London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Friday, Nov 14, 2025

The UK's most-streamed songs of 1952 to 2022 revealed

The UK's most-streamed songs of 1952 to 2022 revealed

What do Gene Kelly's Singin' In The Rain and The Notorious B.I.G.'s rap anthem Juicy have in common?

No, it's not an infectious joie de vivre, or copious references to recreational drug use.

Instead, they are the UK's most-streamed songs from the calendar year in which they were released.

That's according to the Official Chart Company, who have identified the biggest streaming hit for every year since the chart's inception in 1952.

Their findings will be broadcast on BBC Radio 1 and Radio 2 next weekend, marking 70 years of the UK singles chart.

The list features superstars from Elvis and the Beatles to Adele and Harry Styles - alongside several songs that were overlooked on release, only to be reclaimed as classics over time.

They include San Francisco rock band Journey, whose single Don't Stop Believin' stalled at number 62 in 1981, but subsequently became a rock standard, thanks to its inclusion in TV shows like The Sopranos and Glee.

It is now the most-streamed song of that year, overtaking contemporary hits like Come On Eileen (the UK's biggest-selling record of 1982) and Survivor's Eye Of The Tiger.




Ray Charles' I Got A Woman has enjoyed a similar second-life after being interpolated in Kanye West's 2005 hit Gold Digger. The track is now the most-played hit of 1954, and has been certified silver (representing 200,000 sales) on streams alone.

By contrast, some of the biggest songs of their era are entirely absent from the Official Charts' list.

Bryan Adams' Everything I Do (I Do It For You) spent 16 consecutive weeks at number one in 1991 - an all-time chart record - but Nirvana's Smells Like Teen Spirit is now more popular with streaming fans.

2013's biggest-selling hit, Robin Thicke's Blurred Lines, has also fallen out of favour, replaced by Vance Joy's beach ballad Riptide.




Other entries are more predictable.

The Killers' Mr Brightside, which has spent an unprecedented 338 weeks on the UK singles chart, is the most-played song of 2003 respectively. And streaming behemoth Ed Sheeran appears in the list three times - for Thinking Out Loud (2014), Shape Of You (2017) and Bad Habits (2021).

Queen also get three entries, with Bohemian Rhapsody (1975), Don't Stop Me Now (1979) and Another One Bites The Dust (1980).

The Beatles' sole entry, Here Comes The Sun, was never released as a single in the UK.

Christmas songs have been excluded from the countdown.

The full chart will be broadcast decade by decade on BBC Radio 1 and Radio 2 on 11 and 12 November, with guest hosts including Tony Blackburn, Johnnie Walker, Fearne Cotton and Jack Saunders.

The special programmes are also available to stream now on BBC Sounds.

"It's particularly fascinating to see which classic songs from the past are rated by today's music consumers, and how that appeal can be driven by exposure on TV, adverts and social media," said Robert Gallacher, commissioning editor at BBC Radio.

"This chart is a true testament to the timelessness of brilliant pop music."

You can browse the full countdown below.

1950s


1952 - Singin' In The Rain by Gene Kelly

1953 - That's Amore by Dean Martin

1954 - I've Got A Woman by Ray Charles

1955 - Tutti Frutti by Little Richard

1956 - I Walk The Line by Johnny Cash

1957 - Jailhouse Rock by Elvis Presley

1958 - Johnny B. Goode by Chuck Berry

1959 - Put Your Head On My Shoulder by Paul Anka

1960s


1960 - At Last by Etta James

1961 - Stand By Me by Ben E King

1962 - Cry To Me by Solomon Burke

1963 - Be My Baby by Ronettes

1964 - My Girl by The Temptations

1965 - I Can't Help Myself by Four Tops

1966 - Paint It Black by Rolling Stones

1967 - Ain't No Mountain High Enough by Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell

1968 - (Sittin' On The) Dock Of The Bay by Otis Redding

1969 - Here Comes The Sun by Beatles

1970s


1970 - Your Song by Elton John

1971 - Take Me Home Country Roads by John Denver

1972 - Tiny Dancer by Elton John

1973 - Jolene by Dolly Parton

1974 - Sweet Home Alabama by Lynyrd Skynyrd

1975 - Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen

1976 - Go Your Own Way by Fleetwood Mac

1977 - Dreams by Fleetwood Mac

1978 - September by Earth Wind & Fire

1979 - Don't Stop Me Now by Queen

1980s


1980 - Another One Bites The Dust by Queen

1981 - Don't Stop Believin' by Journey

1982 - Africa by Toto

1983 - Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This) by Eurythmics

1984 - Wake Me Up Before You Go Go by Wham

1985 - Summer Of '69 by Bryan Adams

1986 - Livin' On A Prayer by Bon Jovi

1987 - I Wanna Dance With Somebody by Whitney Houston

1988 - Everywhere by Fleetwood Mac

1989 - We Didn't Start The Fire by Billy Joel

1990s


1990 - Thunderstruck by AC/DC

1991 - Smells Like Teen Spirit by Nirvana

1992 - Creep by Radiohead

1993 - What Is Love? by Haddaway

1994 - Juicy by The Notorious B.I.G

1995 - Wonderwall by Oasis

1996 - No Diggity by Blackstreet Ft. Dr Dre

1997 - Bitter Sweet Symphony by The Verve

1998 - Iris by Goo Goo Dolls

1999 - No Scrubs by TLC

2000s


2000 - Dancing In The Moonlight by Toploader

2001 - How You Remind Me by Nickelback

2002 - Lose Yourself by Eminem

2003 - Mr Brightside by The Killers

2004 - Let Me Love You by Mario

2005 - I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor by Arctic Monkeys

