When it comes to the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart, landing anywhere in the top 40 is usually enough to garner general attention and bolster one’s music career. It’s then no surprise that many of history’s most iconic songs never reached No. 1, even if they sold in massive numbers and became more or less ubiquitous across the culture. Quick examples include everything from Drake’s “Hotline Bling” to Kelly Clarkson’s “Since U Been Gone,” both of which peaked at #2. (And unlike them, here are some famous musicians who have never topped the Hot 100.)
To determine the biggest songs that peaked at No. 2, 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 peaked at the No. 2 position on the Billboard Hot 100 were considered. Chart data is current through the week of Nov. 19, 2022.
They’re not on this list, but one example of a mega-popular band that never reached the top is Creedence Clearwater Revival, which scored five No. 2 singles on the Hot 100 but never made the extra step up (though John Fogerty would eventually get there as a solo artist with “Centerfield”)? Another famed performer, Bruce Springsteen, has never topped the chart, despite cracking the top 10 on multiple occasions. (To Springsteen’s credit, he did pen Manfred Mann’s Earth Band’s chart-topping cover version of “Blinded by the Light.”)
Click here to see the biggest songs that peaked at No. 2 on the Hot 100
One must wonder: Do artists take it personally when they peak at second place without climbing any further? Given their competitive spirit and outsized egos, we imagine they do. But the silver lining is that plenty of these No. 2 singles enjoy lasting legacies of their own, occasionally outshining and even outselling the song or songs that initially bested them. Here’s to the runner-ups that have become champions over time. (Some songs even get a second shot at the top slot. Here are some classic songs that have returned to the Billboard Hot 100.)
50. Brian McKnight, “Back at One”
> Entered Hot 100: August 28, 1999
> Time spent at No. 2 on the Hot 100: 8 weeks
> Total time spent on the Hot 100: 37 weeks
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49. Drake, “Hotline Bling”
> Entered Hot 100: August 22, 2015
> Time spent at No. 2 on the Hot 100: 5 weeks
> Total time spent on the Hot 100: 36 weeks
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48. Hozier, “Take Me to Church”
> Entered Hot 100: August 30, 2014
> Time spent at No. 2 on the Hot 100: 3 weeks
> Total time spent on the Hot 100: 41 weeks
47. The Pussycat Dolls featuring Busta Rhymes, “Don’t Cha”
> Entered Hot 100: May 7, 2005
> Time spent at No. 2 on the Hot 100: 3 weeks
> Total time spent on the Hot 100: 40 weeks
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46. Gwen Stefani featuring Akon, “The Sweet Escape”
> Entered Hot 100: December 30, 2006
> Time spent at No. 2 on the Hot 100: 1 week
> Total time spent on the Hot 100: 40 weeks
45. Hoobastank, “The Reason”
> Entered Hot 100: March 20, 2004
> Time spent at No. 2 on the Hot 100: 1 week
> Total time spent on the Hot 100: 38 weeks
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44. Queen, “Bohemian Rhapsody”
> Entered Hot 100: January 3, 1976
> Time spent at No. 2 on the Hot 100: 1 week
> Total time spent on the Hot 100: 44 weeks
43. R. Kelly, “Ignition”
> Entered Hot 100: November 9, 2002
> Time spent at No. 2 on the Hot 100: 5 weeks
> Total time spent on the Hot 100: 42 weeks
42. Ciara featuring Missy Elliott, “1, 2 Step”
> Entered Hot 100: October 30, 2004
> Time spent at No. 2 on the Hot 100: 7 weeks
> Total time spent on the Hot 100: 39 weeks
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41. Brenda Lee, “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree”
