How a B-side dance track became the most successful single in Billboard history

Music · Published 30 September 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Originally released as a modest B-side in 1958, The Twist transformed from a regional dance craze into a cultural phenomenon. By bridging the gap between teenagers and high society, it became the first song to top the charts in two separate runs, forever altering the trajectory of rock and roll.

Hank Ballard and the Midnighters first recorded The Twist in late 1958, inspired by teenagers dancing in Tampa, Florida. Ballard believed it was a hit, but producer Henry Glover relegated it to the B-side of Teardrops on Your Letter. While Ballard’s original version reached number 16 on the R&B charts in 1959, it was Chubby Checker’s 1960 cover that propelled the song to national prominence.

Checker’s version exploded after a performance on American Bandstand in August 1960. The song’s reach extended beyond youth culture when it became a sensation among high society adults in 1961, fueled by celebrity sightings at New York’s Peppermint Lounge. This adult acceptance marked a pivotal moment for rock and roll, helping the song achieve the unprecedented feat of hitting number one on the Billboard Hot 100 during two distinct chart runs—a record that stood for nearly 59 years.

The song's legacy is immense. It was named the biggest hit of the 1960s by Billboard and held the title of the most successful single in Billboard history until 2021. Beyond its chart dominance, the track has been inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and it was added to the National Recording Registry in 2013 for its cultural significance.

Controversy persists regarding its origins. Midnighters member Lawson Smith alleged that Nathaniel Bills actually wrote the song and that Ballard falsely claimed authorship. Regardless of its disputed roots, the song spawned countless variations and covers, including a 1988 rap version by the Fat Boys. From its humble beginnings in a Cincinnati studio to its status as a global icon, The Twist remains a defining artifact of 20th-century music.

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