2006 - Naïve by The Kooks

2007 - Fluorescent Adolescent by Arctic Monkeys

2008 - I'm Yours by Jason Mraz

2009 - Party In The USA by Miley Cyrus

2010s


2010 - Love The Way You Lie by Eminem Ft. Rihanna

2011 - Someone Like You by Adele

2012 - Let Her Go by Passenger

2013 - Riptide by Vance Joy

2014 - Thinking Out Loud by Ed Sheeran

2015 - Cheap Thrills by Sia

2016 - Say You Won't Let Go by James Arthur

2017 - Shape Of You by Ed Sheeran

2018 - Someone You Loved by Lewis Capaldi

2019 - Dance Monkey by Tones & I

2020s


2020 - Head & Heart by Joel Corry Ft. MNEK

2021 - Bad Habits by Ed Sheeran

2022 - As It Was by Harry Styles

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
UK Upholds Firm Rules on Stablecoins to Shield Financial System
Brussels Divided as UK-EU Reset Stalls Over Budget Access
Prince Harry’s Remembrance Day Essay Expresses Strong Regret at Leaving Britain
UK Unemployment Hits 5% as Wage Growth Slows, Paving Way for Bank of England Rate Cut
Starmer Warns of Resurgent Racism in UK Politics as He Vows Child-Poverty Reforms
UK Grocery Inflation Slows to 4.7% as Supermarkets Launch Pre-Christmas Promotions
UK Government Backs the BBC amid Editing Scandal and Trump Threat of Legal Action
UK Assessment Mis-Estimated Fallout From Palestine Action Ban, Records Reveal
UK Halts Intelligence Sharing with US Amid Lethal Boat-Strike Concerns
King Charles III Leads Britain in Remembrance Sunday Tribute to War Dead
UK Retail Sales Growth Slows as Households Hold Back Ahead of Black Friday and Budget
Shell Pulls Out of Two UK Floating Wind Projects Amid Renewables Retreat
Viagogo Hit With £15 Million Tax Bill After HMRC Transfer-Pricing Inquiry
Jaguar Land Rover Cyberattack Pinches UK GDP, Bank of England Says
UK and Germany Sound Alarm on Russian-Satellite Threat to Critical Infrastructure
Former Prince Andrew Faces U.S. Congressional Request for Testimony Amid Brexit of Royal Title
BBC Director-General Tim Davie and News CEO Deborah Turness Resign Amid Editing Controversy
Tom Cruise Arrives by Helicopter at UK Scientology Fundraiser Amid Local Protests
Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson Face Fresh UK Probes Amid Royal Fallout
Mothers Link Teen Suicides to AI Chatbots in Growing Legal Battle
UK Government to Mirror Denmark’s Tough Immigration Framework in Major Policy Shift
UK Government Turns to Denmark-Style Immigration Reforms to Overhaul Border Rules
UK Chancellor Warned Against Cutting Insulation Funding as Budget Looms
UK Tenant Complaints Hit Record Levels as Rental Sector Faces Mounting Pressure
Apple to Pay Google About One Billion Dollars Annually for Gemini AI to Power Next-Generation Siri
UK Signals Major Shift as Nuclear Arms Race Looms
BBC’s « Celebrity Traitors UK » Finale Breaks Records with 11.1 Million Viewers
UK Spy Case Collapse Highlights Implications for UK-Taiwan Strategic Alignment
On the Road to the Oscars? Meghan Markle to Star in a New Film
A Vote Worth a Trillion Dollars: Elon Musk’s Defining Day
AI Researchers Claim Human-Level General Intelligence Is Already Here
President Donald Trump Challenges Nigeria with Military Options Over Alleged Christian Killings
Nancy Pelosi Finally Announces She Will Not Seek Re-Election, Signalling End of Long Congressional Career
UK Pre-Budget Blues and Rate-Cut Concerns Pile Pressure on Pound
ITV Warns of Nine-Per-Cent Drop in Q4 Advertising Revenue Amid Budget Uncertainty
National Grid Posts Slightly Stronger-Than-Expected Half-Year Profit as Regulatory Investments Drive Growth
UK Business Lobby Urges Reeves to Break Tax Pledges and Build Fiscal Headroom
UK to Launch Consultation on Stablecoin Regulation on November 10
UK Savers Rush to Withdraw Pension Cash Ahead of Budget Amid Tax-Change Fears
Massive Spoilers Emerge from MAFS UK 2025: Couple Swaps, Dating App Leaks and Reunion Bombshells
Kurdish-led Crime Network Operates UK Mini-Marts to Exploit Migrants and Sell Illicit Goods
UK Income Tax Hike Could Trigger £1 Billion Cut to Scotland’s Budget, Warns Finance Secretary
Tommy Robinson Acquitted of Terror-related Charge After Phone PIN Dispute
Boris Johnson Condemns Western Support for Hamas at Jewish Community Conference
HII Welcomes UK’s Westley Group to Strengthen AUKUS Submarine Supply Chain
Tragedy in Serbia: Coach Mladen Žižović Collapses During Match and Dies at 44
Diplo Says He Dated Katy Perry — and Justin Trudeau
Dick Cheney, Former U.S. Vice President, Dies at 84
Trump Calls Title Removal of Andrew ‘Tragic Situation’ Amid Royal Fallout
UK Bonds Rally as Chancellor Reeves Briefs Markets Ahead of November Budget
×