Songs that (IMHO) deserved to be bigger hits

[Caseyfan4everRyanfanNever]

I WISH WE COULD GO BACK TO THE OLD LAYOUT!!!

In any case, "Start the Car" was heard on CT40 in 1992---maybe also on AT40(which was using the Top 40 Radio Monitor at the time)

[lasvegaskid]

You're A Part Of Me, Cotton/Carnes #36 1978

[lasvegaskid]

T-R-O-U-B-L-E #35, 1975

[OldSchoolAT40Fan]

My contributions:

"Invisible Hands" by Kim Carnes (#40 in 1983, should have at least made the top 30)
"Another Part of Me" by Michael Jackson (#11 in 1988, should have at least peaked at #9)
"Rock of Ages" by Def Leppard (1983; I think it may have made the top 20, but definitely peaked as low as #21 or #22 - definitely wouldn't be as big as "Pour Some Sugar On Me" and "Love Bites" for sure)
"Never Say Goodbye" by Bon Jovi (1987; peaked at #22 on R&R, I think, but should have at least made it to AT40 even if it just peaked at #40)
"Point of No Return" by Nu Shooz (#28 in 1986, I think; should have at least peaked at #20)
"Black Sweat" by Prince (a rare Prince song from 2006 I enjoy, I heard it was his highest-debuting song on the Hot 100, but I don't think it made it to Ryan's AT40)

[mct1]

Oct 10, 2013 6:13:07 GMT -5 OldSchoolAT40Fan said:

"Never Say Goodbye" by Bon Jovi (1987; peaked at #22 on R&R, I think, but should have at least made it to AT40 even if it just peaked at #40)

This one didn't chart on the Billboard Hot 100 because it wasn't commercially released as a single in the U.S. It did hit #28 on Billboard's Airplay chart (one of the first non-singles to appear on that chart; strange as it seems today, when this chart was first launched, songs that weren't commercially released as singles were ineligible). For some reason, after the first three singles from Slippery When Wet had all hit the Top 10, no further singles were released. I've heard rumors that "Never Say Goodbye" was slated to be the fourth single at one point but its release was cancelled. I guess that in the absence of an official fourth single, radio gave it some airplay anyway. With full promotion as a single, I think this would have gone Top 20 easily, maybe even Top 10.

[OldSchoolAT40Fan]

Another good one to add to my list:

"A Good Heart" by Feargal Sharkey, from early 1986. I read someone post that it got heavy airplay in Canada and was top 5 in that country. It only peaked in the Top 70 on Billboard, it should have at least made it to the top 40.

I also think "Paranomia" by Art of Noise from the fall of 1986 should have been a bigger hit, given Max Headroom's popularity being at its peak when that song charted in the fall of 1986, but abruptly started to decline as we entered 1987. "Paranomia" should have been at least a top 20 record, in my opinion.

Regarding "Never Say Goodbye"...

Oct 10, 2013 8:12:15 GMT -5 mct1 said:

This one didn't chart on the Billboard Hot 100 because it wasn't commercially released as a single in the U.S. It did hit #28 on Billboard's Airplay chart (one of the first non-singles to appear on that chart; strange as it seems today, when this chart was first launched, songs that weren't commercially released as singles were ineligible). For some reason, after the first three singles from Slippery When Wet had all hit the Top 10, no further singles were released. I've heard rumors that "Never Say Goodbye" was slated to be the fourth single at one point but its release was cancelled. I guess that in the absence of an official fourth single, radio gave it some airplay anyway. With full promotion as a single, I think this would have gone Top 20 easily, maybe even Top 10.

It's surprising that the band's follow-up album, New Jersey, generated five singles, all making the top ten, yet Slippery When Wet - their signature album - only generated three, though they intended on releasing four, but backed out. There must have been something going on behind closed doors that prevented "Never Say Goodbye" from being released as a commercial single in the U.S.

[yankee44]

"A Good Heart" by Feargal Sharkey, from early 1986. I read someone post that it got heavy airplay in Canada and was top 5 in that country. It only peaked in the Top 70 on Billboard, it should have at least made it to the top 40.



I remember it being played constantly on CHUM FM in Toronto, especially on its top 12 at 12.

[yankee44]

I just thought of one and had to check out its chart position.  I always like "Live is Life" by Opus.  It was #1, here in Canada, as well as some other countries but only peaked at #32 on Billboard Hot 100

[woolebull]

Oct 10, 2013 18:06:21 GMT -5 yankee44 said:

I just thought of one and had to check out its chart position.  I always like "Live is Life" by Opus.  It was #1, here in Canada, as well as some other countries but only peaked at #32 on Billboard Hot 100

I'm with you on this one. I thought that is was a much bigger hit than it was. It wasn't until years later that I realized how poorly it did on the Hot 100.

[lasvegaskid]

Invisible Hands, Kim Carnes #40 (1983)
Saved My Soul, Burton Cummings, #37 (1981)
Downtown Life, H&O, #31 (1988)

[lasvegaskid]

Staying With It, Firefall #37, 1981

[saltrek]

Well, Alan Hunter, on the other hand thought it charted too high!! (or at least he thought "Fireball" charted too high)

[alann]

Oct 10, 2013 8:27:07 GMT -5 OldSchoolAT40Fan said:

Another good one to add to my list:

"A Good Heart" by Feargal Sharkey, from early 1986. I read someone post that it got heavy airplay in Canada and was top 5 in that country. It only peaked in the Top 70 on Billboard, it should have at least made it to the top 40.

It had hit #1 in the UK in 1985...strange it only hit #70 in the US

[lasvegaskid]

Everything by Addrisi Brothers but especially I Can Feel You..#110.

[lasvegaskid]

Toto: Stranger In Town #30 (1984)