Best Number 2 Hits That Never Hit Number 1 on Hot 100 (Staff Picks)

Peak Date: 8/10/13 (one week)

Blocked By: Robin Thicke feat. T.I. + Pharrell, “Blurred Lines”

No. 1 in Our Hearts: While the lead single to One Direction’s third album Midnight Memories captured the group’s musical pivot from candy-coated guitar-pop to stadium-ready classic rock, “Best Song Ever” sold that aesthetic switch-up with gobs of personality, from righteous “Oww!” ad-libs to undeniable “Oh OH oh!” refrains tucked in between the electric guitar squeals. The 1D boys weren’t just playing dress-up with “Best Song Ever” — they were reinvigorating a retro style with their own world-conquering flair. — JASON LIPSHUTZ

Did They Ever Hit the Top? No

Peak Date: 6/8/59 (one week)

Blocked By: Johnny Horton, “The Battle of New Orleans”

No. 1 in Our Hearts: Bridging the gap between his time as a teen idol with a novelty hit and his reinvention as gifted crooner, “Dream Lover” is a lush, lovelorn plea for “a girl to call my own” that allowed the vocally ambitious Bobby Darin a chance to tease his skills as an interpreter of songs. Toss in a pleasantly prickly guitar and those eager yeah yeah-ing backup singers and you got yourself a sweet rock n’ roll fantasy. — JOE LYNCH

Did They Ever Hit the Top? Yes, with “Mack the Knife” for nine weeks in 1959.

Peak Date: 6/24/78 (six weeks)

Blocked By: Andy Gibb, “Shadow Dancing”

No. 1 in Our Hearts: With a couple city-life mini-vignettes, a searing guitar solo and one of the most undying sax hooks in pop-rock history, Scottish singer-songwriter Gerry Rafferty came impressively close to interrupting Gibbmania during Andy and the Bee Gees’ imperial run of 1978. “Baker Street” spent over a month coming up just short — but today, kids who wouldn’t know “Shadow Dancing” from “Night Fever” will probably still light up with recognition when Raphael Ravenscroft starts wailing on the tenor. — ANDREW UNTERBERGER

Did They Ever Hit the Top? No

Peak Date: 4/14/12 (one week)

Blocked By: fun. feat. Janelle Monae, “We Are Young”

No. 1 in Our Hearts: R&Bieber holds a special place in fans’ hearts — and “Boyfriend” was Justin scratching the surface of embracing his R&B influences, while looking to stray from the teen-pop of his first two albums, as the heartthrob just turned 18 heading into Believe. Even a semi-Belieber will break into the earworm of a chorus JB cooked up when they hear the word “boyfriend.” — MICHAEL SAPONARA

Did They Ever Hit the Top? Yes, eight times to date, starting with “What Do You Mean?” in 2015.

Peak Date: 7/2/83 (five weeks)

Blocked By: Irene Cara, “Flashdance…What a Feeling” & The Police, “Every Breath You Take”

No. 1 in Our Hearts: Written following the Brixton Riots in south London in 1981, the British star combines reggae, rock and politics on this propulsive cut. The punchy lyrics reflect on the systemic racism that impacts the capital’s Black and immigrant communities, and a super-charged promise that after they “rock down to Electric Avenue,” they’ll “take it higher” in the fight for justice. — THOMAS SMITH

Did They Ever Hit the Top? No

Peak Date: 7/21/01 (two weeks)

Blocked By: Usher, “U Remind Me”

No. 1 in Our Hearts: “Hit ‘Em Up Style” may be Cantrell’s only Hot 100 top 40 hit, but it was a near-instant city girl anthem long before JT & Yung Miami hit the scene. From her ridiculously charismatic vocal delivery (check out the drawn-out vibrato at the end of “And on my way, I grabbed Soley and Mia”) to writer-producer Dallas Austin’s swaggering flip of Frank Sinatra’s “Boys’ Night Out,” Cantrell gifted the world the ultimate kiss-off and karaoke banger in one fell swoop. — KYLE DENIS 

Did They Ever Hit the Top? No

Peak Date: 11/8/75 (two weeks)

Blocked By: Elton John, “Island Girl”

No. 1 in Our Hearts: This tender story song about a woman who married for money and longs for passion is a textbook summary of Eagles’ strengths – superb songwriting (hat tip: Don Henley and Glenn Frey), full-bodied harmonies and solid musicianship. Who can’t relate to the line “Did she get tired/ Or did she just get lazy?” Frey sang lead on this song, which also made the top 10 on Easy Listening (now Adult Contemporary) and Hot Country Songs. — PAUL GREIN

Did They Ever Hit the Top? Yes, five times, starting earlier in 1975 with “Best of My Love.”

Peak Date: 10/31/70 (four weeks)

Blocked By: Jackson 5, “I’ll Be There” & The Partridge Family Starring Shirley Jones feat. David Cassidy, “I Think I Love You”

No. 1 in Our Hearts: First gaining popularity as the soundtrack for a bank commercial, this Paul Williams (“Evergreen”) co-write became an instant classic (and wedding/graduation anthem) in the Carpenters’ hands. Karen’s ethereal lead vocals — and the ensuing heavenly harmonies when coupled with brother Richard’s on the exquisitely arranged soft rock track — eloquently convey the wistfulness and hope when contemplating what lies ahead on life’s journey.  — GAIL MITCHELL

Did They Ever Hit the Top? Yes, three times, starting earlier in 1970 with “(They Long to Be) Close to You.”

Peak Date: 1/2/90 (two weeks)

Blocked By: Michael Bolton, “How Am I Supposed to Live Without You?”

No. 1 in Our Hearts: From its incessant, instantly recognizable hi-hat and pulsing heartbeat intro rhythm to the drawling Brooklyn-via-the-Congo-and-Belgium swagger of guest rapper Ya Kid K — though the officially credited feature went to Felly, the model who appeared in the song’s video — this hip-hop-meets-Eurobeat dance number defies you to keep your feet planted. The entire jam is basically a five-minute demand to move your ass, from the pleading “Get your booty on the floor tonight/ Make my day” chorus, to the minimal verses firmly focused on getting pumped, stomping feet and ecstatically jumping with the rest of the club. — GIL KAUFMAN 

Did They Ever Hit the Top? No

Peak Date: 3/3/10 (one week)

Blocked By: Black Eyed Peas, “Imma Be”

No. 1 in Our Hearts: The definition of simpler times in pop music, the Young Money crew’s “BedRock” arrived at a time when Lil Wayne was already a household name, Drake was well on his way to being one and Nicki Minaj was showing the potential to be the biggest of ’em all — and all three sounded like they were just having a blast taking over together. Additional shoutouts of course to guest singer Lloyd, as well as to YM supporting characters Gudda Gudda, Tyga and Jae Millz, and to couples all over the world who still fight over the remote to put on either Oxygen or ESPN. — A.U.

Did They Ever Hit the Top? Not collectively, though all three of its franchise players have individually.

Peak Date: 4/12/69

Blocked By: The 5th Dimension, “Aquarius”/”Let the Sunshine In (The Flesh Failures)” (three weeks)

No. 1 in Our Hearts: As first recorded by Motown artist Brenda Holloway (who co-wrote the song with Berry Gordy and others), the gushing “You’ve Made Me So Very Happy” peaked at only No. 39 on the Hot 100 in 1967. But two years later, Blood, Sweat & Tears, with newly recruited frontman David Clayton-Thomas, released their version on which a horn and organ intro gives way to a gentle first verse — before the track explodes with the hot, punchy BS&T horns for the irresistible chorus. — THOM DUFFY

Did They Ever Hit the Top? No, but the band hit No. 2 a stunning three times total in 1969, along with “Spinning Wheel” in July and “And When I Die” in November.

Peak Date: 9/10/05 (six weeks)

Blocked By: Mariah Carey, “We Belong Together” & Kanye West feat. Jamie Foxx, “Gold Digger”

No. 1 in Our Hearts: Ad libs by Jermaine Dupri, soft harmonies with herself, sporadic (but thoughtful) thumps in its groovy production and a last-minute show of Carey’s full vocal range come together to create Emancipation of Mimi’s second signature track. Its first? The very song that initially blocked “Shake It Off” from the top spot on the weekly chart — and ultimately became the No. 1 Hot 100 song for the entire decade. — DANIELLE PASCUAL

Did They Ever Hit the Top? Yes, a solo-artist-best 19 times total, starting in 1990 with “Vision of Love.”

Peak Date: 2/20/88 (two weeks)

Blocked By: Expose, “Seasons Change” & George Michael, “Father Figure”

No. 1 in Our Hearts: A he-said, she-said British pas de deux (trois?) between Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe of ’80s synth-pop greats Pet Shop Boys and ’60s soul icon Dusty Springfield, “What Have I Done to Deserve This?” is about as sparkling and fun as a breakup ballad is legally allowed to be. Bonus karaoke points for allowing ample opportunities for both the true belters of the world and those more comfortable with whispery sing-speak. — A.U.

