That’s ‘Hot’…

It’s a fifty-year old that’s still relatively cool : Billboard is celebratng 50 years of keeping tabs on the music world’s ‘popular crowd’.

First published in Billboard’s August 8, 1958 issue, the Hot 100 was the “first list to measure popularity by incorporating both radio play and sales.”  So basically everything that’s begun migrating in the mainstream makes it on the Hot 100, often thus making it hated (or shunned) by music ‘purists’ and ‘alternative-lovers’ alike.

Just like the music industry itself, the Hot 100 has progressed with the generations.  Ricky Nelson was the first to score No. 1 with “Poor LIttle Fool”, while Flo Rida and Ke$ha currently rock the title with “Right Round”.

Billboard.com is celebrating with great lists galore. Check out the brand-spankin’-new countdowns featuring “One Hit Wonders”, “All Time Top Artists”, and even “Top 100 Songs of the Year - 1958-2007”, (what I like to refer to as the ‘Full Monty’ …)

What are YOUR favorite Hot 100 tunes? Which ‘unknown’ or ‘underground’ songs do you think deserve to make the list?