3 of the Oldest Artists to Ever Chart on the Billboard Hot 100

The Billboard Hot 100 chart is often filled with the latest hits from young pop stars, but a few artists have the distinction of being among the oldest to have a hit song. In the process, they’ve also set new records. These artists prove that it’s never too late to achieve major success, whether it’s with an old but beloved hit resonating with listeners once again or a brand-new song making waves. And most importantly, great music can’t be confined to age.

Brenda Lee, “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree”

“Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” has been a musical staple of the holiday season for decades, thanks in part to the movie Home Alone. Despite the song’s popularity, it wasn’t a No. 1 hit until December 2023, 65 years after it was released–when Lee was 78 years old, making her the oldest artist ever to top the charts. She broke that record just a week later, when she celebrated her 79th birthday. The song was her third No. 1 hit overall but her first since 1960. Lee was just 13 when she recorded the Christmas classic in 1958.

Ariana Grande’s Nonna, Marjorie Grande, “Ordinary Things”

At 98 years old, Ariana Grande’s grandmother, Marjorie Grande–or Nonna, the Italian word for “grandma”–became the oldest artist ever to have appeared on the Hot 100, when Ariana’s song “Ordinary Things” debuted at No. 55 in March of 2024. Marjorie can be heard at the end of the song, saying, “Never go to bed without kissing goodnight.” It also wasn’t the first time Marjorie had been featured in one of Ariana’s songs. She can also be heard in soundbites featured in the tracks “Daydreamin’” from the album Yours Truly and “Bloodline” from Thank U, Next.

Fred Stobaugh, “Oh Sweet Lorraine”

Until Ariana Grande’s Nonna appeared on the Billboard charts with “Ordinary Things,” Fred Stobaugh held the record for the oldest person to appear on the chart with “Oh Sweet Lorraine” in 2013. The song was a tribute to his late wife of 72 years. Stobaugh entered and won a songwriting contest held by Green Shoe Studio, leading to a documentary about the song, and his enduring love for his wife struck a chord with viewers–the song went viral. He beat a record previously set by Tony Bennet, whose song “Body and Soul” with Amy Winehouse charted when he was 85.

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