'60s Rock and Roll Legend Behind Some of the 'Greatest Songs of All Time,' Didn't Hit No. 1 Until 50 Years Later

John Fogerty of Creedence Clearwater Revival fame is known for writing and performing some of the biggest songs in rock history, yet he shockingly never had a song go No. 1 the Billboard Hot 100.

It wasn't until 50 years later that one of the band's songs finally made it to a No. 1 position, though not on the Hot 100. In 2021, the beloved 1971 track "Have You Ever Seen the Rain" resurfaced at No. 1 on the Rock Digital Song Sales chart, where it spent two consecutive weeks.

Despite the fact that Fogerty is behind some of the most enduring songs from the '60s and '70s, none of CCR's other songs have ever reached No. 1. Even some of his songs that helped shape the sound of classic rock only ever peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100: "Proud Mary," "Bad Moon Rising," "Lookin' Out My Back Door/Long As I Can See the Light," "Green River" and "Travelin' Band/Who'll Stop the Rain."

But regardless of their chart placements, there is no denying that Fogerty's hits with CCR have stood the test of time. In fact, just last year, "Fortunate Son" was named the most-streamed song from the '60s in 2025.

Many of CCR's songs have also gone down in history as some of the best songs rock music has to offer, while some have even been considered among the greatest songs of all time. Rolling Stone included some CCR tracks on its ranking of the

"500 Greatest Songs of All Time," like "Proud Mary" (ranked at No. 152) and "Fortunate Son (No. 227). Rolling Stone also named Creedence Clearwater Revival on its "100 Greatest Artists" lists, where Fogerty and the band were placed at No. 82.

Here are all of Creedence Clearwater Revival's songs on the Billboard Hot 100 and their peak placements:

1. "Proud Mary," No. 2
2. "Bad Moon Rising," No. 2
3. "Lookin' Out My Back Door/Long As I Can See The Light," No. 2
4. "Green River," No. 2
5. "Travelin' Band/Who'll Stop The Rain," No. 2
6. "Down On The Corner/Fortunate Son," No. 3
7. "Up Around The Bend/Run Through The Jungle," No. 4
8. "Sweet Hitch-Hiker," No. 6
9. "Have You Ever Seen The Rain/Hey Tonight," No. 8
10. "Suzie Q. (Part One)," No. 11
11. "Fortunate Son," No. 14
12. "Someday Never Comes," No. 25
13. "Commotion," No. 30
14. "I Heard It Through The Grapevine," No. 43
15. "Lodi," No. 52
16. "I Put A Spell On You," No. 58

Related: 1971 Classic, One of Rock's Most Iconic Guitar Songs, Wasn't Ever a No. 1 Hit

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This story was originally published May 29, 2026 at 12:31 PM.