You’ve got learn all concerning the 500 finest pop songs that reached Billboard’s flagship songs chart — now take a look at the 100 finest that by no means received there.
Bob Marley, Lorde, Stevie Marvel, Robyn, David Bowie and Garth Brooks
Pete Nonetheless/Redferns; Jon Kopaloff/FilmMagic; Bettmann/Getty Photographs; Kevin Winter/Getty Photographs; Larry Hulst/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Photographs; Beth Gwinn/Getty Photographs
Final week at Billboard, we spent three days counting down the five hundred finest pop songs to ever hit the Billboard Scorching 100, in honor of the chart’s sixty fifth anniversary. And actually, that’s simply the tip of the iceberg: With properly over 30,000 songs reaching the Scorching 100 throughout its six and a half many years of existence, we might have simply gone one other 500 deep — perhaps even 5,000 deep — and nonetheless stored arising with extra beloved pop classics. That’s simply how wealthy pop historical past since 1958 has been, and the way totally the Scorching 100 has tracked its finest and brightest songs over that timespan.
However what concerning the pop songs that by no means made the Scorching 100? As complete because the Scorching 100 has been — and as totally as our charts division has continued tinkering with its formulation to maintain it up to date through the years, via numerous evolutions in expertise and consumption — inevitably, some nice pop songs find yourself lacking its rankings altogether. That’s what we’re cataloguing right here: our employees picks for the 100 finest songs to by no means chart on the Scorching 100, all of which have been launched through the 65-year (and counting) lifespan of the itemizing.
Why did they miss? Nicely, we’ll get into the precise causes for every entry beneath. However usually, a few of them have been too forward of their time. A few of them have been somewhat too late. A few of them made their impression slightly below the floor of the mainstream. A few of them wouldn’t make their greatest impression till many years after their launch. A few of them have been just a bit too difficult — or somewhat too bawdy — for a real pop embrace. A few of them simply weren’t what prime 40 audiences wished to listen to at the moment (or no less than, not what prime 40 programmers thought they wished to listen to). And a few of them have been merely by no means launched as singles, regardless of being better-known right this moment than plenty of songs by these artists that have been. (For the file: As a result of we did rely the large ’90s radio airplay hits that missed the Scorching 100 attributable to chart guidelines of the time on our 500 Finest Pop Songs checklist, we didn’t rely them for our checklist right here.)
Nonetheless, regardless that none of them go away a Scorching 100 legacy just like the songs on our prime 500 checklist from final week, they’re all price holding firm with these chart-enshrined pop classics. Right here our 100 pop favorites from that group — the Lengthy-Simmering 100, if you’ll — and remember to take a look at the remainder of final week’s all-time pop music content material right here.
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Kylie Minogue, “Padam Padam” (2023)
Picture Credit score: Edward Cooke Why It’s Nice: A sly, slow-burning slice of dance-pop seduction, “Padam Padam” discovered Aussie legend Kylie Minogue delivering an onomatopoeic refrain that turned TikTok shorthand for rattling close to something (type of like a Zoomer model of “yadda yadda yadda”) in the summertime of 2023.
Why It By no means Hit the Scorching 100: Whereas TikTok definitely could make hits, streams on the platform don’t issue into Scorching 100 rankings – so regardless that “Padam Padam” was the inescapable meme when it got here to LGBTQ social media in 2023, it didn’t translate in high-enough quantity on DSPs for it to make the tally.
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The Who, “The Youngsters Are Alright” (1966)
Why It’s Nice: The Who’s oft-referenced mod anthem was additionally an early textbook for later power-pop purveyors — although few of them would’ve began a music with a lyric about trusting their girlfriend to bop with their male mates.
Why It By no means Hit the Scorching 100: Some British bands invaded U.S. shores slower than others, and The Who didn’t actually change into Scorching 100 fixtures till their Pleased Jack and The Who Promote Out albums in 1967.
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Martina McBride, “Independence Day” (1993)
Why It’s Nice: Few ’90s nation singles have endured in addition to Martina McBride’s rousing revenge story music, about her mom’s declaration of independence from an abusive relationship.
Why It By no means Hit the Scorching 100: Prepare for a recurring theme on this checklist: Nation songs crossing over to the Scorching 100 within the mid-’90s was a relative rarity, with often only a handful of songs a yr making the soar.
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Frankie Knuckles, “The Whistle Track” (1991)
Why It’s Nice: The aptly named instrumental is certainly constructed round maybe probably the most inefctious whistle hook you’ve ever heard, an plain pop second for the Chicago home legend.
Why It By no means Hit the Scorching 100: Whereas “The Whistle Track” topped Billboard‘s Dance/Membership Play chart, prime 40 radio wasn’t actually checking for instrumentals within the early ’90s, regardless of how catchy.
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Miquel Brown, “So Many Males – So Little Time” (1983)
Why It’s Nice: A post-disco hi-NRG basic, singer/actress Miquel Brown’s delightfully cheeky “So Many Males, So Little Time” stays an everlasting membership (or no less than retro membership evening) staple.
Why It By no means Hit the Scorching 100: Other than getting caught between dance eras in pop music, the campy voraciousness of “So Many Males” may’ve proved somewhat an excessive amount of for prime 40 programmers of the time; even “It’s Raining Males” solely made it to No. 46 on the Scorching 100.
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Eminem feat. Nate Dogg, “Until I Collapse” (2002)
Why It’s Nice: For some other artist, “Until I Collapse” could be a career-defining pump-up anthem; for Eminem it’s a strong-enough No. 2 to nonetheless have over a billion performs on Spotify.
Why It By no means Hit the Scorching 100: “Collapse” was not one of many 4 singles launched off The Eminem Present within the U.S., constructing its recognition over 20 years of business, trailer and jock-jam utilization.
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Taana Gardner, “Heartbeat” (1981)
Why It’s Nice: The uncommon ’80s floor-filler with actual blood pumping via its veins — to not point out a hypnotic sufficient bassline to get sampled for many years to return, together with on Ini Kamoze’s Scorching 100-topping “Right here Comes the Hotstepper.”
Why It By no means Hit the Scorching 100: As gradual and regular as “Heartbeat” is, it by no means had a lot of an opportunity on early-’80s pop radio — notably with even the only edit operating over 5 minutes.
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Squeeze, “Black Espresso in Mattress” (1982)
Why It’s Nice: The brand new wave-era, blue-eyed soul single was filled with sufficient hooks and lyrical element to change into a vital favourite, and was accompanied by an arresting sufficient video to additionally change into an early MTV staple.
Why It By no means Hit the Scorching 100: Squeeze’s refined, witty and sometimes extraordinarily British model of pop-rock struggled on the Scorching 100 — even “Tempted,” a music everybody no less than is aware of the refrain to, solely hit No. 49 — and at a stunning six minutes in full, “Black Espresso” was by no means prone to be a serious breakthrough there.
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Bonnie Raitt, “Factor Known as Love” (1989)
Why It’s Nice: One of many signature singles from Bonnie Raitt’s Nick of Time, “Factor Known as Love” confirmed all of the tenderness and swagger that might mix to make the veteran singer-guitarist an unlikely ’90s pop star.
Why It By no means Hit the Scorching 100: Whereas it helped Raitt make mainstream inroads — notably on VH1, with its Dennis Quaid-co-starring video — “Factor” was nonetheless early in her comeback, and maybe somewhat too rootsy to make main impression within the yr of Paula Abdul and the Positive Younger Cannibals.
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George Thorogood and the Destroyers, “Unhealthy to the Bone” (1982)
Why It’s Nice: The riff that launched a thousand beer commercials, and the growling, cocky-as-hell vocal that made a white blues rocker an unbelievable star of the synth-pop period.
