What Are John Mellencamp’s 5 Biggest US Hits?

John Mellencamp might have fought against both authority and the notion of being a pop singer throughout his career. But lo and behold, the guy enjoyed one of the most successful commercial stretches among his peers.

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These five tracks might not immediately be what you consider when you think of Mellencamp’s best songs. But they stand tall as his five biggest hits on the US pop charts.

5. “Lonely Ol’ Night” – No. 6 in 1985

Both “Lonely Ol’ Night” and “Small Town” hit No. 6 as the first two singles from Mellencamp’s Scarecrow album in 1985. The former did a little bit better internationally, which is why it made the list. (Since then, “Small Town” has become more of an anthem for him). On “Lonely Ol’ Night”, Mellencamp taps into the unique combination of loneliness and hope relatable to many in the audience. It fits well with the overall ethos of Scarecrow, an album where he was able to square away his artistic ambitions with his pop star status.

4. “Wild Night” (featuring Me’Shell Ndegeocello) – No. 3 in 1994

Many of his 80s heartland rock peers had faded from the pop charts by the time the mid-90s hit. Ironically, Mellencamp, who often expressed his distaste for playing that game, proved quite adept at consistently slinging a hit or two from every album. “Wild Night” showed off his excellent taste in cover material. The original gave Van Morrison a minor hit, but it wasn’t exactly a universally known smash. Mellencamp caught sparks on the cover by connecting with Me’Shell Ndegeocello for a sultry duet.

3. “R.O.C.K. In The U.S.A. (A Salute To ’60s Rock)” – No. 2 in 1986

In the mid-80s, you could get away with going many songs deep into your album in terms of releasing singles. With Scarecrow, Mellencamp had the kind of record with the kind of depth to make that work. Hence, after already delivering two Top 10 hits from the record, Mellencamp scored even bigger with the good-timey smash “R.O.C.K. In The U.S.A. (A Salute To ‘60s Rock)”. It says something that some of the artists he name-checks aren’t necessarily the absolute titans of the era. The suggestion is that the song is ultimately bigger than the artist.

2. “Hurts So Good” – No. 2 in 1982

Heading into his fifth album, Mellencamp had undergone some wild artistic shifts as he tried to find his identity. Record company interference certainly didn’t help matters much. As such, American Fool turned into a kind of make-or-break record for him. He wisely focused on his songwriting and let others worry about how to categorize him. Mellencamp wrote “Hurts So Good” with George Green. The pair came up with an indelible hook that radio couldn’t resist. More important than its own success, this single cleared the way for Mellencamp’s biggest smash ever.

1. “American Fool” – No. 1 in 1982

Mellencamp knew that he liked “Jack And Diane” as a song. But the studio musicians at the time struggled to translate the start-and-stop nature of it. Legendary David Bowie collaborator Mick Ronson, who was helping Mellencamp out at the time, came up with a few of the stylistic flourishes, such as the gospel-like middle section. For all the big production swings, the relatable nature of the storytelling sticks with you more than anything else. And that quality set the tone for all the gems in the Mellencamp catalog to come.

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