Hotel California tops 40th Annual Request Chart

“Hotel California” by The Eagles was confirmed as the most requested song of 2024 by patients and staff of the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital. It’s the first time ever that the song has topped our annual chart, on it’s 7th appearance in our Top 40. The song, first released in 1977, is one of a number of tracks from that era to have more recently topped our charts – following in the footsteps of tracks by Abba, Bob Marley and ELO.

The runner-up was one of those recent former number ones,  “Dancing Queen” by Abba. The song has only missed our annual Top 20 once in the last 13 years, and was our most request song of 2018.

In third place was “Perfect” by Ed Sheeran. The track was unusually requested in two different versions – with a solo version of the track alongside a duet “cover” with Andrea Bocelli. It’s the song’s 4th appearance in our annual Top 10.

Ed Sheeran also had the 4th placed song of the year with “Shivers”, whilst The Beatles rounded off the Top 5 with the highest ever placing for one of their songs, “Hey Jude”.

In another chart first, two festive songs appeared in our end-of-year Top 20 – with “Last Christmas” by Wham! (14) and “All I Want For Christmas Is You” by Mariah Carey (18).

We also had two brand new tracks from 2024 in the Top 20 – with “Texas Hold ‘Em” by Beyonce (19) and “Die With A Smile” from Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars (20).

Alan Joyce introduced the countdown on Radio Brockley for the 33rd year in a row, with live posts on Instagram being sent out by Macie Lewis. As the chart celebrates its 40th anniversary this year, we will be finding out the most requested songs and artists of all-time.

MOST REQUESTED SONGS OF 2024
1     (8)   HOTEL CALIFORNIA Eagles
2     (2)   DANCING QUEEN Abba
3    (re)   PERFECT Ed Sheeran
4    (39)  SHIVERS Ed Sheeran
5    (re)   HEY JUDE Beatles
6    (11)  THREE LITTLE BIRDS Bob Marley and the Wailers
7     (6)   I WANT TO BREAK FREE Queen
8    (22)  ISLANDS IN THE STREAM Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers
9     (1)   HAPPY Pharrell Williams
10  (13)   SWEET CAROLINE Neil Diamond
11  (21)   DOCK OF THE BAY Otis Redding
12  (re)   MR BLUE SKY Electric Light Orchestra
13   (-)    SULTANS OF SWING Dire Straits
14  (re)   LAST CHRISTMAS Wham!
15  (12)  BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY Queen
16  (re)   LIVIN ON A PRAYER Bon Jovi
17   (7)   CARELESS WHISPER George Michael
18  (re)   ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS IS YOU Mariah Carey
19   (-)   TEXAS HOLD ‘EM Beyonce
20   (-)   DIE WITH A SMILE Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars