Icehouse's "Electric Blue" was massive in their home country Australia. One can't understate enough how huge the whole album campaign "Man Of Colours" was there. It was inescapable!
Preferred them as The Flowers though. They changed their name and style in order to break into the US and unfortunately they also compromised on an edge that made them unique. Great Southern Land is still an Aussie anthem though.
I am in total shock that When In Rome's "The Promise" wasn't a hit in the UK. I always thought it must of been a hit there that transferred over. Such a great song.
Underrated by whom? "Gloria" is a dance-floor classic and she had at least 4 or 5 big hits on Atlantic Records. She was very successful but was not a Streisand or Celine Dion so maybe that's what you mean...
@FriendofDorothy that's what I was thinking, she wasn't underrated, she had a pretty successful career but like most pop artists her success faded towards the end of the 80s
Donna (am a huge fan) had several UK hits before "Last Dance" that failed to be hits in the US. "Love's Unkind" hit #3 UK in early 1978 but never made the Billboard Hot 100.
change of heart Cyndi Lauper US nr.3.UK.67!!!. and the top of it , the video for the song was made in Trafalgar square, London...The same goes for Belinda Carlisle Mad about you!!!!US nr.3, UK 67!!!!
The Go-Go's didn't chart in the UK at all until 95 {I assume that must have been a re-union}. Mad About You was her debut solo single in the US, she went to #1 in the UK about 16 months later with Heaven Is A Place on Earth and Circle in the Sand, Leave a Light On and We Want the Same Thing all went Top 10 in 88/89. She then had a bit of a comeback in 96 with In Too Deep and Always Breaking My Heart also going Top 10.
Certainly Harden my heart, Ride like the wind, you can do magic, pilot of the airwaves & freeway of love is all well known over here (well, by me anyway) but for some reason they barely scraped the charts back then.
That was one of the differences between the US and UK charts at the time though. The charts here in the UK were based purely on sales, whereas in the US they were based on sales and airplay. So whilst we may be familiar with a lot of these songs because they were played on the radio, they just weren't popular enough for us to go out and buy them to push them up the charts.
I was lucky to hear almost all the songs (since 1982) from American Top 40 chart presented by Casey Casem. It was then aired in Europe by Ö3/Blue Danube Radio. Time of my life.
@@vaseline69Funny thing. I lived then north of Austria in rigid communist country (Czechoslovakia). There was lack of information about western music. I've never knew how Casey Casem looked like or how to spell his name. Were even not able to correctly spell some groups names (I thought then that Asia was 'Azure' or Def Leppard were 'The Fleppert' 😂). But as I said - time of my life.
@@vaseline69 We briefly had a year of "Top Of The Pops" which I really relished hearing many unknown songs at the top of the chart. Have been trying to catch up on TH-cam but they are not all here.
Many of these songs are big faves of mine's.Foreigner's,Olivia's, etc except but a few.But generally i personally always prefered UK/European charts cause i found them fascinating,less 'static",inventive ,crafted with more imaginative wit and non-predictable plus way more fun.Love those clips btw.Thank u.
About 3/4 of these were hits in Australia. And about the same vice versa with UK hits US flops. We were so lucky with our music here we had a good mix of both plus our Australian hits too. Good to see some Aussie representation with Olivia Newton John, Air Supply and Icehouse. Im surprised they flopped in Britain when traditionally they're more open to our music and artists than America is.
Twist of Fate got some boost due to its tie in with a movie. Two of a Kind wasn’t good, but it got some buzz as a reunion event for ONJ and John Travolta. I’m genuinely surprised to learn Icehouse wasn’t more successful in the UK.
In my opinion, I believe the Australian music market is/was very underrated and you mates out there have the right balance of hit exposure. You have your own acts of course (i.e. Men at Work, INXS, Midnight Oil, Air Supply, Kylie Minogue and many more), plus both UK and US markets. A very broad perspective on music styles. Air Supply in particular were very famous in my home country at their peak, even they tour there and us who grew up in that time remember them fondly.
