Songs that charted higher in Ireland than in the UK

odyssey06 · 07-02-2025 04:14PM

I wonder if The Heights doing better in Ireland than UK was down to proportionally more Irish households having MTV at that stage, I remember it getting a lot of airplay on MTV.
That might account for differences in a few other hits from lower profile artists.

rpirl · 07-02-2025 05:20PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123145000#Comment_123145000

Only place I ever heard it was on Cork's 96FM in early '93, was played regularly for a few weeks alongside stuff like The Beloved, 'Sweet Harmony' and Don Baker, 'Winner In You'

rpirl · 07-02-2025 05:26PM

Another German song that went #1 here but only top 30 in the UK is 'Stolen Dance' by Milky Chance

Declan A Walsh · 07-02-2025 11:57PM

Leo Sayer:

One Man Band: #6 in the UK, #5 in Ireland … modest start, but it gets better!

Moonlighting: #2 in the UK, Number 1 in Ireland

How Much Love: #10 in the UK, #4 in Ireland

Thunder in my Heart (original version): #22 in the UK, #11 in Ireland

Have You Ever Been In Love: #10 in the UK, #6 in Ireland

Heart (Stop Beating in Time): #22 in the UK, #17 in Ireland

Orchard Road: #16 in the UK, #8 in Ireland

miro1234 · 08-02-2025 08:48PM

More OHW:

1971 Lynn Anderson-Rose Garden IRE 1-UK 3

1978 Dee D Jackson-Automatic Lover IRE 3-UK 4

1978 Sally Oldfield-Mirrors IRE 13-UK 19

1974 Mouth & Macneal-I See A Star IRE 1-UK 8

1977 Patsy Gallant-From New York To L.A. IRE 5-UK 6

1985 Maria Vidal-Body Rock IRE 7-UK 11

1984 John Waite-Missing You IRE 6-UK 9

1986 Stan Ridgway-Camouflage IRE 2-UK 4

1983 Ryan Paris-Dolce Vita IRE 2-UK 5

1985 Dream Academy-Life In A Northern Town IRE 9-UK 15

1984 Mighty Wah-Come Back IRE 19-UK 20

1985 Denise La Salle-My Toot Toot IRE 5-UK 6

1988 Patrick Swayze-Wendy Fraser-She's Like a Wind IRE 4-UK 17

1990 Julee Cruise-Falling IRE 5-UK 7

1998 Wes-Alane IRE 9-UK 11

1999 Len- Steal My Sunshine IRE 3-UK 8

2001-Uncle Kracker-Follow Me IRE 1-UK 3

2001 Hermes House Band-Country Roads IRE 2-UK 7

Declan A Walsh · 08-02-2025 10:10PM

Suzi Quatro:

Too Big: #14 in the UK, #12 in Ireland

If You Can't Give Me Love: #4 in the UK, #2 in Ireland

The Race is On: #43 in the UK, #11 in Ireland

Stumblin' In (with Chris Norman): #41 in the UK, #13 in Ireland

She's In Love with You: #11 in the UK, #5 in Ireland

Mama's Boy: #34 in the UK, #27 in Ireland

miro1234 · 10-02-2025 10:32AM

70s hits by male singers

1979 Harry Chapin-Flowers Are Red-IRE 19-Skips UK 200

1970 Ray Stevens-Everything Is Beautiful IRE 3-Uk 6

1972 Daniel Boone-Beautiful Sunday IRE 18-UK 21

1979 Dan Hartman-This Is It IRE 15-UK 17

1974 Gordon Lightfoot-Sundown IRE 14-UK 33

1976 Peter Frampton-Baby I Love Your Way IRE 14-UK 43

1979 Randy Vanwarmer-Just When I Needed You Most-IRE 5-UK 8

1971 Danyel Gerard-Butterfly IRE 5-UK 11

1975 Gilbert Becaud-A Little Love & Understanding IRE 9-UK 10

1976 Randy Edelman-Concrete And Clay IRE 6-UK 11

1979 Gerry Rafferty-Get It Right Next Time IRE 2-UK 30

1973 Neil Sedaka-Our Last Song Together IRE 19-UK 31

rpirl · 10-02-2025 12:51PM

irishcharts.ie site is definitely not immune to mistakes and I think that Gerry Rafferty song happens to be one of them - saw somewhere else that it peaked at 27 or something like that. His best song imo.

