Careless Whisper voted no.1 song of all time in Smooth Radio poll
A Smooth Radio listener poll has seen Careless Whisper voted the number one song of all time.
Smooth’s All Time Top 500, the station’s annual countdown, attracted almost 32,000 votes. The results were played on-air across the Bank Holiday weekend, with the number one announced just before 7pm today.
Written by George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley, Careless Whisper recently officially surpassed one billion views on YouTube and still enjoys hundreds of thousands of views each day.
George Michael Entertainment and Family said: “Five years in a row at number one! What can we say? It means so much to us that you have shown how much Careless Whisper means to you by voting and getting it to the top once again this year. We are truly grateful for your continued support and George would be so delighted”.
George, who would have been 60 next month, has 20 songs in the chart – including 14 solo songs – confirming his position as the most popular artist. A Different Corner is at number three; Jesus To A Child at number 11, followed by Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me, his duet with Sir Elton John, at number 17.
Sir Elton John is the second most popular artist, with 14 songs in the top 500. Whitney Houston is the most popular female artist with 13 songs in the countdown. Madonna has taken the second place from Adele, with eight entries in the poll.
ABBA is the most popular band with 14 entries in the chart and Cher has the highest new entry with If I Could Turn Back Time at number 74.
Smooth presenter Angie Greaves, who announced the number one on air, said: “Smooth’s All Time Top 500, now in its 10th year, celebrates the best music and gives us a fantastic insight into the nation’s favourite songs and artists.
“Next month would have been George Michael’s 60th birthday and it is wonderful that his incredible legacy lives on through his music, as Careless Whisper is voted the nation’s all-time number one song and George is voted the most popular artist.
“Looking across the chart, from Sir Elton John and Whitney Houston to ABBA and Madonna, it is wonderful to see the variety of music the public has chosen this year.”
The full countdown is available to listen to on catch-up anytime on Global Player – You can see the top 20 below:
- Careless Whisper – George Michael
- Bohemian Rhapsody – Queen
- A Different Corner – George Michael
- Man In The Mirror – Michael Jackson
- Bridge Over Troubled Water – Simon and Garfunkel
- Perfect – Ed Sheeran
- I Will Always Love You – Whitney Houston
- Billie Jean – Michael Jackson
- Dancing Queen – ABBA
- Hotel California – Eagles
- Jesus To A Child – George Michael
- Sweet Caroline – Neil Diamond
- Dance With My Father – Luther Vandross
- Suspicious Minds – Elvis Presley
- Running Up That Hill – Kate Bush
- Always On My Mind – Elvis Presley
- Don’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me – Elton John and George Michael
- Islands In The Stream – Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers
- Imagine – John Lennon
- Human Nature – Michael Jackson