Queen's 'Bohemian Rhapsody' voted nation's favourite No.1 single
Published Jul 16 2012, 09:21 BST | By Tom Eames
Queen's 'Bohemian Rhapsody' has been voted as the UK's favourite ever number one single.The classic track - which was a number one hit in both 1975 and 1991 - beat Michael Jackson's 'Billie Jean' and Adele's 'Someone Like You' in the ITV1 poll.
© PA Images
© WENN
The Nation's Favourite Number One aired on ITV1 last night (July 15), after viewers had voted online to mark the 60th anniversary of the charts.
However, voters were not able to choose any number one from the past 60 years, but rather a pre-selected shortlist of songs, which included Dizzee Rascal's 'Bonkers', and just one song from the 1950s.
Oasis hit 'Don't Look Back in Anger' and 'Hey Jude' by The Beatles completed the top five.
John Lennon, Britney Spears, ABBA, Whitney Houston and Kylie Minogue also featured in the top ten number one singles.
A similar poll was run in 2002 by the Official Charts Company and Radio 2, with voters allowed to choose any number one from the previous 50 years.
Queen were joined by Adam Lambert for their new run of gigs together in the UK last week.
Watch the video for Queen's 'Bohemian Rhapsody' below:
I could not believe Unchained Melody by the Righteous Brothers wasn't included. That is a timeless classic and that top note is terrific. I was surprised that folks voted for You've Lost That Loving Feeling instead. Great programme though....brought memories flooding back. :)
December 3rd 2012 at 1:59am
The most overrated song of all time, by the most overrated band of all time.
I have never taken Queen seriously. They claimed to be a "rock" band, and then made songs about riding bikes and girls with fat bums? Add to this the tuneless bile they put out such as 'We Will Rock You' and nonsense like 'Radio Ga Ga', it was all enough to make me feel ill.
Cheesy, overblown, self-indulgent tosh.
I guess it just goes to show how easily manipulated the public are.
July 25th 2012 at 1:03pm
The most overrated song? Really? You're talking about Bohemian Rhapsody, right? The song that wins these polls again and again and again - but people are manipulated you say? Into what? Voting on all the various different music polls in a particular way? Well how's that one work? ... Yeah, Bohemian Rhapsody, sung by the (often voted) greatest rock singer ever. Played by the band that were (are) technically superb musicians - and along with Freddie Mercury, are widely considered one of, if not the greatest live rock act that ever graced this planet. Oh yeah, that single performance at Live Aid by Queen, remember? The one that's generally regarded as the greatest live performance ever - (Look it up) - the one where they played Radio Gaga, which you mentioned - and the entire stadium (consisting of fans of various bands - not just Queen) all knew the words and clapped along exactly like Queens Radio Gaga music video. Not to mention all their other great performances- Wembley, Miltern Kynes etc. Maybe you never took Queen seriously because they didn't take themselves too seriously - as they knew how to have fun too - Maybe you didn't get their humour in doing a song like Bicycle race? (Isn't it obvious?). "Tuneless bile" you say? We Will Rock You? Bohemian Rhapsody with its 60 or so chords instead of the usual 6 or 7 or whatever, Killer Queen ("tuneless" Ivor Novello award winners are they?) - The show must go on, Somebody to love, We are the champions, Another one bites the dust, Crazy little thing called love, Don't stop me now, One vision, I want it all, Under pressure, I want to break free (What a versatile group they were - who all wrote their own material - and each member had number 1 hits) - and those are just a few of their world wide known numbers - not the tunes they did that weren't realised as singles and are absolute gems, the less commercial stuff.
Ah yeah, Queen have sold over 300 million albums world-wide because the public are manipulated - yeah right. Keep telling yourself that.
July 28th 2012 at 4:06am(+3 likes)
The top 10 songs were all worthy although I am struggling to see how adele's "someone like you" could be above John lennons "Imagine". Just a guess but if they do the same excercise in 20 years I think John lennon will still be in the top ten while Adele might be struggling to maintain the top 20!
July 19th 2012 at 2:42pm(+3 likes)
And that's why it went straight to number 1. Twice.
July 16th 2012 at 2:36pm(+3 likes)
surprised at Adele and Oasis being in the top 5, but it was a great show and great countdown - maybe too many 80's tracks (Human League, Soft Cell, Pet Shop Boys, Frankie Goes To Hollywood) but still a good, accurate list
July 16th 2012 at 10:44am
I concur, although the early eighties (1980-84) was really good for pop music. Not many from the late 1980s. No Rick Astley!
July 16th 2012 at 11:56am