Why The Killers' Mr Brightside refuses to leave the Official Singles Chart Top 100

209 weeks and counting… we look at the Top 10 most enduring hits on the chart.
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If there was any proof that good pop is timeless, it's The Killers' Mr Brightside and its enduring appeal not only to fans of the band or anyone who enjoyed a singalong at Glastonbury, but in the chart. 

The 2004 classic makes a return to the Official Singles Chart Top 100 , logging its 209th week in total. Obviously the fact The Killers absolutely, erm, killed it when they headlined Glastonbury last week, would have had an impact for thios fresh push, but this isn't just an unusual spike – for a period between 2016 and 2018, Mr Brightside was barely out of the Top 100. We had a closer look and also found out who else has been having a good long run on the Top 100

In a report released in 2017 by the trade body for the UK's record labels, British Phonographic Industry (BPI), Mr Brightside was revealed as the most streamed song of any track released before 2010.

In the last year (July 2018 - July 2018), the song has been streamed 59.9 million times, and has averaged around one million plays a week, climbing to 1.8 million this week thanks to that Glastonbury set. It's still selling too – 23,000 downloads in the last 12 months, around 500 a week, with a Glasto spike of 2,164 in the last seven days – impressive for a song that came out 15 years ago

The staying power of Mr Brightside is in stark contrast to original chart run, logging just four weeks in the Official Singles Chart Top 100 after peaking at 10. It's since gone on to become a staple at pretty much any party or club night – not to mention the odd meme on Twitter – helping it notch up lots of streams and downloads every week. 

Look at Mr Brightside's full, week by week chart run in the UK here

So as The Killers' Mr Brightside cements its place as the longest run in the Official Singles Chart Top 100, we wanted to see who was snapping at its heels…

If you want an enduring hit, be a boy with a guitar seems to be the hot tip. Snow Patrol's Chasing Cars is next, followed by Sex on Fire from Kings of Leon, who feature twice. Ed Sheeran takes up two slots too, and the only solo lady in this sausage-fest is Sia – her rousing smash Chandelier has spent 114 weeks in the Top 100. Black Eyed Peas party banger – featuring Fergie on vocals, of course – is the only dance tune on the list.

The Official Top 10 longest runs on the Official Singles Chart Top 100:

  TITLE ARTIST PEAK YEAR FIRST CHARTED WEEKS IN TOP 100
1 MR BRIGHTSIDE THE KILLERS 10 2004 209
2 CHASING CARS SNOW PATROL 6 2006 166
3 SEX ON FIRE KINGS OF LEON 1 2008 124
4 MY WAY FRANK SINATRA 5 1969 122
5 THINKING OUT LOUD ED SHEERAN 1 2014 118
6 CHANDELIER SIA 6 2014 114
7 PERFECT ED SHEERAN 1 2017 110
8 I GOTTA FEELING BLACK EYED PEAS 1 2009 109
9 RADIOACTIVE IMAGINE DRAGONS 12 2012 107
10 POMPEII BASTILLE 2 2013 103
10 USE SOMEBODY KINGS OF LEON 2 2008 103

©2019 Official Charts Company. All rights reserved.

Image: Shutterstock

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Johnny McVey

0

You forgot to mention which "Black Eyed Peas party banger" it was ("I Gotta Feeling").

Also, as Freek said, "Whatever" by Oasis has 112 weeks in the top 100.

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Freek van Leeuwen

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Oasis' Whatever achieved 112 weeks inside the single chart top 100.

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Zoltán Oskovits

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It's really strange, especially considering Kylie's latest single "Stop Me From Falling" wasn't even able to go Top 100.

DG

Dan Gerous

2

Mr. Brightside - 200 weeks in the Top 100, but only 14 of those in the Top 50. Compare that to 'My Way' by Frank Sinatra: 133 weeks in the Top 100, BUT 123 of those inside the Top 50!

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Official Charts

1

My Way, another deserving long-stayer on the chart. Good shout. Both of these records have achieved amazing feats.

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Nicola Boden

2

2004 was an amazing year for rock. Nu Metal was starting to die but radio was still playing Linkin Park, Slipknot, Evanescence. People were looking around for something new, Auf Der Maur's album was spectacular, Modest Mouse, Brand New, Snow Patrol (when they did more than ballads), The Strokes. Green Day's 'American Idiot', Stone Sour, The Hives, Jet, Velvet Revolver, Razorlight, Incubus, Blink 182, Franz Ferdinand and The Killers. As much as we whine about Nickelback being trash, at least there was great new Rock music in general at the time. But it sort of faded out after 2004 after that surge.

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Official Charts

0

Agree, some incredible albums released during that mid-Noughties period. We're definitely due another wave.