What……no way! NO number ones for these 16 iconic artists?
I have been on the radio for a LONG time. Many of the songs on 1057 WROR I played when they were NEW!
So imagine MY shock when I found this list of ICONIC artists who have NEVER HAD A NUMBER ONE SONG!
Bruce Springsteen?
It’s 100% true. Bruce Springsteen has NEVER had a #1 that HE recorded. Surely I thought that Dancing In The Dark hit #1 in the 80s. NOPE.
In a recent interview Bruce shared how HIS recording of the song he wrote, Blinded By The Light DID NOT hit number one for him. The Manfred Mann cover version DID hit #1 in February of 1977.
The Bruce Springteen version was the first single off of his 1973 debut album Greetings From Asbury Park.
Reports say that Bruce said: “They (Manfred Mann) kind of messed up the song. They sang revved up by a DOOCHE. The lyric is DEUCE.” But he’s happy THEY got it to number one.
In response. reports say Manfred Mann said: “Yes, my version of the word DEUCE sounds like DOOCHE. We couldn’t back in and re-record it. I regret that.”
Blinded By The Light
According to Wikipedia:
The song came about when Columbia Records president Clive Davis, upon listening to an early version of Greetings from Asbury Park N.J., felt the album lacked a potential single. Springsteen wrote this and “Spirit in the Night” in response.
Well, if you dare, scroll down to be as shocked as I was when you see NO number ones for THESE 16 iconic artists!
Bruce Springsteen
Not even Dancing In The Dark? Nope. It hit #2 June 30, 1984, but stalled at #2 thanks to Duran Duran’s The Reflex. In defense of Bruce, it DID hit #1 on CASHBOX.
Led Zepplin
Nope. Not even Stairway To Heaven. Not one of Led Zeppelin’s 16 singles has reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100.
But in all fairness, it was never released as a commercial single. It’s considered one of the greatest songs of all time.
Nirvana
The closest they ever got to the top of the Hot 100 was “Smells Like Teenage Spirit,” which peaked at No. 6.
Backstreet Boys
Quit playin games with my heart
The Who
We were fooled again
Jimi Hendrix
Jimi Hendrix might be one of the greatest guitar players of all time, but he never had a single make it to the top 10, let alone the top of the chart.
Sheryl Crow
Sheryl Crow came close with “All I Wanna Do,” but ultimately fell short.
Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan may have won a Nobel Prize, but he’s never had a No. 1 song on the Hot 100.
Shania Twain
Shania Twain is the best-selling female country music star of all time, but that doesn’t translate to Hot 100 chart-toppers.
Johnny Cash
Johnny Cash’s 49-year career resulted in millions upon millions of albums sold, but just one top 10 hit.
One Direction
Though they were the biggest band in the world at one time, One Direction never achieved a No. 1. Maybe we should call them TWO Direction?
Greenday
Modern rock legends Green Day have had plenty of No. 1s on the Alternative chart, but on the Hot 100? Not so much.
James Brown
James Brown had dozens of songs make it to the Hot 100, but none ever reached No. 1.
Missy Elliot
Missy Elliot is one of the most prolific rappers of all time, but has yet to reach No 1 on the Hot 100.
Bob Marley
Bob Marley’s music is beloved around the world, but he didn’t have that much chart success.
Demi Lovato
Demi Lovato has more than a few inescapable songs, but none of them have reached No. 1.
