| December 18 | "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" | The Tokens | |
| December 25 |
Sources
- Fred Bronson's Billboard Book of Number 1 Hits, 5th Edition (ISBN 0-8230-7677-6)
- Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955-2008, 12 Edition (ISBN 0-89820-180-2)
- Joel Whitburn Presents the Billboard Hot 100 Charts: The Sixties (ISBN 0-89820-074-1)
- Additional information obtained can be verified within Billboard's online archive services and print editions of the magazine.