It’s never been easy for an artist to reach No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. So many things have to go right for a performer to reach the summit, such as airplay, timing of the song’s release, and what the competition is like.
Even though a single does not reach the Billboard apex, though, that doesn’t mean that it is not a hit. To determine the biggest songs that never went No. 1, 24/7 Tempo reviewed performance data on the Billboard Hot 100 charts. Songs were ranked based on an inverse score wherein a week at No. 1 is worth 100 points, a week at No. 2 worth 99 points, and so on, up to a week at No. 100 worth one point. Only songs that never reached the No. 1 position on the Billboard Hot 100 were considered. Chart data is current through the week of Nov. 19, 2022.
All of pop music’s greatest classic performers – The Beatles, Elvis Presley, Whitney Houston, and Stevie Wonder, to name just a few – recorded singles that failed to top the Hot 100. The same holds true for more contemporary performers. On the 24/7 Tempo list of biggest songs that never went to No. 1, hitmakers such as Ed Sheeran, Taylor Swift, and Dua Lipa are all represented – though 19 of these songs got to No. 2, including two by Sheeran. You might be surprised at some of the famous musicians who have never topped the Billboard Hot 100.
Every song on the list had staying power, however, spending at least 45 weeks in the Billboard Hot 100, and the majority were on that Billboard chart for 50 weeks or longer. The Imagine Dragons’ song “Radioactive,” which peaked at No. 3, was on the Billboard Hot 100 for 87 weeks. (These are the most dominant reigns in Billboard history.)
50. CeeLo Green, “Forget You”
> Entered Hot 100: Sept. 11, 2010
> Peak position on Hot 100: #2 (for 4 weeks)
> Total weeks on Hot 100: 48
49. Taio Cruz, “Dynamite”
> Entered Hot 100: June 19, 2010
> Peak position on Hot 100: #2 (for 3 weeks)
> Total weeks on Hot 100: 47
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48. Usher, “You Make Me Wanna…”
> Entered Hot 100: Aug. 23, 1997
> Peak position on Hot 100: #2 (for 7 weeks)
> Total weeks on Hot 100: 47
47. Chris Brown featuring Drake, “No Guidance”
> Entered Hot 100: June 22, 2019
> Peak position on Hot 100: #5 (for 4 weeks)
> Total weeks on Hot 100: 46
46. Faith Hill, “The Way You Love Me”
> Entered Hot 100: March 11, 2000
> Peak position on Hot 100: #6 (for 1 week)
> Total weeks on Hot 100: 56
45. Tag Team, “Whoomp! (There It Is)”
> Entered Hot 100: May 29, 1993
> Peak position on Hot 100: #2 (for 7 weeks)
> Total weeks on Hot 100: 45
44. Silento, “Watch Me”
> Entered Hot 100: March 14, 2015
> Peak position on Hot 100: #3 (for 6 weeks)
> Total weeks on Hot 100: 51
43. Panic! At The Disco, “High Hopes”
> Entered Hot 100: June 9, 2018
> Peak position on Hot 100: #4 (for 1 week)
> Total weeks on Hot 100: 52
42. Shawn Mendes, “Stitches”
> Entered Hot 100: June 13, 2015
> Peak position on Hot 100: #4 (for 1 week)
> Total weeks on Hot 100: 52
41. 3 Doors Down, “Here Without You”
> Entered Hot 100: Aug. 30, 2003
> Peak position on Hot 100: #5 (for 3 weeks)
> Total weeks on Hot 100: 51
40. fun., “Some Nights”
> Entered Hot 100: March 10, 2012
> Peak position on Hot 100: #3 (for 6 weeks)
> Total weeks on Hot 100: 56
39. Elton John & Dua Lipa, “Cold Heart (PNAU Remix)”
> Entered Hot 100: Aug. 28, 2021
> Peak position on Hot 100: #7 (for 1 week)
> Total weeks on Hot 100: 52
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38. Imagine Dragons, “Believer”
> Entered Hot 100: Feb. 25, 2017
> Peak position on Hot 100: #4 (for 2 weeks)
> Total weeks on Hot 100: 51
37. Train, “Drops Of Jupiter (Tell Me)”
> Entered Hot 100: March 17, 2001
> Peak position on Hot 100: #5 (for 2 weeks)
> Total weeks on Hot 100: 53
36. 3 Doors Down, “Kryptonite”
> Entered Hot 100: April 8, 2000
> Peak position on Hot 100: #3 (for 3 weeks)
> Total weeks on Hot 100: 53
35. Florida Georgia Line featuring Nelly, “Cruise”
> Entered Hot 100: Sept. 1, 2012
> Peak position on Hot 100: #4 (for 1 week)
> Total weeks on Hot 100: 54
34. Taylor Swift, “You Belong With Me”
> Entered Hot 100: Nov. 22, 2008
> Peak position on Hot 100: #2 (for 1 week)
> Total weeks on Hot 100: 50
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33. Justin Bieber, “Ghost”
> Entered Hot 100: April 3, 2021
> Peak position on Hot 100: #5 (for 1 week)
> Total weeks on Hot 100: 52
32. AWOLNATION, “Sail”
> Entered Hot 100: Sept. 3, 2011
> Peak position on Hot 100: #17 (for 1 week)
> Total weeks on Hot 100: 79