Why It By no means Hit the Scorching 100: Although large on MTV, “Unhealthy to the Bone” was perhaps somewhat too b-b-b-b-bad for a prime 40 period that already had its palms full attempting to determine what to do with all these makeup-wearing Brits instantly crashing U.S. shores.
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The Judds, “Mama He is Loopy” (1984)
Picture Credit score: Ebet Roberts/Getty Photographs Why It’s Nice: An all-time mother-daughter music from a duo that might know, with a chorus as completely candy and punny as the most effective nation ballads at all times are: “Mama he’s loopy/ Loopy over me.”
Why It By no means Hit the Scorching 100: The mid-’80s pop world was not a lot kinder to nation than the mid-’90s, particularly in case your identify was neither Kenny nor Dolly.
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Randy Newman, “I Love L.A.” (1983)
Why It’s Nice: The proper bumper music for nationally televised Lakers video games, “I Love L.A.” has lengthy been a West Coast basic, notably for audiences unfamiliar sufficient with Randy Newman’s earlier work to completely miss the music’s sardonic undercurrent.
Why It By no means Hit the Scorching 100: Although the “We find it irresistible!” shout-along half is all most individuals keep in mind from it, “I Love L.A.” is definitely a really knotty pop music — altering kinds, tempos and melodies a number of instances — making it a reasonably powerful promote on radio.
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Debbie Deb, “Once I Hear Music” (1984)
Why It’s Nice: An early freestyle standard-setter about dancing, partying and scoping out guys, “Once I Hear Music” (together with its follow-up, “Lookout Weekend”) ensures that Debbie Deb will without end be one of many queens of Friday evening in New York Metropolis.
Why It By no means Hit the Scorching 100: Although “Once I Hear Music” has an important refrain, it exhibits up kinda sporadically, with lengthy instrumental breaks in between — extra geared for sliding out and in of DJ units than in between Lionel Richie and Wham! on prime 40 playlists.
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Andy Williams, “Moon River” (1962)
Why It’s Nice: The Henry Mancini/Johnny Mercer ballad is among the best movie songs of all time (the AFI ranked it No. 4 on their 100 Years…100 Songs checklist in 2004), and Andy Williams sang the definitive model — velvety, however dynamic.
Why It By no means Hit the Scorching 100: In his autobiography, Williams stated his former label, Cadence Data, had discouraged him from recording the music in 1961 on the grounds that younger listeners wouldn’t perceive the road “my huckleberry buddy”; as an alternative, Mancini and R&B singer Jerry Butler had main hits with the music. Moon River & Different Nice Film Themes, launched the subsequent yr on Columbia, got here with none accompanying singles, which compelled followers to purchase the album — an efficient technique, because the album remained on the Billboard 200 for greater than three years.
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Luther Vandross, “A Home Is Not a Dwelling” (1981)
Why It’s Nice: Luther Vandross delivered one of many all-time nice Bacharach/David renderings together with his signature efficiency of this ballad, with an association and supply that retains scaling new heights and plumbing new depths all through its seven minutes.
Why It By no means Hit the Scorching 100: Seemingly attributable to that seven-minute runtime, Vandross’ “Home” was not a single — although it will discover its method to chart success 20 years later by way of a Kanye West flip on Twista’s Scorching 100-topping “Gradual Jamz.”
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Ice Spice, “Munch (Feelin’ U)” (2022)
Why It’s Nice: A sub-two minute drill anthem that went viral partly for coining new slang (fellas — you do not need to be categorised as a munch), however actually, “Munch (Feelin’ U)” launched Ice Spice’s tossed-off charisma and producer RIOTUSA’s plain bounce.
Why It By no means Hit the Scorching 100: Earlier than “Munch” might actually cross over, Ice Spice had already moved on to an excellent larger solo breakthrough hit (“In Ha Temper”) earlier than totally exploding with prime 10 collaborations like “Boy’s a Liar Pt. 2,” “Princess Diana” and “Barbie World.”
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Whodini, “Freaks Come Out at Evening” (1984)
Why It’s Nice: Whodini’s best-remembered hit was probably the most party-starting music about nocturnal skirt-chasing that would’ve additionally soundtracked one of many Nightmare on Elm Avenue motion pictures.
Why It By no means Hit the Scorching 100: Possibly somewhat too darkish in its funk for the 1984 mainstream — and apart from, even Run-D.M.C. weren’t crossing over from rap to pop till ’86.
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Womack & Womack, “Teardrops” (1988)
Why It’s Nice: Few late-’80s hits have been as relentless of their barrage of hooks as “Teardrops,” one of many authentic crying-on-the-dancefloor classics.
Why It By no means Hit the Scorching 100: “Teardrops” was an unlimited pop smash abroad, however in America, however the upbeat R&B swing of it — virtually like an ’80s model of northern soul — didn’t fairly translate.
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The Rolling Stones, “Below My Thumb” (1966)
Why It’s Nice: It’s The Rolling Stones at their peak – snarling, sassy and attractive.
Why It By no means Hit the Scorching 100: Although it has recurrently appeared on Stones best-of compilations since, “Thumb” wasn’t launched as a single from the band’s 1966 album, Aftermath — whose singles have been “Paint It Black” and (on the U.Ok. version) “Mom’s Little Helper.” Releasing two singles from an album was concerning the norm again then; seven months after Aftermath was launched, the band was onto its subsequent album, Between the Buttons.
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Self-importance 6, “Nasty Woman” (1982)
Why It’s Nice: A slinky synth-funk groove and playfully provocative lyrics, the type that Prince and his protégés have been recurrently turning into the most effective occasion of the early ’80s.
Why It By no means Hit the Scorching 100: Although it was a chart-topper on Billboard‘s Dance/Membership Songs — till the Purple One’s personal “1999” gave it the boot — “Nasty Woman” may’ve been just a bit too nasty for pop radio on the time, which Prince himself didn’t even change into a fixture on till 1983.
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Huge Assault, “Unfinished Sympathy”
Picture Credit score: Mick Hutson/Redferns Why It’s Nice: Few floor-filling hits of the ’90s have both the emotional heft or symphonic sweep of “Unfinished Sympathy,” bringing you concurrently as excessive and low as any single of the period.
Why It By no means Hit the Scorching 100: It was a No. 13 hit within the U.Ok., Huge Assault’s house nation, however over right here we have been extra invested within the less-weighty dancefloor rushes of Black Field and C&C Music Manufacturing unit.
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Clarence Carter, “Strokin'” (1986)
Why It’s Nice: The late-career success for ’60s and ’70s soul hitmaker Clarence Carter turned a word-of-mouth crowd-pleaser for its gleefully sex-positive message and singalong lyrics — some as absurd and easy as “Clarence Carter, Clarence Carter, ooh s–t, Clarence Carter.”
Why It By no means Hit the Scorching 100: Pop songs this filthy hardly ever do, particularly from a former hitmaker whose final Scorching 100 hit was over a decade within the rearview.
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Change, “The Glow of Love” (1980)
Why It’s Nice: The title observe to Change’s debut album is a completely incandescent dance-pop gem, not solely offering the spine for Janet Jackson’s Scorching 100-topping “All for You” 20 years later, however introducing a younger lead vocalist named Luther Vandross to the world.
Why It By no means Hit the Scorching 100: “The Glow of Love” was the third single pulled from its mum or dad album — lead single “A Lover’s Vacation” reached No. 40 — and with disco fading in business prominence by late 1980, it would’ve been too late to make a pop impression.
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Weezer, “Island within the Solar” (2001)
Why It’s Nice: Chilled out, sunny but vaguely unhappy, the Ric Ocasek-produced, Rivers Cuomo-penned slice of SoCal surf-pop bobs alongside like an ideal wave, buoyed by the band’s harmonized “hip, hip” chorus.
