One of the great things about having a national UK official chart running over 60 years is the opportunities to explore all sorts of interesting questions. Here's a good one, the best music from each of the decades which never quite made it to number one....
1950s
| THAT'S AMORE | DEAN MARTIN |
| SMILE | NAT 'KING' COLE |
| UNCHAINED MELODY | AL HIBBLER |
| (LOVE IS) THE TENDER TRAP | FRANK SINATRA |
| HEARTBREAK HOTEL | ELVIS PRESLEY |
| HOUND DOG | ELVIS PRESLEY |
| WHEN I FALL IN LOVE | NAT 'KING' COLE |
| LAST TRAIN TO SAN FERNANDO | JOHNNY DUNCAN & THE BLUE GRASS BOYS |
| WAKE UP LITTLE SUSIE | EVERLY BROTHERS |
| DON'T BE CRUEL | ELVIS PRESLEY WITH THE JORDANAIRES |
| VOLARE | DEAN MARTIN |
| BIRD DOG | EVERLY BROTHERS |
| MOVE IT | CLIFF RICHARD & THE DRIFTERS |
| TO KNOW HIM IS TO LOVE HIM | TEDDY BEARS |
| A TEENAGER IN LOVE | MARTY WILDE |
| THE BATTLE OF NEW ORLEANS | LONNIE DONEGAN |
1960s
| SAVE THE LAST DANCE FOR ME | DRIFTERS |
| THE LOCO-MOTION | LITTLE EVA |
| PLEASE PLEASE ME | BEATLES |
| CAN'T GET USED TO LOSING YOU | ANDY WILLIAMS |
| THEN HE KISSED ME | CRYSTALS |
| ALL DAY AND ALL OF THE NIGHT | KINKS |
| DOWNTOWN | PETULA CLARK |
| WE GOTTA GET OUT OF THIS PLACE | ANIMALS |
| MY GENERATION | WHO |
| NINETEENTH NERVOUS BREAKDOWN | ROLLING STONES |
| GOD ONLY KNOWS | BEACH BOYS |
| MATTHEW AND SON | CAT STEVENS |
| PENNY LANE/STRAWBERRY FIELDS FOREVER | BEATLES |
| WATERLOO SUNSET | KINKS |
| MAGICAL MYSTERY TOUR (DOUBLE EP) | BEATLES |
| LAZY SUNDAY | SMALL FACES |
| IN THE GHETTO | ELVIS PRESLEY |
| SUSPICIOUS MINDS | ELVIS PRESLEY |
1970s
| I WANT YOU BACK | JACKSON 5 |
| LET IT BE | BEATLES |
| ALL RIGHT NOW | FREE |
| LOLA | KINKS |
| RIDE A WHITE SWAN | T REX |
| BROWN SUGAR/BITCH/LET IT ROCK | ROLLING STONES |
| AMERICAN PIE | DON McLEAN |
| ROCKET MAN | ELTON JOHN |
| CRAZY HORSES | OSMONDS |
| THE JEAN GENIE | DAVID BOWIE |
| YESTERDAY ONCE MORE | CARPENTERS |
| THIS TOWN AIN'T BIG ENOUGH FOR THE BOTH OF US | SPARKS |
| LOVE IS THE DRUG | ROXY MUSIC |
| THE KILLING OF GEORGIE | ROD STEWART |
| BOOGIE NIGHTS | HEATWAVE |
| SIR DUKE | STEVIE WONDER |
| GOD SAVE THE QUEEN | SEX PISTOLS |
| WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS | QUEEN |
| DENIS | BLONDIE |
| OLIVER'S ARMY | ELVIS COSTELLO & THE ATTRACTIONS |
| UP THE JUNCTION | SQUEEZE |
1980s
| MASTERBLASTER (JAMMIN') | STEVIE WONDER |
| HAPPY XMAS (WAR IS OVER) | JOHN & YOKO & THE PLASTIC ONO BAND
WITH THE HARLEM COMMUNITY CHOIR |
| VIENNA | ULTRAVOX |
| KIDS IN AMERICA | KIM WILDE |
| GOLDEN BROWN | STRANGLERS |
| TEMPTATION | HEAVEN 17 |
| GOLD | SPANDAU BALLET |
| GHOSTBUSTERS | RAY PARKER Jr |
| LAST CHRISTMAS/EVERYTHING SHE WANTS | WHAM! |
| 1999/LITTLE RED CORVETTE | PRINCE & THE REVOLUTION |
| HOLIDAY | MADONNA |
| TAKE ON ME | A-HA |
| WHAT HAVE I DONE TO DESERVE THIS | PET SHOP BOYS & DUSTY SPRINGFIELD |
| FAITH | GEORGE MICHAEL |
| FAIRYTALE OF NEW YORK | POGUES FEATURING KIRSTY MacCOLL |
1990s
| LOVE SHACK | B-52's |
| TOM'S DINER | DNA FEATURING SUZANNE VEGA |
| GROOVE IS IN THE HEART/WHAT IS LOVE | DEEE-LITE |
| SIT DOWN | JAMES |
| LAST TRAIN TO TRANCENTRAL | KLF FEATURING THE CHILDREN OF THE REVOLUTION |
| JUSTIFIED AND ANCIENT | KLF, GUEST VOCALS TAMMY WYNETTE |
| FINALLY | CE CE PENISTON |
| MOVING ON UP | M PEOPLE |
| COMMON PEOPLE | PULP |
| ALRIGHT/TIME | SUPERGRASS |
| ROLL WITH IT | OASIS |
| WONDERWALL | OASIS |
| A DESIGN FOR LIFE | MANIC STREET PREACHERS |
| BORN SLIPPY (REMIX) | UNDERWORLD |
| SONG 2 | BLUR |
| BITTER SWEET SYMPHONY | VERVE |
| RAY OF LIGHT | MADONNA |
| MUSIC SOUNDS BETTER WITH YOU | STARDUST |
| RIGHT HERE RIGHT NOW | FATBOY SLIM |
2000s/2010s
| ALL THE SMALL THINGS | BLINK 182 |
| TEENAGE DIRTBAG | WHEATUS |
| MURDER ON THE DANCEFLOOR | SOPHIE ELLIS-BEXTOR |
| IN MY PLACE | COLDPLAY |
| MILKSHAKE | KELIS |
| LOVE MACHINE | GIRLS ALOUD |
| FEEL GOOD INC | GORILLAZ |
| GOLD DIGGER | KANYE WEST FEATURING JAMIE FOXX |
| PUT YOUR RECORDS ON | CORINNE BAILEY RAE |
| VALERIE | MARK RONSON FEATURING AMY WINEHOUSE |
| RULE THE WORLD | TAKE THAT |
| CHASING PAVEMENTS | ADELE |
| USE SOMEBODY | KINGS OF LEON |
| IN FOR THE KILL | LA ROUX |
| EMPIRE STATE OF MIND | JAY-Z FEATURING ALICIA KEYS |
| LOVE THE WAY YOU LIE | EMINEM FEATURING RIHANNA |
| ROLLING IN THE DEEP | ADELE |
| MOVES LIKE JAGGER | MAROON 5 FEATURING CHRISTINA AGUILERA |
