50 Billboard Hot 100 Hits That Never Reached No. 1, Ranked
Reaching No. 1 is not the only measure of a major hit. Some songs peaked lower but remained on the Billboard Hot 100 long enough to become enduring radio staples and cultural touchstones.
To identify the strongest-performing songs that missed the top spot, 24/7 Tempo reviewed Hot 100 data through June 8, 2024. Eligible songs were ranked using a point system that considers both their weekly chart positions and the amount of time spent at each position.
The countdown runs from No. 50 to No. 1, and every song included appeared on the Hot 100 without ever reaching the top. Because the underlying data ends in June 2024, the results represent a historical snapshot rather than a continuously updated ranking.
50. Panic! at the Disco, “High Hopes”
Hot 100 peak: No. 4 for 1 week. Chart debut: June 9, 2018.
Released on Pray for the Wicked, “High Hopes” became Panic! at the Disco’s highest-charting Hot 100 hit. Its huge pop-radio run made it feel even bigger than its No. 4 peak suggests.
49. Shawn Mendes, “Stitches”
Hot 100 peak: No. 4 for 1 week. Chart debut: June 13, 2015.
“Stitches,” from Mendes’ debut album Handwritten, became his first U.S. top-10 hit and helped turn the young Canadian singer into an international pop star.
48. 3 Doors Down, “Here Without You”
Hot 100 peak: No. 5 for 3 weeks. Chart debut: August 30, 2003.
The ballad came from 3 Doors Down’s second album, Away from the Sun, and showed that the band could score a major crossover hit without leaning on the heavier sound of “Kryptonite.”
47. fun., “Some Nights”
Hot 100 peak: No. 3 for 6 weeks. Chart debut: March 10, 2012.
The title track from fun.’s second album followed the No. 1 smash “We Are Young” and nearly gave the band another chart-topper. Instead, it spent six weeks stuck at No. 3.
46. Elton John & Dua Lipa, “Cold Heart (PNAU Remix)”
Hot 100 peak: No. 7 for 1 week. Chart debut: August 28, 2021.
Australian electronic trio PNAU reworked elements from several Elton John songs into a new duet with Dua Lipa. The unlikely combination became a global hit and returned John to the U.S. top 10.
45. Imagine Dragons, “Believer”
Hot 100 peak: No. 4 for 2 weeks. Chart debut: February 25, 2017.
The lead single from Evolve became another massive rock-pop crossover for Imagine Dragons. Despite its enormous radio presence and long shelf life, “Believer” never climbed higher than No. 4.
44. Train, “Drops of Jupiter (Tell Me)”
Hot 100 peak: No. 5 for 2 weeks. Chart debut: March 17, 2001.
Train’s sweeping breakout ballad became the signature song from the album of the same name. It also earned two Grammy Awards, including Best Rock Song, despite stopping at No. 5 on the Hot 100.
43. 3 Doors Down, “Kryptonite”
Hot 100 peak: No. 3 for 3 weeks. Chart debut: April 8, 2000.
“Kryptonite” launched 3 Doors Down into the mainstream and helped make The Better Life a major commercial success. The band’s breakthrough never reached No. 1, topping out at No. 3.
42. Florida Georgia Line Featuring Nelly, “Cruise”
Hot 100 peak: No. 4 for 1 week. Chart debut: September 1, 2012.
“Cruise” was already a major country hit before a remix featuring Nelly pushed it much further into pop territory. That crossover version helped carry the song all the way to No. 4 on the Hot 100.
41. Taylor Swift, “You Belong With Me”
Hot 100 peak: No. 2 for 1 week. Chart debut: November 22, 2008.
One of the defining singles from Fearless, “You Belong With Me” helped accelerate Swift’s transition from country star to mainstream pop phenomenon. Even so, it spent its highest week at No. 2.
40. Justin Bieber, “Ghost”
Hot 100 peak: No. 5 for 1 week. Chart debut: April 3, 2021.
“Ghost” appeared on Bieber’s Justice album and gradually grew into one of the project’s biggest radio hits. Its long climb eventually carried it into the top five, but no higher than No. 5.
