|
Post by 1finemrg on May 14, 2018 19:46:39 GMT -5
There were two artists in the 1960's that dominated the charts for several years and then --poof--. I am thinking of the Dave Clark 5--who had over 10 Top 10 hits (1964-67) and then disappeared & the other one is: Herman's Hermits, who dominated the pop charts from 1965-68 (with about a dozen Top 10 hits). While both groups certainly receive lots of airplay on oldies stations--some of their Top 10 hits are rarely ever played--and you owe it to yourself to search them out and give them a listen (IMHO). The really odd thing about the DC5 (one of my all-time favorite groups, BTW) is that the end of their chart success in the US in '67 coincided with the start of their biggest period of chart success in the UK, from '67 until Dave Clark dissolved the group in 1970. If you've never hear it, you owe it to yourself to listen to "Everybody Knows" (not to be confused with their 1964 single "Everybody Knows (I Still Love Her)"), their final chart single in the US--it reached #43 as '67 turned into '68, but was the first of their #1 British singles. Their later UK hits definitely had an 'older', more AC-type sound than their early US hits. In this respect the DC5 were somewhat similar to Elton John, who had more British hits later in his career than when he was ruling the US charts in 1973-76. The "Five-Headed Noise Machine" (DC5) had some great hits that didn't make the Top 10. Probably my favorite is their #12 smash "Try Too Hard". Close behind is their #14 hit "Any Way You Want It". Actually 2 others that missed the Top 40 got quite a bit of airplay in Chicago. "Nineteen Days" and "I've Got To Have A Reason" are pretty good tunes as well. I remember when Dave Clark finally released his Greatest Hits compilation on CD. Bought it the day it was released, and it is great to this day. What I find incredible about Elton John's UK career is that he did not top the singles charts on his own until 1990. Even then it took a double "A" side 45 (Sacrifice/Healing Hands) to make it to the top. I get that songs like "Crocodile Rock", "Honky Cat", "Bennie And The Jets", or "Philadelphia Freedom" may not translate well across the pond, but you would think something like "Saturday Night's Alright For Fighting" might have a chance (peaked at #7). "Rocket Man" was the closest #2, followed by "Nikita" (#3), prior to his first #1. Yes he topped with Kiki Dee "Don't Go Breaking My Heart", and almost did it a second time in 1993 when "True Love" made it to #2. Speaking of great CD releases, Abkco did a great job with Herman's Hermits and the Animals compilations. They were released at the same time, and it did not take long for copies to reach my grubby little hands.
|
|
|
Post by djjoe1960 on May 16, 2018 6:42:18 GMT -5
The really odd thing about the DC5 (one of my all-time favorite groups, BTW) is that the end of their chart success in the US in '67 coincided with the start of their biggest period of chart success in the UK, from '67 until Dave Clark dissolved the group in 1970. If you've never hear it, you owe it to yourself to listen to "Everybody Knows" (not to be confused with their 1964 single "Everybody Knows (I Still Love Her)"), their final chart single in the US--it reached #43 as '67 turned into '68, but was the first of their #1 British singles. Their later UK hits definitely had an 'older', more AC-type sound than their early US hits. In this respect the DC5 were somewhat similar to Elton John, who had more British hits later in his career than when he was ruling the US charts in 1973-76. The "Five-Headed Noise Machine" (DC5) had some great hits that didn't make the Top 10. Probably my favorite is their #12 smash "Try Too Hard". Close behind is their #14 hit "Any Way You Want It". Actually 2 others that missed the Top 40 got quite a bit of airplay in Chicago. "Nineteen Days" and "I've Got To Have A Reason" are pretty good tunes as well. I remember when Dave Clark finally released his Greatest Hits compilation on CD. Bought it the day it was released, and it is great to this day. What I find incredible about Elton John's UK career is that he did not top the singles charts on his own until 1990. Even then it took a double "A" side 45 (Sacrifice/Healing Hands) to make it to the top. I get that songs like "Crocodile Rock", "Honky Cat", "Bennie And The Jets", or "Philadelphia Freedom" may not translate well across the pond, but you would think something like "Saturday Night's Alright For Fighting" might have a chance (peaked at #7). "Rocket Man" was the closest #2, followed by "Nikita" (#3), prior to his first #1. Yes he topped with Kiki Dee "Don't Go Breaking My Heart", and almost did it a second time in 1993 when "True Love" made it to #2. Speaking of great CD releases, Abkco did a great job with Herman's Hermits and the Animals compilations. They were released at the same time, and it did not take long for copies to reach my grubby little hands. Speaking of the DC5, I tried to get into their music in the 1980's but sadly there were no good greatest hits compilations that were available. Finally, Dave Clark (who owns the rights to their music) woke up and released a few greatest hits CD in the 2000's and finally made them available to itunes, which allowed to enjoy the musical diversity that was DC5. I now know why they were able to give the Beatles some real competition from 1964-66, on the American charts.
