Artists with at least 20 recognizable hits

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by Parachute Woman, Jan 26, 2019.

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  1. Parachute Woman

    Parachute Woman Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    USA
    I am currently in a hardcore swoon for Tom Petty and his immense talent as a songwriter. An American Treasure has fully revealed to me the amazing skill he had beyond hits, but I am still in awe of the sheer number of recognizable hits he wrote over the years.

    For the purposes of this thread, a 'hit' is defined as a song that went top 40 and/or has received significant and sustained radio airplay. This may vary by region, but that's fine. Just note which region they dominated.

    For Tom Petty, I count the following in the U.S.:
    American Girl, Breakdown, I Need to Know, Listen to Her Heart, Don't Do Me Like That, Refugee, Here Comes My Girl, The Waiting, You Got Lucky, Change of Heart, Don't Come Around Here No More, Jammin' Me, Free Fallin', I Won't Back Down, Runnin' Down a Dream, Mary Jane's Last Dance, Into the Great Wide Open, Learning to Fly, You Don't Know How It Feels, You Wreck Me, Stop Draggin' My Heart Around, plus the Wilburys songs Handle with Care and End of the Line.

    That's 23 songs, all of which I have heard on radio stations all across the country for the entirety of my life. 15 of them went top 40 on the Hot 100 and the rest charted high on the rock charts.

    What artists can you think of who had at least 20 significant and recognizable hits? If you have the time, try to name the songs.

    (I can think of at least four more, but it's no fun when the OP takes all the examples).
     
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  2. LandHorses

    LandHorses I contain multitudes

    Location:
    New Joisey
  3. irong

    irong Forum Resident

    Location:
    Quebec, Canada
    I'd say Coldplay must be getting close.

    Michael Jackson, Madonna, U2 must be close too.

    It's kinda hard to say really, because I feel some artists are extremely popular in their prime but then when they go out of fashion many of their hits are forgotten. I think Mariah Carey is one of them. She had EIGHTEEN (18!) n0. 1 hits but honestly I don't think I could remember more than a third of those right now.
     
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  4. Cameron.39

    Cameron.39 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Nottingham, UK
    The Hollies:

    Stay, Just One Look, Here I Go Again, We're Through, I'm Alive, Look Through Any Window, I Can't Let Go, Bus Stop, Stop! Stop! Stop!, On A Carousel, Carrie Anne, King Midas In Reverse, Jennifer Eccles, Listen To Me, Sorry Suzanne, He Ain't Heavy He's My Brother, Gasoline Alley Bred, I Can't Tell The Bottom From The Top, Hey Willy, Long Cool Woman (In A Black Dress), The Baby, Magic Woman Touch, The Day That Curly Billy Shot Down Crazy Sam McGee, The Air That I Breathe, Sandy (4th July Asbury Park), I'm Down, Soldier's Song, Take My Love And Run, Stop In The Name Of Love...

    all went top 40 in most countries in the World, with 21 of those making the top 10 in the UK. They sustained themselves on the charts from 1963 - 1983 but seem to be the least talked about and most overlooked British Invasion group.
     
  5. Planbee

    Planbee Negative Nellie

    Location:
    Chicago
    I just looked at Wiki and apparently "Runaway Trains" wasn't a Top Whatever single, but it got played like one in Chicago during 1987. One of my favorite Petty songs. A product of its time, yes, but at least it doesn't sound the same as all his other stuff.

     
  6. rjp

    rjp Senior Member

    Location:
    Ohio
    beach boys

    elvis presley

    hall & oates

    prince

    rolling stones

    neil young
     
  7. DPK

    DPK Forum Resident

    Location:
    Southeastern U.S.
    REM
     
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  8. Mr Day

    Mr Day Hater of Fools

    Location:
    Swindon UK
    Bowie.