39. AWOLNATION, “Sail”
Hot 100 peak: No. 17 for 1 week. Chart debut: September 3, 2011.
“Sail” is the oddball of this list because it never even reached the top 10. What it lacked in peak position it made up for with absurd staying power, spending 79 weeks on the Hot 100.
38. Juice WRLD, “Lucid Dreams”
Hot 100 peak: No. 2 for 2 weeks. Chart debut: May 26, 2018.
Built around an interpolation of Sting’s guitar part from “Shape of My Heart,” “Lucid Dreams” became Juice WRLD’s breakthrough mainstream hit and one of the defining songs of the late-2010s emo-rap wave.
37. Taylor Swift, “Love Story”
Hot 100 peak: No. 4 for 1 week. Chart debut: September 27, 2008.
Swift rewrote the tragedy of Romeo and Juliet with a happier ending on one of Fearless’ signature songs. “Love Story” became a massive crossover hit even though it stopped at No. 4.
36. Metro Boomin, The Weeknd & 21 Savage, “Creepin'”
Hot 100 peak: No. 3 for 2 weeks. Chart debut: December 17, 2022.
From Metro Boomin’s Heroes & Villains, “Creepin’” reimagines Mario Winans’ 2004 hit “I Don’t Wanna Know.” The familiar hook helped the new version reach No. 3.
35. Harry Styles, “Adore You”
Hot 100 peak: No. 6 for 2 weeks. Chart debut: December 21, 2019.
“Adore You” became one of the enduring singles from Styles’ Fine Line album. It never cracked the Hot 100’s top five, but its long radio run made it one of his most recognizable solo songs.
34. benny blanco, Halsey & Khalid, “Eastside”
Hot 100 peak: No. 9 for 1 week. Chart debut: July 28, 2018.
After years of producing and writing hits for other artists, Benny Blanco released “Eastside” as his debut single as a lead artist. Halsey and Khalid supplied the vocals on the top-10 collaboration.
33. Paula Cole, “I Don’t Want to Wait”
Hot 100 peak: No. 11 for 1 week. Chart debut: November 1, 1997.
The song was already a sizable hit before becoming permanently linked with Dawson’s Creek, which used it as its theme. Remarkably, such a recognizable piece of late-1990s pop culture never reached the top 10.
32. Bobby Helms, “Jingle Bell Rock”
Hot 100 peak: No. 3 for 10 weeks. Chart debut: December 22, 1958.
Helms originally released the Christmas standard in 1957, before the Hot 100 even existed. Decades of holiday revivals eventually carried it as high as No. 3, but never all the way to No. 1.
31. Train, “Hey, Soul Sister”
Hot 100 peak: No. 3 for 4 weeks. Chart debut: October 17, 2009.
The ukulele-driven single from Save Me, San Francisco gave Train one of the biggest hits of its career nearly a decade after “Drops of Jupiter.” It spent four weeks stalled at No. 3.
30. The Chainsmokers Featuring Daya, “Don’t Let Me Down”
Hot 100 peak: No. 3 for 2 weeks. Chart debut: February 27, 2016.
Daya’s vocal helped turn the electronic track into a huge crossover hit. It later won the 2017 Grammy for Best Dance Recording, giving the Chainsmokers their first Grammy victory.
29. matchbox twenty, “Unwell”
Hot 100 peak: No. 5 for 2 weeks. Chart debut: March 22, 2003.
Released from More Than You Think You Are, “Unwell” became one of Matchbox Twenty’s biggest adult-pop and radio staples. Its Hot 100 run topped out at No. 5.
28. Faith Hill, “Breathe”
Hot 100 peak: No. 2 for 5 weeks. Chart debut: November 6, 1999.
Here is one of the strangest chart quirks on the list: “Breathe” never topped the weekly Hot 100, yet Billboard ranked it as the No. 1 Hot 100 song for the entire year of 2000.
27. Bebe Rexha & Florida Georgia Line, “Meant to Be”
Hot 100 peak: No. 2 for 3 weeks. Chart debut: November 11, 2017.
The pop-country collaboration became a crossover juggernaut. It also spent a record 50 weeks at No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart, making its failure to top the all-genre Hot 100 especially striking.
