(Non-One Hit Wonder) Artists Whose Biggest Chart Single Was Also Their Greatest Musical Achievement

Message Bookmarked

Bookmark Removed

like I said, no one hit wonders though, or it's too easy....

My first thought:

Blue Oyster Cult - "Don't Fear the Reaper"

― M@tt He1geson (Matt Helgeson), Saturday, 23 July 2005 19:37 (twenty years ago)

Off the top of my head, "Billie Jean" by Michael Jackson. Is that his biggest hit? I"m too lazy to check soundscan or whatever.

― p.j. (Henry), Saturday, 23 July 2005 20:18 (twenty years ago)

Jay-Z - Hard Knock Life
The Cure - A Forest

― Siegbran (eofor), Saturday, 23 July 2005 20:21 (twenty years ago)

pj- "Thriller" was his biggest hit, surely?

― Telephonething (Telephonething), Saturday, 23 July 2005 20:22 (twenty years ago)

Pulp

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Saturday, 23 July 2005 20:25 (twenty years ago)

The Cure - A Forest

Wasn't their biggest chart single. In the UK it was "Lullaby" at #5 -- in the US "Lovesong" hit #2.

― Kitten, the body needs it, the body cries out for Ian Riese-Moraine! (Eastern Ma, Saturday, 23 July 2005 21:47 (twenty years ago)

Crowded House - "Don't Dream It's Over"

― Alfred Soto (Alfred Soto), Saturday, 23 July 2005 21:53 (twenty years ago)

"Billie Jean" was number one for 7 weeks...Thriller reached #4 in the U.S. and #10 in the U.K.

― p.j. (Henry), Saturday, 23 July 2005 22:00 (twenty years ago)

Love Will Tear Us Apart
Smells Like Teen Spirit

― Lee F# (fsharp), Saturday, 23 July 2005 22:40 (twenty years ago)

Ooh Aah... Just A Little Bit.

― mike t-diva (mike t-diva), Saturday, 23 July 2005 23:12 (twenty years ago)

US Charts, obv.

Peter Gabriel - "Sledgehammer"
Blink-182 - "All the Small Things"
Human League - "Don't You Want Me" / "Human" (both #1 and their two best songs)
Nine Inch Nails - "Closer"
Dr. Dre - "Nuthin' But a 'G' Thang"
Ashanti - "Foolish"
Usher - "Yeah!"
America - "Sister Golden Hair" (think this was #1 longer than HWNN)
REM - "Losing My Religion"
INXS - "Need You Tonight"
ABBA - "Dancing Queen"
Thompson Twins - "Hold Me Now"
Queen - "Another One Bites the Dust"
Snoop Dogg - "Drop It Like It's Hot"

this is tougher than I'd think.

― The Good Dr. Bill (The Good Dr. Bill), Saturday, 23 July 2005 23:31 (twenty years ago)

"Dammit" >>>> "All The Small Things"

― milozauckerman (miloaukerman), Saturday, 23 July 2005 23:38 (twenty years ago)

The Cardigans - "Lovefool"
Mazzy Star - "Fade Into You" (maybe)

― milozauckerman (miloaukerman), Saturday, 23 July 2005 23:39 (twenty years ago)

I think the point of the thread is to only do artists who've had a bunch of charting singles, which makes it a lot tougher than the one-hit wonders who obviously hit with their best.

"Dammit," "All the Small Things" and "Stay Together for the Kids" are all about equally good I guess.

― The Good Dr. Bill (The Good Dr. Bill), Saturday, 23 July 2005 23:44 (twenty years ago)

I think on balance "I Miss You" > "All The Small Things", surely?

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Saturday, 23 July 2005 23:52 (twenty years ago)

The Pixies- Debaser.

Yeah, I went there.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Saturday, 23 July 2005 23:55 (twenty years ago)

Foo Fighters - Everlong?

― kingfish (Kingfish), Saturday, 23 July 2005 23:58 (twenty years ago)

"I Miss You" surely isn't in the same league with those others, great though it is.