Did They Ever Hit the Top? Pet Shop Boys did, with “West End Girls” in 1986, but this was as close as Springfield got.

Peak Date: 3/9/96 (two weeks)

Blocked By: Mariah Carey & Boyz II Men, “One Sweet Day”

No. 1 in Our Hearts: Though she was only 16 years old when this song from the Waiting to Exhale soundtrack dropped, Brandy Norwood could effortlessly hit both the vocal peaks and valleys required of the playful track, written and produced by Babyface. Almost despite her vocal maturity, Brandy still conveyed a teenager’s enthusiasm for a budding attraction, longingly asking, in comically proper English, “How can one be down?”  — CHRISTINE WERTHMAN

Did They Ever Hit the Top? Yes, with the Monica duet “The Boy Is Mine” in 1998 and the solo “Have You Ever?” in 1999.

Peak Date: 9/8/62 (one week)

Blocked By: Tommy Roe, “Sheila”

No. 1 in Our Hearts: Eddy Arnold and Cindy Walker co-wrote this classic torch song in 1955, seven years before Charles recorded it for Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music. The storyline couldn’t be sadder: Afraid of rejection, the narrator never expresses his feelings for the woman he loves and must watch her “walk away beside the lucky guy.” Charles sings with a palpable ache in his voice that offsets the now dated “countrypolitan” sweetening. — P.G.

Did They Ever Hit the Top? Yes, three times — once during each of the first three years of the ’60s, starting with “Georgia on My Mind” in 1960.

Peak Date: 1/13/07 (one week)

Blocked By: Beyoncé, “Irreplaceable”

No. 1 in Our Hearts: Tapping Black Eyed Peas bandmate will.i.am to ad lib around her quick-witted verses and spell words typically used to describe food, Fergie highlights her hold over men by coming up with a new word entirely. Perhaps Merriam-Webster would’ve considered replacing “delicious” in the dictionary if it scored the top spot. — JOE LYNCH

Did They Ever Hit the Top? Yes, three times as a solo artist between 2006-07, and three times as a member of The Black Eyed Peas between 2009-10.

Peak Date: 12/13/25 (one week)

Blocked By: Mariah Carey, “All I Want for Christmas Is You”

No. 1 in Our Hearts: A 41-year journey eventually brought Wham!’s eternally effervescent holiday perennial “Last Christmas” to the same No. 2 peak in the U.S. that it originally notched in its home U.K. — where it got stuck behind Band Aid’s George Michael-including “Do They Know It’s Christmas” in 1984. “Christmas” finally topped the U.K. Official Charts in 2023: Could the timeless torch song visit the top spot across the pond sometime in the future? (Perhaps even this year, for the 10-year anniversary of Michael’s death?) — A.U.

Did They Ever Hit the Top? Yes, Wham! got there three times from 1984-85, and George Michael got there seven times apart from his original duo, starting with the Aretha Franklin duet “I Knew You Were Waiting for Me” in 1987.

Peak Date: 6/15/13 (one week)

Blocked By: Macklemore & Ryan Lewis feat. Ray Dalton, “Can’t Hold Us”

No. 1 in Our Hearts: A fever dream of shimmering, simmering guitars and lush instrumentation, a winding opening passage that sounds like ascending to a higher plane one chord at a time, “Mirrors” marks the completion of Justin Timberlake’s metamorphosis into a fully realized pop auteur on 2013’s The 20/20 Experience. The track represents a catalogue revitalised, a maximalist spectacle of romance, and redemption blown up to IMAX proportions. — SOPHIE WILLIAMS

Did They Ever Hit the Top? Yes, five times, starting in 2006 with “SexyBack” — as well as once with *NSYNC back in 2000 (“It’s Gonna Be Me”).

Peak Date: 11/28/81 (10 weeks)

Blocked By: Olivia Newton-John, “Physical” & Daryl Hall & John Oates, “I Can’t Go for That (No Can Do)”

No. 1 in Our Hearts: Foreigner was known for songs extolling carnal desire like the frantic “Hot Blooded” and “Urgent,” but the band turned to affairs of the heart rather than loins in this gentle ballad. Lead singer Lou Gramm turned in one of his finest vocal performances that deftly combined yearning with hope. — MELINDA NEWMAN

Did They Ever Hit the Top? Yes, with fellow slow-burner “I Want to Know What Love Is” in 1985.

Peak Date: 3/26/83 (three weeks)

Blocked By: Michael Jackson, “Billie Jean”

No. 1 in Our Hearts: Lead singer Boy George opens this track with a falsetto that could make a choir cry as he laments a difficult love. And, as the percussion brings the song to a reggae-tinged ballad, George delivers heartbreak that is equally danceable and tortured.  — TAYLOR MIMS

Did They Ever Hit the Top? Yes, with “Karma Chameleon” in 1984.

Peak Date: 6/6/92 (one week)

Blocked By: Kris Kross, “Jump”

No. 1 in Our Hearts: Frontman Anthony Kiedis perfectly encapsulates the feeling of being lonely and truly not wanting to return to a dark past on “Under the Bridge.” Powered by the Chili Peppers’ alt-funk sound, and a stunning solo guitar intro from John Frusciante, Kiedis opens up about the City of Angels being his one and only true companion. — JESSICA ROIZ

Did They Ever Hit the Top? No, though the quartet were credited composers on Crazy Town’s 2001 No. 1 “Butterfly,” due to that song’s sample of RHCP’s 1989 instrumental “Pretty Little Ditty.”

Peak Date: 10/9/61 (one week)

Blocked By: Ray Charles and His Orchestra, “Hit the Road Jack”

No. 1 in Our Hearts: It could’ve been just another mournful ballad, with softly hammered timpani, gentle chimes and Roy Orbison’s signature tenor, but one touch of a hand from an ex takes this song from lamentation to full-on breakdown. As Orbison reaches that dramatic, crescendoing end of “Crying, crying, over you!” he comfortably hits the notes, but there’s an emotional strain in his voice that is both devastating and unforgettable.  — C.W.

Did They Ever Hit the Top? Yes, with “Running Scared” in 1961 and “Oh, Pretty Woman” in 1964.

Peak Date: 2/21/26 (one week)

Blocked By: Bad Bunny, “DtMF”

No. 1 in Our Hearts: Over a dramatic synth intro that transitions into a captivating salsa groove, Bad Bunny yearns for what’s lost and reminiscences about the desire of growing old with someone — ideally, with the one who taught him how to dance (hence the title, “unforgettable dance”). Backed by live instruments — congas, piano, trumpets and all that jazz — the six-minute ”Baile Inolvidable,” which even had Lady Gaga dancing it at the Super Bowl earlier this year, was ranked the No. 1 Best Latin Song of 2025 by Billboard. — JESSICA ROIZ

Did They Ever Hit the Top? Yes, with “DtMF” the same post-Super Bowl week, and back in 2018 alongside Cardi B and J Balvin with “I Like It.”

Peak Date: 10/18/69 (two weeks)

Blocked By: The Temptations, “I Can’t Get Next to You”

No. 1 in Our Hearts: A combination of gold-old-days nostalgia and languid warm-weather vibes have made “Hot Fun in the Summertime” one of the most enduring summer perennials, a song that feels right 365 days out of the year but hits particularly dead-center during those middle months. — A.U.

Did They Ever Hit the Top? Yes, three times, starting with “Everyday People” in 1969.

Peak Date: 7/15/95 (three weeks)

Blocked By: TLC, “Waterfalls”

No. 1 in Our Hearts: Proof positive of B.I.G.’s pop star potential, the DeBarge-sampling remix to the X-rated Ready to Die cut “One More Chance” brought the rap legend to the Hot 100’s top five for the first time — as a chart debut, no less, at a time when very few artists were doing so. By his own admission, he may not have looked the part (“Heartthrob, never/ Black and ugly as ever”), but like Barry White before him, he had the personality, the style and of course the silver tongue to get deeper and deeper into the pop charts just the same. — A.U.

Did They Ever Hit the Top? Yes, twice in 1997 — albeit both times sadly posthumously — with “Hypnotize” and “Mo Money, Mo Problems.”

