Some were released decades after they were first written
Bob Dylan might have a Nobel Prize in his resume, but he's yet to have a #1 on the Billboard Top 100.
They might be one of the biggest metal bands of all time, but their only song to have ever charted on the top 10 was 'Until It Sleeps,' a song that many fans turn their nose up at. 'Enter Sandman' for instance, only made it to #16.
Can you believe "The Boss" never had a #1 single? The closest he got was with 'Dancing in the Dark' in 1984, which peaked at #2.
The saxophonist's single 'Songbird' reached a respectable #4, but he's yet to have a single peak to #1 on the Hot 100.
To this day, Hendrix is considered one of the greatest guitarists of all time, though none of his singles ever reached the top position of the famous chart.
Twain is the world's best-selling female country music artist, with over 100 million records sold. Despite her huge success, the closest she got to the top of the Hot 100 was with 'You're Still the One,' which reached #2.
"The Man in Black" had a long and successful career, but he too failed to reach the #1 spot on the Billboard Hot 100.
The rapper had numerous hits, but the closest she got to the top was with 'Work It,' which reached #2.
The reggae legend didn't have immediate worldwide success, so maybe that's why Bob Marley and the Wailers never got a single in the #1 spot.
You would have thought a star like Lovato would have already had a few #1 singles on the Hot 100. Well, she didn't. The closest she got was with 'Sorry Not Sorry,' at #6.
Brooks has sold millions of albums and has had multiple #1 singles in the country charts. The only time he reached the top 10 of the Hot 100? With 'Lost In You,' which was released under his fictional persona, Chris Gaines.
The band found great success with the alternative crowd, but when it came to the Hot 100, 'In the End' was their best-performing single, peaking at #2.
Can you believe that 'Don't Stop Believin'' wasn't a #1 single? In fact, it peaked at #9.
The Aussie rockers have sold millions of albums but never reached the top of the Billboard Hot 100.
Some people might not remember them, but they were pretty big in the US in the '60s and '70s. So much so, that they hold a record of five #2 hits!
See also: Iconic songs that performed surprisingly poorly in the charts
The British band were pretty big in the '60s and '70s, but they too never had a #1 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Nirvana had two #1 albums, 'Nevermind' and 'In Utero,' but it was a different story when came to singles.
Despite the success of Kurt Cobain's band in the '90s, they never really got a #1 single. Their biggest hit, 'Smells Like Teenage Spirit,' peaked at #6.
Not only didn't any of their singles make it to the top, their famous song 'Stairway to Heaven' didn't even chart. This is because the band never released it as a single. We'll never know if it could have been their #1.
Zayn Malik did it with 'Pillowtalk' in 2016, and Harry Styles with 'Watermelon Sugar' in 2020.
Strait has hit the Country Top 10 more than 80 times! Most didn't even make it to the Hot 100, however.
Success doesn't always translate into chart entries. In fact, many hugely successful bands and singers have sold millions of records and never had a #1 single on the Billboard Hot 100. Indeed, many of these artists have ranked high in numerous charts, including alternative and country, but they never quite made it to the top spot of this specific chart.
Browse through the following gallery and find out which famous music stars never reached the top of the Billboard Hot 100.
Artists who never had a #1 on the Billboard Hot 100
You'll be surprised how many world-famous musicians never topped the charts
MUSIC Charts
Success doesn't always translate into chart entries. In fact, many hugely successful bands and singers have sold millions of records and never had a #1 single on the Billboard Hot 100. Indeed, many of these artists have ranked high in numerous charts, including alternative and country, but they never quite made it to the top spot of this specific chart.
Browse through the following gallery and find out which famous music stars never reached the top of the Billboard Hot 100.