Artists whose hit-making longevity could never have been predicted

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I'm not talking about bands who you hate necessarily, but bands who, at the start of their career, no-one could possibly have predicted would still be hitting the charts (UK or US)so many years later.

Texas: 3 decades of hits!!!!
Moby: surely he was on the cards to sink without trace quicker than you could say Mr C and Adamski (especially after going thrash on his second album)

― Kim Tortoise, Monday, 7 July 2003 15:21 (twenty-two years ago)

Scooter is clearly the winner here.

Gary Numan?
Madonna?

― Siegbran (eofor), Monday, 7 July 2003 15:26 (twenty-two years ago)

Radiohead. Can you say one-Creep-wonder?

― kate (kate), Monday, 7 July 2003 15:32 (twenty-two years ago)

Kate beat me to the obvious answer. LL Cool J? Though he always clearly had something, of course (similarly Luther Vandross and the Isley Brothers, to pick two recent examples even if they're instances of the post-Santana 'how to have a hit album these days' formula to an extent).

I certainly never thought No Doubt would be where they are. I constantly wish Sugar Ray were anywhere BUT where they are.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Monday, 7 July 2003 15:37 (twenty-two years ago)

i was gonna say radiohead as well. A bunch of Grungelite moaners with one song and a gimmicky guitar riff becoming what they are today is out of this world.

The Prodigy as well - I thought Charly was going to be a one-hit-wonder.

― dog latin (dog latin), Monday, 7 July 2003 15:40 (twenty-two years ago)

When "Loser" first hit (s'um like '93?), a variety of print publications pegged Beck not just as a one-hit-wonder, but as a one-hit-wonder spokesman for a supposed "slacker Generation X", a representative of a culture of one-hit-wonders who didn't aspire to anything more than that. Ha!

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Monday, 7 July 2003 15:47 (twenty-two years ago)

Utah Saints (they had a couple of minor hits in 2001 - ok only 9 years after their first hits but still)

― stevem (blueski), Monday, 7 July 2003 15:51 (twenty-two years ago)

Pearl Jam - mainly because Vedder talked about topping himself so much ten years ago it seemed.

― stevem (blueski), Monday, 7 July 2003 15:51 (twenty-two years ago)

supergrass. who knew ?

― piscesboy, Monday, 7 July 2003 15:54 (twenty-two years ago)

Beastie Boys, anyone? from a single MTV hit to being such a "relevant" band now?

― Kingfish (Kingfish), Monday, 7 July 2003 15:55 (twenty-two years ago)

kylie.
cliff, the 'english elvis'.
blur, who just wont die no matter how many hexs i cast. damn.

― joni, Monday, 7 July 2003 16:11 (twenty-two years ago)

The Beastie Boys are relevant?

― Mike Taylor (mjt), Monday, 7 July 2003 17:06 (twenty-two years ago)

*blows nose*

― Mike Taylor (mjt), Monday, 7 July 2003 17:07 (twenty-two years ago)

Status Quo

― MarkH (MarkH), Monday, 7 July 2003 17:08 (twenty-two years ago)

Pearl Jam never had a hit after Ten, right?

― Siegbran (eofor), Monday, 7 July 2003 17:19 (twenty-two years ago)

"Better Man" was a hit.

The first group that leapt to my mind was The Cure.

― Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Monday, 7 July 2003 17:25 (twenty-two years ago)

The Cranberries, oh so very unfortunately. I didn't think they'd ever do anything after "Linger," but I was probably just really pissed that they got more famous than The Sundays.

― cybele (cybele), Monday, 7 July 2003 18:16 (twenty-two years ago)

Primal Scream!

― amateurist (amateurist), Monday, 7 July 2003 18:21 (twenty-two years ago)

Ocean Colour Scene (currently in the UK top 20- how did this happen?)
Shed Seven (also back in the charts this year)

― p.e.j., Monday, 7 July 2003 18:22 (twenty-two years ago)

I never would have guessed that the Catherine Wheel and the Charlatans would have hung around as long as they did.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Monday, 7 July 2003 18:54 (twenty-two years ago)

Red Hot Chili Peppers and Goo Goo Dolls and bears oh my.

― Baked Bean Teeth (Baked Bean Teeth), Monday, 7 July 2003 19:47 (twenty-two years ago)

Dr. Dre

― amateurist (amateurist), Monday, 7 July 2003 20:14 (twenty-two years ago)

I recently read some old old old music mag articles. There was one that asserted that The Human League would be a one-hit wonder remembered only for "Being Boiled" and they would soon break up because the "brains of the operation" had left and formed the BEF.

― Lord Custos Epsilon (Lord Custos Epsilon), Monday, 7 July 2003 20:18 (twenty-two years ago)

see also Depeche Mode, Joy Division

― amateurist (amateurist), Monday, 7 July 2003 20:26 (twenty-two years ago)

I can't believe Lenny Kravitz has like 2 hit singles a year.

