One of the most successful rock and roll artists of all time, Bruce aka "The Boss" Springsteen needs no introduction. We mentioned some eerie parallels with Rick Springfield regarding his career on the charts already, so no need to cover that ground again. Springsteen has appeared on the charts across four decades since the 70s (despite releasing some excellent music, he didn't secure a chart appearance in the 2010's), landed numerous Grammy Awards, an Oscar (for "Streets Of Philadelphia" from the movie Philadelphia; his song hit #9 in 1994 and is his last Top 10 single to date), is in the R&R Hall of Fame, and received Kennedy Center Honors in 2009. "Growin' Up" goes way back to the beginning of his budding career. This song from 1973's "Greetings From Asbury Park, N.J." showcased Springsteen's poetic lyrics and jubilant songwriting style. What a thrill to have watched this artist grow over the decades.
There's a strange connection between these two hitmakers with similar last names: Rick Springfield and Bruce Springsteen. Both rose to prominence in the 80s, but Springfield (#22) outranks Springsteen (#26) in chart performance for that decade. Springsteen won in the end as far as the all-time rankings go (he at #120 and Springfield at #170), and he was inducted into the R&R Hall of Fame in 1999...we're still waiting for them to let in Springfield. They both had their initial chart hit land in the 70s. Springfield's first was "Speak To The Sky," which topped out at #14 in 1972. Springsteen first graced the charts in 1975 when "Born To Run" hit #23. The difference is that Springsteen's debut has become a classic. Springsteen has won multiple Grammy Awards, and Springfield secured one with "Jessie's Girl." Incidentally, "Jessie's Girl" was a #1 hit for Springfield in 1981, a feat that Springsteen has never been able to achieve. Both artists also reached the #2 spot once, and both were there for four weeks! Springfield in 1982 with "Don't Talk To Strangers" and Springsteen in 1984 with "Dancing In The Dark." Both artists had a chart hit with different songs called "Human Touch." Springfield took his to #18 in 1983 and Springsteen took his to #16 in 1992. Springfield even had a minor hit with a song called "Bruce" that was recorded in 1978 and reached #27 in 1985. The song was written after Springfield was mistaken as Springsteen. To date, Springfield's last appearance on the charts was in 1988 when "Rock Of Life" reached #22. Springsteen's last chart appearance was in 2009 when "Working On A Dream" broke on to hit #95 (the song also won a Grammy for Rock Solo Vocal). While dethroned from the charts, both continue to release great music. Here is one from Springfield's 2016 album "Rocket Science" called "Down."
English vocalist Dusty Springfield was a staple on the 60s music charts, thrilling audiences with her renditions of tunes like "Wishin' And Hopin'" (#6), "You Don't Have To Say You Love Me" (#4), "The Look Of Love" (#22), and "Son-Of-A Preacher Man" (#10). Her career suddenly fizzled with the coming of the 70s, but she resurfaced in 1987 to achieve her biggest hit of all. Her duet with the Pet Shop Boys, "What Have I Done To Deserve This?" soared all the way to #2 for two weeks. Springfield passed away in 1999 from cancer at the age of 59. "Haunted" goes back to the era when she could do no wrong. Lost in the pile of charting singles Springfield released, "Haunted" is an underrated gem that never saw chart action.
Mixing grit and melody, Detroit rockers Sponge soaked up a few chart hits in the post-grunge era. Their breakthrough record, "Rotting Pinata," nearly got the band into the Top 40 when "Plowed" reached #41 in 1995. Surprisingly, the catchy follow-up single "Molly (Sixteen Candles)" could not best "Plowed," settling for #55. Expectations were high that Sponge could crack the mainstream with their 1996 album, "Wax Ecstatic," but after the title track stalled at #64, the band quickly dropped off the radar. Nonetheless, they've continued to release records through the years. One of the standouts to my ears is 2003's "For All The Drugs In The World." The songwriting has matured and the record is a satisfying listen from beginning to end. "Leave This World" had the makings of a Sponge comeback, but that did not materialize.
