Best Crossover College Radio Hit 1987-1991

or eleven even!

I bought the World Party album a few years ago on the strength of "Ship of Fools," was sorely disappointed, voting Michael Penn

"Veronica," though I love "No Myth" nearly as much. "Heartbreak Beat" and "Under the Milky Way" are good too, and though I don't dislike "Beds Are Burning," "So Alive" or "Rush," they aren't songs I ever feel that I need to hear again. Oddly, although I was an avid pop radio listener during this era, I couldn't tell you what the other four songs here sound anything like based on the titles alone.

Some decent songs on here, but "No Myth" seems like it's on another level from the rest.

This list pretty much correlates exactly with my actual college years, I owned almost all of these albums at one point or another. Voted "Deeper Shade of Soul" narrowly over The Church. That first UDS album is killer.

B.A.D.II

C.R.A.P.

I guess R.E.M. also crossed over during this time span, but they were probably too big as well.

yep

"Under the Milky Way" pretty easily, followed by "Rush" (guilty pleasure) and "No Myth".

Think "Joey" belongs on this list too.

Good call, "Joey" was a legit hit. I remember Johnette Napolitano getting all mock-horrified when Dave Kendall told her it sounded like Heart.

oh and I went to college in 2000-2004, so this was all in the past for me. I think I got a 12" single of "Heartbreak Beat" at Looney Tunes in Boston for a dime. Psych Furs were great too but not on a level with "No Myth."

These were my high school years, so every time something even vaguely left of the dial wound up in the top 40, it was a joyous occasion for me. Under the Milky Way was probably the biggest in my own life, so voting for that.

"Joey" def belongs.

Also heavier stuff like Nine Inch Nails, Faith No More, and Jane's Addiction had some crossover success during this time.

only "Epic" hit the top forty.

Fair point. I was thinking more of crossing over to mainstream rock radio.

I'm not a big fan of this musical segment of this time period. Voting Kiss Them for Me. I remember being startled to realize I was hearing Siouxsie & the Banshees while walking through Penn Center concourse in Philadelphia. Some of these songs I don't even recognize after letting them play long enough to get to the chorus.

Under the Milky Way over No Myth. Squeeze had a US hit with Tempted earlier in the 80s.

not top forty though

It's in the same "That Wasn't a Hit?!" category as "What I Like About You."

Yeah, I was floored when I learned how low 'Tempted' charted. And that its popularity in America was largely bolstered by its use in Burger King commercials (which I remember).

A lot of good stuff, but I think this is ultimately a 'Veronica' vs. 'Under the Milky Way' fight.

A lot of great stuff here, but I still listen to "Rush" at least monthly and can't say that for any of the others.

I love ILM because it's the only place where people will consider voting for "No Myth."

Great:

Squeeze - Hourglass
The Church – Under the Milky Way
Elvis Costello - Veronica
Love and Rockets – So Alive
Michael Penn – No Myth
Siouxsie and the Banshees – Kiss Them For Me

Not Great But I Love Them Anyway:

Psychedelic Furs – Heartbreak Beat
Midnight Oil – Beds Are Burning
Urban Dance Squad – A Deeper Shade of Soul

Full-On Terrible And An Overall Embarrassment To The Concept Of Music:

Big Audio Dynamite II - Rush

Even If You Gave Me A Million Dollars, I Couldn't Tell You How This Song Went Even Though I Know I've Heard It Countless Times:

World Party – Ship of Fools

went with UDS over Michael Penn but it was a literal toss of a coin.

sometime from now you'll bow to pressure
some things in life you cannot measure
by degrees

Apart from Urban Dance Squad (which may get my vote), this list was the entire playlist for WXRT in Chicago during those years.

that's all they played?

Seemed like it. Plus local heroes Poi Dog Pondering, who were the worst band to ever exist.

Voting Veronica as a lifetime achievement award.

Because I am a sad little man, few things give me more online pleasure than finding omissions in lists like these. However, I can't think of any. I'll Be You only reached 51. Crash by the Primitives didn't chart, even though that song was pretty big. I'm no quitter so I'm gonna find one.

We already found the omission, didn't we?

Think "Joey" belongs on this list too.

― Frontier Psychiatrist, Thursday, July 9, 2015 10:14 PM Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

Good call, "Joey" was a legit hit. I remember Johnette Napolitano getting all mock-horrified when Dave Kendall told her it sounded like Heart.

― something totally new, it’s the AOR of the twenty first century (tipsy mothra), Thursday, July 9, 2015 10:17 PM Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

Joey doesn't count because I didn't think of it. As I said, sad little man.

I guess it would be helpful to know how 'college radio act' is being defined, specifically. Are there CMJ charts from that era that we can consult?

It's like pornography, you know it when you see it, or in this case hear it.

