Every Billboard #1 Mainstream Rock hit discussion thread (1981 - present)

#417 Five Finger Death Punch featuring Rob Halford, Lift Me Up
Written by Ivan Moody, Zoltan Bathory, Jason Hook, Jeremy Spencer, and Kevin Churko
Produced by Kevin Churko and Five Finger Death Punch (Ivan Moody, Zoltan Bathory, Jason Hook, Chris Kael, and Jeremy Spencer)
Mastered by Kevin Churko
Label: Prospect Park
Debuted June 1, 2013 at #20
Issued August 10, 2013 - #2 previous week - 1 week at #1
^11 weeks

#10 on the 2013 Mainstream Rock Tracks Year-End
#19 on Hot Rock & Alternative Songs
#48 on the 2013 Hot Rock & Alternative Songs Year-End

Album: The Wrong Side of Heaven and the Righteous Side of Hell, Volume 1 (2013)

Songfacts page? Yes



No, this is not a cover of the Yes song. Yes, Rob Halford from Judas Priest is on it. And yes, the song's parent album does have a cover of LL Cool J's Mama Said Knock You Out. Experience at your own discretion.

 

#418 Stone Temple Pilots with Chester Bennington, Out of Time
Written and produced by Stone Temple Pilots (Chester Bennington, Eric Kretz, and Dean & Robert DeLeo)
Mastered by Tom Baker
Label: Play Pen, LLC
Debuted June 8, 2013 at #28
Issued August 17, 2013 - #3 previous week - 1 week at #1
^11 weeks

#24 on the 2013 Mainstream Rock Tracks Year-End
#22 on Alternative Airplay

EP: High Rise (2013)

Songfacts page? Yes



On February 27, 2013, Scott Weiland was fired from Stone Temple Pilots. Legal action ensued and it was all ultimately settled out of court, allowing the rest of the band to continue performing under the Stone Temple Pilots name with their new lead singer: Chester Bennington.
Yes, on May 19, 2013, Stone Temple Pilots revealed that Scott Weiland's replacement would be Linkin Park's Chester Bennington. I'm reminded of when the Red Hot Chili Peppers replaced John Frusciante with Dave Navarro. Not in the sense that the person being replaced left for the same reason in both cases, but in the sense that considering how difficult it was to replace someone so instrumental in forming the band's signature sound, the band made a respectable choice for a replacement.
The High Rise EP was the only STP release with Bennington on lead vocals, as he himself would leave the band in 2015.

 

Happy 47th birthday to System of a Down drummer John Dolmayan

 

Dammit, forgot to put a period at the end. You still understand the sentiment, though.

 

I'm a casual STP fan - limited to owning and championing their Greatest Hits compilation. Having said that, I had no idea Bennington was ever in the band. You learn something new everyday....

I don't think the Navarro for Frusciante swap was quite as notable. For one thing, the RHCP had already recorded with two other guitarists before Frusciante's arrival. Also, Frusciante only played on two albums before his seat went to Navarro. I'll grant that Frusciante played a big role in their commercial breakthrough on Blood Sugar Sex Magic.

 

"Mama Said Knock You Out" is supposed to be some kind of hip-hop classic, but I don't get it. For starters, I don't understand what the title phrase is trying to get across.

Just listened to it again. OK, it's got a good groove and a tough sound. Kinda catchy. But pretty repetitive. I can see the potential to re-envision it as a rock track.

