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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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BOSTIK

MikeyTaylor wrote: »

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

I haven't heard it in years, funny that.

MikeyTaylor

Thirteen Senses' Into the Fire, which peaked at #35, is probably recognisable from countless ads, TV shows and films, but it was outpeaked by "Thru the Glass" which went all the way to #18. By the way 13S are the only Cornish band to have a UK top 20 single.

[Deleted User]

MikeyTaylor wrote: »

By the way 13S are the only Cornish artist to have a UK top 20 single.

Aphex Twin's Windowlicker reached #16 in 1999.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UBS4Gi1y_nc

MikeyTaylor

NewbridgeIR wrote: »

Aphex Twin's Windowlicker reached #16 in 1999.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UBS4Gi1y_nc

Forgot about him. Should have said "band".

MikeyTaylor

Iggy Pop's highest charting UK singles are the #9 and #10 tracks "Aisha" (with Death in Vegas) and "Real Wild Child" respectively rather than "The Passenger", "Lust for Life" or "Candy".

loyatemu

NewbridgeIR wrote: »

Aphex Twin's Windowlicker reached #16 in 1999.

He's Irish!
(allegedly)

still hard to believe that song went top 20, the 90s were great fun!

loyatemu

Saint Etienne - I'd guess You're in a Bad Way (12) or Join our Club (21) would be their best known songs, their biggest hit was a duet with French singer Etienne Daho He's on the Phone (11). Another great band that never quite made the top 10.

MikeyTaylor

loyatemu wrote: »

Saint Etienne - I'd guess You're in a Bad Way (12) or Join our Club (21) would be their best known songs, their biggest hit was a duet with French singer Etienne Daho He's on the Phone (11). Another great band that never quite made the top 10.

There was also their cover of Neil Young's "Only Love Can Break Your Heart" which peaked at #39 in 1991. That's quite well-known.

MikeyTaylor

loyatemu wrote: »

He's Irish!
(allegedly)

still hard to believe that song went top 20, the 90s were great fun!

Born in Limerick, raised in Lanner. Yeah but when it comes to Kernoweks, only him and Thirteen Senses have made the top 20.

MikeyTaylor

MikeyTaylor wrote: »

ELO, Birmingham's finest, had their highest charting domestic single not with 'Don't Bring Me Down' (although it peaked just two places lower), 'Mr Blue Sky', 'Livin' Thing' or 'Sweet Talking Woman'... but the 1980, Olivia Newton-John hookup 'Xanadu'. It went all the way to #1!

More trivia here they had five number 6s: "Mr Blue Sky", "Roll Over Beethoven", "Wild West Hero", "Sweet Talking Woman" and "Shine a Little Love". To think their only #1 in Britain was an ONJ duet that NEVER gets played on the radio anymore.

loyatemu

MikeyTaylor wrote: »

Born in Limerick, raised in Lanner. Yeah but when it comes to Kernoweks, only him and Thirteen Senses have made the top 20.

Mick Fleetwood was born in Cornwall, has had a few hits (this is wandering a bit off topic now)

MikeyTaylor

Roxy Music reached #1 with a cover of John Lennon's "Jealous Guy" in 1981, outpeaking "Love is the Drug", "Let's Stick Together", "Virginia Plain" or "More Than This".

Kool and the Gang reached #2 in 1982 with the double A-side single "Joanna/Tonight".

Many people will be shocked to find out that, despite Phil Collins' massive catalog of #1 and Top 10 hits, "In The Air Tonight" never made it past #19 in the US.

[Deleted User]

MikeyTaylor wrote: »

Many people will be shocked to find out that, despite Phil Collins' massive catalog of #1 and Top 10 hits, "In The Air Tonight" never made it past #19 in the US.

In 2017 he released The Singles, a compilation of 2CDs or 3CDs.

Filled with album versions of his hits. :rolleyes:

Rothko

MikeyTaylor wrote: »

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

I thought Mulder & Scully was their most famous song.

MikeyTaylor

Mumford & Sons' highest charting single is "I Will Wait" which reached #12. Quite a well-known song of theirs but "Little Lion Man" only reached #24 and "The Cave" #31.

BOSTIK

"Moneytalks" is AC/DC's highest charting single in the US, and the only one to reach the Top 30 on the Hot 100, peaking at no. 23

MikeyTaylor

In Canada, Daniel Powter's "Bad Day" only reached #7, whilst the much less remembered "Love You Lately" reached #5. This is because the Canadian charts relied solely on physical single sales until Billboard introduced the Canadian Hot 100 in 2007.

