# No Hit Wonders **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 8, 2004, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-hit-wonders/254165 "2004-07-08T20:02:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Nutty\_Bunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/d07c76/32.png) [@Nutty\_Bunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nutty_Bunny)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2004, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-hit-wonders/254165/41 "2004-07-09T14:22:25Z")
Well, since it seems I can’t let a music thread go by without mentioning **The Tragically Hip** , but they really fit this category. If we’re talking about US charts, they’ve had no hits. In Canada, however, they are second only to **Rush** as being a National Treasure. It’s amazing to me that _Fully Completely_ and _Day For Night_ didn’t break here in the US. I thought when Dan Ackroyd invited them to play SNL in 1995(?) would have been the catalyst for them to make it big here, but no dice. They even played “Nautical Disaster” for chrissakes! Alright. Rant over. I’m calm now. ---
**Author:** ![vl\_mungo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/bc8723/32.png) [@vl\_mungo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vl_mungo)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2004, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-hit-wonders/254165/42 "2004-07-09T20:00:55Z")
**The Minutemen** … or did they finally get a posthumous hit when Jackass picked up “Corona”? ---
**Author:** ![F.U.Shakespeare](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/aca169/32.png) [@F.U.Shakespeare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/F.U.Shakespeare)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2004, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-hit-wonders/254165/43 "2004-07-09T20:27:26Z")
Robert Johnson’s recordings did fairly well on their release, but nothing great. (His first release, ‘Terraplane Blues’ was his biggest seller). Keep in mind, the Depression was still going strong, and it was tougher on the poor blacks who bought blues records. But as far as I know, there were no charts for ‘race’ music at the time – in many cases, there aren’t even accurate sales figures. > [@Marley23](#): > > Were there charts at that time? He traveled pretty far for a Delta blues guy at that time, so I think he was at least reasonably successful. Definitely most of his commercial popularity came after _The Complete Recordings_ in 1990. ---
**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:** [July 9, 2004, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-hit-wonders/254165/44 "2004-07-09T22:45:45Z")
**Violent Femmes** self titled album is another slow but steady seller. It has gone platinum (sales of over one million) but it peaked on the Billboard chart at #171. (in 1991! despite being released in 1982) [Hijack]Hmm… Soundscan was introduced in 1991. Coincidence??[/hijack] Several songs from this album received tons of alternative/modern-rock/whatever-they-call-it-this-week airplay in the mid 1990s, but none charted as singles. ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2004, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-hit-wonders/254165/45 "2004-07-09T23:13:32Z")
**Little Feat** , they’ve been around for a bit, had some tunes on the radio, but usually are only know and loved by the truly hip. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2004, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-hit-wonders/254165/46 "2004-07-10T00:14:50Z")
> [@pepperlandgirl](#): > > Did **The Who** ever have a single that placed number 1 on the charts? I could have swore I heard on the radio that they did not, and the question has been bugging me for months… The Who never reached #1 either on the album or single charts in the USA. Their only Top 10 single was “I Can See for Miles,” which reached #9. They’ve had lots of Top 10 albums, but never quite made the top slot. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Great\_Zamboni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/4bbf92/32.png) [@The\_Great\_Zamboni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Great_Zamboni)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2004, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-hit-wonders/254165/47 "2004-07-10T00:36:42Z")
> [@Biffy the Elephant Shrew](#): > > The Who never reached #1 either on the album or single charts in the USA. Their only Top 10 single was “I Can See for Miles,” which reached #9. They’ve had lots of Top 10 albums, but never quite made the top slot. What a travesty! The most annoying song The Who ever made is the only one to break the Top Ten?! “Pinball Wizard” and “Won’t Get Fooled Again” are far better than the whinefest of “I Can See For Miles.” ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2004, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-hit-wonders/254165/48 "2004-07-10T01:54:54Z")
> [@Biffy the Elephant Shrew](#): > > The Who never reached #1 either on the album or single charts in the USA. Their only Top 10 single was “I Can See for Miles,” which reached #9. They’ve had lots of Top 10 albums, but never quite made the top slot. Their Top Ten albums: _Tommy_ - #4 _Live at Leeds_ - #4 _Who’s Best_ - #4 _Quadrophenia_ - #2 _The Who By Numbers_ - #8 _Who Are You_ - #2 _The Kids Are Alright_ - #8 _Face Dances_ - #4 _It’s Hard_ - #8 ---
