10 Songs That Never Hit Number 1

18 March 2019, 12:58

You'll be surprised to discover these songs never got to Number 1 in the UK chart, including massive hits from Adele, Taylor Swift and Ed Sheeran...

1. Taylor Swift - Shake It Off

   

   Taylor Swift - Shake It Off

   Taylor's 'Shake It Off' spent 34 weeks in The Official Big Top 40 back in 2014 but none at Number 1. It managed to get to Number 2 in September 2014, missing out to Sigma's 'Changing' featuring Paloma Faith.

2. Major Lazer & DJ Snake - Lean On feat. MØ

   

   Major Lazer & DJ Snake - Lean On (feat. MØ) (Official Music Video)

   Major Lazer's 'Lean On' is was one of the best-selling singles of 2015 and is now one of the biggest songs of all-time. But it only got to Number 2 in the charts - missing out in June 2015 to Jason Derulo's banger 'Want To Want Me'.

3. Ed Sheeran - Castle on the Hill

   

   Ed Sheeran - Castle On The Hill [Official Video]

   Ed Sheeran released 'Castle on the Hill' and 'Shape of You' on the same day back in January 2017. 'Shape of You' was the track that went to Number 1, with 'Castle on the Hill' having to settle for second place.

4. One Direction - Best Song Ever

   

   One Direction - Best Song Ever (Official Video)

   One Direction rank alongside The Beatles as one of the biggest groups of all-time and have had so many massive hits across their career. But it might surprise you to know that 'Best Song Ever' could only get to Number 4 back in 2013.

5. John Legend - All of Me

   

   John Legend - All of Me (Edited Video)

   John Legend's beautiful ballad 'All of Me' was one of the biggest-selling songs of 2014 worldwide and is now an absolute wedding classic. Unfortunately for John, the track only got to Number 3 on The Official Big Top 40.

6. Adele - Rolling in the Deep

   

   Adele - Rolling in the Deep

   Now this is definitely a shock! 'Rolling in the Deep' was Adele's first Number 1 in the US and is perhaps her biggest hit ever... but Bruno Mars' 'Grenade' held it off the top spot back in January 2011.

7. Lady Gaga & Bradley Cooper - Shallow

   

   Lady Gaga, Bradley Cooper - Shallow (A Star Is Born)

   Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper's 'Shallow' picked up an Oscar, Grammy, BAFTA and Golden Globe in 2018 but it couldn't manage to reach Number 1 on The Official Big Top 40. The song from A Star Is Born reached a peak of Number 2.

8. Portugal. The Man - Feel It Still

   

   Portugal. The Man - "Feel It Still" (Official Video)

   You couldn't move without hearing Portugal. The Man's 'Feel It Still' in 2018 but the song could never quite manage to get to Number 1 in the UK. It spent a total of four weeks at Number 2 and finished up as the fifth biggest song of the year.

9. Macklemore & Ryan Lewis - Can't Hold Us feat. Ray Dalton

   

   MACKLEMORE & RYAN LEWIS - CAN'T HOLD US FEAT. RAY DALTON (OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO)

   Macklemore and Ryan Lewis burst onto the scene with 'Thrift Shop' in 2013, which went straight to Number 1. Sadly, their follow-up single 'Can't Hold Us' couldn't quite manage to do the same - peaking at Number 3 later in the year.

10. Bastille - Pompeii

    

    Bastille - Pompeii (Official Music Video)

    You can't help but singalong to the "Ey, ey, oh, eh oh! Ey, ey, oh, eh oh!" Bastille's indie anthem 'Pompeii' spent a total of twenty-one weeks in The Official Big Top 40 but the highest position it reached was Number 5 in February 2013.