American entertainer Cher has released 80 official singles, 28 promotional singles and appeared in 36 other songs. On the Billboard Hot 100, she has achieved: 4 number 1 singles, 12 Top 10 singles, 22 Top 40 singles and a total of 34 charted singles as a solo artist. Combined with the entries she had as part of Sonny & Cher: 5 number 1 singles, 17 Top 10 singles, 32 Top 40 hits and a total of 52 singles which charted on the Billboard Hot 100.[1]
Cher is the fifth-ranked female artist with the most Billboard US Hot 100 charted singles.[1] She has reached the Top 10 on the Hot 100 at least once during each of four decades—the 1960s, 1970s, 1980s and 1990s—placing her in a tie for second place in that category as of May 2014, alongside Aerosmith, Barbra Streisand, Madonna and Whitney Houston, only behind Michael Jackson. Cher's span of top 10 records on the Hot 100 stretches for a total of 33 years, one month and three weeks (not counting the Sonny and Cher hits "I Got You Babe" and "Baby Don't Go"), from "Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)" in 1966 to "Believe" in 1999, placing her in third place in that category as of May 2014, behind only Jackson and Carlos Santana.[2]
Cher's career as a recording artist spans seven decades and she is the only artist to have a number-one single on a Billboard chart in each of the past seven decades. This feat was accomplished when
Cher released "DJ Play a Christmas Song", the lead single from her studio album Christmas, on October 6, 2023. It reached the number-one spot on the BillboardDance/Electronic Digital Song Sales chart.[3] It peaked at number 90 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, making it her first appearance on the chart since 2002. On the UK singles chart, she is the only solo artist to have a top-40 hit in seven consecutive decades, as well as being the oldest female singer to have a top-40 hit. She has had a total of 34 top-40 hits, beginning with "All I Really Want to Do" in 1965 through "DJ Play a Christmas Song" in 2023.[4]
Singles
1960s
List of singles, with selected chart positions, showing year released and album name
The first song recorded by Cher as a solo artist.[55] It was released only as a promotional single (Annette Records 1000) under the pseudonym Bonnie Jo Mason.[55]
"Dream Baby"
From her 1965 debut studio album All I Really Want to Do. The song was used as a promo single and was released under the name Cherilyn.[56]
1967
"Ma Piano (Per Non Svegliarmi)"
Non-album Italian-language single.
"Mama"
Non-album Italian-language single. Italian version of "Mama (When My Dollies Have Babies)".
1968
"Bambini Miei"
Non-album Italian-language single. Italian version of "You Better Sit Down Kids". Recorded in 1967.
"Take Me for a Little While"
Served as a promotional single from the 1968 album Backstage.
The final song that Cher recorded under the Atco Records label was the Stan Vincent produced "Superstar".[57] The song appeared on a one-sided white label DJ promotional single.[57]
"(Just Enough to Keep Me) Hangin' On"
The mono version was released as a one-sided white label DJ promotional single.[57]
1971
"Don't Put It on Me"
B-side to the 1972 single "The Way of Love". "Don't Put It On Me" was released only for radio station in North America. In UK the song was released on April 7, 1971,[58] also as a 7" promotional single.
A duet by Harry Nilsson and Cher from the compilation album All Meat.[59] Released as a single by Warner-Spector Records.
1979
"Holdin' Out for Love"
From the 1979 studio album Prisoner. "Holdin' Out for Love" was released as a promotional single in North America, UK and Japan. In North America it was released as a DJ promo,[60] in UK "Outrageous" is on its B-side,[61] while "Boys and Girls" was the B-side of the Japanese single.[62]
This track was recorded for the soundtrack of the film Foxes in 1980. The mega-mix of various album tracks including "Bad Love" reached No. 30 on the U.S. BillboardDance/Club Play Chart the same year.
The national anthem of the United States of America was performed during the Super Bowl XXXIII in January 1999.[65] The song was released as a one-track CD promo in North America.[66]
2000
"If I Could Turn Back Time" (Almighty Definitive Mix)
From the 1989 studio album Heart of Stone. The song was later remixed for the UK 12" Vinyl Promo Almighty v Cher, released by Eternal/WEA.[67] The 12" contains two other mixes of "If I Could Turn Back Time" and mixes of "Believe" and "One by One".[67]
2003
"Human"
Recorded for the film Stuck on You, in which Cher starred. An official soundtrack was not released, apart from on a German promotional CD called "Unzertrennlich". A promotional single of "Human" was also released to DJs.