 

#419 Avenged Sevenfold, Hail to the King
Written by M. Shadows, Synyster Gates, Zacky Vengeance, and Johnny Christ
Produced by Mike Elizondo
Mastered by Bob Ludwig
Label: Warner Bros.
Debuted August 3, 2013 at #9
Issued August 24, 2013 - #3 previous week - 10 weeks at #1
^4 weeks
Issued November 9, 2013 - #2 previous week - 1 week at #1
^15 weeks

#83 on the Billboard Hot 100
#4 on the 2013 Mainstream Rock Tracks Year-End
#19 on the Greatest of All Time Mainstream Rock Songs
#12 on Hot Rock & Alternative Songs
#29 on the 2013 Hot Rock & Alternative Songs Year-End

Album: Hail to the King (2013)

Songfacts page? Yes

 

#420 Three Days Grace, Misery Loves My Company
Written by Adam Gontier, Barry Stock, Brad Walst, Neil Sanderson, and Craig Wiseman
Produced by Don Gilmore
Mastered by Brad Blackwood
Label: RCA
Debuted June 22, 2013 at #34
Issued November 2, 2013 - #2 previous week - 1 week at #1
^20 weeks

#11 on the 2013 Mainstream Rock Tracks Year-End
#49 on Hot Rock & Alternative Songs

Album: Transit of Venus (2012)



I mentioned before that bassist Brad Walst is the brother of My Darkest Days singer Matt Walst. Matt co-wrote a song on Transit of Venus, which we can probably classify as foreshadowing.

 

#421 Korn, Never Never
Written by Don Gilmore and Korn (Reginald "Fieldy" Arvizu, Jonathan Davis, Ray Luzier, James "Munky" Shaffer, and Brian "Head" Welch)
Produced by Don Gilmore
Mastered by Brad Blackwood
Label: Prospect Park/Caroline
Debuted August 24, 2013 at #39
Issued November 16, 2013 - #3 previous week - 3 weeks at #1
^13 weeks

#31 on the 2013 Mainstream Rock Tracks Year-End
#44 on the 2014 Mainstream Rock Tracks Year-End
#36 on Alternative Airplay
#30 on Hot Rock & Alternative Songs
#93 on the 2013 Hot Rock & Alternative Songs Year-End

Album: The Paradigm Shift (2013)

Songfacts page? Yes



Yes, the Freak on a Leash guys were still active in the 2010s. In fact, they're on Billboard's list of the most successful artists in Mainstream Rock history despite having only one #1 hit in the form of Never Never. If you're wondering how that could be, it's because Korn had nineteen top-10 hits on Mainstream Rock (that is, songs that peaked in the top 10 but didn't hit #1). Korn had 21 charting songs on Alternative Airplay, making them the artist with the most appearances on Alternative Airplay that hasn't #1. Or so says Wikipedia, though when you read the statement on the page for Never Never, there's a "citation needed" next to it.
Regardless, the fact remains that Korn is on the Greatest of All Time Artists lists for both the Mainstream Rock and Alternative Airplay charts. I just wish their sole #1 hit on either chart was something more memorable than Never Never.

 

#422 Volbeat, Lola Montez
Written by Michael Poulsen
Produced by Jacob Hansen and Volbeat (Michael Poulsen, Rob Caggiano, Anders Kjølholm, and Jon Larsen)
Label: Vertigo/Universal
Debuted September 7, 2013 at #34
Issued December 7, 2013 - #2 previous week - 1 week at #1
^14 weeks

#50 on the 2013 Mainstream Rock Tracks Year-End
#33 on the 2014 Mainstream Rock Tracks Year-End
#35 on Hot Rock & Alternative Songs

Album: Outlaw Gentlemen & Shady Ladies (2013)

Songfacts page? Yes

 

And that was 2013. Here's the Year-End.

