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Posted by: Midge 30th April 2018, 08:00 AM

Following on from cqmqmqmqmqmqmeleon's thread about biggest hit of the decade, what about those forgotten, undeserved or surprising number 1 hits of the decade?

It's hard to call all of the typical charity number 1 hits undeserving - of course raising money is fantastic - if we take that out of the equation though, the quality of the songs themselves certainly don't render them as deserving number 1s.

Cheryl's "I Don't Care" was the first that jumped into my head as undeserving; complete top-heavy fanbase buy that just wouldn't happen today.

For surprising number 1s, how about Adele's "Hello"? No I'm kidding but Rudimental's "Feel The Love" for me was a surprising (and very pleasant) number 1. It seemed to come out of nowhere. I'd have been as happy with Loreen hitting the top spot that week.

Posted by: Dobbo 30th April 2018, 08:05 AM

I would say something like Wretch 32's 'Don't Go'. Always forget it was even a #1 single plus it came completely out of the blue for me.

Posted by: awardinary 30th April 2018, 08:25 AM

PJ & Duncan – Let’s Get Ready To Rumble.

Posted by: Lee_J11 30th April 2018, 08:25 AM

Forgotten: Cover Drive - Twilight
Undeserving: Magic - Rude
Surprising: Ant & Dec - Let's Get Ready To Rhumble

Posted by: ubɹǝɯbƆ 30th April 2018, 08:35 AM

Freaky Friday is the most undeserving

Posted by: Bré 30th April 2018, 09:26 AM

I'm fairly sure the most surprised I've ever been at a #1 single since I've followed the charts is Florence + The Machine's 'Spectrum', which seems slightly silly in retrospect but at the time it was on absolutely no one's radar as even a possibility for #1.

Posted by: Mack. 30th April 2018, 09:27 AM

Undeserving and Forgotten: Bingo Players & Far East Movement- Get Up (Rattle)

Posted by: SM351 30th April 2018, 09:41 AM

Cover Drive - Twilight was a real surprise, see its already been mentioned!

Posted by: Midge 30th April 2018, 09:46 AM

Another pleasant surprise for me was Nicole Scherzinger "Don't Hold Your Breath"; I'd never heard it before and I came home from having been out all day and found it was number 1 on iTunes which a decent lead. I wasn't expecting much after not being fussed on "Poison" but it was surprisingly excellent.

Posted by: Queef of Peace 30th April 2018, 10:00 AM

WRONG

WRONG

It kept Screech off the top in the worst EEEEVERRRRR year for chart music. It did well. It will always be respected for that x

Posted by: 777666jason 30th April 2018, 10:06 AM

Undeserving - probably any OD number 1
Forgotten - well it wouldn't be forgotten if I put one
Surprising - miley Cyrus - we can't stop (she was the queen of number 11 up to that point and she came back with that "different" era)

Posted by: Tawdry Hepburn 30th April 2018, 10:11 AM

Are some of the people here saying undeserving because they don't like the song, or because it because of its overall performance/fluking its way there?

Posted by: George.keh 30th April 2018, 10:15 AM

Promises by Nero

Posted by: Midge 30th April 2018, 10:15 AM

My intention was for this to be objective. For instance a forgotten number 1 isn't not forgotten objectively just because you remember it.

Posted by: Dobbo 30th April 2018, 10:35 AM

Well undeserving would be either wild thoughts or feels.

Posted by: Theo. 30th April 2018, 10:38 AM

Or "These Days"

The one that comes to mind for me is "Fight Song" by Rachel Platten, helped of course by being one of the last held-back releases to hit #1.

Posted by: gooddelta 30th April 2018, 10:45 AM

I'd go with Nero's Promises as one of the most forgotten too, I'd forgotten about it even, how on earth did that happen? Me & You was so much better for me. Weird it wasn't included on a Now album too.

Love Twilight but it didn't ever really 'feel' like a No.1.

A few others that I doubt the general public particularly remember well, if at all:

Rixton - Me and My Broken Heart
Example - Stay Awake
Diana Vickers - Once
Roll Deep - Green Light (sadly, incredible track for me)

Others are not far behind...especially a lot of the 2010 number 1s.

Posted by: Bré 30th April 2018, 10:51 AM

I wish Nero's #1 had been 'Guilt' instead (and IIRC that actually sold more than 'Promises' at the time despite its #8 peak, although it's probably now been overtaken by 'Promises' having more streams). I do love both of them though. Nero were super lucky to get #1 in both charts on very low sales I think.

