1964 Heartbreak Ballad Became the Most Played Song of the 20th Century
We feel the need. The need … for The Righteous Brothers and their 1964 blue-eyed soul ballad, "You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling." A heartbreak anthem, the track was named the most-played song of the 20th century by Broadcast Music, Inc. and is still instantly recognizable today - perhaps due in part because of its pop culture revival in a certain iconic '80saction movie.
Produced by Phil Spector and co-written by husband-and-wife duo Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil, the timeless classic accumulated more than 8 million airplays by 1999 and more than 15 million by 2011. It held the BMI distinction for 22 years until The Police's "Every Breath You Take" took over in 2019.
The song reportedly took nearly 40 takes to perfect. Under Spector's Wall of Sound production formula, the recording was built with the dense, orchestral layering of the Wrecking Crew, which included Glen Campbell on guitar, alongside backing vocals from The Blossoms, The Ronettes, and even a young Cher. Anchored by Bill Medley's booming baritone and Bobby Hatfield's soaring tenor, the final result is pure sonic drama - the kind of sweeping, sensational sound that still gives us goosebumps decades later.
On Feb. 6, 1965, the classic love song hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, where it stayed for two weeks. Years later, it surged in popularity again when Tony Scott's fighter-pilot film Top Gunfamously featured the song in what is now a legendary movie scene where Maverick (Tom Cruise) and Goose (Anthony Edwards) serenade Charlie (Kelly McGillis) in a crowded bar. The song plays later on the jukebox soundtracking the greatest closing credits sequence of all time (says us).
In 1998, "You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling" was chosen for induction into the Grammy Hall of Fame, followed by its induction in 2015 by the Library of Congress into the National Recording Registry, an honor that recognizes recordings that are "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant." And yet, still today, we can't get enough.
With May 16 marking the historic 40th anniversary of Top Gun, the film - and The Righteous Brothers' song - are headed back to the big screen. For a one-week engagement that kicks off today, May 13, the film and its sequel, Top Gun: Maverick, are playing in theaters. Get tickets here. And prove you haven't lost that lovin' feeling.
Related: 1981 Iconic Ballad Became the Longest-Running No. 2 Hit in Rock History
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This story was originally published May 13, 2026 at 3:33 PM.