Eve - "Let Me Blow Ya Mind"
Lil' Jon & the Eastside Boyz - "Get Low"
Naughty By Nature - "OPP"
Smashing Pumpkins - "1979"
The Fixx - "One Thing Leads to Another"
Al Green - "Let's Stay Together"

― The Good Dr. Bill (The Good Dr. Bill), Sunday, 24 July 2005 00:06 (twenty years ago)

Police-"Every Breath You Take"
Prince-"When Doves Cry"

― dr. phil (josh langhoff), Sunday, 24 July 2005 00:40 (twenty years ago)

Eve - "Let Me Blow Ya Mind"

Madness! That was like the worst single she's ever released... Almost every track on Eve-olution is better than "Let me blow Your Mind", not to mention her first LP.

― Tuomas (Tuomas), Sunday, 24 July 2005 08:01 (twenty years ago)

Were The Spooks a one-hit wonder? I think they did have a second hit, but nevertheless "The Things I've Seen" is a pretty awesome song coming from an awesomely mediocre crew.

― Tuomas (Tuomas), Sunday, 24 July 2005 08:05 (twenty years ago)

if "good vibrations" was the beach boys' biggest hit, then that's a shoe-in.

― spastic heritage, Sunday, 24 July 2005 09:01 (twenty years ago)

"Everlong" is the best Foo Fighters song, but it didn't even crack the Hot 100! "Learn to Fly" is their biggest hit (#13).

― jaymc (jaymc), Sunday, 24 July 2005 09:09 (twenty years ago)

sinead o'connor

― Sym Sym (sym), Sunday, 24 July 2005 17:54 (twenty years ago)

Peter Murphy - "Cuts You Up"?

― Curt1s St3ph3ns, Sunday, 24 July 2005 18:05 (twenty years ago)

New Order's biggest US hit was "Regret" (only #28, though) and their second biggest UK hit (after "World in Motion") -- and it's certainly one of their very best best singles.

― MindInRewind (Barry Bruner), Sunday, 24 July 2005 18:11 (twenty years ago)

The Police, "Every Breath You Take"

― MindInRewind (Barry Bruner), Sunday, 24 July 2005 18:12 (twenty years ago)

A lot of good choices here. I'll second Good Vibrations and Common People.

But the winner has to be Like A Rolling Stone.

― kornrulez6969 (TCBeing), Sunday, 24 July 2005 19:38 (twenty years ago)

no it doesn't

― Sym Sym (sym), Sunday, 24 July 2005 19:40 (twenty years ago)

Pet Shop Boys - "West End Girls"

― daavid (daavid), Sunday, 24 July 2005 20:39 (twenty years ago)

Catatonia!
Gareth Gates
Outkast?

― Gravel Puzzleworth (Gregory Henry), Sunday, 24 July 2005 22:03 (twenty years ago)

Magazine, Shot By Both Sides

― Michael Philip Philip Philip Avoidant (Ferg), Sunday, 24 July 2005 22:17 (twenty years ago)

I'll agree with Prince and "When Doves Cry."

Also:

Seal, "Kiss From a Rose"

Grass Roots, "Midnight Confessions" (I'm more partial to "I'd Wait a Million Years," but I think most people would consider this the best musical achievement of their songs)

― Joseph McCombs (Joseph McCombs), Monday, 25 July 2005 04:15 (twenty years ago)

Dylan.

But as much as I dig "Lovefool," I prefer "My Favourite Game" by far.

― Rickey Wright (Rrrickey), Monday, 25 July 2005 06:24 (twenty years ago)

The Who, "I Can See For Miles" (their only US Top 10 hit.)
Alanis Morrisette, "You Oughtta Know" (yeah!)
Boston, "More Than A Feeling" (FUCK "Don't Look Back"!)
Guns 'n' Roses, "Sweet Child Of Mine"

― Myonga Von Bontee (Myonga Von Bontee), Monday, 25 July 2005 07:35 (twenty years ago)

Are you sure "When Doves Cry" is Prince's biggest single? It may be, but I had the feeling "The Most Beautiful Girl" may have beaten it.

― plebian plebs (plebian), Monday, 25 July 2005 08:45 (twenty years ago)

"The Most Beautiful Girl In The World" was definitely his only #1 in the UK, for what it's worth.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Monday, 25 July 2005 12:35 (twenty years ago)

Prince had five #1s in the US, of which I'm pretty sure "When Doves Cry" was the biggest. TMBGITW went to #3, I think.