    Space Oddity/Starman/Life On Mars/The Jean Genie/The Laughing Gnome/Changes/Drive In Saturday/Sorrow/John I’m Only Dancing/ Rebel Rebel/ Young Americans/ Golden Years/ Sound And Vision/ “Heroes”/ Boys Keep Swinging/ Ashes To Ashes/ Fashion/ Lets Dance/ China Girl/ Absolute Beginners
     
  9. stanleynohj

    stanleynohj Forum Resident

    Location:
    california
    Elton John around 47 hits or more, plus many recognizable album tracks

    Your Song
    Border Song
    Tiny Dancer
    Levon
    Rocket Man
    Honky Cat
    Crocodile Rock
    Daniel
    Bennie And The Jets
    Goodbye Yellow Brick Road
    Saturday Night's Alright For Fighting
    Candle In The Wind
    The Bitch Is Back
    Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me
    Step Into Christmas
    Someone Saved My Life Tonight
    Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds
    Philadelphia Freedom
    Island Girl
    Grow Some Funk
    I Feel Like A Bullet
    Pinball Wizard
    Don't Go Breaking My Heart
    Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word
    Crazy Water
    Bite Your Lip
    Ego
    Part-Time Love
    Song For Guy
    Mama Can't Buy You Love
    Little Jeannie
    Blue Eyes
    Empty Garden
    "I Guess That's Why They Call It the Blues"
    "Sad Songs (Say So Much)"
    "I Don't Wanna Go on with You Like That"
    "Nikita"
    "Sacrifice"
    "The One"
    "Can You Feel the Love Tonight?"
    "Circle of Life"
    "Believe"
    "Blessed"
    "Something About the Way You Look Tonight"
    "Written in the Stars"
    "I Want Love"
    "This Train Don't Stop There Anymore"
     
  10. stanleynohj

    stanleynohj Forum Resident

    Location:
    california
    Paul McCartney

    1. “Silly Love Songs,” Wings, No. 1 (5 weeks), May 22, 1976
    2. “Say Say Say,” Paul McCartney & Michael Jackson, No. 1 (6 weeks), Dec. 10, 1983
    3. “Ebony and Ivory,” Paul McCartney & Stevie Wonder, No. 1 (7 weeks), May 15, 1982
    4. “My Love,” Paul McCartney & Wings, No. 1 (4 weeks), June 2, 1973
    5. “Coming Up (Live at Glasgow),” Paul McCartney & Wings, No. 1 (3 weeks), June 28, 1980
    6. “Band on the Run,” Paul McCartney & Wings, No. 1 (1 week), June 8, 1974
    7. “The Girl is Mine,” Michael Jackson & Paul McCartney, No. 2, Jan. 8, 1983
    8. “Listen to What the Man Said,” Wings, No. 1 (1 week), July 19, 1975
    9. “With a Little Luck,” Wings, No. 1 (2 weeks), May 20, 1978
    10. “Live and Let Die,” Wings, No. 2, Aug. 11, 1973
    11. “Let 'Em In,” Wings, No. 3, Aug. 14, 1976
    12. “Junior's Farm/Sally G,” Paul McCartney & Wings, No. 3, Jan. 11, 1975
    13. “Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey,” Paul & Linda McCartney, No. 1 (1 week), Sept. 4, 1971
    14. “Goodnight Tonight,” Wings, No. 5, May 19, 1979
    15. “No More Lonely Nights,” Paul McCartney, No. 6, Dec. 8, 1984
    16. “Spies Like Us,” Paul McCartney, No. 7, Feb. 8, 1986
    17. “Another Day/Oh Woman Oh Why,” Paul McCartney, No. 5, April 17, 1971
    18. “Jet,” Paul McCartney & Wings, No. 7, March 30, 1974
    19. “Take it Away,” Paul McCartney, No. 10, Aug. 21, 1982
    20. “FourFiveSeconds,” Rihanna & Kanye West & Paul McCartney, No. 4, Feb. 28, 2015
    21. “Helen Wheels,” Paul McCartney & Wings, No. 10, Jan. 12, 1974
    22. “Hi, Hi, Hi,” Wings, No. 10, Feb. 3, 1973
    23. “Maybe I'm Amazed,” Wings, No. 10, April 2, 1977
    24. “Venus and Mars Rock Show,” Wings, No. 12, Dec. 13, 1975
    25. “Press,” Paul McCartney, No. 21, Sept. 13, 1986
    26. “So Bad,” Paul McCartney, No. 23, Feb. 11, 1984
    27. “My Brave Face,” Paul McCartney, No. 25, July 8, 1989
    28. “Getting Closer,” Wings, No. 20, July 28, 1979
    29. “Give Ireland Back to the Irish,” Wings, No. 21, April 8, 1972
    30. “I've Had Enough,” Wings, No. 25, Aug. 5, 1978
    31. “Girls’ School,” Wings, No. 33, Jan. 14, 1978
    32. “Arrow Through Me,” Wings, No. 29, Oct. 13, 1979
    33. “Mary Had a Little Lamb/Little Woman Love,” Wings, No. 28, July 22, 1972
    34. “Letting Go,” Wings, No. 39, Oct. 25, 1975
    35. “London Town,” Wings, No. 39, Oct. 14, 1978
    36. “All Day,” Kanye West Featuring Theophilus London, Allan Kingdom & Paul McCartney, No. 15, March 21, 2015
    37. “Tug of War,” Paul McCartney, No. 53, Oct. 23, 1982
    38. “Only One,” Kanye West Featuring Paul McCartney, No. 35, Jan. 17, 2015
    39. “The World Tonight (From “Fathers’ Day”),” Paul McCartney, No. 64, May 24, 1997
     
