Big Hits that didn't chart high...

Always thought this was a top 10 hit...

 

This charted #15. Pretty good for a B-Side.

 

"What I Like About You" by The Romantics as well as "Tempted" by Squeeze.

 

"Once In A Lifetime" by the Talking Heads peaked at #103 on the U. S. Billboard pop chart. A live version actually cracked the Hot 100 a couple of years later, but failed to dent the Nifty 90.

 

#16 US Pop Charts

 

Modern English - I Melt With You U.S. chart #76
Alphaville - Forever Young - U.S. chart #65

 

ZZ Top's "Sharp-Dressed Man" only made it to #56 on Billboard. "Gimme All Your Lovin'" just made the Top 40, at #37. Both were major MTV staples and are played to this day.

 

Frank Burns eats Worms. Cool Avatar

 

#16 US Pop Charts

 

Running Up That Hill.... "only" reached #9 on the UK charts. It sounded like a surefire #1 to me when it came out....

 

"Tom Sawyer" by Rush only made it to #44 in the US and it's their most played song.

 

I was surprised McCartney's Back Seat Of My Car only hit #39 in the UK on it's release, I've always loved this song and it feels like a top 10 song IMO. I'm also surprised it wasn't released as a single here in the US.

Also, I'm surprised Wings Mull Of Kintyre didn't even chart on the US Billboard Hot 100, though it did hit #45 on the Billboard Easy Listening chart. The B-Side Girls School was a bigger hit, though it only hit #33 on the Billboard Hot 100. I know Mull Of Kintyre was absolutely huge in the UK, I would have thought it could have been at least a top 20 song here in the US, but it never caught on.

 

Mexican Radio by Wall of Voodoo

 

With few exceptions, if it didn't chart high then it simply wasn't a big hit, so the title is oxymoronic.
Do you mean songs influential songs? songs that have gained popularity over the years? songs you like a lot
and think SHOULD have been hits? What?

 

#13 US Pop Charts

 

Kiss - "Love Gun" (1977)

Only made it to #61 on Billboard.

It has been a staple of EVERY Kiss show since its release.

 

#19 US Pop Charts

 

The Zombies - She's Not There only reached number 12 in the UK

Time Of The Season didn't even chart

 

Elton John-"Your Song" Only reached #90
"Levon" (#24), "Tiny Dancer (#41)

 

The Critters- Mr Dieingly Sad

 

I think this is the classic everyone always mentions - River Deep Mountain High #88 in 1966 in US and then #112 in 1968! An epic fail by the US record buying public.

the other of course is Get Ready
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fqZ-hDJHbQ0

The #29 flop that ended Smokey's realtionship with the Temptations and sent them down the road of flares, drugs and funk with Norman

 

#26

 

Spent 9 weeks at #1 here over Christmas 1977. It was the biggest selling UK single ever until the Band Aid single a few years later. I bet it's still in the top 10 best sellers even now...

 

There were quite a few album rock classics that didn't fare well as singles. It's also interesting to me to note the sometimes astonishing disparity between US and UK chart responses. I'll be interested to hear any observations from the other side of the pond on this.

Bowie's "Changes" peaked at #66 in the US in 1972. It did better on its re-release in 1975, but still only got to #41. It doesn't appear to have charted in the UK at all from here. I'm sure a British brother can fill that in for me. Now, Bowie blew up in Britain immediately after that:

Starman #10
John I'm Only Dancing #12
Jean Genie #2
Drive in Saturday #3
Life On Mars? #3
Rebel Rebel #5

Of those in the US, Starman got to #65, Jean Genie got to #71, and Rebel Rebel to #64 -- and that's it! The latter two in particular got heavy airplay, and still do I think. The other three of those six didn't chart at all. I'm skipping five OTHER UK top 20 hits for Bowie that didn't chart at all in the US in 72-74 alone.

I'll throw in that "Ashes to Ashes" was a UK #1 in 1980 that didn't chart in the US (despite a landmark, and HEAVILY played, video that helped put MTV on the map), and that "Under Pressure" was another UK #1 that only went to #29 in the US -- and in context, driven far more by Queen in the US, I'd think. (I was surprised that Bohemian Rhapsody only got to #6, though. It felt bigger than that.)

Led Zeppelin and singles charts didn't always mix: "Rock and Roll" peaked at #47 in the US -- second only to Australia (#51) for the lowest chart peak in the world. "Over The Hills" at #51 and "D'yer Maker" at #20 (that really feels low relative to its ubiquity at the time), with neither charting at all in the UK.

Emerson Lake & Palmer's "Lucky Man" peaked at #48 in the US in 1971, and peaked lower (#51) on its 1973 re-release. Didn't chart at all in the UK. It was surely played, though, right? It has to be among the most frequently played tracks of all time on US rock radio. "From The Beginning" actually did better in the US, climbing to #39...but again no love in the UK.

"I've Seen All Good People: Your Move" peaked at #40 in the US, didn't chart at all in the UK. "Roundabout got to #13 in the US, but again, didn't chart in the UK.

"Rhiannon" got to #11 in the US (seems like it would have been higher to me), but didn't chart at all in the UK on first release. It was re-released in the UK two years later and still only got to #48. In fact, 1975-80 Fleetwood Mac singles didn't do well at all in the UK, breaking the Top 20 only once, with...wait for it...TUSK, at #6. Yes, Tusk. A catchy tune, no doubt, but c'mon.

Always fun to note that Dylan's first US charting single was "Subterranean Homesick Blues" at #39, which actually sounds kinda high relative to my recollection of airplay. I'm flabbergasted that "Tangled Up in Blue" and "Hurricane" only peaked at #31 and #33 respectively. I'd have guessed "Tangled" easily in the top dozen, and "Hurricane" surely well into the top 20....but no.

 

David Bowie's "Heroes" has become one of his best-known songs in the the UK, but it only reached number 24.