Why It By no means Hit the Scorching 100: Appreciated extra after-the-fact than in its time as an exemplar of Cuomo’s pop songwriting (and licensed like loopy through the years), “Island” was a bit sleepy for turn-of-the-century pop radio.
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Koffee, “Toast” (2019)
Why It’s Nice: Within the 2010s, reggae and dancehall’s presence within the U.S. mainstream tended to prioritze saccharine watered-down recreations of the model underneath names like “tropical pop” or “airport reggae,” as per Rihanna. After which there was “Toast,” a bouncy, celebratory ode to life’s best blessings that up to date the hallmarks of dancehall music for a brand new era.
Why It By no means Hit the Scorching 100: In 2019, rap was king. With an uncompromising sound and a scarcity of crossover remixes to help its entry into U.S. musical panorama, “Toast” as an alternative discovered a house amongst Stateside dancehall devotees, finally securing a historic finest reggae album Grammy win for its mum or dad EP, Rapture.
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Tears for Fears, “Mad World” (1983)
Why It’s Nice: The definitive showcase for vocalist Curt Smith’s haunting tenor epitomizes the band’s means to pair profound, deeply emotional reflections (on this case, a younger man’s mix of melancholy and bemused curiosity observing human existence) with sticky melodies and synth beats (see: co-frontman Roland Orzabal having a one-man dance occasion within the background of the music video).
Why It By no means Hit the Scorching 100: The third single from the band’s 1983 debut The Hurting was a giant hit within the U.Ok. (reaching No. 3), nevertheless it took a bit longer for the U.S. to catch on — “Shout,” launched a couple of yr later, turned out to be the band’s worldwide breakthrough.
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Geto Boys, “Rattling It Feels Good to Be a Gangsta” (1992)
Why It’s Nice: Few gangsta rap songs have ever been so serene because the Geto Boys’ ode to dwelling the lifetime of a G — which even consists of famed Rap-a-Lot Data impresario J. Prince rapping its hilarious climactic verse as President of the US.
Why It By no means Hit the Scorching 100: Although one of many group’s best-remembered songs right this moment, “Rattling” was not more than a promotional single from the group’s Uncut Dope hits compilation upon its 1992 launch — solely incomes a a lot wider profile with its use within the 1999 Mike Decide comedy Workplace Area.
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Robbie Williams, “Rock DJ” (2000)
Why It’s Nice: With a disco-indebted manufacturing sampling Barry White and cheeky lyrics borrowing bars from Slick Rick and A Tribe Known as Quest, this occasion of a music was simply as enjoyable as Robbie Williams’ public persona, permitting the British pop famous person to go away his earnest ballads behind and hit the dance flooring.
Why It By no means Hit the Scorching 100: American audiences will keep in mind this music from its audacious music video, which options Williams attempting to get a stunning DJ to note him by stripping all the way down to nothing, then tearing off his pores and skin and blood-soaked muscle groups to get her consideration as an alternative– however MTV airplay doesn’t rely towards the Scorching 100 and this was pre-YouTube, so whereas it was No. 1 in his native U.Ok., it needed to accept a No. 24 peak on Dance Golf equipment Songs right here.
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Carole King, “The place You Lead” (1971)
Why It’s Nice: One among two Tapestry classics about providing unconditional help to a cherished one “The place You Lead” turned each a 1971 prime 40 hit for Barbra Streisand and the enduring theme to ’00s WB mother-daughter dramedy Gilmore Ladies.
Why It By no means Hit the Scorching 100: Tapestry merely had too many bangers for all of them to be launched as singles, and it’s near-impossible to argue with people who have been (“It’s Too Late,” “I Really feel the Earth Transfer,” “So Far Away”).
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The Isley Brothers, “Between the Sheets” (1983)
Why It’s Nice: If Smokey Robinson didn’t already give them a reputation for the “Quiet Storm” radio format, “Between the Sheets” in all probability would’ve labored simply as properly — with an R&B gradual jam much more sublimely squalling, and simply as enduring.
Why It By no means Hit the Scorching 100: It didn’t miss by a lot, however the Isleys have been simply relegated to the R&B charts for a lot of the ’80s, because the soul that crossed over within the ’80s was often both peppier or extra sentimental than the Isleys’ baby-making music.
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Bruce Springsteen, “Pink Cadillac” (1984)
Picture Credit score: Aaron Rapoport/Corbis/Getty Photographs Why It’s Nice: One of many funniest and most rocking songs of The Boss’ Born in the united statesA. period, “Pink Cadillac” was like Springsteen’s tackle Bob Dylan’s “Leopard-Pores and skin Pillbox Hat,” with extra hooks and hip-swiveling.
Why It By no means Hit the Scorching 100: Although it turned a fan and in the end a radio favourite, “Pink Cadillac” was solely ever launched as a B-side to Bruce’s pop smash “Dancing within the Darkish” — no less than till Natalie Cole took it to the highest 5 in 1988.
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Sade, “Dangle on to Your Love” (1984)
Why It’s Nice: Although nearly all of Sade’s most celebrated songs have been gradual and low, “Dangle on to Your Love” proved the band might crank it into second gear, with simply as transfixing outcomes.
Why It By no means Hit the Scorching 100: May’ve been an excessive amount of of a switch-up from the loungier joys of prime 10 hit “Clean Operator” to impression the identical means.
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Jamiroquai, “Digital Madness” (1996)
Why It’s Nice: An infectiously groovy little bit of future-fearing Stevie Marvel pastiche from a British funk band — with one of many all-time nice music movies, that includes singer Jay Kay getting down together with his dangerous self on a magically-moving dancefloor whereas carrying a considerably ridiculous, now-iconic furry hat.
Why It By no means Hit the Scorching 100: The visible was a video of the year-winner on the VMAs, and the music took house the Grammy for finest pop vocal efficiency by a duo or group, however U.S. radio classifications didn’t simply accommodate a jazz-funk single in 1996 — sending it to middling efficiency on the Various Airplay, Dance Membership Songs, Grownup Modern and Mainstream High 40 charts solely.
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Public Enemy, “911 Is a Joke” (1990)
Why It’s Nice: “911 Is a Joke” was one in every of Public Enemy’s most pointed assaults on America’s institutional failures — and with regular hypeman Flava Flav taking the lead, it was additionally one in every of its funniest and catchiest.
Why It By no means Hit the Scorching 100: Topical rap had by no means had but to seek out a lot success crossing over within the early ’90s, and Public Enemy wouldn’t even attain the Scorching 100 till “Can’t Truss It” from the group’s fourth album, Apocalypse 91… The Enemy Strikes Black
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The Postal Service, “Such Nice Heights” (2003)
Why It’s Nice: The early-’00s love music proved that an indie rocker and an digital producer might discover hovering center floor in distant laptop computer pop.
Why It By no means Hit the Scorching 100: It took years of gradual word-of-mouth for “Such Nice Heights” to in the end attain a whole era prefer it did, and by no means fairly broke via to the mainstream throughout that point.
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Grace Jones, “Pull As much as the Bumper” (1981)
Why It’s Nice: Grace Jones’ shimmering and extremely euphemistic post-disco clarion name made for arguably her most irresistible pop single.
Why It By no means Hit the Scorching 100: As iconic as she is, Jones’ Scorching 100 historical past will not be intensive — her look on Beyoncé’s “Transfer” final yr received her highest placement on the chart to this point, nonetheless solely at No. 55 — and “Pull As much as the Bumper,” like lots of her signature singles, was largely held to cult basic standing.
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Justice, “D.A.N.C.E.” (2007)
Why It’s Nice: Generally, it’s so simple as a dance-pop music titled “D.A.N.C.E.” by which giddy youngsters shout the chorus, “Do the dance!” — that was the recipe for French digital duo Justice to attain a worldwide breakthrough, which included an unlikely VMA nod for Video of the Yr.
