{{Short description|Billboard magazine charts}} {{Italic title|string=Billboard}} {{more footnotes needed|date=February 2012}} '''''Billboard'' Year-End''' charts are cumulative rankings of entries in ''Billboard'' magazine charts in the United States in any given chart year. Several hundred Year-End charts are now published by ''Billboard'', the most important of which are the single or album charts based on Hot 100 and ''Billboard'' 200 respectively.
''Billboard's'' "chart year" runs from the first Billboard "week" of December to the final week in November, but because the Billboard week is dated in advance of publication, the last calendar week for which sales are counted is usually the third week in November.<ref name="chart the year">{{cite magazine |last=Pietroluongo|first= Silvio|url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/1481472/the-best-of-2012-the-year-in-music |title=How We Chart The Year|magazine= Billboard|date= December 18, 2012}}</ref> This altered calendar allows for ''Billboard'' to calculate year-end charts and release them in time for its final print issue in the last week of December.
Due to this methodology, albums at the peak of their popularity at the time of the November/December chart-year cutoff many times end up ranked lower than one would expect on a year-end tally, yet are ranked on the following year's chart as well, as their cumulative points are split between the two chart years.
==History== Various listings, such as top radio tunes, popular songs on jukebox, top artists, and best-selling sheet music of the year, had been published for a number of years.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/40s/1940/Billboard-1940-01-06.pdf |title=Tin Pan Alley Grows Up|pages=3, 10 |date=January 6, 1940 |magazine=Billboard }}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/40s/1941/BB-1941-01-11.pdf |title=Top Music Machine Records of 1940 |date=January 11, 1941 |magazine=Billboard |page=9 }}</ref> Best-selling records of the year based on ''Billboard''{{'}}s Music Popularity Charts was also published for 1942.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/40s/1943/Billboard%201943-01-02.pdf |title=The Year's Top Recordings |magazine=Billboard |date=January 2, 1943|page=27 }}</ref> A chart covering the year 1945 based on "Honor Roll of Hits", where the same song by different artists were amalgamated into one, was published.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qBgEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PT12 |title=Mercer, Saintly-Joy Top in 1945 |magazine=Billboard |date=January 12, 1946 |pages=13, 24}}</ref>
In January 1947, Billboard released its inaugural charts for the year 1946,<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=txoEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PT2|title=The Billboard First Annual Music Record Poll |pages= 3, 12 |date=January 4, 1947 |magazine=Billboard}}</ref> initially called "Annual Music Record Poll", which included records charts where songs by different artists were listed separately.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=txoEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PT13|title=The Billboard First Annual Music Record Poll |pages= 10–16 |date=January 4, 1947 |magazine=Billboard}}</ref> In the early years, the annual charts for a particular year were dated to January the following year. Starting in 1952, the release date was moved earlier to December the same year to provide disk jockeys with listings for their end-of-year programming. The chart year therefore also shifted, for example, the year of 1952 covered the first week of the year until the December 20 issue and the charts published dated December 27,<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=rB8EAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA3 |title='Blue Tango' Tops 2 List in BB Honor Roll of Hits Recap |pages=1, 19 |magazine=Billboard|date=27 December 1952 }}</ref> while the 1953 year-end charts were dated December 19.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=awoEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA29 |title=1953 Top Popular Records |magazine=Billboard |date=December 19, 1953 |pages=28–29 }}</ref> The published dates have fluctuated, but Billboard's chart year now typically runs from the first Billboard "week" of December to the final week of November.<ref name="chart the year"/>
==Methodology== Prior to incorporating chart data from Nielsen SoundScan (from 1991), year-end charts were calculated by an inverse-point system based solely on a title's performance (for example a single appearing on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 would be given one point for a week spent at position 100, two points for a week spent at position ninety-nine, and so forth, up to 100 points for each week spent at number one).<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=txoEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PT11|title=Billboard's First Annual Chart Count |pages=12 |date=January 4, 1947 |magazine=Billboard}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=uyQEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PT52 |title=Chart Explanation |page=T-3 |date=December 28, 1985 |magazine=Billboard}}</ref> Other factors including the total weeks a song spent on the chart and at its peak position were calculated into its year-end total. The same method was used for albums based on the ''Billboard'' 200, and songs appearing on the other charts (e.g. Hot Country Singles).{{citation needed|date=May 2013}}
After ''Billboard'' began obtaining sales and airplay information from Nielsen SoundScan and Nielsen Broadcast Data Systems, the year-end charts are now calculated by a very straightforward cumulative total of yearlong sales (or sales and airplay) points.{{citation needed|date=May 2013}} This gives a more accurate picture of any given year's most popular titles, as an entry that hypothetically spent nine weeks at number one in the spring could possibly have earned fewer cumulative points than one spending six weeks at number three in January.
