Last Heard: Most Recent Top 40 Hits from 125 Legends

What follows is a list of 125 household-name artists grouped by the last years in which they appeared on a single that hit the Top 40 of Billboard's Hot 100 chart in America.

I included mostly living artists, since the idea is that they could still have another hit some day. (In cases where the artists have died since I compiled this list, I put them in parentheses. Let me know who's missing!)

As a recovering teen chart nut, I find this stuff fascinating. It speaks to their relevance as artists in some cases, but speaks to the relevance of having a "hit single" in cases where the artists are clearly still quite successful by other measures.

Most of all, it's just wow-inducing to see how long it's been for some of these artists, who have sold millions and millions of records in their storied careers.

It's also interesting seeing the groups of artists who enjoyed their last Top 40 success together ... Gloria Gaynor and Patti Smith, for example, both hit the Top 40 for the last time in the very same year.

(Please feel free to correct me if I am wrong on any; it's hard juggling artists' singles, featured appearances, etc.)

Never in the Top 40

Andrea Bocelli

Debbie Harry (as solo artist)

Courtney Love (solo or with Hole)

Marilyn Manson

Liza Minnelli

Last Top 40 Hit: 1964

Connie Francis

Last Top 40 Hit: 1967

Lesley Gore

Last Top 40 Hit: 1971

Van Morrison

Last Top 40 Hit: 1977

Lynyrd Skynyrd

Last Top 40 Hit: 1978

Gloria Gaynor

Patti Smith

Last Top 40 Hit: 1979

Bob Dylan

Pink Floyd

Last Top 40 Hit: 1980

Carole King

Wayne Newton

Neil Sedaka

Last Top 40 Hit: 1981

James Taylor

Last Top 40 Hit: 1982

Blondie

Neil Diamond

Rush

Last Top 40 Hit: 1983

Paul Anka

Barry Manilow

Last Top 40 Hit: 1984

The Go-Go's

Julio Iglesias

Diana Ross

Last Top 40 Hit: 1985

Kate Bush

Dire Straits

Willie Nelson

Olivia Newton-John

Last Top 40 Hit: 1986

Jackson Browne

The Pointer Sisters

Paul Simon

The Talking Heads

Last Top 40 Hit: 1987

(Note: Bowie's last year for a Top 40 hit prior to his death; "Lazarus" hit #40 the week after he died in 2016)

Dionne Warwick

Stevie Wonder

Last Top 40 Hit: 1988

Foreigner

(Note: Glenn Frey's last hit before his 2016 death.)

Al Green

Joni Mitchell

Pet Shop Boys

Robert Plant

Last Top 40 Hit: 1989

The Bangles

Pat Benatar

Elvis Costello

Cyndi Lauper

Stevie Nicks

The Rolling Stones

Last Top 40 Hit: 1990

Belinda Carlisle

Fleetwood Mac

Hall & Oates

Kiss

Bette Midler

Last Top 40 Hit: 1991

Roberta Flack

Huey Lewis & the News

Last Top 40 Hit: 1992

The Cure

Boy George

Peter Gabriel

Don Henley

k.d. lang

Ozzy Osbourne

Sade

Last Top 40 Hit: 1993

Duran Duran

Billy Joel

New Order

Tina Turner

Last Top 40 Hit: 1994

Beck

R.E.M.

(Note: Tom Petty's last Top 40 before he died in 2017.)

Last Top 40 Hit: 1995

Annie Lennox

Meat Loaf

Van Halen

Neil Young*

*Young played on a Pearl Jam hit in 1995, but received no chart credit. Prior to this, his most recent Top 40 hit was in 1972.

Last Top 40 Hit: 1996

Bryan Adams

(Note: George Michael's last hit before his death in 2016)

Journey

Lionel Richie

Last Top 40 Hit: 1997

Depeche Mode

Bruce Springsteen

Last Top 40 Hit: 1998

Cher

Aretha Franklin

Oasis

(Note: Prince's last hit before his 2016 death)

Spice Girls

Rod Stewart

Last Top 40 Hit: 1999

Garth Brooks

Phil Collins

Gloria Estefan

Kenny G

Garbage

Ice Cube

Elton John

Kenny Rogers

Last Top 40 Hit: 2000

Eric Clapton

Last Top 40 Hit: 2001

Aerosmith

Enya

Ricky Martin

Last Top 40 Hit: 2002

Céline Dion

Alanis Morisette

*NSYNC

Last Top 40 Hit: 2003

Jewel

Shania Twain

Last Top 40 Hit: 2005

Backstreet Boys

Nine Inch Nails

Dolly Parton

U2

Last Top 40 Hit: 2007

Bon Jovi

Santana

Last Top 40 Hit: 2008

Sheryl Crow

Guns 'N Roses

Metallica

New Kids on the Block

Last Top 40 Hit: 2009

Green Day

Dave Matthews Band

Last Top 40 Hit: 2010

Janet Jackson* (2008)

LL Cool J* (2006)

Barbra Streisand* (1996)

*Only charted due to "We Are the World 25 for Haiti." See parenthetics for previous year with a hit.