Why It By no means Hit the Scorching 100: The nu-disco observe featured Michael Jackson lyrics, a Britney Spears interpolation and vocals from the Basis for Younger Musicians choir, all of which made it too offbeat for radio at the same time as “D.A.N.C.E.” hit the golf equipment and critics’ lists.
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Rod Stewart, “Each Image Tells a Story” (1971)
Why It’s Nice: Even and not using a correct refrain, “Each Image Tells a Story” builds electrical pop-rock momentum all through its six-minute runtime, greater than incomes its title-repeating climax.
Why It By no means Hit the Scorching 100: Regardless of being the opener and title observe to his hottest album — and now a staple on basic rock radio — “Image” was by no means launched as an official single on this nation.
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Duran Duran, “Ladies on Movie” (1981)
Why It’s Nice: With a brittle, spiky guitar riff and playful vocal efficiency from Simon Le Bon (take a look at the way in which he launches the “taking pictures staaaaaaar” lyric into orbit), “Ladies on Movie” is a stone-cold new wave basic that was overshadowed by an specific music video boasting all the pieces from ice cubes on girls’s nipples to mudwrestling fashions.
Why It By no means Hit the Scorching 100: An edited model of the video performed closely on early MTV — two years after the only dropped. By that time, the heartthrobs had moved on from the self-titled mum or dad album and have been selling singles from smash follow-up Rio. (It did nab them one of many first Grammys for finest music movie, although.)
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Coldplay, “The Scientist” (2002)
Why It’s Nice: A reasonably customary piano ballad turns genuinely transferring because of the melancholy in Chris Martin’s falsetto, as he tries to sq. scientific information together with his personal feelings; finally, he runs out of room to hypothesize, and lets out an “ooo-OOOOH!” that has stuffed many a stadium.
Why It By no means Hit the Scorching 100: Coldplay weren’t but dependable pop hitmakers on the time “The Scientist” arrived on 2002 sophomore LP A Rush of Blood to the Head, however that album’s “Clocks” turned the band’s business breakthrough, and subsequent releases scored a number of Scorching 100 hits.
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Search engine marketing Taiji and Boys, “I Know” (1992)
Picture Credit score: JTBC PLUS/ImaZinS Editorial Why It’s Nice: With strobelit synths, craving vocals and a slamming beat, the genre-splicing barnstormer made stars out of Search engine marketing Taiji and Boys, and kicked off a brand new period in Korean pop historical past.
Why It By no means Hit the Scorching 100: Although its significance is globally acknowledged right this moment, “I Know” had sadly little probability of impacting the U.S. mainstream in 1992 — Ok-pop wouldn’t formally breach the Scorching 100 for one more 17 years.
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The 1975, “Someone Else” (2016)
Why It’s Nice: The 1975’s most-streamed music can be perhaps their most common, a easy and devastating post-breakup music with a five-star refrain about being OK with a relationship ending however not but with being moved on from.
Why It By no means Hit the Scorching 100: Regardless of their recognition (and occasional infamy), The 1975 have by no means had a ton of “hits” within the typical sense, and the slow-burning “Someone Else” was at all times unlikely to be an exception there.
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Daft Punk, “Digital Love” (2001)
Why It’s Nice: True to its title, “Digital Love” is a candy romantic fantasy sung by an obvious robotic over a George Duke pattern and Supertramp keys — with the cybervocals one way or the other simply making the entire thing extra irrepressibly human.
Why It By no means Hit the Scorching 100: Although Daft Punk’s Discovery highlights have change into such part of popular culture that the album appears like a best hits compilation now, it was sufficiently forward of its time that only one music from it charted: the unassailable “One Extra Time,” and even that one solely hit No. 61.
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Blondie, “Hanging on the Phone” (1978)
Why It’s Nice: Blondie’s cowl of cult power-pop band The Nerves kicked off their basic Parallel Traces with an unstoppable blast of recent wave lust and longing.
Why It By no means Hit the Scorching 100: Pop radio was extra into the disco aspect of Blondie’s most-beloved album, as “Coronary heart of Glass” was the only that topped the Scorching 100 and took the CBGBs denizens above floor for good.
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Future, “March Insanity” (2015)
Why It’s Nice: Arriving in the midst of a legendary mixtape run that devoured 2015, “March Insanity” was the crown jewel of what was arguably Future’s most prolific period: a chugging ode to quick vehicles, medicine, and diamonds balanced allusions to civil rights struggles over a pristine Tarentino-helmed beat.
Why It By no means Hit the Scorching 100: Regardless of its mum or dad mixtape 56 Nights arriving through the music’s title month, “March Insanity” didn’t see official business launch till August 2015, which stunted its chart potential.
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Grandmaster Flash & Melle Mel, “White Traces (Do not Do It)” (1983)
Why It’s Nice: Borrowing a rubbery funk bassline from post-punk groovers Liquid Liquid, “White Traces” turned an anti-drug PSA into one of the vital club-killing rap singles of the mid-’80s.
Why It By no means Hit the Scorching 100: Rap songs, anti-drug songs and songs interpolating New York no wave alums: three kinds of songs not terribly prone to have a serious chart impression in 1983.
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Selena, “Como La Flor” (1992)
Why It’s Nice: With its infectious midtempo shuffle and the irresistible vocals of Selena Quintanilla, the pop-cumbia breakout hit “Como La Flor” confirmed {that a} main star had arrived in ’90s Tejano music.
Why It By no means Hit the Scorching 100: Selena would finally cross over to the Scorching 100, however she’d have to begin singing (largely) in English to take action; the Spanish-language “Como La Flor” had little probability again in ’92.
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Frank Sinatra, “Fly Me to the Moon” (1964)
Why It’s Nice: One of many best singers of all time, accompanied by Depend Basie and his Orchestra, singing a music worthy of his skills — with an association by a 31-year-old up-and-comer named Quincy Jones. What’s to not like?
Why It By no means Hit the Scorching 100: “Fly Me to the Moon” was the important thing music from It May as Nicely Be Swing (see what they did there?), nevertheless it wasn’t launched as a single, as again within the day, artists usually stored their singles and albums completely separate.
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Beyoncé, “Finish of Time” (2011)
Why It’s Nice: The livewire 4 single mashes about 18 various kinds of international occasion music into one inscrutable dance-pop banger that actually solely Beyoncé might keep in full management over.
Why It By no means Hit the Scorching 100: Regardless of being deemed important sufficient for Bey’s first Tremendous Bowl halftime efficiency, “Finish of Time” got here somewhat too late as a single within the 4 promo cycle, and was solely formally launched abroad.
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Violent Femmes, “Blister within the Solar” (1983)
Why It’s Nice: The strummed acoustic guitar line intro alternating with snares beg for a sing-and-clap-along, as do Gordon Gano’s quivering verses and full-throated punk snarl on the “Let me go ooooon!“s of the refrain; no shock that it’s each an alt-rock basic and a karaoke favourite.
Why It By no means Hit the Scorching 100: The Femmes weren’t fairly prepared for primetime (“Blister” is on their debut album, recorded when Gano was nonetheless in highschool) and neither was their label: although it’d finally be acquired by Warner, then-indie Slash Data on the time specialised in native punk acts, and the album itself simply barely eked its means onto the Billboard 200.
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A Tribe Known as Quest, “Can I Kick It?” (1990)
Picture Credit score: Al Pereira/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Photographs Why It’s Nice: The Lou Reed-sampling single helped set up the playful, ingenious model of one of many best rap teams of the ’90s — and likewise gave the style one in every of its all-time call-and-response hooks.
Why It By no means Hit the Scorching 100: In comparison with plenty of Golden Age hip-hop, “Can I Kick It?” was hooky as hell — however not a lot in comparison with MC Hammer and Vanilla Ice, the 2 crossover rappers ruling the roost in late 1990.
