Should have been bigger? 40 big songs that have missed the Top 40 this year
Competition for the Top 40 is fierce, with even established artists finding themselves out in the cold on occasion.
Not making the Top 40 shouldn't be taken personally – it doesn't mean the song is bad or the artist hasn't done enough, there are thousands of factors at play.
We look at tracks which, for whatever reason, swerved the Top 40, but really, really should've been bigger - right?
All For You - Years & Years
A highlight and immediate fan favourite from the trio's Paolo Santo album, All For You never seemed to escape the shadow of the band's previous single, Top 10 hit If You're Over Me. It came frustratingly close to the Top 40 though, topping out at 47.
Christine & The Queens - Girlfriend ft. Dam-Funk
Christine & The Queens - aka Héloïse Letissier - opted for silky-smooth lounge funk to lead her second album. The results won over critics, but only just slipped into the Top 100 at Number 85. Hmph.
Dance To This - Troye Sivan ft. Ariana Grande
On paper, Troye's wistful electronic midtempo had hit written all over it, not least because of its guest feature. Sadly, it couldn't shimmy its way into the Top 40, peaking at Number 64 in June.
Side Effects - Chainsmokers ft. Emily Warren
Despite some solid efforts this year, The Chainsmokers didn't manage to replicate the success they enjoyed in 2017. This pop stomper featuring rising star Emily Warren was the strongest of the lot, but only managed to top out at Number 50.
Make Me Feel - Janelle Monae
The funky and super sassy lead single from Janelle's Dirty Computer album was met with widespread acclaim upon its release , but it's chart success didn't quite match up, landing at Number 74 and spending just two weeks in the Top 100.
My Way – One Bit & Noah Cyrus
Despite releasing some pretty decent tracks over the last year or so, chart success is eluding Noah Cyrus – yes, little sister of Miley – so far. Featuring the irresistible charms of a sample of Mylo's Drop the Pressure – a remix of which went Top 3 in 2005 – My Way had radio-friendly hit written all over it, and Noah has a decent set if pipes. Unfortunately, you can't always get your way, and it stalled at Number 76 back in January.
Done For Me – Charlie Puth ft. Khelani
He's had two Number 1s, and while nobody's guaranteed a Top 40 spot, you'd think this Charlie Puth track would've aced it. Slick, retro vibes; a stellar guest spot from Khelani; hooks for days. And yet, despite all that, Done For Me has never hit higher than Number 45. What gives?!
No Roots – Alice Merton
First entering the lower reaches of the Top 100 in April, Alice Merton waited very patiently to score her first Top 40 with No Roots, a kind of indie-esque dance-pop number reminiscent of mid-noughties band the Noisettes. Sadly, No Roots never quite managed to take root in the top flight, topping out at Number 52.
You Are The Reason – Calum Scott
His slowed-down reimagining of Robyn's happy-sad dancefloor banger Dancing On My Own was a Number 2 hit in 2016, so you'd think this piano ballad would be a shoo-in to hit the same heights. Whatever the reason, You Are The Reason spent an incredible 14 weeks in the other half of the Top 100, but managed a peak of 43.
Wavey – Cliq feat. Alika
Oh hello there, absolute banger! 2018 was a big year for dance tunes, and even though this attitude-packed floorfiller went Top 5 on the Official Dance Singles Chart, over on the main chart, Wavey could shake it only as far as 44. We're sure this the last we've heard of dance duo Cliq, nor boxfresh Akila, though. We'll be watching…
Taylor Swift – Delicate
Surprised to see Tay-Tay in this rundown? Her Reputation album scored Taylor Swift three Top 20 hits in quick succession – including her first Number 1 – but this heartfelt tribute to her fella couldn't quite match up. Delicate was perhaps too fragile to take on the top flight – it peaked at 45.
Colour - MNEK ft. Hailee Steinfeld
We can sort of understand why MNEK's Tongue - a slick but structurally unconventional number released in February - didn't set the charts alight, but follow-up release Colour is about as radio friendly as it gets, so it's slightly baffling it didn't reach any higher than Number 70.
