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"How was that their highest charting single?"

MikeyTaylor

Can anyone think of any famous bands or music artists whose highest charting single in the UK or US was weird or less known?

Examples:
*Pearl Jam's highest charting single in the US was 'Last Kiss' (#2). In the UK, it was 'Spin the Black Circle' (#10).
*Rage Against the Machine's only top 10 single (until December '09 obviously) was "Bulls on Parade" (#8).
*MC Hammer's 'Pray', 'Too Legit to Quit', 'Have You Seen Her?' and 'Addams Groove' ALL outcharted 'U Can't Touch This' in the US. Pray was the highest charting at #2.

Anyone have any more examples?

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[Deleted User]

Five Star released seven singles from their debut album, Luxury Of Life.
The first two failed to chart.
The third, All Fall Down, reached #15
The next two got to #18 and #25.
They decided to go for a sixth - RSVP - which stalled at #45.
Surely enough is enough.
No - RCA went for a seventh - System Addict - which hit the heady heights of #3.

MikeyTaylor

NewbridgeIR wrote: »

She's On It did well when it was reissued in 1987. Included on The Hits Album 7 between Spagna's Call Me and I Wanna Be Your Drill Instructor.

Adeva's three 1989 singles - Respect, Warning!, I Thank You - all peaked at #17.

The original version of "In and Out of My Life", the song I associate with her most, didn't chart in the UK, but in 2000, it was mashed up with Fatboy Slim as "Onephatdeeva" peaking at #11 so technically that's her highest charting single.

MikeyTaylor

While the Crash Test Dummies had 6 singles reach the Canadian top ten, "Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm" was not one of them. In Canada, the single stalled at number 14.

I never knew that!

MikeyTaylor

The Smashing Pumpkins have had 2 top 10 singles in the UK, the higher charting of which was the well known "Tonight, Tonight". The other is not "1979", "Disarm" or "Today"... but the much less remembered song "The End is the Beginning is the End" (from the Batman & Robin soundtrack)!

How were THAT their second highest charting UK single!? Probably something to do with a certain chiroptera homo sapiens superhero!

MikeyTaylor

Groove Armada have only had two UK top 10s. Neither being "I See You Baby", "If Everybody Looked the Same", "Superstyling" or "At the River"... but the MUCH less remembered tracks "Get Down" and "Song 4 Mutya (Out of Control)", both in 2007.

MikeyTaylor

Albert Hammond's only charting single in the UK was the #19 single "The Free Electric Band". That's right "It Never Rains in Southern California" didn't chart at all.

MikeyTaylor

I mentioned earlier that Haitian Divorce was Steely Dan's highest peaking UK single at #17... turns out it wasn't released in the US!!!

Sly and the Family Stone's highest charting UK single was the #7 song 'Dance to the Music', rather than I Wanna Take You Higher, Thank You, Family Affair or Everyday People.

Glen Campbell's highest charting UK single was the #4 track 'Honey Come Back'.

Similarly to Elbow, Public Enemy scored their first ever UK top 10 when 'Harder Than You Think' (from 2007) was used to advertise the 2012 Paralympics. It reached #4. Their second-highest peaker is 'He Got Game' (#16 in 1998).

The only top UK 10 single by a Cypress Hill member is B Real's 'Hit Em High' from Space Jam, reaching #8 in '96. The band themselves never charted higher than #13 (Rock/Rap Superstar charted there in 2000). Insane in the Brain peaked at #21 (#19 when remixed by Jason Nevins in 1999).

Declan A Walsh

MikeyTaylor wrote: »

I mentioned earlier that Haitian Divorce was Steely Dan's highest peaking UK single at #17... turns out it wasn't released in the US!!!

Sly and the Family Stone's highest charting UK single was the #7 song 'Dance to the Music', rather than I Wanna Take You Higher, Thank You, Family Affair or Everyday People.

Glen Campbell's highest charting UK single was the #4 track 'Honey Come Back'.

Similarly to Elbow, Public Enemy scored their first ever UK top 10 when 'Harder Than You Think' (from 2007) was used to advertise the 2012 Paralympics. It reached #4. Their second-highest peaker is 'He Got Game' (#16 in 1998).