|
|
|
Post by lasvegaskid on May 25, 2018 13:58:07 GMT -5
Maybe the Eltimate disappearing act: Elt had a yearly top 40 streak that looked like it was gonna go on forever. Maybe he jumped the shark with Written In the Stars, maybe not, but as the century ended with this final entry in an incredible 1970-1999 run, its like the charts as the new century began were made Elt-proof as he would not only never see another top 40, but would only crack into the Hot 100 one more time.
|
|
|
Post by dth1971 on May 25, 2018 14:03:25 GMT -5
Maybe the ultimate disappearing act: Elt had a yearly top 40 streak that looked like it was gonna go on forever. Maybe he jumped the shark with Written In the Stars, maybe not, but as the century ended with this final entry in an incredible 1970-1999 run, its like the charts as the new century began were Elt-proof as he would not only never see another top 40, but would only crack into the Hot 100 one more time. Elton John's AT40 streak ended in 1994 with "Circle of Life" prior to AT40's January 1995 demise, but his R&R streak (which was used for Casey's Top 40) ended in 1995 with "Made in England".
|
|
|
Post by johnnywest on Jun 14, 2018 12:19:30 GMT -5
Meredith Brooks seemed to have a promising career in 1997-98, but hasn't been heard from in 20 years.
|
|
|
Post by lasvegaskid on Jun 14, 2018 14:44:08 GMT -5
For a decade 75-84 its not surprising few were hotter than Summer. But after one more biggie in 1989, Donna disappeared.
|
|
|
Post by lasvegaskid on Jan 13, 2019 14:17:02 GMT -5
To me one of the mysterious was the Boy George Club. They were as hot as anybody in 83-84. Their material was solid. They had a look for MTV in the days when MTV still mattered. Yet, they seemed to vanish with no trace as quickly as they appeared.
|
|
|
Post by djjoe1960 on Jan 13, 2019 16:03:40 GMT -5
Captain & Tennille certainly qualify as a hot act (9 Top 40 hits from 1975-1980; 7 of them Top 10's and their first and last #1's) and then 'poof'. Of course, Daryl Dragon passed away at 76 right at the beginning of the year , may he R.I.P.
|
|
|
Post by woolebull on Jan 13, 2019 16:51:12 GMT -5
Just reading over this thread, one that came to my mind was Paul Young and another was Corey Hart, who are both on this weeks 9/13/85 AT40 Chart This is a fascinating question because I could argue that almost every pop act just disappears, from a top 40 perspective. That's the nature of the beast. However, if one could be argued did not just disappear, it would actually be Corey Hart. He had his biggest hit with his third top 40 hit. He would have six more top 40 hits that didn't crack the top 20 over the next five years. To me, Corey Hart was the artist who kept on showing up and never was able to get to where he once was. I'd also throw Howard Jones into that conversation. His biggest hit would be right in the middle of his chart career. He would chart for six years after "No One Is to Blame" not getting back to where he was in 1986. I know it is not the question, but to me it is fascinating seeing the artists who had a huge hit or two, and then had multiple hits after not getting anywhere near to where they once were. And it's fascinating to me because it really doesn't happen much.
|
|
|
Post by mga707 on Jan 13, 2019 17:05:05 GMT -5
To me one of the mysterious was the Boy George Club. They were as hot as anybody in 83-84. Their material was solid. They had a look for MTV in the days when MTV still mattered. Yet, they seemed to vanish with no trace as quickly as they appeared. Reason is that George's heroin addiction pretty much killed both the band's and his attempted solo career.
|
|
|
Post by pb on Jan 13, 2019 20:10:12 GMT -5
I remember although Culture Club's first two albums were all over the radio I never heard "The War Song," although it did fairly well on the charts. Maybe a bit much for the radio stations my family played in the car in those days.
