Sir Cliff Richard has failed to top the UK Top 40 single charts with Thank You For a Lifetime, which debuted at number three instead.
Sir Cliff Richard has lost out to US rockers Kings of Leon in his attempt to score a number one single in each of six consecutive decades.
Had it reached the top spot, it would have given the 67-year-old a number one single across six consecutive decades.
Sex On Fire topped the chart for the Tennessee-based foursome, while Sir Cliff reached number three with Thank You For A Lifetime.
Sex On Fire, by US rock band Kings of Leon went straight to number one, followed by last week's chart topper Katy Perry's I kissed a girl.
While 67-year-old did not reach the top, he has still enjoyed a top 10 single in every decade since 1958.
The Pussycat Dolls was in fourth place and Rihanna's Disturbia fell to fifth.
Metallica top the album chart after fending off a challenge from Glasvegas.
Death Magnetic, the 12th album from the hard rock band, was due to be made available on Friday, but the release date was brought forward after some retailers broke a sales embargo.
UK TOP FIVE SINGLES 1. Kings of Leon (pictured) - Sex On Fire 2. Katy Perry - I Kissed A Girl3. Sir Cliff Richard - Thank You For a LifetimeThe Pussycat Dolls - When I Grow Up5. Rihanna - Disturbia Source: The Official Charts Company "Glasvegas had to settle for number two with their self-titled debut, with Rihanna's Good Girl Gone Bad - released over a year ago - at number three.
Last week's number one, The Verve's Forth, fell to number four.
'Confident'
'Confident'
Sir Cliff had his first number one in 1959 with Living Doll and the band The Drifters.
Sir Cliff had his first number one single in 1959 with Living Doll.
Speaking to BBC News earlier this week, he said "it would be nice" if he topped the charts, but revealed he was not sure if he could do it.
Speaking to BBC News earlier this week, he said "it would be nice" if he topped the charts, but admitted he was not sure if he could do it.
"I can't say I'm confident because how can you be confident about anything any more?
"I can't say I'm confident because how can you be confident about anything any more?
"I've had number ones in five decades. Who's going to do that?
"I've had number ones in five decades. Who's going to do that?
UK TOP FIVE SINGLES 1. Kings of Leon (pictured) - Sex On Fire 2. Katy Perry - I Kissed A Girl3. Sir Cliff Richard - Thank You For a LifetimeThe Pussycat Dolls - When I Grow Up5. Rihanna - Disturbia Source: The Official UK Charts Company "First of all, they've got to be around for five decades. Many of them barely make five years."
"First of all, they've got to be around for five decades. Many of them barely make five years."
However, reaching number three is still an achievement, as it means the veteran singer has had a top 10 hit in every decade since his 1958 record Move It.
Sir Cliff's last number one hit was Millennium Prayer in 1999.
Sir Cliff's last number one hit was Millennium Prayer in 1999, which reached number one despite many radio stations controversially removing it from their playlists.
Last week's number one single, Katy Perry's I Kissed A Girl, fell to number two.
In the album charts heavy metal group Metallica went straight in at number one with new Death Magnetic, knocking The Verve's Forth off the top into fourth place.
The number two spot was also taken by a new entry - much-hyped Glaswegian quartet Glasvegas, with their self-titled album.
Rhianna's album, Good Girl Gone Bad, climbed from five to three.
However, the biggest leap came from Elbow, which shot up from number 61 to seven with The Seldom Seen Kid following their Mercury Music Prize win.
Duffy slipped from four to five with Rockferry, Script's self-titled album fell from two to six and Michael Jackson's Best of album dropped five places to number eight.
Other new entries in the album Top 20 included Stevie Wonder's Definitive collection in at 14 and Bryn Christopher's debut My World at number 18.
After 14 years after they split up, 80s boyband New Kids On The Block have made a comeback with new album, The Block, straight in at 16.