Gosh darnit, the Mayor of Simpleton only reached 71. Grrrrr

HAHA BITCHEZ!!!!

Iggy Pop--Candy

listen you

Iggy feels like a stretch. I don't know that I'd call a dude with a career stretching back to the '60s an '80s college radio act.

Yet he was. They weren't playing him on classic rock.

"Real Wild One" got plenty of AOR play in late '86 and early '87 though.

So did Squeeze. I am declaring victory. No Iggy, no credibility!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=51PP8TwXrxE

"So Alive" is pretty great though.

My first omission inclination was "Balloon Man," but it turns out that was only a hit by Robyn Hitchcock standards. Stayed solidly in the college-rock lane.

yes, ladies and gentlemen: "Hourglass" is Squeeze's biggest hit in America.

The B-52s "Cosmic Thing" singles are arguably in this class: "Love Shack" was their first top 40 hit. But they'd seemed like a pop culture presence for so long by then that maybe they don't count. "Rock Lobster" was already a frat party staple.

I'll never forget the first time I heard Hourglass. It was one of those magic momenets where time stopped.

I remember some little Squeeze breakthroughs in the U.S. There was a cable show called Video Concert Hall that was on around 1980 or so and they always used to show the "Another Nail in My Heart" video. Used to watch that show in the afternoons after school. And then I remember their SNL appearance around '83 or so (?) where they did "Annie Get Your Gun."

I'm not even sure I know what that song 'Hourglass' is off the top of my head, but I could probably name a half dozen other Squeeze songs that I actually remember getting radio play and MTV rotation. So weird.

It didn't exist in 1987.

voted "deeper shade of soul" because that vibe is forever

"Deeper Shade of Soul" is a Sugar Ray tune seven years before the fact.

I think "Luka" predated the Modern Rock chart.It's probably one of the songs that led to its creation.

It's probably ...

Hourglass all the way

yeah I'm surprised to see "Deeper Shade of Soul" not well-remembered / hyped here because it was massive at the time I thought and it still sounds great, though the lyrics still don't make a lot of sense (but they were Europeans?)

Hourglass because I love the video.

I don't remember Urban Dance Squad being big anywhere except in my friend's car, because he listened to that album all the time for a while.

No Kid > Deeper Shade

Totally agree. I don't think Midnight Oil really became the victim of production styles until Blue Sky Mining, and then especially Earth and Sun and Moon. Both of those albums are wretched.

― Johnny Fever, Sunday, July 12, 2015 3:51 AM (8 hours ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

I'll admit that my notion of what constitutes dated or non-dated production largely boils down to, "What does the snare drum sound like?" BaB doesn't sound awful (and I think it's a great song, and I just listened to it again, and the snare sounds fine, and I think I was thinking of "The Dead Heart"), but after the records that preceded it, D&D felt like a step backwards.

(and otm re: Blue Sky Mining. Everything about that record was strictly dullsville.)

ah, fuck it, I love the Psychedelic Furs. god their albums are filled with crap though.
it's like they find the 'Heartbreak Beat' of the record and head to the pub and write the rest of the record in an afternoon.

Takeittothebridge
Throwitoverboard
Seeifitcanswim
Backuptotheshore
Noone'sinthehouse
Everyoneisout
Allthelightsareon and theblindsaredown.

ah, fuck it, I love the Psychedelic Furs. god their albums are filled with crap though.

This was the case from Mirror Moves onwards.

^ except for Book of Days, which is wonderful from beginning to end.

there's a heartbreak beat and it feels like i love music

and nobody don't dance on the edge of the dark we've got the radio on

and the world don't stop

Psychedelic Furs – Heartbreak Beat -- Really really liked them at the time. Mirror Moves less so than Forever Now, but was still stoked to buy the new record. Saw them on their tour of the sheds ahead (I think?) of the album. Haven't listened to it in 20 years, but remember it being really bored and samey sounding. Like every song had to adhere to some sort of blueprint. "All That Money Wants" was a super pleasant surprise a couple years later.

World Party – Ship of Fools -- Found this pleasant enough. Briefly very into The Waterboys, but never bought a WP album.

Squeeze - Hourglass -- Loved this at the time. Not sure I'd feel the same now. If I want to reach for non-classic Squeeze, it's usually the bizarre "Last Time Forever". That was a pretty cuckoo sounding album.

Midnight Oil – Beds Are Burning -- Loved this too. This poll is totally a WBRU or WFNX playlist.

The Church – Under the Milky Way -- Voted this. A wonderful group. Didn't buy the album at the time, as I wasn't liking the singles as much as Heyday. Hopped back on the Church train with P=A, then went back and got Starfish.

Elvis Costello - Veronica -- Bought the album at the time. Definitely haven't heard a new song I've liked by this guy in 20+ years.

