Two years ago, Billboard celebrated the 50th anniversary of the Billboard Hot 100 chart. As explained in a special feature at the time on billboard.com, "After nearly two decades of tracking songs distinctively by sales or plays (on jukeboxes and at radio), the Hot 100 was the first list to measure popularity by incorporating both radio play and sales."

The most venerable gauge of songs' national success launched with the Aug. 4, 1958, ranking, led by Ricky Nelson's "Poor Little Fool." When the chart reached the half-century mark, Katy Perry reigned with the 961st title to top the tally, "I Kissed a Girl."

When Billboard highlighted the top accomplishments of the chart's first 50 years, Chubby Checker's "The Twist," the only title to reach No. 1 in two chart runs, in 1960 and 1962, stood as the survey's all-time No. 1 title. Santana's 1999 smash "Smooth," featuring Rob Thomas, ranked second. Bobby Darin's 1959 No. 1 "Mack the Knife" placed third.

The Beatles claimed top artist honors, followed by the chart's top female and male artists, respectively: Madonna at No. 2 and Elton John at No. 3.

In just two years, however, music has continued to evolve. Just as the Hot 100 itself has segued over its 52 years from melding reported radio playlists and sales of 45s to its current formula measuring electronically monitored airplay and digital download and streaming data, according to Nielsen Music, a look back just 24 months reinforces that, in the music business, change may be the only constant.

Consider that, as of Aug. 4, 2008:

Randy Jackson, Paula Abdul and Simon Cowell had judged the then-most recent episode of "American Idol." "Glee" was nine months away from expanding Fox's Tuesday night - and, subsequently, Hot 100 - dominance.

Justin Bieber was an unsigned 14-year-old building an audience virally on YouTube.

Lady Gaga had yet to assemble her army of little monsters and appear on the Hot 100.

In honor of the chart's 52nd birthday today (Aug. 4), here is a look at notable records achieved in the two years since we feted the golden anniversary of Billboard's signature songs survey.


FOREVER 'YOURS': On the Hot 100 dated Aug. 29, 2009, Jason Mraz's "I'm Yours" set the mark for most weeks logged on the list. That week, the song spent its 70th week on the chart, passing the previous record-holder, LeAnn Rimes' "How Do I Live." Mraz's song wound up totaling 76 chart weeks.

Here is a recap of the titles to tally the longest chart lives in the Hot 100's history:

76 weeks, "I'm Yours," Jason Mraz, 2008-09
69 weeks, "How Do I Live," LeAnn Rimes, 1997-98
65 weeks, "You Were Meant for Me/Foolish Games," Jewel, 1996-98
64 weeks, "Before He Cheats," Carrie Underwood, 2006-07
62 weeks, "You and Me," Lifehouse, 2005-06

"I had little expectations about 'I'm Yours' on the radio, but I was wrong," Mraz told Billboard in August 2009. "People just kept getting on board.

"I'm still blown away, humbled by the success of my happy little hippie song."


SEEMINGLY 'E.N.D.'-LESS: The same week that Mraz achieved his milestone, the Black Eyed Peas made Hot 100 history in the chart's coveted top spot.

On the Aug. 29, 2009, chart, the quartet spent an unprecedented 20th straight week at No. 1, as "I Gotta Feeling" inked an eighth week at the summit. "Boom Boom Pow," the first single from the album "The E.N.D.," had led for 12 weeks directly prior to the command of its follow-up. The group passed the 19 consecutive frames that Usher spent at No. 1 with "Yeah!" and "Burn" in 2004.

"I Gotta Feeling" would go on to total 14 weeks atop the Hot 100, bringing the Black Eyed Peas' record streak to exactly six months - 26 weeks - in charge of the chart.