MikeyTaylor

Ja Rule scored a UK #1 in the Autumn of 2004 with "Wonderful" (which featured Ashanti and R. Kelly). His only single to top the charts, I think I read somewhere that it was the lowest selling ever UK number one! "Livin' it Up" and "Always on Time" (the latter interpolated by RAYE on her recent single "The Decline") only reached #5 and #6 respectively.

MikeyTaylor

Declan A Walsh wrote: »

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

Correction: it was actually the duet with Bobbie Gentry, "All I Have to Do is Dream", from 1969, which reached #3!

"It's Only Make Believe" was #4 as well.

MikeyTaylor

Two Door Cinema Club's only UK top 40 single was the rather forgettable imo "Changing of the Seasons" in 2013, reaching #33. "Something Good Can Work" and "What You Know", which I consider their signature songs, only reached their respective peaks of #56 and #64. Seriously, SGCH and WYK are far better and more memorable.

MikeyTaylor

Des'Ree's "You Gotta Be" (you'll know it when you hear it) only peaked at #14 in 1995. In 1998, the hardly-ever-heard-on-the-radio-anymore "Life" peaked at #8.
"I don't want to see a ghost,
It's the sight that I fear most,
I'd rather have a piece of toast,
And watch the evening news...."

MikeyTaylor

What was Billy Idol's only US #1 hit? "Rebel Yell"? "White Wedding"? "Dancing With Myself"? Nope, it's his version of Tommy James' "Mony Mony". Not the studio recording that's now more commonly used, but a live version.

He had three other top 10 hits none of which were "Rebel Yell" (#46), "White Wedding" (#36) or "Dancing With Myself" (didn't chart), but instead "Cradle Of Love" (#2), "Eyes Without A Face" (#4), and To Be A Lover (#6). The former two are still remembered positively, but are not considered Billy's signature songs, while the latter has almost totally been forgotten.

MikeyTaylor

Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark, aka OMD. Best known songs would be "Electricity" (didn't chart despite THREE releases), "Enola Gay" and "If You Leave", possibly even "Forever Live and Die". Highest charting UK singles? "Souvenir" and "Sailing on the Seven Seas", both of which peaked at #3.

loyatemu

MikeyTaylor wrote: »

Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark, aka OMD. Best known songs would be "Electricity", "Enola Gay" and "If You Leave". Highest charting UK singles? "Souvenir" and "Sailing on the Seven Seas", both of which peaked at #3.

it might not be their best known song, but it's possibly their best single:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XDIYOiQUi2s

Welsh Megaman

Teenage Fanclub!

Fans would assume that ‘The Concept’, ‘What You Do To Me’ or one of the single releases from ‘Grand Prix’ would be their highest charting.

But no, it’s ‘Ain’t That Enough’, #17 in 1997.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jdeqYx-9-AQ

MikeyTaylor

In the UK, Taio Cruz hit #1 with both 'Dynamite' and the slightly less well-known 'Break Your Heart' but, across the Atlantic, only the latter made #1, and the former only #2.

Nelly has had 4 #1s in the UK, but none of them were "Hot in Herre" or "Ride wit Me" - they only reached #4 and #3 respectively. Of his actual chart toppers, I'd say "Dilemma" (with Kelly Rowland) is the best known.

2Pac's "Ghetto Gospel" (which samples Elton John's Indian Sunset) was the late rapper's only UK number one, outcharting Changes and California Love, although Changes, which reached #3, has sold more copies according to the Official Chart Company.

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.

I have only realised that 'Respect' is a reworking of the Aretha Franklin classic.

[Deleted User]

The Michael Jackson album with the most UK number #1 singles taken from it is not Thriller, Bad or Dangerous.

It's HIStory* which had two chart-toppers - You Are Not Alone, Earth Song.
The other three I mentioned only had one each - Billie Jean, I Just Can't Stop Loving You, Black Or White.

*The HIStory Continues disc.

MikeyTaylor

NewbridgeIR wrote: »

The Michael Jackson album with the most UK number #1 singles taken from it is not Thriller, Bad or Dangerous.

It's HIStory* which had two chart-toppers - You Are Not Alone, Earth Song.
The other three I mentioned only had one each - Billie Jean, I Just Can't Stop Loving You, Black Or White.

*The HIStory Continues disc.

What album was "Blood on the Dance Floor" on? I believe it was the HIStory remix album. Separate album, correct?

[Deleted User]

MikeyTaylor wrote: »

What album was "Blood on the Dance Floor" on? I believe it was the HIStory remix album. Separate album, correct?

Correct - it was one of five new tracks on 1997's Blood On The Dance Floor: HIStory In The Mix. The rest of the album was made up of remixes of eight HIStory tunes.