Connie Francis, First Female Artist To Ever Top Hot 100 Chart, Dies At 87

Connie Francis, known for memorable ‘50s And ‘60s hits like “Where the Boys Are” and “Who’s Sorry Now?”, has died at 87. Her death was confirmed by her friend Ron Roberts, and while the cause of death is unknown, Francis had been hospitalized earlier this month due to “extreme pain.” Her career began in the mid-1950s, and she became the best-selling female singer of the era starting with her 1958 hit, “Who’s Sorry Now,” which peaked at No. 4 on the Hot 100 chart. Francis became the first female artist ever to top the Billboard Hot 100, with her pair of No. 1 hits in 1960, “Everybody’s Somebody’s Fool” and “My Heart Has a Mind of Its Own.” Francis’ classic track, “Where the Boys Are,” peaked at No. 4 and served as the title tune for Francis’ breakout movie role in 1960. Francis scored her third and final No. 1 single, “Don’t Break the Heart That Loves You,” in 1962.

A series of personal traumas and tragedies kept Francis out of the spotlight over the following decades, with the singer announcing her retirement in 2018. However, she achieved unexpected success earlier this year as her 1962 single, “Pretty Little Baby,” became a viral hit on TikTok, reaching No. 1 on their music charts, after more than 1.3 million posts used it as a soundtrack in May alone. A video for the song has over 32 million views on YouTube, becoming Francis’ most popular video. “I am thrilled and overwhelmed at the success of ‘Pretty Little Baby,’” Francis said in a statement in May. “I recorded that song 63 years ago and to know that an entire new generation now knows who I am, and my music is thrilling to me.” (Rolling Stone)