The US Billboard Hot 100 has had over 1,000 different number one hits. What was the first?

The first number one song of the Hot 100 was "Poor Little Fool" by Ricky Nelson, on August 4, 1958. "Poor Little Fool" is a rock and roll song written by Sharon Sheeley and first recorded by Ricky Nelson in 1958.

Sheeley wrote the song when she was fifteen years old. She had met Elvis Presley, and he encouraged her to write. It was based on her disappointment following a short-lived relationship with a member of a popular singing duo. Sheeley sought Ricky Nelson to record the tune. She drove to his house, and claimed her car had broken down. He came to her aid, and she sprang the song on him. Her version was at a much faster tempo than his recording.

"Poor Little Fool" became a radio hit when it was released as part of a four-song Extended Play 45 rpm disc which was excerpted from the artist's second LP, Ricky Nelson. Responding to the buzz, Lew Chudd, the founder and head of Imperial Records, rushed out a single version (on both 45 and 78 rpm). Nelson objected, however, believing that the move would hurt sales of the EP. Under his contract with Imperial, the singer had approval rights for all picture-sleeve art and to express his displeasure with Chudd's decision, he chose not to select a photograph for the "Poor Little Fool" single. As a result, "Poor Little Fool" was the only Ricky Nelson single released by Imperial to be issued in the United States without a photo in a plain label-cut-out sleeve.