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Al Inexperienced, “Love and Happiness” (1973)
Why It’s Nice: “Love and Happiness” is as soulful because it comes, the legendary Al Inexperienced caressed by heat horns and organs as he seemingly free-associates concerning the energy of affection over a affected person groove.
Why It By no means Hit the Scorching 100: Inexperienced’s I’m Nonetheless in Love With You album generated three singles within the U.S., however “Love and Happiness” wasn’t one in every of them — it was solely launched abroad, although it nonetheless ended up attracting airplay (and dozens of covers) over right here.
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Kate Bush, “Wuthering Heights” (1978)
Why It’s Nice: Twinkling piano and a shimmering celeste create a heat mattress for Kate Bush – in a crystal-clear voice that’s childlike however hardly harmless — to experience Emily Bronte’s story of an unrequired love that reaches out from past the grave. A haunting story of obsession that’s straightforward to get infatuated with.
Why It By no means Hit the Scorching 100: Regardless of being a U.Ok. No. 1 and smash round Europe, “Wuthering Heights” solely impacted the Effervescent Below chart within the U.S — not stunning, actually, when you think about the artwork rock auteur’s practically non-existent business prospects on American soil till a sure Stranger Issues synch.
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N.W.A, “Specific Your self” (1988)
Why It’s Nice: N.W.A’s most joyous single — not precisely amongst stiff competitors — expressed the group’s pro-wordplay, anti-drug (??) stance with dextrous bars and a completely unstoppable Charles Wright & The Watts 103rd Avenue Rhythm Band pattern.
Why It By no means Hit the Scorching 100: Even at its most crossover-friendly, N.W.A’s reality-kicking was nonetheless in all probability somewhat too uncooked for the American mainstream of the late ’80s.
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Paul Simon, “Diamonds on the Soles of Her Footwear” (1986)
Why It’s Nice: It’s the beating coronary heart of Simon’s Graceland, with Simon’s deceptively candy, lilting vocal cloaking a extra summary lyrical commentary on wealth and youth’s folly as he yields a lot of the highlight to the wealthy harmonies of Ladysmith Black Mambazo and the horn-driven instrumentals of his South African band.
Why It By no means Hit the Scorching 100: Graceland’s first three singles (“You Can Name Me Al,” “Graceland” and “The Boy within the Bubble”) all hit the chart, however with diminishing returns; “Diamonds,” the fourth, maybe didn’t stand an opportunity — particularly given it was virtually an album afterthought, solely recorded per week after Simon and LBM carried out it on Saturday Evening Dwell.
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George Strait, “All My Ex’s Dwell in Texas” (1987)
Why It’s Nice: “All My Ex’s” is one in every of nation’s best checklist songs and best singalongs, so intoxicating in its born-to-roam swaggering that even Drake needed to namecheck it as soon as.
Why It By no means Hit the Scorching 100: Once more, prime 40 was merely not form to nation within the mid-’80s — even to the King himself, whose first Scorching 100 hit wouldn’t come till 1993, a decade-plus into his reign.
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Elvis Costello, “Alison” (1977)
Why It’s Nice: Costello’s nice ballad has the swing and soul of basic ’50s R&B and a plaintive, eminently singable refrain (that includes the road that titled its mum or dad album: “My purpose is true”) — in addition to a basic narrative of romantic disappointment, all delivered with the singer’s signature sardonic wit.
Why It By no means Hit the Scorching 100: My Intention is True fared properly sufficient on the Billboard 200 (No. 32), however that didn’t get “Alison” too far: it solely received a little bit of mainstream rock radio airplay — perhaps not the best place for a retro-leaning ballad in 1977.
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Billy Idol, “Dancing With Myself” (1981)
Why It’s Nice: Billy Idol’s remixed model of his punk band Technology X’s 1980 single had simply the angle, vitality and ceaseless pop hookery — in addition to the picture, natch — to take over MTV in its early years.
Why It By no means Hit the Scorching 100: Nonetheless perhaps somewhat too punk for pop audiences, who wouldn’t totally embrace Idol till he received somewhat dreamier and extra synthed-up on 1984’s Insurgent Yell.
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Eric B. & Rakim, “Paid in Full” (1987)
Why It’s Nice: “Paid in Full” is sort of simply one of the vital impactful singles in hip-hop historical past, with practically each Rakim bar later quoted or sampled by someone, and Eric B’s “Ashley’s Roachclip” drum loop even changing into an unavoidable pop music spine for the subsequent half–decade.
Why It By no means Hit the Scorching 100: You barely even discover as a result of each second of it’s so basic and catchy, however “Paid in Full” is actually only one verse with no hook — not precisely a formulation for ’80s chart success.
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Dean Martin, “Ain’t {That a} Kick within the Head” (1960)
Why It’s Nice: A signature music for Dino, “Ain’t {That a} Kick within the Head” is Martin’s beeee-yoo-ti-ful ode to the brain-scrambling powers of sudden romance, and the thrill of diving proper in headfirst.
Why It By no means Hit the Scorching 100: The flip of the ’60s was one thing of a fallow business interval for the Rat Packer, and “Kick” wouldn’t actually be felt by the mainstream till Martin carried out it within the hit film Ocean’s 11 a yr later.
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ABBA, “Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight)” (1979)
Picture Credit score: Alex Henderson/Getty Photographs Why It’s Nice: ABBA’s predilection for delectable ear sweet merged right here with a hankering for some man sweet.
Why It By no means Hit the Scorching 100: This gem was the one new observe on Biggest Hits, Vol. 2 in 1979. It was launched as a single, nevertheless it was crowded by the songs launched as singles from the group’s earlier studio album, Voulez-Vous, and will have appeared somewhat too risqué in 1979 anyway.
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Indeep, “Final Evening a D.J. Saved My Life” (1982)
Why It’s Nice: It’s post-disco pop’s best love letter to the person enjoying the music, a heartwarming, ass-shaking testimony to his superheroic problem-fixing powers.
Why It By no means Hit the Scorching 100: It was somewhat restrained for early-’80s dance music, which had been shedding floor within the pop realm for the last decade’s first few years to start with.
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Prince, “Erotic Metropolis” (1984)
Why It’s Nice: As many Prince songs as “Erotic Metropolis” might’ve credibly titled, it was most meant for this one: a frisky, funky and humorous transmission that radiates horniness — however in a means that feels inclusive to potential new members of its group.
Why It By no means Hit the Scorching 100: It was solely ever a B-side within the U.S., to the much more wedding-friendly Scorching 100-topper “Let’s Go Loopy” — although most of the nation’s extra adventurous ’80s radio stations nonetheless couldn’t resist giving “Erotic Metropolis” some spins.
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SZA, “Drew Barrymore” (2017)
Why It’s Nice: With references to tacos, nachos, and Narcos sprinkled all through a susceptible rumination on vanity and self-worth, how couldn’t “Drew Barrymore” find yourself a dope pop music?
Why It By no means Hit the Scorching 100: Arduous to think about now, however the SZA of 2017 was removed from the business drive that’s the SZA of 2023 — and between much less business pull and a sound that strayed from the lure, post-EDM and Latin pop that dominated 2017, “Drew Barrymore” was destined for fulfillment that sidestepped the Scorching 100.
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Lana Del Rey, “Born to Die” (2011)
Why It’s Nice: As cinematic as Lana Del Rey ever received (saying one thing), “Born to Die” feels just like the opening credit theme to her storied profession, whereas additionally setting the early-’10s sonic customary for pop that might later be thought of “Spotify-core.”
Why It By no means Hit the Scorching 100: The discourse round Lana Del Rey very practically swallowed her profession entire earlier than she even received to launch her debut album — which in fact ended up slowly rising into one of many greatest pop blockbusters of the ’10s, however which solely scored a serious crossover hit with Cedric Gervais’ later remix of its “Summertime Unhappiness.”
