BIG JUKEBOX HITS 1960 AND BEYOND
It was during the 60's and beyond that the jukebox took a back seat to personal ownership. People wanted their own copies of their favorite songs to play at  home, and today, the iPod and the iPad and other such electronic gadgets have become like personal virtual jukeboxes. In fact, one sees very few venues that have jukeboxes any more; even local bars often have live bands and singers.

THE YEAR WAS 1970. THE GROUP WAS CALLED SIMON & GARFUNKEL. THE SONG HIT #1 AND SEEMED TO STAY THERE FOREVER...

              "BRIDGE OVER TROUBLED WATERS"

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              MARCH, 1971

Oddly enough jukeboxes were still cranking out top hits well into the early 70's, and these guys really made their presence known on the nation's jukeboxes...

Six weeks at #1 and charting for over 4 months, "JOY TO THE WORLD" was popular everywhere, but especially on the jukeboxes. "Jeremiah was a bullfrog , indeed!"

That wasn't all for this rock group...They were hot! hot! hot!  In 1970, they had their first #1 jukebox hit with "Mama Told Me Not To Come", 16 weeks on the charts. And the hits continued after that as well. You may recall some of these:

"ONE" 
"EASY TO BE HARD"  
"CELEBRATE"
"AN OLD FASHIONED LOVE SONG"
"NEVER BEEN TO SPAIN"
"BLACK AND WHITE"
"SHAMBALA" 
"THE SHOW MUST GO ON"

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ALTHOUGH IT IS A RARE EVENT, COMEDY SONGS DO MANAGE TO RULE THE CHARTS AND JUKEBOXES EVERY SO OFTEN.  HERE IS ONE THAT STAYED ON TOP IN 1963 FOR ALLAN SHERMAN (IT WAS ALSO A BIG HIT IN THE UK).  SUMMER CAMPERS ESPECIALLY LIKED THIS ONE!

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      1961  MISS PATSY CLINE

After a monster hit in 57 with "WALKIN AFTER MIDNIGHT", Patsy returned in '61 to take charge of American Jukeboxes with two hits. It was not just a "country" affair!

1972...THE BIGGEST SONG ON THE CHARTS AND THE JUKEBOXES FOR THE YEAR WAS BY NEWCOMER, ROBERTA FLACK.  SOME CALL IT THE MAIN LOVE SONG OF THE 70'S (LIKE "SECRET LOVE" WAS FOR THE 1950'S).  PREVIOUSLY A POPULAR FOLK TUNE,  ROBERTA SLOWED IT DOWN AND HAD A GIGANTIC HIT WITH
    "THE FIRST TIME EVER I SAW YOUR FACE"

      1969-1970   THE BEATLES
FIVE YEARS AFTER THEY TOOK THE AMERICAN MUSIC CHARTS AND JUKEBOXES BY STORM, THE BEATLES OFTEN HAD 5 OR 6 SONGS ON THE JUKEBOX AT THE SAME TIME. IN 1969, THIS WAS ONE THAT PULLED IN LOTS OF QUARTERS ON THE NATIONAL JUKEBOXES
              

ONE RECORD BASICALLY SUMMARIZES THE 60'S AND THE 70'S. IT ONLY REACHED #28 ON THE CHARTS BUT IT HAS REMAINED ON BOTH JUKE BOXES AND ON THE RADIO AS A CENTRAL THEME OF THE TIME....THAT "OLD TIME ROCK AND ROLL".

ALTHOUGH THERE WERE MANY ACTS FROM ENGLAND WHO VIED FOR THE TOP JUKEBOX SPOTS, THERE WERE FEW WHO COULD COMPETE WITH THE BEATLES. NOTE: WE SAID "FEW" NOT "NONE".  HERE ARE SOME OF THE OTHERS WHO MADE THE MARK WITH ONE OF THEIR BIGGEST HITS:

          THE ROLLING STONES

          HERMAN'S HERMITS

        THE DAVE CLARK FIVE  (DC5)

     GERRY AND THE PACEMAKERS