The Motown group who knocked The Beatles off of No. 1 three times

The Beatles at London Airport
The Beatles at London Airport | Stan Meagher/GettyImages

The Beatles dominated the charts repeatedly throughout the 1960s. However, there were many instances when other artists prematurely kicked their music off the No. 1 spot. One famous Motown group was fortunate enough to have dethroned The Beatles three times.

The Beatles sometimes dethroned themselves

"I Want to Hold Your Hand" was The Beatles' first No. 1 in the U.S. It entered the Billboard Hot 100 on Jan. 18, 1964, at No. 45. On Feb. 1, they were at the top of the list. The tune launched The Beatles into superstardom, helped kickstart Beatlemania, and opened the door for the band to visit the U.S., effectively starting the British Invasion.

"I Want to Hold Your Hand" remained at No. 1 for seven weeks before "She Loves You" replaced it on March 21. "She Loves You" stayed at the top for two weeks. Before overtaking "I Want to Hold Your Hand," "She Loves You" waited at No. 2 for four weeks. No other artist achieved this, having two of their first Hot 100 singles simultaneously in the top two positions until Iggy Azalea in 2014.

After "She Loves You" sat at No. 1 for two weeks, "Can't Buy Me Love" dethroned it. Then, The Beatles held the top five spots, along with "Twist and Shout," "She Loves You," "I Want to Hold Your Hand," and "Please Please Me." It seemed as if The Beatles owned the chart.

Motown's The Supremes kicked The Beatles off of No. 1 three times

The Beatles soon made records in the charts. However, that didn't make them immune to being dethroned from the No. 1 spot by other artists. Motown's The Supremes are the only group to have kicked The Beatles off of No. 1 three times.

For three weeks in late 1964 and early 1965, The Beatles' "I Feel Fine" reigned at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. That is, until Diana Ross' girl group released "Come See About Me." "I Feel Fine" was The Beatles' sixth single to to hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 within 1964, so they didn't do too bad for themselves.

The next Supremes tune that displaced a Beatles song at No. 1 was "Stop! In the Name of Love." It dethroned The Beatles' seventh Hot 100 single, "Eight Days a Week," which was No. 1 for two weeks.

The final and most momentous time a Supremes song kicked a Beatles song off of No. 1 happened in the late 1960s. The Motown group's 1968 song "Love Child" replaced The Beatles' "Hey Jude." It was a huge accomplishment for The Supremes, knocking off one of the most famous Beatles songs ever. "Hey Jude" appeared on the Hot 100 for 19 weeks total, nine of which had been at No. 1 starting in September. "Love Child" remained at No. 1 for two weeks.

The Supremes are the female version of The Beatles

While The Beatles set some impressive records on the charts that lasted for decades, The Supremes held their own. Who else can say they dethroned The Beatles thrice from the No. 1 spot? That's a pretty significant accomplishment.

The Supremes are the female version of The Beatles. Throughout their time together, The Supremes charted 45 times and had 12 No. 1 hits. The Beatles had a bit more No. 1 hits and a greater number of charted songs. However, deciphering who is better is impossible. They are different in all aspects. However, they were the best in their respective genres, which would make them pretty equal in terms of making hits.

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