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Too $hort, “Blow the Whistle” (2006)
Why It’s Nice: Combining West Coast bounce with a contact of Atlanta crunk courtesy of producer Lil’ Jon, “Blow the Whistle” captures the entire gloriously sweaty sensuality that permeates each basic home occasion – and the music stays everlasting because of nifty lifts from rappers starting from Drake (“For Free”) to Saweetie (“Faucet In”).
Why It By no means Hit the Scorching 100: Though “Blow the Whistle” did enter a number of Billboard charts – together with a No. 1 peak on the Effervescent Below Scorching 100 – the music merely didn’t cross over fairly sufficient to change into the veteran rapper’s second Scorching 100 hit of the 2000s as a lead artist.
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Aretha Franklin, “Do Proper Girl, Do Proper Man” (1967)
Why It’s Nice: This Chips Moman/Dan Penn ballad from Franklin’s 1967 album I By no means Cherished a Man the Method I Love You melds components of soul and gospel within the signature means that made Franklin the everlasting Queen of Soul.
Why It By no means Hit the Scorching 100: Whereas nice, it in all probability wasn’t accessible sufficient to pop listeners to change into a crossover smash. The music was additionally the B-side of Franklin’s “I By no means Cherished a Man (The Method I Love You),” which turned her first prime 10 hit on the Scorching 100 and her first No. 1 on what’s now referred to as Scorching R&B/Hip-Hop Songs. (“Do Proper” charted individually on the R&B chart, at No. 37, however not on the Scorching 100.)
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Junior Senior, “Transfer Your Toes” (2002)
Why It’s Nice: “Transfer Your Toes” was rotational movement from Denmark: each time you suppose the dizzying disco pleasure may come to a halt, pop duo Junior Senior command you d-d-don’t, don’t cease the beat, and also you’re again up, circling round and shuffling as soon as extra.
Why It By no means Hit the Scorching 100: May’ve taken somewhat too lengthy for the music to get right here from abroad, and euphoric disco-pop wasn’t actually hitting right here within the period of Lil Jon and Sean Paul anyway.
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The Seashore Boys, “All Summer season Lengthy” (1964)
Why It’s Nice: No music is best at capturing each the annual delight of summer season and the melancholy of its inevitable finish, primarily making it the “Final Dance” of Labor Day Weekend.
Why It By no means Hit the Scorching 100: Regardless of its perennial relevance — and its unforgettable utilization over the top credit to the ’60s-set 1973 movie basic American Graffiti — “All Summer season Lengthy” was by no means launched as a single within the U.S.
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Nina Simone, “Feeling Good” (1965)
Why It’s Nice: Nina Simone’s resounding rendition of the Anthony Newley- and Leslie Bricusse co-penned showtune (initially from The Roar of the Greasepaint, The Odor of the Crowd) — such a feel-good quantity they needed to put it proper there within the title — was hovering sufficient to show the music right into a late-Twentieth-century pop customary.
Why It By no means Hit the Scorching 100: Simone hardly ever crossed over in her profession, and her “Feeling Good” was not formally launched as a single till it received utilized in a British Volkswagen business many years later anyway.
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Billy Joel, “New York State of Thoughts” (1976)
Picture Credit score: Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Photographs Why It’s Nice: With its sweet-but-not-quite sentimental lyrics and sleek melody, “New York State of Thoughts” shortly turned timeless sufficient for conventional pop icons like Mel Tormé and Tony Bennett to attempt their hand at it — and for it to turned an everlasting Massive Apple anthem.
Why It By no means Hit the Scorching 100: By no means a single, in the event you can consider it.
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M.I.A., “Unhealthy Ladies” (2011)
Why It’s Nice: Nobody on the nook had swagger like M.I.A. on the flip of the ’10s, and the plain “Unhealthy Ladies” was the final nice second from her time within the mainstream — sufficiently big that its (impossibly dope) visible even scored a video of the yr VMA nod.
Why It By no means Hit the Scorching 100: As a lot clout and funky as M.I.A. had on the time, it wasn’t fairly sufficient to get her on pop radio within the turbo-pop time of Katy Perry and Kesha.
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The Ramones, “I Wanna Be Sedated” (1978)
Why It’s Nice: “I Wanna Be Sedated” set the blueprint for many years of pop-punk to comply with, with chronically stressed lyrics, minimal chord modifications, a one-note guitar solo and vocals that demanded to be shouted alongside to the entire means via.
Why It By no means Hit the Scorching 100: Barely miraculous that the Ramones graced the Scorching 100 in any respect through the ’70s — each “Sheena Is a Punk Rocker” and “Rockaway Seashore” scraped the decrease half — however “Sedated” may’ve been only a bit too brain-fried for even the extra open-minded pop stations of the time.
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Ladies’ Technology, “I Received a Boy” (2013)
Why It’s Nice: Even via a number of shifts in tone, tempo and melody, “I Received a Boy” stays irresistible pop via and thru, with its jaw-dropping shapeshifting and hyperactivity simply including to the infectiousness.
Why It By no means Hit the Scorching 100: The bigger pop world was beginning to open somewhat to Ok-pop by 2013, nevertheless it wasn’t actually till BTS kicked the doorways down later within the decade that it had a serious and constant presence on the Scorching 100.
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Q Lazzarus, “Goodbye Horses” (1988)
Why It’s Nice: With its eerie synths and heart-piercing vocals, “Goodbye Horses” made an indelible impression on anyone whoever heard it — notably director Jonathan Demme, who featured it in two of his motion pictures (together with as a disturbing singalong in 1991’s Silence of the Lambs), and alt acts Crosses, Kele Okereke and MGMT, who’ve all coated it.
Why It By no means Hit the Scorching 100: Regardless of the sync placements, the unpigeonholeable Q Lazzarus (born Diane Fortunate) by no means had correct label help, and largely lived off the pop grid till her loss of life in 2022.
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Earth, Wind & Hearth, “Causes” (1975)
Picture Credit score: Michael Putland/Getty Photographs Why It’s Nice: This midtempo ballad and R&B radio favourite was a heart-melting showcase for Philip Bailey’s attractive falsetto.
Why It By no means Hit the Scorching 100: “Causes” wasn’t launched as one of many two singles from That’s the Method of the World — each of which, “Shining Star” and the album’s title observe, have been additionally first-tier classics. Columbia might have put out a 3rd single from the album, however the group had one other album (1976’s Gratitude) able to go, with its personal hit single, “Sing a Track.”
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Trisha Yearwood, “She’s in Love With the Boy” (1991)
Why It’s Nice: A sweeping love story with an ideal refrain and a third-verse twist that brings all of it again house, Trisha Yearwood’s debut single and breakout hit stays one of the vital buoyant and beloved nation songs of the ’90s.
Why It By no means Hit the Scorching 100: Regardless of coming from the interval the place the style was beginning to make its declare as one in every of America’s most commercially highly effective — with Yearwood and her future husband enjoying no small half in that — early-’90s pop radio wasn’t able to embrace nation once more but.
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Kanye West feat. Mr. Hudson, “Paranoid” (2009)
Why It’s Nice: A pulsing spotlight from 808s & Heartbreak, “Paranoid” synthesized that album’s post-breakup mania with the neon shimmer of the singles from prior set Commencement for one in every of Ye’s most unshakeable pop songs.
Why It By no means Hit the Scorching 100: Coming after the 1-2 emotional punch of “Love Lockdown” and “Heartless,” and the NBA playoffs-soundtracking “Superb,” pop radio and audiences may’ve simply been too exhausted to return to the Heartbreak properly for a fourth single.
