1971 No 1 Hit That Topped the Charts for 4 Weeks Ranked the ‘Greatest Song in American History'

We'll keep you in the know on the hottest new gear, whiskey releases, TV shows and movies, and deals everyone's talking about. select all In 1971, a song was released that would go on to top the charts for an impressive four weeks and become a hallmark of the era's music. Decades later, that track, Don McLean's 'American Pie,' would be ranked as the 'Greatest Song in American History' while topping a star-studded list. The Four Weeks 'American Pie' by Don McLean Ruled the Charts After Don McLean released 'American Pie' in October 1971, the iconic track didn't instantly become a huge hit. Instead, it only entered the Billboard Hot 100 on November 27, where it would continue to climb. Ultimately, it reached No. 1 on January 15, 1972, and it was popular enough to stay on top for a total of four weeks. In May 2026, McLean performed at the Grand Ole Opry's historic 100th anniversary celebration. As a Nashville Music Line article noted, he was presented with Platinum records at that event by a representative of the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). That ceremony proved the song 'American Pie' had become a massive success when it was certified 6x Platinum, meaning more than six million units of the single had been sold. The album of the same name was also certified at 2x Platinum at the same time. Who Ranked 'American Pie' by Don McLean the 'Greatest Song in American History'? The website History Snob compiled a ranking of the '20 Greatest Songs in American History Everyone Should Listen To.' The list featured tracks from legends like the Eagles, Bruce Springsteen, Marvin Gaye, Billie Holiday, Neil Diamond, Elvis Presley, Sam Cooke, and more. The song that was chosen to surpass them all and top the ranking was Don McLean's 'American Pie.' Notably, that is far from the only time the track's legacy has been celebrated. Nearly three decades after the song was released, its immense staying power was recognized. As a March 2001 CNN article noted, the RIAA and the National Endowment for the Arts compiled a list of the 'Songs of the Century.' Don McLean's 'American Pie' was ranked at No. 5. It was only surpassed by Judy Garland's 'Over the Rainbow,' Bing Crosby's 'White Christmas,' Woody Guthrie's 'This Land Is Your Land,' and Aretha Franklin's 'Respect.' Next: 60 Years Ago, a 1966 Hit Once Ranked the 'Greatest Song of All Time' Debuted on the Chart About the author Matthew Thomas Trending News Writer Matthew brings more than a decade of experience writing about pop culture, movies, TV shows, wrestling, comic books, true crime, weather conditions, safety tips, taxes, wildlife, archaeology, music, and trending news. He is also an experienced interviewer with a strong track record of speaking with high-profile talent and subject-matter experts.