# List of Billboard Hot 100 number ones of 1961

These are the Billboard Hot 100 number one hits of 1961.
That year, 16 acts achieved their first number one song, such as Bert Kaempfert, The Shirelles, Lawrence Welk, The Marcels, Del Shannon, Ernie K-Doe, Roy Orbison, Gary U.S. Bonds, Bobby Lewis, Joe Dowell, The Highwaymen, Bobby Vee, Dion, Jimmy Dean, The Marvelettes, and The Tokens. Pat Boone, despite having most of his songs hit number one prior to the creation of the Hot 100, earns his first number one song on the chart.

## Chart history

Key :
* The yellow background indicates the #1 song on Billboard's 1961 Year-End Chart of Pop Singles.
| No. | Issue date | Song | Artist(s) |
| 42 | January 2 | "Are You Lonesome Tonight?" | Elvis Presley |
| 43 | January 9 | "Wonderland by Night" | Bert Kaempfert |
| 43 | January 16 | "Wonderland by Night" | Bert Kaempfert |
| 43 | January 23 | "Wonderland by Night" | Bert Kaempfert |
| 44 | January 30 | "Will You Love Me Tomorrow" | The Shirelles |
| 44 | February 6 | "Will You Love Me Tomorrow" | The Shirelles |
| 45 | February 13 | "Calcutta" | Lawrence Welk |
| 45 | February 20 | "Calcutta" | Lawrence Welk |
| 46 | February 27 | "Pony Time" | Chubby Checker |
| 46 | March 6 | "Pony Time" | Chubby Checker |
| 46 | March 13 | "Pony Time" | Chubby Checker |
| 47 | March 20 | "Surrender" | Elvis Presley |
| 47 | March 27 | "Surrender" | Elvis Presley |
| 48 | April 3 | "Blue Moon" | The Marcels |
| 48 | April 10 | "Blue Moon" | The Marcels |
| 48 | April 17 | "Blue Moon" | The Marcels |
| 49 | April 24 | "Runaway" | Del Shannon |
| 49 | May 1 | "Runaway" | Del Shannon |
| 49 | May 8 | "Runaway" | Del Shannon |
| 49 | May 15 | "Runaway" | Del Shannon |
| 50 | May 22 | "Mother-in-Law" | Ernie K-Doe |
| 51 | May 29 | "Travelin' Man" | Ricky Nelson |
| 52 | June 5 | "Running Scared" | Roy Orbison |
| re | June 12 | "Travelin' Man" | Ricky Nelson |
| 53 | June 19 | "Moody River" | Pat Boone |
| 54 | June 26 | "Quarter to Three" | Gary U.S. Bonds |
| 54 | July 3 | "Quarter to Three" | Gary U.S. Bonds |
| 55 | July 10 | "Tossin' and Turnin'" | Bobby Lewis |
| 55 | July 17 | "Tossin' and Turnin'" | Bobby Lewis |
| 55 | July 24 | "Tossin' and Turnin'" | Bobby Lewis |
| 55 | July 31 | "Tossin' and Turnin'" | Bobby Lewis |
| 55 | August 7 | "Tossin' and Turnin'" | Bobby Lewis |
| 55 | August 14 | "Tossin' and Turnin'" | Bobby Lewis |
| 55 | August 21 | "Tossin' and Turnin'" | Bobby Lewis |
| 56 | August 28 | "Wooden Heart" | Joe Dowell |
| 57 | September 4 | "Michael" | The Highwaymen |
| 57 | September 11 | "Michael" | The Highwaymen |
| 58 | September 18 | "Take Good Care of My Baby" | Bobby Vee |
| 58 | September 25 | "Take Good Care of My Baby" | Bobby Vee |
| 58 | October 2 | "Take Good Care of My Baby" | Bobby Vee |
| 59 | October 9 | "Hit the Road Jack" | Ray Charles |
| 59 | October 16 | "Hit the Road Jack" | Ray Charles |
| 60 | October 23 | "Runaround Sue" | Dion |
| 60 | October 30 | "Runaround Sue" | Dion |
| 61 | November 6 | "Big Bad John" | Jimmy Dean |
| 61 | November 13 | "Big Bad John" | Jimmy Dean |
| 61 | November 20 | "Big Bad John" | Jimmy Dean |
| 61 | November 27 | "Big Bad John" | Jimmy Dean |
| 61 | December 4 | "Big Bad John" | Jimmy Dean |
| 62 | December 11 | "Please Mr. Postman" | The Marvelettes |
| 63 | December 18 | "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" | The Tokens |
| 63 | December 25 | "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" | The Tokens |

## Number-one artists

List of number-one artists by total weeks at number one :
| Position | Artist | Weeks at No. 1 |
| 1 | Bobby Lewis | 7 |
| 2 | Jimmy Dean | 5 |
| 3 | Del Shannon | 4 |
| 4 | Bert Kaempfert | 3 |
| 4 | Chubby Checker | 3 |
| 4 | Elvis Presley | 3 |
| 4 | The Marcels | 3 |
| 4 | Bobby Vee | 3 |
| 9 | The Shirelles | 2 |
| 9 | Lawrence Welk | 2 |
| 9 | Ricky Nelson | 2 |
| 9 | Gary U.S. Bonds | 2 |
| 9 | The Highwaymen | 2 |
| 9 | Ray Charles | 2 |
| 9 | Dion | 2 |
| 9 | The Tokens | 2 |
| 17 | Ernie K-Doe | 1 |
| 17 | Roy Orbison | 1 |
| 17 | Pat Boone | 1 |
| 17 | Joe Dowell | 1 |
| 17 | The Marvelettes | 1 |