Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles (also known as Bubbling Under the Hot 100) is a chart published weekly by ''
Billboard
A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertise ...
'' magazine in the United States. The chart lists the top songs that have not yet charted on the main
''Billboard'' Hot 100. Chart rankings are based on radio airplay, sales, and streams. In its initial years, the chart listed 15 positions, but expanded to as many as 36 during the 1960s, particularly during years when over 700 singles made the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 chart. From 1974 to 1985, the chart consisted of 10 positions; since 1992, the Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles chart has listed 25 positions.
Chart history
The Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles chart was first introduced in the June 1, 1959 issue of ''Billboard'', under the name "Bubbling Under the Hot 100".
Containing a listing of 15 singles, the chart was described as "the new listing that predicts which new records will become chart climbers." Its first number-one single was "A Prayer and a Juke Box" by
Little Anthony and the Imperials
Little Anthony and the Imperials is an American rhythm and blues/soul vocal group from New York City founded by Clarence Collins in the 1950s and named in part for its lead singer, Jerome Anthony "Little Anthony" Gourdine, who was noted for his h ...
(The song would later peak at #81). It would continue to be published in issues of ''Billboard'' until August 24, 1985, after which it was discontinued.
Prior to its discontinuation, the chart had not been issued in four issues; three from 1974 and one in 1978.
However, it returned as a feature in the December 5, 1992, issue of ''Billboard'' and continues to the present day.
From the end of 1970 to 1985, there was a
Bubbling Under the Top LPs
Bubbling Under the Top LPs was a weekly record chart published in the United States by '' Billboard'' magazine in the 1970s and 1980s. A corollary to the Bubbling Under the Hot 100
Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles (also known as Bubbling Under the ...
album chart paired with the Bubbling Under the Hot 100.
Compilation methods and listing
From June 1959 through August 1985, ''Billboard'' compiled the chart based on playlists reported by radio station and retail sales outlets surveys. In 1992, ''Billboard'' employed updated
data capture
Automatic identification and data capture (AIDC) refers to the methods of automatically identifying objects, collecting data about them, and entering them directly into computer systems, without human involvement. Technologies typically considered ...
technology in compiling the chart, using point-of-sale retail information provided by
Nielsen SoundScan
Luminate (formerly Nielsen SoundScan, Nielsen Music Products, and MRC Data) is a provider of music sales data. Established by Mike Fine and Mike Shalett in 1991, data is collected weekly and made available every Sunday (for albums sales) and eve ...
, input from radio station airplay monitoring provided by Broadcast Data Systems and playlists from small-market systems.
The chart's first issue mentions that a rank position indicates "relative potential to earn an early listing on the Hot 100"
and records were ranked starting with number 1. From August 28, 1961, to August 24, 1985, the chart positions were numbered starting with number 101. Songs that have already appeared on the Hot 100 are not included in the Bubbling Under chart as they exit the charts, but may re-enter the Bubbling Under chart at a later date.
Changes and alterations
Over the years, the chart would undergo several changes and alterations. In the 1960s, the chart included as many as 35 slots; on two rare occasions in 1963 and 1968, the chart contained 36 slots.
By the 1980s, the chart contained only 10 slots.
On the first issue of its 1992 revival, the chart was renamed to "Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles" from its previous name, "Bubbling Under the Hot 100". The same issue increased the total number of slots on the chart to 25 and the chart numbering began with the number 1.
Publications
Several reference books on the history of the ''Billboard'' "Bubbling Under" charts have been published by chart statistician
Joel Whitburn
Joel Carver Whitburn (November 29, 1939 – June 14, 2022) was an American author and music historian, responsible for setting up the Record Research, Inc. series of books on record chart placings.
Early life
Joel Carver Whitburn was born in Wau ...
's company Record Research. The latest book to be published by the company was 2005's ''Bubbling Under the Billboard Hot 100: 1959-2004'' (). Whitburn's book ''Top Pop Singles, 12th Edition'' (), covers all ''Billboard'' Hot 100 and Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles chart entries from 1955 to 2008.
Chart milestones
* Songs which spent the most weeks on the Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles:
::
Pearl Jam
Pearl Jam is an American rock band formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1990. The band's lineup consists of founding members Jeff Ament (bass guitar), Stone Gossard (rhythm guitar), Mike McCready (lead guitar), and Eddie Vedder (lead vocals, guita ...
– "
Alive
Alive may refer to:
*Life
Books, comics and periodicals
* ''Alive'' (novel), a 2015 novel by Scott Sigler
* '' Alive: The Final Evolution'', a 2003 shonen manga by Tadashi Kawashima and Adachitoka
* '' Alive: The Story of the Andes Survivors'', ...
" (61 weeks, 1998–1999)
::Pearl Jam – "
Even Flow
"Even Flow" is a song by the American rock band Pearl Jam. Featuring lyrics written by vocalist Eddie Vedder and music written by guitarist Stone Gossard, "Even Flow" was released in 1992 as the second single from the band's debut album, '' ...