> Entered Hot 100: December 12, 1960
> Time spent at No. 2 on the Hot 100: 5 weeks
> Total time spent on the Hot 100: 44 weeks
40. Future featuring Drake, “Life Is Good”
> Entered Hot 100: January 25, 2020
> Time spent at No. 2 on the Hot 100: 8 weeks
> Total time spent on the Hot 100: 38 weeks
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39. Ed Sheeran & Justin Bieber, “I Don’t Care”
> Entered Hot 100: May 25, 2019
> Time spent at No. 2 on the Hot 100: 2 weeks
> Total time spent on the Hot 100: 39 weeks
38. Keith Sweat, “Twisted”
> Entered Hot 100: June 22, 1996
> Time spent at No. 2 on the Hot 100: 1 week
> Total time spent on the Hot 100: 38 weeks
37. Mark Morrison, “Return of the Mack”
> Entered Hot 100: March 1, 1997
> Time spent at No. 2 on the Hot 100: 1 week
> Total time spent on the Hot 100: 40 weeks
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36. Justin Timberlake, “Mirrors”
> Entered Hot 100: March 2, 2013
> Time spent at No. 2 on the Hot 100: 1 week
> Total time spent on the Hot 100: 42 weeks
35. Donna Lewis, “I Love You Always Forever”
> Entered Hot 100: June 22, 1996
> Time spent at No. 2 on the Hot 100: 9 weeks
> Total time spent on the Hot 100: 41 weeks
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34. Lil Jon & The East Side Boyz featuring Ying Yang Twins, “Get Low”
> Entered Hot 100: May 3, 2003
> Time spent at No. 2 on the Hot 100: 1 week
> Total time spent on the Hot 100: 45 weeks
33. twenty one pilots, “Heathens”
> Entered Hot 100: July 9, 2016
> Time spent at No. 2 on the Hot 100: 4 weeks
> Total time spent on the Hot 100: 39 weeks
32. Maroon 5, “Sugar”
> Entered Hot 100: January 31, 2015
> Time spent at No. 2 on the Hot 100: 4 weeks
> Total time spent on the Hot 100: 42 weeks
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31. Backstreet Boys, “Quit Playing Games (With My Heart)”
> Entered Hot 100: June 28, 1997
> Time spent at No. 2 on the Hot 100: 2 weeks
> Total time spent on the Hot 100: 43 weeks
30. Maroon 5, “Memories”
> Entered Hot 100: October 5, 2019
> Time spent at No. 2 on the Hot 100: 1 week
> Total time spent on the Hot 100: 41 weeks
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29. Dua Lipa featuring DaBaby, “Levitating”
> Entered Hot 100: October 17, 2020
> Time spent at No. 2 on the Hot 100: 1 week
> Total time spent on the Hot 100: 41 weeks
28. Jack Harlow featuring DaBaby, Tory Lanez & Lil Wayne, “Whats Poppin”
> Entered Hot 100: February 22, 2020
> Time spent at No. 2 on the Hot 100: 2 weeks
> Total time spent on the Hot 100: 51 weeks
27. Ellie Goulding, “Lights”
> Entered Hot 100: August 20, 2011
> Time spent at No. 2 on the Hot 100: 2 weeks
> Total time spent on the Hot 100: 57 weeks
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26. Kelly Clarkson, “Since U Been Gone”
> Entered Hot 100: December 18, 2004
> Time spent at No. 2 on the Hot 100: 1 week
> Total time spent on the Hot 100: 46 weeks
25. Shania Twain, “You’re Still the One”
> Entered Hot 100: February 14, 1998
> Time spent at No. 2 on the Hot 100: 9 weeks
> Total time spent on the Hot 100: 42 weeks
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24. twenty one pilots, “Stressed Out”
> Entered Hot 100: May 16, 2015
> Time spent at No. 2 on the Hot 100: 1 week
> Total time spent on the Hot 100: 52 weeks
23. Timbaland featuring OneRepublic, “Apologize”
> Entered Hot 100: April 21, 2007
> Time spent at No. 2 on the Hot 100: 4 weeks
> Total time spent on the Hot 100: 47 weeks
22. Everything But the Girl, “Missing”
> Entered Hot 100: August 12, 1995
> Time spent at No. 2 on the Hot 100: 1 week
> Total time spent on the Hot 100: 55 weeks
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21. Post Malone, “Wow.”