(As well as the occasional wrong position there can be spelling errors, and song titles sometimes get words added or taken away)

its_steve116 · 14-02-2025 01:15AM

Interesting video here...

https://youtube.com/watch?v=SjKGmTTcxBo

Declan A Walsh · 14-02-2025 09:56AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123169398#Comment_123169398

Interesting compilation. I have a few observations.

A number of them were Irish acts that you would have expected to do better here. In the case of Gloria by U2, they had not quite made their big breakthrough in the UK at that stage. Some of those acts were not big names in the UK.
Nanci Griffiths performed in Ireland a lot and was extremely popular here. Her country influenced style probably would have played well here too with the large country fans.
Empty Rooms by Gary Moore was re-released the following year (1985), possibly remixed, and got to #23 in the UK. As far as I can see, that was also the version that got to #12 in the Irish Charts and not the original release from 1984 which reached #51 in the UK.
This is only a small point. There is a mistake in the year displayed for Julia by the Eurythmics. It mentions two years in the 1970s. They were not formed until the 1980s.

Still, it is an interesting mixture. There are some surprises in there such as Tina Turner, Celine Dion and David Bowie. I had actually mentioned some of the songs listed in that compilation in earlier posts.

road_high · 15-02-2025 12:38PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122392841#Comment_122392841

Bit like Chris Rea that kind of artist goes down well with Irish audiences generally.

Declan A Walsh · 15-02-2025 08:15PM

Earlier in this thread, a poster mentioned Have You Ever Seen the Rain by Bonnie Tyler, but it was not the only one by her. So here are the Bonnie Tyler examples.

It's a Heartache: #4 in the UK, #3 in Ireland

Faster than the Speed of Night: #43 in the UK, #17 in Ireland

Have You Ever Seen the Rain: #47 in the UK, #13 in Ireland (as mentioned in earlier post)

A Rockin' Good Way (To Mess Around and Fall in Love) (with Shakin' Stevens): #5 in the UK, Number 1 in Ireland

Holding Out for a Hero: #2 in the UK, Number 1 in Ireland

Culture Club:

Victims: #3 in the UK, #2 in Ireland

It's A Miracle: #4 in the UK, #2 in Ireland

The War Song: #2 in the UK, Number 1 in Ireland

The Medal Song: #32 in the UK, #14 in Ireland

Move Away: #7 in the UK, #6 in Ireland

God Thank You Woman: #31 in the UK, #22 in Ireland

Cyndi Lauper:

Girls Just Want to Have Fun: #2 in the UK, Number 1 in Ireland

Time After Time: #3 in the UK, #2 in Ireland

True Colors: #12 in the UK, #6 in Ireland

My First Night Without You: #53 in the UK, #28 in Ireland

CoBo55 · 15-02-2025 08:24PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122392172#Comment_122392172

Great song they always remind me of my late brother, he loved Kiss this thing goodbye.

rpirl · 16-02-2025 07:16PM

'Your Own Sweet Way' by The Notting Hillbillies, Ire. #28, UK #76

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=__yJN2TuBCo

Declan A Walsh · 18-02-2025 12:12AM

Kylie Monogue:

The Loco-Motion: #2 in the UK, Number 1 in Ireland

Never too Late: #4 in the UK, Number 1 in Ireland

Shocked: #6 in the UK, #2 in Ireland

Word is Out: #16 in the UK, #8 in Ireland

Celebration: #20 in the UK, #11 in Ireland

Where the Wild Roses Grow (with Nick Cave): #11 in the UK, #6 in Ireland

Timebomb: #31 in the UK, #26 in Ireland

Into the Blue: #12 in the UK, #9 in Ireland

Padam Padam: #8 in the UK, #7 in Ireland

Higher: #8 in the UK, #7 in Ireland

Jason Donovan: (Edit - whoops - just realised that an earlier poster had covered him!)

