The Top 40 Most Played Tracks of the Decade: 2010-2020

In a special chart show exclusive to Radio 2, Scott Mills reveals the 40 most played songs of the last decade, from 2010 right up to the start of 2020.

• Listen to the Most Played Songs of the the Decade on BBC Sounds

Compiled by PPL (the organisation that monitors all recorded music plays in the UK, not just on radio and TV, but in cinemas, clubs, pubs, restaurants, gyms and even karaoke bars), these songs have soundtracked our lives over the last ten years.

'Chasing Cars' by Snow Patrol was the most-played song of the previous decade, and it still charts 10 years later. There are plenty more surprises in store. See the top 10 below and find the rest of the chart elsewhere on this page.

Released: 2008
Highest chart position: 1

Nashville rockers Kings of Leon truly broke into the mainstream with 'Sex on Fire', although the song only charted as high as No.56 back in the United States. The track title doesn't mean anything, according to frontman Caleb Followill – it was just a running joke they had while making it in the studio.

Did you know? The track was almost shelved because Caleb wasn't happy with it. He told NME: "I just had this melody and I didn't know what to say. Then one day I just sang 'this sex is on fire' and I laughed. I thought it was terrible, but the rest of the band were like, 'it's good, it's got a hook.'"

Released: 2010
Highest chart position: 1

'Forget You', and its more expletive-filled evil twin, was a fury-fuelled response to the Gnarls Barkley star's fallout with his label, Elektra Records. To date it's his only solo record to top the UK Singles Chart and is taken from his third and most successfu solo album, 'The Lady Killer' which reached No.3 in the UK.

Did you know? CeeLo and Bruno Mars wrote the track in just two hours.

Released: 2013
Highest chart position: 1

OneRepublic frontman Ryan Tedder had an eye for a hit, having co-written Leona Lewis' 'Bleeding Love' and Beyoncé's 'Halo'. 'Counting Stars' ranks as his band's biggest chart success; a barnstorming, country-nodding number that showcases Tedder's songwriting chops.

Did you know? Tedder first came up with an idea for the song while he was working with Beyoncé on her '4' album.

Released: 2014
Highest chart position: 1

Few tracks arrive as instantly cherished as 'Uptown Funk', a gloriously upbeat single that took over a year to complete, with Ronson spending most of the time trying to track down Bruno Mars for a guest vocal. It spent seven weeks at the top of the UK Singles Chart.

Did you know? Ronson was so invested in creating the perfect guitar sound for the track, it took 82 takes. He also claims to have fainted in a restaurant while taking a break from recording, with producer Jeff Bhasker having to carry him back to the studio. "I threw up three times," he told Billboard.

Released: 2009
Highest chart position: 1

'I Gotta Feeling' became the go-to party anthem from 2009 onwards, spilling into the next decade. It went three-times Platinum in the UK, outsold only by Lady Gaga's 'Poker Face' as the biggest-selling single of 2009.

Did you know? The track was inspired by frontman Will.i.am's newfound love of European dance music, and it samples a track ('Love Is Gone') from world renowned producer David Guetta, who also produces 'I Gotta Feeling'.

Released: 2016
Highest chart position: 2

The most recent single to feature in our top 10, 'Can't Stop the Feeling!' got families singing after appearing on the 'Trolls' soundtrack. Timberlake stars in the film itself as loveable grump Branch.

Did you know? It was co-written with Max Martin, the man responsible for co-writing hits like Britney Spears' '... Baby One More Time' and Taylor Swift's 'Shake It Off'.

Released: 2013
Highest chart position: 1

Enigmatic dance duo Daft Punk had their biggest hit to date with 'Get Lucky', teaming up with legendary Chic guitarist Nile Rodgers and chart magnet Pharrell for an insanely catchy collaboration. It became their first UK No.1 single.

Did you know? It became the first non-charity single to sell over 150k copies for two weeks running since 2002, when Pop Idol contestants Gareth Gates and Will Young achieved the same feat with their debut singles.

Released: 2011
Highest chart position: 2

The Adam Levine-fronted group enjoyed huge success in the 00s, and they continued that with this funk-laced single that pays tribute to Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger.

Did you know? Levine revealed to Rolling Stone magazine in 2012 that the band had been hesitant about releasing the track, partly because of Jagger's big reputation. "I was scared to release it," he said.

Released: 2010
Highest chart position: 2

The lead single from second album '21', 'Rolling in the Deep' was at the time overshadowed by career-defining ballad 'Someone Like You', but our chart reveals that it received more plays across the decade.

Did you know? Adele wrote the track in just three hours alongside producer Paul Epworth, following a break-up.

Released: 2013
Highest chart position: 1

Pharrell spent the 90s and 00s making cutting-edge productions with the Neptunes, and skewing the rock formula with N.E.R.D. The next decade saw him taking over the mainstream with feel-good track 'Happy', which went stratospheric in-part thanks to its place on the 'Despicable Me 2' soundtrack. It spent four weeks at the top of the UK charts and ranked as 2013's biggest-selling track, and it has since become such a mainstay that it ranks as the most-played song of the last decade.

Did you know? In an interview with W Magazine, Williams claimed 'Happy' was the ninth song he pitched for the 'Despicable Me 2' soundtrack, after previous tracks were rejected.

• Listen to Scott Mills' full rundown of the decade's most-played songs on BBC Sounds

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