Last updated 10/1/2024
The Top Songs of 1972, as charted by Billboard Magazine, will be presented each week during the season.
584 records appeared on the Hot 100 chart in 1972.
Songs that reached the Top 10 on another chart are marked with AC (Adult Contemporary/Easy Listening),
HC (Hot Country), and S (Soul).
Song 1
Peaked at #1 on 4/15/72 for six weeks. AC #1 (six weeks), S #4.
A British folk song written in 1957.
Flack had three #1 pop hits, including the #1 song of 1973, but she had no other Top 10 pop solo hits.
This is the stereo single edit.
#1 – “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face” by Roberta Flack
Song 2
Peaked at #1 on 7/29/72 for six weeks. AC #1 (six weeks).
First of his three Top 10 hits.
#2 – “Alone Again (Naturally)” by Gilbert O’Sullivan
Song 3
Peaked at #1 on 1/15/72 for four weeks. AC #1.
First of his two pop Top 10 hits. The original single was divided into Parts I and II.
Peaked at #9 for Madonna in 2000.
#3 – “American Pie” by Don McLean
Song 4
Peaked at #1 on 2/19/72 for four weeks. AC #1 (five weeks).
Though Harry Nilsson was a singer/songwriter, his two biggest hits were written by others. This was a Badfinger song.
Peaked at #3 for Mariah Carey in 1994.
#4 – “Without You” by Nilsson
Song 5
Peaked at #1 on 11/4/72 for four weeks. AC #1 (four weeks).
His second and last Top 10 hit.
#5 – “I Can See Clearly Now” by Johnny Nash
Song 6
Peaked at #1 on 3/25/72 for three weeks. AC #3.
First of their seven Top 10 hits.
#6 – “A Horse With No Name” by America
Song 7
Peaked at #1 on 9/23/72 for three weeks. AC #1 (three weeks).
First of his two pop Top 10 hits.
#7 – “Baby Don’t Get Hooked On Me” by Mac Davis
Song 8
Peaked at #1 on 12/16/72 for three weeks. S #1 (four weeks), AC #10.
Real name Paul Williams. First recorded in 1952. His only pop Top 30 hit.
#8 – “Me And Mrs. Jones” by Billy Paul
Song 9
Peaked at #1 on 6/10/72 for three weeks. AC #1 (two weeks).
His second and last pop Top 10 hit. The first had been in 1955.
#9 – “The Candy Man” by Sammy Davis, Jr.
Song 10
Peaked at #1 on 7/8/72 for three weeks. S #1 (three weeks), AC #4.
#10 – “Lean On Me” by Bill Withers
Song 11
Peaked at #1 on 10/21/72 for two weeks.
His only pop #1, last Top 20 pop hit, and the first since 1964. Live recording from England.
#11 – “My Ding-A-Ling” by Chuck Berry
Song 12
Peaked at #1 on 8/26/72 for one week. AC #7.
#12 – “Brandy (You’re A Fine Girl)” by Looking Glass
Song 13
Peaked at #1 on 2/12/72 for one week. S #1 (nine weeks).
His only pop #1, first of his seven pop Top 10 hits.
Peaked at #26 for Tina Turner in 1984.
#13 – “Let’s Stay Together” by Al Green
Song 14
Peaked at #1 on 12/9/72 for one week. AC #2.
First of her three #1 hits.
#14 – “I Am Woman” by Helen Reddy
Song 15
Peaked at #1 on 6/3/72 for one week. S #1.
First of their two pop #1 hits.
#15 – “I’ll Take You There” by The Staple Singers
Song 16
Peaked at #1 on 3/18/72 for one week. AC #8.
Young’s only Top 30 hit.
#16 – “Heart Of Gold” by Neil Young
Song 17
Peaked at #1 on 5/27/72 for one week. S #1.
Second of their two Top 20 pop hits.
#17 – “Oh Girl” by Chi-Lites
Song 18
Peaked at #1 on 10/14/72 for one week. AC #3.