After the demise of the 90s power pop band Greenberry Woods, twin brothers Matt and Brandt Huseman formed a new group called Splitsville. They continued to crank out infectious power pop and earworms that unfortunately attracted very little attention outside of power pop circles. Splitsville typically plays crunchy rock, but this piano-driven number often has them mistaken for Ben Folds Five. Check out "Ponce de Leon," from their 1997 record, "Ultrasound."
Split Enz was the group that introduced the amazing Finn brothers, Neil and Tim, who have given the world a ton a great songs and a handful of big hits. In Split Enz, which formed back in the early 70s in New Zealand, Neil Finn's songwriting skills were foreshadowed with "I Got You," which peaked at #53 in the US in 1980. Unfortunately, the band could not get any more traction and quickly fall apart. Neil moved on and formed hitmakers Crowded House, which Tim joined occasionally. Neil and Tim have also recored as Finn Brothers in addition to making solo albums. In 2018, Neil replaced Lindsey Buckingham to become a member of Fleetwood Mac. If there was another song that seemed like it could be the breakthrough Split Enz needed in the US, I would have pegged "Hard Act To Follow" to be it. It comes from the band's 1981 album, "Waiata."
Hailing from Detroit, The Spinners were active on the charts from the 60s through the 80s. They racked up so many hits in the 70s they ranked as the 26th most successful artist of the decade. Some of their most memorable songs include "I'll Be Around" (#3 in 1972), "Then Came You" (#1 in 1974, a duet with Dionne Warwick), "The Rubberband Man" (#2 in 1976), and "Cupid/I've Loved You For A Long Time" (#2 in 1980). The Spinners saw their final chart appearance in 1983 when "Funny How Time Slips Away" stalled at #67. Their 1985 album, "Lovin' Feelings," failed to yield any hits, but I think they were robbed. "Put Us Together" had all the makings of a comeback.
Spider was a terrific rock band that might have been just a tad ahead of its time when they arrived on the scene in 1980. They scored their one and only Top 40 hit with "New Romance (It's A Mystery)," which went to #39. The follow-up single, "Everything Is Alright," stalled at a disappointing #86. I think the catchy mid-tempo number, "Little Darlin'" might have done better and given them more attention. In 1981, Spider returned with a modest hit, "It Didn't Take Long." It reached #43 and became the band's final chart appearance. Keyboardist and primary songwriter Holly Knight went on to form a new band called Device that would see her return to the charts for another brief stay. After that, she scored a single chart hit as a solo artist with "Heart Don't Fail Me Now" (#59) in 1988. While Knight might not have had a smash hit on her own, she wrote tons of them like Aerosmith's "Rag Doll," Tina Turner's "Better Be Good To Me" (which Spider first performed on their 1981 album), Heart's "Never," Pat Benatar's "Love Is A Battlefield," and many more.
Named after the Little Rascals, Spanky and our Gang was a folk rock group that formed in Chicago. They scored a big hit in 1967 when "Sunday Will Never Be The Same" leaped to #9. They would not see the Top 10 again, but had some other notable singles including "Lazy Day" (#14), "Like To Get To Know You" (#17), and "Sunday Morning" (#30). Transitioning into the 70s was not easy for many bands, and for Spanky (aka Elaine McFarlane) and her gang, things were further complicated by a series of strange deaths that all involved livers. Two members died of liver failure in their 20s in 1968 and 1971, and another died of liver cancer in 2011 at the age of 71. "Anything You Choose" sees Spanky trying to sharpen their rock edge as the 70s approached. It stalled at #86 in 1969.
