Last week I played a few songs that were easily recognizable and probably had always been songs you might have believed were big hits on the Top 40 chart of the Billboard Hot 100.
If those songs surprised you, this week’s edition may amaze you. In some cases, these tunes are signature songs for a few of the artists below … but they still did not not reach the Top 40.
I have indicated in parentheses each song’s highest chart position.
Memories … That’s What We’re All About
Play buttons are on the left … Volume sliders are on the right
How Did They Miss The Top 40?
Aerosmith (59)
Neil Young (Didn’t Chart At All!)
Joe Cocker (68)
R.E.M. (69)
Rolling Stones (42)
Billy Idol (46)
I remember these
Thanks, Rodger 🙂 Some great songs that most people will think were big hits on the Billboard chart.
Easily recognizable but Joe Cockers really surprised me. Thanks again for the tunes. Love ya❣️
Thanks for listening (and commenting), Linda. Yep, Joe and Neil were big surprises to me, too.
I love you❣️
Thanks for setting the stage for listening to music with different perspectives
IMHO the play length of these songs probably didn’t lend to pop music charting
Also unusual arrangements and scary imagery from the Stones and so many tempo changes and minor chords in REM
Love every note of Dream On and Harvest Moon
Thanks, Mary Helen.
YHO may be valid but by the time the Stones released You Can’t Always Get What You Want in 1969, songs such as Hey Jude had already successfully broken the seven-minute barrier. It was, as you pointed out, such a different sound and musical direction for the Stones.
My point in posting this medley was to highlight songs that were heard so much on the radio that most people (including myself) tended to think these songs fared much better on the charts than they actually did.
Dream On and Harvest Moon are prime examples.
Come a little bit closer, hear what I have to say
OMG!! Some of these songs, seem like they lasted way longer than seven minutes, even though I guess they didn’t. But I am at a loss to understand how they didn’t make the top 40! Especially Neil Young not charting at all what a shock that is! Joe Cocker I actually loved to listen to. Dream on and Harvest Moon not making it is really amazing! Thanks so much for this great reminder of our past, whether we loved or didn’t! This was awesome Ray. You’re the best! ❤️
Thank you, Sandy 🥰
Some of these were absolutely shocking …especially Neil Young! I’ll be the first to admit I wasn’t crazy about the Stones song but it was played on the radio so much that it was normal to think it was a chart hit. Same with Joe Cocker. His version of that song is iconic!
I promise tomorrow’s medley will be a lot more upbeat ❤️
Really amazing…these were great hits whether they made the top 40 or not…..Cept I guess I’m the only that wasn’t surprised by the Neil Young 🙂
Thanks, Eileen. It’s okay to not be surprised by Neil not hitting the Top 40 with that song. It is iconic but his voice isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, including mine. People have long criticized Bob Dylan’s singing voice but there were times back in the 60s and 70s that he was Pavarotti compared to Neil. 🙂
Harvest Moon … my favorite Neil Young song ….
A LOVE song, first LOVE, romantic LOVE, enduring LOVE.
Simply beautiful and #1 to me 🙂
So, you LOVE it then, Rose? 🥰
We know where the music’s playing, let’s go out and feel the night ❤️
Am surprised on a couple, then there are a couple I didn’t care for. Even though some didn’t chart or chart well, are still good songs .. Loved Aerosmith and Rolling Stones!!
Kind of gives you a glimpse of the mindset of artists, what worked and what didn’t .. some of these didn’t and there are some songs that should not have been lengthy .. they kind of drug on which is why they maybe didn’t do well.
Enough rambling … LOL
Have a good night my friend!
Thanks, Penny 🥰
I think a lot of us remember when singles were 2 or 2 1/2 minutes long. That was the norm in the “good old days” but after 1968, songs stretched out a lot longer (and in some cases, too much longer). Personally, I really liked one song in today’s medley (I ain’t saying which one … 🤣) but I thought it was interesting that such well-remembered songs didn’t rule the charts.
Stay Warm!