Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons: The Only Artist with No. 1 Hits Before, During, and After The Beatles
Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons: The Only Artist with No. 1 Hits Before, During, and After The Beatles
Andrea ReiherSun, February 22, 2026 at 2:08 AM UTC
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(Michael Putland/Getty Images)
On this date 50 years ago—Feb. 21, 1976—Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons hit No. 1 on the UK Singles Chart with "December, 1963 (Oh, What a Night)." Fifty years later, the song still holds a distinction no other artist in music history can claim.
When it topped the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 in March 1976, "December, 1963 (Oh, What a Night)" made The Four Seasons the only artist ever to score No. 1 hits before, during and after The Beatles’ chart dominance.
The New Jersey group had already racked up chart-toppers in the early 1960s with “Sherry,” “Big Girls Don’t Cry,” and “Walk Like A Man.” They landed another No. 1 in 1964 with “Rag Doll,” during the height of Beatlemania. Then, more than a decade later, they returned to the top with "December, 1963 (Oh, What a Night)," their fifth and final U.S. No. 1.
A Different Voice on a Signature Hit
Unlike many of the group’s biggest hits, "December, 1963 (Oh, What a Night)" did not feature Frankie Valli's signature falsetto on primary lead vocals. Instead, drummer Gerry Polci handled the verses, with Valli singing the bridge sections and backing vocals. Bass player Don Ciccone delivered the soaring falsetto line: “And I felt a rush like a rolling ball of thunder / Spinning my head around and taking my body under.”
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The song was written by original Four Seasons keyboardist Bob Gaudio and his future wife Judy Parker, and produced by Gaudio. It appeared on the group’s 1975 album “Who Loves You.”
It Almost Wasn’t About 1963
The track’s origins were even more unexpected. The lyrics were originally set in 1933 under the title “December 5th, 1933,” celebrating the repeal of Prohibition. The concept was eventually reworked into a nostalgic love story set in December 1963, transforming it into one of the most enduring pop hits of the decade.
Beyond the U.K. and U.S., the single also reached No. 1 in Canada and South Africa, No. 2 in New Zealand, and No. 3 in Australia, Belgium and the Netherlands.
The song proved so durable that it was remixed and re-released in 1993, climbing back into the Top 3 in Australia and New Zealand and reaching No. 14 in the U.S.
Formed in 1960 in Newark, New Jersey, The Four Seasons became one of the best-selling musical groups of all time, with an estimated 100 million records sold worldwide. The original lineup was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1990.
This story was originally published by Parade on Feb 22, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Parade as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
