11-09-2002 – CNN – Queen reigns over UK pop charts

A list of the Britain’s favourite 100 pop singles ever made has been compiled in Britain to mark the 50th anniversary of the UK charts. 

And clinching the top of the pops slot is Queen’s perennial favourite ‘Bohemian Rhapsody.’ 

The chart shows modern music losing out to the golden oldies, with not one track from the past 18 years making it into the 25 greatest chart-toppers. 

John Lennon’s ‘Imagine’ — a song which topped the charts only in the aftermath of its author’s death — was runner-up. 

His was one of three Beatle-related tracks in the top five, with the Fab Four’s ‘Hey Jude’ at number three and George Harrison’s ‘My Sweet Lord’ at number five. 

The Beatles as a group claimed 14 of the top 100, way ahead of any other act. Only three of their number ones failed to make it into the list. 

The most contemporary track in the upper 25 is Band Aid’s ‘Do They Know It’s Christmas,’ dating back to 1984. 

Only four tracks from the past decade — Kylie Minogue’s ‘Can’t Get You Out Of My Head,’ Elvis Presley’s revamped ‘A Little Less Conversation,’ Oasis’s ‘Don’t Look Back In Anger’ and U2’s ‘Beautiful Day’ — make it into the entire top 100. 

Darren Haynes, of The Official UK Charts Company which compiled the list from nearly 190,000 votes, said: “This list of the nation’s favourite songs once again shows the enduring appeal of pop classics such as ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ and John Lennon’s masterpiece ‘Imagine.'” 

‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ topped the charts twice, despite record label bosses initially being reluctant even to issue the single. 

Last month, Queen — Brian May, John Deacon, Roger Taylor and the late Freddie Mercury — was honoured with a coveted star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. ( 

The first UK singles chart was released on November 14, 1952, with Al Martino’s ‘Here In My Heart’ topping it. 

Since then there have been 941 number one songs, with the most recorded by Presley who secured his 18th chart hit in June this year with the remix of ‘A Little Less Conversation.’ 

His posthumous chart success broke the record of 17 he shared with The Beatles. 

The Top 10 all-time UK hits are: 1. Queen — ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’; 2. John Lennon — ‘Imagine’; 3. Beatles — ‘Hey Jude’; 4. Simon & Garfunkel — ‘Bridge Over Troubled Water’; 5. George Harrison — ‘My Sweet Lord’; 6. Procol Harum — ‘A Whiter Shade Of Pale’; 7. Animals — ‘The House Of The Rising Sun’; 8. Abba — ‘Dancing Queen’; 9. Beach Boys — ‘Good Vibrations’; 10. Queen & David Bowie — ‘Under Pressure.’