Listen to our selection of songs that should've been bigger – and a few other great tracks that missed the Top 40 in our playlist on Spotify and Deezer. Have we missed one? Let fly in the comments!
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Eoin Sioda
Trivia: the most successful band never to reach the top 40 is Welsh folk rock band Gorky's Zygotic Mynci. They had eight singles charting between numbers 41 and 65!
Eoin Sioda
Nina Nesbitt's "Loyal to Me" deserved to be a big hit but it didn't even make the top 100.
etin
take that - out of our hands was #26 in sales chart but it didnt have an enrty
GroovinDJ
Yeah it's a shame No Roots wasn't a hit. It certainly sounded like one, and wasn't short of radio plays (at least on Radio 2 where it caught my ear). Oh well maybe it will be another slow burner like Feel It Still which was one that missed out this time last year, then suddenly took off.
Eoin Sioda
No Roots is a catchy song.
Rob Parkinson
So many to add to this list, although I'd disagree with a few up there:
Tom Grennan - Found what I've been looking for (amazing pop track, TBF all his songs
released this year were worthy of chart hits)
Black Coffee - Drive (absolute dance tune, great to drive to also)
Dodie - Human (If I could call a tune sweet perfection, then this would be it, with a feature from Tom Walker on backing vocals, they dont come better than this)
21 pilots - My blood (how are 21 pilots not massive already? This track is great and deserved to be a hit)
Robin Schulz - Sugar (Robin has released so many amazing dance tunes the last few years, some with great artists too, this is no exception. If you haven't heard any of his released tracks this year I urge you to take a listen to any of them and you wont be disappointed)
Zedd & Elley Duhe- Happy now (another great dance track, expected this to do far better)
Robyn - Honey (she needs no introduction but how this song wasnt a hit is amazing, I guess will have to wait until it gets covered by another artist shame as Robyn has the perfect voice for the track anyway)
Bugzy Malone with JP Cooper - ordinary people (with all these rap stars becoming big and scoring hits this year how on earth is bugzy malone not the biggest of them all? His rapping is spot on with feeling in every word, the production on every track is perfect, the melodies phenomenal. This track is so heart felt but I guess being a rapper these days you need to be slagging off other rappers, swearing constantly, bragging about sleeping with loads of girls, get somebody doing a lame dance etc etc. Seems real talent is just overlooked ☹
Bugzy malone with rag n bone man - Run (wow if I had to include ordinary people then I cant miss run out. Another amazing track with so much emotion from both Bugzy and also rag N bone man, this should have been massive. Listen to any other rap song then this and see which one is better after a few listens)
There are so so many more to add to this list but I'd be here all day. I'll leave you a list.
Sia and dolly Parton - Here I am
Lana Del Ray - Mariners Apartment Complex
All of Kygos tracks this year
All of imagine dragons tracks this year
Bebe Rexa - I'm a mess
Purple disco machine - dished
Dermot Kennedy- power over me
Paloma Faith - loyal
All of Jay Puttys tracks this year
One republic - start again
Florence and the machine - Patricia
Sean Paul with Ellie goulding - Bad love
Lily Allen - trigger (bang bang)
Piran
Good list, but 'Sugar' actually made the Top 40. It peaked at #21 back in January 2016.
Rob Parkinson
Yes perhaps I should have stated 'sugar' is the album name as an alternative main song 'speechless' my main point for Robin Schulz is that he is releasing so many amazing tracks lately and none are touching the charts which is a pure shame
Piran
Yeah, Robin Schulz is a really underrated DJ & producer.
The thing is, despite him not doing amazing in the charts as a lead artist, he's done really well with remixes, getting both 'Waves' by Mr Probz & 'Prayer In C' by Lilly Wood to #1.
GroovinDJ
Tom Grennan's just been featured on TOTP 29/12/2018 so let's see what happens.
Urban City Cowboy
I don't know about now but in the past it was always important to hit the Top 75. That is when your song became a hit. It was also the point where you'd have retailers ringing up the labels/distributors and ordering larger numbers of stock.
