The Billboard Hot 100 is a chart that ranks the best-performing singles of the United States. Published by Billboard magazine, the data are compiled by Nielsen SoundScan based collectively on each single's weekly physical sales and airplays.
Twelve singles topped the chart during the year. "On Bended Knee" by Boyz II Men began its peak at the top in 1994. The longest running number-one single of 1995 is "Fantasy" by Mariah Carey, which logged eight weeks atop the chart. The second longest-reigning number one single is a three-way tie between "Take a Bow" by Madonna, "This Is How We Do It" by Montell Jordan, and "Waterfalls" by TLC, with seven weeks each.
"One Sweet Day" by Mariah Carey and Boyz II Men held the record for the longest running song at number-one on the Billboard Hot 100 with 16 weeks. It also broke the 14-week record held by Whitney Houston's "I Will Always Love You" and Boyz II Men's "I'll Make Love to You". Five of those weeks were logged in 1995 and the other 11 weeks were logged in 1996. Michael Jackson's "You Are Not Alone" became the first single to debut at number-one on the Billboard Hot 100 and holds the Guinness World Record as the first song in the 37-year history of the Billboard Hot 100 to debut at number one. In addition, "Fantasy", "Exhale (Shoop Shoop)" by Whitney Houston, and "One Sweet Day" also debuted at number-one on the Billboard Hot 100.
That year, 5 acts earned their first number one song: TLC, Montell Jordan, Seal, Coolio, and L.V. Mariah Carey and TLC were the only acts to hit number one more than once, with two songs each.
Chart history +KeyThe yellow background indicates the #1 song on Billboards 1995 Year-End Chart of Pop Singles. Issue dateSongArtist(s)reJanuary 7 "On Bended Knee" Boyz II MenJanuary 14January 21794January 28 "Creep" TLCFebruary 4February 11February 18795February 25 "Take a Bow" MadonnaMarch 4March 11March 18March 25April 1April 8796April 15 "This Is How We Do It" Montell JordanApril 22April 29May 6May 13May 20May 27797June 3 "Have You Ever Really Loved a Woman?" Bryan AdamsJune 10June 17June 24July 1798July 8 "Waterfalls" TLCJuly 15July 22July 29August 5August 12August 19799August 26 "Kiss from a Rose" Seal800September 2 "You Are Not Alone" Michael Jackson801September 9 "Gangsta's Paradise" Coolio featuring L.V.September 16September 23802September 30 "Fantasy" Mariah CareyOctober 7October 14October 21October 28November 4November 11November 18803November 25 "Exhale (Shoop Shoop)" Whitney Houston804December 2 "One Sweet Day" Mariah Carey and Boyz II MenDecember 9December 16December 23December 30
Number-one artists + List of number-one artists by total weeks at number one Position Artist Weeks at No. 1 1 Mariah Carey 13 2 TLC 11 3 Boyz II Men 8 4 Madonna 7 Montell Jordan 6 Bryan Adams 5 7 Coolio 3 L.V. 9 Seal 1 Michael Jackson Whitney Houston
See also 1995 in music List of Billboard number-one singles List of Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles of the 1990s
References
Additional sources Fred Bronson's Billboard Book of Number 1 Hits, 5th Edition () Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955-2008, 12 Edition () Joel Whitburn Presents the Billboard Hot 100 Charts: The Nineties () Additional information obtained can be verified within Billboard's online archive services and print editions of the magazine.