26. Lifehouse, “You and Me”
Hot 100 peak: No. 5 for 1 week. Chart debut: February 12, 2005.
The gentle acoustic ballad from Lifehouse’s self-titled album became one of the band’s most durable radio songs. It reached the top five only briefly but remained on the Hot 100 for more than a year.
25. Sam Smith, “Stay With Me”
Hot 100 peak: No. 2 for 2 weeks. Chart debut: April 19, 2014.
“Stay With Me” made Sam Smith a major U.S. star and came painfully close to the top. The Darkchild version later won both Record of the Year and Song of the Year at the 2015 Grammys.
24. Dua Lipa, “Don’t Start Now”
Hot 100 peak: No. 2 for 1 week. Chart debut: November 16, 2019.
The lead single from Future Nostalgia helped usher disco-inspired pop back onto mainstream radio. Despite becoming one of Dua Lipa’s signature songs, it spent its highest week at No. 2.
23. Chris Brown & Young Thug, “Go Crazy”
Hot 100 peak: No. 3 for 1 week. Chart debut: May 23, 2020.
Released from Brown and Young Thug’s collaborative project Slime & B, “Go Crazy” developed into the project’s clear breakout hit and eventually climbed all the way to No. 3.
22. Avicii, “Wake Me Up!”
Hot 100 peak: No. 4 for 6 weeks. Chart debut: July 13, 2013.
Avicii paired electronic dance production with acoustic instrumentation and Aloe Blacc’s soulful vocal, creating a crossover sound that initially surprised EDM fans. The gamble worked, producing a worldwide smash that reached No. 4 in the U.S.
21. Lifehouse, “Hanging by a Moment”
Hot 100 peak: No. 2 for 4 weeks. Chart debut: February 10, 2001.
“Hanging by a Moment” never won a weekly Hot 100, but its consistency was extraordinary. Billboard ultimately ranked it as the No. 1 Hot 100 song for all of 2001.
20. Fetty Wap, “Trap Queen”
Hot 100 peak: No. 2 for 3 weeks. Chart debut: February 7, 2015.
Fetty Wap’s breakthrough single transformed him from a regional rapper into one of 2015’s biggest new stars. “Trap Queen” spent three weeks at No. 2 but never managed to take the final step.
19. Ed Sheeran, “Shivers”
Hot 100 peak: No. 4 for 1 week. Chart debut: September 25, 2021.
The upbeat single from Sheeran’s = album followed another song appearing much higher on this list, “Bad Habits.” “Shivers” became a major radio hit in its own right, peaking at No. 4.
18. The Lumineers, “Ho Hey”
Hot 100 peak: No. 3 for 5 weeks. Chart debut: June 23, 2012.
The stripped-down folk-rock single turned the Lumineers into an unlikely mainstream success story. It spent five weeks at No. 3 and helped push acoustic folk sounds deep into early-2010s pop radio.
17. Post Malone, “Better Now”
Hot 100 peak: No. 3 for 2 weeks. Chart debut: May 12, 2018.
“Better Now” was one of several enormous singles from Post Malone’s beerbongs & bentleys. Even in an era when he seemed nearly unavoidable on the charts, this particular hit stalled at No. 3.
16. Morgan Wallen, “Thinkin’ Bout Me”
Hot 100 peak: No. 7 for 1 week. Chart debut: March 18, 2023.
The track came from Wallen’s blockbuster One Thing at a Time and became a major country-radio hit. Its longevity pushed it high in this ranking despite a comparatively modest No. 7 Hot 100 peak.
15. Ed Sheeran, “Thinking Out Loud”
Hot 100 peak: No. 2 for 8 weeks. Chart debut: October 25, 2014.
Few songs came closer to No. 1 for longer. “Thinking Out Loud” spent eight weeks at No. 2 and later won Grammys for Song of the Year and Best Pop Solo Performance.
14. Marshmello & Bastille, “Happier”
Hot 100 peak: No. 2 for 1 week. Chart debut: September 1, 2018.
Marshmello’s electronic production and Bastille frontman Dan Smith’s vocal created one of 2018’s most persistent crossover hits. “Happier” reached No. 2 but never displaced the song above it.
