Songs that have far exceeded their popularity when first released

[BTExpress]

The Beach Boys' "God Only Knows," released on the B side of "Wouldn't It Be Nice," peaked at No. 39 and is regarded as one of the greatest songs of all time.

I rate it No. 2 behind Bridge Over Troubled Water.

 

[tapintoamerica]

I'm a big Steely Dan fan, and "My Old School" only reached No. 63 on the charts....but it is one of the most widely played of their songs, is almost always on their greatest hits albums and is considered one of their best.

Perhaps in part because of the backstory. Fagen or Becker -- don't remember who -- was arrested in a raid ordered by local DA G. Gordon Liddy. Love that fact.

 

[tapintoamerica]

Anything by Peter Frampton, I assume.

 

[micropolitan guy]

Anything by Peter Frampton, I assume.

IDK, "Frampton Comes Alive" was an absolutely huge album when it came out. Everybody on campus had it, and blasted either "Show me the way" or "Do you (feel like I do") on their stereos 24/7.

"Wouldn't it be nice" is the song played on the opening and closing credits of "Shampoo," a perfect fit for a great and underappreciated movie.

 

[tapintoamerica]

IDK, "Frampton Comes Alive" was an absolutely huge album when it came out. Everybody on campus had it, and blasted either "Show me the way" or "Do you (feel like I do") on their stereos 24/7.

"Wouldn't it be nice" is the song played on the opening and closing credits of "Shampoo," a perfect fit for a great and underappreciated movie.

Huge album. But since it's a live album, I'm assuming the songs were previously released in the studio.

 

[micropolitan guy]

Huge album. But since it's a live album, I'm assuming the songs were previously released in the studio.

Good point.

 

[sgreenwell]

IDK, "Frampton Comes Alive" was an absolutely huge album when it came out. Everybody on campus had it, and blasted either "Show me the way" or "Do you (feel like I do") on their stereos 24/7.

 

[garrow]

Gosh, did I love, love Tia Carrere back in the day. Even watched her micro budget dopey Relic Hunter show.

 

[Bubbler]

"Ooh La La" by the Faces has been in multiple ads that play on the "I wish that I knew what I know now when I was younger" lyric. Its rise began when it was included in "Rushmore" back in the late 90s.

Never charted as a single. It came from the Faces' last album and the band was in strife at the time and they weren't ever chart darlings in the first place.

Rod Stewart did a remake in 1998 (ironic given that Ron Wood sings the Faces version) that just made the bottom of the top 40.

 

[PCLoadLetter]

"Ooh La La" by the Faces has been in multiple ads that play on the "I wish that I knew what I know now when I was younger" lyric. Its rise began when it was included in "Rushmore" back in the late 90s.

Never charted as a single. It came from the Faces' last album and the band was in strife at the time and they weren't ever chart darlings in the first place.

Rod Stewart did a remake in 1998 (ironic given that Ron Wood sings the Faces version) that just made the bottom of the top 40.

The use in "Rushmore" is what really got me into the Faces. That, and hearing "Debris" on XM Radio. Such a great band.

 

[dixiehack]

Another song that fits is "Shout" by the Isley Brothers (crossthread). I think it barely reached the top 50 but is known by everyone from 3 to 80 years old. While, I believe, originally a church song, almost every sports team has probably played it at some point.

Shout got revived with Animal House in the 70s.

 

[DanOregon]

Never cracked the top 10 in the States.

Every song that peaked at Number 11 over the last 50 years

Almost 500 songs have just nudged the Top 10 but gone no further than the dreaded Number 11 over the last 50 years. We highlighted a selection of classics, but the rest of them deserve their time to shine, too. Here's the lot of them, in chronological order:

www.officialcharts.com

Superstition - Stevie Wonder
Rocket Man - Elton John
Run to You - Bryan Adams
Lonely Boy - Andrew Gold
Power of Love - Huey Lewis and the News