Bands whose non-hits are better than their hits

[RobMoney$]

What are some groups where you like the non-hits better than the top 40 ones?

I recently have delved into songs by The Eurythmics.
Of course, everyone knows "Sweet Dreams(Are Made Of This)", "Here Comes The Rain Again", ect., but I was surprised at how great some of the songs I wasn't familiar with are. I always enjoyed their hits, but I never bothered picking up any of their albums.

Here are a few great songs that I was unfamiliar with up until a few months ago:

You Have Placed a Chill In My Heart
I Could Give You a Mirror
Thorn in my Side



another one that fits the criteria is Elton John:

Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters
Country Comfort
Where to Now, St. Peter?
Georgia
All the Girls Love Alice
Amoreena

[Kid Presentable]

Beastie Boys

[hitmonlee]

beatles
soundgarden
radiohead

[Drederick Tatum]

I don't know if they're necessarily 'better', but I always skip to Led Zeppelin's album tracks whenever I listen to them.

[RobMoney$]

beatles

I wasn't aware that they had any non-hits?

[RobMoney$]

BTW,

It would be cool if people listed the non-hits they like of a certain band, not just the name of the band.
I'm always looking for good music I haven't heard yet. (y)

[Kid Presentable]

I wasn't aware that they had any non-hits?

Subtract their number 1s.

[Drederick Tatum]

you're probably pretty familiar with Led Zeppelin...

[Lex Diamonds]

This usually applies to hip-hop. Jay-Z would be the best example, although you probably know most of his shit already. None of his "big hits" are as good as his top 50 album tracks in my opinion.

[Guy Incognito]

I wasn't aware that they had any non-hits?

Shitloads - they didnt put their singles on their albums - so oodles of non hits - its just that pretty much all their catalogue is popular now.

Radiohead
Dodgy - singles were frickin awful but good album tracks
Beasties
Chemical Brothers, Orbital and Underworld - i think some of the longer tracks would never be singles for these three but are supremely better than the singles they put out

[TurdBerglar]

every decent band's non hits are 99 times out of a 100 better than their hits.



hits usually become hits because their simple and more people can understand them.

[TurdBerglar]

soundgarden


by far, yes. granted they had like only 4 hits.

[abcdefz]

...are we talking about non-hit singles or are we talking about album tracks never issued as singles?

[RobMoney$]

Doesn't matter if it was from an album or a single. It's about exposing people to a song from someone they may know, but weren't aware of other music by that artist that is even more amazing than what they're "known" for.


Van Halen - Take your Whiskey Home

Blind Faith - Well Alright

U2 - A Sort of Homecoming, Party Girl

The Stooges - 1969

The Rolling Stones - Winter, Jigsaw Puzzle, Slave, Jiving Sister Fanny, Memo from Turner

The Velvet Underground - Sister Ray

Beasties - Sneakin out the Hospital, Car Thief

Aerosmith - Hangman Jury, Draw the Line

Devo - Mongoloid

[paul jones]

R.E.M.
Super Furry Animals


I'll edit this later with song titles

[hitmonlee]

soundgarden:
boot camp
mailman
head down
limo wreck
kickstand

head down and limo wreck are my two favourite soundgarden songs.

qotsa:
a song for the deaf
medication
another love song
everybody knows that you're insane

jeff buckley:
eternal life

nirvana:
something in the way
on a plain

regurgitator:
just another beautiful story
i piss alone
i will lick your asshole

that's about all i can manage right now

[BangkokB]

Car Thief
Walk All Over You
Head Creeps
Into the Void
Eyes of a Criminal
Nutshell
Blood In, Blood Out
Revelations
Immortality Insane
Meglomania
Criminally Insane
Point

[b-grrrlie]

And by whom these might be?