Peak Date: 4/25/87 (one week)

Blocked By: Aretha Franklin & George Michael, “I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)” (one week)

No. 1 in Our Hearts: A guitar intro so iconic it feels synonymous with the ’80s; an opening lyric like a Zen koan (“There is freedom within, there is freedom without, try to catch the deluge in a paper cup”); an instrumental interlude that ranks among the best moments in electric organ history — it’s no wonder “Don’t Dream It’s Over” became the international breakthrough for Aussie band Crowded House. But its real pop fuel is the irresistible message of hope in its anthemic singalong chorus: “They come, they come/to build a wall between us/We know they won’t win.” — REBECCA MILZOFF

Did They Ever Hit the Top? No

Peak Date: 3/5/05 (five weeks)

Blocked By: 50 Cent feat. Olivia, “Candy Shop”

No. 1 in Our Hearts: A widescreen smash for anyone who’s ever felt alone in a crowded world, “Boulevard of Broken Dreams” turns alienation into arena-sized (and chart-crossing) catharsis. Its desolate guitar line, steadily expanding drums and Billie Joe Armstrong’s weary delivery make every solitary step feel strangely triumphant. — ISABELA RAYGOZA

Did They Ever Hit the Top? No

Peak Date: 5/1/99 (one week)

Blocked By: TLC, “No Scrubs”

No. 1 in Our Hearts: Made famous as the love theme to 1999 teen rom-com She’s All That, the track’s dreamy lyrics (“silver moon sparkling”), repeating guitar riff and signature accordion woven throughout bring you straight back to that era and feeling. The legacy of “Kiss Me” lives on throughout the decades – New Found Glory covered it in 2007, and BLACKPINK’s LISA interpolated the track on the chorus of her 2024 track “Moonlit Floor (Kiss Me).” — BECKY KAMINSKY

Did They Ever Hit the Top? No

Peak Date: 12/20/14 (three weeks)

Blocked By: Taylor Swift, “Blank Space”

No. 1 in Our Hearts: In a year where pop songs with happy dance vibes were all the rage, along came a 6’6” Irishman to shake up the charts with a song that was refreshingly moody, mellow and aching with devotion. Propelling Hozier to stardom and inspiring a number of copycats in his wake, the haunting melody and religious undertones of “Church” make it feel divinely timeless. — HANNAH DAILEY

Did They Ever Hit the Top? Yes, with “Too Sweet” in 2024.

Peak Date: 2/3/62 (one week)

Blocked By: Joey Dee & The Starliters, “Peppermint Twist — Part 1”

No. 1 in Our Hearts: As piano notes gently rise and fall and the Jordanaires offer backing gospel vocals, Elvis Presley sings this beloved love song in a quavering baritone at the slow, graceful tempo of countless newlyweds taking their first dance. It’s remarkable to realize that Presley’s largely frivolous movie Blue Hawaii introduced this everlasting ballad with its perfect closing lyric: “Take my hand/ Take my whole life too/ For I can’t help falling in love with you.” — T.D.

Did They Ever Hit the Top? Yes, seven times total for Elvis (and six with The Jordanaires), starting in 1959 with “A Big Hunk O’ Love” — though he’d likely have far more than even that, if many of his signature hits hadn’t come before the Hot 100’s introduction in 1958.

Peak Date: 5/3/69 (one week)

Blocked By: The 5th Dimension, “Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In (The Flesh Failures)”

No. 1 in Our Hearts: “It’s Your Thing” delivers one of the most iconic basslines in recorded history, and backs it up with a brazen brass section for funk greatness. Ronald Isley takes the deep vocal prowess that brought the Isley Brothers to Motown and delivers a sultry banger that has been covered by The Jackson 5, Aretha Franklin, The Temptations and many more, but never quite replicated. — T.M.

Did They Ever Hit the Top? No, but the Isleys are credited writers on Bone Thugs-n-Harmony’s 1996 No. 1 “Tha Crossroads,” due to that song’s interpolation of the Bros’ “Make Me Say It Again, Girl.”

Peak Date: 11/4/67 (three weeks)

Blocked By: Lulu, “To Sir With Love”

No. 1 in Our Hearts: This civil rights-inspired Stax Records anthem is the legacy-building result of two dynamic duos coming together. Sam & Dave’s spirited, roof-raising vocal interplay breathes life into Isaac Hayes and David Porter’s colorful imagery (“I was brought up on a side street/ I learned how to love before I could eat”), boosted to the nth degree via a banging instrumental track — plus a stirring solo from guitar maven Steve Cropper. — G.M.

Did They Ever Hit the Top? No

Peak Date: 1/8/05 (seven weeks)

Blocked By: Mario, “Let Me Love You”

No. 1 in Our Hearts: “The princess is here” declares producer Jazze Pha at the top of this slinky, unstoppable electro R&B banger, but it’s the presence of Missy Elliott (with her ad libs and effortlessly sick, sly verse) that gives this coronation a royal pedigree. When Ciara one, two steps up to the mic to coo, croon and chill, it’s clear that a star is being born. — J. Lynch

Did They Ever Hit the Top? Ciara had already reached No. 1 in 2004 with the Petey Pablo-featuring “Goodies”; Missy never reached No. 1 as a credited artist, but co-produced Christina Aguilera, Lil’ Kim, Mya & P!nk’s Hot 100-besting redo of Labelle’s “Lady Marmalade” in 2001, and later visited the No. 2 spot as a lead artist with a song yet to appear on this list.

Peak Date: 8/24/96 (nine weeks)

Blocked By: Los Del Rio, “Macarena (Bayside Boys Mix)” 

No. 1 in Our Hearts: A blissful declaration of eternal pop devotion, with a vocal and production as soft, gauzy and comforting as its seemingly Bed Bath & Beyond-sponsored music video. Though Lewis spends most of the time making the vows herself, it’s the reciprocity-demanding bridge — “Say you love, love me forever… near and far and always and everywhere and everything” — that really makes it an all-timer. — A.U.

Did They Ever Hit the Top? No

Peak Date: 8/11/73 (three weeks)

Blocked By: Maureen McGovern, “The Morning After”; Diana Ross, “Touch Me in the Morning”; Stories, “Brother Louie”

No. 1 in Our Hearts: Proudly and intentionally bombastic, this theme song to the 1973 James Bond movie of the same name is one of Paul McCartney’s best rockers. The dramatic, musically shape-shifting banger — which remains a highlight of his live show more than 50 years later — received an Oscar nomination for best original song, but lost to “The Way We Were.” — M.N.

Did They Ever Hit the Top? Yes, Wings topped the chart six times, starting with “My Love” in 1973, and McCartney has a staggering 29 No. 1s to his credit as an artist between Wings, The Beatles and duets he’s recorded with other solo artists.

Peak Date: 2/1/03

Blocked By: B2K & P. Diddy, “Bump, Bump, Bump”

No. 1 in Our Hearts: A self-acceptance anthem for the ages! Outcasts, members of the queer community and just about anyone who has ever felt uncomfortable in their own skin were gifted this timeless mantra from Christina Aguilera’s 2002 Stripped, which aimed to and succeeded at stripping away her teen pop star persona of the years prior. Her raw, vulnerable vocals are beautifully spotlighted by Linda Perry’s production, while the buildup and lyric change from “I am beautiful” to “WE are beautiful” punctuates the feeling of togetherness the song embodies. — B.K.

Did They Ever Hit the Top? Yes, five times, starting with “Genie in a Bottle” in 1999.

Peak Date: 4/16/05 (five weeks)

Blocked By: 50 Cent feat. Olivia, “Candy Shop” & Gwen Stefani, “Hollaback Girl”

No. 1 in Our Hearts: One of the all-time great bicoastal hip-hop duets, The Game and 50 Cent’s unusually revealing but still warmly inviting collab served as the arguable peak of the entire mid-’00s G-Unit empire — which was practically destined to crumble shortly after, leaving this moment feeling particularly golden in retrospect. — A.U.

Did They Ever Hit the Top? Game never did, but 50 did four times, starting with “In Da Club” in 2003 — including with one of the songs (“Candy Shop”) that held “Hate It or Love It” at No. 2.

Peak Date: 1/31/26 (seven weeks)

Blocked By: Ella Langley, “Choosin’ Texas”

No. 1 in Our Hearts: In a world full of darkness, Olivia Dean exudes joy. “Man I Need” is the eternal optimist’s love song — one that can be played during any occasion, whether that’s a birthday party, graduation, retirement, holidays or a night out. Decades down the line, look for Dean’s breakthrough hit to evolve into a classic that’s embedded in the DNA of society. — M.S.

Did They Ever Hit the Top? Not yet, but considering “Man I Need” was her first-ever Hot 100 entry and got to No. 2 just earlier this year, she may get there before too long.

Peak Date: 12/8/73 (three weeks)

Blocked By: Carpenters, “Top of the World” & Charlie Rich, “The Most Beautiful Girl”

No. 1 in Our Hearts: By the early 1970s, Elton John and lyricist Bernie Taupin had seen both the glittery and darker sides of fame, and in The Wizard of Oz found the perfect metaphor for the disillusionment they felt. Bittersweet though it is, the song — alternating between its searching verses (“When are you gonna come down? When are you going to land?”) and sweeping “ah, ah ah” lead-ins to the chorus — can’t help but follow the lead of its film inspiration and burst into technicolor. — R.M.