50. Volbeat, Lola Montez
49. Redlight King, Born To Rise (peaked at #9 - November 30, 2013)
48. Five Finger Death Punch, The Pride (peaked at #12 - January 12, 2013)
47. Heaven's Basement, Fire, Fire (peaked at #11 - October 5, 2013)
46. P.O.D., Higher (peaked at #12 - March 23, 2013)
45. Stone Sour, Tired
44. Skillet, Sick Of It (peaked at #9 - August 24, 2013)
43. Black Veil Brides, In The End (peaked at #12 - June 1, 2013)
42. Nine Inch Nails, Came Back Haunted (peaked at #6 - August 10, 2013)
41. Alice In Chains, Voices (peaked at #3 - November 23, 2013)
40. 3 Doors Down, One Light (peaked at #8 - February 23, 2013)
39. Chevelle, Same Old Trip (peaked at #7 - February 16, 2013)
38. Sevendust, Decay (peaked at #10 - June 8, 2013)
37. Deftones, Swerve City (peaked at #6 - July 27, 2013)
36. Slash featuring Myles Kennedy & The Conspirators, Anastasia (peaked at #6 - June 1, 2013)
35. Devour The Day, Good Man (peaked at #9 - November 2, 2013)
34. P.O.D., Beautiful (peaked at #5 - September 21, 2013)
33. Slash featuring Myles Kennedy & The Conspirators, Standing In The Sun (peaked at #4 - November 24, 2012)
32. Adelitas Way, Alive (peaked at #6 - March 30, 2013)
31. Korn, Never Never
30. Corey Taylor, Dave Grohl, Rick Nielsen, and Scott Reeder, From Can To Can't (peaked at #2 - May 18, 2013)
29. Pearl Jam, Mind Your Manners (peaked at #2 - September 7, 2013)
28. Soundgarden, By Crooked Steps
27. Device, Vilify
26. Avenged Sevenfold, Carry On (peaked at #2 - February 9, 2013)
25. Papa Roach, Leader Of The Broken Hearts (peaked at #4 - October 19, 2013)
24. Stone Temple Pilots with Chester Bennington, Out Of Time
23. Beware Of Darkness, Howl (peaked at #6 - August 24, 2013)
22. Soundgarden, Been Away Too Long
21. Sick Puppies, There's No Going Back (peaked at #3 - September 14, 2013)
20. Papa Roach, Where Did The Angels Go? (peaked at #2 - April 13, 2013)
19. Shinedown, Enemies (peaked at #2 - December 22, 2012)
18. Stone Sour, Do Me A Favor (peaked at #4 - June 15, 2013)
17. Alice In Chains, Hollow
16. All That Remains, Stand Up
15. Deftones, Tempest (peaked at #3 - March 2, 2013)
14. Imagine Dragons, Radioactive (peaked at #11 - July 6, 2013)
13. Halestorm, Freak Like Me
12. Alice In Chains, Stone
11. Three Days Grace, Misery Loves My Company
10. Five Finger Death Punch featuring Rob Halford, Lift Me Up
9. Stone Sour, Absolute Zero (peaked at #2 - November 17, 2012)
8. Shinedown, I'll Follow You (peaked at #2 - May 25, 2013)
7. Three Days Grace, The High Road
6. Volbeat, Heaven Nor Hell
5. Three Days Grace, Chalk Outline
4. Avenged Sevenfold, Hail To The King
3. Young Guns, Bones
2. Volbeat, The Hangman's Body Count
1. Pop Evil, Trenches

 

Wow, did not expect Radioactive to be that high on the 2013 Mainstream Rock YE list. I guess it was such a big hit for Alternative and the Hot 100 that it couldn't help but cross over.

 

#423 Five Finger Death Punch, Battle Born
Written by Ivan Moody, Zoltan Bathory, Jason Hook, Jeremy Spencer, and Kevin Churko
Produced by Kevin Churko and Five Finger Death Punch (Ivan Moody, Zoltan Bathory, Jason Hook, Chris Kael, and Jeremy Spencer)
Mastered by Kevin Churko
Label: Prospect Park
Debuted September 28, 2013 at #34
Issued December 14, 2013 - #2 previous week - 2 weeks at #1
^12 weeks
Issued January 4, 2014 - #2 previous week - 3 weeks at #1
^15 weeks

#17 on the 2014 Mainstream Rock Tracks Year-End
#28 on Hot Rock & Alternative Songs
#97 on the 2014 Hot Rock & Alternative Songs Year-End

