“Jingle Bell Rock” - Bobby Helms (1957) #6 (1958 Hot 100 re-issue)

This song is credited to Joe Beal and Jim Boothe. Hank “Sugarfoot” Garland played guitar on this track as well as Brenda Lee’s “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree.” Before his death, Garland filed suit against the record label, claiming that he and Helms, not Beal and Boothe, wrote the song. It was first released by Helms in 1957 and has received frequent airplay during every Christmas time since then. It has gone on to sell 100 million copies and is considered the first mainstream Rock ‘n’ Roll Christmas song. (more…)

Katy Perry scored the 1,000th number one song of the Rock Era with “I Kissed a Girl,” according to Billboard. The first #1 song was Bill Haley & His Comets’ “Rock Around the Clock” in 1955.

Picture: Pool Party.com 

Congrats, Katy!