The Biggest No. 2 Hot 100 Hits of All Time

In his autobiography Q, Quincy Jones wrote, “Numbers 2, 6, and 11 are my least-favorite chart positions.” It doesn’t take a Jones-like genius to determine why. Each song that peaks at those ranks, despite a clear vote of public favor, can come with a sliver of disappointment as a song’s creators and performers just miss out on forever claiming a No. 1, top five or top 10 hit.

Yet, particularly with No. 2-peaking hits, many of those narrow misses have evolved into iconic tracks with pop-culture legacies that rival or even eclipse their contemporary competition.

Some, including a case just a few years ago, sustain enough momentum to leapfrog No. 1 hits to become the year’s top Hot 100 single, others become the springboard for artists to eventually capture that chart-topping hit, and a select few dominate pop culture so strongly that you’d swear that they surely, definitely, unquestionably topped the chart — before the facts reveal otherwise.

While the No. 1s get plenty of shine, let’s take a moment to celebrate another slate of hit singles. For 2/2, here is Billboard’s official countdown of the top 50 songs to peak at No. 2 on the Hot 100.

Billboard’s Biggest No. 2 Hits recap ranking is based on weekly performance on the Hot 100 through Feb. 1, 2025, and includes only songs that peaked at No. 2 on the list. Songs are ranked based on an inverse point system, with weeks at No. 1 earning the greatest value and weeks at lower spots earning the least. Due to changes in chart methodology over the years, eras are weighted differently to account for chart turnover rates during various periods.