Did They Ever Hit the Top? Yes, nine times, starting with “Crocodile Rock” in 1972.

Peak Date: 8/7/82 (four weeks)

Blocked By: Survivor, “Eye of the Tiger”

No. 1 in Our Hearts: Before he gave us Farm Aid and Real Housewives star Teddi Mellencamp, the rocker then known as John Cougar gave us the driving classic rock staple “Hurts So Good.” Sometimes love don’t feel like it should, but this song always hits just right. — AMANDA RETOTAR

Did They Ever Hit the Top? Yes, “Jack and Diane” hit No. 1 later in 1982.

Peak Date: 10/7/23 (two weeks)

Blocked By: Doja Cat, “Paint the Town Red”

No. 1 in Our Hearts: The beauty of “Snooze” is that it contains rich, sometimes fussy and often eccentric melodic passages that manage to retain an acute pop sensibility — and, more importantly, a smoothness that disguises just how intricately it’s assembled. Its greatest trick is its scale: a song of meticulous detail, yet one expansive enough to command the California desert at this year’s Bieberchella. — S.W.

Did They Ever Hit the Top? Yes, three times so far, starting with “Kill Bill” in 2022.

Peak Date: 12/14/63 (six weeks)

Blocked By: The Singing Nun, “Dominique” & Bobby Vinton, “There! I’ve Said It Again”

No. 1 in Our Hearts: A foundational piece of rock music, “Louie Louie” is a world unto itself: today, listeners can read an entire book about it, delve into the FBI’s investigation over its purported obscenity or simply enjoy one of the myriad versions of what some have suggested is the most covered song ever (some estimates put the count at close to 2,000). But while Richard Berry wrote and released the original in 1957, it’s the Kingsmens’ 1963 version that remains definitive, with Jack Ely’s wild vocal paving the way for legions of future garage and punk rockers. — ERIC RENNER BROWN

Did They Ever Hit the Top? No

Peak Date: 3/30/02 (one week)

Blocked By: Jennifer Lopez feat. Ja Rule, “Ain’t It Funny”

No. 1 in Our Hearts: The best-selling rock band of the ’00s often proved a little too heavy, dour and/or challenging for the pop charts, but at its peak Linkin Park was so popular it sometimes didn’t matter — especially on its first signature ballad, the devastating “In the End.” The song’s gorgeous production, arresting piano hook and masterful vocal interplay made it undeniable to all audiences in the early ’00s, and it stands as a global streaming perennial a quarter-century later. — A.U.

Did They Ever Hit the Top? No

Peak Date: 2/3/79 (one week)

Blocked By: Chic, “Le Freak” & Rod Stewart, “Da Ya Think I’m Sexy?”

No. 1 in Our Hearts: Village People’s “Y.M.C.A.” walked so that Chappell Roan’s “Hot to Go!” could run when it comes to letter-by-letter choreography routines being as intrinsic to a song as the lyrics or music. Embraced by the LGBTQ community as a pride anthem for years but later becoming an improbable MAGA staple — thanks to Donald Trump’s affinity for the song — “Y.M.C.A.” is, for better or worse, a rare hit with truly universal appeal. — H.D.

Did They Ever Hit the Top? No

Peak Date: 5/16/92 (three weeks)

Blocked By: Kris Kross, “Jump”

No. 1 in Our Hearts: A slinky, sassy kiss-off that invoked classic girl groups without really calling back to them — while making time for both a classic mid-song gab session and a breakdown so cold it required a spoken lead-in — “My Lovin’” officially announced En Vogue as the funkiest divas on the block in 1992. — A.U.

Did They Ever Hit the Top? No, though “My Lovin’” was second of the group’s three visits to No. 2 — first with “Hold On” in 1990, and third with “Don’t Let Go (Love)” in 1996.

Peak Date: 4/10/82 (three weeks)

Blocked By: Joan Jett & The Blackhearts, “I Love Rock ‘N Roll”

No. 1 in Our Hearts: “Right time, right place, right drumbeat.” That’s how Go-Go’s guitarist/keyboardist Charlotte Caffey – the lone songwriter on “We Got the Beat” – described the undeniably catchy new wave classic that solidified the ultimate cool girls as an early-’80s force of nature. Seriously, try standing still to that infectious rhythm. — KATIE ATKINSON

Did They Ever Hit the Top?  No, but frontwoman Belinda Carlisle reached No. 1 as a solo artist in 1987 with “Heaven Is a Place on Earth.”

Peak Date: 7/2/94 (three weeks)

Blocked By: All-4-One, “I Swear”

No. 1 in Our Hearts: Hip-hop’s greatest nocturnal odyssey, “Regulate” is hardly Homeric in its trials and tribulations — Warren tries to join a dice game but gets bailed out by a gun-toting Nate, then both pick up some girls — but their back-and-forth is so dynamic and the Michael McDonald-sampled groove is so clean, it still feels like a similarly foundational text for West Coast rap. — A.U.

Did They Ever Hit the Top? Warren G didn’t, but Nate Dogg was a featured artist on 50 Cent’s 2003 Hot 100-topper “21 Questions.”

Peak Date: 2/7/76 (two weeks)

Blocked By: Paul Simon, “50 Ways to Leave Your Lover”

No. 1 in Our Hearts: Widely recognized as one of the best and most important dance songs of all time, Donna Summer’s landmark “Love to Love You Baby” will forever sound like a Hot 100 No. 1. Half a century later, Summer’s intoxicating falsetto and Giorgio Moroder & Pete Bellotte’s psychedelic disco production remain the ultimate blueprint for contemporary vocal-forward dance-pop — just ask Beyoncé! — K.D.

Did They Ever Hit the Top? Yes, four times, starting with her cover of Richard Harris’ (No. 2-peaking!) “MacArthur Park” in 1978.

Peak Date: 10/25/97 (seven weeks)

Blocked By: Elton John, “Candle in the Wind 1997″/”Something About the Way You Look Tonight”

No. 1 in Our Hearts: A sultry song about a love triangle, “You Make Me Wanna” ultimately became a timeless ‘90s staple. A pop and R&B hybrid led by an acoustic guitar riff, Usher passionately sings about wanting to leave his relationship to begin a new one with his best friend — who, in an unfortunate plot twist, presented him to his current girl in the first place. — J.R.

Did They Ever Hit the Top? Yes, nine times, starting with “Nice & Slow” in 1998.

Peak Date: 4/4/64 (four weeks)

Blocked By: The Beatles, “Can’t Buy Me Love”

No. 1 in Our Hearts: Cut at the end of a grueling day of recording for their debut LP Please Please Me, the Fab Four’s version of the Phil Medley- and Bert Russell-penned song — first made famous by The Isley Brothers — embraces chaos and pushes John Lennon to his limits. Flipped from a Latin-infused groover into a searing rock’n’roller, Lennon’s raw vocals were recorded in one single take, and left him gasping for air: “The last song nearly killed me,” he reflected later. “My voice wasn’t the same for a long time after.” — T.S.

Did They Ever Hit the Top? Yes, a Hot 100 record 20 times total, starting just two months earlier in 1964 with “I Want to Hold Your Hand.”

Peak Date: 4/19/86 (one week)

Blocked By: Prince and the Revolution, “Kiss”

No. 1 in Our Hearts: Some of the most beloved Prince hits weren’t recorded by the Purple One, including this baroque, ear-candy pop nugget pseudonymously written as “Christopher” about wishing the weekend would never end. Floating on singer Susanna Hoffs’ alluringly put-out vocals and a trilling, harpsichord-like keyboard bit, “Manic” stands tall as one of the pop-rock group’s most casually entrancing hits. (Coincidentally, it was Prince himself who denied the group its first No. 1 with his own “Kiss.”) — G.K.

Did They Ever Hit the Top? Yes, the Bangles would get over the top with “Walk Like an Egyptian” later in 1986, and then again with “Eternal Flame” in 1989.

Peak Date: 3/20/10 (two weeks)

Blocked By: Taio Cruz feat. Ludacris, “Break Your Heart” & Rihanna, “Rude Boy”

No. 1 in Our Hearts: This is the soundtrack to that late-night phone call you know you shouldn’t make but still can’t resist. The yearning harmonies of Lady A co-lead singers Hillary Scott and Charles Kelley on the piano-driven country-crossover ballad perfectly drive home the yearning that fuels just such a desirous drunk dial – and led to five 2011 Grammy wins, including song and record of the year. – K.A.