Posted by: gavindeejay 30th April 2018, 11:02 AM

There's quite a few Number 1's from late summer 2011 that are forgotten including Nero Promises, Wretch 32 - Don't Go, Sak Noel - Loca People

Posted by: Midge 30th April 2018, 11:05 AM

Nero "Promises" What a gem! Though realistically, I do agree.

Posted by: Bré 30th April 2018, 11:12 AM

Looking through the list of 2010s #1s, I've found one particularly embarrassing repressed memory of a #1 - 'Bom Bom' by Sam And The Womp. That's definitely a future Pointless answer (actually probably a current one).

I'd also say Calvin Harris' 'Under Control' is probably much more forgotten than most of his top 10 hits that didn't reach #1!

Posted by: Midge 30th April 2018, 11:15 AM

Did you not see them perform at Reading Pride a couple of years ago, Bré?

(Love the song myself! Gets the crowd going too from a DJ perspective!)

Posted by: Jordan Lee 30th April 2018, 11:23 AM

Rixton Me and My Broken Heart.
The #1 runs in 2011 of Cher Lloyd Swagger Jagger, Promises by Nero and Wretch 32's Don't Go all come to mind.
Under Control is quite forgotten when compared to other Calvin Harris hits that went to #1 as is David Guettas Lovers On The Sun.
A few Tinie Tempah #1's where hes featured are also generally not that well remembered (Not including Pass Out and Written In The Stars).

Wiley's Heatwave, Secondcity's I Wanna Feel and Aloe Blacc's the man I had forgotten about too.

Also i'd say Katy Perry's Part of Me was a lucky #1. I remember it was a re-release from Teenage Dream but it's definitely one of her less remembered hits and several of her top 10 but not #1's have outsold it.

Posted by: Dexton 30th April 2018, 11:26 AM

Under Control is forgotten but it really shouldn’t, it’s my fave from both Calvin & Alesso tbh

Posted by: gavindeejay 30th April 2018, 11:27 AM

The Wanted - 'All Time Low' anyone? Maybe 'Glad You Came' too?

Posted by: Tawdry Hepburn 30th April 2018, 11:31 AM

I'd say definitely not for 'Glad You Came'.

Posted by: Bré 30th April 2018, 11:44 AM

Definitely the best thing Alesso ever released, it's not my fave from Calvin but an underrated one.

Posted by: Chez Wombat 30th April 2018, 12:12 PM

2010 was a goldmine for these - Green Light and Once as mentioned, as well as This Ain’t a Love Song, Start Without You, Dirtee Disco, Beautiful Monster, both JLS number 1s and even some more well known artists today like Cheryl or Olly Murs had some pretty forgettable ones. Even the bigger hits haven’t aged all that well, Good Times by Roll Deep spent three weeks at number 1 but it’s sales were so pitiful and impact these days so minimal I’d lump it with the above as well.

Some others that come to mind (non XF/charity as they don’t have quite the same purpose)

Sak Noel - Loca People
Pixie Lott - All About Tonight
Tulisa - Young
Will.i.am - This is Love
Eminem feat Rihanna - The Monster
DVBBS & Borgeous feat Tinie Tempah - Tsunami (Jump)
David Zowie - House every Weekend (I mean it completely took advantage of the shortened chart week and loss of streaming data that week!)

Posted by: Bré 30th April 2018, 12:24 PM

'House Every Weekend' was obviously a massive fluke and won't be remembered at all but I'm so glad it did get #1, what a tune. Especially as it denied #1 to the severely overrated 'Shine'. x

(Looking back though, it's crazy that David Zowie sold over 50k in those 5 days, more than twice as much as even the very biggest download hits can sell in 7 days now, less than 3 years later!)

Posted by: GTH 30th April 2018, 12:28 PM

Example - Stay Awake (how many people even remember how that goes?)
I wanna feel -can’t actually remember who dies this song. I do like it (mostly due to the Toni Bracton sample), but seemed like a complete fluke. Would not have charted anywhere near as good if it was on air/on sale rather than left to build pre-orders for ages.

Posted by: liamk97 30th April 2018, 12:34 PM

Disagree about Green Light, that's one I still hear a lot nowadays. Roll Deep's other #1, Good Times, I'd say was pretty forgotten, despite 3 weeks at the top spot.

Posted by: Dobbo 30th April 2018, 12:35 PM

Lost Frequencies Are You With Me is another very forgotten #1 even more so than House Every Weekend for me.

