Top of the Pops, 2nd December 2021

The Adele album is out, and she is good enough to give us a bit of the top three tracks from it to close the show this week. Between that and the sudden onset of Christmas music, current chart climbers are few and far between, which gives Lost Frequencies a chance to get on the show after seven weeks in the lower reaches. 

Friend of the show Anne-Marie and Niall Horan have a nice new entry with the Children In Need song, and D-Block Europe hit their highest chart placing to date. Justin Bieber and especially Imagine Dragons are featured for the first time in a while. And we have a very special in-person Mariah Carey performance with a couple of guest stars.

Debuts: JID, James Corden

Lost Frequencies ft Calum Scott - Where Are You Now

Up 11 to number 39

Anne-Marie and Niall Horan - Everywhere

In at number 23

Dermot Kennedy - Better Days

Up 2 to number 21

D-Block Europe ft Central Cee - Overseas

In at number 8

Justin Bieber - Ghost

Up 3 to number 29

Imagine Dragons ft JID - Enemy

Up 26 to number 40

Mariah Carey with James Corden and Paul McCartney - All I Want For Christmas Is You

High Climber - Up 20 to number 24

Adele - Easy On Me / Oh My God / I Drink Wine

Sixth week at number 1 / Highest New Entry - In at number 2 / In at number 4

PRESENTERS: Greg James dressed as Father Christmas and Jordan North and Vick Hope dressed as elves

Top of the Pops, 28th October 2021

What a week for new releases. Not only does Adele glide serenely to number 1, but there's a new Coldplay album as well. They perform two tracks from it, giving friend of the show Selena Gomez her first appearance in 2021. Dermot Kennedy makes an impressive chart leap of his own, standing out amid a sea of big names: Lil Nas X, the Weeknd, Doja Cat, Justin Bieber and indeed Ed Sheeran at a more modest chart position than usual.

Debuts: None

The Weeknd - Take My Breath

Up 2 to number 23

Coldplay ft Selena Gomez - My Universe / Let Somebody Go

High Climber - Up 10 to number 5 / In at number 24

Dermot Kennedy - Better Days

Up 8 to number 16

Lil Nas X - That's What I Want

Up 1 to number 10

Doja Cat - Woman

Up 1 to number 13

Ed Sheeran - Visiting Hours

Up 2 to number 21

Justin Bieber - Stay / Ghost

Up 1 to number 15 / Up 15 to number 47

Adele - Easy On Me

Straight in at number 1

PRESENTER: Dannii Minogue

Top of the Pops, 12th August 2021

It's a bit of a catch-up week this week, as we welcome back some of the biggest tracks of the last month or so. That includes Jonasu, Becky Hill, Kid Laroi and Bieber, and of course King Ed Sheeran. The Weeknd too, who has been in or around the top ten for absolutely ages.

There are two new chart breakers, though. We welcome back the soul of the 2020s Billie Eilish, and there's a debut appearance for the exciting Pinkpantheress.

Debuts: Pinkpantheress

Little Mix - Heartbreak Anthem

Up 2 to number 5

Billie Eilish - Happier Than Ever

Highest New Entry - In at number 6

The Weeknd - Save Your Tears

Up 1 to number 10

Jonasu - Black Magic

Up 2 to number 3

Pinkpantheress - Pain

High Climber - Up 18 to number 35

Becky Hill vs David Guetta - Remember

Up 3 to number 7

Kid Laroi and Justin Bieber - Stay

Up 1 to number 2

Ed Sheeran with Becky Hill - Bad Habits

Sixth week at number 1

PRESENTER: Dannii Minogue

Top of the Pops, 22nd July 2021

Things really are getting football crazy now. After the Lightning Seeds and Fat Les last week, footy fever now propels Atomic Kitten and Neil Diamond into the top 20. That makes up a quarter of an unusually fresh line-up, with only the Jonasu song and of course Ed Sheeran at number 1 having been featured already this year.