  11. vinylontubes

    vinylontubes Forum Resident

    Location:
    Katy, TX
    Elvis Presley
    Chuck Berry
    Mariah Carey
    Temptations
    Aretha Franklin
    Stevie Wonder
     
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  12. If I Can Dream_23

    If I Can Dream_23 Forum Resident

    Location:
    United States
    A good topic! It can be hard in some cases, because the 20 hits may be well known by music lovers (or music lovers of the artist's time), but necessarily known by the public at large (then or now).

    That said, these are the handful I'd first nominate:

    The Beatles (Numerous ones)
    Elvis Presley (Numerous ones)
    Elton John
    Billy Joel
    The Beach Boys
    The Rolling Stones
    Paul McCartney / Wings (Probably)
    Chicago
    Madonna
    Prince
     
  13. Timeless Classics

    Timeless Classics Senior Member

    Location:
    USA
    Trying to name one's that weren't mentioned and these come to mind ...

    Whitney Houston
    Bruce Springsteen
     
    Last edited: Jan 26, 2019
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  14. Zoot Marimba

    Zoot Marimba And I’m The Critic Of The Group

    Location:
    Savannah, Georgia
    The Rolling Stones:
    Get Off Of My Cloud
    Satisfaction
    Paint It Black
    Let’s Spend The Night Together
    19th Nervous Breakdown(?)
    She’s A Rainbow
    Gimme Shelter (not a Hit technically but whatever)
    Brown Sugar
    Wild Horses
    Angie
    It’s Only Rock n Roll
    Jumping Jack Flash
    Sympathy For The Devil
    Street Fighting Man
    Miss You
    Emotional Rescue
    Start Me Up
    Waiting On A Friend
    Doo Doo Doo Doo Doo (Heartbreaker)
    Ruby Tuesday
     
  15. zen

    zen Senior Member

    Successful TOP 40 artists with a long history.
     
