[beelzepug]

"Hey Jude" broke the 3 minute rule..."

I think I'd credit Bob Dylan's "Like a Rolling Stone" (1965) with breaking this rule. It ran out to around 6 1/2 minutes, as I recall.

[Dane]

I think I'd credit Bob Dylan's "Like a Rolling Stone" (1965) with breaking this rule. It ran out to around 6 1/2 minutes, as I recall

Did that go to #1 as a single?

IIRC, "Hey Jude" was the first song more than 3 or 4 minutes to go #1.

Not to quibble, I beleive that "Hey Jude" was the first song exclusively released as a single that was more than 4 minutes long to go to #1.

[weegee]

>>"Hey Jude" broke the 3 minute rule..."

I think I'd credit Bob Dylan's "Like a Rolling Stone" (1965) with breaking this rule. It ran out to around 6 1/2 minutes, as I recall.

Were either of these AM hits or were they strictly FM radio airplay?

AM was still king of the charts in the 1960s. Even the Doors had some songs designed for AM's Middle Of The Road format (like "Touch Me").