Did They Ever Hit the Top? No

Peak Date: 9/6/97 (two weeks)

Blocked By: The Notorious B.I.G. feat. Puff Daddy & Mase, “Mo Money Mo Problems” & Mariah Carey, “Honey”

No. 1 in Our Hearts: A bunch of good-looking, talented young men with sweet pop hooks and harmonies dancing shirtless in the rain should have been enough to skyrocket The Backstreet Boys to No. 1. However, despite its mere No. 2 peak, “Quit Playing Games (With My Heart)” — a heartfelt mid-tempo plea for honesty and clarity in a relationship — became one of the era’s most-beloved pop hits. — J.R.

Did They Ever Hit the Top? No, though co-writer-producer Max Martin would go on to be the most formidable behind-the-scenes force on the Hot 100 in the 21st century.

Peak Date: 7/15/89 (two weeks)

Blocked By: Simply Red, “If You Don’t Know Me By Now” & Martika, “Toy Soldiers”

No. 1 in Our Hearts: The David Fincher-directed music video for the second Like a Prayer single featured sweaty, muscular men doing physical labor, but Madonna clearly wore the pants here — both literally, in a fierce power suit, and figuratively, as she called on women to demand better from their men. And if they can’t prioritize you? “Second best is never enough/ You’ll do much better, baby, on your own.” — C.W.

Did They Ever Hit the Top? Yes, 12 times total, starting with “Like a Virgin” in 1984.

Peak Date: 6/7/97 (one week)

Blocked By: Hanson, “MMMBop”

No. 1 in Our Hearts: Superficially a straightforward R&B single, “Return of the Mack” endures because of its depth: the English-Barbadian singer’s subtle fusion of new jack swing and ragga music, its sneaky lift of Tom Tom Club’s “Genius of Love,” Morrison’s tale of a man exacting revenge on the lover who wronged him. Often imitated, never duplicated. — E.R.B.

Did They Ever Hit the Top? No

Peak Date: 8/21/71 (one week)

Blocked By: Bee Gees, “How Can You Mend a Broken Heart”

No. 1 in Our Hearts: Long before it became the anthem of the U.S. men’s team during the 2026 World Cup, this folk standard was an American classic, evoking a universal longing to find the pathways that lead back home — whether to West Virginia or elsewhere. But it makes sense that it found its rightful home in packed stadiums, because people just can’t help but sing along to that communal chorus as soon as it starts. — K.A.

Did They Ever Hit the Top? Yes, four times, starting with “Sunshine on My Shoulders” in 1974.

Peak Date: 6/29/02 (five weeks)

Blocked By: Nelly, “Hot in Herre”

No. 1 in Our Hearts: After exploding into the mainstream in 1999-2000, 2001 was relatively a quiet year for Eminem on the radio — enough for detractors to declare his 15 minutes of fame were up. Enter “Without Me,” a bouncy diss anthem that finds the machine-gun-mouthed MC mowing down haters, peers and innocent bystanders with manic glee – and undeniably GOAT-worthy skills. — J. Lynch

Did They Ever Hit the Top? Yes, five times, starting with “Lose Yourself” later in 2002.

Peak Date: 10/12/24 (five weeks)

Blocked By: Shaboozey, “A Bar Song (Tipsy)”

No. 1 in Our Hearts: Billie Eilish’s voice gets as high as it’s ever been on this loving, compassionate song and the listener can’t help but feel like they’re floating up in the clouds with her. The lyrics are audaciously sentimental, and a lesser songwriter would have veered off into cringe — but Eilish (and brother/co-producer Finneas) elevate the track with dark humor (“’Til I’m in the casket you carry”) and synths that bring the listener into the euphoric love. — T.M.

Did They Ever Hit the Top? Yes, back in 2019 with “Bad Guy.”

Peak Date: 2/15/14 (one week)

Blocked By: Katy Perry feat. Juicy J, “Dark Horse”

No. 1 in Our Hearts: It wasn’t Bey and Jay’s first musical link-up, but lawdy was it the steamiest, with the Beyoncé dishing about getting smashed in the club and the sexual escapades that ensued once home. The song that thrust “surfbort” into the cultural lexicon, “Drunk In Love” comes from Bey’s self-titled surprise album, which brought more experimental song structures and production along with more mature themes — as exemplified, for better or worse, by Jay’s declaration that “your breasteses is my breakfast.” — KATIE BAIN

Did They Ever Hit the Top? Yes, nine times for Beyoncé — plus an extra four as part of Destiny’s Child — and four times for Jay-Z, with the pair sharing a No. 1 in 2003’s Bey-led “Crazy in Love.”

Peak Date: 10/8/94 (six weeks)

Blocked By: Boyz II Men, “I’ll Make Love to You”

No. 1 in Our Hearts: This ain’t no disco, it ain’t no country club either, it’s Sheryl Crow’s star-making breakthrough hit, which was inescapable for the second half of 1994 after its release as a single in July of that year. A deceptively breezy ode to drinkin’ beer at noon on Tuesday, the song introduced Crow’s world-weary but still ready for good time perspective, and earned her a Grammy for best female pop vocal performance. — K.B.

Did They Ever Hit the Top? No, though producer and co-writer Bill Bottrell was a credited producer — and also performed an uncredited guest rap — on Michael Jackson’s 1991 No. 1 “Black or White.”

Peak Date: 12/16/67 (three weeks)

Blocked By: The Monkees, “Daydream Believer” & The Beatles, “Hello Goodbye”

No. 1 in Our Hearts: This was the third version of this classic Norman Whitfield/Barrett Strong song to be recorded (following versions by The Miracles and Marvin Gaye), but the first to be released. After hearing Aretha Franklin’s “Respect,” Whitfield asked Motown’s studio house band, The Funk Brothers, to mimic the funk style of the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section. Knight & the Pips rose to the challenge, turning the song into an irresistible Southern-soul stomper. — P.G.

Did They Ever Hit the Top? Yes, with “Midnight Train to Georgia” in 1973.

Peak Date: 4/14/01 (seven weeks)

Blocked By: Janet Jackson, “All for You”

No. 1 in Our Hearts: It’s the women’s empowerment anthem that introduced us to the three-member Destiny’s Child lineup we know, love and miss today. The lyrics, emphasized by Beyoncé’s powerhouse vocals and newcomers Michelle Williams and Kelly Rowland’s melodic back-and-forth in verse three, are totally on theme with its No. 1 miss: the hit nonetheless “survives” — and won a Grammy and an MTV Video Music Award. — D.P.

Did They Ever Hit the Top? Yes, four times, starting with “Bills, Bills, Bills” in 1999.

Peak Date: 10/6/12 (seven weeks)

Blocked By: Maroon 5, “One More Night”

No. 1 in Our Hearts: There are one-hit wonders and then there are the gaudy numbers put up by this untouchable K-pop smash, including recently becoming the first K-Pop video to hit 6 billion views on YouTube. The goofy horsey dance in the playful video, the all-Korean lyrics blasted out in a high-energy yawp and the epic beat drop guarantee that this song will stick in your head, heart and dancing feet forever, whether you want it to or not. — G.K.

Did They Ever Hit the Top? No

Peak Date: 6/16/79 (two weeks)

Blocked By: Donna Summer, “Hot Stuff”

No. 1 in Our Hearts: Before “We Are Family,” Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards had never written a song for any artist other than their own hitmaking ’70s outfit Chic — and when they finally did, it became one of the most iconic disco songs ever. But that still understates the legacy and influence of the song, which is still a fixture from wedding dancefloors to dentist offices, and was inducted to the National Recording Registry by the Library of Congress in 2017. — E.R.B.

Did They Ever Hit the Top? No, but Rodgers and Edwards did score a pair of No. 1s with Chic — “Le Freak” in 1978 and “Good Times” in 1979 — as well as several more both individually and collectively as writer-producers for the likes of David Bowie (“Let’s Dance”), Madonna (“Like a Virgin”) and Duran Duran (“A View to a Kill”).

Peak Date: 10/24/15 (five weeks)

Blocked By: The Weeknd, “The Hills” & Adele, “Hello”

No. 1 in Our Hearts: Drake has traditionally found his biggest hits when they were needed most, as in 2015 when the skankingly sublime “Hotline Bling” saw him turning the page on his messy Meek Mill feud and resuming his status as one of the decade’s defining hitmakers. But the song’s No. 2 peak reflects how Drake still maintained a touch of underdog charm in those days, before the No. 1 spot was assumed territory, when watching him pull a rabbit out of his hat with a catchphrase-y hook, an inspired groove and an endlessly memeable music video was still one of pop’s greatest pleasures. — A.U.

Did They Ever Hit the Top? Yes, now 14 times and likely still counting, from “One Dance” in 2016 to “Janice STFU” just this June. (Drake also holds the all-time Hot 100 record for most No. 2 hits, with 13 total, from “Best I Ever Had” in 2009 to “Shabang” this June.)