It's perhaps surprising that it's taken until July for Stormzy to make his first 2021 appearance. He's one of a trio of huge names who return to the show this week, alongside Justin Bieber and Billie Eilish. Arguably BTS as well.

Debuts: None

BTS - Permission To Dance

In at number 16

Kid Laroi and Justin Bieber - Stay

In at number 5

Dave ft Stormzy - Clash

Highest New Entry - In at number 3

Billie Eilish - NDA

In at number 23

Jonasu - Black Magic

Up 3 to number 11

From The Vault: Neil Diamond - Sweet Caroline

High Climber - Up 28 to number 20

Atomic Kitten - Southgate You're The One (Football's Coming Home Again)

In at number 14

Ed Sheeran - Bad Habits

Third week at number 1

PRESENTER: JB Gill

Top of the Pops, 1st April 2021

Justin Bieber launches an assault in earnest, smashing in with three songs, two of which are performed tonight. That causes a lot of other high-up songs to drop down the chart, so we have to go quite deep to fill the show (not that that's a bad thing) - hello James Arthur at number 43!

Nathan Evans holds steady at number 1, and we've got a lively line-up including new face Griff and a double bill from friend of the show Dua Lipa.

Debuts: Griff, Daniel Caesar, Fivio Foreign

Griff - Black Hole

In at number 39

Justin Bieber ft Daniel Caesar and Giveon - Peaches / Hold On

Highest New Entry - In at number 3 / High Climber - Up 21 to number 10

James Arthur - Medicine

Up 11 to number 43

Lil TJay ft Polo G and Fivio Foreign - Headshot

In at number 40

Ava Max - My Head & My Heart

Up 1 to number 18

Masked Wolf - Astronaut In The Ocean

Up 1 to number 23

Dua Lipa - We're Good / Levitating

Up 3 to number 29 / Up 3 to number 36

Nathan Evans vs 220Kid and Billen Ted - Wellerman

Second week at number 1

PRESENTER: Mark Goodyear, as an April fool

Top of the Pops, 18th March 2021

A new Drake album (or content-dump) is released, shaking up the chart as usual; he performs two of the tracks here as a nice sampler. There are also big entries from Justin Bieber, our own AJ Tracey, and the super-duo Silk Sonic.

The Tiesto track has been climbing relentlessly for several weeks now, so it's good to invite him back for a reprise. Ella and Tom are also back again with their cheeky ditty, and we say helloooooo to the enigmatic Masked Wolf.

Debuts: Masked Wolf, Silk Sonic (though Bruno Mars has been featured many times before)

Tiesto - The Business

Up 1 to number 3

Justin Bieber - Hold On

In at number 25

Ella Henderson and Tom Grennan - Let's Go Home Together

Up 2 to number 32

Masked Wolf - Astronaut In The Ocean

Up 2 to number 30

Silk Sonic - Leave The Door Open

In at number 20

AJ Tracey - Anxious

In at number 34

Drake ft Rick Ross - What's Next / Lemon Pepper Freestyle

Highest New Entry - In at number 4 / In at number 6

Olivia Rodrigo - Drivers License

Ninth week at number 1

PRESENTER: JB Gill (from a disused army base)

Top of the Pops, 4th February 2021

For the second week in a row the show starts with Wellerman, but this time it's the hastily assembled dance banger version featuring Nathan Evans. In non-shanty news, friend of the show The Weeknd is back, as is megastar Justin Bieber and new face Sabrina Carpenter. But aside from the Rodrigo monolith at number 1, the starriest performance of the week might be Billie Eilish teaming with Rosalia down at number 35.

