Iconic '80s Singer, Whose No. 1 Hit Made History, Turns 76

Singer and conductor Bobby McFerrin, best known for his global smash “Don’t Worry, Be Happy,” turns 76 on March 11. The song made music history in 1988 when it became the first a cappella track ever to reach No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Released as the lead single from McFerrin’s album Simple Pleasures, “Don’t Worry, Be Happy” became an unlikely pop phenomenon. Built entirely from McFerrin’s layered vocal parts, the cheerful track spent two weeks at the top of the Hot 100 and eventually logged 26 total weeks on the chart.

The song’s success extended far beyond the charts. At the 1989 Grammy Awards, “Don’t Worry, Be Happy” won Song of the Year, Record of the Year and Best Male Pop Vocal Performance. The song has remained a pop culture staple for decades and was selected for preservation in the United States National Recording Registry by the Library of Congress in 2024.

Over the course of his career, McFerrin has become one of music’s most distinctive vocal innovators. Known for his extraordinary technique, he frequently performs as an unaccompanied solo artist, creating melodies, harmonies and percussion entirely with his voice.

In addition to his pop success, McFerrin has collaborated with an impressive range of musicians across jazz and classical music, including Chick Corea, Herbie Hancock and Yo-Yo Ma. He has also conducted major orchestras around the world and served as creative chair of the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra.

An 11-time Grammy winner, McFerrin received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2022 in recognition of his extraordinary contributions to music.

More than three decades after its release, “Don’t Worry, Be Happy” remains one of the most recognizable songs of the late 1980s and still holds its place in history as the only fully a cappella song ever to top the Billboard Hot 100.