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Bob Marley & The Wailers, “Might You Be Cherished” (1980)
Why It’s Nice: An ode to the multifaceted nature of the idea of affection and the motion of loving, “Might You Be Cherished” bottles up one of the vital enigmatic and inexplicable phenomena on this planet into one of many grooviest melodies within the reggae-pop canon.
Why It By no means Hit the Scorching 100: Although he’s rightly come to be acknowledged as a worldwide musical icon, Bob Marley by no means turned a U.S. pop star earlier than his 1981 loss of life — solely hitting the Scorching 100 as soon as, with 1976’s “Roots, Rock, Reggae” — as reggae was simply not a serious a part of the highest 40 panorama through the late ’70s and early ’80s.
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Carly Rae Jepsen, “Run Away With Me” (2015)
Why It’s Nice: From its echoing sax riff to its breathless “Take me! To the! Really feel-ing!” refrain, “Run Away With Me” turned a synth-pop rallying cry for critics and Jepfriends alike upon opening 2015’s acclaimed Emotion album, a transparent demonstration of Carly Rae’s melodic brilliance past “Name Me Possibly.”
Why It By no means Hit the Scorching 100: “Run Away With Me” marked the precise second that Jepsen pivoted from makes an attempt at re-creating the mainstream increase of “Name Me Possibly” (Emotion lead single “I Actually Like You” had Justin Bieber AND Tom Hanks in its music video, and nonetheless solely peaked at No. 39 in 2015), and embracing her standing as a cult pop hero; she hasn’t hit the Scorching 100 since, however nonetheless performs to main crowds.
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OutKast, “B.O.B. (Bombs Over Baghdad)” (2000)
Picture Credit score: Rick Diamond/WireImage Why It’s Nice: Because the lead single from OutKast’s game-changing Stankonia album “B.O.B.” stir-fried a couple of dozen completely different completely different genres, kinds and eras in a single single so explosive and futuristic that it barely even feels classifiable as “pop” — although it additionally remembers to, y’know, nonetheless be enjoyable and catchy.
Why It By no means Hit the Scorching 100: Although it’s one of the vital acclaimed songs of the twenty first century — and a music that everybody appears to know and love — can’t say it’s terribly stunning that radio didn’t have a clue what to do with a music that didn’t remotely resemble anything on the airwaves in 2000.
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The Beatles, “Right here Comes the Solar” (1969)
Why It’s Nice: The genius of this George Harrison composition is its simplicity, with the lilting acoustic guitar line and hopeful lyrics about higher days forward doing the heavy lifting. On Abbey Street, an album stuffed with timeless classics, “Solar” stays a beacon of sunshine.
Why It By no means Hit the Scorching 100: The one single formally launched from Abbey Street was the double A-side of “Come Collectively”/“One thing” — a Scorching 100 No. 1 in 1969 — so “Solar” by no means received its shine on the chart.
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The Treatment, “Boys Do not Cry” (1979)
Why It’s Nice: Goth post-punks The Treatment’s first nice pop second feels like frontman Robert Smith’s love letter to Smokey Robinson, the best non-Motown music ever written about hiding the tears in your eyes out of misguided devotion to masculine beliefs.
Why It By no means Hit the Scorching 100: It took The Treatment some time to interrupt the U.S. mainstream, simply brushing the chart’s lowest stretches with “In Between Days” in 1986 earlier than lastly hitting the highest 40 with “Simply Like Heaven” in early ’88.
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Lorde, “Ribs” (2013)
Why It’s Nice: A 16-year-old stressing out over getting older has by no means sounded so poignant: the centerpiece of Lorde’s debut album Pure Heroine, “Ribs” turns youthful worries over the passage of time into dizzying electro-pop motion, with repeated phrases (“I need ’em again, I need ’em again/ The minds we had, the minds we had”) deployed as pleas for the world to decelerate.
Why It By no means Hit the Scorching 100: With the out-of-nowhere No. 1 smash “Royals” and its prime 10 follow-up “Crew,” “Ribs” by no means had room to shine as a single from Pure Heroine — comprehensible, actually, contemplating that these different songs have radio-friendly verse-chorus constructions, whereas “Ribs” hopscotches via refrains.
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Snoop Dogg feat. Nate Dogg, Warren G & Kurupt, “Ain’t No Enjoyable” (1993)
Why It’s Nice: As virulently misogynistic and downright vile as “Ain’t No Enjoyable” may be, the ability of the Doggfather and peak G-funk nonetheless compels all the occasion — regardless of gender or common ethical code — to sing alongside, particularly at any time when the forever-incomparable Nate Dogg croons, “It ain’t no enjoyable/ If the homies can’t have none.”
Why It By no means Hit the Scorching 100: Doggystyle had three large MTV movies and two prime 10 Scorching 100 hits, however “Ain’t No Enjoyable” wasn’t one in every of both — maybe in a cursory nod to good style and social decorum, “Ain’t No Enjoyable” was stored as an album reduce.
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Depeche Mode, “Simply Cannot Get Sufficient” (1981)
Picture Credit score: Virginia Turbett/Redferns Why It’s Nice: Although they’d get darker and darker over the course of the ’80s, Depeche Mode confirmed up in 1981 because the New Romantic equal of the 1910 Fruitgum Firm, placing each little bit of the “pop” in synth-pop — “synth” too, for that matter — with this Dubble Bubble-worthy basic.
Why It By no means Hit the Scorching 100: “Simply Can’t Get Sufficient” may’ve been a yr — and even only a couple months — too early to essentially catch the wave of early MTV, which might quickly make Depeche Mode and their ostentatiously dressed (and coiffed) U.Ok. friends a daily presence on the Scorching 100.
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Jeff Buckley, “Hallelujah” (1994)
Why It’s Nice: Jeff Buckley’s indelible rendition of Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah” isn’t a lot a pop music as it’s a hymn for the top of the Twentieth century, subsequently handed down from one era of singer-songwriters to the subsequent like obtained knowledge.
Why It By no means Hit the Scorching 100: A haunting, ethereal and million-other-crit-buzz-adjective-worthy rendition of an already extremely inscrutable ballad? It’s a testomony to Buckley’s magnetic efficiency and Andy Wallace’s attractive manufacturing that greater than 1,000 individuals ever even heard this music — not to mention that it quickly turned a pop customary.
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Maze, “Earlier than I Let Go” (1981)
Why It’s Nice: A assured dancefloor filler and marriage ceremony staple, Frankie Beverly and Maze’s breezy however bittersweet signature hit has endured properly sufficient that Beyoncé included a canopy as a bonus observe on her epochal 2019 Homecoming: The Dwell Album.
Why It By no means Hit the Scorching 100: Regardless of its generational esteem as an everlasting stay act and R&B radio fixture, Maze’s crossover chart success was by no means notably sturdy — 1979’s No. 67-peaking “Really feel That You’re Feelin’” marked its best Scorching 100 displaying — and as with Bey’s model, the business efficiency of the unique “Earlier than” was hamstrung barely by it current as a studio bonus observe on a largely stay set (1981’s Dwell in New Orleans).
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Mark Ronson feat. Amy Winehouse, “Valerie” (2007)
Why It’s Nice: This all-time collaboration – which is a canopy of The Zutons’ 2006 U.Ok. hit – finds Ronson bringing Winehouse’s soul and jazz vocal influences to the forefront with a quick, free-wheeling association that traces the tumultuous arc of the music’s titular character.
Why It By no means Hit the Scorching 100: Winehouse’s premature passing tends to oversell how dominant her business peak was: She scored only a single prime 10 hit (“Rehab,” No. 7) from two general Scorching 100 entries in her lifetime, so it’s not stunning that she wasn’t in a position to carry this Ronson-led single there. Nonetheless, the observe did hit No. 2 in each artists’ house nation of the U.Ok.
