Simon's Chart History

Here are the peak positions of Paul Simon’s songs on the “Billboard 100” charts, the duration they stayed on the charts, and the date they first entered the charts.
Billboard now tracks many different genres, and Simon's songs qualify in many of them, so this list is not comprehensive in that sense. So, after this list is another-- of all the various charts Simon's work has charted on!

PRE-S&G, SOLO
Motorcycle                               #99; 1 week, Jan. 1962 [member of Tico & the Triumphs]
Lone Teen Ranger                    #97, 3 weeks, Jan. 1963 [as Jerry Landis]

SIMON & GARFUNKEL
The Sounds of Silence            #1; 14 weeks, Nov. 1965 (#1 for 2 weeks)
Homeward Bound                  #5; 12 weeks, Feb. 1966
I Am a Rock                           #3; 11 weeks, May 1966
The Dangling Conversation    #25; 7 weeks, Aug. 1966
A Hazy Shade of Winter        #13; 9 weeks, Nov. 1966
At the Zoo                              #16; 9 weeks, Mar. 1967
Fakin’ It                                  #23; 8 weeks, Jul. 1967
Scarborough Fair                     #11; 11 weeks, Mar. 1968
Mrs. Robinson                         #1; 13 weeks, Apr. 1968 (#1 for 3 weeks)
The Boxer                               #7; 10 weeks, Apr. 1969

Bridge Over Troubled Water  #1; 14 weeks, Feb. 1970 (#1 for 6 weeks)
Cecilia                                    #4; 13 weeks, Apr. 1970
El Condor Pasa                       #18; 11 weeks, Nov. 1970
For Emily…                            #53; 7 weeks, Nov. 1972
America                                   #97; 2 weeks, 11 1972
My Little Town                       #9; 14 weeks, Oct, 1975

Wake Up Little Susie (cover) #27; 11 weeks, Apr. 1982

PAUL SIMON, SOLO
Mother & Child Reunion        #4; 13 weeks, Feb. 1972
Me & Julio…                          #22; 11 weeks, Apr. 1972
Duncan                                    #52; 7 weeks, Jul. 1972
Kodachrome                           #2; 14 weeks, May 1973
Loves Me Like a Rock            #2; 16 weeks, Aug. 1973 [with Dixie Hummingbirds]
American Tune                        #35; 10 weeks, Dec. 1973
Gone at Last                            #23; 10 weeks, Aug. 1975 [with Phoebe Snow]
50 Ways to Leave…               #1; 17 weeks, Dec. 1975 (#1 for 3 weeks)
Still Crazy...                           #40, 7 weeks, May 1976
Slip Slidin’ Away                   #5; 20 weeks, Oct. 1977
Wonderful World (cover)        #17; 14 weeks, Jan. 1978 [with Garfunkel & James Taylor]

Late in the Evening                 #6; 16 weeks, Aug. 1980
One-Trick Pony                       #40; 11 weeks, Oct. 1980
The Blues                                #51; 8 weeks, Jan. 1983 [with Randy Newman]
Allergies                                  #44; 10 weeks, Dec. 1983
Graceland                                #81; 7 weeks, Dec. 1986
The Boy in the Bubble            #86; 4 weeks, Mar. 1987
You Can Call Me Al               #23; 29 weeks, Aug. 1986

The Obvious Child                  #92; 5 weeks, Dec. 1990

Here are the various Billboard charts on which Simon's songs, albums-- and even the man himself-- have appeared.

Song Charts
Hot 100 (see above)
Billboard 200
Hot Rock Songs
Hot Rock and Alternative
Adult Contemporary
Dance Club Songs
Greatest Songs of Summer

Album Charts
Top Album Sales
Top Current Album Sales
Americana/Folk Albums
Top Rock Albums
Top Rock and Alternative Albums
Jazz Albums
Contemporary Jazz Albums
Catalog Albums
Independent Albums
Tastemaker Albums
Vinyl Albums

Airplay/Digital Charts
Mainstream Rock Airplay
Alternative Airplay
Adult Alternative Airplay
Rock and Alternative Airplay
Rock Digital Song Sales

Artist Charts
Artist 100
Greatest All Time Artists
Rock and Alternative Songwriters

International Charts
3 Canadian charts
UK Album Chart
Greece Albums




4 comments:

  1. UnknownMay 25, 2016 at 5:38 AM

    Interesting to compare this to the UK chart positions. Paul Simon did better in US during the late 70s/early 80s but after Graceland the UK chart was kinder and has featured singles not even listed here:

    You Can Call Me Al #4
    Boy In The Bubble #26
    Graceland #98
    Diamonds on The Soles of Her Shoes #77
    The Obvious Child #15
    Proof #89
    Something So Right (with Annie Lennox) #44
    Father & Daughter #31
    You Can Call Me Al (in 2011!) #96

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. S. Adam BernsteinJuly 22, 2022 at 10:27 PM

      True, there was just a Jeopardy Final that was innacurate due to this. It was the most recent top 40 hit up to 1993. The answer was supposed to be You can call me Al, but Obvious Child was top 40 in both the UK and US album rock.

      Delete
    2. Another PaulJuly 31, 2022 at 9:24 PM

      Mr. Bernstein-- I would wager that most people don't know about the huge variety of music charts there are. A given song or album can be considered for many categories and genre-based charts. I think when asked about the "Top 40," almost everyone considers that to mean "one of the top 40 hits in the Billboard Hot 100"-- not in just any of the dozens of charts Billboard assesses.
      Others, I agree are freer with what "#1" means. For example, on Michael Jackson's album called "#1s," 6 of the songs reached #1... just not in the US. I would guess that some of the songs on Tim McGraw's album "Number One Hits" were #1 on the country charts, but not the Hot 100.
      The Jeopardy clue seems clear.

      Delete
  2. Another PaulMay 30, 2016 at 8:51 PM

    Matthew-- Thank you! This is very helpful and informative.

    ReplyDelete

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