I’m back with another UK No 1 ranking list. This week we’re back in 2015 and boy, is this a rough year. I don’t remember thinking music was this dire at the time but hindsight really is a wonderful thing.

Rules apply as usual (go read the others if you don’t know them), so let’s go!

23. Lay Me Down – Sam Smith feat. John Legend (2)

Sigh what a start. I’m going to be biased, I can’t help it, but I do not like this song. I just don’t like Sam Smith’s voice and to make matters worse, this Comic Relief version includes John Legend which actually manages to make a whiney song even worse.

22. Love Yourself – Justin Bieber (3)

Meh – what even is this? Boring, insipid and not deserving of the top spot on the charts.

21. Easy Love – Sigala (1)

Just noise really. Sounds like something you could make on cheap music production software.

20. House Every Weekend – David Zowie (1)

Apparently this was the first Friday No1 since 1960 after the Official Charts Company decided to move the date the chart was announced, something that likely played a crucial role in this deep house track making it to the top of the charts. 

19. Marvin Gaye – Charlie Puth feat. Meghan Trainor (1)

This song is more of a mood killer than smooth and sultry – if it had different lyrics and had been fronted by the cast of Glee it might make more sense as a hit but all this does is highlight the fact that neither Charlie Puth or the people who bought this tune have ever listened to Marvin Gaye. 

18. A Bridge Over You – The Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Choir (1)

I wish I could not include these charity singles in these rankings but they’re legitimate No 1s. An NHS choir doing a soppy mash-up of Bridge Over Troubled Water and Fix You is everything you expect it to be – but it’s for charity so I applaud it. 

17. Fight Song – Rachel Platten (1)

I think most people remember this as one of Hillary Clinton’s campaign songs during her 2016 presidential campaign (remember those days?) Let’s be honest this is so cheesy you could mistake it for an SNL sketch – in which case, This Is Not a Feminist Song is the better alternative. 

16. Turn the Music Louder (Rumble) – KDA featuring Tinie Tempah and Katy B (1)

To be fair, would I ever choose to listen to this song? No. But if it came on at the club would I dance? Sure…I guess.

15. Writing’s on the Wall – Sam Smith (1)

Just because a song is the James Bond theme doesn’t mean it’s good .Tragically, this was the first Bond theme to hit the top of the charts in the UK…yes, you read that right. The falsetto on ‘how do I live? how do I breathe?’ is pretty atmospheric though so…kudos.

14. Not Letting Go – Tinie Tempah feat. Jess Glynne (1)

Jess Glynne was a prominent chart feature this year but this collab with Tinie Tempah is the least interesting. 

13. Cheerleader – Omi (4)

According to my research, Cheerleader is a representative of ‘deep-house’ ‘reggae fusion’ and ‘electro-ska’ none of which I have much insight into – I just remember it as a mildly annoying summer tune.

12. Sorry – Justin Bieber (2)

One of the big smashes of 2015 – this song was everywhere. Listening to it today it barely holds up – the instrumentals really dating what could be an okay pop song. 

11. What Do You Mean? – Justin Bieber (5)

Sorry may be more radio-friendly but What Do You Mean is the better track…just.

10. King – Years & Years (1)

The now defunct Years & Years (fronted by Olly Alexander) rose to fame with King – a perfectly enjoyable synth-pop track that, unfortunately, is just a little immemorable. 

9. Are You With Me – Lost Frequencies (1)

So, Belgian DJ Lost Frequencies took the music and the refrain from country singer Easton Corbin(?) song Are You With Me, sped it up and released it in 2014. It’s vibey and pretty nice background music…so go figure.

8. See You Again – Wiz Khalifa feat. Charlie Puth (2)

Charlie Puth redeems himself somewhat after the abysmal Marvin Gaye (the song, Mr Gaye is fabulous). Commissioned as a tribute to actor Paul Walker who died in the middle of filming Furious 7 – this song appeared on the soundtrack of the movie and became the biggest single of both artists. Frankly only the chorus is worth listening to. 

7. Want to Want Me – Jason Derulo (4)

My general consensus of songs from this time is that they’re all essentially ‘mid’ but evoke a breezy, summery vibe (and could probably be used in TV adverts). This track is basically that – it’s no In My Head or Whatcha Say is it? That said, Olly Murs turned the song down so at least we were spared that. 

6. Don’t Be So Hard on Yourself – Jess Glynne (1)

Jess Glynne is so inoffensive that she could probably make the top half of any of these lists – do the tracks scream No1? No. Am I upset about it? Also no. 

5. Drag Me Down – One Direction (1)

Not one of 1D’s most iconic songs but maybe the fact that it’s a little less irritating than some of their other hits is what makes this track tolerable. 

4. Love Me Like You Do – Ellie Goulding (4)

What are you waiting for!?!?! Honestly thought this was the title of the song for so long. A solid effort from Ellie Goulding but is it maybe just the teensiest bit overrated?

3. Black Magic – Little Mix (3)

How feel-good can a song get? Catchy, up-beat, a bit of that 80s snare – what more could you ask for? It is admittedly very teen pop and so after a couple of listens you’ll probably want to send it to its room and tell it to shut up.

2. Hold My Hand – Jess Glynne (3)

For me, this song just screams 2015 – it’s been used in so many holiday ads that it sort of now sounds more like a jingle than an actual song. That said, sticking it on and listening to it all the way through will really get you grooving. 

1. Hello – Adele (3)

Hello is probably the only number one from 2015 that doesn’t sound incredibly dated. A sign of a classic hit no doubt – although, honestly, I’m a bigger fan of her follow up 2016 single When We Were Young. Regardless, this was an easy win for Adele in 2015, a weak year for UK number ones. 

Second the Best

Some pretty big – and still good – No 2s: James Bay’s Hold Back the River and Hozier’s Take Me to Church being two stand outs. 

Across the Pond

The States were largely in agreement with the UK on the number one front this year. See You Again dominated the charts (12 weeks at the top) and The Weeknd also spent six weeks at the top with The Hills…

The Hit that Got Away

…speaking of The Weeknd – Can’t Feel My Face peaked at No 3 in the UK (it did manage three weeks at the top in the US) but should have hit the top.