The songs that spent the most weeks at number two without reaching the top spot
Thanks to how we now consume music, the charts don’t mean what they used to. With streaming services being such a massive part of our lives and given music is so much more accessible, a band don’t necessarily need to chart to be considered a success, and those that do chart tend to leave as quickly as they entered. Before the widespread use of streaming services, though, the charts were critical, and there wasn’t an artist out there who didn’t want that number one.
Getting a number one was a level of validation that artists everywhere wanted and marked a monumental achievement in what it meant to be a musician. Some found it easier than others, as many artists reeled in the top of the charts accolades and stayed at the top for an extended period. In contrast, regardless of how extensive their marketing campaigns were and how good the music was, others seemed to be unable to get there.
Some artists who have enjoyed extended periods at the top include the likes of Chubby Checker, whose song ‘The Twist’ stayed at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 for three weeks. That’s not a bad stint, considering the track was initially released as a B-side by Hank Ballard and the Midnighters before it was covered by Chubby Checker in 1960.
Other artists who spent an extended period at the top include the likes of Santana, Bobby Darin, Mark Ronson, LMFAO, Ed Sheeran, The Black Eyed Peas and The Weeknd. They all managed to climb the charts, achieve a number one single, and stay at the top.
Some artists aren’t quite as successful. It’s all well and good not charting as highly as you might anticipate, but arguably, one of the worst places to come is second. People get so close to achieving their goal, only to be pipped to the post by someone they have likely had a drink with backstage at a festival. Now, they are popping champagne and seeing that number one next to their name, whilst the runner-up has to sit, smile and pretend it doesn’t bother them (it definitely bothers them).
What is even worse than coming second is coming second and spending a lot of time in that position without ever reaching the top spot. It must be incredibly frustrating for an artist to keep seeing their name so close to the top without ever hitting it, and it turns out that some of the time that artists spend at number two is more extensive than you might think.
Foreigner and Missy Elliott both spent ten whole weeks at number two without ever getting to number one. Foreigner’s ‘Waiting for a Girl Like You’ was beaten by ‘Physical’ by Olivia Newton-John and Hall & Oates’s single ‘I Can’t Go for That (No Can Do)’. Meanwhile, Missy Elliott only ever reached number two with ‘Work It’ thanks to Eminem claiming the top spot with ‘Lose Yourself’.
Most artists are likely happy that enough people are listening to their music for it to chart. Still, there is no doubt that after spending weeks at number two, that number one in sight but just out of reach, has to be one of the most frustrating experiences for an artist.
Dongs that have spent the longest at number two:
- Foreigner – ‘Waiting for a Girl Like You’ – 10 weeks
- Missy Elliott – ‘Work It’ – 10 weeks
- Donna Lewis – ‘I Love You Always Forever’ – 9 weeks
- Shania Twain – ‘You’re Still the One’ – 9 weeks
- Shai – ‘If I Ever Fall in Love’ – 8 weeks
- Deborah Cox – ‘Nobody’s Supposed to Be Here’ – 8 weeks
- Brian McKnight – ‘Back at One’ – 8 weeks
- Mario Winans – ‘I Don’t Wanna Know’ – 8 weeks
- Ed Sheeran – ‘Thinking Out Loud’ – 8 weeks
- Future – Life Is Good – 8 weeks
- Luke Combs – Fast Car – 8 weeks
