Connie Francis’ Biggest Billboard Hits

Connie Francis’ legacy on Billboard’s charts predates the Aug. 4, 1958, inception of the Billboard Hot 100. Once the chart originated, her dominance continued, as she scored historic No. 1s and linked a string of enduring classics.

In spring 1958, Francis’ version of “Who’s Sorry Now,” originally a hit in the 1920s, rose to No. 4 on Billboard’s Top 100 chart. Upon the Hot 100’s start, “My Happiness” became the then-20-year-old’s first top 10 on the ranking, reaching No. 2 in January 1959.

On the Hot 100 dated June 27, 1960, Francis’ “Everybody’s Somebody’s Fool” hit No. 1 — becoming the list’s first leader by a solo woman. That September, her “My Heart Has a Mind of Its Own” became the third such No. 1 (after Brenda Lee’s “I’m Sorry”).

By the time Francis had tallied her 15th and last Hot 100 top 10 to date, “Vacation,” in September 1962, she boasted the most among women — with only Elvis Presley having notched more, with 16. By the end of the ‘60s, her top 10 haul (all on the MGM label) still stood as the best among solo women, outpaced overall only by The Beatles (30), Presley (22) and the Supremes (18). Plus, Francis led all women soloists with her three No. 1s during the ‘60s.

A key to Francis’ chart success? “If I love the title, I always record the song,” she told Fred Bronson for The Billboard Book of Number One Hits. She shared that when “My Heart Has a Mind of Its Own” co-writer Howard Greenfield called her to tell her the song’s name, she said, “‘That’s a smash! Great title!’ ‘You haven’t heard the song yet,’ he said. ‘Doesn’t matter — it’s a great title!’ ”

Francis additionally grew her avid fandom thanks to starring movie roles, among them 1960’s Where the Boys Are. The film’s title song hit No. 4 on the Hot 100 in March 1961. (Still, she confessed to Bronson, “If you’ve ever seen any of my movies, you know I’m not an actress … I was amateurish. I used to keep a book of all the bad reviews because they were hilarious.”)

As Francis’ music is being welcomed by a new generation, thanks to the TikTok-fueled virality of her 1962 deep cut “Pretty Little Baby,” browse below her 10 biggest career hits on the Hot 100. (Notably, “Who’s Sorry Now” is not among them, since, as detailed above, its peak run occurred just before the chart began.)

Connie Francis’ Biggest Billboard Hits chart is based on actual performance on the weekly Hot 100 chart from its Aug. 4, 1958, inception, through May 17, 2025. Songs are ranked based on an inverse point system, with weeks at No. 1 earning the greatest value and weeks at No. 100 earning the least. Due to changes in chart methodology over the years, eras are weighted to account for different chart turnover rates over various periods.