Debuts: Rosalia, Sabrina Carpenter

Nathan Evans vs 220Kid and Billen Ted - Wellerman

Highest New Entry - In at number 3

Justin Bieber - Anyone

Up 1 to number 7

The Weeknd - Save Your Tears

Up 1 to number 34

Fredo - Back To Basics

In at number 20

SZA - Good Days

Up 1 to number 13

Sabrina Carpenter - Skin

In at number 28

Billie Eilish and Rosalia - Lo Vas A Olvidar

In at number 35

Olivia Rodrigo - Drivers License

Third week at number 1

PRESENTER: James Masterton (from his kitchen)

Top of the Pops, 14th January 2021

All the Christmas songs suddenly disappear into the ether, leaving room for some monster climbs by the rest of them. The resulting line-up is more or less a who's who of anyone who's anyone: Justin Bieber, Dua Lipa, Queen Ariana Grande (performing most of her album), Taylor Swift. They are ably supplemented by some chart favourites from the second half of 2020 in Tate McRae, Meduza and KSI.

Perhaps the most surprising climb of all is the Little Mix song, which leaps the eight places needed to hit the top almost out of nowhere. They give an ebullient performance, and give us a bit of their (so far) more minor hit No Time For Tears as an encore.

Debuts: None.

Dua Lipa - Levitating

Up 63 to number 5

Justin Bieber - Anyone

Highest New Entry - In at number 4

Taylor Swift - Willow

Up 22 to number 12

KSI ft. Craig David and Digital Farm Animals - Really Love

Up 22 to number 14

Meduza ft. Dermot Kennedy - Without You

Up 19 to number 10

Tate McRae - You Broke Me First

High Climber - Up 65 to number 9

Ariana Grande - 34 + 35 / Positions / POV

Up 12 to number 8 / Up 23 to number 22 / Back in at number 52

Little Mix - Sweet Melody / No Time For Tears

Up 8 to number 1 / Up 38 to number 24

PRESENTER: Heidi Range (from an abandoned hairdresser's)

Top of the Pops, 17th December 2020

With Christmas just over a week away, it's necessary to invite the self-appointed Mr Christmas Michael Buble on to the show to perform two of his deathless swing-music anthems. Peppier Christmas fare comes from Leona Lewis, Justin Bieber and throwback footage of Brenda Lee. But the big story, of course, is Mariah Carey finally making it to the top after all these years.

Non-tinselly material comes from Kid Laroi, The Weeknd and especially Ariana Grande, whose hows-your-father anthem makes the perfect antidote for anyone who needs it.

Debuts: Kid Laroi.

Leona Lewis - One More Sleep

Up 8 to number 25

Kid Laroi - Without You

Back in at number 23

Justin Bieber - Mistletoe

Up 7 to number 36

Ariana Grande - 34 + 35

Up 1 to number 9

The Weeknd - Blinding Lights

Long Runner - Up 7 to number 39 after 54 weeks

From The Vault: Brenda Lee - Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree

Up 4 to number 15

Michael Buble - It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas / Holly Jolly Christmas

Up 6 to number 7 / Up 7 to number 30

Mariah Carey - All I Want For Christmas Is You

Up 1 to number 1

PRESENTER: Bruce Willis, in character as John McClane

Top of the Pops, 3rd December 2020

It's December and the big guns are coming out. BTS, Mendes and Bieber and Cyrus and Lipa all take their best shots at the chart, although for the moment they are still behind Ariana Grande and also the surprisingly resilient Wes Nelson and Hardy Caprio.

In an effort to avoid too much repetition, we pass over Mariah and a couple of others and dig down to number 33 for a classic Christmas toe-tapper from Shakin' Stevens.

Debuts: None.

Dua Lipa - Levitating

Up 5 to number 5

Shawn Mendes and Justin Bieber - Monster

In at number 9

Meduza ft. Dermot Kennedy - Paradise

Up 2 to number 18

BTS - Life Goes On

In at number 10

Wes Nelson and Hardy Caprio - See Nobody

Up 1 to number 4

From The Vault: Shakin' Stevens - Merry Christmas Everyone

Back in at number 33

Miley Cyrus with Dua Lipa - Prisoner

Highest New Entry - In at number 8

Ariana Grande - Positions / 34 + 35

Fifth week at number 1 / Up 4 to number 13

PRESENTERS: Hugh Grant and Martine McCutcheon

Top of the Pops, 19th November 2020

It's a loaded show for pop fans this week. Ariana Grande holds on at number one and also has another highest new entry. Shawn Mendes is back with his new single. And there are microclimbs for longer-running hits from Clean Bandit, Joel Corry and the modern day version of Phats and Small, Sigala.

