A bands actual best song.

[Snake_Baker]

Dunno if I am alone in this thought, but IMO a band very often produces it's best music before it's wave hits the peak of popularity, that coincides with lesser quality songs.

This thread is about discussing and tabling ideas based upon this theme.

Take for example, Dexy's Midnight Runners, who had a world wide hit with "Come on Eileen" in 1982.

IMO, they produced a much better song with the lesser known "Geno" in 1980.

 

[Mootsy]

I still think REM's early stuff was their "gems" era. They weren't really big until around 1988.

 

[DEVO]

Dunno if I am alone in this thought, but IMO a band very often produces it's best music before it's wave hits the peak of popularity, that coincides with lesser quality songs.

This thread is about discussing and tabling ideas based upon this theme.

Take for example, Dexy's Midnight Runners, who had a world wide hit with "Come on Eileen" in 1982.

IMO, they produced a much better song with the lesser known "Geno" in 1980.

As all fellow NMFC supporters will attest, you are alone in most of your thoughts but with this one you maybe onto something.

Although I would also say that with some bands, their best song may be during their peak popularity but is unknown because it wasn't released as single. Blondie's peak period was between 1978-80 with the releases of "Parallel Lines", "Eat To The Beat" and "Autoamerican". Everybody knows "Heart Of Glass", "Hanging On The Telephone", "One Way Or Another", "Atomic", "Tide Is High", "Rapture" and a countless others but very few know of "Fade Away And Radiate" which I believe is the best song in their catalogue.

Regarding you DMR's song I do like "Geno", but "Come On Eileen" is my favourite. I own a T-Shirt which says I Came On Eileen.

 

[WireHawk]

I think 'In The Sun' is Blondie's best song.
I love the way Debbie dances here!

 

[rank and file]

You can take your pick on early Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds,but since they have morphed into Nick Cave and The Dirty Three,the last few albums have been s**t.

 

[Snake_Baker]

AC/DC are a classic example.

They broke with "You Shook Me All Night Long", after putting together dozens of songs and far better albums prior to "Back in Black"

IMO, "Powerage" was their peak, and has been referred to as AC/DC's muso's choice album.

 

[Drugs Are Bad Mackay?]

Nothing Ever Happened by Deerhunter

 

[DEVO]

I think 'In The Sun' is Blondie's best song.
I love the way Debbie dances here!

I love "In The Sun", but it isn't even the best song on their debut album. "Attack Of The Giant Ants", "Look Good In Blue", "Kung Fu Girls", "Rip Her To Shreds" or "Rifle Range" gets my vote, depending on my mood.
Debbie's admits herself she is not a great dancer (for further confirmation watch any live performance) which is partly why she is so cool.

 

[Papa G]

AC/DC are a classic example.

They broke with "You Shook Me All Night Long", after putting together dozens of songs and far better albums prior to "Back in Black"

IMO, "Powerage" was their peak, and has been referred to as AC/DC's muso's choice album.

Let there be Rock is ACDC's best song.

 

[Snake_Baker]

Midnight Oil are another band who fit right in this category.

Nationally, they really broke with "Power and the Passion", and internationally with "Beds are Burning", but IMO, they have had dozens of better songs prior to these releases. "Beds are Burning" isn't even close to the best song on its album.

 

[La Dispute]

Nothing Ever Happened by Deerhunter

It’s a decent song, but that middle section drags on way too long. They then extend it to about 10-15 minutes when they play it live, and it turns into a genuine snooze fest.

It has a really nice bass hook and cool drumming and a pretty catchy chorus for a Deerhunter song. Very cool outro too.

 

[La Dispute]

Re: the premise of the thread, I agree on most occasions a band/artists overall popularity will never directly coincide with them producing their best music.

There are exceptions. Kendrick Lamar arguably was at his best and most popular with TPAB and Kanye West with MBDTF.

I was too young to remember but Radiohead would have been unbelievably popular when OK Computer came out and stayed popular.

 

[La Dispute]

I still think REM's early stuff was their "gems" era. They weren't really big until around 1988.

REM are an interesting band in terms of having a decades worth of really strong material behind them, but have never been considered the biggest band in the world at any point. Contrast that with a band like U2 who were started around the same time, had a few solid albums and then became massive after the Joshua Tree.

Put all their singles side-by-side though and they’ve got roughly the same number.

 

[Roobs321]

REM are an interesting band in terms of having a decades worth of really strong material behind them, but have never been considered the biggest band in the world at any point. Contrast that with a band like U2 who were started around the same time, had a few solid albums and then became massive after the Joshua Tree.

Put all their singles side-by-side though and they’ve got roughly the same number.

They were considered to be in that mix heading into the 90s (along with other big-name bands of the time like U2, INXS, Guns N Roses, Metallica, etc.).

In the US they tend to be lionized as a key force in the history of alternative rock. Pretty good legacy.

 

[Eddie Dingle]

They were considered to be in that mix heading into the 90s (along with other big-name bands of the time like U2, INXS, Guns N Roses, Metallica, etc.).

In the US they tend to be lionized as a key force in the history of alternative rock. Pretty good legacy.

When Brenda and Dylan broke up on 90210 REM were just about the biggest band in the English speaking world.

Yes I am ashamed I know that.

 

[the_interloper]

Metallica hit mainstream popularity with the Black Album in 1991 but became huge in the metal community in 1986 with Master of Puppets. (As im told anyway, i was 5). Anyway I think this is still their best song, it's metal but with a few mellow parts, they way it all glues together is perfection and you still see metal bands today trying to do this:

 

[adammania9]

Let there be Rock is ACDC's best song.

Whole lotta rosie

 

[raskolnikov]

One of Oasis's earliest songs was their best IMO and released as a B side.

 

[Plugger35]

The Church

This is their best song especially live, it came after their early hits like Unguarded Moment,and Almost With You and before Under The Milky Way.




Saw them live in San Diego in 1999 and they didn't play any of their so called hits but they played Tantalized and it was the highlight of the show.

They also played it after their ARIA Hall of Fame induction with an orchestra which is just amazing.

 

[TheGreatBarryB]

Kings of Leon had huge commercial success with 2008 Only By The Night album and mega hit Sex on Fire. I liked their pre ‘08 stuff and Red Morning Light as best song.

High Voltage best AC/DC song.

 

[sdfc]

The Church

This is their best song especially live, it came after their early hits like Unguarded Moment,and Almost With You and before Under The Milky Way.




Saw them live in San Diego in 1999 and they didn't play any of their so called hits but they played Tantalized and it was the highlight of the show.

They also played it after their ARIA Hall of Fame induction with an orchestra which is just amazing.

Heyday was their best album I reckon.

 

[The Dice Man]

Kings of Leon had huge commercial success with 2008 Only By The Night album and mega hit Sex on Fire. I liked their pre ‘08 stuff and Red Morning Light as best song.

High Voltage best AC/DC song.

The Bucket or King of the Rodeo for mine.

 

[RobbieGray17]

Was just thinking this last night.

Say Hello, Wave Goodbye - Soft Cell

 

[adammania9]

Definitely one of The Who's best pieces

Recorded in 1967 but didn't see the light of day until released on a mega compilation in 1994. Extraordinary because I don't think any other song of theirs displays the talents of each individual member to the level that this song does.

 

[adammania9]

Also this is a stupidly good song of AC/DC's, probably my favourite to never be released





Brian Johnson's AC/DC was also very good, but us rock gurus were truly robbed of a long career by Bon Scott.