@ExplorHits …..this is only my opinion, as I don’t live in the UK, yet I’m fascinated with their 80s and early 90s music charts. For what I’ve seen overall, the UK public at the time seemed not to be very fond of ballads (there are always exceptions, i.e. “The Power of Love” by Jennifer Rush, some Whitney Houston songs, anything featured on a movie or a musical, etc.). At the start of the decade the UK was already innovating in their music while in the US it took a while longer to get out of the 70s vibes. UK music at the time seemed to go for more uptempo/dance/club/some rock styles. Plus in the US, a ballad hit meant a much wider audience - particularly among women - and therefore higher chart positions (even the glam metal acts took advantage of this with success - hence...the "Power Ballad"). Add to the mix, the fragmentation of radio stations in the US catered to specific audiences while in the UK it seemed that was much less. Just my observation.
Im surprised that Ice House didnt heat up the UK charts. Electric Blue is a brilliant song that to me, sounds exactly like the kind of song that would/should have hit Top 10 at the time. Same with the song, "Touch the Fire". Thats a Brilliant one!!!! A lot of the songs Im hearing here sound like the sort of Euro Electro Pop that, again would defo have fared better in mainland Europe and should have reached higher in the UK. 👍
That and 'Sunglasses at Night' are really the only two on this list where I think the Brits got it wrong (although I guess I also have a soft spot for 'Party All the Time'.
Actually MSM had several hits in the UK before "Conga" became their 1st US hit. "Dr. Beat" hit #6 UK and charted in many countries around the world in 1984 but failed to hit the Billboard Hot 100.
The UK for the most part their hits were more progressive in the 80s with Synth, HiNrg, Alt Music, Acid House, and Techno. The ironic thing is that most of these genres started here in the USA
@@ranlive1 Nobody said it sounded like her. At the time "Harden My Heart" was released Quarterflash singer "Rindy" Ross LOOKED a whole lot like Pat Benatar.
@robertmyers7383 Some of the bands that did very well in Europe may have had a little what you may call a little cult following here in The United States but that was about it.
@@michaelmack1035 I have alot of respect for British bands and solo artists. Their population is 1/7 of US population and they have almost the same amount of popular songs as the US. Well at least throughout 60''s to 80's. You can even say pound for pound they might be ahead.
That and unless you traveled frequently in those days it was very easy for audiences on either side of the Atlantic not to know what was happening on the other. Seems like a band from the UK would establish some musical identity further a few years and by the time we learned about them in the States these bands were pretty polished. Often by the time we knew about them they were already about to break up.
The Outfield’s “Your Love” was kind of a sleeper in the UK. It’s one of those songs that we all sort of know it when we hear it, but it’s just not one of those songs you actively go out of your way to listen to. The UK pumped out so many big artists and songs in the 80s, that this kinda seemed a bit “Meh!” for the time, even for us. Love the song though.
I wonder how I managed to miss "How Can I Fall?" by Breathe here in the US. I need to check that one out. I definitely heard "Hands to Heaven" back then.
The Alan Parsons Project ("Time", "Don't Answer Me") couldn't catch a break in their native England, where they were dismissed as Pink Floyd Lite. In the US they had 7 Top 20 hits, with "Eye in the Sky" peaking at #3. In the UK they never cracked the Top 40.
Surprising it didn't do well in their native Britain but was a hit in the US. But maybe there were too many similar synth-pop songs in the UK whereas there were less of those in the US.
Despite the advent of videos, there was/is a big difference between Top-40 radio and (by that time) FM radio stations that specializes in taste ghetto genres (R&B, country, rock). This was the heyday of L.As KROQ and similar radio stations.
With the exception of three, maybe 4 songs, I am with the Bitts. Urgent.....cant believe that wasnt a hit. Thats such a good song from a brilliant band. Juke Box Hero and their biggest hit, I want to know what love is.
