4 Classic Rock Bands That Only Had 1 Chart-Topping Song
TL;DR:
- Aerosmith released many classic rock songs but only had one No. 1 hit.
- Fleetwood Mac was in the same boat, even though they had a lot of commercial appeal.
- The Mamas & the Papas’ only No. 1 song probably isn’t their most popular classic rock song today.
Some bands like The Beatles and The Rolling Stones released numerous classic rock songs that reached No. 1 in the United States. Other groups only topped the chart a single time. For example, Aerosmith’s only No. 1 song came out decades into the band’s career.
4. Aerosmith’s ‘I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing’
According to The Billboard Book of Number 1 Hits, Aerosmith reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 with the tune “I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing” in 1998. Notably, Aerosmith formed in 1970. An act reaching No. 1 for the first time that late into its career is remarkable.
The theme song for the disaster movie Armageddon, “I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing” is a power ballad, making it uncharacteristic for an Aerosmith hit. Perhaps mixing hard rock with Celine Dion-style lyrics was just what Aerosmith needed to finally hit No. 1.
3. Pink Floyd’s ‘Another Brick In The Wall (Part II)’
Pink Floyd were wildly successful, but their songs were rarely radio hits in the United States. In addition, the band put out the disco song “Another Brick In The Wall (Part II)” as a single months after Disco Demolition Night ruined the genre’s reputation. Despite this, “Another Brick In The Wall (Part II)” became the biggest hit of Pink Floyd’s career. Apparently, a lot of people really don’t like going to school!
2. Fleetwood Mac’s ‘Dreams’
Fleetwood Mac released many commercial singles, including “Landslide,” “Rhiannon,” and “Go Your Own Way.” However, “Dreams” is their only chart-topper. That’s shocking, given the band’s broad appeal. On another level, the success of “Dreams” makes sense because it’s their best song.
“Dreams” is a song about cynicism and complicated emotions, topics that don’t get a lot of attention on the pop charts. Perhaps that’s why it still resonates. All these years later, it doesn’t sound remotely dated. An indie folk band could have released this song yesterday. If any song in the classic rock canon is timeless, it’s “Dreams.”
1. The Mamas & The Papas’ ‘Monday, Monday’
Between John Phillips’ songwriting and Mama Cass’ vocals, The Mamas & the Papas probably deserve more attention from classic rock fans. “California Dreamin'” is probably their most popular song today. However, “Monday, Monday” was their only No. 1.
Most listeners can sadly relate to Phillips’ vision of a Monday morning that’s difficult to get through. Despite this, the baroque pop elements of the song make it beautiful. “Monday, Monday” shows The Mamas & the Papas could live up to the high standards of their contemporaries like The Beatles and The Rolling Stones. It’s sad they didn’t stay together for a long time because they could have done so much more as a group.
These bands definitely deserved to top the charts more often, but at least they had one No. 1 hit.
