Randy McNob
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- Jun 13, 2020
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I can only think of
The Fall
Arcade Fire
The Fall
Arcade Fire
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[Music] Top Bands who never had a hit song
- Thread starter Randy McNob
- Start date
The Stone Roses have never really had an enduring hit. By this I mean a song which gets played on the radio regularly.
I guess it depends what you mean by 'Top Band' - some would doubtless argue that if a group has never had a hit song, then they can't be a 'top band'!
Half Man Half Biscuit - I'm sure they couldn't care less.
Half Man Half Biscuit - I'm sure they couldn't care less.
Last edited:
Peppermint Tea
Well-known member
- Aug 31, 2007
- 1,238
The Clash (greatest band in the history of music) never had a top 10.
They had a UK number 1.
- Aug 7, 2003
- 8,072
King Crimson
Albeit posthumously, and due to one of their singles (Should I Stay or Should I Go) being used in a Levi's advert.
- Jan 3, 2012
- 17,334
What counts as a hit song? Top ten? A couple of weeks in the lower reaches of the charts peaking at no. 37?
Peppermint Tea
Well-known member
- Aug 31, 2007
- 1,238
Technically yes. But I don’t count it because a) it was a re-release on the back of a Levi Jeans ad and b) it was long after the band had split up.
As an active band, the closest they got was with London Calling which reached 11 and famously won them a “brand new Cadillac” from Annie Nightingale (never claimed though).
Grateful Dead?
Velvet Underground?
Led Zeppelin never had a top 20 single in the UK.
Genesis (only had hits after Gabriel left, and they switched to playing MOR).
Velvet Underground?
Led Zeppelin never had a top 20 single in the UK.
Genesis (only had hits after Gabriel left, and they switched to playing MOR).
Austrian Gull
Well-known member
The Go-Betweens' highest charting single, Streets of Your Town, only reached number 80 so they definitely count!
An absolute travesty of a career.
An absolute travesty of a career.
Randy McNob
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- Jun 13, 2020
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- Thread starter
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Never heard of em
anygivensunday
Active member
The National have had three top 3 UK albums and never a song in the top 80.
I just checked and Rock the Casbah was a top 10 hit in the US in real time.
Peppermint Tea
Well-known member
- Aug 31, 2007
- 1,238
You win. I’m back to bed.
Austrian Gull
Well-known member
Critics' darlings in the 80s, never had a hit, from Brisbane, got a bridge named after them there - you should have a listen.
I would not say I won.....I did not know this until I started looking at their chart history.
pb21
Well-known member
- Apr 23, 2010
- 6,681
I assume you have never listened to Absolute Radio 90s?
As a kid, and even as a playing yoof, the gauge of success was always TotP or TV, The Tube, OGWT or one of the C4 productions maybe, even TFI. . But TotP was the one. . you had to hit the top 40 . . .unless you were Duran Durran
Critical aclaim is all well and good, but for most musicians, particularly those working full time at it, earning a living would be a good gauge.
Critical aclaim is all well and good, but for most musicians, particularly those working full time at it, earning a living would be a good gauge.