I always liked Saxon version of ride like the wind. That song was played to the death in my house as a teenager. I still sing very loudly if it appears on my playlist.
A Woman Needs Love (Just Like You Do) Ray Parker, Jr. and Raydio 1981 (US: #4/UK: Failed To Chart) The Other Woman - Ray Parker, Jr. 1982 (US: #4/UK: Failed To Chart) I'll Always Love You - Taylor Dayne 1988 (US: #3/UK: #41) Real Love - The Doobie Brothers 1980 (US: #5/UK: No UK release) Tonight She Comes - The Cars
Many of these were hits here in the Netherlands. We took the best of four worlds: our own country, the rest of continental Europe, the UK and the US. On the other hand: Kenny Loggins "Footloose" charted everywhere in 1984 but not in NL. Nevertheless, everyone here knows the song because of the movie and the musicals made of it.
As an Aussie, we were caught in the middle somewhere. The UK was producing edgier and more innovative stuff at the is time and US style soft rock just didn’t fit. No surprise why many of these songs failed. We were fortunate that we got the best of both along with our own outstanding local music scene. TBH I was a much bigger fan of what was coming out of the UK and Aussie pub rock.
Outfield song Use Your Love was one of my favorite in the 80's. They sample this song many times in the dance clubs and in the DJ concerts all over the world.
There are 24 hrs in a day. There were 100's of Great Songs during the 80's Unfortunately not all of them got Air play. Thanks to D Internet, We can reminiscence
The Brits have good taste in many of these cases. That Eddie Murphy song was the most annoying "hit" of the decade. Also, it's strange how some of these songs never made it to #1 yet are some of the most memorable of the decade.
A lot of these were hits in the US in more uptempo versions: * "Party All the Time" was a #8 hit when remixed by Sharam of Deep Dish in 2006: th-cam.com/video/_J664Dq5Rbo/w-d-xo.html * "Angel of the Morning" was used as the chorus of Shaggy's #1 hit "Angel" in 2001: th-cam.com/video/_j_HYMUakpk/w-d-xo.html * "Sunglasses at Night" made #25 for Tiga & Zyntherius in 2002: th-cam.com/video/2kE8565_xrc/w-d-xo.html I was surprised that "Conga" was not a hit in the UK, but then the novelty "Do the Conga" by Black Lace did make #10: th-cam.com/video/0V6N4elMVX4/w-d-xo.html I discovered the Outfield song in the last ten years by playing SongPop. I've heard a few of these on that game, which is developed in the US, but that's the only one I'd say we missed out on.
Real talk: a hit in the US is a hit, period. A hit in the UK is just a hit in the UK. I'd much rather have a number one song in America that flops everywhere else than the other way around.
you're wrong! In fact, it is the opposite, the majority of US hits stay in America, British hits reach ALL of Europe and Oceania, and on many occasions also to America!
Ok, not gonna lie, I found this very shocking. But I think the two songs that really jumped out was When In Rome - The Promise, because it has such a euro sound and Corey Hart - Sunglasses at Night, that song was HUGE in the US and was everywhere so I would have thought they would have tried to push more in the UK
Proving the Brits have little taste. 😁 More proof UK #1's in the 80s - Mash - 'Theme From M*A*S*H (Suicide Is Painless)', Joe Dolce Music Theatre - 'Shaddap You Face', Julio Iglesias - 'Begin The Beguine (Volver A Empezar)', Spitting Image - 'The Chicken Song', Jive Bunny & The Mastermixers - 'Swing The Mood'
The song I always remember was 'Maniac' Michael Sembella , a US Number One, but in the UK only made Number 43. Also Expose had 7 US top 10 hits, but none of them got higher that number 75 in the UK..
