Some rock songs become legendary, destined to be played on classic rock radio stations for decades to come. And some of those legendary songs somehow didn’t top the Billboard Hot 100 chart when they were first released, despite being massively popular at the time and still popular today. It just doesn’t make sense! Let’s look at a few rock songs released in 1972 that should have topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart, but somehow didn’t get there.
“School’s Out” by Alice Cooper
Alice Cooper had quite a time in the early 1970s. The memorable jam “School’s Out” from 1972 was quite the hefty hit for the shock rocker. This title track from Cooper’s glam rock album of the same name peaked at No. 1 on the UK Singles chart. However, for some reason, the song only made it to No. 7 on the Hot 100 chart in the US. I hear this song constantly, decades after it was released, so I’m pretty shocked it wasn’t a No. 1 hit on our side of the pond. Alice Cooper deserved better!
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“Day After Day” by Badfinger
Released in late 1971 in the US and 1972 in the UK, this pop-rock jam was popular in both countries, among others. “Day After Day” by Badfinger peaked at No. 1 on the Record World Singles Chart in the US. It also reached the Top 10 in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the UK. And yet, it only managed to reach No. 4 on the Hot 100 chart in the US. That’s just wild to me, considering how much of a global hit this jam was back in the day.
“Go All The Way” by Raspberries
How about some classic soft rock? “Go All The Way” by Raspberries was one of the most popular soft rock and power pop songs from 1972. And if the BBC hadn’t banned the tune for its sexually explicit lyrics, I bet this jam would have been a No. 1 hit in the UK. It certainly came close in the US. “Go All The Way” peaked at No. 5 on the Hot 100, and did even better on several other US-based charts. The song also reached No. 14 in Australia and No. 5 in Canada.
Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
More The List
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Aerosmith Aerosmith, Steven Tyler, Vorst-Nationaal, Brussels, Belgium, 31st October 1993. (Photo by Goedefroit Music/Getty Images) -
UNSPECIFIED – JANUARY 01: John LENNON between 1970 and 1973. (Photo by Keystone-France/Gamma-Keystone via Getty Images) -
1972: (L-R) Jim Hodder, David Palmer, Denny Dias, Donald Fagen, Jeff "Skunk" Baxter and Walter Becker of the rock band "Steely Dan" pose for a portrait in 1972. (Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images) -
Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images -
Kyu Sakamoto. (1941-1985) Japanese singer, best known outside Japan for his international hit song "Ue o Muite Aruko" (known as "Sukiyaki" in English-speaking markets), which was sung in Japanese and sold over 13 million copies. It reached number one in the United States Billboard Hot 100 in June 1963, making Sakamoto the first Asian recording artist to have a number one song on the chart. (Photo by Sjöberg Bildbyrå/ullstein bild via Getty Images) -
Picture taken in 1974 in Stockholm shows the Swedish pop group Abba with its members (L-R) Benny Andersson, Anni-Frid Lyngstad, Agnetha Faltskog and Bjorn Ulvaeus posing after winning the Swedish branch of the Eurovision Song Contest with their song "Waterloo". – Sweden's legendary disco group ABBA announced on April 27, 2018 that they have reunited to record two new songs, 35 years after their last single. The quartet split up in 1982 after dominating the disco scene for more than a decade with hits like "Waterloo", "Dancing Queen", "Mamma Mia" and "Super Trouper". (Photo by Olle LINDEBORG / TT News Agency / AFP) / Sweden OUT (Photo credit should read OLLE LINDEBORG/AFP via Getty Images) -
IN CONCERT – Airdate: March 1, 1974. (Photo by ABC Photo Archives/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images) LINDA RONSTADT
