The Songwriters & Producers With the Most Billboard Hot 100 No. 1s

Among recording artists, the Beatles have the most No. 1 singles in Billboard Hot 100 history: Mariah Carey ranks second and trails all soloists, with 19.

Who has the most No. 1s among songwriters and producers?

Paul McCartney, with 32, and John Lennon (26), of the Beatles, rank first and second, respectively, for writing the most Hot 100 No. Lennon for second place, from Britney Spears' “…Baby One More Time” in 1999 to, more recently, “Yes, And?” by Ariana Grande.

Max Martin, meanwhile, has surpassed George Martin for the most Hot 100 No. 1s among producers, 24. As with his writing history, the former's No. 1s as a producer span from “…Baby One More Time' to 'Yes, And?' of 1970, on which Phil Spector took the reins. His other four leads as a producer: America's “Sister Golden Hair” (1975), McCartney and Stevie Wonder's “Ebony and Ivory” (1982), McCartney and Michael Jackson's “Say, Say, Say” (1983-84) and Elton John's “Candle in the Wind 1997” (1997-98).

Here's an updated look at the songwriters and producers with the most Hot 100 No. 1s of all time, via the chart dated January 27, 2024 (compiled via Advertising sign the chart department research and Fred Bronson's invaluable The Billboard Book of Number One Hits).

Hottest 100 No. 1 by Authors:

Hottest 100 No. 1s by Producers:

As for other talent on the above lists, Mariah Carey climbed to 18 Hot 100 No. 1s as a writer and 15 as a producer and 19 as an artist, thanks to her 25-year-old gift. No. 1 in December 2019. (Carey's only non-writing No. 1? Her 1992 cover of the Jackson 5's “I'll Be There.”)

Barry Gibb's sets include nine Hot 100 No. 1 by the Bee Gees, seven of which Albhy Galuten and Karl Richardson also produced. Gibb, Galuten and Richardson also co-produced all three Andy Gibb leads.

James “Jimmy Jam” Harris III and Terry Lewis pioneered the pop/R&B sound starting in the '80s, co-writing and co-producing 14 Hot 100 No. 1s, including nine recorded by Janet Jackson. They also co-produced George Michael's 1988 leader “Monkey” and Usher's 2001 “U Remind Me,” giving them a total of 16 No. 1s as producers, and co-wrote Carey's 1996 “Always Be My Baby,” making 15 No. 1s to them as writers.

Brian Holland and Lamont Dozier, along with Eddie Holland (13 Hot 100 No. 1s as a writer), made their mark on Motown, thanks in large part to the trio writing (and Brian Holland and Dozier producing) the first 10 of 12 total No. 1s by The Supremes in the 60s.

Also, special mention to Steve Sholes, who, although not on the above rankings, produced Elvis Presley's 10 No. 1s on the predecessor Hot 100 charts in 1956-58 and six of King's seven Hot 100 leaders after start of the investigation.