― The Good Dr. Bill (The Good Dr. Bill), Monday, 25 July 2005 13:19 (twenty years ago)

the Raspberries' "Go All the Way" had to be their biggest chart single--I'm guessing some of their other shit made the lower rungs of the charts, and anyway they sold far more records than Big Star, right?--and it's their best song.

― edd s hurt (ddduncan), Monday, 25 July 2005 13:35 (twenty years ago)

White Town

― Sociah T Azzahole (blueski), Monday, 25 July 2005 13:41 (twenty years ago)

(wrong thread)

― Sociah T Azzahole (blueski), Monday, 25 July 2005 13:41 (twenty years ago)

Pet Shop Boys - "West End Girls"

Their biggest hit in the US but I'd guess 'Always on my mind' was bigger in the UK, 5 weeks at #1 and a Christmas #1 too.

― Billy Dods (Billy Dods), Monday, 25 July 2005 13:44 (twenty years ago)

According to "Billboard's Hottest Hot 100 Hits" (whose rating method may, granted, not be what we're using here), the Beach Boys' biggest was "I Get Around" and Dylan's biggest was "Lay Lady Lay," neither their finest effort in my opinion. "When Doves Cry" was definitely Prince's biggest, though I guess on most days I prefer "Take Me With U."

― dr. phil (josh langhoff), Monday, 25 July 2005 13:45 (twenty years ago)

Blue Monday is New Order's biggest hit in UK, it was on the charts twice (thrice?) and sold steadily for several months when originally released.

― Billy Dods (Billy Dods), Monday, 25 July 2005 13:49 (twenty years ago)

that PSB one might be the best answer yet.

Simply Red - "Holding Back the Years"
Third Eye Blind - "Semi-Charmed Life"
Bone Thugs n Harmony - "Tha Crossroads"

And assuming we're only using chart position to determine "biggest" and then longevity as a tiebreaker, "World in Motion" would (rather sadly) be NO's UK biggest.

― The Good Dr. Bill (The Good Dr. Bill), Monday, 25 July 2005 13:55 (twenty years ago)

"Ignition (Remix)" was a bigger hit than "I Believe I Can Fly", right? I forget how many weeks IBICF spent at #1 in the UK, but "Ignition" managed four. Stateside?

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Monday, 25 July 2005 13:57 (twenty years ago)

Stateside "Ignition" and IBICF both went to #2, both bested by "Bump n Grind"s leisurely stay at #1.

― The Good Dr. Bill (The Good Dr. Bill), Monday, 25 July 2005 14:00 (twenty years ago)

In the UK "Battle of Who Could Care Less" was Ben Folds Five's biggest hit, as well as being their finest hour. I have a sneaking suspicion this wasn't the case elsewhere.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Monday, 25 July 2005 14:02 (twenty years ago)

Also: Cornershop

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Monday, 25 July 2005 14:05 (twenty years ago)

According to "Billboard's Hottest Hot 100 Hits" (whose rating method may, granted, not be what we're using here), the Beach Boys' biggest was "I Get Around" and Dylan's biggest was "Lay Lady Lay,

That can't be right. Dylan's two biggest hits were "Like A Rolling Stone" and "Rainy Day Women," both of which peaked at #2. "Lay Lady Lay" was simply Dylan's last top 10.

― Alfred Soto (Alfred Soto), Monday, 25 July 2005 14:26 (twenty years ago)

Those Billboard Hottest Hot 100 Hits books are bizarre. I think they listed "Smooth" as the #1 single of the 90s, even though it came at the very end of the decade (two of its #1 weeks were in the 00s) and was outlasted on top by almost a half-dozen singles.

― The Good Dr. Bill (The Good Dr. Bill), Monday, 25 July 2005 14:31 (twenty years ago)

Weren't "I Will Always Love You," "End of the Road," "Macarena," and "One Sweet Day" number one far longer than "Smooth"?

― Alfred Soto (Alfred Soto), Monday, 25 July 2005 14:43 (twenty years ago)

yes. Yes they were (as was "I'll Make Love to You," and I think maybe "Candle in the Wind '97" as well)

― The Good Dr. Bill (The Good Dr. Bill), Monday, 25 July 2005 14:49 (twenty years ago)

man the '90s sucked

― Curt1s St3ph3ns, Monday, 25 July 2005 14:57 (twenty years ago)

Bone Thugs n Harmony - "Tha Crossroads"

No way! "First of the Month" or "Thuggish Ruggish Bone" are way better!

