The biggest songs that missed the Top 40 in the first half of 2017
The Top 40 can be a tough nut to crack. And while we’re usually all about the songs that make it into the top tier of the Official Singles Chart, some big tracks, for whatever reason, don’t quite make it in.
Obviously, it doesn’t mean it’s a bad song. Sometimes an artist is just unlucky, the timing is off and the stars never quite align in the way they might have hoped.
Now we’re past the halfway point of the year, Official Charts has revealed the biggest songs of the year to date that missed out on a Top 40 placing. It just goes to show, it really is all down to you.
Imagine Dragons – Believer
Released: February 1
Chart peak: 42
Despite being bold, brassy and undeniably banger-y, the lead single from the US band’s third album landed at Number 42 in its debut week back in February.
It’s since spent 20 weeks in the Top 100, though it looks like it’s going to have to settle on just missing out on the top tier on this occasion. As things stand, it’s the biggest selling single to miss the Top 40 this year (when streams and sales are combined).
MORE: The Official Top 40 biggest songs of 2017 so far
Lana Del Rey – Love
Released: February 18
Chart peak: 41
Lana brought some much-needed love to the world when she unveiled the lead single from her upcoming album Lust For Life back in March. However, the love wasn’t reciprocated quite as strongly; the song entered at a frustrating 41 in its first week and slipped to 42 the following week. Argh.
MORE: Lana Del Rey's complete Official Chart history
Louisa Johnson – Best Behaviour
Released: March 3
Chart peak: Number 48
Released back in March, Louisa’s third single proper Best Behaviour debuted just outside the Top 40, landing at 48. You might remember, it was the same week that every song from Ed Sheeran’s Divide album entered the Top 40.
The track hung around the Top 100 for another 12 weeks – in itself pretty impressive - though it never quite managed to sneak higher than its initial peak. We’re just throwing this out there, but we reckon this fizzy electro-pop banger would have cleaned up at Eurovision.
Kasabian – You’re In Love With A Psycho
Released: March 17
Chart peak: 62
The psychedelic rockers returned in March with what is possibly one of their most radio friendly songs in recent memory. But while You’re In Love With A Psycho went down well with critics and radio, it didn’t set the charts alight, topping out at Number 62.
Still, the song did its job on selling its parent album For Crying Out Loud, which went on to become their fifth Number 1 on the Official Albums Chart in May.
MORE: The Official Top 40 biggest albums of 2017 so far
Stargate ft. Sia and Pink – Waterfall
Released: March 10
Chart peak: 47
On paper, this track should have been huge. Even if you’re aware of Stargate (makers of 30-plus huge hits over the last 18 years), Sia is proving unstoppable at turning out hits of late, and there’s a thirst for new music from Pink following an extended break after giving birth in December.
Still, the song never quite caught on in the way you might have expected, and topped out at Number 47 in March. Possibly a case of too many cooks?
DJ Khaled ft. Beyonce & Jay Z – Shining
Released: February 12
Chart peak: 71.
Proving big names on the bill doesn’t always equal chart smash, DJ Khaled’s megastar collaboration with the world’s ultimate power couple didn’t manage to break the Top 40, peaked at Number 71 in March this year and spent just two weeks in the Top 100.
One reason for this is likely to be because it was exclusive to Tidal for the first few weeks of its release, drastically limiting its chances of impacting the chart.
Sigrid – Don’t Kill My Vibe
Released: February 10
Chart peak: 62
Norwegian singer Sigrid has been the artist to watch since arriving on to the scene with Don’t Kill My Vibe in February. After a slow build, the song started to impact the Top 100 in May and peaked at 62 in early June. We've got a sneaking suspicion she's got plenty more bangers up her sleeve.
Sampha – (No One Knows Me) Like The Piano
Released: February 3
Chart peak: 92
Despite its heavy rotation on radio, the emotional trailer single for Sampha’s highly anticipated debut album didn’t take off in the charts, topping out at Number 92 in February. It didn’t harm his album though, which landed straight in the Top 10 at Number 7 later that month.
Halsey – Now Or Never
Released: April 4
Chart peak: 80
Released back in April, the moody, atmospheric lead single for Halsey’s second album hopeless fountain kingdom lingered around the lower end of the Top 100 for seven weeks. It might have failed to reach the upper echelons of the chart, but it helped her album land at a respectable Number 12 in June.
