Hats off to "Weird Al" Yankovic for carving out a niche in novelty songwriting, many of which parody rock or rap favorites. Yankovic is one of the most successful artists in this genre, and his antics have amassed some pretty big chart hits. While musical styles have changed since his start in the early 80s, Yankovic has showed an amazing ability to adapt and keep making hits. Yankovic's first chart appearance goes all the way back to 1983 when "Ricky," a parody of "Mickey" by Toni Basil, peaked at #63. But what really made him a household name was his parody of "Beat It" by Michael Jackson. Yankovic's "Eat It" soared to #12 and won him a Grammy for Comedy Record. Yankovic would continue to make the charts chuckle from time to time, but his biggest hit to date arrived in 2006 when "White & Nerdy," his parody of "Ridin'" by Chamillionaire landed at #9--his first and only Top 10 hit so far. Yankovic's last chart appearance was in 2014 when "Word Crimes," a parody of "Blurred Lines" by Robin Thicke, reached #39. But I wouldn't count Yankovic out yet. If history is any indicator, he will be back on the charts again soon. "Yoda" explores one of his favorite things to sing about other than food: Star Wars. It is a parody of "Lola" by The Kinks that can be found on his 1985 record, "Dare To Be Stupid."
The Kinks have enjoyed top ten success across three decades, from their start in the 60s up through the 80s. Formed in London by brothers Ray and Dave Davies, the band made their first impression with classics like "You Really Got Me" (#7), "All Day And All Of The Night" (#7), and "Tired Of Waiting For You" (#6). To kick off the 70s, The Kinks came back with "Lola," which peaked at #9. They didn't have much more chart success in the 70s, but had a huge comeback hit in 1983 when "Come Dancing" soared to #6. Their final chart appearance was "Do It Again," which just missed the top 40 in 1985 (#41). The band's success and influence was recognized by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1990. The band's extensive catalogue is worth diving into, as there is a ton of great stuff that didn't perform as well as it deserved. "Victoria," which stalled at #62 in 1970, is one of the best examples.