We've also got a couple of exclusives, as Dermot Kennedy invites Meduza to zazz up Giants in a medley with their collaborative hit, and friends of the show Little Mix provide a gorgeous harmonized backing for Justin Bieber as well as performing their own double bill.

Debuts: None.

Shawn Mendes - Wonder

Up 5 to number 20

Little Mix - Sweet Melody / Confetti

Up 9 to number 3 / In at number 23

Dermot Kennedy vs Meduza - Giants / Paradise

Up 3 to number 16 / High Climber - Up 11 to number 24

Clean Bandit ft. Mabel - Tick Tock

Up 1 to number 13

Sigala and James Arthur - Lasting Lover

Up 3 to number 12

Joel Corry ft. MNEK - Head and Heart

Up 3 to number 15

Justin Bieber with Little Mix - Holy

Up 1 to number 9

Ariana Grande - Positions / POV

Third week at number 1 / Highest New Entry - In at number 22

PRESENTER: Graham Norton

Top of the Pops, 22nd October 2020

It's pop week on Top of the Pops, as a precipitous fall by Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion allows other songs that had been holding steady to all move up a bit, meaning that almost the entire top ten gets featured on the show. That means Paul Woolford, Justin Bieber, Miley Cyrus, Derulo and another new high for Tate McRae, plus a huge posse cut medley from Headie One and his compadres.

Lower down the chart Sam Smith makes further inroads, while we're played out by another medley as friends of the show Clean Bandit join 24KGoldn for an exclusive reimagining of his two current hits.

Debuts: None.

Miley Cyrus - Midnight Sky

Up 2 to number 6

Sam Smith - Diamonds

Up 3 to number 23

Tate McRae - You Broke Me First

Up 2 to number 5

Paul Woolford and Diplo ft. Kareen Lomax - Looking For Me

Up 1 to number 4

Justin Bieber ft. Chance The Rapper - Holy

Up 2 to number 10

Jason Derulo - Take You Dancing

Up 1 to number 9

Headie One ft. AJ Tracey, Stormzy, Young T and Bugsey - Ain't It Different / Princess Cuts

Up 2 to number 2 / Highest New Entry - In at number 11

24KGoldn vs Clean Bandit - Mood / Tick Tock

Fourth week at number 1 / Up 1 to number 12

PRESENTERS: Kimberley Walsh (from her home office)

Top of the Pops, 1st October 2020

24KGolden and Iann Dior take the fateful final step and find themselves at the top of the chart this week, displacing Megan and Cardi. The biggest new entry comes from Justin Bieber, and he has competition in the megastar stakes from the international sensations BTS.

More downbeatly, we've also got another posthumous hit from Pop Smoke, who's been having big hits the whole time but can hardly be featured week in week out. Sam Smith has a big new entry with low-key banger Diamonds, and Jason Derulo and Sigala are at least adequate ways to round out the show.

Debuts: Lil TJay

BTS - Dynamite

Up 2 to number 19

Justin Bieber ft. Chance The Rapper - Holy

Highest New Entry - In at number 10

M Huncho and Nafe Smallz - 5am

In at number 25

Jason Derulo - Take You Dancing

Up 2 to number 7

Sigala ft. James Arthur - Lasting Lover

High Climber - Up 10 to number 17

Pop Smoke ft. Lil TJay - Mood Swings

Up 1 to number 5

Sam Smith - Diamonds

In at number 22

24KGoldn ft. Iann Dior - Mood

Up 1 to number 1

PRESENTER: JB Gill (from the chicken coop)

Top of the Pops, 9th July 2020

Congratulations to Jawsh 685, who leaps the last three places to take the top spot - with a little help from friend of the show Jason Derulo, of course. There's also a big new entry from K-pop maestros BlackPink, and a surprising leap for Jubel.