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  16. idreamofpikas

    idreamofpikas Forum Resident

    Location:
    england
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  17. stanleynohj

    stanleynohj Forum Resident

    Location:
    california
    Frank Sinatra

    1 My Way Frank Sinatra
    2 Strangers In The Night Frank Sinatra
    3 Somethin' Stupid Frank Sinatra & Nancy Sinatra
    4 Three Coins In The Fountain Frank Sinatra
    5 Theme From New York New York (Re-Issue) Frank Sinatra
    6 (Love Is) The Tender Trap Frank Sinatra
    7 Learnin' The Blues Frank Sinatra With Nelson Riddle & His Orchestra
    8 I've Got You Under My Skin Frank Sinatra With Bono
    9 Love And Marriage Frank Sinatra
    10 All The Way Frank Sinatra
    11 High Hopes Frank Sinatra
    12 Fly Me To The Moon Frank Sinatra
    13 Love's Been Good To Me Frank Sinatra
    14 Witchcraft Frank Sinatra
    15 Come Fly With Me Frank Sinatra
    16 Young At Heart Frank Sinatra
    17 Ol' Macdonald Frank Sinatra
    18 Thats Life Frank Sinatra
    19 Nice 'N Easy Frank Sinatra
    20 Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas Frank Sinatra
    21 Granada Frank Sinatra With Billy May & His Orchestra
    22 I Will Drink The Wine Frank Sinatra
    23 You My Love Frank Sinatra
    24 I've Got You Under My Skin Frank Sinatra
    25 River Stay 'Way From My Door Frank Sinatra
    26 French Foreign Legion Frank Sinatra
    27 Me And My Shadow Frank Sinatra & Sammy Davis Jnr
    28 Let It Snow Let It Snow Let It Snow Frank Sinatra
    29 Not As A Stranger Frank Sinatra
    30 Summer Wind Frank Sinatra
    31 Everybody's Twisting Frank Sinatra
    32 Chicago Frank Sinatra
    33 The Way You Look Tonight Frank Sinatra
    34 Mr Success Frank Sinatra
    35 I Believe I'm Gonna Love You Frank Sinatra
    36 The World We Knew Over And Over Frank Sinatra
    37 My Blue Heaven Frank Sinatra
    38 My Kind Of Girl Frank Sinatra With Count Basie
    39 Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town Frank Sinatra
    40 You Make Me Feel So Young
     
  18. Elliottmarx

    Elliottmarx Always in the mood for Burt Bacharach

    Location:
    Los Angeles
    The Kinks:

    You Really Got Me, All Day and All of the Night, Where Have All the Good Times Gone, Til the End of the Day, Set Me Free, Stop Your Sobbing, See My Friends, I'm Not Like Everybody Else, Death of a Clown, Tired of Waiting, Dedicated Follower of Fashion, David Watts, Dead End Street, Days, A Well Respected Man, Sunny Afternoon, Waterloo Sunset, Lola, Celluloid Heroes, Father Christmas, Jukebox Music, The Destroyer, Come Dancing, Do It Again
     
  19. cut to the chase

    cut to the chase Forum Resident

    Location:
    Germany
    Beatles
    ABBA
    Bee Gees
    Queen
    MJ
    Madonna
     
  20. zen

    zen Senior Member

    40? I don't know many of Sinatra's hits apart from the biggies (ie. "My Way" ..." New York New York"); but something like "The Way You Look Tonight" for example, I have never heard his version, but, I've spent decades with Billie Holiday's rendition.
     
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  21. Mr Day

    Mr Day Hater of Fools

    Location:
    Swindon UK
    Surely Queen ?

    Seven Seas
    Killer Queen
    Now I’m Here
    Bo Rhap
    Best Friend
    Somebody To Love
    We Will Rock You
    Champions
    Bicycle Race
    Fat Bottomed Girls
    Don’t Stop Me Now
    Crazy Little Thing
    Another One Bites The Dust
    Flash
    Radio Ga Ga
    Break Free
    One Vision
    Kind Of Magic
    Who WantsTo Live Forever
    I Want It All
    Innuendo
    The Show Must Go On
    Days of Our Lives
     