[Lex Diamonds]

Jay-Z - So Ghetto, Streets is Watching, The Bounce
Nas - Represent
Kanye West - Gone
50 Cent - Too Hot ft. Nas & Nature
DMX - Damien
Big L - Platinum Plus, Da Graveyard
Eminem - Bitch Please II, Drug Ballad, Open Mic
Notorious BIG - Gimme the Loot, Machine Gun Funk
2Pac - Fuck Friendz, Hit 'Em Up
Mos Def - Mathematics
Lupe Fiasco - Daydreamin', Go Go Gadget Flow
Lil Wayne - I'm A DBoy, Crazy
Outkast - Rosa Parks
Talib Kweli - We Know
Jadakiss - I'm A Gangsta
Snoop Dogg - Aint No Fun
Run-DMC - Hollis Crew, Papa Crazy
Oasis - Married With Children
Blur - The Debt Collector
Primal Scream - Don't Fight It, Feel It
Otis Redding - Hard To Handle
Johnny Cash - Delia's Gone, Highwayman

[Lex Diamonds]

Yeah but I wouldn't describe it as a "hit". I'm guessing a lot of people wouldn't have heard it.

[TAL]

Thorn in my Side

It went to #5 in the UK charts. And top 20 in other places. Clearly a hit.

Only #68 in the US. So do we only count songs that weren't a hit in the place we happen to live in?

[RobMoney$]

It went to #5 in the UK charts. And top 20 in other places. Clearly a hit.

Only #68 in the US. So do we only count songs that weren't a hit in the place we happen to live in?


Well it's new to me. I've NEVER heard it on the radio and I live in a fairly large city with plenty of radio stations.
Either way, it's a good song.

[Kid Presentable]

This usually applies to hip-hop. Jay-Z would be the best example, although you probably know most of his shit already. None of his "big hits" are as good as his top 50 album tracks in my opinion.

Dunno. Your opinion is your opinion, but I find I prefer a lot of the big Jay songs. I just Wanna Love Ya and Big Pimpin' come to mind. Even on Blueprint, I find I enjoy Girls,Girls,Girls and Izzo more than most of what's on there (except Hola Hovito which is incredible). I notice it the most on The Black Album where 99 problems (and to a lesser extent Dirt off Your Shoulder) just shit on everything else on it. That's just me though. I likes what I likes.

Reasonable Doubt though, that's a case of the 'hits' (whatever that means) being the weaker.

[BangkokB]

Go See Baby Nude


Do you remember when that girl was Prom Queen? Oh Wow!
Take It Off: Take it All Off(y)
Pictures on the Silver Screen : Greatest Thing You've Ever Seen
Now her name is up in lights
Everything turns out all Right

Lights
Camera
and Action

[Lex Diamonds]

Dunno. Your opinion is your opinion, but I find I prefer a lot of the big Jay songs. I just Wanna Love Ya and Big Pimpin' come to mind. Even on Blueprint, I find I enjoy Girls,Girls,Girls and Izzo more than most of what's on there (except Hola Hovito which is incredible). I notice it the most on The Black Album where 99 problems (and to a lesser extent Dirt off Your Shoulder) just shit on everything else on it. That's just me though. I likes what I likes.

Reasonable Doubt though, that's a case of the 'hits' (whatever that means) being the weaker.
You're right, it is a matter of opinion because I personally thought The Blueprint's singles were some of the weakest tracks on there. Heart Of The City, Never Change, Song Cry, Renegade and Takeover are my top 5. I do agree that The Black Album's singles are strong but apart from that I think Jay has a wealth of sick album tracks that just aren't recognised like some of his "hits".

[DroppinScience]

This is definitely a good topic. Everyone's got their favorite bands, but I'm sure I'm not the only person who wishes there would be more awareness to their "non-hits" (even if the hits are great themselves).

Nirvana is absolutely a great example. The stuff that goes on the radio is great, no doubt, but can grow tiresome if all you know of the band is "Smells Like Teen Spirit." Listen to the rest of the albums (or try their rarities) and you'll see a very rich catalogue.

The Clash definitely have better non-hits than their two best known songs ("Rock the Casbah," "Should I Stay or Should I Go?"). All you need to do is put on "Bankrobber" and you're sold.

Joy Division has so much more than "Love Will Tear Us Apart."

I have found that Arcade Fire work better as a band where you listen to their album start to finish than simply the hit singles on the radio.

There's plenty more, I know.

[RobMoney$]

RUSH

The Camera Eye
Xanadu
Jacob's Ladder
Analog Kid
The Weapon

[yeahwho]

Doesn't matter if it was from an album or a single. It's about exposing people to a song from someone they may know, but weren't aware of other music by that artist that is even more amazing than what they're "known" for.




