Psy, 34, whose real name is Park Jae-Sang, rocketed to international fame when "Gangnam Style" and his signature pony dance went viral in July on YouTube, where it has notched up more than 400 million views.

But his dreams of conquering the most closely watched of all US pop music charts were dashed yet again as "Night" kept California pop-rockers Maroon 5 in first place on the strength of radio play.

"Again, the race was extremely close," said Billboard on its website Wednesday, adding that Psy remains a contender for the top spot next week despite strong new entries from the likes of Adele and Taylor Swift.

The Hot 100 reflects CD sales, digital downloads and radio play.