" (52 weeks, 1997–1998)
::
Lil Baby
Dominique Armani Jones (born December 3, 1994), known professionally as Lil Baby, is an American rapper, singer, and songwriter. He rose to mainstream fame in 2017 following the release of his mixtape ''Perfect Timing''. *Alt URL* * His deb ...
– "
Freestyle" (49 weeks, 2018–2019) (the song to spend the most time on the Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles before entering the Hot 100)
::
Benny Benassi
Marco "Benny" Benassi (; born 13 July 1967) is an Italian DJ, record producer and remixer. He is widely seen as a pioneer of electro house, a genre brought into the mainstream by his 2002 summer club hit " Satisfaction".
He started his career ...
featuring
Gary Go
Gary Baker, known professionally as Gary Go, is a British songwriter, producer, composer and media artist. He has written and produced songs performed by artists including Rihanna, Robbie Williams, Steve Angello, Benny Benassi, Gryffin, Take That ...
– "
Cinema
Cinema may refer to:
Film
* Cinematography, the art of motion-picture photography
* Film or movie, a series of still images that create the illusion of a moving image
** Film industry, the technological and commercial institutions of filmmaking
...
" (48 weeks, 2011–2012)
::
Luther Vandross
Luther Ronzoni Vandross Jr. (April 20, 1951 – July 1, 2005) was an American singer, songwriter, and record producer. Known for his sweet and soulful vocals, Vandross has sold over 40 million records worldwide. He achieved eleven consecutive P ...
– "
Think About You" (43 weeks, 2003–2004)
::
Rise Against
Rise Against is an American punk rock band from Chicago, formed in 1999. The group's current line-up comprises vocalist/rhythm guitarist Tim McIlrath, lead guitarist Zach Blair, bassist Joe Principe and drummer Brandon Barnes. Rooted in hardcor ...
– "
Savior
Savior or Saviour may refer to:
*A person who helps people achieve salvation, or saves them from something
Religion
* Mahdi, the prophesied redeemer of Islam who will rule for seven, nine or nineteen years
* Maitreya
* Messiah, a saviour or l ...
" (37 weeks, 2010)
::
Of Monsters and Men – "
Mountain Sound
"Mountain Sound" is a single by the Icelandic indie folk/indie pop band Of Monsters and Men. The song was released as the second single from the international version of their debut studio album, '' My Head Is an Animal''. It was written by Arna ...
" (36 weeks, 2012–2013)
::
Billie Eilish
Billie Eilish Pirate Baird O'Connell ( ; born December 18, 2001) is an American singer-songwriter. She first gained public attention in 2015 with her debut single " Ocean Eyes", written and produced by her brother Finneas O'Connell, with whom ...
– "
Bellyache" (32 weeks, 2018–2019)
* Released in 1982, "
Nasty Girl" by
Vanity 6
Vanity 6 was a short lived American female vocal trio that gained popularity in the early 1980s. They were protégés of musician Prince. Led by singer Vanity, they are known for their song " Nasty Girl."
History
Formation
In 1981, Prince, hi ...
spent a record seven weeks at number 101, but never cracked the ''Billboard'' Hot 100.
* American soul singer
Ray Charles
Ray Charles Robinson Sr. (September 23, 1930 – June 10, 2004) was an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. He is regarded as one of the most iconic and influential singers in history, and was often referred to by contemporaries as "The Ge ...
holds the record for having the most "bubblers" ever under a consistent artist credit, charting 14 of them from 1963 to 1993.
Don Everly
The Everly Brothers were an American rock duo, known for steel-string acoustic guitar playing and close harmony singing. Consisting of Isaac Donald "Don" Everly (February 1, 1937 – August 21, 2021) and Phillip "Phil" Everly (January 19, 1939 ...
also appears as an artist on 14 bubblers, 13 as one-half of
The Everly Brothers
The Everly Brothers were an American rock duo, known for steel-string acoustic guitar playing and close harmony singing. Consisting of Isaac Donald "Don" Everly (February 1, 1937 – August 21, 2021) and Phillip "Phil" Everly (January 19, 1939 ...
, and one as a solo artist. Similarly, Joel Whitburn also gives credit for 14 bubblers to
George Clinton's
Parliament/Funkadelic
Parliament-Funkadelic (abbreviated as P-Funk) is an American music collective of rotating musicians headed by George Clinton, primarily consisting of the funk bands Parliament and Funkadelic, both active since the 1960s. Their distinctive fu ...
aggregation, which issued records under a variety of band names or solo identities. On the Bubbling Under charts, the loose-knit group appeared three times as Parliament, once as The Parliaments, three times as Funkadelic, once as
The Brides of Funkenstein
The Brides of Funkenstein were an American Soul and Funk girl band, originally composed of singers Dawn Silva and Lynn Mabry.
History
Previously background singers for Sly Stone, singer of Sly and the Family Stone, Lynn Mabry and Dawn Silva jo ...
, twice as Bootsy's Rubber Band, once under the name of
William "Bootsy" Collins
William Earl "Bootsy" Collins (born October 26, 1951) is an American bass guitarist and singer.
