Radio 2 reveals Pharrell’s Happy as the Most Played Song of the 2010s

Later today on Easter Monday (13 April) on BBC Radio 2, Scott Mills will be presenting the Most Played Songs of the Decade.

From 2pm – 5pm, he’ll be counting down the 40 most played songs broadcast on UK radio and television since 2010.

Happy by Pharrell Williams tops the chart at No. 1, followed by Adele’s Rolling In The Deep at No. 2 – making her one of only two Brits in the Top 10 (alongside Mark Ronson) and the only solo female artist in the Top 10 – with Moves Like Jagger by Maroon 5 featuring Christina Aguilera at No. 3.

Scott Mills says: “Every single tune we’ll play on this show is an absolute banger that you’ll have known and loved then learnt every word to over the past 10 years, and I’ll play the entire Top 40 in full. So get ready to collectively sing your heads off. I’ll certainly be doing just that, but thankfully off-mic.”

The chart, compiled by music licensing company PPL, features some of music’s biggest stars including Adele, Ed Sheeran, Bruno Mars, Rihanna, Justin Timberlake and Katy Perry, but listeners can still expect some surprises along the way.

Made by independent radio production company Listen, PPL’s Most Played Charts are created from exclusive UK music usage and airplay data supplied by its licensees, including radio stations and TV channels.

PPL’s Most Played Songs of the 2010s

1. Happy – Pharrell Williams
2. Rolling In The Deep – Adele
3. Moves Like Jagger – Maroon 5 Feat. Christina Aguilera
4. Get Lucky – Daft Punk Feat. Pharrell Williams and Nile Rodgers
5. Can’t Stop The Feeling! (Original Song from DreamWorks Animation’s Trolls) – Justin Timberlake
6. I Gotta Feeling – Black Eyed Peas
7. Uptown Funk – Mark Ronson Feat. Bruno Mars
8. Counting Stars – Onerepublic
9. Forget You – Cee Lo Green
10. Sex On Fire – Kings Of Leon

The Top 40 Most Played Songs also reveal interesting facts and trends about the songs on our airwaves:

• Two artists appear three times – Adele and Bruno Mars (twice solo, and once more with Mark Ronson)
• Five artists appear twice – Justin Timberlake, Katy Perry, Kings of Leon, Maroon 5 and Pharrell (once solo and once with Daft Punk)
• 12 of the tracks are performed by bands/groups
• 14 are sung by women; 22 by men; four have both male and female vocals
• Seven tracks are collaborations
• 34 of the songs were released in the last decade; five were released in the noughties; and just one was released in the 1990s (Natalie Imbruglia’s ‘Torn’ in 1997)
• 18 songs are primarily credited to American artists; 14 to British artists; three to Canadian artists (two of those by Bruno Mars); two to Australian artists (if counting Gotye as Australian); and one to a Barbadian (Rihanna)

Jeff Smith, Head of Music, Radio 2, says: “BBC Radio 2 plays the best of the best pop music, and our Most Played Chart of the last decade is packed with universally loved, singalong pop hits that really do stand the test of time. So do tune in to our unique Top 40 countdown on Radio 2 this Easter Monday!”

Peter Leathem, Chief Executive Officer at PPL, says: “PPL is delighted to provide the BBC with data for this incredible chart of the decade. The top 40 most played songs are the sounds that radio producers and broadcasters have consistently played throughout the last decade and will evoke many memories for all of us. Congratulations and thank you to all those who feature in our Most Played Songs of the 2010s Chart.”