After seven weeks of sitting at No. 2 on the Hot 100 behind Maroon 5’s “One More Night,” Psy’s breakout hit “Gangnam Style” finally relinquished its runners-up slot last week, falling to No. 5. He appeared in concert with Madonna and performed with MC Hammer at the 2012 American Music Awards, so there was a chance the song could bounce back. But now it’s abundantly clear: Psy’s “Gangnam Style,” in all its unlikely glory, will forever go down in the annals as an eternal No. 2 song.
There have been a good number of singles in history that — despite their greatness — never made it to the penthouse, peaking at the No. 2 spot.
In the following pages, HitFix outlines the top 10 of our very favorite No. 2s, from Madonna and Lady Gaga to Prince and Missy Elliott. While some songs come in second place when it comes to airplay and sales, they remain No. 1 in our hearts (just watch where you put that bullet).
UPDATED: Guess who just joined our list? Miley Cyrus, who — despite claiming she can’t stop — did stop with one of her singles at No. 2 in 2013.