Album: The Wrong Side of Heaven and the Righteous Side of Hell, Volume 2 (2013)

Songfacts page? Yes

 

#424 Pop Evil, Deal With The Devil
Written by Leigh Kakaty and Dave Bassett
Produced by Johnny K
Label: eOne Music
Debuted August 31, 2013 at #39
Issued December 28, 2013 - #3 previous week - 1 week at #1
^18 weeks

#28 on the 2014 Mainstream Rock Tracks Year-End
#48 on Hot Rock & Alternative Songs

Album: Onyx (2013)

Songfacts page? Yes

 

#425 Stone Sour, Tired
Written by Roy Mayorga, Josh Rand, Jim Root, and Corey Taylor
Produced by David Bottrill
Mastered by Paul Logus
Label: Roadrunner
Debuted August 10, 2013 at #35
Issued January 25, 2014 - #3 previous week - 1 week at #1
^25 weeks

#8 on the 2014 Mainstream Rock Tracks Year-End
#64 on the Greatest of All Time Mainstream Rock Songs
#50 on Hot Rock & Alternative Songs

Album: House of Gold & Bones – Part 1 (2012)

 

#426 Avenged Sevenfold, Shepherd Of Fire
Written by M. Shadows, Synyster Gates, Zacky Vengeance, and Johnny Christ
Produced by Mike Elizondo
Mastered by Bob Ludwig
Label: Warner Bros.
Debuted November 16, 2013 at #37
Issued February 1, 2014 - #2 previous week - 7 weeks at #1
^12 weeks

#2 on the 2014 Mainstream Rock Tracks Year-End
#82 on the Greatest of All Time Mainstream Rock Songs
#28 on Hot Rock & Alternative Songs
#62 on the 2014 Hot Rock & Alternative Songs Year-End

Album: Hail To The King (2013)

Songfacts page? Yes

 

#427 The Pretty Reckless, Heaven Knows
Written by Taylor Momsen and Ben Phillips
Produced by Kato Khandwala
Mastered by Ted Jensen
Label: Razor & Tie
Debuted December 14, 2013 at #37
Issued March 22, 2014 - #2 previous week - 5 weeks at #1
^15 weeks

#1 on the 2014 Mainstream Rock Tracks Year-End
#86 on the Greatest of All Time Mainstream Rock Songs
#17 on Hot Rock & Alternative Songs
#31 on the 2014 Hot Rock & Alternative Songs Year-End

Album: Going To Hell (2014)

Songfacts page? Yes



From the moment I started this thread, I was thinking over what I would write about Heaven Knows by Robert Plant The Pretty Reckless. Not only was it the first song by a female-fronted group to be #1 on a Mainstream Rock Year-End, but it also tied with I Love Rock 'N' Roll by Joan Jett and the Blackhearts for the most consecutive weeks spent at #1 on Mainstream Rock by a female-fronted group.
At five weeks... on a chart where the all-time record for consecutive weeks at #1 is 21 weeks.
You are free to make of that what you will. But I digress.
I must disclose that I'm a huge fan of this band, so I already know a lot about their background without having to do any research. However, in the interest of keeping this post from becoming an essay, I will make the biography brief.
In 2009, a producer named Kato Khandwala introduced Ben Phillips, the frontman of a New York City-based hard rock trio called Famous, to Taylor Momsen, who left acting to pursue her dream of being in a rock band. Famous had already been around long enough to put out an album of their own on which the band displayed a bit of classic rock influence. Oh, and Soundgarden. They're huge Soundgarden fans, and it showed in their material. As a massive Soundgarden fan and classic rock nerd herself, Taylor liked Famous' sound. So Taylor became their lead singer and Famous became The Pretty Reckless.
In the dozen years since, they've been through a lot. It all started out promising enough in 2010 with the release of their self titled EP and their really enjoyable full length debut Light Me Up. Apparently, Joan Freaking Jett would have produced Light Me Up if not for scheduling conflicts. One might speculate that it was because of the lack of involvement of such a big name that the label was barely motivated to do any promotion for the album, and to this day, it still hasn't been released on vinyl. In 2011, The Pretty Reckless became the first international band to play a multi-city club tour of China. In general, they were touring constantly. They were playing shows every year from 2009 to 2017 (more about that later). They opened for bands like Evanescence and Guns N Roses. They were just working nonstop, which must have made it heartbreaking when, in 2012, their recording studio was destroyed in Hurricane Sandy. Most of the band's gear was destroyed, as were various demos and nearly-finished recordings meant for the band's second full length album. Compounding the tragedy was the death of Kato's wife. While the band did keep fans tided over in 2012 with another excellent EP, they still had to start their second album over from scratch. But the second album finally came to fruition in the form of 2014's Going To Hell.
There will be plenty of opportunities to learn more about The Pretty Reckless in this thread, so for now, I encourage you to give Heaven Knows a listen.

