Being a superstar doesn’t always mean having chart hits.
From massive rock groups and boy bands to iconic vocalists and singer-songwriters, there are countless acts that have managed to inspire generations of entertainers and win over millions of fans without having ever actually notched a No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
Over the years, there have been some especially surprising icons who would seem to have a few No. 1s under their belt, but for whatever reason, their songs never managed to wind up sitting at the top spot of the chart.
Not having a No. 1 doesn’t take away from these talented artists’ repertoire, and it’s pretty interesting to see how charts don’t always mean everything when it comes to a musician’s success and impact on the culture.
Click inside to see which artists have not notched at No. 1 Billboard Hot 100 hit…
The massive boy band never actually had a No. 1 hit – their biggest Hot 100 victory was “Best Song Ever,” which topped the charts at No. 2. That said, they’ve since gone solo and notched some No. 1s in their own right, including Zayn Malik with “Pillowtalk” and Harry Styles‘ “Watermelon Sugar”!
The Canadian singer-songwriter may be the only female artist with three consecutive diamond records, but she hasn’t had a Hot 100 hit yet!
Her smash, “You’re Still The One,” is still the closest to a No. 1, peaking at No. 2. She also has “From This Moment On,” which peaked at No. 4, and “That Don’t Impress Me Much,” which peaked at No. 7.
Missy is a hip-hop powerhouse and cultural icon, and you might be surprised to learn she’s never personally arrived at the top spot on the charts.
She has hit it big with tracks like “Hot Boyz” and “Get Ur Freak On,” as well as her biggest hit to date, “Work It,” which stalled at No. 2.
R.E.M.
The historic rock band has notched many hits, but still no No. 1 records. They’ve come close with songs like “The One I Love” (No. 9), “Stand” (No. 6), and “Losing My Religion (“No. 4),” but still no No. 1 on the Hot 100.
Metallica
The heavy metal band ascended to iconic status since their debut in the early ’80s.
But despite their multi-platinum records, they never actually notched a No. 1 hit. Songs that came close into 1996′s “Until It Sleeps” (No. 10), as well as “Enter Sandman” (No. 16), and “The Memory Remains” (No. 28).
David Guetta
You know him best as being a dance floor fixture, but surprisingly enough, the French DJ and producer has never actually notched a No. 1 hit. He’s got plenty of close calls though, including “Sexy Bitch” (No. 5), “Without You” (No. 4) and “Titanium” (No. 7).
Green Day
The punk rock superstars broke out to mainstream success in their career, but never to the top heights of the Billboard Hot 100. “Boulevard of Broken Dreams” came very close at No. 2, as well as “Wake Me Up When September Ends” at No. 6.
Pearl Jam have delivered so many iconic hits over the years. And surprisingly enough, none of them ever hit the top spot. They came close with songs like “Last Kiss” (No. 2), as well as “I Got Id” (No. 7) and “Given to Fly” (No. 21).
The legendary singer is an icon in the music scene, even if she hasn’t notched any No. 1 hits. She did come close in the Top 10 with some big hits, like “Tell Me Something Good” and “I Feel For You,” which both stalled at No 3.
Demi is a force in the music industry, but has incredibly never notched a No. 1 – yet, anyway! Close calls include “Heart Attack” (No. 10) and “Cool for the Summer” (No. 11), as well as “Sorry Not Sorry” (No. 6).
Bruce is an undeniable inspiration for dozens of artists in the music industry. However “The Boss” has never commanded the No. 1 spot on the Billboard Hot 100! He’s got plenty of nearly No. 1 hits though, including “Dancing in the Dark,” which went to No. 2, as well as “Hungry Heart” (No. 5), “Glory Days” (No 5.), and “Born in the U.S.A.” (No. 9).
Backstreet‘s back! And while they dominated pop culture, BSB have never actually dominated the charts at No. 1. They came close in 1996 with “Quit Playing Games (With My Heart),” a No. 2 hit, as well as “Everybody (Backstreet’s Back),” which went to No. 4.
Bob Marley is a reggae legend, and beloved by millions. And while his legacy certainly lives on, it’s surprising to know that he did not ever actually notch a hit in the top spot of the Billboard Hot 100. In fact, his “Roots, Rock, Reggae” in 1976 with The Wailers is the only one to chart in the Hot 100, peaking at No. 51.
The legendary troupe is responsible for some of the most well-known hits of the past forty years, although none of them quite managed to go No. 1. The group’s “Hold On” stalled at No. 2, as did “My Lovin’ (You’re Never Gonna Get It),” and other smashes like “Don’t Let Go (Love)” also stopped at No. 2.
Sheryl‘s soaked up the sun over the years with her hits, with millions of copies of albums sold, but she hasn’t yet soared to the heights of No. 1 on the charts. She came close with “All I Wanna Do,” which peaked at No. 2, and has since had smashes like “Everyday Is a Winding Road” (No. 11), “The First Cut is the Deepest” (No. 14) and “Soak Up the Sun” (No. l7).
Nirvana might be rock royalty, but they never claimed the No. 1 spot on the Billboard Hot 100. They did come close with their No. 6 1991 hit, “Smells Like Teen Spirit,” and had some chart success with songs like “Come As You Are” (No. 32), “Lithium” (No. 64) and “You Know You’re Right” (No. 45).
James Brown has been just about everywhere on the Hot 100 with over 90 songs, except for the top spot. He’s notched so many smashes over the years, including No. 4 hit “Living in America,” as well as No. 6 hit “I Got the Feelin’” and “I Got You (I Feel Good),” which topped the charts at No. 3.
The popular rock band is responsible for some true radio titans, including “Radioactive” (No. 3), and “Demons” (No. 6), but they’ve never managed to hit No. 1. They’ve also come close with “Believer” and “Thunder,” both coming in at No. 4.