  22. mark winstanley

    mark winstanley Certified dinosaur, who likes physical product

    I'm not very good as far as charts go....
    Airplay over the years in oz, up to about 88

    Elvis and The Beatles easily obviously

    The Stones would have to have twenty hits
    Satisfaction, Get off my cloud, Time Is On My Side, Ruby Tuesday, Paint It Black, Lets Spend the Night Together, Gimme Shelter, Honky tonk Women, Wild Horses, Jumpin Jack Flash, Tumblin Dice, Angie, Hot Stuff, Fool To Cry, It's Only rock And Roll, Miss you, Emotional Rescue, Start Me Up, Waiting On a Friend, Hang Fire, Undercover

    The Eagles
    Take It Easy, Witchy Woman, Peaceful Easy feeling, Tequila Sunrise, Desperado, Already gone, James Dean , Best Of My Love, One of These Nights, Lyin eyes, Take It To The Limit, After the Thrill Is Gone, Hotel California, New Kid In Town, Life in the Fast lane, The Last Resort, The Long Run, I Can't Tell you Why, In The City, Heartache Tonight
    ..... They just make the twenty from Oz radio, but off six albums that's pretty good.

    U2
    I Will Follow, Electric Co, Gloria, Sunday Bloody Sunday, Two Hearts Beat As One, New Years Day, Pride, A Sort Of Home Coming, Bad, Where The Streets Have No Name, Still Haven't Found What i'm Looking For, With Or Without You, Bullet The Blue Sky, Desire, Angel Of Harlem, One , Even Better than the Real thing, Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses, One, The Fly, Mysterious Ways

    Eric Clapton
    After Midnight, Willie And the hand Jive , I Shot The Sherif, Hello old Friend, Tulsa Time, All Our Past times, Cocaine, Wonderful tonight, Lay Down Sally, Promises, I Can't Stand it, I've Got A rock And Roll heart, She's Waiting, Forever Man, It's In The Way That you Use It, Tears In Heaven, Pretending, Layla unplugged
    ..... Just Short but if you include, Strange Brew, White Room, Sunshine Of Your Love, he makes it

    There would be quite a few more, but Time Ain't On My Side :)
     
  23. Parachute Woman

    Parachute Woman Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    USA
    I agree with you about Mariah. 'One Sweet Day' is still the longest running #1 hit in America (16 weeks) but it is almost completely forgotten about and definitely long lost to radio. It's such a product of its time--an uber melodramatic R&B ballad with Boyz II Men.

    19th Nervous Breakdown definitely. It was a #2 hit! And Gimme Shelter is definitely a classic rock radio staple.
     
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  24. overdrivethree

    overdrivethree Forum Resident

    Queen:
    Bohemian Rhapsody
    Crazy Little Thing...
    Another One Bites The Dust
    WWRY
    We Are The Champions
    Somebody To Love
    Bicycle Race
    Don't Stop Me Now
    You're My Best Friend
    Under Pressure
    Radio Ga Ga
    I Want To Break Free
    Fat Bottomed Girls
    Flash
    Killer Queen
    The Show Must Go On
    These Are The Days Of Our Lives
    Princes Of The Universe
    Hammer To Fall
    Who Wants To Live Forever

    To be honest, I feel this may be stretching it, at least from an US point of view. I'd stand behind every one of these as "musical furniture" up to "Flash" or "Killer Queen."

    The rest I went by my own criteria - "The Show Must Go On" is understood as Freddie's finale, "These Are The Days Of Our Lives" his final video. "Princes Of The Universe" was the Highlander TV theme. They played "Hammer To Fall" at Live Aid and when I saw them with Adam Lambert, so I included it. "Who Wants To Live Forever" I just regard as an "important" Queen song.
     
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  25. mark winstanley

    mark winstanley Certified dinosaur, who likes physical product

    Keep yourself Alive,
    I'm In Love With My car
    Tie Your Mother Down
    Spread Your Wings
    Under Pressure
    Tear It Up
     
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