The only top UK 10 single by a Cypress Hill member is B Real's 'Hit Em High' from Space Jam, reaching #8 in '96. The band themselves never charted higher than #13 (Rock/Rap Superstar charted there in 2000). Insane in the Brain peaked at #21 (#19 when remixed by Jason Nevins in 1999).

As far as I can make out, Glen Campbell's Rhinestone Cowboy also got to #4.

MikeyTaylor

Declan A Walsh wrote: »

As far as I can make out, Glen Campbell's Rhinestone Cowboy also got to #4.

You'd be correct.

MikeyTaylor

What was the Jacksons' only UK #1? Was it I Want You Back, ABC, Blame it on the Boogie, Can You Feel It, or I'll Be There?...

Nope. It was this one, from 1977...

It was subsequently knocked off the top by Hot Chocolate's "So You Win Again" which as Declan has already mentioned was that band's only domestic chart-topper. What a coincidence.

MikeyTaylor

Declan A Walsh wrote: »

What is the first Yes song that most people think of and most daytime radio shows play? It is of course Owner of a Lonely Heart. According to Wikipaedia, that reached No. 28 in the U.K. charts. However, back in the '70s, Wondrous Stories got to No. 7 and Going for The One got to No. 24.

Jon Anderson's collaboration with Vangelis, "I'll Find My Way Home", reached #6 in 1981.

MikeyTaylor

Deep Purple's highest charting domestic single was "Black Night", which peaked #2, rather than "Smoke on the Water" which was only #21.

The Moody Blues' only #1 was "Go Now" rather than "Night in White Satin", "Tuesday Afternoon" or "Question".

MikeyTaylor

Carter USM's only top 10 single was the #7 hit The Only Living Boy in New Cross. Sheriff Fatman, probably their most famous song, only peaked at #23.

Similarly, Pop Will Eat Itself. Their only top 10 was "Get the Girl! Kill the Baddies!" at #9. However you're more likely to hear Def Con One on the radio, and that only got to #63!

Not that these groups are A-list household names or widely remembered, but they were somewhat big in the early 90s (Carter USM even headlined Glastonbury '92) and their lower charting songs have overshadowed their actual top 10 hits.

Sheridan81

Nirvana's highest charting song in Australia was About A Girl.

The Smiths highest charting single in Ireland was Sheila Take A Bow at number 3.

MikeyTaylor wrote: »

Iron Maiden's only domestic chart topper was "Bring Your Daughter to the Slaughter" in 1990.

That's such a weird number one.

loyatemu

Sheridan81 wrote: »

That's such a weird number one.

reputedly the lowest selling no. 1 ever at the time - singles sales were really in the doldrums until Britpop came along and gave them a temporary boost.

MikeyTaylor

Sheridan81 wrote: »

Nirvana's highest charting song in Australia was About A Girl.

The Smiths highest charting single in Ireland was Sheila Take A Bow at number 3.

That's such a weird number one.

STAB also ties with Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now as the Smiths' highest charting UK single - both #10.

MikeyTaylor

Travis' "Sing" peaked at #3 in 2001. "Why Does it Always Rain on Me?", probably their most famous song, only reached #10; it's actually only their (joint) fifth highest charting UK single.

The Charlatans highest peaker was "One to Another" in 1996, which peaked at #3, rather than "The Only One I Know", which only made #9. I'm sure Charlatans fans will remember OTA very well though.

Most people would assume Backstreet Boys' highest charting song on the Billboard Hot 100 was either "I Want It That Way" or "Everybody (Backstreet's Back)" but it was actually "Quit Playing Games with My Heart".

Fleetwood Mac's only UK chart topper was "Albatross". Not obscure at all, but surely it's no "Go Your Own Way", "Dreams" or "Don't Stop"?

MikeyTaylor

Bob Marley's highest-charting US song was "Roots Rock Reggae", which peaked at #51. To say the least, it isn't as memorable as, say, "No Woman No Cry", "Jammin'", "I Shot the Sheriff", or "Three Little Birds".

MikeyTaylor

Aswad had a #1 in the UK in 1988 with "Don't Turn Around" but the lower peaking "Shine" from 1994 gets more airplay. That only reached #5.

