Rushing to Number One 20 Years Ago Today

In December 1984 and January 1985, Madonna’s “Like A Virgin” spent six weeks at the top of Billboard‘s Hot 100 chart.  Over the next six-and-a-half years, no song would spend more than 4 weeks at the top.  It is the longest time period in Hot 100 history without a song spending more than 4 weeks at the top.  That run would end in the summer of 1991, when Paula Abdul’s “Rush Rush,” the first single off her second album, Spellbound, spent 5 weeks at number 1.  Indeed, before the summer was through, two songs would spend more than 4 weeks at the top.  After EMF’s “Unbelievable” followed “Rush Rush” with a one-week stay at the top, Bryan Adams’ “Everything I Do (I Do It for You)” would reign for 7 weeks.

Exactly 20 years ago, “Rush Rush” began its stay at the top of the charts, as it rose to number 1 for the first of its 5 weeks there.  It’s rise to the top was, appropriately enough, a “rush,” as it hit number in just its sixth week on the chart.