Beatles fail chart survey
2005-05-24 14:24
London - Hits by the Beatles and their late star John Lennon failed to make a list of the top five songs of the past five decades chosen by BBC listeners.
In rating hits dating back to the 1950s, Radio 2 listeners chose Angels by Robbie Williams, West End Girls by the Pet Shop Boys, Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen, Space Oddity by David Bowie and You Really Got Me by the Kinks.
"The listeners have voted and the Beatles are out," Radio 2 music editor Colin Martin said.
Radio 2 held its Songs Of The Decades vote to mark the 50th anniversary of the Ivor Novello Awards, which takes place on Thursday.
Listeners chose from a shortlist of 25 songs selected by an expert panel of songwriters.
Angels was voted the best song of the past 10 years (1995-2004).
West End Girls was the top song of 1985-1994, Bohemian Rhapsody of 1975-1984, Space Oddity of 1965-1974 and You Really Got Me of 1955-1964.
The Kinks' song beat two Beatles hits, She Loves You and Please Please Me.
And Space Oddity was chosen ahead of the Beatles song Yesterday.
Bohemian Rhapsody won over John Lennon's Imagine.
"When we asked listeners to select their favourite song from five decades of great British hits we always thought the Beatles or John Lennon - who between them got the most nominations — would top at least one of the decades. How wrong we were," Martin said.
"Great songs like You Really Got Me, Space Oddity and Bohemian Rhapsody are regarded as being not just on a par with Lennon and McCartney, but out in front in their contribution to and influence on British music," he added.