Ask Billboard: These No. 2 Hot 100 Hits Were Actually No. 1s, Just on Other Billboard Charts

Hi Gary,

The Billboard writers certainly listed several worthy tunes regarding the best No. 2-peaking Billboard Hot 100 hits ever. I love the entire list, including the two by Madonna.

Looking lower, “Soul Man,” “Live and Let Die,” “What Have I Done to Deserve This?,” “Regulate” and “Hit ‘Em Up Style (Oops!)” are also definitely deserving.

Gracias to the staff!

Pablo Nelson
Oakland, Calif.

Hi Gary,

Hello again. I decided that there should be a second email regarding runner-up Hot 100 hits, as I seem to need to mention these great songs that also reached No. 2 but didn’t make Billboard’s feature.

Bobby Hebb, “Sunny.” The 1966 single was eclipsed at the top by another warm-weather hit: “Summer in the City,” by The Lovin’ Spoonful, a group that had to settle for No. 2 twice: Before their No. 1, they both peaked at No. 2 with “Daydream” and “Did You Ever Have To Make Up Your Mind?”

En Vogue, “Hold On.” Despite its No. 2 peak, it was the highest-charting hit called “Hold On” that week, and the group was the top-ranking vogue. Wilson Phillips’ “Hold On” was at No. 22 on the July 21, 1990, chart and Madonna’s “Vogue” was No. 33 (both after reaching No. 1).

Nena, “99 Luftballoons.” It’s not too often that a politically charged record, and one that mentions Captain Kirk, goes that high, as this one did in 1984.

Two, fittingly, by Twenty One Pilots: “Stressed Out” and “Heathens,” both in 2016.

And two by George Michael: “I Want Your Sex,” from 1987, and the perennial “Last Christmas” by Wham!, which hopefully some year will go to No. 1.

Thanks again.

Pablo

Thanks Pablo.

I second your opinion that No. 2 Hot 100 hits make for a fun topic.

Notably, Ella Langley’s “Choosin’ Texas” is continuing its historic run at No. 1 on the Hot 100 as Billboard celebrates No. 2-peaking songs, and the smash has been so big that it even prevented her from having another No. 1: When “Be Her” hit its No. 2 high in May for two weeks, it was below “Choosin’ Texas” each time.

Other artists peaked at No. 2 blocked by a No. 1 of theirs, an occurrence that has become somewhat common thanks to album-bomb debut weeks and listener habits due to streaming. The week after Langley’s two weeks in the top two spots, Drake debuted at No. 1 with “Janice STFU,” directly above “Ran to Atlanta” (featuring Future and Molly Santana), also new that week, with both from his album ICEMAN. Plus, in February, as Bad Bunny kicked “DtMF” to No. 1, “Baile Inolvidable” reached its No. 2 best.

Still, “Be Her” stands as Langley’s longest-leading Country Airplay hit, having spent four weeks at No. 1 on the chart throughout June.

As Billboard publishes around 250 weekly charts, that means that even if a song peaks at No. 2 on the Hot 100, it has a good chance to reach No. 1 elsewhere, like “Be Her.”

Per the songs above, “Stressed Out” and “Heathens” both went No. 1 on Alternative Airplay, for a whopping 12 and 11 weeks, respectively. Plus, “Last Christmas” reigned on the United Kingdom’s Official Singles Chart at last starting in the 2020 holiday season.

What other No. 2 Hot 100 hits celebrated No. 1 success on other surveys? Here’s a list (in alphabetical order, so no one peaks at No. 2) of, how about, 21 tracks that can rightfully be remembered as chart-topping songs.

Ciara feat. Missy Elliott, “1, 2 Step.” Right? It was No. 1, for two weeks, on Pop Airplay in 2005.

Queen, “Bohemian Rhapsody.” After the classic reached No. 9 on the Hot 100 in 1976 and No. 2 in 1992, then sparked by its sync in Wayne’s World, it became a No. 1 when it topped multiple rock sales and streaming charts beginning in 2011.

Elvis Presley, “Can’t Help Falling in Love.” In 1962, Billboard had a select menu of charts, but enough that the timeless ballad topped Adult Contemporary (then called Easy Listening) for six weeks. In 1993, UB40 sent its cover to No. 1 on the Hot 100 for seven weeks.

Mariah Carey, “Can’t Let Go.” After a record streak of five career-opening Hot 100 No. 1s, Carey stopped at No. 2 with the song, though it led Adult Contemporary for three weeks in 1992. Two other No. 2 Hot 100 hits of hers stand as No. 1s: 2001’s “Loverboy” (featuring Da Brat and Ludacris), on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, and 2005’s “Shake It Off,” on Radio Songs, among other charts. (Carey is another artist with a hit so big that it stopped another from reaching No. 1 on the Hot 100: When “Shake It Off” ascended to No. 2, it was below her 14-week leader “We Belong Together.”)