― chaki (chaki), Monday, 7 July 2003 20:27 (twenty-two years ago)

Hot Boyz/Juvenile/Cash Money Millionaires
Ja Rule
J-Lo
Eminem

― oops (Oops), Monday, 7 July 2003 20:36 (twenty-two years ago)

Aerosmith, probably the most surprising one that comes to my mind.

― M Matos (M Matos), Monday, 7 July 2003 20:39 (twenty-two years ago)

They should be dead by now, taking statistics into account.

― Kenan Hebert (kenan), Monday, 7 July 2003 20:48 (twenty-two years ago)

Elvis Presley!

― amateurist (amateurist), Monday, 7 July 2003 20:50 (twenty-two years ago)

Kraftwerk, har

― stevem (blueski), Monday, 7 July 2003 20:51 (twenty-two years ago)

Aerosmith, probably the most surprising one that comes to my mind.

Aerosmith sold their souls to the devil to ensure: 1) they were granted immortal hit-making power, 2) this would occur at precisely the time the Rolling Stones became irrelavant.

― dleone (dleone), Monday, 7 July 2003 20:56 (twenty-two years ago)

R.E.M. "Losing my ... what? Get real!"
Everything But The Girl
Roxette

― Jay K (Jay K), Monday, 7 July 2003 20:58 (twenty-two years ago)

R.E.M., longevity? In retrospect it seems they had about six or seven hitmaking years and then kaput, back to cult status.

― amateurist (amateurist), Monday, 7 July 2003 21:00 (twenty-two years ago)

George Michael, Robbie Williams, Elton John.

Dieter Bohlen, but that's excluding the UK/US rule.

I never saw Radiohead as a one hit wonder, really..."Pablo Honey" was strong and I really thought the band had a bright future ahead of them. Though they developed quite differently than I (and probably everyone else) had expected, obviously.

― Siegbran (eofor), Monday, 7 July 2003 21:32 (twenty-two years ago)

U2?

they just keep going and going...
m.

― msp, Monday, 7 July 2003 21:51 (twenty-two years ago)

How about the Foo Fighters? They've had a suprisingly good run, esp. considering the usual fate of post-hugely successful band solo projects, and the fact that Grohl was the drummer

Also, the Red Hot Chili Peppers always seem to hit on MTV album after album....I doubt they've failed to go platinum since Mother's Milk

Also, definitely LL Cool J - even though I can't stand Luv U Better, it was all over my local urban station this year....

― Matt Helgeson (Matt Helgeson), Monday, 7 July 2003 21:54 (twenty-two years ago)

the Isley Bros.

― Anthony Miccio (Anthony Miccio), Monday, 7 July 2003 21:57 (twenty-two years ago)

I said that already you Sugar Ray-loving punk. ;-)

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Monday, 7 July 2003 21:58 (twenty-two years ago)

ditto to that - forty years and running and still very relevant (saleswise, artistically, whatever)

― James Blount (James Blount), Monday, 7 July 2003 21:59 (twenty-two years ago)

apologies, you Sugar Ray-denying masochist!

― Anthony Miccio (Anthony Miccio), Monday, 7 July 2003 22:02 (twenty-two years ago)

RANT RANT RANT. Actually I was terribly amused about how none of our regular arguments came up at all over the weekend except in random and immediately ignored fashions.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Monday, 7 July 2003 22:04 (twenty-two years ago)

the foo fighters, that is a good call! who expected them to get anywhere?
also: sisqo/dru hill

― Jay K (Jay K), Monday, 7 July 2003 22:10 (twenty-two years ago)

also: sisqo/dru hill

His time's up, though, no? And fuckin' amen to that, by the way.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Monday, 7 July 2003 22:14 (twenty-two years ago)

dandy warhols

― electric sound of jim (electricsound), Monday, 7 July 2003 22:17 (twenty-two years ago)

Actually I was terribly amused about how none of our regular arguments came up at all over the weekend except in random and immediately ignored fashions.

the one thing I regret about the FAP is how rarely music came up at all. But frankly, I didn't have a clue how to instigate such a conversation without saying something already expressed on ILM.

― Anthony Miccio (Anthony Miccio), Monday, 7 July 2003 22:20 (twenty-two years ago)

What hits have the Dandy Warhols had?

― M Matos (M Matos), Monday, 7 July 2003 22:33 (twenty-two years ago)

in England (allegedly)

― James Blount (James Blount), Monday, 7 July 2003 22:37 (twenty-two years ago)

You know that one, with the guitars.
And the singing.

― Leee (Leee), Monday, 7 July 2003 22:39 (twenty-two years ago)

bohemian
heroin is so passe
every day is a holiday
boys better

they've all been top 40 ain't they?

― electric sound of jim (electricsound), Monday, 7 July 2003 22:47 (twenty-two years ago)

in england (supposedly)

― James Blount (James Blount), Monday, 7 July 2003 22:51 (twenty-two years ago)

-> alex:
you might be right that the sisqster is gone now, but he hung in there for quite a while! but when i saw that first video with the swimming pool on top of a scyscraper (computer graphix, wasn't it?), i so thought: a one hit wonder if there ever was one! how wrong i was ...

