This week on the Hot 100, Luis Fonsi, Daddy Yankee and Justin Bieber's global blockbuster "Despacito" is steady in first place, earning it a new spot in the history books as one of the biggest hits of all time. Spending 16 frames atop the all-genre tally would be a career-defining accomplishment for any act, but this feat is made all the more special because of the fact that "Despacito" is primarily not in English. Most works not in English don't perform as well in this country as those that are, and in fact, there have only ever been seven No. 1 hits in U.S. history that weren't in the most popular language in this country.
This week seems to be the last in charge for "Despacito," so here's a look at all seven of the non-English singles that ruled America for at least one frame.
Luis Fonsi, Daddy Yankee and Justin Bieber - “Despacito”
What’s left to say about “Despacito” that hasn’t already been said? By now, everyone in America has heard this English/Spanish track, and if they haven’t...where have they been hiding? “Despacito” is not only one of just seven songs sung in another tongue to rule the Hot 100, it’s also the longest-running No. 1 smash ever...one of them, at least. After Justin Bieber jumped on the popular cut, it was unstoppable, and it is now tied at 16 weeks in charge alongside Mariah Carey and Boyz II Men’s “One Sweet Day,” and it looks like it may stop right there.
Los Del Rio - “Macarena”
If there is one title on this list that’s even more well-known than “Despacito,” it’s “Macarena,” which has since become known as “The Macarena,” signifying that it has earned some serious respect in the decades since it topped the Hot 100. The song, which controlled the all-genre (and all-language) singles tally back in 1996 for an incredible 14 weeks, making it one of the second longest-running No. 1 hits of all time, enjoyed 20 years as the biggest Spanish-language smash in history up until just a few weeks ago, when the track listed above beat it out.
Los Lobos - “La Bamba”
Less than decade before “Macarena” came along, Los Lobos sent their song “La Bamba” to No. 1 in the U.S., marking the first time a Spanish single topped the important ranking. Interestingly, the version of “La Bamba” that ended up ruling the chart for a handful of frames in 1987 isn’t even the most beloved of all time. Richie Valens first brought the Mexican song, which has been around for many years in its home country, to America in the late 50’s, though he wasn’t able to make it climb anywhere near as high as Los Lobos was.
Falco - “Rock Me Amadeus”
The 1986 single was something of a joke, but it was catchy enough to grab the attention of the masses and sit on the throne for three weeks. To this day, the cut unsurprisingly remains the only German-language No. 1 hit in U.S. history, which is a place in history that Falco isn’t likely to give up anytime soon. While the original was entirely in the musician's native tongue, a re-recorded version with a few sprinklings of English is the one that performed well in countries like the U.S., the U.K. and Canada.
The Singing Nun - “Dominique”
“Dominique” is the sort of song that was never supposed to be a hit in America, but somehow, it blew up, much to everybody’s surprise. The track was propelled to the peak position on the Hot 100, despite the fact that it is sung entirely in French by an actual nun (who went by the name Sœur Sourire in other countries), and is actually pretty religious in nature, but to those who couldn’t understand the words (i.e. most Americans), it was just a fun, jaunty folk tune.
Kyu Sakamoto - “Sukiyaki”
The story behind “Sukiyaki” is rather ridiculous, and it’s a wonder that it ever attracted any fans here in the U.S. The song, written by Japanese musicians, is actually about the American Army’s presence in Japan after World War II, but a near-perfect vocal performance and the beautiful orchestration that backs the single make for an enjoyable listen. The song’s original title is "Ue o Muite Aruko,” or "I Look Up As I Walk," and the word “Sukiyaki,” which was somehow applied to the popular composition, has absolutely nothing to do with it. In fact, “Sukiyaki” is a popular beef dish in Japan, which shows how much people at the time were woriried about getting the translation correct.
Domenico Modugno - “Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blu (Volare)”
The first non-English song to rise all the way to the No. 1 slot in America, “Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blu (Volare),” or simply “Volare” as most people came to know it, made Italian musician and singer Domenico Modugno a star back in 1958. The syrupy sweet song ruled the ranking for five weeks, and it even earned the man behind it the first Grammys given out for both Record and Song of the Year. It remains the only submission in another language to win those coveted trophies...though that could change when the next ceremony comes around, if the Recording Academy honors “Despacito.”