Posted by: ML Hammer95 30th April 2018, 12:43 PM

Objectively, I'd also suggest these:

B.o.B. ft. Bruno Mars - Nothin' On You
David Guetta - Gettin' Over You
Flo Rida - Club Can't Even Handle Me
Nicole Scherzinger - Don't Hold Your Breath
Jason Derulo - Don't Wanna Go Home
Dappy - No Regrets
Cover Drive - Twilight
Chris Brown - Turn Up The Music
Maroon 5 - Payphone
will.i.am - This Is Love
Ne-Yo - Let Me Love You
(a lot of trend-hopping dance-pop in this section)
The Saturdays - What About Us
Aloe Blacc - The Man
will.i.am - Its My Birthday (jokes this even got to #1, but terrible song)
Rixton - Me and My Broken Heart
Cheryl - I Don't Care
Tinie Tempah - Not Letting Go (like this song but completely forgot it went #1)
ZAYN - Pillowtalk (considering the hype I barely remember how this goes)


Generally speaking, streaming has eliminated these non #1s that were so common earlier this decade. This list also goes to show that chart position isn't as important as a song's real impact. Also, getting to #1 seems more of an achievement now so perhaps the chart-toppers from recent years have a better chance of being remembered than some of the entries here.

Posted by: ML Hammer95 30th April 2018, 12:44 PM

I don't think heard this since about September 2015.

Posted by: Dexton 30th April 2018, 12:57 PM

Club Can't Even Handle Me, Getting Over You, and Tsunami (Jump) are tunes how can you forget them. I remember Green Light and Payphone well too.

I Wanna Feel is a song I can never remember how it goes either, as soon as I hear it I'm like "ohhhhh" but I can never remember it otherwise

Posted by: 777666jason 30th April 2018, 01:24 PM

It feels like we just naming every number 1 since 2010s we didn't in the other thread

Posted by: Tawdry Hepburn 30th April 2018, 01:40 PM

I still hear 'Are You With Me?' quite a bit and it seems well known/well remembered.

Posted by: Scene 30th April 2018, 02:05 PM

Forgotten: Iyaz - Replay
Undeserving: JLS - The Club Is Alive
Surprising: James Arthur - Say You Won't Let Go

Posted by: Tedward 30th April 2018, 02:55 PM

Forgotten (and probably undeserving too): Aloe Blacc, The Man
Not only was it a crap song, I'm pretty sure the only reason why this was even popular was because of Wake Me Up.

Posted by: Jonjo 30th April 2018, 03:12 PM

Surprised we've got so far into the thread and nobody mentioning 'Start Without You' managing to get 2 weeks at #1 with about only 7 weeks top 40! Such a banger though (like, not even ironically stanning - I actually love it) but by the general public, that's definitely one I don't hear or even talked about anymore.

Also, someone says streaming has gotten rid of all these types of non #1's. I'd disagree. The only 7+ week #1's that have managed to challenge other long running #1's in the past (at least culturally) are 'Despacito' and 'Shape Of You'. The rest I don't hear about people talking about them much/if at all. So I'd say 'One Dance' and especially 'God's Plan' are pretty forgettable/"non-#1's" culturally in a similar way to those being mentioned in this thread.

Maybe not OD as much in the sense that it's a #1, but for a song that has 15 weeks at #1, I doubt many people would be able to remember it as much as they do 'Everything I Do'/'Umbrella' etc.. despite it being the most recent.

(If this doesn't make sense, I apologise. This was all done via phone lol)

Posted by: danG 30th April 2018, 03:18 PM

'One Dance' is still a constant presence in the Spotify chart, I wouldn't say it's forgotten at all. 15 weeks perhaps was a bit much but it is in no way a non-#1, it's definitely one of the biggest songs of the decade.

'God's Plan' will be similarly remembered. If anything will go down as a "non-#1" it will be 'River'. Who's forgot that was a #1 already?

Posted by: Iz 30th April 2018, 03:51 PM

However FOR huge #1s, Drake's are pretty easy to escape, not played on lots of commercial radio and what is there to talk about them other than 'it's another big Drake song'? Not sure I've heard ANYONE talk about God's Plan at all... ever... from my own personal anecdotes. I do think their time at #1 is undeservedly high compared to other monster hits.

The biggest forgotten one of all has to be Secondcity, I cannot for the life of me recall how that goes and I was actually listening to everything back then. Also I'll chuck in a mention for Robbie Williams' Candy, that was a #1? Way after his big commercial peak?