A couple of exclusives to mention: Ariana Grande and Justin Bieber perform their lockdown anthem live down the actual telephone, and the legendary Sweet Female Attitude and Sugababes give Nathan Dawes the day off and give us a sweet blend of their own takes on Flowers instead.

Debuts: Jubel, Neimy

Ava Max - Kings and Queens

Up 2 to number 19

BlackPink - How You Like That

Highest New Entry - In at number 20

Jubel ft. Neimy - Dancing In The Moonlight

High Climber - Up 26 to number 27

Ariana Grande and Justin Bieber - Stuck With U

Up 2 to number 17

The Weeknd - Blinding Lights

Long Runner - Up 2 to number 12 after 31 weeks

RAYE vs Regard - Secrets

Up 3 to number 7

Sweet Female Attitude and the Sugababes - Flowers

Up 3 to number 14

Jawsh 685 vs Jason Derulo - Savage Love (Laxed - Siren Beat)

Up 3 to number 1

PRESENTER: James Masterton

Top of the Pops, 21st May 2020

We've got quite a surprising number 1 this week: DaBaby takes a five place bounce to pip Drake, Doja and the rest. He and Roddy Ricch give an ebullient splitscreen performance to celebrate.

We've also got another new chart peak for Sam Fischer, a big-news new entry from Ariana Grande and Justin Bieber, and new indoors versions of evergreen hits from Dua Lipa, Harry Styles and Saint JHN. Sweet Female Attitude even pop up to get the credit they are due for the fairly low rent Nathan Dawe hit. And look at Tones and I - 41 weeks now for her.

Debuts: None

Sam Fischer - This City

Up 4 to number 20

Ariana Grande and Justin Bieber - Stuck With U

Highest New Entry - In at number 4

Harry Styles - Adore You

Up 5 to number 18

Saint JHN - Roses

Up 1 to number 13

Tones and I - Dance Monkey

Long Runner - Up 1 to number 21 after 41 weeks

Dua Lipa - Break My Heart

Up 1 to number 11

Nathan Dawe ft Jaykae and Sweet Female Attitude - Flowers

Up 4 to number 17

DaBaby ft Roddy Ricch - Rockstar

Up 5 to number 1

PRESENTER: Kimberley Walsh (from the Royal Albert Hall, with nobody in it)

Top of the Pops, 9th April 2020

Friends of the show Little Mix are back, via a conference call from their bedrooms. Skepta and friends also take the multiscreen option, whereas Justin Bieber simply ropes in a few of his four-legged friends to fill in for Quavo. We've also got the return of Rihanna (!) but only via an inset video in a kitchen-based performance from PartyNextDoor.

The Weeknd hops back up to number 1 after a couple of weeks off.

Debuts:Young Adz (as solo), Megan Thee Stallion

Little Mix - Break Up Song

In at number 9

Lil Mosey - Blueberry Faygo

Up 11 to number 11

PartyNextDoor ft Rihanna - Believe It

In at number 12

Skepta ft Chip and Young Adz - Waze / Mains

In at number 18 / In at number 32

Dua Lipa - Break My Heart

Highest New Entry - In at number 6

Megan Thee Stallion - Savage

High Climber - Up 19 to number 28

Justin Bieber ft Justin Bieber's pets - Intentions

Up 1 to number 8

The Weeknd - Blinding Lights

Back up to number 1

PRESENTER: Heidi Range (from an empty Anfield)

Top of the Pops, 26th March 2020

Lockdown continues, so everyone listed below is either performing acoustically from their bedroom, leaning on videos or archive footage, or in the case of Becky Hill, belting it out from a rooftop accompanied by fireworks and an alpen horn.

