The Best Of Everything

The Best Of Everything by Johnny Mathis

Picture one of the most consistently popular vocalists of the late 1950s lending his signature smooth romanticism to a song tied to a major Hollywood film release, watching it climb into the Billboard Hot 100's middle reaches just as the decade drew to a close. That was the achievement of Johnny Mathis with "The Best Of Everything," which peaked at number 62 in late November 1959.

An Established Star at the Height of His Popularity

By 1959, Johnny Mathis had already cemented his reputation as one of the premier romantic vocalists in American popular music, having built an extraordinary run of hit singles and albums throughout the mid-to-late 1950s. "The Best Of Everything" arrived during this commercially fertile period, another demonstration of his label's confidence in his ability to consistently deliver chart-worthy material.

Connected to a Major Studio Film Release

Studio marketing executives frequently sought out established romantic vocalists precisely like Mathis for these promotional tie-ins, recognizing that his considerable existing fan base and proven radio appeal could meaningfully extend a film's visibility well beyond its initial theatrical release window into households across the country.

The song's title connected directly to a prominent film release of the same name, giving the single additional promotional visibility through its association with the movie's marketing campaign. This kind of film-tie-in single had become an increasingly common commercial strategy by the late 1950s, and Mathis's smooth, romantic vocal style made him a natural choice for material designed to accompany major studio releases seeking musical crossover appeal.

A Steady, Modest Chart Climb

The single's Billboard trajectory showed a gradual, if relatively modest, upward path. Debuting at number 67 in mid-November 1959, the song climbed to 66 the following week before reaching its peak position of 62 by the end of the month. That consistent movement, even without reaching spectacular chart heights, demonstrated Mathis's continued reliability as a hitmaker capable of translating his considerable name recognition into genuine, if modest, commercial success.

The Smooth, Orchestral Sound That Defined His Career

Musically, the recording showcased exactly the polished, string-laden orchestral pop sound that had made Mathis one of the defining vocal stylists of his era. His effortless vocal control and warm tonal quality gave the song an immediate emotional accessibility, consistent with the broader catalog of romantic ballads that had established his reputation among adult contemporary and easy listening audiences throughout the decade.

Navigating the Final Months of the 1950s

Radio programmers serving adult contemporary audiences continued providing Mathis with reliable, consistent airplay even as many stations increasingly dedicated additional programming hours to the younger rock and roll acts capturing teenage listeners' attention and record-buying dollars.

The song arrived at a particularly interesting cultural moment, as the decade that had made Mathis a star was drawing to its close and rock and roll's growing dominance was beginning to reshape the broader popular music landscape. That his smooth, orchestral approach still found genuine chart success during this transitional period spoke to the enduring appeal of traditional pop vocal performance among a substantial segment of the record-buying public.

A Reliable Entry in an Extraordinary Career

Collectors of his extensive catalog continue to regard the recording fondly as a genuine, if lesser-known, example of his consistent late-1950s commercial reliability and vocal warmth.

Though it never became one of his most iconic recordings, "The Best Of Everything" remains a solid representation of Mathis's commercial standing as the 1950s came to a close, proof of his continued ability to deliver polished, emotionally resonant material to an audience that remained deeply loyal throughout this remarkable stretch of his career. Give it a careful, attentive listen today, and you'll hear a genuine master vocalist fully in command of his own signature romantic style.

"The Best Of Everything" — Johnny Mathis's singular moment on the 1950s charts.