In the US, Spacehog is considered a one-hit wonder of the 90s. In 1996, their single "In The Meantime," from their 1995 album "Resident Alien," became widely popular, peaking at #32. But the eclectic band from Yorkshire could not sustain this success and quickly fell off the radar. "Resident Alien" has a lot of filler, but strong cuts like "Cruel To Be Kind" (not a cover of the Nick Lowe hit) should have charted. Fun fact: Lead singer Royston Langdon was married to Steven Tyler's (Aerosmith) daughter Liv from 2003-2008.
Joe South is an underrated songwriter and musician whose work you've heard everywhere. He's written classics like "Hush," "Down In The Boondocks," "Rose Garden," and more, and played guitar in the studio for acts like Simon and Garfunkel to Bob Dylan. He's also scored some hits on his own, most notably "Games People Play" and "Walk A Mile In My Shoes," both of which reached #12 as the 60s turned into the 70s. His first chart appearance reaches way back to 1958 when "The Purple People Eater Meets The Witch Doctor" hit #47. His final chart appearance was in 1971 when "Fool Me" stalled at #78. "Don't You Be Ashamed" never charted, but remains one of my favorite tunes in this prolific songwriter's catalogue. South passed away in 2012 at the age of 72.
Everything came together for the Scottish alternative rock band The Soup Dragons with their fantastic 1992 release "Hotwired," an album in which nearly every song sounds like a single. The band had to meet high expectations since they just scored a hit in 1990 with their cover of the Rolling Stones classic, "I'm Free," which The Soup Dragons took to #79. "Hotwired" delivered the band their biggest hit when "Divine Thing" sailed to #35. An equally good follow-up single, "Pleasure," inexplicably stalled at #69 and became the band's final chart appearance. "Dream On (Solid Gone)" should have been one more. The band's next LP was "Hydrophonic," which dropped in 1994 to mixed reviews. The band actually broke up just prior to its recording, making lead singer Sean Dickson the only original member on the album.
Led by the powerhouse vocals of Chris Cornell, Soundgarden was one of the pioneering Seattle bands associated with the dawn of grunge rock. By 1994, they were on the charts with "Black Hole Sun," the haunting ballad whose creepy video burned into everyone's brain. The song became their biggest hit, peaking at #24 and winning a Grammy for Best Hard Rock Performance. Cornell's gloomy lyrics and the band's gritty riffs made some other notable chart appearances through the decade. "Fell On Black Days" (#54), "Pretty Noose" (#37), "Burden In My Hand" (#40), and "Blow Up The Outside World" (#53) are classics of the genre. The band broke up in 1997 but reunited after a few years. They scored one final chart appearance in 2010 when "Black Rain" hit #96. It was a previously unreleased song, but the reunion led to a new album in 2012 called "King Animal." Appropriately, the first track is called "Been Away Too Long" and kicks ass. "Halfway There" is a more radio-friendly mid-tempo number that deserved to put the band back on the charts. In addition to his work in Soundgarden, Cornell recorded with Temple of the Dog and Audioslave, amidst completing several solo albums. Sadly, this tremendous talent committed suicide in 2017 at the age of 52.
Soul Asylum formed in Minneapolis in 1981 and slowly amassed a loyal following craving Dave Pirner's quirky lyrics and raspy melodies. By 1992's "Grave Dancers Union" album, the raw garage rock had morphed into smart, gritty pop that sat comfortably alongside some of the more radio-friendly grunge. The band's first foray into acoustic ballads landed the smash hit, "Runaway Train," which peaked at #5 and won a Grammy. Surprisingly, nothing else from this fantastic breakthrough album found its way onto the charts. Expectations were high for their follow-up, "Let Your Dim Light Shine," which arrived in 1995. It yielded only one minor hit called "Misery," which deserved much better than the #20 position it earned. One more single from the record charted, "Broken Promises," stalling at #63 and becoming their final chart appearance. After their 1998 record flopped, the band chilled out for 8 years before releasing a very solid record called "The Silver Lining." It truly boggles the mind why strong cuts like "Lately" didn't give the band a second life. The only constant in the band these days is Pirner, but he continues to make records under the band's moniker and as a solo artist.
