# Musicians Whose Weakest Works Get the Most Airplay **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 19, 2010, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/musicians-whose-weakest-works-get-the-most-airplay/550777 "2010-08-19T19:23:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Chicagojeff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b19c9b/32.png) [@Chicagojeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chicagojeff)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2010, 10:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/musicians-whose-weakest-works-get-the-most-airplay/550777/81 "2010-08-22T10:21:18Z")
Rolling stones… “beast of burden”… and "RocknRoll… but I like it… " And rarely do the play the better shit like Tumbling Dice… Zepp… “All of my love”… they play the shit outta that and its def weaker… ---
**Author:** ![HMS\_Irruncible](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hms_irruncible/32/7394_2.png) [@HMS\_Irruncible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HMS_Irruncible)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2010, 10:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/musicians-whose-weakest-works-get-the-most-airplay/550777/82 "2010-08-22T10:28:38Z")
> [@RitterSport](#): > > How about Stevie Wonder? Some of the funkiest songs ever written were by him, but you hear “I Just Called to Say” or “Ebony and Ivory” or “Sunshine of My Eye”. Pretty sure it was Cream who did “Sunshine of My Eye”, but still fits with the thread. ---
**Author:** ![MTCicero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a4c791/32.png) [@MTCicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MTCicero)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2010, 10:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/musicians-whose-weakest-works-get-the-most-airplay/550777/83 "2010-08-22T10:54:06Z")
> [@Cosmic Relief](#): > > > [@RitterSport](#): > > > > How about Stevie Wonder? Some of the funkiest songs ever written were by him, but you hear “I Just Called to Say” or “Ebony and Ivory” or “Sunshine of My Eye”. > > Pretty sure it was Cream who did “Sunshine of My Eye”, but still fits with the thread. Let’s just go ahead and get this out of the way, shall we? Stevie Wonder did [“You Are the Sunshine of My Life”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5YefKgWdmFk), and Cream did [“Sunshine of Your Love”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IDZqmF3zS04). There. Don’t you feel better? I know I do. ---
**Author:** ![HMS\_Irruncible](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hms_irruncible/32/7394_2.png) [@HMS\_Irruncible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HMS_Irruncible)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2010, 12:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/musicians-whose-weakest-works-get-the-most-airplay/550777/84 "2010-08-22T12:40:49Z")
Whoosh-ruiner. ---
**Author:** ![GargoyleWB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gargoylewb/32/199_2.png) [@GargoyleWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GargoyleWB)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2010, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/musicians-whose-weakest-works-get-the-most-airplay/550777/85 "2010-08-23T18:10:35Z")
Just about the only **Alice Cooper** song that gets any airplay these days (and the one that he performed on American Idol) is _School’s Out_. That song is a trite throwaway track among many amazing songs from that band, especially from the early era. ---
**Author:** ![An\_Arky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/87869e/32.png) [@An\_Arky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Arky)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2010, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/musicians-whose-weakest-works-get-the-most-airplay/550777/86 "2010-08-23T18:38:24Z")
Many artists don’t build up enough of a fanbase to have a hit until they’ve already written and released their best material. Many other artists just plain sell out. Most importantly, the combination of the general public’s lack of taste and a hack industry gladly giving them all the pabulum they can consume. ---
**Author:** ![Hampshire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hampshire/32/4887_2.png) [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2010, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/musicians-whose-weakest-works-get-the-most-airplay/550777/87 "2010-08-23T18:48:13Z")
Old **B52s** stuff like _Rock Lobster, Planet Claire, Private Idaho_ still rocks hard. Then why do all I ever here anymore is the horribly lame _Love Shack_? ---
**Author:** ![Starving\_Artist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@Starving\_Artist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Starving_Artist)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2010, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/musicians-whose-weakest-works-get-the-most-airplay/550777/88 "2010-08-23T18:52:59Z")
> [@Hampshire](#): > > Old **B52s** stuff like _Rock Lobster, Planet Claire, Private Idaho_ still rocks hard. Then why do all I ever here anymore is the horribly lame _Love Shack_? Because it’s a fun, lighthearted, mood-lifting party song that makes people feel happy when they listen to it? Not everything has to be a masterpiece - nor should it. ---
**Author:** ![Morbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morbo/32/389_2.png) [@Morbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morbo)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2010, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/musicians-whose-weakest-works-get-the-most-airplay/550777/89 "2010-08-23T19:25:44Z")
The Beastie Boys. Every album I find that the weakest song is the radio song. _Fight for Your Right To Party_, _Hey Ladies_, _So Watcha Want_, _Sabotage_, _Intergalactic_, _Body Movin_, etc. ---
**Author:** ![cjepson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a9adbd/32.png) [@cjepson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cjepson)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2010, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/musicians-whose-weakest-works-get-the-most-airplay/550777/90 "2010-08-23T20:30:50Z")
Well… I’m sure there will be those who disagree with me, but in my book, the prototypical example of this kind of thing is Genesis. Everything you hear by them on the radio is from the post-Peter Gabriel era, and while I won’t go so far as to say that the best thing they did post-Gabriel is worse than the worst thing they did with Gabriel, that’s not too far of a stretch. Another example might be Jethro Tull. What gets played nowadays besides the lame “Bungle in the Jungle”? ---