13. Carrie Underwood, “Before He Cheats”
Hot 100 peak: No. 8 for 1 week. Chart debut: September 16, 2006.
“Before He Cheats” became much bigger culturally than its No. 8 Hot 100 peak suggests. The revenge anthem also won Grammys for Best Country Song and Best Female Country Vocal Performance.
12. Lady Antebellum, “Need You Now”
Hot 100 peak: No. 2 for 2 weeks. Chart debut: August 29, 2009.
The group now known as Lady A scored its defining crossover hit with “Need You Now.” It never topped the Hot 100, but it later won both Record of the Year and Song of the Year at the Grammys.
11. Zach Bryan, “Something in the Orange”
Hot 100 peak: No. 10 for 1 week. Chart debut: May 7, 2022.
The slow-burning track from American Heartbreak became Bryan’s breakthrough mainstream hit. Its No. 10 peak looks modest next to many songs here, but its unusually long chart run is what pushes it near the top.
10. Gabby Barrett Featuring Charlie Puth, “I Hope”
Hot 100 peak: No. 3 for 1 week. Chart debut: January 11, 2020.
Barrett first broke through with “I Hope” as a country single before a remix featuring Charlie Puth boosted its pop crossover. The combined momentum eventually carried the song to No. 3.
9. Luke Combs, “Fast Car”
Hot 100 peak: No. 2 for 8 weeks. Chart debut: April 8, 2023.
Combs’ cover introduced Tracy Chapman’s 1988 classic to a new generation and spent eight weeks at No. 2. The performance also won CMA Single of the Year, while Chapman received CMA Song of the Year as its songwriter.
8. Ed Sheeran, “Bad Habits”
Hot 100 peak: No. 2 for 2 weeks. Chart debut: July 10, 2021.
The lead single from = found Sheeran leaning heavily into synth-pop and dance production. The stylistic shift worked commercially, although “Bad Habits” topped out one position short of No. 1.
7. Morgan Wallen, “You Proof”
Hot 100 peak: No. 5 for 1 week. Chart debut: May 28, 2022.
“You Proof” became one of Wallen’s most durable country-radio singles and was later included on One Thing at a Time. Its No. 5 Hot 100 peak understates just how long the song remained in circulation.
6. OneRepublic, “Counting Stars”
Hot 100 peak: No. 2 for 2 weeks. Chart debut: July 6, 2013.
Released from Native, “Counting Stars” became one of OneRepublic’s signature recordings and a worldwide hit. In the U.S., though, its ceiling was two weeks at No. 2.
5. Jason Mraz, “I’m Yours”
Hot 100 peak: No. 6 for 1 week. Chart debut: May 3, 2008.
“I’m Yours” never got particularly close to No. 1, but it simply refused to leave. Its 76-week Hot 100 run set a longevity record at the time and explains why a No. 6 song ranks this high.
4. Jewel, “Foolish Games/You Were Meant For Me”
Hot 100 peak: No. 2 for 2 weeks. Chart debut: November 30, 1996.
Billboard combined the two Pieces of You tracks as a double-sided chart entry during their run. Together they spent 65 weeks on the Hot 100, an enormous stretch for the era.
3. LeAnn Rimes, “How Do I Live”
Hot 100 peak: No. 2 for 4 weeks. Chart debut: June 21, 1997.
Rimes never took “How Do I Live” to No. 1, but the song spent an extraordinary 69 weeks on the Hot 100. At the time, that was the longest chart run in Hot 100 history.
2. SZA, “Snooze”
Hot 100 peak: No. 2 for 2 weeks. Chart debut: December 24, 2022.
The slow-burning SOS track grew into one of SZA’s biggest hits and came within one spot of becoming her second Hot 100 No. 1. “Snooze” also won the 2024 Grammy for Best R&B Song.
1. Imagine Dragons, “Radioactive”
Hot 100 peak: No. 3 for 4 weeks. Chart debut: August 18, 2012.
No song on this list better demonstrates why peak position tells only part of the story. “Radioactive” spent a then-record 87 weeks on the Hot 100 and won the Grammy for Best Rock Performance, all without ever rising above No. 3.