And Van Morrison, Belfast's finest? Guess what, he's only had ONE solo UK top 20 single. What could it be? Brown Eyed Girl? Gloria? Real, Real Gone? Jackie Wilson Said? Have I Told You Lately? Moondance? Bright Side of the Road? - nope. It was in fact the Cliff Richard duet "Wherever God Shines His Light", which peaked at #20 in 1989.

MikeyTaylor

Nick Drake had a #29 single 30 years after his death, with the song "Magic". Lovely song, but in terms of iconicness it's well out of the league of "Northern Sky", "River Man", "Pink Moon" or "Black Eyed Dog"!

noby

MikeyTaylor wrote: »

Nick Drake had a #29 single 30 years after his death, with the song "Magic". Lovely song, but in terms of iconicness it's well out of the league of "Northern Sky", "River Man", "Pink Moon" or "Black Eyed Dog"!

Yes, but Northern Sky was the b side. Released on the back of a best of compilation.

noby

MikeyTaylor wrote: »

The Charlatans highest peaker was "One to Another" in 1996, which peaked at #3, rather than "The Only One I Know", which only made #9. I'm sure Charlatans fans will remember OTA very well though.

A bit of context - for a break through single (I was going to say debut, but it was their second) from an indie band #9 was a huge achievement back then. It probably matched anything the Stone Roses were doing
By 96, there was Oasis / britpop, and indie guitar bands were riding high, which would have helped OTA, North Country Boy, etc.

MikeyTaylor

Also, The Cure's only UK top 5 hit was "Lullaby" in 1989.

BOSTIK

"She Sells Sanctuary" wasn't The Cult's highest charting single, despite it being an absolute beast of a track which still features on the airwaves.

"Lil' Devil" got to no. 11 for them in 1987, and it never gets played anymore.

MikeyTaylor

BOSTIK wrote: »

"She Sells Sanctuary" wasn't The Cult's highest charting single, despite it being an absolute beast of a track which still features on the airwaves.

"Lil' Devil" got to no. 11 for them in 1987, and it never gets played anymore.

I've heard Lil Devil on the radio a good few times, but SSS is definitely their signature song.

Sheridan81

MikeyTaylor wrote: »

Also, The Cure's only UK top 5 hit was "Lullaby" in 1989.

One of their best songs, to be fair.

Boston's highest US singles were Don't Look Back and Amanda not More Than A Feeling.

MikeyTaylor

Catatonia's highest charting UK single is not "Road Rage" (#5) but rather the less often heard "Mulder & Scully" (#3).

Remember pop-punk band The All-American Rejects? Well, you probably will remember their songs "Dirty Little Secret" and "Gives You Hell", both of which peaked at #18 on the official UK singles chart. However, in 2003, "Swing Swing" peaked at #13. The Glee cover of GYH peaked at #14, so there.

Paul Weller's highest charting solo single in the UK was not "Sunflower", "The Changingman", "Wild Wood" or "You Do Something to Me", rather "Peacock Suit" which was #5 in 1996. It's also his longest running solo single on the charts. Now that took me by surprise.

Morrissey's highest charting solo singles are "Irish Blood English Heart" and "You Have Killed Me", both #3 - Suedehead and Every Day is Like Sunday were only #5 and #9 respectively. He never charted higher than #10 with his band The Smiths, and that was with "Sheila Take a Bow" and "Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now".

The Doors never had a top 10 UK single while together, but a reissue of "Light My Fire" in the 90s reached #7.

Echo and the Bunnymen's highest charting singles are "The Cutter" and "Nothing Lasts Forever", both of which peaked at #8.

MikeyTaylor

MikeyTaylor wrote: »

I've heard Lil Devil on the radio a good few times, but SSS is definitely their signature song.

UPDATE: "Lil Devil" is being used in some ad at the moment!

noby

MikeyTaylor wrote: »

Catatonia's highest charting UK single is not "Road Rage" (#5) but rather the less often heard "Mulder & Scully" (#3).

Only right. M&S is waaaaaay better than road rage.

loyatemu

MikeyTaylor wrote: »

Echo and the Bunnymen's highest charting singles are "The Cutter" and "Nothing Lasts Forever", both of which peaked at #8.

"The Cutter" is one of the greatest songs ever recorded. "Nothing Last Forever", meh.