Posted by: Evil Houdini 30th April 2018, 04:04 PM

Forgotten #1's

Diana Vickers - Once : Probably the most forgotten number one of this entire decade bar none, a song like this would have no chance of doing well if it was released now. Diana Vickers in general is forgotten as well and she and this song are very 2010.

Olly Murs - Please Don't Let Me go

Alexandra Burke - Start Without You

Cheryl Cole - Promise This

Nico & Vinz - Am I Wrong


Surprising #1s

Nero - Promises

Sam And The Womp - Bom Bom

Rixton - Me And My Broken Heart


Undeserving #1's

Being honest there's not really such a thing as an undeserving #1 but by my own opinion 80 - 95% of songs that have gone to number one since 2010 didn't deserve to get there.

Posted by: Evil Houdini 30th April 2018, 04:10 PM

I think it goes like this: "I wanna feel your hard self inside of me, inside of me, inside of me, inside of me.

Posted by: danG 30th April 2018, 04:12 PM

* heart and soul

Posted by: Chez Wombat 30th April 2018, 04:15 PM

I think Hotline Bling had more cultural impact than both of Drake's number 1s, I still see that referenced or memed a lot, granted I can accept that they are more popular outside of my own circles, but One Dance especially I don't think has had anywhere near the same impact, it more just seemed a symbol of his current status. Not a forgotten number 1, but I'd be willing to bet that it won't hold up as well as it's sales suggest.

Posted by: mdh 30th April 2018, 05:44 PM

Sorry but who the bloody hell are 'Roll Deep' and since when did they have two number ones? (I remember all the obscure groups like MAD, Reconnected, Loveable Rogues etc. but Roll Deep doesn't ring any bells lmao)

Ones that haven't been mentioned so far that I think have been totally forgotten:
Storm Queen - Look Right Through
Gareth Malone's All Star Choir - Wake Me Up
Justice Collective - He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother
Cover Drive - Twilight (again, who )
Tulisa - Young (not the slightest clue how this goes lol)
X Factor Finalists - Wishing On A Star

Posted by: Midge 30th April 2018, 05:45 PM

Roll Deep was (is?) Wiley's band!

Also I casted a loose veil over all charity singles such as "Wake Me Up" and XF Finalists in the first post

Posted by: gavindeejay 30th April 2018, 05:45 PM

No matter how bad your days been you can always guarantee a laugh on here!

Posted by: danG 30th April 2018, 05:53 PM

Roll Deep were a collective with Wiley and other irrelevant rappers who had a few hits in 2005, disappeared, randomly came back in 2010 and then disappeared and never were seen from again.

Cover Drive were some group randomly picked up by Global so got a few top tens from Capital airplay before their album flopped and they got dropped.

Posted by: Same Ol' Andrew 30th April 2018, 06:00 PM

And even then download sales had been in decline for almost two years

Posted by: ML Hammer95 30th April 2018, 06:01 PM

I don't think 'House Every Weekend' or 'I Wanna Feel' are forgotten really, they're both mainstays on dance compilation albums and in mainstream clubs. I just don't think it's a genre that will naturally get recurring plays on stations like Heart, but they both seem solid bets for the KISSTORYs of the future. Neither were defining hits of the deep house trend, but it's equally hard to argue that they're as forgotten as some of the songs here.

Posted by: BridgeCow 30th April 2018, 06:10 PM

Yeah I would have said I Wanna Feel is pretty well remembered, it seems to be one of those go to tracks from the whole deep house era, I’d say it’s just as remembered as songs like Look Right Through or My Love tbh, at least from my experience (though thinking about it, Look Right Through feels quite forgotten too)

Posted by: ML Hammer95 30th April 2018, 06:17 PM

Don't hear Look Right Through anymore actually. To be honest, it's the lower charting songs like 'Au Seve' or 'Benediction' that get more recurrent plays in my experience.

Posted by: Bitch 30th April 2018, 06:55 PM

Bye at the person saying Start Without You is forgotten. It is iconicbfor being so tragic it became good

Posted by: 777666jason 30th April 2018, 06:55 PM

Surely any charity number one such as Grenfall NHS choir at al are forgotten number ones

Posted by: Jade 30th April 2018, 07:32 PM

Aloe Blacc - 'The Man' was a good shout on the previous page! I don't think I have heard that in full since it left the chart

Posted by: danG 30th April 2018, 07:53 PM

I think the likes of House Every Weekend / Look Right Through are more forgotten gems than anything, the kind of song that you remember you really loved whenever it gets a throwback play on radio or in da club, rather than some of the songs here which would be barely remembered at all like Diana Vickers and Aloe Blacc.

