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By Barry Levine

This is the second of a three-part series about rock ‘n’ roll acts who deserve a spot on “Rock Rushmore.” To be considered, an act must have had at least one Top 40 hit from the start of the modern rock ‘n’ roll era in 1955 through 1970.

Part three will be about solo performers.

POP GROUPS

The Beach Boys – The Beach Boys had 14 Top 10 hits with four rising to the top.

The Beach Boys first hit the charts in September 1962 when “Surfin’ Safari” rose to No. 14. The greatest surfing group of all-time had their last Top 40 hit 26 years later when “Kokomo” reached No. 1.

The Beach Boys amassed 35 Top 40 tunes.

The group’s No. 1 hits which preceded “Kokomo” were “I Get Around “in 1964, “California Girls” in 1965 and “Good Vibrations” in 1966.

The Beatles – The greatest and most influential act since the inception of the modern rock era in 1955, the Fab Four should be the first to have their faces chiseled on Rock Rushmore.

According to the RIAA, The Beatles are the best-selling music artists in the United States, with 178 million records sold. They established a record with 20 No. 1 singles as well as holding the Top 5 slots on the Top 100 at the same time.

They have received 10 Grammy Awards and an Academy Award for Best Original Song Score. They are the best-selling band in history, with estimated sales of more than 600 million worldwide.

The Beatles were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1988, and all four were later inducted individually.

Four Seasons – Buoyed by Frankie Valli’s unique powerful falsetto voice, the Four Seasons scored No. 1 hits with “Sherry,” and “Big Girls Don’t Cry” in 1962, “Walk Like a Man” in 1963, “Rag Doll” in 1964 and “December, 1963” in 1975.

Among their other hits were “Candy Girl” on 1963, “Dawn,” “Big Man in Town” and “Ronnie” in 1964, “Let’s Hang On” in 1965, “Working My Way Back to You” in 1966 and “Can’t Take My Eyes off of You” in 1967.

Overall, the group had 29 Top 40 hits.

Rolling Stones – Since the Rolling Stones had their first Top 10 hit with “Time is on My Side” in 1964, the Brits regularly have had songs in the Top 10.

They have had six No. 1 hits – their signature song “Satisfaction” and “Get Off of My Cloud” in 1965, “Ruby Tuesday” in 1967, “Jumpin’ Jack Flash” in 1968, “Honky Tony Woman” in 1969 and “Angie” in 1973.

Of the 109 singles they released, the Rolling Stones placed 42 in the Top 40.

R&B GROUPS

The Drifters – Of all the groups headed to Rock Rushmore, none had more lead singers than The Drifters. Among the group’s lead singers were Clyde McPhatter, Ben E. King, Charlie Thomas, Rudy Lewis and Johnny Moore.

The group released several singles with King as lead that became chart hits. “There Goes My Baby” was the first followed with “Dance with Me,” “This Magic Moment” and “Save the Last Dance for Me,” their only No. 1 hit.

They were succeeded by “I Count The Tears,” “Some Kind of Wonderful,” “Up On The Roof,” “Please Stay,” “On Broadway” and “Under the Boardwalk.”

Although The Drifters did not have an abundance of No. 1 hits, they had songs which resonated with the public – and still do.

Four Tops – One of the most amazing American groups, members of the Four Tops remained intact from 1953 until 1997 when Lawrence Payton died. No other group can match that.

The Detroit group helped define the Motown sound.

The Four Tops had 10 Top 10 hits, including two charts toppers – “I Can’t Help Myself” in 1965 and “Reach Out I’ll Be There” in 1966.

Among their other major hits were “Baby, I Need Your Loving” in 1964, “It’s the Same Old Song” in 1965 and “Standing in the Shadows of Love” in 1966.

Smokey Robinson & the Miracles – The R&B vocal group was the first successful recording act for Motown Records, and one of the most influential groups in music history.

The group eventually scored the label’s first million-seller with the 1960 smash, “Shop Around.” Besides “Shop Around,” The Miracles other No. 1 R&B hits were “You Really Got a Hold on Me” in 1962, “I Second That Emotion” in 1967 and “The Tears of a Clown” in 1970.

The Miracles charted 26 songs in the R&B Top 10 and 16 in the pop Top 20. Among The Miracles other hits were “What’s So Good about Goodbye” in 1961, “Mickey’s Monkey” in 1963, “Ooo Baby, Baby” and “Tracks of My Tears” in 1965.

The Temptations – One of the first groups to use extensive choreographed maneuvers in their performances, The Temptations are one of the most successful acts in music history.

The great David Ruffin became the group’s lead vocalist in 1964 and was the lead on many of the group’s biggest hits — “My Girl” in 1964, “Ain’t Too Proud to Beg” in 1966 and “I Wish It Would Rain” in 1967. Dennis Edwards replaced Ruffin in 1968 and the group continued to make hits such as “Cloud Nine” in 1969 and “Ball of Confusion” in 1970.

The Motown group had 15 Top 10 hits, four of which rose to the top of the pop charts —“My Girl,” “I Can’t Get Next to You” in 1969, “Just My Imagination” in 1971 and “Papa was a Rolling Stone” in 1972.

FEMALE/MIXED GROUPS

Mamas & Papas – The quartet consisted of two men, John Phillips and Denny Doherty, and two women, Cass Elliott and Michelle Phillips, and they enjoyed their peak years from 1965 to 1968 during which time the folk-rock group had seven Top 10 hits.

They had their only No. 1 hit with “Monday, Monday” in 1966.

The Mamas & Papas other Top 5 hits were “California Dreamin’ ” in 1965, “I Saw Her Again,” and “Words of Love” in 1966, “Dedicated to the One I Love” and “Creeque Alley” in 1967.

Peter, Paul & Mary – Formed in New York in 1961, Peter, Paul & Mary were the most successful folk-rock group of the 1960s.

The trio had one No. 1 hit, “Leaving on a Jet Plane” in 1969, but had many other Top 10 hits including “If I Had a Hammer” in 1962, “Puff the Magic Dragon,” “Blowin’ in the Wind” and “Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right” in 1963 and “I Dig Rock and Roll Music” in 1967.

Shirelles – Starting in 1958, the Shirelles quickly became rock ‘n’ roll’s first female supergroup and were the inspiration to the girl groups who followed.

The Shirelles, a light, Doo-Wop group, had two No. 1 smashes – “Will You Love Me Tomorrow” in 1960 and “Soldier Boy” in 1962.

Among their other hits were “I Met Him on a Sunday” in 1958, “Dedicated to the One I Love” and “Mama Said” in 1960, “Baby It’s You” in 1961 and “Foolish Little Girl” in 1963.

Diana Ross & the Supremes — Unquestionably the most successful girls group of all time, the Supremes notched 12 No. 1 hits including five straight during the 1960s. The five straight chart toppers were “Where did Our Love Go,” “Baby Love” and “Come See about Me” in 1964 and “Stop! In the Name of Love” and “Back in My Arms Again” in 1965.

“I Hear a Symphony” in 1965, “You Can’t Hurry Love” and “You Keep Me Hanging On” in 1966, “Love is Here and Now You’re Gone” and “The Happening” in 1967, “Love Child” in 1968 and “Somebody We’ll Be Together” in 1969 were their other No. 1 hits.

They also had 31 Top 40 hits.

Barry Levine is an entertainment writer for The Albany Herald. He can be reached at [email protected].