For part-time potheads, 4/20 is a holiday that only comes around once a year. But for the die-hard stoner, you can celebrate 4:20 every day (twice a day is possible, but not recommended).
No matter how deep your love for the leaf runs, everyone knows that marijuana and music are peas in a pod. We previously compiled 25 toking tunes, a playlist that includes Cypress Hill, Afroman, Miley Cyrus, Bob Dylan, Peter Tosh, Wiz Khalifa and, of course, Snoop Dogg.
This list is not that. Looking at the biggest Billboard Hot 100 hits of all time, we decided to round up the top hits in the chart's history. For the purposes of this list, we're looking at songs with a title that includes 'smoke', 'puff', 'high', 'stoned', 'burn', 'drug', 'toke', 'weed' or some variation. If the song title doesn't conform to that, it's out. (That means songs like Dylan's “Rainy Day Women #12 & #35” are not eligible, we're sure he'll get over it.)
We also discount songs where weed-related words are in the song title, but clearly do not refer to drugs or intoxication. For example: We include “We Be Burnin'” by Sean Paul but not “Burn” by Usher. “Smoke Gets in Your Eyes” isn't here because the Platters weren't singing about hotboxing on the track, but “Smokin' in the Boys Room” fits. Sure, most people assume cigarettes are what Brownville Station and/or the Crüe smoked at school, but we don't know for sure, so we're giving it the benefit of the doubt.
Anyone who's into mind-altering substances should know that truth is subjective, man, and this list is no exception. While the selections—and the order in which they appear—come from the biggest hits in Hot 100 history (more on that below), editorial decisions were made about what would be included on this list. Steve Winwood's “Higher Love” is not here because it is about a love that is above (ie, better than) others. However, “I want to take you higher” is eligible, because you can (and probably should) interpret “higher” as an adjacent substance.
Also included: The many songs that refer to love as a drug, as well as songs that use “stoned” for a general sense of intoxication. If it's a mind-altering state brought on by romance, booze, or whatever, it's in.
Don't like the criteria? Sounds like you need to kick back, catch a nice buzz and press play on one (or all) of these songs and just follow the vibe wherever it takes you. Responsible of course.
This ranking is based on actual performance on the Billboard Hot 100 weekly chart. Songs are ranked on a reverse point system, with weeks at No. 1 earning the most and weeks at No. 100 earning the least. To ensure a fair representation of the greatest hits from each era, certain time frames were weighted to account for the difference between the turnover rates from those years.
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Afroman, “Because I Got High” (2000)
Hot 100 peaks: No. 13
Peak date: September 8, 2001
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Ray Charles, “Let's Go Get Stoned” (1966)
Hot 100 peaks: No. 31
Peak date: July 16, 1966
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The feat of Kodak Black. XXXTENTACION, “Roll in Peace” (2017)
Hot 100 peaks: No. 31
Peak date: February 3, 2018
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Future, “Puffin on Zootiez” (2022)
Hot 100 peaks: Number 4
Peak date: May 14, 2022
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Sly & the Family Stone, “I Want to Take You Higher” (1969)
Hot 100 peaks: No. 38
Peak date: June 27, 1970
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Redman & Method Man, “How High” (1995)
Hot 100 peaks: No. 13
Peak date: September 2, 1995
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Ike & Tina Turner & the Ikettes, “I Want to Take You Higher” (1970)
Peak date: No. 34
Peak date: August 29, 1970
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The Chi-Lites, “Stoned Out of My Mind” (1973)
Hot 100 peaks: No. 30
Peak date: September 22, 1973
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Roxy Music, “Love Is the Drug” (1975)
Hot 100 peaks: No. 30
Peak date: March 20, 1976
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The Byrds, “Eight Miles High” (1966)
Hot 100 peaks: No. 14
Peak date: May 21, 1966
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Justin Timberlake, “LoveStoned” (2007)
Hot 100 peaks: No. 17
Peak date: October 6, 2007
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Roddy Ricch feat. Mustard, “High Fashion” (2019)
Hot 100 peaks: No. 19
Peak date: February 1, 2020
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Silk Sonic, “Smokin Out the Window” (2021)
Hot 100 peaks: Number 5
Peak date: November 27, 2021
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Mötley Crüe, “Smokin' In the Boys Room” (1985)
Hot 100 peaks: No. 16
Peak date: September 7, 1985
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Brewer & Shipley, “One Toke Over the Line” (1970)
Hot 100 peaks: No. 10
Peak date: April 10, 1971
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Musical Youth, “Pass the Dutchie” (1982)
Top position: No. 10
Peak date: February 26, 1983
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Travis Scott, “Highest In the Room” (2019)
Hot 100 peaks: No. 1
Peak date: October 19, 2019
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Survivor, “High on You” (1984)
Hot 100 peaks: No. 8
Peak date: March 23, 1985
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Sean Paul, “We Be Burnin'” (2005)
Hot 100 peaks: Number 6
Peak date: November 12, 2005
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Jim Stafford, “Wildwood Weed” (1974)
Hot 100 peaks: No. 7
Peak date: August 24, 1974
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Huey Lewis & The News, “I Want a New Drug” (1984)
Hot 100 peaks: Number 6
Peak date: March 24, 1984
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Tove Lo, “Habits (Stay High)” (2013)
Hot 100 peaks: No. 3
Peak date: November 8, 2014
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Kesha, “Your Love Is My Drug” (2010)
Hot 100 peaks: Number 4
Peak date: June 12, 2010
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Brownsville Station, “Smokin' In the Boys Room” (1973)
Hot 100 peaks: No. 3
Peak date: January 19, 1974
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The 5th Dimension, “Stoned Soul Picnic” (1968)
Hot 100 peaks: No. 3
Peak date: July 27, 1968
from our partners at https://www.billboard.com/lists/25-weed-songs-highest-hits-in-hot-100-history/