What are some iconic songs you are shocked never reached the Billboard Hot 100 summit?

[RadicalOptimism]

Hey Exhale,

Seeing the community reinvigorated inspired me to get back to creating threads every now and then. I know we have mostly concluded that the charts don’t mean anything anymore, but it’s still a metric of success for the majority. I’ll be sharing some songs besides the obvious ones I was shocked to find never reached #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and curious to see which ones you agree with or think should’ve also topped the charts. 
 

This thread was inspired by my boyfriend and I talking about how Aaron Carter was that iconic that the majority of younger millennials/older Gen-Z grew up with him and knew who he was. We were shocked to find out that he never really had much success on the charts. Another person that comes to mind is Mandy Moore. She remains iconic, but I remember her being a dominant force in music and film growing up yet the same thing happened with her. The majority of the songs we remember from her never really charted well. It speaks volumes about how much more impactful artists were without social media and how much more mystery there was to them. Anyways this isn’t about Aaron Carter or Mandy Moore 

This list would’ve been all Britney songs, but that doesn’t make it interesting since we know she had a lot of songs that deserved to top the B100. 
 

1. Oops!…I Did It Again - Britney Spears Peak: 9

Honorable mention: Toxic Peak: 9 

2. Levitating - Dua Lipa Peak: 2

Honorable mention: Don’t Start Now Peak: 2

3. Dirrty - Christina Aguilera Peak: 48 

Honorable mention: Beautiful Peak: 2

4. Thriller - Michael Jackson Peak: 4

Honorable mention: Smooth Criminal Peak: 7

5. Since U Been Gone - Kelly Clarkson Peak: 2

Honorable mention: Because of You Peak: 7

Do you agree? Add yours! 

Edited April 9, 2022 by CrazyButItFeelsAllright

[Moscow]

Mariah's debut singles going no 1, women did something there I'm telling you. She bribed people, idk but it was such a shocker to know. Such an average debut album and her most forgetful also. 

Also, I love mimi but I'm not delusional women lives for no 1s.

[RadicalOptimism]

7 minutes ago, Avenger said:

Mariah's debut singles going no 1, women did something there I'm telling you. She bribed people, idk but it was such a shocker to know. Such an average debut album and her most forgetful also. 

Also, I love mimi but I'm not delusional women lives for no 1s.

I’ve never been a huge fan of hers and won’t downplay her achievements, but I truly think only 25% of those #1’s actually deserved it and are timeless. Most of them remind me of recent #1s that quickly fizzle out

[rennen2.0]

Ah, love this idea. A great way to bring back some gems. I'm bringing some 90s gems which didn't quite make the top spot.

Sheryl Crow - All I Wanna Do Peak: 2

 

 Shania Twain - From This Moment Peak: 4 

 

[rennen2.0]

23 minutes ago, CrazyButItFeelsAllright said:

I’ve never been a huge fan of hers and won’t downplay her achievements, but I truly think only 25% of those #1’s actually deserved it and are timeless. Most of them remind me of recent #1s that quickly fizzle out

This. I don't get it. 

[thebritmaster]

Barbie Girl - Aqua Peak: 15 

 

[rennen2.0]

I didn't realise Thriller peaked at 4. I just assumed it went number 1. 

[Moscow]

28 minutes ago, CrazyButItFeelsAllright said:

I’ve never been a huge fan of hers and won’t downplay her achievements, but I truly think only 25% of those #1’s actually deserved it and are timeless. Most of them remind me of recent #1s that quickly fizzle out

Had a lot of discounted maxi singles, I love my girl but it's True she is very chart obsessed. 🤧

[Isla]

10 minutes ago, thebritmaster said:

Barbie Girl - Aqua Peak: 15 

 

WHAT? I thought that song went top 10?

[Stefani]

OIDIA. I remember thinking it was a BB100 #1 hit when I was young until I looked it up on Wikipedia and saw that it barely made the Top 10?!  Also Thriller but at least it'll have a chance to hit #1 in the future due to the song gaining more streams and airplay every Halloween.

[RadicalOptimism]

20 minutes ago, rennen2.0 said:

Ah, love this idea. A great way to bring back some gems. I'm bringing some 90s gems which didn't quite make the top spot.

Sheryl Crow - All I Wanna Do Peak: 2

 

 Shania Twain - From This Moment Peak: 4 

 

Not me just learning neither of these peaked at #1. I’m more shook at Sheryl since that song was EVERYWHERE 

[RadicalOptimism]

17 minutes ago, thebritmaster said:

Barbie Girl - Aqua Peak: 15 

 

The first time I ever heard this song was when these two teenage girls across the street were blasting it NONSTOP. This was in like 2001-2002 so it had already been out for some years. Anyways, I HATED this song because of that and used to call them *****es for playing it. One of them ended up chasing me with a knife and ended up in rehab until she got her life together and updated me when I ran into her several years later  love the song now 

[Stannedforever]

Backstreet Boys never had #1 song on BB100 despite being really really big around the millenium, their arguably biggest hit only topped at #6

Hung up charted atop of like 40 countries but only #7 on BB100

Aside other Britney songs, Gimme More was also really surprising, it played for months and months on radio all around the europe but only #3 on USA? 

 

[RadicalOptimism]

17 minutes ago, rennen2.0 said:

I didn't realise Thriller peaked at 4. I just assumed it went number 1. 

A travesty. A bigger travesty this didn’t make it peak in 2004 

[RadicalOptimism]

16 minutes ago, Avenger said:

Had a lot of discounted maxi singles, I love my girl but it's True she is very chart obsessed. 🤧

Some really do deserve it and other I’m like 

[RadicalOptimism]

2 minutes ago, Stannedforever said:

Backstreet Boys never had #1 song on BB100 despite being really really big around the millenium, their arguably biggest hit only topped at #6

Hung up charted atop of like 40 countries but only #7 on BB100

Aside other Britney songs, Gimme More was also really surprising, it played for months and months on radio all around the europe but only #3 on USA? 

 

Wait no WHAT? You won the thread. All this time I never knew BSB never had a #1 on the BB100. Imma fact check  also all these years. Nearly two decades letter and I never knew my favorite Madonna song never peaked at #1 on BB100?! 

[RadicalOptimism]

not Fadrigo outpeaking 

 

 

[filmandstage13]

Aside from the obvious Brit songs (mostly Toxic and Oops), some others:

I Want it That Way (BSB actually never had a number 1)

 

Don’t Speak (Didn’t chart because of rules at the time)

 

Work It (at the time set a record at #2)

 

Bad Romance (couldn’t overtake Kesha)

 

Beautiful (someone posted Dirrty, which while my favorite, Beautiful was everywhere at the time and more surprising that it stalled at #2)

 

Torn (like Don’t Speak, it didn’t have an official commercial physical release, so one of the biggest hits of the 90s wasn’t eligible for the Hot 100 at the height of its popularity. A rule change toward the end of it’s popularity made it eligible, but since it was so old, it only charted at 42)

[BritneyLVR]

So nice seeing Queen Shania in here  PS love this thread! 

[stanLOONA]

From Britney, I would say OIDIA, Slave4U, Toxic and Gimme More

From other artists I can't think of right now, but there's a lot.