Personally speaking I think as long as streaming is included the charts are worthless.
A
Andrew077
Johnny Marr - Hi Hello, Gaz Coombes - Deep Pockets, James - Better Than That, Manic Street Preachers - Distant Colours, Franz Ferdinand - Feel The Love Go, Unknown Mortal Orchestra - American Guilt, The Coral - Sweet Release, Breeders - Nervous Mary, Underworld & Iggy Pop - Bells & Circles, Goat - Let It Burn are among my fave songs of this year, and of course none of them would hit the top 100 let alone the top 40 but such is life.
matthewhargreaves
A majority of my playlist songs don’t enter the top 100 at all... it is a shame! So many good tracks out there!
matthewhargreaves
Didn’t think of the main stream playlists to be honest as I don’t listen to them. I have my own that has a massive variety of music which I usually source from New Music Friday. When I do listen to Radio 1 it has been the hits that have just been around for ages so usually switch over! Thanks for the comments guys. Interesting to hear people’s thoughts.
matthewhargreaves
The charts is now incredibly hard to get into. Radio 1 now control the charts even more than before, resulting in tracks being consistently streamed as it’s the only songs they hear. Streaming obviously is now how music is listened to and I understand that completely, it also incredibly difficult as there is so many artists now releasing music which is great, moren choice isn’t a bad thing. We need music shows like TOTP to come back. It then give gives artists an opportunity to promote their music as well as the artists that are in the chart. Feel sorry for artists that are making a comeback like All Saints, Boyzone, Backstreet Boys etc who are just played on Radio 2 they haven’t got a chance.
Rob Parkinson
I'd have to disagree with you there, what makes you think that radio 1 has any control on the charts? If you spent a week listening to radio 1 you would find they actually support so many acts that are not even denting the charts with singles at all. A lot of the songs in this list have been played and supported by radio 1 as the same as these artists who are not hitting the top 40 in singles recently:
Tom Grennan
Biffy Clyro
Paramore
Lily Allen
LSD
Christine & the queens
I could go on but I've given a good selection of new acts and established acts. I think you may find that its streaming services who appeal to people who just want to play an up to date playlist and cant be bothered to create their own having a big impact. That coupled with the remaining few who are too stubborn to try streaming thinking that sales are the only way which is so wrong as prior to streaming I could buy 2 separate singles and listen to 1 of them a few times but another 1 I would listen to over and over so surely I prefer the song I've listened to more and it should be charted higher than the song I bought and listened to a couple of times? That's what streaming is shaping the chart up to do and in the future (hopefully not too distant future) then streaming will be the only way to listen to singles except maybe classic 7" and 12" singles on vinyl. Hopefully by then people will be less lazy and scroll through songs that are released and pick the ones they like rather than what's depicted but that's a big ask.
T
Ted
Yeah you're wrong mate. Radio 1 definitely aren't controlling the charts, it's the Spotify playlists- most people who have it are pretty lazy and will only stream from Spotify's own playlists. The most popular of these is Hot Hits UK, with 2 million+ listeners every month. Labels often have to pay to get their artists onto the playlist, and a high add can allow the song to break into the Top 40 easily. Man Down, by Shakka and AlunaGeorge, started out in the lower regions of the chart, but slowly rose into the Top 40 after being added to more and more Spotify playlists, and has managed to peak at 25 thanks to a fairly high Hot Hits UK position.
There's a pattern in most of the songs in this playlists- most of these, if I remember correctly, weren't supported by Spotify at all, and certainly weren't on Hot Hits UK (or had a very low position on it, at most). This is the case with No Roots for certain. It was doing very well on paid downloads, almost hitting the Top 10 on iTunes thanks to airplay by both Radio 1 & 2, but doing nothing on streams due to it not being on any playlists. It has since been added to a couple, Summer Hits UK and Hot Hits UK- but it was very far down on them, and the song has already dropped out of the Top 100 completely. This is all the label's fault, for not realising how important streaming is to be a hit these days.