Last Top 40 Hit: 2011

Mick Jagger

The Red Hot Chili Peppers

Shakira

Last Top 40 Hit: 2012

Eminem

Madonna

Last Top 40 Hit: 2013

Mariah Carey

Last Top 40 Hit: 2014

Jennifer Lopez

Last Top 40 Hit: 2015

Paul McCartney

Full Details (Roughly Chronological)

Andrea Bocelli = never

Debbie Harry = never

Courtney Love = never

Marilyn Manson = never

Liza Minnelli = never

Connie Francis, "Be Anything (But Be Mine)," #25 (1964)

Lesley Gore, "California Nights," #16 (1967)

Van Morrison, "Wild Night," #28 (1971)

Lynyrd Skynyrd, "What's Your Name?" #13 (1977)

Patti Smith, "Because the Night," #13 (1978)

Gloria Gaynor, "I Will Survive," #1 (1978)

Pink Floyd, "Another Brick in the Wall (Part II)," #1 (1979)

Bob Dylan, "Gotta Serve Somebody," #24 (1979)

Carole King, "One Fine Day,"#12 (1980)

Wayne Newton, "Years," #35 (1980)

Neil Sedaka, "Should've Never Let You Go" (duet with Dara Sedaka), #19 (1980)

James Taylor, "Her Town Too" (duet with J.D. Souther), #11 (1981)

Blondie, "Island of Lost Souls," #37 (1982)

ABBA, "When All is Said and Done," #27  (1982)

Neil Diamond, "Heartlight," #5 (1982)

Rush, "New World Man," #21 (1982)

Paul Anka, "Hold Me 'Til the Morning Comes," #40 (1983)

Barry Manilow, "Read 'Em and Weep," #18 (1983)

Julio Iglesias, "To All the Girls I've Loved Before" (duet with Willie Nelson), #5 (1984)

Diana Ross, "Missing You," #10 (1984)

The Go-Go's, "Turn to  You," #32 (1984)

Willie Nelson, "We Are the World" (Various), #1 (1985)

Olivia Newton-John, "Soul Kiss," #20 (1985)

Dire Straits, "Walk of Life," #7 (1985)

Kate Bush, "Running Up That Hill," #30 (1985)

Paul Simon, "You Can Call Me Al," #23 (1986)

The Talking Heads, "Wild Wild Life," #25 (1986)

Jackson Browne, "For America," #30 (1986)

The Pointer Sisters, "Goldmine," #33 (1986)

Dionne Warwick, "Love Power" (duet with Jeffrey Osborne), #12 (1987)

David Bowie, "Never Let Me Down," #27 (1987)

Stevie Wonder, "Skeletons," #19 (1987)

Pet Shop Boys, "Domino Dancing," #18 (1988)

Robert Plant, "Tall Cool One," #25 (1988)

Foreigner, "I Don't Wanna Live Without You," #5 (1988)

Al Green, "Put a Little Love in Your Heart" (duet with Annie Lennox), #9 (1988)

Joni Mitchell, "Snakes and Ladders," #32 (1988)

Glenn Frey, "True Love," #13 (1988)

Pat Benatar, "All Fired Up," #18 (1989)

The Bangles, "Be With You," #30 (1989)

The Rolling Stones, "Rock and a Hard Place," #23 (1989)

Cyndi Lauper, "I Drove All Night," #6 (1989)

Stevie Nicks, "Rooms on Fire," #16 (1989)

Paul McCartney, "My Brave Face," #25 (1989)

Elvis Costello, "Veronica," #19 (1989)

Kiss, "Forever (Remix)," #8 (1990)

Bette Midler, "From a Distance," #2 (1990)

Belinda Carlisle, "Summer Rain," #30 (1990)

Fleetwood Mac, "Save Me," #33 (1990)

Hall & Oates, "So Close," #11 (1990)

Huey Lewis & the News, "It Hit Me Like a Hammer," #21 (1991)

Roberta Flack, "Set the Night to Music" (duet with Maxi Priest), #6 (1991)

Peter Gabriel, "Steam," #32 (1992)

Sade, "No Ordinary Love," #20 (1992)

Boy George, "The Crying Game," #15 (1992)

The Cure, "Friday I'm in Love," #18 (1992)

k.d. lang, "Constant Craving," #38 (1992)

Don Henley, "Sometimes Love Just Ain't Enough" (duet with Patty Smyth), #2 (1992)

Ozzy Osbourne, "Mama, I'm Coming Come," #28 (1992)

Duran Duran, "Come Undone" #7 (1993)

New Order, "Regret," #28 (1993)

