Every artist will have their last big hit. However, one year stands clear as the end for more legends than any other. Why did this year kill so many careers? What can it teach us about 2024?
- I kept thinking you would mention Donna Summer who had her last Top 10 in 1989. Granted, she had some terrific Dance hits in the 90's but never returned to the Top 10 on the Hot 100.
- Also, Linda Ronstadt had her last Top 10 in 1989. She had some follow-ups from her 1989 album hit the charts in early 1990 but no more in the Top 10.
- Another name that came to mind but likely didn't meet your criteria with their last Top 10 in 1989 was: Alice Cooper ... and a couple who just barely missed the Top 10 with their last Top 20: Aretha Franklin (although continued her success in the R&B charts), Stevie Nicks (although Fleetwood Mac continued...and her "Sometimes It's a Bitch" from 1991 should've done better than #56), and (Jefferson) Starship had "It's Not Enough" peak at #12. Paul McCartney's last Top 40 "My Brave Face" (great song) peaked at 25 (but would return Top 10 with Beatles releases.) Billy Ocean's chart success comes to an abrupt ending with #32 peaking "License to Chill." Paul Carrack (Ace, Solo, Mike & the Mechanics, Squeeze, etc.,) comes to mind too but that's too much research...I'll stop.
I ALMOST included Donna Summer's "This Time I Know It's for Real." She had 14 Top 10s that spent 99 weeks in total in the Top 10. And even though "She Works Hard for the Money" reached #3 in '83, her 1989 single felt like a comeback at the time. Ultimately, the only reason I didn't include her was because she started her career in the Disco era, not the "Oldies" era. She totally deserves a paragraph... but I'm already long-winded. :-)
I also was tempted to mention both Linda Ronstadt and Aaron Neville for 1989's ""Don't Know Much". It was Ronstadt's last Top 10 and Neville's 2nd last before his 1991 remake of ""Everybody Plays the Fool"
Alice Cooper, Stevie Nicks, and Billy Ocean were also all in the data analysis, but didn't make the cut for the nine most quintessential examples. Same for Roberta Flack. Foreigner, Heart and Styx. I considered Steve Winwood. He technically counts thanks to "Gimme Some Lovin'" (The Spencer Davis Group) in 1967, but it felt disingenuous since he's best remembered for Traffic. His last Top 10 in 1988 was [checks notes] a Michelob commercial?
I really wanted to mention Aretha Franklin's, Smokey Robinson's and Stevie Wonder's last Top 10s, but they hit a year or two too early to count. Same with Starship., simply for the irony of their last Top 10 being "It's Not Over ('Til It's Over)" Same with Rod Stewart, Tina Turner, and Billy Joel, whose last hits came a bit too late in 1993
I was even tempted to mention Bette Midler, whose Top 10 hit-making started with nostalgia (1973's remake of the WWII standard "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy"), included 1980s "The Rose", then seemingly re-emerged out of nowhere with Delilah classics "Wind Beneath My Wings" (1989) and "From a Distance" (1990)
Thanks for reading, Randall---and thanks for adding to the list of artists. We could do this stuff all day!!! :-)
That was a fun read! Couple thoughts...
- I kept thinking you would mention Donna Summer who had her last Top 10 in 1989. Granted, she had some terrific Dance hits in the 90's but never returned to the Top 10 on the Hot 100.
- Also, Linda Ronstadt had her last Top 10 in 1989. She had some follow-ups from her 1989 album hit the charts in early 1990 but no more in the Top 10.
- Another name that came to mind but likely didn't meet your criteria with their last Top 10 in 1989 was: Alice Cooper ... and a couple who just barely missed the Top 10 with their last Top 20: Aretha Franklin (although continued her success in the R&B charts), Stevie Nicks (although Fleetwood Mac continued...and her "Sometimes It's a Bitch" from 1991 should've done better than #56), and (Jefferson) Starship had "It's Not Enough" peak at #12. Paul McCartney's last Top 40 "My Brave Face" (great song) peaked at 25 (but would return Top 10 with Beatles releases.) Billy Ocean's chart success comes to an abrupt ending with #32 peaking "License to Chill." Paul Carrack (Ace, Solo, Mike & the Mechanics, Squeeze, etc.,) comes to mind too but that's too much research...I'll stop.
Thanks for your work!
I ALMOST included Donna Summer's "This Time I Know It's for Real." She had 14 Top 10s that spent 99 weeks in total in the Top 10. And even though "She Works Hard for the Money" reached #3 in '83, her 1989 single felt like a comeback at the time. Ultimately, the only reason I didn't include her was because she started her career in the Disco era, not the "Oldies" era. She totally deserves a paragraph... but I'm already long-winded. :-)
I also was tempted to mention both Linda Ronstadt and Aaron Neville for 1989's ""Don't Know Much". It was Ronstadt's last Top 10 and Neville's 2nd last before his 1991 remake of ""Everybody Plays the Fool"
Alice Cooper, Stevie Nicks, and Billy Ocean were also all in the data analysis, but didn't make the cut for the nine most quintessential examples. Same for Roberta Flack. Foreigner, Heart and Styx. I considered Steve Winwood. He technically counts thanks to "Gimme Some Lovin'" (The Spencer Davis Group) in 1967, but it felt disingenuous since he's best remembered for Traffic. His last Top 10 in 1988 was [checks notes] a Michelob commercial?
I really wanted to mention Aretha Franklin's, Smokey Robinson's and Stevie Wonder's last Top 10s, but they hit a year or two too early to count. Same with Starship., simply for the irony of their last Top 10 being "It's Not Over ('Til It's Over)" Same with Rod Stewart, Tina Turner, and Billy Joel, whose last hits came a bit too late in 1993
I was even tempted to mention Bette Midler, whose Top 10 hit-making started with nostalgia (1973's remake of the WWII standard "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy"), included 1980s "The Rose", then seemingly re-emerged out of nowhere with Delilah classics "Wind Beneath My Wings" (1989) and "From a Distance" (1990)
Thanks for reading, Randall---and thanks for adding to the list of artists. We could do this stuff all day!!! :-)