The Beatles: All US Number Ones Ranked Worst To Best
12. I Want to Hold Your Hand (1964)
1st Number One, 1964 - Written by John Lennon & Paul McCartney
The Beatles' first US number one is the most difficult to rank. In the context of their entire discography, or even their chart-toppers alone, it's not a standout song by any means; in the context of pop history, however, it was a massive cultural moment. Before it hit big, the charts were riddled with cover versions of classic jazz standards - what we would later call 'elevator music.' When I Want to Hold Your Hand came along, it was different, energetic, and loud - though not louder than the screaming fans that made Beatlemania what it was.
It's a great song, but the group went on to release much better ones. In fact, the two singles which succeeded this at the top (one of which was older) were an improvement.
Fun Fact: Both this song and She Loves You were rerecorded in German because producers believed the band wouldn't sell in Germany otherwise. They were wong.