Tina Turner, "I Don't Wanna Fight," #9 (1993)

Billy Joel, "All About Soul," #29 (1993)

R.E.M., "Bang and Blame," #19 (1994)

Tom Petty, "You Don't Know How It Feels," #13 (1994)

Beck, "Loser," #10 (1994)

Meat Loaf, "I'd Lie for You (and That's the Truth)" (with Patti Russo), #13 (1995)

Neil Young, "I Got Id" by Pearl Jam,  #7 (1995) [Young played guitar on the track, but received no Billboard credit; previous entry was "Old Man," #31 (1972)]

Annie Lennox, "No More I Love Yous," #23 (1995)

Van Halen, "Can't Stop Lovin' You," #30 (1995)

George Michael, "Fastlove," #8 (1996)

Journey, "When You Love a Woman," #12 (1996)

Lionel Richie, "Don't Wanna Lose You," #39 (1996)

Bryan Adams, "I Finally Found Someone" (duet with Barbra Streisand), #8 (1996)

Depeche Mode, "It's No Good," #38 (1997)

Bruce Springsteen, "Secret Garden," #19 (1997)

Cher, "Believe," #1 (1998)

Rod Stewart, "Ooh La La," #39 (1998)

Aretha Franklin, "A Rose is Still a Rose," #26 (1998)

Prince, "1999," #40 (1998) [non-rerelease = "I Hate U," #12 (1995)]

Spice Girls, "Goodbye," #11 (1998)

Oasis, "Don't Go Away," #35 (1998)

Kenny G, "Auld Lang Syne," #7 (1999)

Elton John, "Written in the Stars" (duet with LeAnn Rimes), #29 (1999)

Phil Collins, "You'll Be in My Heart," #21 (1999)

Gloria Estefan, "Music of My Heart" (duet with *NSYNC), #2 (1999)

Garth Brooks, "Lost in You" (as "Chris Gaines"), #5 (1999)

Ice Cube, "You Can Do It" (with Mack 10 & Ms. Toi), #35 (1999)

Garbage, "When I Grow Up," #4 (1999)

Kenny Rogers, "Buy Me a Rose" (with Alison Krauss & Billy Dean), #40 (1999)

Eric Clapton, "Riding with the King" (duet with B.B. King), #26 (2000)

Ricky Martin, "Nobody Wants to Be Lonely" (duet with Christina Aguilera), #13 (2001)

Aerosmith, "Jaded," #7 (2001)

Enya, "Only Time," #10 (2001)

Celine Dion, "A New Day Has Come," #22 (2002)

Alanis Morisette, "Hands Clean," #23 (2002)

*NSYNC, "Girlfriend" (feat. Nelly), #5 (2002)

Shania Twain, "Forever and for Always," #20 (2003)

Jewel, "Intuition," #20 (2003)

Dolly Parton, "When I Get Where I'm Going" (duet with Brad Paisley),  #39 (2005)

U2, "Original of the Species," #23 (2005)

Backstreet Boys, "Incomplete," #13 (2005)

Nine Inche Nails, "The Hand That Feeds," #31 (2005)

Bon Jovi, "(You Want To) Make a Memory," #27 (2007)

Santana, "Into the Night" (feat. Chad Kroeger), #26 (2007)

Metallica, "The Day That Never Comes," #31 (2008)

Guns N' Roses, "Chinese Democracy," #34 (2008)

Sheryl Crow, "Just Stand Up!" (Various), #11 (2008)

New Kids on the Block, "Summertime" (feat. Ne-Yo), #35 (2008)

Green Day, "21 Guns," #22 (2009)

Dave Matthews Band, "Funny the Way It Is," #37 (2009)

Barbra Streisand, "We Are the World 25 for Haiti" (Various), #2 (2010) [non-group = "I Finally Found Someone" (duet with Bryan Adams), #8 (1996)]

Janet Jackson, "We Are the World 25 for Haiti" (Various), #2 (2010) [non-group = "Feedback," #19 (2008)]

LL Cool J, "We Are the World 25 for Haiti" (Various), #2 (2010) [non-group = "Control Myself" (feat. Jennifer Lopez), #4 (2006)]

The Red Hot Chili Peppers, "The Adventures of Rain Dance Maggie," #38 (2011)

Shakira, "Loca" (feat. El Cata & Dizzee Rascal), #32 (2011)

Mick Jagger, "T.H.E. (The Hardest Ever" (will.i.am feat. Mick Jagger & Jennifer Lopez), #36 (2011)

Eminem, "My Life" (with 50 Cent & Adam Levine), #27 (2012)

Madonna, "Give Me All Your Luvin'," #10 (2012)

Mariah Carey, "Beautiful," #15 (2013)

Jennifer Lopez, "Booty," #18 (2014)

Paul McCartney, "FourFiveSeconds" (Kanye West, Rihanna & Paul McCartney), #4 (2015)