I Can't Believe It Wasn't A Hit

[raliverpool]

This January 1966 USA #1 hit was released in the UK as a single in December 1965 and did not chart.

I think it is fair to say this is now regarded as a much covered classic:

Simon and Garfunkel - The Sound of Silence

[Robbie]

One of the best records from 1981 and at one time probably better known via a sample. But this should have been a massive hit yet failed to chart... what were the British public at the time thinking by not buying it?

Rick James - Super Freak

[raliverpool]

Buffalo Springfield - For What It's Worth (1967 USA #7)

This Stephen Stills penned song is a classic still today despite never troubling the UK charts.

[Milliways]

The Bluetones - 'Carry Me Home'.

For me the best thing they ever did, with a great video to accompany it, but by 2010 they were old news and so got nowhere near the chart.

[Roo.]

#5 on the Billboard Hot 100 but never a hit here until a Boogie Pimps dance cover made #3 in 2004 - Jefferson Airplane's Somebody To Love.

[Jordan]

^ and White Rabbit was never a hit in the UK either. Low 90's it peaked at I think. Not even sure if any covers have done well over here?

Surrealistic Pillow is one of my all time favourite albums. One of my first vinyl's actually.

[Whitneyfan]

Jim Croce wrote some absolutely brilliant songs, including Time In A Bottle (a US #1), but never had a UK hit.

He also wrote this classic, which is perhaps better known for Frank Sinatra's version:

[vastar iner]

Kirsty MacColl's original of "They Don't Know" missed the charts because of a distribution strike.  I've got four Terrys on the vaspod.

One that still astounds me that it never made the chart...

...I think one reason why Birmingham has never really come up with a superstar DJ is because we don't need to waste money on having someone fill the dancefloor.   Because just stick this on and the place goes mucking fental. 

Remained in print for a long time because it was a consistent seller.

[raliverpool]

This 1967 track has been streamed more than 400 million times on Spotify; and yet it never troubled the UK charts. It did reach the top 20 in the USA & Canada; and Australia #3.

[Jordan]

Alesha Dixon - Knockdown [2006]

Reached #45 in the charts but should have been a much bigger hit. Although I vaguely recall the record label limiting the release due to the previous single 'Lipstick' not living up to their expectations (#14).

[raliverpool]

I thought this thread was for tracks which were released as singles but completely missed the charts?

Otherwise, it is just like this the Nearly Forgotten Hits thread:
fatherandy2.proboards.com/thread/78876/nearly-forgotten-hits

[andrew07]

This got to No.1 on the indie chart in 1985 but neither this, nor any of Felt's singles ever troubled the top 100.

[andrew07]

The debut single for the Smiths in 1983, which fell short of the 100 (I read it got to No. 124).  Only Sandie Shaw's cover would be a hit, reaching No.27 in 1984.

[Whitneyfan]

Billy Joel's 'Piano Man' must surely be one of the biggest 'sellers' never to be a UK hit... according to Wikipedia it is on about half a million to date. Can anybody confirm this?

[Robbie]

Jun 30, 2019 20:43:52 GMT 1 rewardman said:

For me a really classy ballad and, in light of the renaissance in 1976 it’s a mystery why this didn’t make the Top 40, never mind the Top 75 in 1978.

youtu.be/Sp8_yUlUUCs

1978 was a very strange (and unsuccessful) year for Cliff. Three singles releases and each of them totally flopped on the BBC/BMRB chart. He did make the lower reaches of the Record Business chart with two of them: 'Please Remember Me' had a chart run of 101-81-76-79-65-77-70-92-81-86-OUT and the single you linked to, 'Can't Take The Hurt Anymore', 107-111-115-110-110-OUT.

'Please Remember Me' had an extended run at the bottom part of the RB chart in summer / early autumn 1978 thanks mainly to airplay. I can remember hearing the song being played on the radio during the school summer holidays in 1978. I don't recall 'Can't Take The Hurt Anymore' though. However it was on the RB chart in the run up to Christmas 1978 so probably got lost among the large amount of party songs that were charting that year.

[vastar iner]

1967 was quite a remarkable year for singles, yet the biggest hit in the United States that year wasn't released in Britain - except as a b-side.

Even more baffling, the artist was British.

It certainly would have been a very, very, substantial hit had it been given the promo, and I'm surprised DJs didn't do the voluntary flip.  Had this been released with "Let's Pretend" on the reverse, then I reckon it would have been no. 1 for a week before "All You Need Is Love", and would have popped back ahead three weeks later.   Perhaps the most beautiful song of the decade.

[Roo.]

Helping to bring Ronnie Spector out of early musical retirement, the 1986 #4 Hot 100 hit Take Me Home Tonight by Eddie Money.

[TheThorne]

Omg Roo, I love Eddie Money, although i think the followup single ' I Wanna Go Back' is even better

He was heavily supported by Radio Luxembourg and No Limits tv show at the time but BBC Radio not a hope.

[smokeyb]

i have always been a big fan of Dr Feelgood and they did finally reach the charts in 1977, but two of their first singles I thought were excellent, but both failed to dent the charts. I Loved Wilko Johnson's style of guitar playing and the facial expressions.

Dr Feelgood - Roxette 1974


Dr Feelgood - Back In The Night 1975

[vastar iner]

Fiercely powerful voice, gigantic 1981 take on the Wall of Sound, cute mix of two of the great sixties singles...why did this not make it?

Perhaps because when Rachel Sweet was on Stiff she had something of the Lolita about her promotion (she was still only 17 when this came out) and people were not ready for that sort of thing?