Exceptions appeared to be in the 1980s as songs with chart runs were as high as they were as if they were in the chart for a whole year. Two examples are "Desire" by U2 and "How Can I Fall?" by Breathe (both in 1988), which both peaked at number 3 in November and December, respectively. "Desire" came in at number 56 in the 1988 year-end, then "How Can I Fall?" would take the number 27 spot in 1989, despite "Desire" appearing in only nine issues of the chart in the 1988 charting year, and "How Can I Fall?" having appeared in five in 1989. ("He's So Shy" had 14 in the 1980 charting year and in 12 in that of 1981, but appeared in neither year-end.)
Songs are also not always placed as high in the Decade-End and All Time charts as they were in the Year-End. In the Decade-End, an example is in the 2008 year end which showed "No Air" by Jordin Sparks and Chris Brown and "I Kissed a Girl" by Katy Perry at numbers six and 14 respectively, but only "I Kissed a Girl" was in the decade-end of the two, at number 66. And another example is from the 1979 year end where "My Sharona" by The Knack is the number one song of 1979, but lower than "Hot Stuff" by Donna Summer in the all time chart. ("My Sharona" is number 95, "Hot Stuff" at No. 87 and number seven in the 1979 year-end.)
George Michael, the Beatles, Elton John (under Dionne & Friends for the song "That's What Friends Are For"), Elvis Presley, Percy Faith and Bruno Mars are the only artists to have ever achieved two year-end number-ones. The Beatles, Usher and Justin Bieber are the only three artists to hold the top-two positions of the Year-End Hot 100.<ref>{{cite magazine|last1=Caulfield|first1=Keith|title=The Year in Charts 2016: Adele Rules as Top Artist (Again!), Justin Bieber Leads Hot 100|url=https://www.billboard.com/pro/adele-top-billboard-artist-2016-justin-bieber/|access-date=September 23, 2021|magazine=Billboard|date=August 12, 2016}}</ref>
==''Billboard'' Number One Awards (1971–1989)== [[File:Bee Gees 1977.JPG|thumb|Bee Gees with a trophy of the 1977 ''Billboard'' Number One Awards]] Prior to the inauguration of the ''Billboard'' Music Awards in 1990, the magazine had the "Number One Awards" to honor the top-performing artists in each of the year-end chart categories.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=TiQEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PT92 | title=Billboard | date=14 April 1979 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=dSQEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PT56 | title=Billboard | date=25 February 1978 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1ycEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA18 | title=Billboard | date=9 February 1974 }}</ref> The first ''Billboard'' Number One Awards presentation was hosted by Gary Owens in August 1972 at Franco's La Taverna Restaurant, Los Angeles, where trophies were presented to artists who topped the 1971 year-end charts.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=eygEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA17 | title=Billboard | date=12 August 1972 }}</ref>
{| class="wikitable" |+ List of Top Artist winners at the ''Billboard'' Number One Awards |- ! Year ! Top Artist of the Year ! Top Albums Artist ! Top Singles Artist ! {{abbr|Ref|References}} |- | 1971 | {{n/a}} | Chicago | Three Dog Night | <ref>[https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/70s/1971/BB-1971-12-25-II-Talent.pdf Billboard 1971]World Radio History {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230131081702/https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/70s/1971/BB-1971-12-25-II-Talent.pdf |date=2023-01-31 }}</ref> |- | 1972 | {{n/a}} | Roberta Flack | Al Green (tie)<br>Michael Jackson (tie) | <ref>[https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/70s/1972/BB-1972-12-30-II-Talent-in-Action.pdf Billboard 1972]World Radio History {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230302060744/https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/70s/1972/BB-1972-12-30-II-Talent-in-Action.pdf |date=2023-03-02 }}</ref> |- | 1973 | {{n/a}} | Deep Purple | Gladys Knight & the Pips | <ref>[https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/70s/1973/Billboard%201973-12-29-II-Talent-in-Action.pdf Billboard 1973]World Radio History {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230227151912/https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/70s/1973/Billboard%201973-12-29-II-Talent-in-Action.pdf |date=2023-02-27 }}</ref> |- | 1974 | {{n/a}} | Jim Croce | Gladys Knight & the Pips | <ref>[https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/70s/1974/Billboard%201974-12-28-II-Talent-in-Action.pdf Billboard 1974]World Radio History {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230404162657/https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/70s/1974/Billboard%201974-12-28-II-Talent-in-Action.pdf |date=2023-04-04 }}</ref> |- | 1975 | {{n/a}} | Elton John | John Denver (male)<br>Linda Ronstadt (female)<br>America (group) | <ref>[https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/70s/1975/Billboard-1975-12-27-II-Talent-in-Action.pdf Billboard 1975]World Radio History {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230131082327/https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/70s/1975/Billboard-1975-12-27-II-Talent-in-Action.pdf |date=2023-01-31 }}</ref> |- | 1976 | {{n/a}} | Aerosmith | Diana Ross | <ref>[https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/70s/1976/Billboard%201976-12-25.pdf Billboard 1976]World Radio History {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230131081229/https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/70s/1976/Billboard%201976-12-25.pdf |date=2023-01-31 }}</ref> |- | 1977 | Stevie Wonder (male)<br>Linda Ronstadt (female)<br>Fleetwood Mac (group) | Fleetwood Mac | Rod Stewart | <ref>[https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/70s/1977/Billboard%201977-12-24.pdf Billboard 1977]World Radio History {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220507091910/https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/70s/1977/Billboard%201977-12-24.pdf |date=2022-05-07 }}</ref> |- | 1978 | Andy Gibb (male)<br>Linda Ronstadt (female)<br>Bee Gees (group) | Bee Gees | Bee Gees | <ref>[https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/70s/1978/Billboard%201978-12-23.pdf Billboard 1978]World Radio History {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210307160119/https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/70s/1978/Billboard%201978-12-23.pdf |date=2021-03-07 }}</ref> |- | 1979 | Billy Joel (male)<br>Donna Summer (female)<br>Bee Gees (group) | Billy Joel | Donna Summer | <ref>[https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/70s/1979/Billboard%201979-12-22.pdf Billboard 1979]World Radio History {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230406064347/https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/70s/1979/Billboard%201979-12-22.pdf |date=2023-04-06 }}</ref> |- | 1980 | Kenny Rogers (male)<br>Donna Summer (female)<br>Pink Floyd (group) | Pink Floyd | Michael Jackson | <ref>[https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/80s/1980/BB-1980-12-20.pdf Billboard 1980]World Radio History {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210629080942/https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/80s/1980/BB-1980-12-20.pdf |date=2021-06-29 }}</ref> |- | 1981 | REO Speedwagon | REO Speedwagon | Kenny Rogers | <ref name="auto">[https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/80s/1982/BB-1982-12-25.pdf Billboard 1982]World Radio History {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230708211719/https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/80s/1982/BB-1982-12-25.pdf |date=2023-07-08 }}</ref> |- | 1982 | The Go-Go's | The Go-Go's | Olivia Newton-John | <ref name="auto"/> |- | 1983 | Michael Jackson | Michael Jackson | Michael Jackson | <ref>[https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/80s/1983/BB-1983-12-24.pdf Billboard 1983]World Radio History {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210121214902/https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/80s/1983/BB-1983-12-24.pdf |date=2021-01-21 }}</ref> |- | 1984 | Lionel Richie | Lionel Richie | Lionel Richie | <ref>[https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/80s/1984/BB-1984-12-22.pdf Billboard 1984]World Radio History {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210924183851/https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/80s/1984/BB-1984-12-22.pdf |date=2021-09-24 }}</ref> |- | 1985 | Madonna | Prince and the Revolution | Madonna | <ref>[https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/80s/1985/BB-1985-12-28.II-Year-in-Music.pdf Billboard 1985]World Radio History {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210629193625/https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/80s/1985/BB-1985-12-28.II-Year-in-Music.pdf |date=2021-06-29 }}</ref> |- | 1986 | Whitney Houston | Whitney Houston | Janet Jackson | <ref>[https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/80s/1986/BB-1986-12-27.pdf Billboard 1986]World Radio History {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220923093148/https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/80s/1986/BB-1986-12-27.pdf |date=2022-09-23 }}</ref> |- | 1987 | Bon Jovi | Bon Jovi | Madonna | <ref>[https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/80s/1987/Billboard-1987-12-26.pdf Billboard 1987]World Radio History {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210629020345/https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/80s/1987/Billboard-1987-12-26.pdf |date=2021-06-29 }}</ref> |- | 1988 | George Michael | George Michael | George Michael | <ref>[https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/80s/1988/BB-1988-12-24.pdf Billboard 1988]World Radio History {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210628012030/https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/80s/1988/BB-1988-12-24.pdf |date=2021-06-28 }}</ref> |- | 1989 | New Kids on the Block | Guns N' Roses | Bobby Brown | <ref>[https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/80s/1989/BB-1989-12-23.pdf Billboard 1989]World Radio History {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210121211358/https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/80s/1989/BB-1989-12-23.pdf |date=2021-01-21 }}</ref> |- |}
==''Billboard'' year-end number ones== {{Main|List of Billboard Year-End number-one singles and albums}} ; Pop :''Singles: Best Sellers in Stores ('40s-1958), Billboard Hot 100 (1958-present)'' :''Albums: Best-Selling Popular Albums (1955–1956), Best-Selling Pop Albums (1956–1957), Best-Selling Pop LPs (1957–1959), Top LPs (1963–1972), Top LPs & Tapes (1972–1984), Top 200 Albums (1984), Top Pop Albums (1985–1991), The Billboard 200 Top Albums (1991–1992), Billboard 200 (1992-present)'', Top Artists (1981-present)<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://www.billboard.com/photos/6415105/billboard-artist-of-the-year-gallery-1981-to-2015 |title = Billboard's Artists of the Year: 1981-2015 {{!}} Billboard – Billboard| magazine=Billboard }}</ref>
Between 1959 and 1963 the chart was divided in a stereo chart and a mono chart and were named ''Best-Selling Stereophonic LPs and Best-Selling Monophonic LPs (1959–1960), Stereo Action Charts and Mono Action Charts (1960–1961), Action Albums—Stereophonic and Action Albums—Monophonic (1961) and Top LPs—Stereo and Top LPs—Monaural (1961–1963)''. ; R&B / Soul / Hip-hop :''Singles: Hot Soul Singles, Hot Black Singles, Hot R&B Singles, Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks, Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs'' <small>(Note: ''Billboard'' did not publish a singles chart for R&B songs from late 1963 through early 1965.)</small> :''Albums: Top Soul Albums, Top Black Albums, Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums'' ; Country :''Singles: Hot Country Singles, Hot Country Singles & Tracks, Hot Country Songs'' :''Albums: Top Country Albums''
==See also== * List of best-selling albums by year in the United States
==References== {{reflist}}
==Sources== *''Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955–2002'' ({{ISBN|0-89820-155-1}}) *''Joel Whitburn Presents the Billboard Albums, 6th edition'', ({{ISBN|0-89820-166-7}}) *Additional information obtained can be verified within ''Billboard''{{'}}s [http://www.billboard.biz online archive services] and print editions of the magazine.
==External links== *[https://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end ''Billboard'' Year-End charts]
{{Top Hot 100 Hits}} {{Hot Rap Songs year-end charts}} {{Billboard}} {{Billboard Year-End number one albums}} {{Billboard Year-End number one singles}}
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