**Author:** ![Hampshire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hampshire/32/4887_2.png) [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2010, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/musicians-whose-weakest-works-get-the-most-airplay/550777/91 "2010-08-23T20:42:34Z")
> [@Starving\_Artist](#): > > Not that they are bad songs at all, but in my opinion _“Reelin’ In The Years”_ and _“Rikki Don’t Lose That Number”_ are not Steely Dan’s best songs by a long shot. "Because it’s a fun, lighthearted, mood-lifting song that makes people feel happy when they listen to it? Not everything has to be a masterpiece - nor should it." back at you :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2010, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/musicians-whose-weakest-works-get-the-most-airplay/550777/92 "2010-08-23T21:24:53Z")
> [@tdn](#): > > I never could understand why Led Zeppelin’s D’yer Mak’er got so much airplay. Worst song on the album. Not to mention the fact that most DJs mispronounce the title. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2010, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/musicians-whose-weakest-works-get-the-most-airplay/550777/93 "2010-08-23T21:45:21Z")
> [@Hampshire](#): > > > [@Starving\_Artist](#): > > > > Not that they are bad songs at all, but in my opinion _“Reelin’ In The Years”_ and _“Rikki Don’t Lose That Number”_ are not Steely Dan’s best songs by a long shot. > > "Because it’s a fun, lighthearted, mood-lifting song that makes people feel happy when they listen to it? > > Not everything has to be a masterpiece - nor should it." back at you :rolleyes: You wouldn’t know a diamond if you held it in your hand. The things you think are precious I can’t understand. ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2010, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/musicians-whose-weakest-works-get-the-most-airplay/550777/94 "2010-08-23T21:52:37Z")
> [@Chicagojeff](#): > > Rolling stones.. “beast of burden”.. and "RocknRoll.. but I like it.. " And rarely do the play the better shit like Tumbling Dice.. > > Zepp.. “All of my love”.. they play the shit outta that and its def weaker.. Again I must dissent. Around here, we get a lot of _Sympathy for the Devil_, _Satisfaction_, _Honky Tonk Woman_, and\* Can’t Always Get What You Want\* from the Stones. For Led Zep, we get heavy doses of _Stairway to Heaven_, _Rock and Roll_, _Immigrant Song_ and _Kashmir_. ---
**Author:** ![Starving\_Artist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@Starving\_Artist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Starving_Artist)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2010, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/musicians-whose-weakest-works-get-the-most-airplay/550777/95 "2010-08-24T02:11:33Z")
> [@Hampshire](#): > > > [@Starving\_Artist](#): > > > > Not that they are bad songs at all, but in my opinion _“Reelin’ In The Years”_ and _“Rikki Don’t Lose That Number”_ are not Steely Dan’s best songs by a long shot. > > "Because it’s a fun, lighthearted, mood-lifting song that makes people feel happy when they listen to it? > > Not everything has to be a masterpiece - nor should it." back at you :rolleyes: There’s a difference between “weaker song but lots of airplay” (I say ‘weaker’ because Steely Dan does not do bad songs. 🆒), and “horribly lame” song, which implies that there’s no good reason for anyone to like it (and by inference, anyone who does is an idiot). That’s why I answered as I did: to show that there are good reasons to like _Love Shack_ that have nothing to do with musical virtuosity. ---
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2010, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/musicians-whose-weakest-works-get-the-most-airplay/550777/96 "2010-08-24T02:46:34Z")
> [@cjepson](#): > > Another example might be Jethro Tull. What gets played nowadays besides the lame “Bungle in the Jungle”? “Aqualung,” of course. Years ago I used to also hear “Cross-Eyed Mary” and “Locomotive Breath.” It was enough to make _Aqualung_ my least-favorite Tull record. ---
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2010, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/musicians-whose-weakest-works-get-the-most-airplay/550777/97 "2010-08-24T03:39:38Z")
> [@Hampshire](#): > > Old **B52s** stuff like _Rock Lobster, Planet Claire, Private Idaho_ still rocks hard. Then why do all I ever here anymore is the horribly lame _Love Shack_? Because the latter was a Top 40 hit in the US, while the former cuts were all from the time when the 52’s were a mere “cult” band, and hence don’t actually exist? ---
**Author:** ![BaneSidhe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c5a1d2/32.png) [@BaneSidhe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BaneSidhe)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2010, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/musicians-whose-weakest-works-get-the-most-airplay/550777/98 "2010-08-24T04:26:45Z")
You won’t hear the deep cuts from anyone out of my local “rock” stations. Best example is “Tom Sawyer” being played to death, but the DJs won’t play anything else, even if you call and ask. I called to see if they’d play “Far Cry” or “The Body Electric” and the DJ said “We have to play what’s popular around here, and those songs aren’t.” I won’t even go into all the other bands that I love whose best music is ignored. That’s my #1 reason to have an iPod. ---
**Author:** ![JCorre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/3da27b/32.png) [@JCorre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JCorre)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2010, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/musicians-whose-weakest-works-get-the-most-airplay/550777/99 "2010-08-24T18:30:25Z")
I’ll probably be lambasted for this but: The Police – “Roxanne” Jane’s Addiction – “Jane Says” Two awesome bands and most stations play their most boring tracks. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/musicians-whose-weakest-works-get-the-most-airplay/550777.md?page=4)