> Entered Hot 100: January 5, 2019
> Time spent at No. 2 on the Hot 100: 3 weeks
> Total time spent on the Hot 100: 44 weeks
20. The Tony Rich Project, “Nobody Knows”
> Entered Hot 100: December 16, 1995
> Time spent at No. 2 on the Hot 100: 2 weeks
> Total time spent on the Hot 100: 47 weeks
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19. CeeLo Green, “Forget You”
> Entered Hot 100: September 11, 2010
> Time spent at No. 2 on the Hot 100: 4 weeks
> Total time spent on the Hot 100: 48 weeks
18. Taio Cruz, “Dynamite”
> Entered Hot 100: June 19, 2010
> Time spent at No. 2 on the Hot 100: 3 weeks
> Total time spent on the Hot 100: 47 weeks
17. Usher, “You Make Me Wanna…”
> Entered Hot 100: August 23, 1997
> Time spent at No. 2 on the Hot 100: 7 weeks
> Total time spent on the Hot 100: 47 weeks
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16. Tag Team, “Whoomp! (There It Is)”
> Entered Hot 100: May 29, 1993
> Time spent at No. 2 on the Hot 100: 7 weeks
> Total time spent on the Hot 100: 45 weeks
15. Taylor Swift, “You Belong With Me”
> Entered Hot 100: November 22, 2008
> Time spent at No. 2 on the Hot 100: 1 week
> Total time spent on the Hot 100: 50 weeks
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14. Juice WRLD, “Lucid Dreams”
> Entered Hot 100: May 26, 2018
> Time spent at No. 2 on the Hot 100: 2 weeks
> Total time spent on the Hot 100: 48 weeks
13. Faith Hill, “Breathe”
> Entered Hot 100: November 6, 1999
> Time spent at No. 2 on the Hot 100: 5 weeks
> Total time spent on the Hot 100: 53 weeks
12. Bebe Rexha & Florida Georgia Line, “Meant To Be”
> Entered Hot 100: November 11, 2017
> Time spent at No. 2 on the Hot 100: 3 weeks
> Total time spent on the Hot 100: 51 weeks
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11. Sam Smith, “Stay With Me”
> Entered Hot 100: April 19, 2014
> Time spent at No. 2 on the Hot 100: 2 weeks
> Total time spent on the Hot 100: 54 weeks
10. Dua Lipa, “Don’t Start Now”
> Entered Hot 100: November 16, 2019
> Time spent at No. 2 on the Hot 100: 1 week
> Total time spent on the Hot 100: 52 weeks
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9. Lifehouse, “Hanging by a Moment”
> Entered Hot 100: February 10, 2001
> Time spent at No. 2 on the Hot 100: 4 weeks
> Total time spent on the Hot 100: 54 weeks
8. Fetty Wap, “Trap Queen”
> Entered Hot 100: February 7, 2015
> Time spent at No. 2 on the Hot 100: 3 weeks
> Total time spent on the Hot 100: 52 weeks
7. Ed Sheeran, “Thinking Out Loud”
> Entered Hot 100: October 25, 2014
> Time spent at No. 2 on the Hot 100: 8 weeks
> Total time spent on the Hot 100: 58 weeks
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6. Marshmello & Bastille, “Happier”
> Entered Hot 100: September 1, 2018
> Time spent at No. 2 on the Hot 100: 1 week
> Total time spent on the Hot 100: 52 weeks
5. Lady Antebellum, “Need You Now”
> Entered Hot 100: August 29, 2009
> Time spent at No. 2 on the Hot 100: 2 weeks
> Total time spent on the Hot 100: 60 weeks
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4. Ed Sheeran, “Bad Habits”
> Entered Hot 100: July 10, 2021
> Time spent at No. 2 on the Hot 100: 2 weeks
> Total time spent on the Hot 100: 56 weeks
3. OneRepublic, “Counting Stars”
> Entered Hot 100: July 6, 2013
> Time spent at No. 2 on the Hot 100: 2 weeks
> Total time spent on the Hot 100: 68 weeks
2. Jewel, “Foolish Games/You Were Meant For Me”
> Entered Hot 100: November 30, 1996
> Time spent at No. 2 on the Hot 100: 2 weeks
> Total time spent on the Hot 100: 65 weeks
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1. LeAnn Rimes, “How Do I Live”
> Entered Hot 100: June 21, 1997
> Time spent at No. 2 on the Hot 100: 4 weeks
> Total time spent on the Hot 100: 69 weeks
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