Dave & J Hus – Samantha
Released: January 27
Chart peak: 63
British rapper Dave teamed up with afrobeats star J Hus on this slow burner of a track back in January. It never climbed higher than its opening week debut at Number 63, though it’s since logged an impressive ten weeks in the Top 100, making it the third biggest selling single to miss the Top 40 so far this year.
Sia - Helium
Released:February 10
Chart peak: 45
This big piano ballad featured on the Fifty Shades Darker soundtrack, released in Februray. After Taylor Swift & Zayn's I Don't Wanna Live Forever, which was billed as the film's big single, it's the most popular song from the soundtrack, just missing out on a spot in the Top 40 after peaking at 45.
The Official Top 40 biggest songs released in 2017 that missed the Top 40 so far in 2017
POS | TITLE | ARTIST | PEAK |
1 | BELIEVER | IMAGINE DRAGONS | 42 |
2 | BEST BEHAVIOUR | LOUISA JOHNSON | 48 |
3 | SAMANTHA | DAVE & J HUS | 63 |
4 | GOOD LIFE | G-EAZY & KEHLANI | 53 |
5 | COME CLOSER | WIZKID FT DRAKE | 58 |
6 | DON'T KILL MY VIBE | SIGRID | 62 |
7 | T-SHIRT | MIGOS | 82 |
8 | P Y T (PRETTY YOUNG THING) | JOHN GIBBONS | 52 |
9 | NOW OR NEVER | HALSEY | 80 |
10 | TUNNEL VISION | KODAK BLACK | N/A |
11 | PRIVACY | CHRIS BROWN | 86 |
12 | JORJA INTERLUDE | DRAKE | 42 |
13 | BLINDED BY YOUR GRACE - PT 2 | STORMZY FT MNEK | 55 |
14 | SHOW YOU LOVE | KATO/SIGALA/HAILEE STEINFELD | 91 |
15 | LOVE | LANA DEL REY | 41 |
16 | SO GOOD | ZARA LARSSON FT TY DOLLA SIGN | 44 |
17 | ROLLIN | CALVIN HARRIS/FUTURE/KHALID | 43 |
18 | SACRIFICES | DRAKE FT 2 CHAINZ & YOUNG THUG | 51 |
19 | DO NOT DISTURB | DRAKE | 61 |
20 | SHINING | DJ KHALED FT BEYONCE & JAY Z | 71 |
21 | BEAUTY AND THE BEAST | ARIANA GRANDE & JOHN LEGEND | 52 |
22 | WATERFALL | STARGATE FT PINK & SIA | 47 |
23 | THERE FOR YOU | MARTIN GARRIX & TROYE SIVAN | 41 |
24 | SELFISH | FUTURE FT RIHANNA | 94 |
25 | THE ONE | CHAINSMOKERS | 63 |
26 | LOOK AT ME | XXXTENTACION | N/A |
27 | LOSE YOU | DRAKE | 54 |
28 | NO FRAUDS | NICKI MINAJ/DRAKE/LIL WAYNE | 49 |
29 | ICE MELTS | DRAKE FT YOUNG THUG | 65 |
30 | GLOW | DRAKE FT KANYE WEST | 55 |
31 | CAN'T HAVE EVERYTHING | DRAKE | 58 |
32 | FISHERMAN | J HUS FT MOSTACK & MIST | 47 |
33 | ROLEX | AYO & TEO | N/A |
34 | BABY | ANTON POWERS & PIXIE LOTT | 97 |
35 | HELIUM | SIA | 45 |
36 | SWEET CREATURE | HARRY STYLES | 46 |
37 | F WITH U | KID INK FT TY DOLLA SIGN | 52 |
38 | NOTHINGS INTO SOMETHINGS | DRAKE | 62 |
39 | MADNESS | MIST | N/A |
40 | 1-800-273-8255 | LOGIC/ALESSIA CARA/KHALID | 78 |
©2017 Official Charts Company. All rights reserved.
©2017 Official Charts Company. All rights reserved.
Which songs do you think have been overlooked so far this year? Leave your comments below.
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Scott Harris
"Possibly a case of too many cooks?" Tell that to DJ Khaled's "I'm the One".
Zoltán Oskovits
Completely disagree! The Top 40 is not hard to get in, never was. That's why I'm collecting the Top 20. Many times even the Top 20 has a few songs that don't deserve to be there, and are there just because of a pre-release hype and then disappear. I don't like it. The chart should be all about big hits and longevity