"It Doesn't Matter Anymore" is a pop ballad written by Paul Anka and recorded by Buddy Holly in 1958. The song reached number 13 as a posthumous hit on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in early 1959, shortly after Holly was killed in a plane crash on February 3, 1959. The single was a two-sided hit, backed with "Raining in My Heart". "It Doesn't Matter Anymore" was Holly's last US Top 20 hit and featured the orchestral backing of Dick Jacobs. It was also successful in the United Kingdom, where it became the country's first posthumous number 1 hit. The song was recorded in mid-October 1958 in New York City. Paul Anka wrote it specifically for Holly. He donated his royalties from the song to Holly's wife. He said: "'It Doesn't Matter Anymore' has a tragic irony about it now, but at least it will help look after Buddy Holly's family. I'm giving my composer's royalty to his widow - it's the least I can do." The song has been covered many times, most commercially successful by New Zealand-born singer songwriter, Mark Williams, who had a number-one hit with it in 1977.
Track listing
"It Doesn't Matter Anymore"
"Raining in My Heart"
Chart performance
In the United Kingdom the song reached number 1 on April 24, 1959, and remained in that position for three weeks, becoming the first posthumous number 1 hit in UK chart history. Holly would continue to achieve posthumous chart success in the UK well into the 1960s. In the United States it reached number 13 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. It was Holly's last Top 20 hit in the United States. Internationally, the song reached number 1 in both Canada and Ireland, and also peaked at number 2 in the Australian charts.
Weekly charts
Year-end charts
Linda Ronstadt version
covered "It Doesn't Matter Anymore" in 1974 on her multi-platinum album ‘’Heart Like a Wheel’’. As the B-side of "When Will I Be Loved," it became a double-sided hit in the United States. The single reached number 20 on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart, number 47 on the Pop chart, and number 54 on the Country chart in the fall of 1975.
Chart history
Mark Williams' version
"It Doesn't Matter Anymore" was covered by New Zealand-born singer songwriter, Mark Williams. The song was released in April 1977 as the second single from his third studio album, Taking It All In Stride. The song peaked at number 1 on the New Zealand charts and was the highest selling single by a New Zealand artist in New Zealand in 1977.
Track listing
; 7" single Side A: "It Doesn't Matter Anymore" Side B: "True Love "
Chart performance
Weekly charts
Year-end charts
Other cover versions
Wanda Jackson included a cover of this song on her 1961 album, There's a Party Goin' On.
John Barry did an instrumental cover, included on the compilation album The EMI Years: 1961.
Paul Anka himself recorded this song on his 1963 album, 21 Golden Hits, which contains re-recordings of his old hits, most of which he wrote.
Freddie and the Dreamers recorded this song for their album You Were Made for Me in 1964.
Al Stewart recorded a cover of the song, which was included as a bonus track on a re-release of his 1972 album Orange.