Peak Date: 10/25/03 (one week)

Blocked By: Beyoncé feat. Sean Paul, “Baby Boy”

No. 1 in Our Hearts: Whenever any Millennial hears “to the window,” it’s essentially a law to point to the nearest piece of sheetrock and shout back, “to the wall!” That’s the type of pop-cultural currency “Get Low” banked for Lil Jon & The Eastside Boyz in the 2000s, and that it still holds decades later. The party-starting crunk anthem spilled into America’s mainstream on many occasions; even Sandra Bullock rapped “Get Low” during a scene in The Proposal. — M.S.

Did They Ever Hit the Top? Lil Jon did without the East Side Boyz, thanks to his feature appearance on Usher’s “Yeah!”; Ying Yang Twins never got higher than No. 2.

Peak Date: 12/12/64 (one week)

Blocked By: Bobby Vinton, “Mr. Lonely”

No. 1 in Our Hearts: With its ghostly organ, jazzy bass line and Colin Blunstone’s impossibly cool, haunted vocal, “She’s Not There” sounded like pop music beamed in from another dimension. The Zombies made romantic disappointment feel mysterious, sophisticated and just a little supernatural. — I.R.

Did They Ever Hit the Top? No

Peak Date: 7/23/88 (one week)

Blocked By: Richard Marx, “Hold on to the Nights”

No. 1 in Our Hearts: The aggressive, adrenalin burst of “Sugar,” propelled by its four-on-the-floor opening drum stomp and punchy guitar riffs, served as the highwater mark in the partnership between the British band and producer Mutt Lange. With its steady groove and suggestive lyrics, the ultimate arena rocker also became the siren song of strippers everywhere. — M.N.

Did They Ever Hit the Top? Yes, later in 1988 with “Love Bites.”

Peak Date: 5/2/98 (nine weeks)

Blocked By: Next, “Too Close” & Brandy & Monica, “The Boy Is Mine”

No. 1 in Our Hearts: “You’re Still the Two” just doesn’t have the same ring. This defiant country-pop ballad makes a case for an unlikely relationship beating the odds in the face of naysayers (“They said, ‘They’ll never make it’”? Rude!) — and Shania’s syrupy-sweet vocal, laid over a dusty, piano-forward production, makes you believe every single word. While it didn’t work out for Twain and her co-writer/producer ex-husband Mutt Lange, they’ll always have this musical legacy. — K.A.

Did They Ever Hit the Top? No, though Lange did several times as writer-producer, starting with Billy Ocean’s “Get Out of My Dreams, Get Into My Car” in 1988.

Peak Date: 3/8/69 (three weeks)

Blocked By: Sly & The Family Stone, “Everyday People” & Tommy Roe, “Dizzy”

No. 1 in Our Hearts: Certainly 1969 wasn’t yesterday, but “Proud Mary” exudes such a down-home, rootsy charm that it feels like it was written in the late 19th century and passed down by generations of itinerant troubadours in the South. Not so: California-born John Fogerty penned this bluesy all-timer two days after leaving the armed forces, and Creedence Clearwater Revival’s swampy, breezy style ensures it feels timeless yet fresh all these decades later. — J. Lynch

Did They Ever Hit the Top? No, though CCR would make it back to No. 2 an absurd four additional times by the end of 1970, with “Bad Moon Rising,” “Green River,” “Travelin’ Band”/”Who’ll Stop the Rain” and “Lookin’ Out My Back Door”/”Long as I Can See the Light.”

Peak Date: 8/22/09 (one week)

Blocked By: The Black Eyed Peas, “I Gotta Feeling”

No. 1 in Our Hearts: Weddings, school dances and karaoke nights aren’t complete without Swift’s feel-good country-pop love song, whose music video gave us one of her most iconic looks (Junior Jewels, anyone?) and a cross-generational internet meme (“You ok?”). Of course, the 2009 hit that kept it from the top spot is just as essential to those events. — D.P.

Did They Ever Hit the Top? Yes, 15 times and counting, starting with “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together” in 2012 and continuing through a trio of No. 1s within the past year (“The Fate of Ophelia,” “Opalite” and “I Knew It, I Knew You”).

Peak Date: 12/28/68 (two weeks)

Blocked By: Marvin Gaye, “I Heard It Through the Grapevine”

No. 1 in Our Hearts: Other acts have covered this song — the Temptations, Supremes, Frank Sinatra and Tony Bennett included — but it was the then-18-year-old genius’ up-tempo rendition that elevated the ballad to the ranks of R&B/pop standards. Wonder’s exuberant teenage vocals and expressive harmonica gave the lyrics an extra dose of emotional urgency, set off by Motown’s immortal in-house band The Funk Brothers, with incomparable core members James Jamerson on bass and Earl Van Dyke on keyboards. — G.M.

Did They Ever Hit the Top? Yes, 10 times total, starting in 1963 with “Fingertips (Part II).”

Peak Date: 1/20/68 (two weeks)

Blocked By: John Fred and His Playboy Band, “Judy in Disguise (With Glasses)”

No. 1 in Our Hearts: Fool me once, shame on me, but fool me “For five long years,” as Aretha Franklin’s man did to her in this song, well, shame on all parties. Though she can’t bring herself to walk away, Lady Soul shows not an ounce of weakness in her powerful, unbothered vocal performance as she slides right along that “chain, chain, chaaain.” — C.W.

Did They Ever Hit the Top? Yes, twice — with “Respect” in 1967 and the George Michael duet “I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)” in 1987.

Peak Date: 7/20/85 (one week)

Blocked By: Duran Duran, “A View to a Kill”

No. 1 in Our Hearts: Few artists could write an upbeat, timeless song about a lazy day at a boring job leading to a rainy tryst in a barn, but Prince and the Revolution nailed it with this psych-pop jewel. “Beret” is sexy, visually evocative, nostalgic, catchy and enduring. — A.R.

Did They Ever Hit the Top? Yes, twice with The Revolution and five times total for Prince, starting with “When Doves Cry” in 1984.

Peak Date: 7/22/06 (seven weeks)

Blocked By: Nelly Furtado, “Promiscuous” & Fergie, “London Bridge”

No. 1 in Our Hearts: “Crazy” is a perfect pop head trip: a woozy, cinematic collision of soul, hip-hop and spaghetti-western drama built around CeeLo Green’s larger-than-life voice. Its central question — “Does that make me crazy?” — turns existential uncertainty into an irresistible singalong. — I.R.

Did They Ever Hit the Top? No, but Green solo made it back to No. 2 in 2011 with “F**k You! (Forget You).”

Peak Date: 1/6/90 (two weeks)

Blocked By: Phil Collins, “Another Day in Paradise”

No. 1 in Our Hearts: You can hear “Rhythm Nation” in the precision of many of modern pop’s most fearless architects: in the integration of dance and social consciousness across Beyoncé’s Renaissance; in Troye Sivan’s cool sensuality; in the futuristic R&B of Tinashe. It’s here where Jackson deployed all her weapons – from the pulse-quickening drums to the cascading perfection that is her assertive vocal performance – for one of the defining statements of her career, and a blueprint for the generations of artists who have followed. — S.W.

Did They Ever Hit the Top? Yes, 10 times throughout her career, starting in 1986 with “When I Think of You.”

Peak Date: 2/1/64 (three weeks)

Blocked By: The Beatles, “I Want to Hold Your Hand”

No. 1 in Our Hearts: A quintessential feminist anthem that emerged during the women’s rights movement in the 1960s, “You Don’t Own Me” has only continued to bloom as an all-time great over the decades. With plain but assertive lyrics delivered powerfully by Ms. Gore when she was just 17, the track’s applicability to multiple causes – from bodily autonomy to artistic ownership – helps seal in its legacy.  — H.D.

Did They Ever Hit the Top? Yes, with “It’s My Party” back in 1963.

Peak Date: 5/22/21 (one week)

Blocked By: Silk Sonic (Bruno Mars & .Anderson Paak), “Leave the Door Open”

No. 1 in Our Hearts: Dua Lipa left Earth when recording “Levitating.” The singer’s groovy blend of dance, funk and glittery pop had us turning our living rooms into Studio 54 at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. With every play, the dopamine generated from Dua’s disco party refuses to fade. — M.S.

Did They Ever Hit the Top? Not yet, though “Levitating” was one of two No. 2 hits off her 2020 album Future Nostalgia, the other being its lead single “Don’t Start Now.”

Peak Date: 8/29/09 (two weeks)

Blocked By: The Black Eyed Peas, “I Gotta Feeling” & Jay Sean, “Down”

No. 1 in Our Hearts: “Party in the U.S.A.” wasn’t the Disney star’s first work under her own name — the EP it appeared on followed two studio albums — but it was the moment when she truly transcended her past life as Hannah Montana to become a top-flight pop hitmaker in her own right. No one could’ve sold the song’s collision of youthful exuberance and existential unease quite like her. — E.R.B.