― Jay K (Jay K), Monday, 7 July 2003 22:53 (twenty-two years ago)

coldplay would be my answer. i remember their first NME review where the "journalist" couldn't get over Chris Martin's haircut.

― electric sound of jim (electricsound), Monday, 7 July 2003 22:55 (twenty-two years ago)

yo, before the swimming pool one was the CLASSIC CLASSIC CLASSIC "In My Bed" video where Sisqo slowly realizes his girlfriend is a MONDO slut. and if Sisqo gets his ass to Europe for a while, he may return again. Gayish icons do MUCH better over there evidently, and occasionally will have a surprise hit here (see Kylie). Instead he actually surrounds himself with rappers and hits BACK at Eminem. Whatta maroon.

― Anthony Miccio (Anthony Miccio), Monday, 7 July 2003 22:57 (twenty-two years ago)

Cake had about at least four really big hits, which is three more than anyone expected.

― My name is Kenny (My name is Kenny), Tuesday, 8 July 2003 00:19 (twenty-two years ago)

I doubt Cake is done yet, unless they broke up.

― Anthony Miccio (Anthony Miccio), Tuesday, 8 July 2003 00:22 (twenty-two years ago)

so glad, and surprised, that no one has beaten me to this one already....
SHAGGY!

― jesus_was_a_gogo_dancer, Tuesday, 8 July 2003 00:35 (twenty-two years ago)

iron maiden!
everytime they changed a singer (from paul dianno to bruce dickinson, from bruce to blaze bailey (?), from blaze to bruce again) i used to think they will split very soon...

and oasis: i wonder why they didn't split after their third album, then after the four, then after the gallaghers broke up during the tour...

...and about dandy wharols: "we used to friends" is a kind of an hit single here in italy...and i don't know why!

― giulio from genova, Tuesday, 8 July 2003 08:16 (twenty-two years ago)

Joni's OTM with Cliff Richard. What started off as a very crap attempt to make a British Elvis went on to have the third highest ammount of number ones in British history.

Weird.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Tuesday, 8 July 2003 09:02 (twenty-two years ago)

U2?
they just keep going and going...
Whua!? Even achieving mediocrity has been a struggle for them since Zooropa.
I'm a fan, and even *I* have to admit that the song they did with Johnny Cash was the *last* decent thing they've ever grunted out.

― Lord Custos Epsilon (Lord Custos Epsilon), Tuesday, 8 July 2003 10:17 (twenty-two years ago)

silverchair

― Chris Radford (Chris Radford), Tuesday, 8 July 2003 10:20 (twenty-two years ago)

After a clunky pop song from a bunch of Northern monkeys peaked at number 17 in 1962, who'd of thought that they'd have anything else left in the tank . . .

― Johnney B (Johnney B), Tuesday, 8 July 2003 11:58 (twenty-two years ago)

What about folks like Hall&Oates or Robert Palmer who had been making records since, like '69, but are probably best known for early-mid 80s hits and are almost completely associated in retrospect with that era? Who woulda thunk it?

― andrew m. (andrewmorgan), Tuesday, 8 July 2003 18:02 (twenty-two years ago)

It's got to be Duran Duran. And now the famous five are back, who knows what's going to happen ?

― darren (darren), Tuesday, 8 July 2003 18:23 (twenty-two years ago)

who knows, maybe in a few years we'll be adding Dexy's midnight runners to this list.

― Felcher (Felcher), Tuesday, 8 July 2003 18:55 (twenty-two years ago)

Anthony - Cake DID broke up. Having heard Motorcade of Generosity right before "Rock n Roll Lifestyle" broke, I gotta say they're a GREAT example though. Who would've ever thought a band with a lyric like "your pentagram is down beneath our floor/your feet are dry with the ashes from dead babies" would've made it onto the charts at all, much less get up on top of 'em?

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Tuesday, 8 July 2003 19:17 (twenty-two years ago)

neworder ...

― brian nemtusak (sanlazaro), Tuesday, 8 July 2003 19:34 (twenty-two years ago)

It's got to be Duran Duran. And now the famous five are back, who knows what's going to happen ?

I'd say the odds of them coming up with anything short of entirely dissapointing and/or desperately embarassing or possibly even soul-destroyingly ill-advised are slim.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Tuesday, 8 July 2003 20:05 (twenty-two years ago)

house of pain into everlast ... 'fine malt lyrics,' heh.

― brian nemtusak (sanlazaro), Tuesday, 8 July 2003 20:24 (twenty-two years ago)

oooh, does Kenny Rogers count?

― brian nemtusak (sanlazaro), Tuesday, 8 July 2003 20:34 (twenty-two years ago)

he knows when to hold em and when to fold em

― chaki (chaki), Tuesday, 8 July 2003 20:37 (twenty-two years ago)

only up to 10

― oops (Oops), Tuesday, 8 July 2003 20:39 (twenty-two years ago)

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