Rising to prominence with James Brown in the early 1970s, and later with Parliament-Funkadelic, Collins established himself as one of the leading n ...
, and three times under George Clinton's name. It could be argued that at least some of these groups are actually separate (though related) artists, however Whitburn lists them as one act under multiple aliases.
*
The Robbs
The Robbs were an American 1960s pop and rock band from Oconomowoc, Wisconsin. They are best known for being the house band on Dick Clark's mid-1960s show ''Where The Action Is''. They are also known for placing the most singles on '' Billboar ...
hold the record for the act with the most appearances on the Bubbling Under chart without having any of their records cross over into the Hot 100. Between 1966 and 1971, six of the group's singles appeared on the bubbling under charts. Their best showing was 1966's "Race with the Wind", which peaked at number 3.
Slipknot comes in second place with five. Their highest peaking single is "
Psychosocial
The psychosocial approach looks at individuals in the context of the combined influence that psychological factors and the surrounding social environment have on their physical and mental wellness and their ability to function. This approach is ...
" at number 2.
*During the 1960s, there were as many as 35 slots in the Bubbling Under chart (with two exceptions; see below). Forty-three different songs grabbed the very bottom rung by peaking at number 135, including tunes from Donovan ("Summer Day Reflection Song"),
Doris Day
Doris Day (born Doris Mary Kappelhoff; April 3, 1922 – May 13, 2019) was an American actress, singer, and activist. She began her career as a big band singer in 1939, achieving commercial success in 1945 with two No. 1 recordings, " Sent ...
("Send Me No Flowers"),
The Applejacks ("
Tell Me When
"Tell Me When" is a song by British synthpop group the Human League, released as the first single from their seventh album, ''Octopus'' (1995). Written jointly by lead singer Philip Oakey and Paul C. Beckett, it was recorded at 'Human League St ...
", a Top 10 UK hit) and two from
Sammy Davis, Jr. ("Bee-Bom" and "If I Ruled The World").
The Nightcrawlers
The Nightcrawlers were an American garage rock band formed in Daytona Beach, Florida in 1965.
The group is best known for their hit single, "The Little Black Egg", which was written in 1965 for an Easter concert in which the band opened for The ...
cult classic "
The Little Black Egg" peaked at #135 in 1965, but was re-released and cracked the Hot 100 (at #85) two years later.
Shirley Ellis
Shirley Marie O'Garra (stage name Shirley Ellis, married name Shirley Elliston; January 19, 1929 – October 5, 2005) was an American soul music singer and songwriter of West Indian heritage. She is best known for her novelty hits " The Nitty Gri ...
also hit number 135 with "Ever See A Diver Kiss His Wife While The Bubbles Bounce About Above The Water?", the longest-titled song ever to "bubble under". ("Coal Man", by
Sir Mack Rice
Bonny "Mack" Rice (November 10, 1933 – June 27, 2016), sometimes credited as Sir Mack Rice, was an American songwriter and singer. His best-known composition and biggest hit as a solo performer was " Mustang Sally". He also wrote " Respe ...
, is the only song to spend ''two'' weeks at number 135, and peak there, in 1969.)
*The chart contained 36 positions on two occasions. The two records that appeared at number 136 were "The Bounce" by the Olympics (April 6, 1963; the song eventually hit number 40)
and "Turn Around, Look at Me" by the Vogues (May 25, 1968; a huge hit that peaked at number 7).
* One of the most mysterious records ever to appear in any ''Billboard'' chart was "
Ready 'n' Steady
"Ready 'n' Steady" is a song written by American musicians D. A. Lucchesi and Jim Franks, and performed by the group D. A. The song appeared on '' Billboard'' magazine's Bubbling Under the Hot 100 chart for three weeks in June 1979; however, for ma ...
", listed as recorded by an artist named "D. A.", which spent three weeks on the Bubbling Under chart in June 1979. In a 1995 interview, chart statistician
Joel Whitburn
Joel Carver Whitburn (November 29, 1939 – June 14, 2022) was an American author and music historian, responsible for setting up the Record Research, Inc. series of books on record chart placings.
Early life
Joel Carver Whitburn was born in Wau ...
stated that "Ready 'n' Steady" was "the only record we've never been able to find in the history of the pop charts." In the 4th edition of Whitburn's book ''Bubbling Under the Hot 100'', published in 2005, the entry for "D. A." was amended with a note stating "the existence of this record and artist is in question." The most recent edition of Whitburn's book ''Billboard's Top Pop Singles 1955–2010'', published in 2011, includes both Top 100 and Bubbling Under singles, but D. A. was not listed. In 2016, Whitburn finally located a tape recording of the song but determined that it had never been pressed onto a vinyl record, and that a
record promoter had managed to get the song on the ''Billboard'' chart. "D. A." was Dennis Armand Lucchesi (June 5, 1945 – August 18, 2005), a California-based mortgage broker and part-time musician.
References
{{Billboard
Billboard charts