Beatles fail to get listeners’ vote in top songs of last 50 years

THE top five songs of the past five decades were named yesterday after listeners to British station Radio 2 were asked to vote for the best song from each decade since the 1950s.

They 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.

There was no place for the Beatles or John Lennon.

Radio 2 held its Songs Of The Decades vote to mark the 50th anniversary of the Ivor Novello Awards, which take place this Thursday.

More than six million listeners chose from a shortlist of 25 songs selected by an expert panel of songwriters.

Radio 2 music editor Colin Martin said: "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. The listeners have voted and the Beatles are out."