Has it ever occurred to you to question how radio stations pick the songs they will air?
Radio channels try to balance the songs they play on air. However, even then, some songs play more often than others for various reasons. There is that song that you have heard at least three times daily each time you tune into your favorite radio station.
Even so, it is challenging to highlight the most frequently played song on most radio since most stations don’t collect that kind of data. And even if they do, the channels don’t display that data to the public.
Also, the kinds of songs played on the radio differ from one radio station to another, depending on the type of radio station and the location where the station is located.
However, after a few interviews, we have come up with a list of the most familiar songs on air, intending to show you the most popular songs in the world. However, this is from a few interviews. Therefore, it may not be as accurate as we’d like.
Also, this list does not include jingles and songs played during advertisements or such songs.
Here is the list of the most popular songs played on air.
1. “Every Breath You Take” (The Police)
In addition to being the most popular song on the radio, Every breath you take is still very popular on YouTube, with more than 15 million plays and views.
The Police, an English rock band, are the people who came up with that song. However, it is the Sting that wrote the song. In 1983, the song became the most popular song in Canada, reaching millions of people.
It was also top of the list in the UK single collection for about four weeks. It also became the top 10 among the most listened-to songs in other counties.
Even now, Every breath you take is still the Police’s pride, having won them several prizes. In 1983, it broke the record as the most-selling single and maintained its position as the 5th most-selling song in Canada for ten years.
2. “Brown Eyed Girl” (Van Morrison)
Created by Van Morrison in 1967, Brown Eyed Girl has overtaken several hits and maintained its position as the most-played song worldwide. Van Morrison released the song in 1967, and it immediately rose to number 10 on the Hot 100 Billboard.
It’s still Van Morrison’s most famous song, although he has other unique pieces.
From most of the reports we got our data from, radio stations have played Brown Eyed Girl more than 11 million times. Morrison also featured the song during the Broadcast Music Awards.
Brown Eyed Girl is a popular song highlighting nostalgia from a past lover. While most people in 1960 thought it was a romantic song, some thought the music was very suggestive and didn’t belong to the radio.
3. “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’” by The Righteous Brothers
Sang by The Righteous Brothers, You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’ is a song that has hit the radio waves in America. The music has earned more than 15 million plays on the radio worldwide.
It was also the song that gained the most views and was listened to on TV and radio during the 1964 era.
The Righteous Brothers released the song in 1964, and it immediately became a success, even playing in commercials. It hit the American and UK waves shortly after as the top listened-to song.
In 2001, the song also earned recognition from the RIAA as the best song of the century, in addition to being added as a song that reminisces American history and culture.
4. “Yesterday” (The Beatles)
Paul McCartney is the mind behind Yesterday, which The Beatles presented well. He wrote the song in 1965, and shortly it became a massive success across the united states.
Yesterday hit the charts the same year as the top listened-to song capturing many hearts in the US and UK. Based on lost love, BBC voted the song as the best song of the 20th Century.
By the time BBC voted for the song, it had already earned more than 7 million plays on radio and TV in 1999.
With all those views back then, it takes a lot of work to keep track of the times the song has played on TV and radio. However, in 1997, Yesterday and other songs by the Beatles gained recognition from the Grammy Hall of Fame, in addition to several plays on air.
5. “Never My Love” (The Association)
Don Addrisi and Dick are the beautiful minds behind Never My Love, which they created in 1967, but The Association is the face of the song. In addition to two other tracks, Never My Love was a great hit in 1967.
According to Broadcast Music Inc, Never My Love was the second most popular song on the US airwaves in 1999. It retained its title as the second most popular song on TV and radio for about 40 more years after its production on most radio stations.
Pitchfork magazine also highlighted the song in the list of the top 200 best hits of 1960.
6. “You Got Me” (The Kinks)
The Kinks produced the song in two versions but decided to release the blues version at first. From our sources, The Kinks got their motivation from Lead Belly and Big Bill Broonzy to sing the song.
In 1978 the song got recognition as the best in the UK, capturing the hearts of many American Blue lovers. To cement its popularity, Van Halen created a cover of the song in a different version.
You Got Me has captured the attention of Radio stations more than 8 million times since the Kinks first released it. The song has also captured several other plays from other sources, among other songs by The Kinks.
7. “Stand By Me” (Ben E. King)
Ben E. King released the original version of this song in 1961, but since then, it Stand By Me has attracted several covers from other musicians.
Between 1961 and 1999, stand by Me had over 400 different covers, with over 7 million plays on TV and Radio. Rolling Stone also mentioned this song in the list of Top 500 songs, in addition to being honoured in the Hall of Fame in 2012.
Ben E. King got the song’s main idea from a spiritual script, Stand by Me, Father.
8. “Layla” (Eric Clapton)
Written by Jim Gordon and Eric Clapton, Layla is the most popular of their songs. Although Jim and Eric wrote the song, Jim Gordon and Eric Clapton produced Layla in 1970.
