A list of songs that tried to reach the top, but failed at the final hurdle. Some classic songs in this list, how they didn’t get to No1 is a mystery for some, Vienna anyone.

1980

 

 

1-Nov-1980	Status Quo	What You’re Proposing
11-Oct-1980	Ottawan	D.I.S.C.O.
4-Oct-1980	Stevie Wonder	Masterblaster (Jammin’)
20-Sep-1980	Randy Crawford	One Day I’ll Fly Away
9-Aug-1980	Diana Ross	Upside Down
2-Aug-1980	Leo Sayer	More Than I Can Say
28-Jun-1980	Lipps Inc	Funkytown
24-May-1980	Hot Chocolate	No Doubt About It
3-May-1980	Paul McCartney	Coming Up
5-Apr-1980	Liquid Gold	Dance Yourself Dizzy
23-Feb-1980	Whispers	And The Beat Goes On
19-Jan-1980	Billy Preston And Syreeta	With You I’m Born Again

 

1981

 

 

12-Dec-1981	Cliff Richard	Daddy’s Home
31-Oct-1981	Altered Images	Happy Birthday
24-Oct-1981	Laurie Anderson	O Superman
10-Oct-1981	Tweets	The Birdie Song (Birdie Dance)
3-Oct-1981	Police	Invisible Sun
15-Aug-1981	Royal Philharmonic Orchestra	Hooked On Classics
8-Aug-1981	Stevie Wonder	Happy Birthday
18-Jul-1981	Starsound	Stars On 45 Vol. 2
13-Jun-1981	Kate Robbins And Beyond	More Than In Love
16-May-1981	Shakin’ Stevens	You Drive Me Crazy
9-May-1981	Starsound	Stars On 45
25-Apr-1981	Ennio Morricone	Chi Mai (Theme From The TV Series ‘The Life And Times Of David Lloyd George’)
28-Mar-1981	Kim Wilde	Kids In America
14-Mar-1981	Adam And The Ants	Kings Of The Wild Frontier
14-Feb-1981	Ultravox	Vienna
7-Feb-1981	Phil Collins	In The Air Tonight
17-Jan-1981	Adam And The Ants	Ant Music
10-Jan-1981	John And Yoko And The Plastic Ono Band With The Harlem Community Choir	Happy Xmas (War Is Over)

 

1982

 

 

25-Dec-1982	Shakin’ Stevens	The Shakin’ Stevens EP (Blue Christmas; Que Sera Sera; Josephine; Lawdy Miss Clawdy)
27-Nov-1982	Human League	Mirror Man
13-Nov-1982	Dionne Warwick	Heartbreaker
30-Oct-1982	Kid Creole And The Coconuts	Annie I’m Not Your Daddy
9-Oct-1982	Fat Larry’s Band	Zoom
25-Sep-1982	Jam	The Bitterest Pill (I Ever Had To Swallow)
18-Sep-1982	Dire Straits	Private Investigations
11-Sep-1982	Duran Duran	Save A Prayer
24-Jul-1982	Trio	Da Da Da
10-Jul-1982	Steve Miller Band	Abracadbra
19-Jun-1982	Soft Cell	Torch
22-May-1982	Yazoo	Only You
8-May-1982	England World Cup Squad	This Time (We’ll Get It Right) / England We’ll Fly The Flag
1-May-1982	Bardo	One Step Further
17-Apr-1982	Chas & Dave	Ain’t No Pleasing You
3-Apr-1982	Imagination	Just An Illusion
6-Mar-1982	Toni Basil	Mickey
13-Feb-1982	Stranglers	Golden Brown

 

1983

 

 

