Some were released decades after they were first written
Songs in English have always dominated the top positions of the Billboard Hot 100 chart, but there have been quite a few exceptions.
In fact, there have been 39 non-English song to crack the top 10 of the US-centered chart. Some hit songs in Spanish, Korean, and other languages have peaked at the top position, and some managed to stay there for weeks!
In this gallery, you'll get to know all the non-English songs that cracked the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100. Click on.
This Italian classic, later covered by the group Gipsy Kings, peaked at number one on the Hot 100 chart on August 18, 1958. The song remained in the top position for five weeks.
Austrian singer Lolita peaked at number five on the Hot 100 in 1960 with 'Sailor (Your Home Is the Sea),' sang in German.
On July 7, 1962, it was time for another Italian song to break into the top 10 of the Hot 100. This tune by Emilio Pericoli peaked at number six.
In 1963, Japanese singer Kyu Sakamoto topped the Hot 100 for three weeks with 'Sukiyaki.'
On December 7, 1963, a Belgium nun hit the top of the Hot 100 with 'Dominique,' sang in French. The song was number one for four weeks.
Sandpipers might have been an American group, but it was a song in Spanish that made them jump to number nine on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1966.
The group represented Spain in the Eurovision Song Contest in 1973 with this song. In 1974, it peaked at number nine on the Hot 100.
German singer Nena cracked the top two of the Hot 100 in 1989 with '99 Luftballons.' She later released an English version of the song.
In 1986, it was time for another German singer to get to the top spot on the Billboard Hot 100. 'Rock Me Amadeus' peaked at number one on March 29, 1986, where it remained for three weeks.
The Mexican folk song, originally popularized by Ritchie Valens, gained a new life in 1987 when it reached the top spot and remained there for three weeks.
In 1991, the project of Romanian-German musician and producer Michael Cretu reached the number five spot on the Hot 100 with a tune sang in French and Latin.
'Macarena' was a huge hit. The Spanish song peaked at number one on August 3, 1996, and remained on the top spot for 14 weeks.
'Gangnam Style' is the first Korean tune to crack the top 10 of the Hot 100. PSY's hit peaked at number two on October 6, 2012.
PSY was back in the charts the following year with 'Gentleman.' The song peaked at number five on May 4, 2013.
'Despacito' was the biggest hit in Spanish after 'Macarena.' The song peaked at number one on the Hot 100 on May 27, 2017, and held the top spot for 16 weeks.
On October 21, 2017, another song in Spanish cracked the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100 chart. 'Mi Gente' peaked at number three.
'Fake Love' is the first song by the K-pop phenomenon BTS to reach the top 10 on the Hot 100. The tune peaked at number 10 on June 2, 2018.
'MIA' peaked at number five on the Billboard Hot 100 on October 27, 2018.
South Korean group BTS, together with American singer, Halsey reached number eight on the Hot 100 in 2019.
BTS did it again in 2020. First with 'On,' which peaked at number four, and then with 'Life Goes On,' which was on the top spot of the Hot 100 for one week.
The third non-English song of 2020 on the top 10 of the Hot 100 was 'Dakiti.' The tune reached number five in the chart.
On January 2, 2021, Puerto Rican musician José Feliciano peaked at number six on the Hot 100 with 'Feliz Navidad.'
Bad Bunny returned to the Hot 100 chart on June 19, 2021, peaking at number 10 with 'Yonaguni.'
British band Coldplay teamed up with K-pop sensation BTS in this song. 'My Universe' peaked to the top spot of the Hot 100 on October 9, 2021, where it remained for a week.
The Puerto Rican rapper does it again on May 21, 2022. First with 'Moscow Mule' at number four, then with 'Tití Me Preguntó' at number five, and finally with 'Despues de La Playa' at number six.
Bad Bunny and Chencho Corleone got another hit sang in Spanish to crack the top 10 of the Hot 100. 'Me Porto Bonito' peaked at number six on July 23, 2022.
Representing Argentina and Colombia, Bizarrap and Shakira peaked at number nine of the Billboard Hot 100 on January 28, 2023.
On March 11, 2023, the Colombian singers peaked at number seven on the chart with 'TQG.'
BTS member Jimin stayed at the top of the Hot 100 with a song in Korean for one week. 'Like Crazy' peaked on April 8, 2023.
'Ella Baila Sola' peaked at number four on the Billboard Hot 100 on May 6, 2023.
Bad Bunny has had six songs in the top 10 of the Hot 100 from May 2023 to January 2025. They were: 'Un x100to' with Grupo Frontera (number five), 'Where She Goes' (eight), 'Monaco' (five), 'DtMF' (two), 'Baile Inolvidable' (three), and 'Nuevayol' at number eight.
Sources: (Billboard)
See also: Iconic songs that performed surprisingly poorly in the charts
Non-English songs that cracked the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100
From Spanish to Korean and everything in between
MUSIC Charts
Songs in English have always dominated the top positions of the Billboard Hot 100 chart, but there have been quite a few exceptions.
In fact, there have been 39 non-English song to crack the top 10 of the US-centered chart. Some hit songs in Spanish, Korean, and other languages have peaked at the top position, and some managed to stay there for weeks!
In this gallery, you'll get to know all the non-English songs that cracked the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100. Click on.