I'm writing a story about Pearl Jam and discovered that their highest charting single (and the only Top 10 single) is 'Spin the Black Circle' from 'Vitalogy.

 

Any other acts whose highest charting song is relatively unknown considering all their back catalogue?

That Sister Sledge one from the 80s springs to mind.

The Notorious BIG's 'Mo Money Mo Problems' and 'Hypnotize' reached low Top 10 but then posthumous 'Nasty Girl' was a #1

Manics - The Masses Against The Classes reaching #1 ... IMO they had much better/popular hits

Mariah Carey - Getting peaks with only covers Without You, and the terrible Against All Odds :puke2:

Sting - When We Dance ... his only solo top 10 hit!! :o

 

Manics - The Masses Against The Classes reaching #1 ... IMO they had much better/popular hits

Mariah Carey - Getting peaks with only covers Without You, and the terrible Against All Odds :puke2:

Sting - When We Dance ... his only solo top 10 hit!! :o

 

The Manics have 2 #1s, the other one is the much more well known 'If You Tolerate This Your Children Will Be Next'

Mariah Carey - Getting peaks with only covers Without You, and the terrible Against All Odds :puke2:

Sting - When We Dance ... his only solo top 10 hit!! :o

 

Without You is Mariah's signature song in Europe though...Her big final breakthrough.

 

Interesting fact about Sting! Although he had a hit collaboration with Craig David didn't he? But a relatively unknown song anyway.

 

And then there was All for Love with Rod Stewart and Bryan Adams

Edited January 25, 201114 yr by SKOB

Snow Patrol's highest charting was Signal Fire in 2007 which reached number 4- its aged terribly in comparison to Chasing Cars and Run

Edited January 25, 201114 yr by chart wizard

Primal Scream only got their first ever top five single with 'Country Girl' in 2006 which is a little odd, but obviously it was their "comeback"... still I doubt it'll go down as a memorable song by them (in fact it was rather forgettable in the first place in my opinion :D)

 

Also, Kool & The Gang's highest charting single is not 'Celebration', 'Get Down On It', 'Jungle Boogie', 'Ladies Night', 'Fresh' etc... but an AA-side 'Joanna/Tonight' which peaked at #2 in 1984.

 

LL Cool J got to #1 with 'Ain't Nobody' which would be quite far down on a list of songs you'd associate with him, I would imagine.

 

AC/DC's highest charting (by a fraction) is 'Heatseeker' - #12 in 1988.

 

I think we can probably add Jay-Z's #1 with 'Run This Town' to this list in a few years. Probably a bit too early now though.

Edited January 25, 201114 yr by superbossanova

In terms of chart position, the two stand outs imo are:

 

Hot Chocolate 'So You Win Again' and The Jacksons 'Show You The Way To Go' which were both their only UK #1 hits. Yet both acts have released far better and more memorable hits that have stood the test of time more successfully.

Until late 2009 Journey's highest peaking single was the #46 hit 'Who's Crying Now'.

That Sister Sledge one from the 80s springs to mind.

 

 

Frankie. Yeah not the typical Nile Rodgers Sister Sledge sound!

Neneh Cherry - Love Can Build A Bridge

 

Memorable to some people definitely, but you wouldn't think this was one of her signature hits alongside "Woman", "Buffalo Stance" or "Manchild".

Nirvana's Smells Like Teen Spirit peaked lower than Heart Shaped Box, reached #7 and #5 respectively.

Neneh Cherry - Love Can Build A Bridge

 

Memorable to some people definitely, but you wouldn't think this was one of her signature hits alongside "Woman", "Buffalo Stance" or "Manchild".

 

charity single wasn't it? featuring Chrissie Hynde & Eric Clapton, so slightly "forgiven" :rolleyes:

charity single wasn't it? featuring Chrissie Hynde & Eric Clapton, so slightly "forgiven" :rolleyes:

 

LCBAB is also Eric Clapton's only number 1 single, doing better than some of his better known songs, beating Layla (both versions), Cocaine, Wonderful Tonight and Tears in Heaven.

 

Dire Strait's highest charting single is Private Investigations, which peaked at number 2, as did Walk of Life, doing better than Romeo and Juliet, Money for Nothing, Sultans of Swing.

 

Portishead's highest charting single is 'All Mine,' reaching number 8, higher charting than Glory Box & Sour Times.

 

The Cult's highest charting song is the slightly more obscure Lil' Devil, outcharting the Absolute Radio stable 'She Sells Sanctuary.'

Bruce Springsteen's highest charting single is "Streets Of Philadelphia" (#2), beating "Born To Run" (failed to chart until live vrs #16 1987), "I'm On Fire/Born In The USA" (#5) and "Dancing In The Dark" (#4). The latter is his best placed single in the US (#2)....so he's never topped either the UK or US singles chart.

The Cranberries have their highest peak at #13, with two singles. Neither of which are Zombie, Linger or Dreams... but the much less remembered songs Salvation and Promises.

 

And Beck's highest charting single is The New Pollution at #14, which managed to outpeak the song that is by far his most famous, Loser, by one mere position.

Edited January 25, 201114 yr by superbossanova

Katie Melua - What A Wonderful World (with Eva Cassidy)

REM - The Great Beyond

Bob Marley - Sun Is Shining (Funkstar De Luxe re-mix)

 

And also several well-known musicians such as Pete Townshend, Edwin Starr, and Mark Knopfler only topped the chart with 'one-hit wonder' groups (in this case Thunderclap Newman, Ferry Aid, and Dunblane respectively).

Green Day's is "The Saints are Coming" with U2 - reached #2.

 

Though to be fair, after that their most successful peaks are pretty accurate of the songs' reputation:

 

#3 American Idiot

#5 Boulevard of Broken Dreams

#7 Basket Case

#8 Wake Me Up When September Ends

#11 Good Riddance (Time Of Your Life)

 

Paramore's "Ignorance" peaked at #14 yet "The Only Exception" is bafflingly holding up better a year on. The former also outpeaked career highlight "Misery Business" by three places.

I'm sure 'Paranoid Android' is well remembered by Radiohead fans but that's their highest peaker, making #3 - Creep only got #7.

Edited January 26, 201114 yr by ★BlindFaithBray★