**Author:** ![Chunky\_Bum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9dc877/32.png) [@Chunky\_Bum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chunky_Bum)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2004, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-hit-wonders/254165/49 "2004-07-10T02:17:52Z")
> [@Biffy the Elephant Shrew](#): > > The Who never reached #1 either on the album or single charts in the USA. Their only Top 10 single was “I Can See for Miles,” which reached #9. They’ve had lots of Top 10 albums, but never quite made the top slot. Ah, but they have had several Top 20 singles: _Who Are You, See Me, Feel Me_ and _You Better You Bet_ to name a few. ---
**Author:** ![F.U.Shakespeare](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/aca169/32.png) [@F.U.Shakespeare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/F.U.Shakespeare)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2004, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-hit-wonders/254165/50 "2004-07-10T02:34:47Z")
I thought ‘Behind Blue Eyes’ was a hit too, based on how much I heard it on the AOR stations. It’s a _great_ song, but I sure got sick of it (for a while). > [@Chunky Bum](#): > > Ah, but they have had several Top 20 singles: _Who Are You, See Me, Feel Me_ and _You Better You Bet_ to name a few. ---
**Author:** ![El\_Zagna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d2c977/32.png) [@El\_Zagna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Zagna)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2004, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-hit-wonders/254165/51 "2004-07-10T03:18:10Z")
Two of my favorites, Leonard Cohen and John Prine, have huge, devoted followings but no Top 40 hits that I can think of. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2004, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-hit-wonders/254165/52 "2004-07-10T03:33:31Z")
> [@Nutty Bunny](#): > > It’s amazing to me that _Fully Completely_ and _Day For Night_ didn’t break here in the US. I thought when Dan Ackroyd invited them to play SNL in 1995(?) would have been the catalyst for them to make it big here, but no dice. They even played “Nautical Disaster” for chrissakes! > > Alright. Rant over. I’m calm now. This episode is scheduled to run this Sunday morning at 3am (EST). ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2004, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-hit-wonders/254165/53 "2004-07-11T03:22:35Z")
I’m pretty sure **John Prine** never cracked the top 40, but a number of artists have had major hits covering his songs. Another one is **Warren Zevon** , who got as high as #21 with _Werewolves of London_, but that’s about it. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2004, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-hit-wonders/254165/54 "2004-07-11T17:13:43Z")
I think Zevon’s last album had the biggest sales numbers of his career, or the biggest initial sales at least. ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2004, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-hit-wonders/254165/55 "2004-07-11T17:46:20Z")
It may be, although “Exictable Boy” would be close - both albums went gold. But even his most popular albums never cracked a million in sales. ---
**Author:** ![El\_Zagna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d2c977/32.png) [@El\_Zagna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Zagna)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2004, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-hit-wonders/254165/56 "2004-07-11T20:35:46Z")
And let us not forget… Yanni. ---
**Author:** ![Qwertyasdfg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/ecc23a/32.png) [@Qwertyasdfg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qwertyasdfg)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2004, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-hit-wonders/254165/57 "2004-07-11T21:45:37Z")
I’ve never heard **Wilco** on the radio (except maybe college radio) so I’d guess they probably count. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2004, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-hit-wonders/254165/58 "2004-07-11T22:04:14Z")
What about reggae? Did Bob Marley or Peter Tosh ever make the Top 40? ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2004, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-hit-wonders/254165/59 "2004-07-11T22:05:56Z")
> [@Little Nemo](#): > > What about reggae? Did Bob Marley or Peter Tosh ever make the Top 40? Nope. ---
**Author:** ![sturmhauke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e47c2d/32.png) [@sturmhauke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sturmhauke)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2004, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-hit-wonders/254165/60 "2004-07-11T22:30:06Z")
> [@Cisco](#): > > **Primus** is a pretty big band, surely one of my favorites, and they sell out all of their shows pretty quickly (trust me, I tried to see them last time they were here), but I don’t think I’ve ever so much as heard one of their songs on the radio. They get occasional airtime here in the Bay Area, since they’re from here and all. Once I saw a Jeep with the license plate “XPRIMUSX”, and I’ve always wondered if it belonged to one of the band members. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-hit-wonders/254165.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-hit-wonders/254165.md?page=4)