Ireland survey

online.ie: entertainment: "Jacko's 'Billie-Jean greatest No.1'
online.ie
2004-07-30 17:20:09+01

Michael Jackson's Billie Jean has been voted the greatest number one of all time.

The 1983 hit was chosen ahead of John Lennon's Imagine and Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody.

Music channel VH1 polled more than 25,000 people for their ultimate number one.

Oasis came fourth in the poll with Don't Look Back In Anger, just ahead of Vogue by Madonna.

Bryan Adams' (Everything I Do) I Do It For You, which topped the charts for a record-breaking 16 weeks in 1991, was sixth.

Will Young was a surprise entry at number seven with his recent hit Leave Right Now.

Kylie Minogue's Can't Get You Out Of My Head and Madonna's Like A Prayer were at number eight and nine.

And Mariah Carey sneaked into the top 10 with the gushy ballad Without You.

Records making the top 20 included Every Breath You Take by the Police, Careless Whisper by George Michael and True by Spandau Ballet.

Britney Spears appears twice in the top 20 - but VH1 viewers voted her last hit Toxic ahead of Baby One More Time.

A VH1 spokeswoman said: 'The poll has thrown up some surprising results - who would have thought Britney would lose out to Mariah Carey or Will Young's Leave Right Now would beat George Michael's Careless Whisper.

'Michael Jackson won by a landslide, which just goes to show people still love his music despite what's going on in his life.'

VH1's Ultimate Number Ones: The Greatest will be broadcast tomorrow.

Top 20:
1 Michael Jackson - Billie Jean
2 John Lennon - Imagine
3 Queen - Bohemian Rhapsody
4 Oasis - Don't Look Back In Anger
5 Madonna - Vogue
6 Bryan Adams - (Everything I Do) I Do It For You
7 Will Young - Leave Right Now
8 Kylie Minogue - Can't Get You Out Of My Head
9 Madonna - Like A Prayer
10 Mariah Carey - Without You
11 Britney Spears - Toxic
12 Westlife - Flying Without Wings
13 Police - Every Breath You Take
14 No Doubt - Don't Speak
15 Britney Spears - Baby One More Time
16 George Michael - Careless Whisper
17 Celine Dion - Think Twice
18 Puff Daddy and Faith Evans - I'll Be Missing You
19 Spandau Ballet - True
20 Spice Girls - Wannabe