24-Dec-1983	Slade	My Oh My
3-Dec-1983	Paul Young	Love Of The Common People
19-Nov-1983	Paul McCartney And Michael Jackson	Say Say Say
29-Oct-1983	Lionel Richie	All Night Long (All Night)
15-Oct-1983	Tracey Ullman	They Don’t Know
8-Oct-1983	David Bowie	Modern Love
17-Sep-1983	Peabo Bryson And Roberta Flack	Tonight I Celebrate My Love
10-Sep-1983	Madness	Wings Of A Dove
20-Aug-1983	Spandau Ballet	Gold
23-Jul-1983	Freeez	I.O.U.
9-Jul-1983	Irene Cara	Flashdance… What A Feeling
18-Jun-1983	David Bowie	China Girl
4-Jun-1983	Wham!	Bad Boys
21-May-1983	Heaven 17	Temptation
14-May-1983	Human League	(Keep Feeling) Fascination
30-Apr-1983	FR David	Words
16-Apr-1983	Culture Club	Church Of The Poison Mind
19-Mar-1983	Eurythmics	Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This)
5-Feb-1983	Eddy Grant	Electric Avenue
15-Jan-1983	David Essex	A Winter’s Tale

 

1984

 

 

15-Dec-1984	Wham!	Last Christmas / Everything She Wants
17-Nov-1984	Duran Duran	Wild Boys
27-Oct-1984	Paul McCartney	No More Lonely Nights (Ballard)
13-Oct-1984	Culture Club	The War Song
22-Sep-1984	Ray Parker Jr	Ghostbusters
18-Aug-1984	Black Lace	Agadoo
21-Jul-1984	Neil	Hole In My Shoe
30-Jun-1984	Nik Kershaw	I Won’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me (Re-Issue)
2-Jun-1984	Deniece Williams	Let’s Hear It For The Boy
19-May-1984	Pointer Sisters	Automatic
28-Apr-1984	Phil Collins	Against All Odds (Take A Look At Me Now)
21-Apr-1984	Thompson Twins	You Take Me Up
7-Apr-1984	Shakin’ Stevens	A Love Worth Waiting For
31-Mar-1984	Weather Girls	It’s Raining Men
10-Mar-1984	Kool And The Gang	Joanna / Tonight
11-Feb-1984	Queen	Radio Gaga
4-Feb-1984	Cyndi Lauper	Girls Just Want To Have Fun
14-Jan-1984	Howard Jones	What Is Love

 

1985

 

 

26-Oct-1985	A-Ha	Take On Me
14-Sep-1985	Bonnie Tyler	Holding Out For A Hero
17-Aug-1985	Madonna	Holiday
6-Jul-1985	Harold Faltermeyer	Axel F
29-Jun-1985	Madonna	Crazy For You
15-Jun-1985	Marillion	Kayleigh
25-May-1985	Duran Duran	A View To A Kill
20-Apr-1985	Tears For Fears	Everybody Wants To Rule The World
6-Apr-1985	Frankie Goes To Hollywood	Welcome To The Pleasure Dome
23-Mar-1985	Alison Moyet	That Ole Devil Called Love
9-Feb-1985	King	Love And Pride
26-Jan-1985	Prince	1999 / Little Red Corvette (Re-Issue)

 

1986

 

 

13-Dec-1986	Erasure	Sometimes
15-Nov-1986	Kim Wilde	You Keep Me Hangin’ On
1-Nov-1986	Status Quo	In The Army Now
4-Oct-1986	Five Star	Rain Or Shine
20-Sep-1986	Jermaine Stewart	We Don’t Have To…
9-Aug-1986	Sinitta	So Macho/Cruising
19-Jul-1986	Rod Stewart	Every Beat Of My Heart
28-Jun-1986	Nu Shooz	I Can’t Wait
7-Jun-1986	Simply Red	Holding Back The Years
17-May-1986	Patti LaBelle And Michael McDonald	On My Own
10-May-1986	Madonna	Live To Tell
5-Apr-1986	Sam Cooke	Wonderful World (Re-Issue)
22-Mar-1986	David Bowie	Absolute Beginners
15-Mar-1986	Bangles	Manic Monday
22-Feb-1986	Su Pollard	Starting Together
15-Feb-1986	Madonna	Borderline
1-Feb-1986	Nana Mouskouri	Only Love
25-Jan-1986	Dire Straits	Walk Of Life