Did They Ever Hit the Top? Yes, with “Wrecking Ball” in 2013 and “Flowers” in 2023.

Peak Date: 10/31/81 (three weeks)

Blocked By: Christopher Cross, “Arthur’s Theme (The Best That You Can Do)” & Daryl Hall and John Oates, “Private Eyes”

No. 1 in Our Hearts: There’s a reason this song gets entire stadiums amped, whether they’re filled with the band’s own fans (as it often opens their shows) or crowds gathered for the big game: from its taut opening Keith Richards riff to its driving beat to Mick Jagger’s in-your-face vocals, it’s the energy of the Rolling Stones incarnate. Add a total earworm of a refrain and more than a little sexual innuendo, and you’ve got a rock classic that always sounds fresh. — R.M.

Did They Ever Hit the Top? Yes, eight times, starting with “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction” in 1965.

Peak Date: 10/26/96 (five weeks)

Blocked By: Los Del Rio, “Macarena (Bayside Boys Mix)” & Blackstreet feat. Dr. Dre, “No Diggity”

No. 1 in Our Hearts: No one does a power ballad like Celine Dion — except for perhaps Meat Loaf, who wanted to record this Jim Steinman-penned epic for his Bat Out of Hell series but was scooped by Dion. And while Meat Loaf certainly would’ve done a bang-up job, no one could’ve done this song like Celine, who brought the drama, the vocal range and the gusto needed to sell all seven minutes and 36 seconds of this epic for the ages. — C.W.

Did They Ever Hit the Top? Yes, four times, starting with “The Power of Love” in 1994.

Peak Date: 5/16/15 (three weeks)

Blocked By: Wiz Khalifa feat. Charlie Puth, “See You Again”

No. 1 in Our Hearts: Truly romantic rap songs don’t come along every year – there’s a thin line between ‘sweet’ and ‘sappy,’ and hip-hop doesn’t do saccharine – so when they do, they become ubiquitous. From the first “Hey, what’s up, hello/ Seen yo pretty ass soon as you came in the door,” Fetty Wap understood the precise amount of grit and PDA needed to tell this woozy, hooky tale of a dealer and his girl teaming up in the crack game to make their hearts — and wallets — grow. — J. Lynch

Did They Ever Hit the Top? No

Peak Date: 10/17/64 (two weeks)

Blocked By: Manfred Mann, “Do Wah Diddy Diddy”

No. 1 in Our Hearts: Marvin Gaye, William Stevenson and Ivy Jo Hunter teamed to write this exuberant smash, a joybomb before the term had been coined. The song is both a girl-group anthem and a classic summer song, one that soundtracked countless block parties. The callouts to various cities are fun, and the record has a wonderfully inclusive spirit: “It doesn’t matter what you wear, just as long as you are there.” — P.G.

Did They Ever Hit the Top? No

Peak Date: 3/23/85 (two weeks)

Blocked By: REO Speedwagon, “Can’t Fight This Feeling” & Phil Collins, “One More Night”

No. 1 in Our Hearts: A Nile Rodgers-produced synth-pop gem that swiftly became a nickname for the artist herself (much to her chagrin), “Material Girl” sounds like an ode to all things expensive and shiny — its iconic music video does recreate the “Diamonds are a Girl’s Best Friend” sequence from Gentlemen Prefer Blondes — but in classic Madonna fashion, is more subversive than that. It’s a thin cloak for her own blonde ambition, her refusal to accept less in a man, and a knowing wink at the ethos of the Reagan era. — R.M.

Did They Ever Hit the Top? Yes, 12 times, as previously mentioned — though in addition to “Material Girl” and “Express Yourself,” she also hit No. 2 an additional four times, with “La Isla Bonita” (1987), “Causing a Commotion” (1987), “I’ll Remember” (1994) and “Frozen” (1998), her six total No. 2s standing as a Hot 100 record for decades.

Peak Date: 10/21/89 (one week)

Blocked By: Janet Jackson, “Miss You Much”

No. 1 in Our Hearts: The goth-rock post-punks’ American crossover was over a decade in the making, but by 1989 The Cure had fully risen out of the underground and was scrapping with Janet Jackson at the top of the charts. The final step in the band’s mainstreaming was “Love Song,” a song whose humbly expressed and universally applicable pleas of eternal devotion allowed it to become a perennial cover, but whose blood-pumping instrumental pulse and trembling vocal delivery made it a singular classic in the hands of The Cure alone. — A.U.

Did They Ever Hit the Top? No, but Olivia Rodrigo did namecheck their 1987 top 40 hit “Just Like Heaven” in her May 2026 Hot 100-topper “Drop Dead.”

Peak Date: 8/3/02 (one week)

Blocked By: Nelly, “Hot in Herre”

No. 1 in Our Hearts: Canadian teen Avril Lavigne launched on the scene with “Complicated” in 2002, complete with a pop-punk aesthetic that set her up as the perfect foil to the more bubblegum pop stars who swarmed the charts immediately before her. The song took the timeless advice of “be yourself,” but framed it in the lens of “don’t be a poser,” creating a universally understood and timeless message without being corny to the teens of the time. — B.K.

Did They Ever Hit the Top? Yes, with “Girlfriend” in 2007.

Peak Date: 10/14/72 (two weeks)

Blocked By: Michael Jackson, “Ben” & Chuck Berry, “My Ding-A-Ling”

No. 1 in Our Hearts:  Bill Withers produced some of the most memorable vocal performances of the 1970s and 1980s — “Lean On Me,” “Ain’t No Sunshine,” “Just the Two of Us” — but none quite like the seductive and voluptuous delivery on “Use Me.” Withers’ baritone lends perfectly to the song’s soulful bass and mischievous lyrics that throw caution to the wind, and repeat that if it feels this good getting used, “use me up.” — T.M.

Did They Ever Hit the Top? Yes, “Lean on Me” topped the chart earlier in 1972.

Peak Date: 6/29/13 (five weeks)

Blocked By: Robin Thicke feat. T.I. + Pharrell, “Blurred Lines”

No. 1 in Our Hearts: The Robots gunned for disco perfection on their 2013 opus Random Access Memories, and here, on the LP’s much-hyped lead single, they hit the bullseye. Built around a looping guitar riff from Chic’s Nile Rodgers and paired with Pharrell’s buttery vocals, “Get Lucky” shares the same carefree mantra as the French duo’s 2001 hit “One More Time”: forget your troubles and just dance, dance, dance. — T.S.

Did They Ever Hit the Top? Daft Punk didn’t, but Pharrell did four times as a credited artist — including with the song (“Blurred Lines”) that kept “Get Lucky” at bay — starting with his feature appearance on Snoop Dogg’s “Drop It Like It’s Hot” in 2004, as well as many additional times as a writer-producer.

Peak Date: 7/22/67 (one week)

Blocked By: The Association, “Windy”

No. 1 in Our Hearts: There’s nothing quite like a simple, swooning love song, and who better to bring one like “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You” to life than Frankie Valli. “Can’t Take” doesn’t just thrive off its straightforward, universal lyric, but also off the spectacle of hearing Valli — one of pop’s most celebrated countertenors — venture away from his signature falsetto in favor of the tasteful restraint of his chest voice. — K.D.

Did They Ever Hit the Top? Yes, with “My Eyes Adored You” in 1975 and “Grease” in 1978, in addition to four times as part of The 4 Seasons, starting with “Sherry” in 1962.

Peak Date: 6/30/84 (four weeks)

Blocked By: Duran Duran, “The Reflex” & Prince, “When Doves Cry”

No. 1 in Our Hearts: The song that introduced the synthesizer to the Springsteen oeuvre thematically picks up where “Thunder Road” left off, functioning as a call to arms to get up, get out, shake the world off your shoulders and do something, even if you’re just dancing the dark. The music video helped make a star out of Courtney Cox, whose own well-lit dance moves with The Boss are now canon. — K.B.

Did They Ever Hit the Top? No, though Manfred Mann’s Earth Band topped the chart in 1977 with an arenafied cover of his “Blinded by the Light.”

Peak Date: 9/4/65 (two weeks)

Blocked By: The Beatles, “Help!”

No. 1 in Our Hearts: Bob Dylan transformed a six-minute sneer into a musical earthquake, pairing his snarling vocals with Al Kooper’s unmistakable organ and a band that sounds like it’s chasing the song downhill. “Like a Rolling Stone” remains top-tier because its sense of freedom feels both exhilarating and faintly dangerous — a furious, liberating hit about watching someone’s old identity crumble in real time. As Dylan’s “Play it f–king loud!” exhortation in Martin Scorsese’s No Direction Home (2005) makes clear, the song was never meant to sit politely in the canon; its famous refrain — “How does it feel to be on your own?” — lands less like a question than a dare, turning disillusionment into one of rock’s most enduring rushes. — I.R.

