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) |