Cornershop might be a good answer, but I've only ever heard 1 Cornershop song! But Brimful of Asha is great!

― M@tt He1geson (Matt Helgeson), Monday, 25 July 2005 15:09 (twenty years ago)

No! I disagree!

― The Good Dr. Bill (The Good Dr. Bill), Monday, 25 July 2005 15:19 (twenty years ago)

Boys II Men own this entire thread with "End Of The Road" (ie, the last ballad they released before becoming self-parodies). That song is so raw and wonderful and almost everything that comes after it is such unadulterated shit (the sole exception being "Water Runs Dry" and that isn't as great a song as "End Of The Road").

― The Ghost of Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Monday, 25 July 2005 15:20 (twenty years ago)

And assuming we're only using chart position to determine "biggest" and then longevity as a tiebreaker, "World in Motion" would (rather sadly) be NO's UK biggest.

I was using biggest to mean largest sales and Blue Monday beats World in Motion by that criteria by at least 2 to 1. Anyway neither are New Order's best moments.

― Billy Dods (Billy Dods), Monday, 25 July 2005 15:23 (twenty years ago)

'End Of A Road' is a horrendous pile of crap! 'Motownphilly' is far superior.

― Sociah T Azzahole (blueski), Monday, 25 July 2005 15:24 (twenty years ago)

The not A, obv.

― Sociah T Azzahole (blueski), Monday, 25 July 2005 15:24 (twenty years ago)

I Want It That Way: Backstreet Boys

― kornrulez6969 (TCBeing), Monday, 25 July 2005 15:26 (twenty years ago)

"Motownphilly" is a great song but "End Of The Road" is a league above; the main reason why it's cringe-inducing now is because its ginormous success cause BIIM to become gigantic dick-shaped pussies that dripped subpar overwrought ballads like they were some extraordinarily sticky venereal discharge. On its own merits, it's one of the best ballads ever written.

― The Ghost of Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Monday, 25 July 2005 15:28 (twenty years ago)

Basically, "End Of The Road" is like the most fantastic, mind-blowing one-night stand you've ever had and pretty much every subsequent Boys II Men ballad is the virulent case of herpes you've had to live with ever since.

― The Ghost of Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Monday, 25 July 2005 15:30 (twenty years ago)

I prefer 'One Sweet Day'

― Sociah T Azzahole (blueski), Monday, 25 July 2005 15:30 (twenty years ago)

Outkast "Bombs Over Baghdad"
Sly and the Family Stone "Hot Fun In The Summertime" (did they have a bigger hit than this?)

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Monday, 25 July 2005 15:33 (twenty years ago)

"End of the Road" is fantastic but it's a moot point as "One Sweet Day" and "I'll Make Love to You" were both bigger.

BOB didn't even break the top 100, and Sly had three #1s, none of which were "Hot Fun".

― The Good Dr. Bill (The Good Dr. Bill), Monday, 25 July 2005 15:34 (twenty years ago)

no-one mentioned Britney? Her three biggest #1 singles are surely also considered her three best songs?

― Sociah T Azzahole (blueski), Monday, 25 July 2005 15:42 (twenty years ago)

Depeche Mode: Enjoy the Silence

― Viz (Viz), Monday, 25 July 2005 15:48 (twenty years ago)

In the UK "Battle of Who Could Care Less" was Ben Folds Five's biggest hit, as well as being their finest hour. I have a sneaking suspicion this wasn't the case elsewhere.

In the US, half the people who know who Ben Folds Five is know them as the band that sang "Brick."

― jaymc (jaymc), Monday, 25 July 2005 15:49 (twenty years ago)

I wish I only knew Ben Folds Five as the band that sang "Brick".

― The Good Dr. Bill (The Good Dr. Bill), Monday, 25 July 2005 15:52 (twenty years ago)

Hanson - "Mmmmbop"
Ace of Base - "The Sign"
Ricky Martin - "Livin' La Vida Loca"

― The Good Dr. Bill (The Good Dr. Bill), Monday, 25 July 2005 16:00 (twenty years ago)

> Sly and the Family Stone "Hot Fun In The Summertime" (did they have a bigger hit than this?)

