# Albums where Song B overtakes Song A in airplay frequency **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 26, 2016, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/albums-where-song-b-overtakes-song-a-in-airplay-frequency/758412 "2016-06-26T15:20:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/it_s_not_rocket_surgery/32/312_2.png) [@It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/It_s_Not_Rocket_Surgery)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2016, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/albums-where-song-b-overtakes-song-a-in-airplay-frequency/758412/1 "2016-06-26T15:20:10Z")
This thread is about instances where one song from an album starts out getting most of/all of the airplay, but over time, another song from the same album replaces/exceeds it in popularity. Examples: On Peter Gabriel’s _So_, “Sledgehammer” was the song heard up and down the radio dial for the first couple of years after the album’s release. But by a few years later, the song that nearly always got played was “In Your Eyes” (thanks to Say Anything, as well as it becoming Gabriel’s encore). Now you hardly hear "Sledgehammer " anymore, but “In Your Eyes” still gets quite a bit of airplay for a 30-year-old song. (Another factor was that MTV played the award-winning “Sledgehammer” video incessantly. That’s obviously no longer going to happen.) Also, when Pink Floyd’s _The Wall_ was released, “Another Brick In The Wall, Part 2” got most of the airplay. However, “Comfortably Numb” gradually surpassed it, and is now far more likely to be the song heard on classic rock stations. I’m sure there are many more examples. What are they? ---
**Author:** ![buddha\_david](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ee7513/32.png) [@buddha\_david](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/buddha_david)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2016, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/albums-where-song-b-overtakes-song-a-in-airplay-frequency/758412/2 "2016-06-26T16:01:14Z")
From Journey’s _Escape_ (1981): In the 1980’s, “Open Arms” was their ultimate stadium anthem. By the 2000’s, “Don’t Stop Believin’” had surpassed it as their ultimate stadium anthem. ---
**Author:** ![Don\_Draper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b2d939/32.png) [@Don\_Draper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_Draper)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2016, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/albums-where-song-b-overtakes-song-a-in-airplay-frequency/758412/3 "2016-06-27T21:54:58Z")
When Annie Lennox released her debut solo album _Diva_, the lead single released to jump-start sales was the song “Why.” A few months later, that single was followed up with “Walking on Broken Glass.” While “Broken Glass” still gets on the radio now and then, I can’t think of the last time I heard “Why.” ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2016, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/albums-where-song-b-overtakes-song-a-in-airplay-frequency/758412/4 "2016-06-28T00:51:52Z")
The soundtrack from\* Saturday Night Fever\* placed seven different singles at #1 on the pop charts. Jive Talkin’ A Fifth of Beethoven You Should Be Dancing How Deep Is Your Love Night Fever If I Can’t Have You Stayin’ Alive How Deep Is Your Love, Night Fever, If I Can’t Have You and/or Stayin’ Alive were #1 or #2 on the charts every week except one from December 17, 1977 to mid-May, 1978. ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2016, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/albums-where-song-b-overtakes-song-a-in-airplay-frequency/758412/5 "2016-06-28T16:10:04Z")
I recall that when Queen’s “A Night at the Opera” made its debut, the “A” track for pop radio play was a forgettable little ditty titled “(You’re My) Best Friend”. (ooh you make me live). Only the alternative “album rock” stations tended to play “Bohemian Rhapsody” at first. ---
**Author:** ![edwards\_beard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7bcc69/32.png) [@edwards\_beard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/edwards_beard)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2016, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/albums-where-song-b-overtakes-song-a-in-airplay-frequency/758412/6 "2016-06-28T16:39:46Z")
Faith No More’s - The Real Thing The first single/video released was [From Out Of Nowhere](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j4tsGWdarHc), which was overtaken by the second single/video [Epic](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZG_k5CSYKhg). ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2016, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/albums-where-song-b-overtakes-song-a-in-airplay-frequency/758412/7 "2016-06-28T16:42:59Z")
> [@AHunter3](#): > > I recall that when Queen’s “A Night at the Opera” made its debut, the “A” track for pop radio play was a forgettable little ditty titled “(You’re My) Best Friend”. (ooh you make me live). Only the alternative “album rock” stations tended to play “Bohemian Rhapsody” at first. Wasn’t there something similar with “Fat Bottomed Girls” and “Bicycle Race” from **Jazz**? ---
**Author:** ![ChockFullOfHeadyGoodness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chockfullofheadygoodness/32/511_2.png) [@ChockFullOfHeadyGoodness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ChockFullOfHeadyGoodness)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2016, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/albums-where-song-b-overtakes-song-a-in-airplay-frequency/758412/8 "2016-06-28T17:04:38Z")
When was the last time you heard the lead single from _Thriller_? It hit #2. Hint: It was the shitty duet with Paul McCartney. On the other hand, the title track only hit #4, but is much, much better known today thanks to the iconic video and its being trotted out every Halloween. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2016, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/albums-where-song-b-overtakes-song-a-in-airplay-frequency/758412/9 "2016-06-28T22:46:01Z")
_Kung-Fu Fighting_ was slated to be the B-side to _I Want to Give You My Everything_, but I just discovered they were switched at the last minute. I realize this isn’t exactly what the OP was asking for, but I always thought it was kinda cool. ---
**Author:** ![Don\_Draper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b2d939/32.png) [@Don\_Draper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_Draper)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2016, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/albums-where-song-b-overtakes-song-a-in-airplay-frequency/758412/10 "2016-06-29T02:42:14Z")
Going back to the 60s, the album **Surrealistic Pillow** by Jefferson Airplane. Their record label RCA was clearly trying to push the band to ape the sound of the Mamas & the Papas – the first single released to promote the record was “My Best Friend” (which, strangely enough, was written by Skip Spence, who’d already quit/been fired from the band by the time they recorded it.) The single went absolutely nowhere as it never even made it on the charts. The second and third singles however were “Somebody to Love” and “White Rabbit.” 'Nuff said.