|
|
|
Post by mga707 on Jan 13, 2019 20:52:04 GMT -5
I remember although Culture Club's first two albums were all over the radio I never heard "The War Song," although it did fairly well on the charts. Maybe a bit much for the radio stations my family played in the car in those days. I remember that "War Song" got a lot of critical flack at the time--no one seemed to like it much. "Move Away" did somewhat better a year and a half later, right around the time I recall seeing George on various TV shows and one could tell that he was really messed up.
|
|
jebsib
Junior Member
Posts: 94
|
Post by jebsib on Jan 14, 2019 11:13:15 GMT -5
Several reasons on Boy George that predated the Heroin issue:
Culture Club flew in during early 1983 and was the commercial personification of the Brit Pop movement. But unlike Duran, who had heartthrob teen idols looks, expensive videos and Nile Rodgers production values, CC was soon seen a a passé gimmick, and like most such Spicy-Village acts, had a short shelf life, unhelped by weaker material.
And image wise, Boy George basically came out on live TV at the Grammy's with Joan Rivers, unsettling a very conservative America. Add to that - I recall having worked in radio - there was a very prominent piece of mid-80s radio research that tested what voices female listeners least liked listening to, and Boy George topped the negative poll by miles.
|
|
|
Post by Jessica on Jan 14, 2019 22:18:28 GMT -5
Yeah, I think people were more homophobic than they cared to admit. Obviously things were much different in the 80s, some people were much less tolerant. There were many reasons for CC’s decline, Boy George’s drug use being the obvious one but it was also because I think people were just over them. By 1986 they were over, although they had a Top Ten hit with “Move Away”.
Someone already mentioned Tiffany and Debbie Gibson, although Tiffany’s career was short even by pop music standards. By 18 she was a has been, her 1990 album “New Inside” flopping badly. She’ll always be known for her remake of “I Think We’re Alone Now”. It certainly didn’t help that she sued her mother in 1988. I think that turned a lot of people off. That and by the time she released her third album people were over the bubblegum teen artists of the late 80s (with the exception of New Kids On The Block and at least for awhile, for better or worst, mostly worst Milli Vanilli) and music became more dance and R&B orientated. Debbie Gibson fared a little better than Tiffany but not by much, She couldn’t figure out how to re invent herself either.
I’m surprised no one mentioned Thompson Twins. Huge in the early 80s. Sang with Madonna at Live Aid in 1985. Then lost a member, became a duo and had their last hit in 1988.
Cyndi Lauper is another interesting one. Her and Madonna came out at the same time and everyone said Cyndi would be the superstar and Madonna would be the one hit wonder. Well as we all know that didn’t happen. Cyndi had a good run 1983-1989 she had two number ones I believe but by the end of the decade her luck was over. Another victim of image burnout.
|
|
|
Post by slf on Jan 15, 2019 18:38:28 GMT -5
Yeah, I think people were more homophobic than they cared to admit. Obviously things were much different in the 80s than, some people were much less tolerant then. There were many reasons for CC’s decline, Boy George’s drug use being the obvious one but it was also because I think people were just over them. By 1986 they were over, although they had a Top Ten hit with “Move Away”. Someone already mentioned Tiffany and Debbie Gibson, although Tiffany’s career was short even by pop music standards. By 18 she was a has been, her 1990 album “New Inside” flopping badly. She’ll always be known for her remake of “I Think We’re Alone Now”. It certainly didn’t help that she sued her mother in 1988. I think that turned a lot of people off. That and by the time she released her third album people were over the bubblegum teen artists of the late 80s (with the exception of New Kids On The Block and at least for awhile, for better or worst, mostly worst Milli Vanilli) and music became more dance and R&B orientated. Debbie Gibson fared a little better than Tiffany but not by much, She couldn’t figure out how to re invent herself either. I’m surprised no one mentioned Thompson Twins. Huge in the early 80s. Sang with Madonna at Live Aid in 1985. Then lost a member, became a duo and had their last hit in 1988. Cyndi Lauper is another interesting one. Her and Madonna came out at the same time and everyone said Cyndi would be the superstar and Madonna would be the one hit wonder. Well as we all know that didn’t happen. Cyndi had a good run 1983-1989 she had two number ones I believe but by the end of the decade her luck was over. Another victim of image burnout. Regarding Cyndi Lauper, she has made a comeback on TV in recent years as a spokesperson for that prescription skin medicine.
|
|