Nothing Can Divide Us: #5 in the UK, #3 in Ireland

Every Day I Love You More: #2 in the UK, Number 1 in Ireland

When You Come Back to Me: #2 in the UK, Number 1 in Ireland

Hang On To Your Love: #8 in the UK, #3 in Ireland

Another Night: #18 in the UK, #6 in Ireland

Rhythm of the Rain: #9 in the UK, #6 in Ireland

I'm Doing Fine: #22 in the UK, #9 in Ireland

RSVP: #17 in the UK, #8 in Ireland

Happy Together: #10 in the UK, #6 in Ireland

Edit - Slade:

My Friend Stan: #2 in the UK, Number 1 in Ireland

How Does it Feel: #15 in the UK, #11 in Ireland

Thanks for the Memory (Wham Bam Thank You Mam): #7 in the UK, #3 in Ireland

All Join Hands: #15 in the UK, #9 in Ireland

CoBo55 · 20-02-2025 10:23AM

Kinda difficult to contribute to this thread…

Quantum Erasure · 19-03-2025 01:59AM

Azealia Banks - 212, got to no 7 in Ireland, 12 in the UK

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i3Jv9fNPjgk

its_steve116 · 27-04-2025 07:45PM

Nickelback's "How You Remind Me" was the only song to spend more than four weeks at number one in the Irish charts during 2002. It only reached #4 in the UK.

Declan A Walsh · 10-05-2025 08:52PM

Gilbert O'Sullivan had a number of songs that reached higher in the Irish charts than in the UK Charts. He is of course originally from Ireland and has always been very popular here.

Nothing Rhymed: #8 in the UK, #2 in Ireland

Alone Again (Naturally): #3 in the UK, #2 in Ireland

Ooh-Wakka-Doo-Wakka-Day: #8 in the UK, Number 1 in Ireland

Ooh Baby: #18 in the UK, #2 in Ireland

Why, Oh Why, Oh Why: #6 in the UK, #3 in Ireland

Happiness is Me and You: #19 in the UK, #4 in Ireland

Christmas Song: #12 in the UK, #5 in Ireland

I Don't Love You but I Think I Like You: #14 in the UK, #7 in Ireland

I'll Believe it When I See it: #52 in the UK, #16 in Ireland

What's In a Kiss: #19 in the UK, #4 in Ireland

Declan A Walsh · 25-05-2025 05:07PM

Showaddywaddy:

Sweet Music: #14 in the UK, #12 in Ireland

Three Steps to Heaven: #2 in the UK, Number 1 in Ireland

Heartbeat: #7 in the UK, #5 in Ireland

A Little Bit of Soap: #5 in the UK, #2 in Ireland

Pretty Little Angel Eyes: #5 in the UK, #2 in Ireland#

Remember Then: #17 in the UK, #7 in Ireland

Sweet Little Rock 'n' Roller: #15 in the UK, #9 in Ireland

A Night at Daddy Gees: #39 in the UK, #26 in Ireland

Blue Moon: #32 in the UK, #27 in Ireland

its_steve116 · 21-06-2025 04:15PM

Miley Cyrus's "Best of Both Worlds", #17 in Ireland, stalled at #43 in the UK.

its_steve116 · 13-07-2025 03:09PM

This was #1 for a week here in the summer of 1996. It only reached #4 in the UK.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W7EyUY3-Wrg

To put it into context, it was eight places higher than "Three Lions" peaked on this side of the Irish Sea during Euro '96.

Declan A Walsh · 13-07-2025 05:45PM

Walk of Life by Dire Straits: : #2 in the UK, Number 1 in Ireland

The Pet Shop Boys:

Love Comes Quickly: #19 in the UK, #13 in Ireland

Suburbia: #8 in the UK, #3 in Ireland

What Have I done to Deserve this (with Dusty Springfield): #2 in the UK, Number 1 in Ireland

Rent: #8 in the UK, #5 in Ireland

Domino Dancing: #7 in the UK, #4 in Ireland

Left to my Own Devices: #4 in the UK, #3 in Ireland

It's Alright: #5 in the UK, #2 in Ireland

So Hard: #4 in the UK, #3 in Ireland

Being Boring: #20 in the UK, #17 in Ireland

How Can You Expect to be Taken So Seriously/Where the Streets have No Name (I Can't Take My Eyes Off You): #4 in the UK, #2 in Ireland

Jealousy: #12 in the UK, #8 in Ireland

DJ Culture: #13 in the UK, #7 in Ireland

Go West: #2 in the UK, Number 1 in Ireland

its_steve116 · 21-07-2025 05:23PM

This was #9 in Ireland. In the UK? Nope, didn't chart at all.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=CUgdtkSOXHU

its_steve116 · 24-08-2025 10:49AM

This was #26 here but only #33 in the UK.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=o0v9JbzZ_Ms

its_steve116 · 24-08-2025 10:51AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123149677#Comment_123149677

The Cyril cover of "Stumblin' In" also reached #23 in Ireland, but only #68 in Britain.

Songs that charted higher in Ireland than in the UK

Comments