On March 13, 1999, Cher made history when her song “Believe” reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. At the time, the pop diva and Oscar-winning actress was 52, making her the oldest woman ever to top the Hot 100 chart.
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“Believe” was a dance-pop smash that made groundbreaking use of Auto-Tune to purposely alter Cher’s voice to give it a robotic sound. The effect, now known as “the Cher Effect,” has been used in countless recordings since then.
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The song was the title track and lead single of Cher’s 22nd solo studio album, which was released in October 1998.
“Believe” Chart Achievements
After ascending to No. 1 on the Hot 100, it remained in the top spot for four weeks. “Believe” went on to become Billboard’s best-performing single of 1999.
The song was even more successful in the U.K., spending seven weeks at No. 1 in 1998, and becoming the best-selling single of that year in that country.
The song went on to be certified platinum by the RIAA for sales of more than 1 million in the U.S., and four-times platinum in the U.K. for equivalent sales in excess of 2 million. It’s the best-selling single ever in the U.K. by a female artist. Worldwide, “Believe” has sold more than 11 million copies.
At the 42nd Grammys, “Believe” won the Best Dance Recording trophy and also was nominated for Record of the Year.
About “Believe”
“Believe” is sung from the perspective of a woman who is staying strong and positive in the wake of a painful breakup. The song’s initial version was co-written by Brian Higgins, Matthew Gray, Stuart McLennen, and Timothy Powell. A demo was submitted to Warner Bros. Records chairman Rob Dickins, who was looking for material songs for Cher’s next album. Dickins was only happy with the choruses, so he enlisted two other songwriters, Steve Torch and Paul Barry, to finish it.
Cher claims that she also contributed some lines to “Believe,” although she decided not to seek to have her name added to the songwriting credits. In a 2023 interview with The Guardian, she admitted that she regretted her decision.
“I should have asked for a writing credit,” Cher said. “I was so stupid!”
More Chart Details About “Believe”
With the exception of holiday songs, Cher remains the oldest woman to have a No. 1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100.
Mariah Carey was 53 when “All I Want for Christmas Is You,” topped the chart in December 2023, while Brenda Lee was 78 when “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” reached No. 1 on the Hot 100 earlier that same month.
“Believe” was Cher’s 17th career single to reach the Top 40 of the Hot 100, and her last to date.