Sons of Champlin was formed by singer and songwriter Bill Champlin in San Francisco while he was still in high school. The band managed to crack the Top 100 twice in the 70s with "Hold On" (#47) and "Here Is Where Your Love Begins" (#80). Champlin left for a brief career as a solo artist, managing to score two more Top 100 hits: "Tonight Tonight" (#55) and "Sara" (#61) from 1982. He then joined Chicago and delivered some monster hits like "Hard Habit To Break," "Look Away," "You're Not Alone," and more. Champlin's son, Will, also tasted Top 100 success. In 2013, his cover of "At Last" from the TV show The Voice, peaked at #83. Listening to the grooves by Sons of Champlin draws clear parallels to what Chicago was doing at the time. Check out "What'cha Gonna Do" from their 1977 album, "Loving Is Why."
Something Happens was an alternative rock band from Dublin that never got the airplay they deserved in the US in the late 80s and early 90s. Sounding a lot like R.E.M. and Toad the Wet Sprocket, the band blended catchy music with thoughtful lyrics. But college rock had a tough time competing with the hairband and power ballad craze popular at the time. In 1990, they released their sophomore record, "Stuck Together With God's Glue." Critics loved it, but it failed to make an impression. Even strong cuts like "Good Time Coming" could not help this band get their head above the crowd.
Bert Sommer, who played Claude in the musical Hair, became a one-hit wonder in 1970. His lone chart appearance was "We're All Playing In The Same Band," which managed to reach #48. Before that, he spent a little time as lead singer for The Left Banke. Quite inexplicably, Sommer could not land another chart appearance with the many harmonious gems on his follow-up self-titled record. "Someone Like Me" is a perfect song from the era that should have given him a higher profile. He passed away from illness in 1990 at only 41 years of age.
Led by the gritty vocals of Mike Ness, Social Distortion is a punk rock band that formed in in California in 1978. By 1983, they released their debut album, "Mommy's Little Monster." They slowly built up a following that liked to jam to their wall of guitars and down-on-my-luck lyrics. By 1989, they found major label success and released their critically acclaimed self-titled third album in 1990. Thus began a string of fan favorites that received a lot of airplay but never charted, including "Ball And Chain," "Story Of My Life," "Bad Luck," and "When She Begins." The band finally obtained chart success in 1996 when "I Was Wrong" peaked at #54. To date, it remains their only chart appearance, but this is not because their music took a dive. On the contrary, I found their last album from 2011, "Hard Times and Nursery Rhymes" to be among their best. Combining the shredding guitars with more melody and harmonies than ever, this album should have been huge. I hope we hear from the band again while they're "Still Alive."
Vocalist Phoebe Snow scored her big hit in 1975 when "Poetry Man" soared to #5. With a little help from Paul Simon, she scored another one with "Gone At Last," which reached #23. Snow came close to cracking the Top 40 once again with a reinvention of her sound to suit the early 80s. "Games" and "Mercy, Mercy, Mercy" topped out at #46 and #52, respectively, in 1981. Both of these came from her 1982 comeback record, "Rock Away." Overlooked was the irresistibly fun jam, "Shoo-Rah Shoo Rah." Sadly, Snow passed away in 2011 at the age of 60.
Todd Snider is a hugely underrated singer and songwriter from Portland, Oregon who seemed poised to be this generation's Bob Dylan. His combination of folk, rock, and country, was a refreshing reprieve from the gloomy and grungy sounds of the 90s, a scene that he brilliantly satirized in his song, "Talkin' Seattle Blues." Snider is a sharp and often funny lyricist who has a dedicated following despite never breaking onto the charts. Going all the way back to his 1994 debut, "Songs For The Daily Planet," "My Generation (Part 2)" should have torn up the charts and planted Snider's musical genius into our collective conscious for years to come. Never too late to discover this talented artist!
