Posted Sunday at 11:292 days The title is deliberately vague as there can be several subjective and objective measures of this, I’ve tried to gather a few together here. I would be very interested to hear other Buzzjack members’ analytical or gut feeling analysis of who is/are the biggest act to never have had a UK number one singleMost Number 2 hits without a Number 1:1 Sash! (5)2=The Who (3)2=Nat King Cole (3)2=Darts (3)Most Top 10 hits without a Number 1:1 Bon Jovi (18)2 Janet Jackson (17)3 Nat King Cole (15)Most UK Number 1 albums without a Number 1 single:1 Bruce Springsteen (12)2 Bob Dylan (9)3=Led Zeppelin (8)3=REM (8)3=The Killers (8)Most US Billboard Number 1 singles without a UK Number 1:1 Janet Jackson (10)2 BTS (7)3=Daryl Hall & John Oates (6)3=Paula Abdul (6)Biggest selling UK album by an act never to have had a number 1 single: Dire Straits ‘Brothers In Arms’My subjective/ gut feeling analysis of the biggest act without a number 1, based on the general public’s visual recognition of them, awareness of their life story and ability to recall multiple songs of theirs:I would have a fairly equal divide between Janet Jackson, Bruce Springsteen and Tina Turner, possibly just deciding on Tina Turner
Sunday at 11:322 days There was a thread a few years ago which answered a lot of this. I remember Bon Jovi and Janet Jackson featuring on that too. You should probably also consider most top 40 hits without a number one - I seem to remember Depeche Mode held a similar record, not sure if it's that one. I'm pretty sure they've had more top 40 hits without a top 3 hit, let alone a #1. Maybe someone can find that original thread.
Sunday at 12:382 days I was smugly about to ask "What about Fleetwood Mac?" until I remembered they did have a number 1 single, just not one you'd expect most people to guess (Albatross in 1969) - most I think would assume at least something from Rumours or Tango In The Night got to the top given how big both those albums were.Thinking of the amount of big hits most would be able to name or at least know bits of, I'd say out of the examples in this thread so far, Tina. Bruce and Bon Jovi all have around 4-6 songs each:Tina Turner: River Deep Mountain High/Nutbush City Limits/What's Love Got To Do With It/We Don't Need Another Hero/The Best (maybe Goldeneye too)Bruce Springsteen: Hungry Heart/Born To Run/Dancing in the Dark/Born in the USA/Streets of Philadelphia (maybe his Santa Claus is Coming to Town cover too)Bon Jovi: You Give Love a Bad Name/Livin On A Prayer/Always/It's My LifeJanet I'm less sure about, maybe What Have You Done For Me Lately but what else? Songs like 'Together Again' and 'All For You' were huge when they were released but I rarely hear them now compared to the examples above. She did admittedly have a ton of hit singles spanning around 15 years though.
Sunday at 14:162 days I love Janet but in the UK she’s never been that popular.I’d say Bon Jovi or the Killers both have very recognisable hits that people would assume could have been #1s, arguably the Killers more likely.
Sunday at 14:512 days Personally I would go with Pulp (one of the big 4 Britpop bands, 2 number 2 singles and 3 number 1 albums).Subjectively, REM is a good shout too.
Sunday at 14:522 days Glee Cast had 100 Top 75 hits.The Killers are a good shout. I suppose AC/DC have to be considered with five songs on 1bn+ Spotify streams.
Sunday at 15:172 days According to Wikipedia, Led Zeppelin are the highest selling act worldwide to never have a UK number 1 (not that they ever tried given they never released singles), I would say they are a pretty big contender for that title in the UK for sure. AC/DC and the Eagles are next.I would personally probably say Bruce Springsteen or Bon Jovi in the UK given they've had a significant amount of singles and album success and most people would be able to name at least a few songs from both. Metallica and Red Hot Chili Peppers are other names up there that haven't been mentioned yet.
Sunday at 16:062 days looking at the legacy acts mentioned (and some I've added) Killers and RHCP are firmly in front in terms of British Spotify listeners (well strictly speaking London only but a good indication). I suspect RHCP would be ahead if you took away the bias of Mr Brightside.849k The Killers808k Red Hot Chili Peppers701k Radiohead575k Green Day555k Bob Marley & The Wailers551k The Cure545k Amy Winehouse524k Nirvana517k The Smiths481k AC/DC470k Hall & Oates455k Bruce Springsteen 433k Guns N Roses420k Foo Fighters397k Bon Jovi392k Metallica389k Muse340k Eagles334k R.E.M.331k Dolly Parton290k Led Zeppelin276k Bob Dylan272k Shania Twain252k Tina Turner232k Depeche Mode224k Janet Jackson204k Pulp166k The Who103k Sash!
Sunday at 16:122 days I would definitely say Bob Marley, unarguably one of the most famous musicians of all time.
Sunday at 19:572 days Author Bob Marley is a great shout for a major, very well known act without a number 1Surprised at Red Hot Chili Peppers being high on that Spotify listI couldn’t find a list of most top 40 hits without a number one but yes I think the Glee Cast top the list of most top 75 hits without a number oneRe Janet Jackson I always find it strange that the Rhythm Nation album didn’t launch her into undoubted top level superstar status here (four US number ones from that album but none made the UK top ten, despite her having big top 5 just just before the RN1814 era (Let’s Wait a While) and immediately after (Best Things In Life Are Free)
Sunday at 20:032 days It blows my mind that Bruce and Bon Jovi have never had a #1 single! Janet too, but to a lesser extent. Ps the VERY obvious answer to this thread is VICTORIA BECKHAM! 🤭 Wait a minute Dolly Parton and Shania Twain too!?!?Wasn't That don't impress me much or still the one #1? Or Jolene, Islands in the stream, 9-5?
Sunday at 22:052 days The Who and Led Zep for me. Seemed a slam dunk that bands that big in the 60s and 70s got a couple of #1s. I was shocked when I first heard neither had (though later found out Led Zep didn't really do singles).
Monday at 05:081 day 8 hours ago, Spiceboy said:Wait a minute Dolly Parton and Shania Twain too!?!?Wasn't That don't impress me much or still the one #1? Or Jolene, Islands in the stream, 9-5?Dolly Parton might have icon status - but I don’t feel she was particularly big in the UK when she was actively recording. Regarding Shania – she had one massive album, but other than that, I don’t think she was huge enough to fit this list.I would also say similar things about Bob Marley - he has legendary status now, but was not as successful during his lifetime. I think the same can be said of many people on this list.To be champion of this list, I feel you would need to have a considerable number of top 10 hits, and at least a couple of huge selling albums.I don’t feel Janet was successful enough in the UK to be included. I think Bon Jovi would probably be top. Also Guns ‘n’ Roses, Tina Turner and Bruce Springsteen - but maybe our opinions are also influenced by our age.
Monday at 07:361 day WAIT!? Tina Turner doesn't have one!? What about Simply the best or What's love got to do with it???
Monday at 07:521 day 14 minutes ago, Spiceboy said:WAIT!? Tina Turner doesn't have one!? What about Simply the best or What's love got to do with it???'What's Love Got to Do With It' was a U.S. #1 for her but not in the U.K. - it charted at #3 here. 'The Best' peaked at #5!
Monday at 08:241 day 32 minutes ago, Jade said:'What's Love Got to Do With It' was a U.S. #1 for her but not in the U.K. - it charted at #3 here. 'The Best' peaked at #5!That is quite frankly a disgrace! 😭
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