September 12, 2008 15:38

Chubby Checker beats The Beatles to US chart gong

'The Twist' is America's biggest chart hit of last 50 years

Photo Gallery: The Beatles

Chubby Checker's 'The Twist' has been named the biggest US chart hit of all time.

Compiled by Billboard to mark the 50th year of the Hot 100, the list ranks songs on the basis of how they performed in their era, weighted depending on when they were successful.

Checker's hit spent only three weeks at the top of the chart, but had two separate runs to the top in 1960 and 1962.

'Hey Jude' was the only single by The Beatles to make the Top Ten, but they were named the number one all-time chart act, and still hold the record for the most chart-toppers in the US with 20 singles.

Santana's 'Smooth', Mariah Carey's 'We Belong Together' and Bobby Darin's 'Mack The Knife' all ranked highly.

The Top Ten is as follows:

1. Chubby Checker - 'The Twist'
2. Santana - 'Smooth'
3. Bobby Darin - 'Mack The Knife'
4. LeAnn Rimes - 'How Do I Live?'
5. Los Del Rio - 'Macarena'
6. Olivia Newton-John - 'Physical'
7. Debby Boone - 'You Light Up My Life'
8. The Beatles - 'Hey Jude'
9. Mariah Carey - 'We Belong Together'
10. Toni Braxton - 'Un-Break My Heart'