 

1987

 

 

26-Dec-1987	The Pogues Featuring Kirsty MacColl	Fairytale Of New York
12-Dec-1987	Rick Astley	When I Fall In Love / My Arms Keep Missing You
14-Nov-1987	George Harrison	Got My Mind Set On You
31-Oct-1987	George Michael	Faith
24-Oct-1987	Jan Hammer	Crockett’s Theme
10-Oct-1987	Abigail Mead & Nigel Goulding	Full Metal Jacket (I Wanna Be Your Drill Instructor)
12-Sep-1987	Fat Boys And The Beach Boys	Wipeout
29-Aug-1987	Pet Shop Boys And Dusty Springfield	What Have I Done To Deserve This
22-Aug-1987	Spagna	Call Me
11-Jul-1987	Bruce Willis	Under The Boardwalk
13-Jun-1987	Johnny Logan	Hold Me Now
23-May-1987	Tom Jones	A Boy From Nowhere
25-Apr-1987	Judy Boucher	Can’t Be With You Tonight
28-Feb-1987	Percy Sledge	When A Man Loves A Woman (Re-Issue)
7-Feb-1987	Pepsi & Shirlie	Heartache

 

1988

 

 

3-Dec-1988	Bros	Cat Among The Pigeons / Silent Night
26-Nov-1988	Inxs	Need You Tonight
19-Nov-1988	Yazz	Stand Up For Your Love Rights
29-Oct-1988	Kylie Minogue	Je Ne Sais Pas Pourquoi
22-Oct-1988	Bobby McFerrin	Don’t Worry Be Happy
3-Sep-1988	Brother Beyond	The Harder I Try
6-Aug-1988	Kylie Minogue	The Loco-motion
16-Jul-1988	Salt-N-Pepa	Push It / Tramp
2-Jul-1988	Fat Boys And Chubby Checker	The Twist (Yo Twist)
28-May-1988	Kylie Minogue	Got To Be Certain
23-Apr-1988	Climie Fisher	Love Changes Everything
26-Mar-1988	Bros	Drop The Boy
12-Mar-1988	Rick Astley	Together Forever
27-Feb-1988	Bomb The Bass	Beat Dis
6-Feb-1988	Bros	When Will I Be Famous
23-Jan-1988	Terence Trent D’arby	Sign Your Name

 

1989

 

 

16-Dec-1989	Jason Donovan	When You Come Back To Me
2-Dec-1989	Linda Ronstadt Featuring Aaron Neville	Don’t Know Much
18-Nov-1989	Phil Collins	Another Day In Paradise
28-Oct-1989	Milli Vanilli	Girl I’m Gonna Miss You
7-Oct-1989	Technotronic Featuring Felly	Pump Up The Jam
23-Sep-1989	Richard Marx	Right Here Waiting
16-Sep-1989	Jason Donovan	Everyday (I Love You More)
26-Aug-1989	Alice Cooper	Poison
19-Aug-1989	Lil’ Louis	French Kiss
5-Aug-1989	Kylie Minogue	Wouldn’t Change A Thing
29-Jul-1989	Bros	Too Much
22-Jul-1989	London Boys	London Nights
8-Jul-1989	Beautiful South	Song For Whoever
1-Jul-1989	Prince	Batdance
10-Jun-1989	Cliff Richard	The Best Of Me
3-Jun-1989	Natalie Cole	Miss You Like Crazy
15-Apr-1989	Simply Red	If You Don’t Know Me By Now
4-Mar-1989	Michael Jackson	Leave Me Alone
25-Feb-1989	Michael Ball	Love Changes Everything
28-Jan-1989	Mike And The Mechanics	The Living Years
7-Jan-1989	Erasure	Crackers International EP (Stop; The Hardest Part; Knocking On Your Door; She Won’t Be Home)