Based on several sources, the storyline was inspired by Clapton’s secret crush on his best friend’s wife in Arabia in the seventh century.
In a few months, Lyla has already been a great hit. 1993 the song won Best Rock of the Year at the Grammy Awards. As a result, every TV station, Store, and Radio station wanted to play the music, and that’s how it hit.
In 2011, Layla surpassed 6 million plays both on radio and TV broadcasts.
9. Tears For Fears
Everybody Wants to Rule the World is currently the most popular song that Tears for Fears ever produced. In 1986, a year after the band had the song, music critics ranked the song as the group’s best. The song also won the Brit Awards as the Best single in the same year.
Thirty years later, the English pop band was recognised at Broadcast Music Inc for the song after beating 6 million radio plays within that period. After Everybody Wants to Rule the World, Shout is second in line with the best songs by Tears for Fears.
10. “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You” (Frankie Valli)
Bob Crewe and Bob Gaudio are the minds behind this hit love song, a great hit in the ’60s.
Over the years, creators and other singers have replicated the song to produce several covers of the song. It has also been featured as the theme song in several movies and films.
Like most songs listed, can’t I take my eyes off you? You are also listed among the most played songs on the radio in the 20th century in the BMI collection. The song ranked after Never My Love and You’ve Lost that Lovin.
About 30 years later, in 1999, the song hit 6 million air plays on the radio.
11. “(Sittin’ On) The Dock Of The Bay” (Otis Redding)
Steve Cropper and Otis Redding are the voices that recorded Sittin’ on the Dock of the Bay in 1967. By then, it was the only posthumous single that had hit the market in the USA.
In the same year, this single hit number 3 in the chart of the best UK singles. Shortly after they recorded the song, Otis Redding got into a plane crash and died on the spot.
By 1999 the song had hit the 6 million mark among the most popular songs on the radio of the 20th century, according to BMI. Until today, you’ll still find radios and TVs playing this beautiful afternoon song.
12. “Eye Of The Tiger” (Survivor)
Survivor is the American band behind Eye of the Tiger. Unlike most other songs that hit in the late ’60s, this became popular in the 80s. The band released Eye of the Tiger as a single on their 3rd album.
In addition to being a great hit among radio plays, this song is a theme song in various films, Rocky III being the most popular movie in the music featured.
1982 the song was at the top of the Billboard Hot 100 list for about five weeks. It was top of the list in other charts as well. In the same year, RIAA certified the song as Platinum after they sold about 2 million vinyl pieces.
In 2015, the band sold over 4 million downloads in the US alone. And until now, the song has hit over 5 million radio plays worldwide.
What Is The Most Famous To Song On Spotify?
Blinding Lights by The Weekend is the most popular song on Spotify.
Since the Weekend released the track in November 2019, the song has had over 3 billion views on Spotify, a vast record. Only two pieces have hit the 3 billion mark on Spotify; Shape of You by Ed Sheeran and Blinding Lights by The Weekend.
Even so, Blinding Lights, with 3.3 billion views, has beat Shape of You on Spotify. In January, Shape of You had the most significant number of views on Spotify, a record the song has held for five years.
However, a few months ago, Blinding Lights officially took over the crown as the song with the latest views on Spotify.
For this reason, Blinding Lights has the most significant number of views on Spotify. The song has a heart-winning chorus, topped with catchy beats, and has now become a favourite song to many people across the globe.
Are Blinding Lights Popular?
Blinding Lights by The Weekend has broken the record as the song with the most significant number of plays on Spotify. With 3.3 billion sports, the song recently surpassed Shape of You by Ed Sheeran.
The song has unique beats and a chorus that will keep you glued to its words. From what most people say, they find themselves singing and dancing to the beats whenever the music starts playing.
Additionally, the song has hit the list of the most listened-to songs in about 37 countries. Several movies and films have also used the song as their theme, which has helped increase the number of views on Spotify.
The song was also top on the Billboard Hot 100 for about 100 weeks.
Blinding Light is a song that you should listen to on Spotify. Do that, and you’ll soon recognise why most people can’t get it off their devices.
Who Is The Most Popular Artist On Spotify?
The Weekend is the most famous artist on Spotify, with over 3.3 billion views on his song, Blinding Lights. Ed Sheeran is currently the male artist with the most significant number of followers; then Drake has the largest number of streams on Spotify.
In addition to being popular on Spotify, The Weekend has won several awards;
- Five grammy awards
- 17 Juno Recognitions
- 20 Billboard recognitions
He has also received several hits on his other albums; Starboy, Dawn FM, After Hours, Kiss Land, and Beauty Behind the Madness.
You should check out The Weekend and enjoy some of his greatest hits, especially Blinding Lights, which he released on 29th November 2019.