Bruce Springsteen, “Dancing in the Dark.” It ruled Mainstream Rock Airplay for six weeks in 1984.

Elton John, “Daniel.” John has sent two No. 2 Hot 100 singles to No. 1 on Adult Contemporary: “Daniel,” in 1973, and “I Don’t Wanna Go On With You Like That,” in 1988. Plus, 1974’s No. 2-peaking Hot 100 hit “Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me” became a No. 1 on the chart in 1992, thanks to the live duet recording by George Michael and, ladies and gentlemen, Mr. Elton John!

Michael Jackson & Paul McCartney, “The Girl Is Mine.” The superstar battle led both Adult Contemporary and Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs in 1982-83. It was released as the lead single from Jackson’s Thriller, which famously yielded two Hot 100 No. 1s, “Billie Jean” and “Beat It,” and controlled the Billboard 200 for 37 weeks, the most ever for an album by a single artist.

Drake, “Hotline Bling.” Thanks to its 11-week command in 2015-16, it’s one of his record 32 No. 1s on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs.

LeAnn Rimes, “How Do I Live.” The No. 1 on Billboard’s Biggest No. 2 Hot 100 Hits of All Time chart performance-based retrospective ran up 11 weeks atop Adult Contemporary in 1997.

Gladys Knight & The Pips, “I Heard It Through the Grapevine.” The group’s version became a six-week Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs No. 1 in 1967-68, a year before Marvin Gaye’s led for seven weeks. His take likewise one-upped theirs on the Hot 100, where his hit No. 1 — but both are inductees to the Grammy Hall of Fame.

Linkin Park, “In the End.” The single led Alternative Airplay beginning in late 2001 before crossing to the top of Pop Airplay.

Dua Lipa, “Levitating.” It ruled Radio Songs for seven weeks in 2021, and wrapped as the top Hot 100 hit for the year, despite its No. 2 peak, thanks to its consistent run and longevity.

“‘Levitating’ doing its thing on Billboard is absolutely surreal,” Dua Lipa said that year. “That song has been my baby for so long, and to have it out in the world, and for people’s response to be the way that it is, it’s just absolutely mind-blowing to me. I’m really, really, really grateful for it all.”

Madonna, “Material Girl.” All six of the Queen of Pop’s No. 2 Hot 100 hits crowned other charts, reinforcing her stated belief that second-best is never enough. “Material Girl,” “Causing a Commotion,” “Express Yourself” and “Frozen” led Dance Club Songs and “Cherish” and “I’ll Remember” each topped Adult Contemporary.

Bebe Rexha & Florida Georgia Line, “Meant To Be.” The team-up dominated Hot Country Songs for a record 50 weeks in 2017-18.

Miley Cyrus, “Party in the U.S.A.” The song, recently back on the Hot 100, flew its flag atop Pop Airplay in 2009.

Rihanna, “Pon de Replay.” Her first of 32 Hot 100 top 10s, a collection that includes 14 No. 1s, led multiple charts in 2005, including Dance Airplay. Rihanna’s most recent No. 2 Hot 100 hit, “Lift Me Up,” topped Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs in 2022.

Def Leppard, “Pour Some Sugar on Me.” The anthem contributed to a No. 1 rank for the band, via two versions: 1988’s Historia topped the Music Video Sales chart for five weeks. The release rounded up 18 the band’s videos, including studio and live clips of their sweetest song.

Patty Smyth, “Sometimes Love Just Ain’t Enough.” The ballad, with guest Don Henley, was a No. 1 on Adult Contemporary and Pop Airplay. (Smyth’s husband, John McEnroe, has likewise finished both first and second in his profession.)

The Rolling Stones, “Start Me Up.” The band’s biggest ‘80s hit notched 13 weeks at No. 1 on Mainstream Rock Airplay in 1981.

John Denver with Fat City, “Take Me Home, Country Roads.” While it has yet to lead a Billboard chart on its own, it’s central to Artists of Then, Now & Forever’s inventive all-star medley “Forever Country,” a two-week No. 1 on Hot Country Songs in 2016.

Springfield, Mass., native Bill Danoff, who cowrote Denver’s hit, recalled to Billboard in 2018 that, after he began studying at Georgetown University, “We had one year where I did a lot of road trips. I just was fascinated by the countryside … barns … stuff I had only seen in pictures. I’d suddenly become a real nature fan. That’s where all that ‘country roads’ stuff came from.”

Jewel, “You Were Meant for Me.” The single topped Pop Airplay, Adult Pop Airplay and Adult Contemporary in 1997.

Wait a second. Let’s do one more, too:

Spice Girls, “2 Become 1.” The love song led the Official Singles Chart for three weeks in winter 1996-97.