 

I see "Radioactive" by Imagine Dragons on the list. Funny - I never would've pegged that song as being "Mainstream Rock". Closer to pop. Although I don't know if top 40 radio even existed any more in 2013.

ETA: @gooberdude beat me to it....

 

Looked up Momsen's filmography on IMDB, as I'm not familiar with the actress. She had a pretty good run as a child actor, including 88 episodes of Gossip Girl. The transition from child star to adult roles can be tricky, so she might have picked a good time to switch to music. If the Pretty Reckless goes on hiatus at some point, she might consider dipping her toe back in the acting waters to diversify her career options.

 

Taylor has said she won't completely dismiss the idea of acting again under the right circumstances, but she has been fully devoting herself to music for the past decade.

 

#428 Chevelle, Take Out The Gunman
Written by Pete and Sam Loeffler
Produced by Joe Barresi and Chevelle (Pete and Sam Loeffler)
Mastered by Dave Collins
Label: Epic
Debuted February 22, 2014 at #25
Issued April 26, 2014 - #2 previous week - 3 weeks at #1
^10 weeks

#5 on the 2014 Mainstream Rock Tracks Year-End
#25 on Hot Rock & Alternative Songs
#70 on the 2014 Hot Rock & Alternative Songs Year-End

Album: La Gárgola (2014)

Songfacts page? Yes

 

Linkin Park’s Chester Bennington died on this day in 2017.
Rest In Peace.

 

Chris Cornell was born on this day in 1994.

 

#429 Linkin Park featuring Rakim, Guilty All The Same
Written by William Griffin and Linkin Park (Chester Bennington, Rob Bourdon, Brad Delson, Dave "Phoenix" Farrell, Joe Hahn, and Mike Shinoda)
Produced by Brad Delson and Mike Shinoda
Mastered by Emily Lazar
Label: Warner Bros./Machine Shop
Debuted March 22, 2014 at #28
Issued May 17, 2014 - #2 previous week - 3 weeks at #1
^9 weeks

#13 on the 2014 Mainstream Rock Tracks Year-End
#21 on Alternative Airplay
#19 on Hot Rock & Alternative Songs
#54 on the 2014 Hot Rock & Alternative Songs Year-End

Album: The Hunting Party (2014)

Songfacts page? Yes



2014's The Hunting Party may be my favorite Linkin Park album, of all the ones I heard for this thread at least. While the trend of mainstream rock bands having rappers on their songs had produced some questionable results in the years prior to this album, it makes sense here. The band has a rapper and a DJ in the forms of Mike Shinoda and Joe Hahn respectively, and for the lead single to The Hunting Party, they made the inspired choice to have hip-hop legend Rakim as the featured rapper. It is very much worth a listen.

 

The Hunting Party has got to be Linkin Park's most underrated album. Full of solid hard rock hitters, great features, and some of their best guitar work of their career. Definitely worth a listen.