Ultravox's Vienna voted the Nation's Favourite Number 2 Single

Ultravox’s Vienna has been crowned the Nation's Favourite Number 2 single of all-time in a national poll conducted by BBC Radio 2 and the Official Charts Company. Plus: See the Top 40 in full!
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Ultravox’s Vienna has been crowned the Nation's Favourite Number 2 single of all-time in a national poll conducted by BBC Radio 2 and the Official Charts Company.

Ultravox’s Vienna has been revealed as the Nation’s Favourite Number 2 single in a nationwide poll conducted by BBC Radio 2 and the Official Charts Company to celebrate 60 years of the Official Singles Chart. Legendary DJ Tony Blackburn counted down the full Top 40 in a special edition of his Pick Of The Pops show broadcast on the station this afternoon (Tuesday, January 1).

A panel consisting of industry experts including Radio 2 presenters Ken Bruce, Tony Blackburn and Janice Long, the Official Charts Company's Managing Director Martin Talbot and Charts Director Omar Maskatiya, Radio 1 presenter Annie Nightingale, BBC Radio 6 Music presenter Steve Lamacq, Head Of Music for Radio 1 and 1Xtra George Ergatoudis, and a number of other key industry figures whittled a list of 941 Number 2 tracks down. And Radio 2 listeners were then able to vote for their favourite track.

Ultravox frontman Midge Ure said:

“We are extremely pleased and very humbled to have been given this honorary Number 1, especially knowing the outstanding records which were also in the running. Strawberry Fields, Hound Dog and Wonderwall to name just a few. A huge thanks to everyone who took the time and effort to vote for Vienna. It has restored our faith in the idea that the public will always recognise the good in music, and that this song has proved this.”

The Official Chart’s Company’s Managing Director, Martin Talbot added:

Ultravox’s Vienna has beaten off some truly great, classic tracks to claim the title of the UK public’s favourite Number 2 single – including Fairytale Of New York, Penny Lane/Strawberry Fields, My Generation, Waterloo Sunset and many more. It is also probably the most apt winner, given the fact that it was kept from the chart summit in 1981 by Joe Dolce’s Shaddup You Face, which has long been considered one of the biggest chart injustices of all time! To mark the end of the 60th anniversary of the Official Singles Chart in 2012, we are delighted to declare it as an honorary Official Number 1 Single.”

The full Nation’s Favourite Number 2 Single Top 40 is as follows:

1 Ultravox Vienna 1981
2 The Pogues FT Kirsty MacColl Fairytale Of New York 1987
3 Don McLean American Pie 1972
4 James Sit Down 1991
5 The Stranglers Golden Brown 1982
6 The Kinks Waterloo Sunset 1967
7 The Beatles Penny Lane / Strawberry Fields Forever 1967
8 Queen We Are The Champions 1977
9 The Beach Boys God Only Knows 1966
10 Aha Take On Me 1985
11 Free All Right Now 1970
12 The Who My Generation 1965
13 Oasis Wonderwall 1995
14 The Verve Bitter Sweet Symphony 1997
15 Squeeze Up The Junction 1979
16 Pulp Common People 1995
17 The Sex Pistols God Save The Queen 1977
18 Wham! Last Christmas / Everything She Wants 1984
19 Wheatus Teenage Dirtbag 2001
20 Elvis Costello & The Attractions Oliver's Army 1979
21 Take That Rule The World 2007
22 Sparks This Town Ain't Big Enough For The Both Of Us 1974
23 David Bowie The Jean Genie 1972
24 The Beatles Let It Be 1970
25 The Osmonds Crazy Horses 1972
26 T Rex Ride A White Swan 1970
27 Elvis Presley Suspicious Minds 1969
28 Pet Shop Boys/Dusty Springfield What Have I Done To Deserve This 1987
29 Rod Stewart The Killing Of Georgie 1976
30 The B-52's Love Shack 1990
31 The Kinks Lola 1970
32 Petula Clark Downtown 1964
33 Cliff Richard & The Drifters Move It 1958
34 Adele Rolling In The Deep 2011
35 Nat 'King' Cole When I Fall In Love 1957
36 Carpenters Yesterday Once More 1973
= Madonna Ray Of Light 1998
37 Manic Street Preachers A Design For Life 1996
= Elton John Rocket Man 1972
38 The Rolling Stones Brown Sugar / Bitch / Let It Rock 1971
39 Spandau Ballet Gold 1983
40 Heaven 17 Temptation 1983

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