Last hit singles for the great rock and rollers?

Cafe Society
1

For our purposes, let’s define a hit single as a song that makes the top 50 of the charts or hit parade.

Having done that, can anyone provide the last hit singles & date of release for some Rock and Roll legends who are still performing/recording today? I’m less interested in groups like the Beatles who broke up, but I would be interested in McCartney’s last hit.

So, anybody able to name the last hit for say,

The Who
The Rolling Stones
Elton John
Bob Dylan
CSN (& sometimes Y)
Bruce Springsteen
Michael Jackson
Rod Stewart

Feel free to add your own performers!

2

In 2003 Michael Jackson had a US #40 (r&b chart, but only #80 on the overall), and a UK #5 hit with the song “One more chance”. He also apparently has a new album coming this year some time, that may or may not have a hit single.

The last song I can remember seeing on Chart shows (in Australia), for Bruce Springsteen was the song from Jerry Maguire, I think it was called Secret Garden. Normally they only do the top 20 though, and I am too lazy to look things up at the moment. But that would be dated to 1996, or close enough to it.

The last Rod Stewart song I can recall being on the charts here was the one about putting speakers in the windows, and something about alleys. I actually went to the concert with my mother, but for the life of me cannot recall the name of the song. That would be a lot of years ago though… perhaps so many that I was not actually able to drive at that point, putting it almost 14 years ago. I assume though, that with his recent American Songbooks that situation might be different in the US.

3

The standard reference is The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits by Joel Whitburn, which is updated periodically. I have the 8th edition from 2004 (which actually cuts out at the end of 2001). Most good sized libraries will have it on reference, so you can pour through it to your heart’s content.

The following lists the group, the song, the date it entered the charts, the highest chart position, and the number of weeks on the chart if you really want to know when the last time they charted was.

The Who - “Athena,” 10/9/82, #28, 6
The Rolling Stones - “Rock and a Hard Place,” 11/25/89, #23, 8
Elton John - “Written in the Sand” (with Leann Rimes), 3/13/99, #29, 41
Bob Dylan - “Gotta Serve Somebody,” 10/6/79, #24, 6
CSN (& sometimes Y) - “Southern Cross,” 10/9/82, #18, 9
Bruce Springsteen - “Secret Garden,” 4/5/97, #19, 13
Michael Jackson - “Butterflies,” 12/1/01, #14, 16
Rod Stewart - “Ooh La La,” 8/1/98, #39, 1
Paul McCartney - “My Brave Face,” 6/17/89, #25, 5

I don’t believe that any of these would change with a more recent book. If you asked about albums, though, it would, because Dylan’s had a bit hit with Modern Times and Stewart’s albums of classics have sold well, just to name two. But albums and singles are different markets these days.

4

The last Stones record I remember making a dent was “Love Is Strong” in 1994.

5

Anybody seen my baby did some damage as well

6

Only reached #91. Assuming we’re restricting ourselves to the U.S. charts, the last Stones single to meet the OP’s criteria was “Almost Hear You Sigh,” which just barely squeaks in at #50 (in 1990). On the British charts, the first two singles from the latest Stones album charted respectably in 2005 (“Streets of Love,” #15, and “Rain Fall Down,” #33), while the third, “Biggest Mistake,” just missed the Top 50 by one place.

7

Thanks, Harpo!

8

You’re thinking of The Motown Song. That was a hit in 1990. However, he hit #1 with “All For One” with Bryan Adams and Sting in 1993. (Source: Wikipedia.)

9

Sadly, I believe Chuck Berry’s last was the '72 (?) hit My Ding-a-Ling. ::shudder::

10

More recent hits in Britain were for:

The Who **My Generation ** reached 31 in July 1996
The Stones Rain Fall Down reached 33 in December 2005
Elton John Electricity reached 4 in July 2005
Bob Dylan Dignity reached 33 in May 1995
Bruce Springsteen Lonesome Day reached 39 in December 2002
Michael Jackson Blood On The Dancefloor reached 19 in July 2006
Rod Stewart I Can’t Deny It reached 26 in March 2001
Paul McCartney Jenny Wren reached 22 in December 2005

11

Interesting thread. Here are some more I would like to know about:

Bob Seger
Peter Gabriel
Celine Dion
Cher

12

I’d tend to think the Boss must have had a hit in the US also, if not from this song, at least from something on that album.

13

Nitpick - I believe it is “Written in the Stars”. Sorry, I love Aida.

14

I’m guessing that Rod Stewart’s “Oh La La” was a remake of the Faces version that he sang in the early or mid-1970s? I think it was used in the movie “Rushmore” and that has to be why the renewed interest. The orginal album stank on ice.

15

Yes it is. Sorry.

While I’m apologizing, I typoed my first post. The book covers to the end of 2003, not 2001. So apparently Springsteen didn’t have a hit single in 2002. Of course, there were about 20 zillion Billboard charts by then, and he might have hit on some adult rockers chart that didn’t cross over to the main one.

Quite possible. The timing is right. And several of his hits in the 90s were live versions of old songs.

I don’t want to have to look up every band anybody mentions, but while I’m here:

Bob Seger - “The Real Love,” 9/14/91, #24, 5
Peter Gabriel - “Steam,” 1/23/93, #32, 5
Celine Dion - “A New Day Has Come,” 3/30/02, #22, 9
Cher - “Believe,” 1/23/99, #1, 25