Three Little Birds Scores Huge Surprise No.1 on 2019 Request Chart
“Three Little Birds” by Bob Marley has been announced as the most requested song of 2019 by patients of the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital, giving us one of our most surprising chart toppers in the history of the request chart. The song, which reached No.17 in the UK back in 1980, has become more popular in recent years thanks to a number of cover versions, and it’s now also become an anthem for Liverpool FC, being played at all their home games. However it had only ever made our annual Top 40 twice before, reaching no higher than number 26 in 2016. The song also narrowly prevented Queen‘s “Bohemian Rhapsody” becoming our annual number one for the first time since 1992. The song has become one of our all-time most requested, making our annual chart for the 22nd time!
At number three it was “Islands In The Stream” by Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers, getting it’s highest ever position by some distance. Completing the Top 5 were Pharrell Williams and “Happy”, finishing in our annual Top 10 for the 6th year in a row, and Frank Sinatra with “My Way” – our all-time most requested track – but the wait goes on for it to finish our annual chart in pole position. Ed Sheeran managed an impressive four tracks in our annual Top 20.
In the most requested artists of the year, our most requested artist of all-time, Elvis Presley spent a second consecutive year at the top, and his third year in total. Queen finished up as runners-up in both of our annual charts, with Ed Sheeran dropping one place to number three.
Kenny Rogers made our artist chart Top 10 for the first time ever, largely thanks to his duet with Dolly Parton. Dolly appeared ever higher, at number five, as a number of her solo hits also received requests, following her Glastonbury performance.
Alan Joyce presented the chart show for the 28th year in a row, with Amy Roberts updating the chart live on social media. Here are the Top 20s for the year:
MOST REQUESTED SONGS OF 2019
1 (re) THREE LITTLE BIRDS Bob Marley and the Wailers
2 (4) BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY Queen
3 (17) ISLANDS IN THE STREAM Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton
4 (9) HAPPY Pharrell Williams
5 (2) MY WAY Frank Sinatra
6 (5) PERFECT Ed Sheeran
7 (22) HOTEL CALIFORNIA Eagles
8 (28) SHAPE OF YOU Ed Sheeran
9 (29) WIND BENEATH MY WINGS Bette Midler
10 (33) SWEET CAROLINE Neil Diamond
11 (38) MR BRIGHTSIDE The Killers
12 (-) PHOTOGRAPH Ed Sheeran
13 (re) I WANNA DANCE WITH SOMEBODY (WHO LOVES ME) Whitney Houston
14 (re) I WILL SURVIVE Gloria Gaynor
15 (re) SUSPICIOUS MINDS Elvis Presley
16 (-) SHOTGUN George Ezra
17 (21) GALWAY GIRL Ed Sheeran
18 (37) ALWAYS LOOK ON THE BRIGHT SIDE OF LIFE Monte Python
19 (re) I’M STILL STANDING Elton John
20 (-) BROWN EYED GIRL Van Morrison
MOST REQUESTED ARTISTS OF 2019
1 (1) Elvis Presley
2 (4) Queen
3 (2) Ed Sheeran
4 (7) The Beatles
5 (16) Dolly Parton
6 (11) George Michael
7 (5) Frank Sinatra
8 (31) Bob Marley
9 (3) Abba
10 (-) Kenny Rodgers
11 (26) Elton John
12 (6) Adele
13 (15) Rolling Stones
14 (re) Cliff Richard
15 (re) Phil Collins
16 (8) Whitney Houston
17 (9) David Bowie
18 (22) Michael Buble
19 (10) Rod Stewart
20 (32) Stevie Wonder