31. Juice WRLD, “Lucid Dreams”
> Entered Hot 100: May 26, 2018
> Peak position on Hot 100: #2 (for 2 weeks)
> Total weeks on Hot 100: 48
30. Taylor Swift, “Love Story”
> Entered Hot 100: Sept. 27, 2008
> Peak position on Hot 100: #4 (for 1 week)
> Total weeks on Hot 100: 49
29. Harry Styles, “Adore You”
> Entered Hot 100: Dec. 21, 2019
> Peak position on Hot 100: #6 (for 2 weeks)
> Total weeks on Hot 100: 50
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28. benny blanco, Halsey & Khalid, “Eastside”
> Entered Hot 100: July 28, 2018
> Peak position on Hot 100: #9 (for 1 week)
> Total weeks on Hot 100: 52
27. Paula Cole, “I Don’t Want To Wait”
> Entered Hot 100: Nov. 1, 1997
> Peak position on Hot 100: #11 (for 1 week)
> Total weeks on Hot 100: 56
26. Train, “Hey, Soul Sister”
> Entered Hot 100: Oct. 17, 2009
> Peak position on Hot 100: #3 (for 4 weeks)
> Total weeks on Hot 100: 54
25. The Chainsmokers featuring Daya, “Don’t Let Me Down”
> Entered Hot 100: Feb. 27, 2016
> Peak position on Hot 100: #3 (for 2 weeks)
> Total weeks on Hot 100: 52
24. matchbox twenty, “Unwell”
> Entered Hot 100: March 22, 2003
> Peak position on Hot 100: #5 (for 2 weeks)
> Total weeks on Hot 100: 54
23. Faith Hill, “Breathe”
> Entered Hot 100: Nov. 6, 1999
> Peak position on Hot 100: #2 (for 5 weeks)
> Total weeks on Hot 100: 53
22. Bebe Rexha & Florida Georgia Line, “Meant To Be”
> Entered Hot 100: Nov. 11, 2017
> Peak position on Hot 100: #2 (for 3 weeks)
> Total weeks on Hot 100: 51
21. Lifehouse, “You And Me”
> Entered Hot 100: Feb. 12, 2005
> Peak position on Hot 100: #5 (for 1 week)
> Total weeks on Hot 100: 62
20. Sam Smith, “Stay With Me”
> Entered Hot 100: April 19, 2014
> Peak position on Hot 100: #2 (for 2 weeks)
> Total weeks on Hot 100: 54
19. Dua Lipa, “Don’t Start Now”
> Entered Hot 100: Nov. 16, 2019
> Peak position on Hot 100: #2 (for 1 week)
> Total weeks on Hot 100: 52
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18. Chris Brown & Young Thug, “Go Crazy”
> Entered Hot 100: May 23, 2020
> Peak position on Hot 100: #3 (for 1 week)
> Total weeks on Hot 100: 52
17. Avicii, “Wake Me Up!”
> Entered Hot 100: July 13, 2013
> Peak position on Hot 100: #4 (for 6 weeks)
> Total weeks on Hot 100: 54
16. Lifehouse, “Hanging By A Moment”
> Entered Hot 100: Feb. 10, 2001
> Peak position on Hot 100: #2 (for 4 weeks)
> Total weeks on Hot 100: 54
15. Fetty Wap, “Trap Queen”
> Entered Hot 100: Feb. 7, 2015
> Peak position on Hot 100: #2 (for 3 weeks)
> Total weeks on Hot 100: 52
14. Ed Sheeran, “Shivers”
> Entered Hot 100: Sept. 25, 2021
> Peak position on Hot 100: #4 (for 1 week)
> Total weeks on Hot 100: 52
13. The Lumineers, “Ho Hey”
> Entered Hot 100: June 23, 2012
> Peak position on Hot 100: #3 (for 5 weeks)
> Total weeks on Hot 100: 62
12. Post Malone, “Better Now”
> Entered Hot 100: May 12, 2018
> Peak position on Hot 100: #3 (for 2 weeks)
> Total weeks on Hot 100: 52
11. Ed Sheeran, “Thinking Out Loud”
> Entered Hot 100: Oct. 25, 2014
> Peak position on Hot 100: #2 (for 8 weeks)
> Total weeks on Hot 100: 58
10. Marshmello & Bastille, “Happier”
> Entered Hot 100: Sept. 1, 2018
> Peak position on Hot 100: #2 (for 1 week)
> Total weeks on Hot 100: 52
9. Carrie Underwood, “Before He Cheats”
> Entered Hot 100: Sept. 16, 2006
> Peak position on Hot 100: #8 (for 1 week)
> Total weeks on Hot 100: 64
8. Lady Antebellum, “Need You Now”
> Entered Hot 100: Aug. 29, 2009
> Peak position on Hot 100: #2 (for 2 weeks)
> Total weeks on Hot 100: 60
7. Gabby Barrett featuring Charlie Puth, “I Hope”
> Entered Hot 100: Jan. 11, 2020
> Peak position on Hot 100: #3 (for 1 week)
> Total weeks on Hot 100: 62
6. Ed Sheeran, “Bad Habits”
> Entered Hot 100: July 10, 2021
> Peak position on Hot 100: #2 (for 2 weeks)
> Total weeks on Hot 100: 56
5. OneRepublic, “Counting Stars”
> Entered Hot 100: July 6, 2013
> Peak position on Hot 100: #2 (for 2 weeks)
> Total weeks on Hot 100: 68
4. Jason Mraz, “I’m Yours”
> Entered Hot 100: May 3, 2008
> Peak position on Hot 100: #6 (for 1 week)
> Total weeks on Hot 100: 76
3. Jewel, “Foolish Games/You Were Meant for Me”
> Entered Hot 100: Nov. 30, 1996
> Peak position on Hot 100: #2 (for 2 weeks)
> Total weeks on Hot 100: 65
2. LeAnn Rimes, “How Do I Live”
> Entered Hot 100: June 21, 1997
> Peak position on Hot 100: #2 (for 4 weeks)
> Total weeks on Hot 100: 69
1. Imagine Dragons, “Radioactive”
> Entered Hot 100: Aug. 18, 2012
> Peak position on Hot 100: #3 (for 4 weeks)
> Total weeks on Hot 100: 87
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