Did They Ever Hit the Top? No, but he returned to No. 2 in 1966 with “Rainy Day Women No. 12 & 35” — and earlier in 1965, The Byrds topped the chart with a cover of his “Mr. Tambourine Man.”

Peak Date: 3/10/84 (two weeks)

Blocked By: Van Halen, “Jump”

No. 1 in Our Hearts: Originally written and performed by Robert Hazard in 1979, “Girls Just Want to Have Fun” became a global hit as Cyndi Lauper’s debut solo single in 1983. Adjusting the lyrics to flip it into the female perspective (and amping up the poppiness of the production and delivery) created an iconic feminist anthem that continues to inspire and spark joy more than 40 years later. — B.K.

Did They Ever Hit the Top? Yes, with “Time After Time” later in 1984 and “True Colors” in 1986.

Peak Date: 3/20/93 (one week)

Blocked By: Snow, “Informer”

No. 1 in Our Hearts: The song that brought G-funk to the center of pop music, “Nuthin’ But a ‘G’ Thang” quickly turned into one of the most pivotal singles of the ’90s, made crossover superstars of both Dr. Dre and guest rapper Snoop Dogg — strangely uncredited on the chart entry — and made ’70s funk samples and whining synths unavoidable parts of the decade’s sonic fabric. Artistic importance aside, “‘G’ Thang” threatened the Hot 100’s top spot because it was also an absolute blast, even in its heavily edited radio version. — A.U.

Did They Ever Hit the Top? Yes, Dre with feature appearances on Blackstreet’s “No Diggity” in 1996 and Eminem’s “Crack a Bottle” in 2005, and Snoop three times, starting with “Drop It Like It’s Hot” in 2004.

Peak Date: 10/12/63 (three weeks)

Blocked By: Jimmy Gilmer and the Fireballs, “Sugar Shack”

No. 1 in Our Hearts: From its timeless (and often emulated) four-beat intro, its percussive piano and hand claps and Ronnie Spector’s girlishly pleading opening vocals — ”the night we met I knew I needed you so” — “Be My Baby” is a masterpiece of pop yearning, rising to an unforgettable crescendo with producer Phil Spector’s wall-of-sound chorus. “It’s the greatest record ever produced,” the late Brian Wilson once said. “No one will ever top that one.” — T.D.

Did They Ever Hit the Top? No, though Phil Spector topped the chart several times as a writer and producer, starting in 1958 with The Teddy Bears’ “To Know Him Is to Love Him.”

Peak Date: 4/10/71 (three weeks)

Blocked By: The Temptations, “Just My Imagination (Running Away With Me)” & Three Dog Night, “Joy to the World”

No. 1 in Our Hearts: In revisiting this landmark No. 2, you wonder if Gaye possessed a crystal ball to foresee the future. That’s because this soulful protest record finds us — sadly — raising the same questions about racism, war and inflation some 55 years after its release. Four Tops member Renaldo “Obie” Benson and Al Cleveland penned the initial composition, but Benson later gave the song to Gaye, whose melodic and lyrical revisions (“Mother, mother/ There’s too many of you crying/ Brother, brother, brother/ There’s far too many of you dying”) eloquently captured the tenor of the turbulent ‘70s climate fostered by the Vietnam War and numerous social ills. In adapting his velvety vocals to a more measured, conversational delivery, Gaye subtly added a prayerful, yet imperative tone to the song — which Motown chief Berry Gordy was very reluctant to release. Thank God he ultimately did, because “What’s Going On” represents the true definition of timeless. — G.M.

Did They Ever Hit the Top? Yes, three times, starting with “I Heard It Through the Grapevine” in 1969.

Peak Date: 4/9/05

Blocked By: 50 Cent feat. Olivia, “Candy Shop”

No. 1 in Our Hearts: Have you ever heard anyone say that they don’t like this song? No, really — think about it. Time and time again, Kelly Clarkson’s soaring, self-possessed signature ballad is present at the front of musical discussions — about everything from the best karaoke numbers to most iconic 2000s throwbacks to the greatest No. 2s on the Billboard charts. Is there any doubt left that “Since U Been Gone” is simply one of the best pop songs of all time? — H.D.

Did They Ever Hit the Top? Yes, three times, starting with “A Moment Like This” in 2002.

Peak Date: 11/17/84 (two weeks)

Blocked By: Wham!, “Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go”

No. 1 in Our Hearts: A flawless rock power ballad that trades on gospel and soul traditions while capturing a harrowing, immersive picture of apocalyptic skies, “Purple Rain” is one of those songs that could outlive humanity itself. It’s an amalgamation of Black music that effectively rewrote what American pop music could sound and feel like. From Prince’s somber opening vocal to the wailing, kaleidoscopic guitars, strings and synths that close the eight-minute anthem, “Purple Rain” is eternally magnetic. Just ask the Stranger Things music supervisors… or really anyone who’s worked a similar role in the past decade or two. — K.D.

Did They Ever Hit the Top? Yes, five times — and given that “Purple Rain” has now recharted on the Hot 100 in both the 2010s and the 2020s, you can’t rule out the song itself still having a chance.

Peak Date: 11/16/02 (10 weeks)

Blocked By: Eminem, “Lose Yourself”

No. 1 in Our Hearts: It speaks to Elliott and producer Timbaland’s pop mastery, or the cultural headspace of America in 2002, or both, that a song as profoundly weird as “Work It” reached the commercial heights it did — or has remained the critical text of pop and hip-hop that it has. With laser-like synths and trunk-rattling percussion, Timbaland delivers a career-best beat, but it’s just a supporting character for Elliott’s delightfully raunchy performance — already a head spinning collage of onomatopoeia and metaphor before taking the elephant-trumpet sound effects and her periodically reversed vocals into consideration. More than two decades later, “Work It” still sounds like it was beamed in from another galaxy, and the rest of pop is still trying to catch up. — E.R.B.

Did They Ever Hit the Top? Not as a credited artist, though as previously mentioned, Missy was a credited co-producer on Christina Aguilera, Lil’ Kim, Mya & P!nk’s 2001 Hot 100-topping redo of Labelle’s “Lady Marmalade.”

Peak Date: 12/5/09 (seven weeks)

Blocked By: Jay-Z + Alicia Keys, “Empire State of Mind” & Kesha, “Tik Tok”

No. 1 in Our Hearts: Isn’t it just like the always-fashionable Lady Gaga to land at No. 2 on the list of the best No. 2 hits? But honestly, it seems unfair to once again deny this flawless dance-pop masterpiece the top spot, considering how ahead of its time it still sounds to this day, thanks to its addictively repeatable “ra-ra-ah-ah-ah” refrain; its stacked vocal touches that add unexpected flair throughout; and its dark, synthy production. That dark sound matches some of the song’s more sinister lyrics, with Gaga longing for a love story straight out of a Hitchcock movie (so not exactly a rom-com). But while this romance might be doomed from the start, this song still makes you believe it’s a fantastic idea. – K.A.

Did They Ever Hit the Top? Yes, six times to date, starting earlier in 2009 with “Just Dance.”

Peak Date: 5/9/92 (one week)

Blocked By: Kris Kross, “Jump”

No. 1 in Our Hearts: Despite originally getting mixed reviews, Queen’s rock opera reached No. 9 on the Hot 100 upon its 1975 release, a respectable position for a song called both pastiche and one of the greatest pieces of music ever made. (In a 1976 interview with Creem, Brian Wilson called it “the most competitive thing that’s come along in ages.”) A triumph of arrangement and engineering that took the band weeks to record, “Bohemian Rhapsody” fused balladry, opera, prog rock and symphony with a guitar solo that sounds like you could ride to space on it and a vocal performance from Freddie Mercury that sounded like he was conjuring rage, power and glory from the very center of the earth. (Lyrically cryptic despite its pomp, the song was rumored to be Mercury’s coming-out anthem, although the singer never confirmed it.)

Originally hailing from Queen’s fourth studio album A Night at the Opera, “Bohemian Rhapsody” had been marinating in public consciousness for 17 years when Mike Myers demanded it be used in his film Wayne’s World (studio execs wanted Guns N’ Roses), threatening to leave the production if “Rhapsody” wasn’t selected. The ensuing scene with Myers, Dana Carvey and crew headbanging in the car reintroduced Queen to U.S. audiences and belatedly propelled “Bohemian Rhapsody” to No. 2 in May of 1992, six months after Mercury’s death. — K.B.

Did They Ever Hit the Top? Yes, twice in 1980, with “Crazy Little Thing Called Love” and “Another One Bites the Dust.”