Or maybe I'm just being biased as a dance music stan.

Posted by: Iz 30th April 2018, 07:56 PM

I wouldn't argue House Every Weekend, that has an identity, although it's not the most remembered either. I'm sure all of the main deep house songs are mainstays on those sorts of things, but it's the difference between a song the crowd cheers on the dancefloor for and one where people just go along with as if it's any background track and I Wanna Feel is to my mind very much in the latter group, where you wouldn't really expect #1s to be that way. Didn't help it kind of came at saturation point for deep house.

Posted by: PeteFromLeeds 30th April 2018, 07:59 PM

I'm very for charity singles and the two there have been since I started following the charts (NHS Choir and Artists for Grenfell) both stand out as deserving #1s. 'The Man' I still think of as being big as well although maybe not a #1, and I didn't realise Diana had a Top 40 single, let alone a #1 I would probably add 'She Looks So Perfect' and Take That's 'These Days' to the list as well.

Posted by: miichaelking21 30th April 2018, 08:10 PM

- Shout by Dizzie Rascal and James Corden
- Sing by Gary Barlow
- Skyscraper by Sam Bailey
- Sign of The Times by Harry Styles

Posted by: Midge 30th April 2018, 08:54 PM

I'm very for charity - giving to charity - and I'm very awareness being raised - but both songs were abysmal (particularly the NHS Choir) so objectively, musically, they really REALLY didn't deserve it

Posted by: Gail Martin 30th April 2018, 11:39 PM

Take that these days surprised me because I didn’t check the releases that week nor was I updated with the midweeks or iTunes Charts so when I heard that they went number 1 I had to update my knowledge

Posted by: jimwatts 1st May 2018, 12:55 AM

Martin Garrix - Animals was one of the more surprising #1s for me... possibly forgotten as well due to its lack of vocals (trying to be objective here) though he's done plenty of memorable stuff since...
Also, not a #1 but hard to believe Union J - You Got It All even came close (the first sales #1 held off due to streaming)

Posted by: Eric_Blob 1st May 2018, 01:21 AM

I hate threads like this. It seems like everybody is just listing out my favourite chart hits.

In response to the post above, I don't think Martin Garrix - Animals is forgotten, nor would I say it was a surprising #1. It was really popular for months before it even came out iirc. I don't get the fuss over it though. Maybe the fact that he was a child when he made it impressed people? It's OK I suppose, but I wouldn't say it's outstanding. However, I think it's his signature song and he's more-or-less built the rest of his career on the back of it.

There was a similar song called Turn Back Time by Sub Focus around the same time which I thought was much better than Animals.

Posted by: Bré 1st May 2018, 01:58 AM

If anything 'Animals' is probably one of the LEAST forgotten dance #1s of the decade.

Posted by: Dexton 1st May 2018, 02:03 AM

Animals is a funny one because unlike some of the other dance hits mentioned it’s not something that everyone will start belting out in the club in 10 years time It’s memorable and I’d definitely consider it a modern day classic rather than a forgotten song

2015 was the year I first got into dance music really (other than the big hits) so songs like Can’t Stop Playing, Last All Night, etc. from that era I remember fondly but I think I’m a minority there I know those are big hits chart wise but in the bigger picture they aren’t huge

Posted by: jimwatts 1st May 2018, 03:00 AM

Seems I stand corrected on my underappreciation of Animals... I obviously needed to get out more in 2013 (and still do)

Posted by: Eric_Blob 1st May 2018, 06:55 AM

During Freshers Week for my 2nd year at university Animals and Look Right Through were the two most popular dance songs. People from all different parts of the UK already knew both songs! And iirc that was quite a while before they were released on iTunes. So neither of them debuting at #1 was a big surprise to me.

I was just happy that Blurred Lines didn't get banned at my university. Poor Robin Thicke, he didn't know what he was getting himself into when he recorded that song.

Posted by: Evil Houdini 1st May 2018, 03:03 PM

The last time I heard Turn The Music Louder (Rumble) by accident must have been in October or November 2015.

Posted by: Hadji 1st May 2018, 03:34 PM

My undeserved #1 of the decade has got to go to Cher Lloyd - “Swagger Jagger”

Posted by: Tedward 1st May 2018, 07:11 PM

I liked Turn Back Time, but the drop in it was terrible

Posted by: Hadji 1st May 2018, 07:38 PM

And it sounds a bit similar to a song by Steve ‘Silk’ Hurley which reached #1 in 1987