2013
"Sirens"
From the 2013 studio album Closer to the Truth. The song was released in a compilation called "Songs for the Philippines". The promotional single of "Sirens" was released with 2 tracks, Album version and Radio edit.
Appears on the side B of the singles "Sunny" and "Alfie"
1967
"Nel Mio Cielo Ci Sei Tu"
Italian version of "I Feel Something in the Air". Appears on side B of the single "Ma Piano (Per Non Svegliarmi)"
1971
"Gentle Foe"
Appears on the Once Upon a Wheel soundtrack, released only as a promotional item on cassette and 8-track cartridge by Coca-Cola and Warner Bros. Records
Cher recorded this song for her TV Show The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour, which aired with an animated video by John Wilson. The studio version was never released.
Cher recorded this song for her TV Show The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour, which aired with an animated video by John Wilson. The studio version was never released.
Cher recorded this song for her TV Show The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour, which aired with an animated video by John Wilson. The studio version was never released.
A cover of the song was recorded by the cast of the film, Zookeeper, including Cher, and appears over the picture's end titles.
2012
"Silver Wings"
A duet with Cher's goddaughter Jesse Jo Stark, the Merle Haggard cover was released on Cher's YouTube site. It was a "birthday present" to Stark's father, Richard Stark, and a "gift" for Cher fans who were awaiting the as-yet unnamed Closer to the Truth album.
2013
"I'm Just Your Yesterday"
A duet with Cher's mother, Georgia Holt, appearing on Holt's album Honky Tonk Woman.[79] The snippet of the duet is featured in a television special entitled Dear Mom, Love Cher.
"Crying Time"
A song by mother, Georgia Holt, appearing on Holt's album Honky Tonk Woman. Cher sings backing vocals.
A duet with Future, recorded for a GAP commercial. It wasn't released.
"You Do You Boov"
A duet with the cast of Home: Adventures with Tip & Oh, which appears in the episode "Chercophonie" that guest starred Cher.
Notes
A^ "Mama (When My Dollies Have Babies)" did not enter the Billboard Hot 100 but peaked on the Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles chart at number 24.
B^ "For What It's Worth" did not enter the Billboard Hot 100 but peaked on the Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles chart at number 25.
D^ "I Got You Babe" duet with Beavis and Butt-head did not enter the Billboard Hot 100 but peaked on the Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles chart at number 8.[81]
E^ "Song for the Lonely" did not enter the UK Singles Chart Top 100, but peaked at number 24 on the UK Club Chart (Music Week)[82]
F^ "Woman's World" did not enter the Billboard Hot 100 but peaked on the Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles chart at number 25.[81]
G^ "Take It Like a Man" did not enter the main UK Singles Chart, but peaked at number 48 on the UK's Physical Singles Chart.
H^ "Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight)" did not enter the ARIA Singles Chart, but peaked at number 40 on the ARIA Digital Tracks Chart.
I^ "Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight)" did not enter the main UK Singles Chart, but peaked at number 34 on the UK Singles Sales Chart.
J^ "SOS" did not enter the main UK Singles Chart, but peaked at number 78 on the UK Singles Sales Chart.
K^ "Chiquitita (Spanish Version)" did not enter the main US Singles Chart, but peaked at number 6 on the Latin Digital Songs Chart.
L^ "Super Trouper" did not enter the main UK Singles Chart, but peaked at number 81 on the UK Singles Sales Chart.
Top 100 (Kent Music Report) peaks between 1970 and June 19, 1988: Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (Illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 61. ISBN0-646-11917-6. N.B. The Kent Report chart was licensed by ARIA between mid-1983 and June 19, 1988.
Top 100 (ARIA) peaks from January 1990 to December 2010: Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010. Mt. Martha, VIC, Australia: Moonlight Publishing.
"What Christmas Means to Me" and "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)": "NZ Hot Singles Chart". Recorded Music NZ. December 25, 2023. Retrieved December 30, 2023.
"Run Rudolph Run": "NZ Hot Singles Chart". Recorded Music NZ. January 1, 2024. Retrieved January 1, 2024.