The Velvet Underground - Sister Ray



Devo - Mongoloid

well I am being completely honest, today i posted both of these songs on this site earlier.... then read your thread. Fucking A I'm telepathetic or something....

see check my sig and the this post (http://www.beastieboys.com/bbs/showpost.php?p=1550089&postcount=1)

I love that DEVO vid... it's super dooper cool

[RobMoney$]

I can see that you're a brilliant man who has extremely good taste in music.

ROCK ON YOUNG MAN.

[TOY]

The Clash definitely have better non-hits than their two best known songs ("Rock the Casbah," "Should I Stay or Should I Go?"). All you need to do is put on "Bankrobber" and you're sold.

I can't help myself.

Okay.

Although Bankrobber was not released on a studio album (though on comp- BMC), it did peak #12 on the UK Singles Chart back in 1980.

*There was a low-budgey video for it, too!

[Randetica]

are the clash even punk? the stuff i heard wasnt close to punk

[TOY]

are the clash even punk? the stuff i heard wasnt close to punk

Their early-early stuff, sure. Personally, I don't even consider them "punk"- I guess what they wrote about had that punk/political aspect, except for Jones' stuff. Part of the British rock invasion? idk. I just love them lots.

[DroppinScience]

I can't help myself.

Okay.

Although Bankrobber was not released on a studio album (though on comp- BMC), it did peak #12 on the UK Singles Chart back in 1980.

*There was a low-budgey video for it, too!

Errr... I still wouldn't call it a "hit." It wasn't until "Combat Rock" that the hits started rolling in.

And The Clash are the epitome of punk and transcend punk all at the same time. Just a whole other level type shit.

[Gareth]

I personally thought The Blueprint's singles were some of the weakest tracks on there. Heart Of The City, Never Change, Song Cry, Renegade and Takeover are my top 5.

heart of the city is my favourite track on blueprint.

[Lex Diamonds]

heart of the city is my favourite track on blueprint.
Word, it is immense. (y)

[TOY]

Errr... I still wouldn't call it a "hit." It wasn't until "Combat Rock" that the hits started rolling in.

And The Clash are the epitome of punk and transcend punk all at the same time. Just a whole other level type shit.

But Train in Vain was on London Calling. :confused:

Then again, I don't think that one became a hit until later on. At least here in the states.

*Aw, shit. No. It was originally a "secret track"/unlisted on London Calling, 'cause the sleeve had already been printed and it was decided to add it last minute or something. First Clash song to make the US Top 30, though.

[beastie fresh]

Queens of the Stone Age
Styles P
Nas
NIN
Jadakiss

[Documad]

It went to #5 in the UK charts. And top 20 in other places. Clearly a hit.

Only #68 in the US. So do we only count songs that weren't a hit in the place we happen to live in?
Well, I don't think that I can play any other way. I have no idea how well a song did in Europe. I just know that I was loving it and none of my friend ever heard of it. :o

Thorn in My Side got some airplay on MTV back in the day, which is how I knew it. But I had MTV for years and years before any of my friends had it, so I knew songs like that when they didn't. MTV came earlier to some parts of the country and to people in urban apartments before it came to the suburbs. My dad was an earlier adapter -- we were stealing HBO with a pirate dish for years before we got caught and so we hooked up to cable ASAP, even though it was too expensive for dad's income.

I'm the only one I know who saw all of Live Aid. Everyone else only saw the couple of hours that featured Lionel Ritchie and that Duran Duran knock off group. :p

[Documad]

Train in Vain and I Fought The Law were played often on classic rock radio, but I can't remember whether they were played immediately upon release or some years later. I would count the two songs DS mentioned as the Clash's only other hits. But that's my midwestern US viewpoint. Radio was corporate back then, but not as corporate as today because this was before deregulation so I think that no corporation could own more than two stations in a city or something like that. Somehow a few Clash songs got airplay alongside some really moldy old crap.

I've always used U2 as my answer to this question. On the Joshua Tree alone, the few songs that weren't singles are probably the best songs. Or do I only think that because I got tired of hearing the other ones all the time?

I'd say Radiohead, but then all you Brits will post about the singles that were singles in the UK but not the US and it would be a big mess. :p

Joy Division has more songs than Love Will Tear Us Apart, but I think it's their best song, even if it is overplayed.