Yes, this is a movie song about a rat. Written for Donny Osmond, who was on tour and couldn’t record it.
Jackson’s first solo #1 pop hit.
#18 – “Ben” by Michael Jackson
Song 19
Peaked at #1 on 12/2/72 for one week. S #5.
Their fourth and final pop #1 hit.
This is the edited single version. The album version runs 12:04.
#19 – “Papa Was A Rollin’ Stone” by The Temptations
Song 20
Peaked at #1 on 7/1/72 for one week. AC #1 (seven weeks).
His second and last solo pop #1 hit.
#20 – “Song Sung Blue” by Neil Diamond
Song 21
Peaked at #1 on 9/16/72 for one week. AC #1.
Their third and final #1 record, ninth of their eleven Top 10 hits.
First recorded by Pete Seeger in 1956. The lyrics were written by David Arkin, father of actor Alan Arkin.
#21 – “Black And White” by Three Dog Night
Song 22
Peaked at #2 on 5/6/72 for two weeks. S #1.
Third and biggest of his four Top 20 pop hits.
#22 – “I Gotcha” by Joe Tex
Song 23
Peaked at #2 on 9/2/72 for two weeks.
Fifth of the group’s six US Top 10 hits.
#23 – “Long Cool Woman (In A Black Dress)” by The Hollies
Song 24
Peaked at #2 on 7/15/72 for two weeks. S #5, AC #6.
Their second and last Top 20 hit.
#24 – “Too Late To Turn Back Now” by Cornelius Brothers and Sister Rose
Song 25
Peaked at #2 on 4/22/72 for two weeks. S #2.
Also peaked at #2 (S #1) for Bobby Day in 1958.
Second of his 24 Top 10 solo hits.
#25 – “Rockin’ Robin” by Michael Jackson
Song 26
Peaked at #2 on 11/4/72 for two weeks.
Second and biggest of their three Top 10 hits. From the 1967 album “Days Of Future Passed.”
#26 – “Nights In White Satin” by The Moody Blues
Song 27
Peaked at #2 on 12/30/72 for two weeks. AC #1.
Second of his three Top 10 hits.
Clair was O’Sullivan’s niece. The lyrics refer to Uncle Ray, because his real name is Raymond O’Sullivan.
#27 – “Clair” by Gilbert O’Sullivan
Song 28
Peaked at #2 on 2/26/72 for two weeks. AC #1.
This is the original stereo single version, not the more common later remix with new vocals.
#28 – “Hurting Each Other” by Carpenters
Song 29
Peaked at #2 on 11/18/72 for two weeks. AC #1.
Lobo is singer-songwriter Kent LaVoie.
Highest-charting of his three Top 10 hits.
#29 – “I’d Love You To Want Me” by Lobo
Song 30
Peaked at #2 on 10/14/72 for two weeks. S #2.
Last of his three solo Top 10 pop hits.
#30 – “Use Me” by Bill Withers
Song 31
Peaked at #2 on 7/8/72 for one week. S #1.
First of his four solo Top 10 pop hits.
#31 – “Outa-Space” by Billy Preston
Song 32
Peaked at #2 on 10/28/72 for one week. AC #9.
His 38th and last Top 10 hit.
#32 – “Burning Love” by Elvis Presley
All tracks are stereo 320 kbps mp3 files, unless the hit single version only exists in mono.
Most were converted from CD-quality FLAC files (16 bits/44.1 KHz).
Some tracks were converted to mp3 from higher-resolution digital files.
The source reference for this list is “Joel Whitburn’s Pop Annual 1955-1999.” Joel originated the tracking of Billboard chart data in 1970, so he’s known as the expert in the field.
The structure of the annual charts is simple: records are rated on the highest position reached on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and the number of weeks spent at that position. Ties are broken by the number of weeks spent in the Top 10, Top 40, and Top 100.
If a record charted in more than one year, all of its chart history is treated as if it occurred in the year that the record first hit its peak position, so it will not appear at all in the other year’s listing.