Love and Rockets – So Alive -- thought this was ok, but like the Church, it seemed a big disappointment against the previous record. Has some lil cool sounds... tries to ape Bolin... but, it's a little boring.

Michael Penn – No Myth -- Not for me. It's like ur-Largo/Jon Brion or something.

Siouxsie and the Banshees – Kiss Them For Me -- Sounded a little sell-out-y at the time. And, how could it be as good as the last album's first single, anyway? Still pretty magnificent though.

Urban Dance Squad – A Deeper Shade of Soul -- didn't have an opinion either way.

Big Audio Dynamite II - Rush -- Really loved them, so was always happy for new music... and this is a single sounding single, so I was happy they were having a hit, but... the album left me cold compared to 'Megatop Phoenix'. Was way less fun, and some songs were just like 'what? thaaaat's what's good enough for you now?!?!'... 'Higher Power' was def the nadir. Probably 80% horrific, that album.

Also heavier stuff like Nine Inch Nails, Faith No More, and Jane's Addiction had some crossover success during this time.
― o. nate, Thursday, July 9, 2015 10:26 PM (4 days ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

only "Epic" hit the top forty.
― The burrito of ennui (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Thursday, July 9, 2015 10:26 PM (4 days ago) Bookmark

MTV heavy rotation tho

and nobody don't dance on the edge of the dark we've got the radio on

heartbreak is the national anthem, y'all.

I mean, yes, if I'm to be honest, "Heartbreak Beat" GETS to me in a way that few other of these songs, maybe not even "Rush," do. But I'm suspicious of my feelings for that song, I feel like it's designed to manipulate me, like a Pixar movie.

man would I loved Richard Butler in Inside Out.

He'll play Cynicism in the teenage sequel.

he'd make "stupid" the catchphrase he always wanted it to be.

I had never heard "Heartbreak Beat" until just now, no idea how I missed it back then. could use more sax but the (synth?) horn stabs are good

Okay, I now realize that I didn't remember 'Hourglass' because I'm absolutely sure that I haven't heard it since 1987 and, unlike pretty much every other song that was released around the same time and that reached the same level of success, it neither stuck around in the culture nor stuck with me at all.

Automatic thread bump. This poll is closing tomorrow.

Surprised that I remember every one of these pretty fondly from my childhood, except "Hourglass" for the exact reasons just mentioned, and "Beds Are Burning", because Peter Garrett's vocals tend to grate here.

Seems I'm alone in thinking "Ship of Fools" is actually pretty awesome!?! Possibly even the awesomest here! The main rival for me is "Milky Way", hopefully not due to some vague sense of patriotic duty.

ah, fuck it, I love the Psychedelic Furs. god their albums are filled with crap though.

This was the case from Mirror Moves onwards.

― The burrito of ennui (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Sunday, July 12, 2015 10:18 AM (4 days ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

^ except for Book of Days, which is wonderful from beginning to end.

― Johnny Fever, Sunday, July 12, 2015 10:23 AM

OTM. no matter how much i stan for that record it's not enough.

really want to vote for Under the Milky Way bc it's so damn pretty

WP's Ship of Fools is getting way too little love here. "What a Jagger solo single should've sounded like" is dead on. Damn you, Bill Laswell.

Alfred I personally find the back stretch of Talk, Talk, Talk pretty spotty.

Talk Talk Talk is immaculate

Automatic thread bump. This poll's results are now in.

well ilx knew what IT was looking for

i love that every song got votes

"Under The Milky Way" is the best song here but "Beds Are Burning" was my favourite song when I was 10 so I had to vote for it.

Damn!

Woah!

It really is so pretty though. I still listen to it regularly.

wow! good poll.

I voted for UTMW cuz I didn't think it would get any votes hahaha

Most surprised that UDS was in the second 6-vote tier.

Late to the party, but would the Smithereens "A Girl Like You" have qualified for this poll?

Yep!

tbh i thought there were more than just these. like i imagined there were plenty of straw hip normals who would own in my tribe or strangeways or even key lime pie alongside hysteria or faith like it was no thing. i would have thought "lips like sugar" or "cuts you up" or "punk rock girl" and the like were hits too, but i suppose i'm just remembering mtv play.

does erasure count? they got modern rock play before "chains of love" became a hit in the u.s. but i feel it was more of a lateral move of momentum from across the atlantic than upward from the modern rock format in the u.s. to top 40.

that's how I regard "Chains of Love," but I won't argue if in a sequel it's included.

Heard "no myth" at trader joe's today and remembered how much I hated the drums in that song! They're horrible! I also was resentful bc I remembered every single word of the lyrics.

they're programmed!

pretty sure it was the first time I ever saw "drum programming" in album credits

i guess they're programmed poorly imo