In the U.S., "Everyday People," "Family Affair," and "Thank You" were all #1 hits, "Hot Fun" was a #2. "Thank You" might actually be a good answer for this, now that I think about it.

> Stateside "Ignition" and IBICF both went to #2, both bested by "Bump n Grind"s leisurely stay at #1.

And I hate to remind anyone of this, but his duet with Celine Dion, "I'm Your Angel," was also a U.S. #1 and may have been his biggest overall hit.

Raspberries are a great answer too.

― Joseph McCombs (Joseph McCombs), Monday, 25 July 2005 16:02 (twenty years ago)

haha, I totally forgot about that one. Worst prestige duet of the last decade?

Those three Sly singles are all possibly their best.

― The Good Dr. Bill (The Good Dr. Bill), Monday, 25 July 2005 16:05 (twenty years ago)

"End of the Road" is fantastic but it's a moot point as "One Sweet Day" and "I'll Make Love to You" were both bigger.

Oh God. People are so fucking stupid.

― The Ghost of Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Monday, 25 July 2005 16:17 (twenty years ago)

yeah, you're right, an example which doesn't even meet the thread criteria obviously owns this thread.

― The Good Dr. Bill (The Good Dr. Bill), Monday, 25 July 2005 16:36 (twenty years ago)

"I'll take Wilfull Misunderstanding Plain English Even When Presented In Context for $600, Alex."

Given everything else I've written on this thread about the singles that followed "End Of The Road", why would you think I was insulting you for correcting me as opposed to insulting America in general for having fucking horrible taste?

Regardless, thanks for the datapoint for the "People are so fucking stupid" hypothesis.

― The Ghost of Now I'm Insulting You (Dan Perry), Monday, 25 July 2005 17:35 (twenty years ago)

fair enough.

― The Good Dr. Bill (The Good Dr. Bill), Monday, 25 July 2005 17:37 (twenty years ago)

Argh Y Kant Danny Spell?

― The Ghost of Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Monday, 25 July 2005 17:38 (twenty years ago)

Outkast "Bombs Over Baghdad"

But Mrs. Jackson HAD to have been a bigger single than BOB...right?

― M@tt He1geson (Matt Helgeson), Monday, 25 July 2005 17:39 (twenty years ago)

and Hey Ya

― M@tt He1geson (Matt Helgeson), Monday, 25 July 2005 17:40 (twenty years ago)

"Rosa Parks", "Mrs. Jackson", "So Fresh, So Clean", "The Way You Move" and "Hey Ya!" were all bigger than "B.O.B".

― The Ghost of Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Monday, 25 July 2005 17:40 (twenty years ago)

like I said earlier, "BOB" didn't even crack top 100. I think it peaked at like #69 on the rap charts.

― The Good Dr. Bill (The Good Dr. Bill), Monday, 25 July 2005 17:41 (twenty years ago)

"Rosa Parks" never hit the top 40.

― Alfred Soto (Alfred Soto), Monday, 25 July 2005 17:47 (twenty years ago)

I wish I only knew Ben Folds Five as the band that sang "Brick".
-- The Good Dr. Bill (fadeout9...), July 25th, 2005. (The Good Dr. Bill)

OTM, what a beautiful song.

― M@tt He1geson (Matt Helgeson), Monday, 25 July 2005 18:06 (twenty years ago)

Take That "Back for Good"

― ailsa (ailsa), Monday, 25 July 2005 21:19 (twenty years ago)

With regard to the original post didn't "Burnin' For You" chart higher than "Don't Fear The Reaper" (both great songs)?

― gygax! (gygax!), Monday, 25 July 2005 21:29 (twenty years ago)

Reaper = #12, Burnin' = #40

― The Good Dr. Bill (The Good Dr. Bill), Monday, 25 July 2005 22:47 (twenty years ago)

Peter Gabriel - "Sledgehammer"

You are joking about this being his greatest achievement, right?

― Sundar (sundar), Monday, 25 July 2005 23:27 (twenty years ago)

"Shock the Monkey" fan? That's understandable. It's pretty close.

― The Good Dr. Bill (The Good Dr. Bill), Tuesday, 26 July 2005 00:46 (twenty years ago)

You must be logged in to post. Please either login here, or if you are not registered, you may register here.