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No Hit Wonders

Blondie XBlondie X Posts: 28,662
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in Music #1
What acts do you love who have never had a hit single in the UK?

Mine are:

Roy Ayers
Donald Byrd
Bobby Womack (never had a solo hit)
Gil Scott Heron
George Clinton (in any of his acts)

I'm sure there are many others but those are off the top of my head
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    mimicolemimicole Posts: 50,999
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    #2
    Laura Marling

    She's never had a "commercial" hit and I love her. I have everything that she has ever released and I've seen her live. Her music is stunning.
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    yorkieUKyorkieUK Posts: 2,159
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    #3
    Led Zeppelin apparently never released any singles in the UK until Whole Lotta Love in 1997. It only got to number 21.
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    JurassicMarkJurassicMark Posts: 12,870
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    #4
    Heather Nova

    Got a great voice and has been around for over 20 years, very surprised she has not had chart success.

    This is her first single: Walk This World
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    grimtales1grimtales1 Posts: 46,695
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    #5
    yorkieUK wrote: »
    Led Zeppelin apparently never released any singles in the UK until Whole Lotta Love in 1997. It only got to number 21.

    Really? :o No Stairway to Heaven, Kashmir etc? :blush::confused:
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    SaddlerSteveSaddlerSteve Posts: 4,325
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    #6
    grimtales1 wrote: »
    Really? :o No Stairway to Heaven, Kashmir etc? :blush::confused:

    They preferred releasing just albums without the necessity to support them with single releases.
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    dd68dd68 Posts: 17,841
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    #7
    Pookah makes three Take it back, I love this song from 1984
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    Billy HicksBilly Hicks Posts: 475
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    #8
    Some 80s/90s stars that were huge in parts of Europe but unknowns in the UK:

    Gigi D'Agostino
    Fancy
    E-Rotic
    Blumchen
    E-Type

    And more recently Caro Emerald, who's been a big album seller here but no top 40 singles.
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    mgvsmithmgvsmith Posts: 16,458
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    #9
    One of the most influential bands of all time, The Velvet Underground never broke the Billboard top 100 with any of their original albums or singles. Compilations have done a little better but so much for sales as the measure of quality or influence.
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    pete137pete137 Posts: 18,392
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    #10
    Nick Drake
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    starry_runestarry_rune Posts: 9,006
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    #11
    Within Temptation
    Nightwish

    and this hot dude
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AdZUpmXAYVE
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    mialiciousmialicious Posts: 4,686
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    #12
    Big Daddy Kane
    Rick James
    Black Keys
    Cinematic Orchestra
    Rae & Christian
    Atmosphere
    Miles Davis
    Betty Davis
    Mr Scruff
    Talib Kweli
    Gang Starr
    9th Wonder
    Lee Scratch Perry
    Janis Joplin
    Ann Peebles
    Gregory Isaacs
    The Coup
    Res
    The Herbaliser
    Masta Ace
    RJD2
    Nujabes
    Frank de wulf
    Jean Grae
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    Blondie XBlondie X Posts: 28,662
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    #13
    It also amazes me that Shaun Escoffery has never had a hit in the UK when he's one of the best artists we've produced in years
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    Hound of LoveHound of Love Posts: 80,118
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    #14
    Blondie X wrote: »
    What acts do you love who have never had a hit single in the UK?

    Mine are:

    Roy Ayers
    Donald Byrd
    Bobby Womack (never had a solo hit)
    Gil Scott Heron
    George Clinton (in any of his acts)

    I'm sure there are many others but those are off the top of my head

    bib: Wasn't he responsible for Funkadelic's One Nation Under A Groove?
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    slimlinetonicslimlinetonic Posts: 56
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    #15
    I'm almost sure One Nation under a Groove was a hit, i dont want to google it it, feel s like cheating, But admittedly George Clinton has never received his full quota of hits . But this should have been massive and never was . https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6RJh34HoQFI
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    Blondie XBlondie X Posts: 28,662
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    #16
    Hound of Love wrote: »
    bib: Wasn't he responsible for Funkadelic's One Nation Under A Groove?

    Yes you're right, that was his only chart hit here. I thought it charted but Wiki didn't mention a UK release so I took it as gospel :blush:
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    gasheadgashead Posts: 13,819
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    #17
    Depends what you consider a 'hit', but I'll chuck in Chris Issak. Reached number 10 in 1990 (off the back of a film), but hasn't troubled the UK chart apart from that.

    Black Spiders
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    cf80cf80 Posts: 180
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    #18
    Billy Hicks wrote: »
    Some 80s/90s stars that were huge in parts of Europe but unknowns in the UK:

    Gigi D'Agostino
    Fancy
    E-Rotic
    Blumchen
    E-Type

    And more recently Caro Emerald, who's been a big album seller here but no top 40 singles.

    I never understood why Blümchen didn't release anything in the UK. Well, she did release 'Bicycle Race' I guess but she had better songs than that one. She went as far as Asia to try and have success with English versions of her songs...surely it would have been easier to try in the UK?
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    mushymanrobmushymanrob Posts: 17,992
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    #19
    great idea for a thread blondie!

    but ive nothing to contribute until ive time.
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    Brummie Girl Brummie Girl Posts: 22,689
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    #20
    gashead wrote: »
    Depends what you consider a 'hit', but I'll chuck in Chris Issak. Reached number 10 in 1990 (off the back of a film), but hasn't troubled the UK chart apart from that.

    Black Spiders

    That would make him a one hit wonder, presumably, depending on your definition of one hit wonder
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    mgvsmithmgvsmith Posts: 16,458
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    #21
    Blondie X wrote: »
    Yes you're right, that was his only chart hit here. I thought it charted but Wiki didn't mention a UK release so I took it as gospel :blush:

    Wikipedia must be written by white boys who can't dance. ;-)
    Funkadelic's 'One Nation Under a Groove' made no9 in the UK chart in 1978.
    I remember buying it.
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    TheTruth1983TheTruth1983 Posts: 13,462
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    #22
    grimtales1 wrote: »
    Really? :o No Stairway to Heaven, Kashmir etc? :blush::confused:

    Singles weren't their thing, they preferred to release albums.
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    Blondie XBlondie X Posts: 28,662
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    #23
    mgvsmith wrote: »
    Wikipedia must be written by white boys who can't dance. ;-)
    Funkadelic's 'One Nation Under a Groove' made no9 in the UK chart in 1978.
    I remember buying it.

    It was a bit before my time (born in 1970) but it's up there in my all time classic, guaranteed to get me on the dance floor list.

    I was at Caister in May and they played it there :D
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    PetroliciousPetrolicious Posts: 577
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    #24
    Kandy Floss - Chantelle Houghtons band
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    EraserheadEraserhead Posts: 22,016
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    #25
    Well as someone who's a big fan of indie / alternative stuff I can probably name dozens of acts who never bothered the charts but who hold a very dear place in my heart.

    One quick example of a band who never had a single or album in the top 75: Felt.
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    PetroliciousPetrolicious Posts: 577
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    #26
    Eraserhead wrote: »
    Well as someone who's a big fan of indie / alternative stuff I can probably name dozens of acts who never bothered the charts but who hold a very dear place in my heart.

    One quick example of a band who never had a single or album in the top 75: Felt.

    OO yes.. The SUndays..remember them? I don't think they ever had a hit..nor Wedding present...And did the Pixies ever have a hit?
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