Saint JHN tops off a pretty notable chart climb this week by taking the final little leap to number one, while many of our top stars (Bieber, Styles, er, Horan) consolidate their positions. Lil Mosey is a newcomer, and the likeable Doja Cat reaches a new chart peak.

Debuts: Lil Mosey

Niall Horan - No Judgement

Highest New Entry - In at number 32

Justin Bieber ft Quavo - Intentions

Up 1 to number 10

Doja Cat - Say So

Up 1 to number 8

Becky Hill - Better Off Without You

Up 2 to number 14

Lil Mosey - Blueberry Faygo

High Climber - Up 22 to number 19

Joel Corry - Lonely

Up 2 to number 5

Harry Styles - Adore You / Falling

Up 4 to number 13 / Up 4 to number 20

Saint JHN - Roses

Up 1 to number 1

PRESENTER: JB Gill (from the farm)

Top of the Pops, 27th February 2020

If you were wondering when Billie Eilish would top the chart, well, the answer is now. Her Bond-assisted newie drops in at number 1 (and the second highest entry of the week comes from the last Bond singer, Sam Smith, too).

Lewis Capaldi is still in the top ten, now on a barely believable Chasing Cars-type run, but Mabel isn't doing badly for chart longevity either, albeit a bit lower down. New stuff comes from the mighty Bieber and newcomer Doja Cat.

Debuts: Doja Cat

Mabel - Don't Call Me Up

High Climber - Up 14 to number 38

Doja Cat - Say So

Up 4 to number 21

Justin Bieber - Yummy / Forever

Up 1 to number 12 / In at number 29

Sam Smith - To Die For

In at number 20

Arizona Zervas - Roxanne

Up 1 to number 32

Saint JHN - Roses

Up 1 to number 7

Lewis Capaldi - Someone You Loved

Long Runner - Up 1 to number 6 after 60 weeks

Billie Eilish - No Time To Die

Straight in at number 1

PRESENTER: James Masterton

Top of the Pops, 20th February 2020

Superduo Future and Drake are back in the studio, between them just about eclipsing Justin Bieber's star on a pretty stacked TOTP. The highlight must be the two of them guesting on a souped-up exclusive performance from friend of the show Camila Cabello.

We've also got new stuff from Joel Corry, both new and old stuff from Selena Gomez, and a second week up top for the 1980s stylings of The Weeknd.

Debuts: None

Jonas Brothers - What A Man Gotta Do

Up 9 to number 22

Future ft Drake - Life Is Good

Up 2 to number 8

Trevor Daniel - Falling

Up 4 to number 18

Selena Gomez - Lose You To Love Me / Rare

Up 6 to number 21 / Up 8 to number 42

Joel Corry - Lonely

High Climber - Up 14 to number 16

Justin Bieber - Intentions

Highest new entry - In at number 14

Camila Cabello ft Future and Drake - My Oh My

Up 3 to number 17

The Weeknd - Blinding Lights

Second week at number 1

PRESENTER: Dannii Minogue

Top of the Pops, 16th January 2020

The January chart is still pretty lively, with tracks from last year (Meduza, Regard) shooting back up alongside new ones from Justin Bieber, friend of the show The Weeknd and this week's britrap representatives, Mist and Roddy Ricch.

Bieber aside, chart monster Lewis Capaldi and the mighty Stormzy are the big names, Stormzy performing solo this week. That's over a year on the chart now for the Capaldi track.

Debuts: None

Meduza and Goodboys ft Becky Hill - Lose Control

Up 16 to number 15

Justin Bieber - Yummy

Highest New Entry - In at number 5

Roddy Ricch - The Box

High Climber - Up 24 to number 16

The Weeknd - Blinding Lights

Up 1 to number 10

Mist - Savage

In at number 35

Regard ft Jay Sean - Ride It

Up 12 to number 11

Lewis Capaldi - Someone You Loved

Long Runner - Up 8 to number 7 after 54 weeks

Stormzy - Own It

Second week at number 1

PRESENTER: James Masterton