4 Songs That Narrowly Missed Becoming a No. 1 Hit

Though reaching No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 is still an amazing feat, falling short can be disheartening or aggravating for the artist. Oftentimes, you might think a song hit the top spot due to its popularity. Many iconic tracks fell short by one position, just shy of a No. 1 hit. That doesn’t discredit the fact that they’re still massive hits. They just got overshadowed by another popular song of the time. Here are 4 songs that narrowly missed taking the No. 1 position on the Billboard Hot 100.

“Bohemian Rhapsody” by Queen

Queen is a band that has many signature songs, and “Bohemian Rhapsody” is certainly one of them. Back when the track was recorded, it was deemed too long for radio airplay. Due to this, the track only peaked at No. 9 in 1976. Nearly two decades later, the song was featured in an iconic scene in the 1992 comedy Wayne’s World. The film’s star, Mike Myers, is a big fan of Queen. He decided to use the song for a scene where a car full of long-haired rockers headbangs along to the operatic rock track. This scene became so popular that it put “Bohemian Rhapsody” back on the charts.

In May 1992, it peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100. It narrowly missed the top spot, falling behind “Jump” by Kris Kross, who held the No. 1 position. This wouldn’t be the last time the song re-entered the chart. In 2019, the song reached No. 33 following the release of the film Bohemian Rhapsody. Mike Myers made a special appearance in the film, a small nod to his scene in Wayne’s World.

“Girls Just Want To Have Fun” by Cyndi Lauper

This track is a great example of a song you’d think was a No. 1 hit, given its enduring popularity. In March 1984, the song peaked at No. 2 on the Hot 100. It was kept out of the top spot by Van Halen’s “Jump.” The song would be Van Halen’s only No. 1 hit. “Girls Just Want To Have Fun” reached No. 1 in over 10 countries, but fell one position short in the U.S. Lauper penned a No. 1 hit with “Time After Time” in June 1984, making up for where she fell short months prior. She again earned a No. 1 in 1986 with “True Colors.”

“Bad Romance” by Lady Gaga

Released in late 2009, “Bad Romance” was a smash hit for Lady Gaga. The song became one of Lady Gaga’s most identifiable tracks, along with “Paparazzi,” and the No. 1 hits “Just Dance” and “Poker Face.” Her debut album, The Fame, became one of the most successful debuts released in history, penning multiple No. 1 hits. “Bad Romance” was held off from the top spot by another massive hit. “Tik Tok” by Kesha became a No. 1 in January 2010. It became the first No. 1 hit of the 2010s. Lady Gaga continued to have a successful career, becoming the only artist to have a No. 1 hit in all three decades of the 2000s. Both “Bad Romance” and “Tik Tok” were smash hits at the same time, competing for the top spot and shifting pop music in a new direction together.

“Gangnam Style” by PSY

Not only was the song a global hit, but the dance was even bigger. In 2012, “Gangnam Style” became an internet sensation with thousands of YouTubers recreating the dance in viral videos. It’s another great example of a song you would think hit No. 1, given how viral the song and dance were. The South Korean sensation, PSY, narrowly missed the top spot on the Billboard Hot 100. The song peaked at No. 2, falling behind Maroon 5’s “One More Night,” which held the top spot for nine consecutive weeks. PSY is often considered a one-hit wonder in the U.S, though he has multiple hits in his home country of South Korea.