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The Kinks, “Waterloo Sundown” (1967)
Why It’s Nice: Primarily the U.Ok.’s model of “(Sittin’ on) The Dock of the Bay” — minus all of the existential nervousness and dread — with The Kinks’ Ray Davies imagining a pair having fun with an idyllic second by the river, away from the bustle of town, as for a quick second (or within the case of the music, a full 3:13), all the pieces is correctly.
Why It By no means Hit the Scorching 100: The Kinks had their share of stateside hits, however “Waterloo Sundown” was maybe a contact too low-key in its majesty and British in its loving element to affect U.S. pop followers as “You Actually Received Me” had just a few years earlier.
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Michael Jackson, “Workin’ Day and Evening” (1979)
Picture Credit score: Jim McCrary/Redferns Why It’s Nice: This relentlessly energetic observe and stay favourite was one in every of two songs Jackson wrote by himself for his 1979 album Off the Wall. The opposite was “Don’t Cease ’Til You Get Sufficient,” which was the album’s lead single.
Why It By no means Hit the Scorching 100: It was by no means launched as an A-side, simply because the B aspect of “Rock With You,” the Rod Temperton-helmed single that topped the Scorching 100 for 4 weeks in early 1980. Epic in all probability might have held it again to be the fifth U.S. single from Off the Wall — the primary 4 all went prime 10 — however pre-Thriller, labels didn’t pull so many singles from an album.
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Azealia Banks feat. Lazy Jay, “212” (2011)
Picture Credit score: Robin Little/Redferns Why It’s Nice: Over a thumping, irresistible home instrumental courtesy Belgian duo Lazy Jay, Azealia Banks propelled herself from MySpace to international It-girl with a deliciously soiled, braggadocious rap that ping pongs between righteous fury and eye-rolling exasperation in three-and-a-half breathless minutes.
Why It By no means Hit the Scorching 100: Even through the early 2010s EDM increase, hip-house hits (suppose LMFAO and Far East Motion) didn’t lean this tough into breakneck rave tempos; plus, the music’s beloved black-and-white DIY video hit YouTube in late 2011, which didn’t issue into Scorching 100 rankings but.
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David Bowie, “Heroes” (1977)
Picture Credit score: Mike Maloney/Mirrorpix/Getty Photographs Why It’s Nice: A transcendent wartime love music (although not at all times as soppy as that might indicate), crescendoing in depth and impression all through its six minutes, “Heroes” soared larger and better within the many years following its launch, finally changing into a signature music for the legendary David Bowie.
Why It By no means Hit the Scorching 100: “Heroes” was launched on the peak of Bowie’s late-’70s Berlin interval, when he was making forward-thinking art-pop with sensible collaborators like Brian Eno and Tony Visconti — leading to an inventive excessive for his profession, however a business lull, as albums like Low and Heroes largely sailed over the heads of prime 40 listeners on the time.
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Stevie Marvel, “Is not She Pretty” (1976)
Picture Credit score: George Wilkes/Hulton Archive/Getty Photographs Why It’s Nice: The emotional excessive level of Stevie Marvel’s beyond-classic Songs within the Key of Life was, appropriately sufficient, concerning the starting of life itself: The heartburstingly joyous FM radio common “Isn’t She Pretty” was written for the delivery of Marvel’s daughter Burnetta Jones, ostensibly when she was nonetheless “lower than one minute previous.”
Why It By no means Hit the Scorching 100: The total album model of “Pretty” ran over six minutes — together with an prolonged outro that includes Marvel bathing and speaking to his new child — and the artist refused to consent to a radio edit for single launch, so the music was by no means launched as a stateside single. (A 3:26-long edit was finally made for U.Ok. launch.)
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The Smiths, “How Quickly Is Now?” (1985)
Picture Credit score: Paul Natkin/Getty Photographs Why It’s Nice: Probably the most explicitly trendy pop single launched by indie classicists The Smiths, “How Quickly Is Now?” paired an astonishing tremelo’d guitar hook and slamming dance beat with one in every of Morrissey’s all-time most common and affecting lyrics — appropriately sufficient, about going to the membership and ending up completely depressing.
Why It By no means Hit the Scorching 100: Too lengthy, too summary, too British, too Moz: Take your choose, however the stateside pop impression for “How Quickly Is Now” must wait till later many years, when it was sampled by Soho for his or her prime 15 hit “Hippychick” and coated by acts like Love Spit Love and t.A.T.u. — the previous model used because the credit theme for long-running WB supernatural drama Charmed.
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Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, “American Woman” (1977)
Picture Credit score: Richard E. Aaron/Redferns Why It’s Nice: That resounding opening guitar riff and Petty’s “Chk-chk….” whispered response; these plainspokenly poetic lyrics (“The vehicles roll by on the 441, like waves crashin’ on the seaside”); that instantaneous basic refrain with even higher backup vocals (“Make it final all evening!”) — it’s the sound of mythic American youth, romance, desperation and disappointment abruptly.
Why It By no means Hit the Scorching 100: It’s one in every of Petty’s hottest, enduring songs (and the final he performed stay), however “American Woman” got here out simply earlier than a re-release of debut single “Breakdown” first actually uncovered his band to the mainstream — and the closest it ever got here to the Scorching 100 was No. 9 on the Effervescent Below chart, following a re-release to advertise the Heartbreakers’ Biggest Hits set in 1994.
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Garth Brooks, “Buddies in Low Locations” (1990)
Picture Credit score: Paul Natkin/Getty Photographs Why It’s Nice: There won’t be a music from the final 40 years extra synonymous with nation music than “Buddies in Low Locations,” so relatable and plain in its outsider-singalong rush that even individuals who swear they by no means take heed to the style have to hitch in by the point the third refrain rolls alongside.
Why It By no means Hit the Scorching 100: We’ll say it yet one more time: Nation and prime 40 have been simply not getting alongside in 1990, and with Garth Brooks prioritizing his already-stratospheric album gross sales over singles and pop promotion anyway, he didn’t even crack the Scorching 100 till “It’s Your Track” in 1998.
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Robyn, “Dancing on My Personal” (2010)
Picture Credit score: Joe Scarnici/FilmMagic Why It’s Nice: Whether or not skilled throughout its 2010 launch as a part of Robyn’s Physique Speak sequence, as a viral hit within the years since, via a canopy model (reminiscent of Calum Scott’s billion-streamed, Phillies-powering stripped-down take) or just via a stray speaker on a solitary evening, “Dancing on My Personal” persists as a spark of sad-pop genius, its easy craving amidst a fantasia of synthesizers marking the end result of Robyn’s stellar recording profession.
Why It By no means Hit the Scorching 100: After scoring a pair of prime 10 Scorching 100 hits as a youngster with “Do You Know (What It Takes)” and “Present Me Love” within the late ‘90s, Robyn remade herself as an indie pop heroine — and whereas that’s led to vital acclaim and arena-headliner standing, she has but to return to the Scorching 100, even with a pop music that in the end turned as universally beloved as “Dancing on My Personal.”
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Curtis Mayfield, “Transfer on Up” (1970)
Picture Credit score: Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Photographs
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Madonna, “Into the Groove” (1985)
Picture Credit score: Ross Marino/Icon and Picture/Getty Photographs Why It’s Nice: Madonna’s musical contribution to her Desperately Looking for Susan starring car stays one in every of her (or anybody’s) best-loved songs for its indefatigable vitality, deep-burrowing hooks and most significantly, its perception within the energy of pop music — such a revelation, then, now and at all times.
Why It By no means Hit the Scorching 100: Launched in summer season 1985, “Groove” got here out whereas the then-Materials Woman was nonetheless on the peak of her whole and absolute popular culture dominance following the late-’84 launch of Like a Virgin — a lot in order that her Warner label determined to relegate the soundtrack music to the B-side of that album’s third single, “Angel.” (Within the U.Ok., it was launched as an A-side, changing into her first No. 1.)