I know several songs sad yes they never really breakout in Europe. I miss the 80's music so much !! Laura Branigan is in Europe a kind of "One Hit Wonder" with her song Self Control. I do not know if she was famous for other songs. I'm shock for Bette Midler .. The Rose is such a classic now I love Conga by Miami Sound Machine & still love Gloria Estefan :) at least it was nr1 in Spain & nr 5 in Belgium "Puttin' On the Ritz" by Taco was nr1 in Finland & nr 3 in Austria.
A few of these songs I do not remember hearing before now... Most of them? Where hits in Iceland. The island is "clearly" West of UK and East of USA... Also North of both!
Shocking on some of those classics, with the TACO U.K. video for PUTTIN' ON THE RITZ having more 'blackface' than the U,.S. video (they missed cutting out ones image) and THE MOTELS' ONLY THE LONELY is one of the most shocking non-U./K. charters along with FREEWAY OF LOVE by ARETHA FRANKLIN. Hmmmmm.
A few of these songs are unfamiliar even to most Americans today. In fact I'd never heard that Deniece William's song before, I always thought "Let's Hear It For the Boy" was her one and only hit. You never hear America's "You Can Do Magic" anymore either.
Deniece Williams had several hit singles. including "Free", "Too Much, Too Little, Too Late", and I think also a track called "Black Butterfly". But yes, "Let's Hear it For the Boy" was her biggie. Her version of "It's Gonna Take a Miracle" (a remake of same song by The Royalettes) did quite well on the charts here in USA.
@@728huey As a white suburbanite who listens mostly to mainstream pop radio, "Let's Hear It For the Boy" might as well be the only Deniece Williams song that exists.
Hi mate could allso do 10s list of UK Number Ones but flop in the US include Example's Changed The Way You Kiss Me and Stay Awake in it they both went to number one in 2011 and allso please include him in the thumbnail. And am Lucky am From the UK we had these amazing Dance Bangers from the 90s 00s and 10s. And shame the US does'nt like Dance Music very Much 😢😢.
Missing a few INXS songs - The One Thing, What You Need in particular. More Than You Know by Martika Conversely a few Madonna songs were UK #1s but not US
SO many great songs flopped in the UK! So weird! Several of those were big hits in Brazil: Solitaire, Ride Like The Wind, Harden My Heart, The Promise, Your Love, Lost In Love, You Can Do Magic, Talking In Your Sleep, It's Gonna Take a Miracle, Jeopardy and Putting On The Ritz. IGTAMiracle was the song that made me fall in love with Deniece Williams's voice. I love her Black Butterfly compilation album. The title track talks about racism in a subtle, yet very powerful way, without shoving it down people's throats. It's excellent. As for Jeopardy, for a long time I thought it was a song by the guys who did 'centerfold' and 'freeze frame' (I forget their names nows). All three songs are great, anyway. Thanks for another interesting video.
@@ExplorHits She's got a great voice! So does Randy Williams, another favourite of mine, who happens to have the most amazing smile in show business! 🙂
Most of these arguably didn't deserve to hit in the UK, apart from the excellent Voices Carry, Sunglasses at Night, Ride Like the Wind, Party All the Time and Conga. The rest, even by usually great artists like Aretha, Cyndi Lauper and Deniece Williams, are either bad or simply unmemorable.
Icehouse's "Electric Blue" was massive in their home country Australia. One can't understate enough how huge the whole album campaign "Man Of Colours" was there. It was inescapable!
SUCH a great song.
Very true.😊
The album Man of Colours is an underrated pop masterpiece.
Preferred them as The Flowers though. They changed their name and style in order to break into the US and unfortunately they also compromised on an edge that made them unique. Great Southern Land is still an Aussie anthem though.
There are so many UK smash hits that didn't do well here in the USA.
It's not the same. Passports didn't do well in the USA either. 🙂
They also did videos going that way.
In the 80's the UK seemed to like that same deadpan vocals and synthesizer sound. Very boring. Americans prefer a little more variety in our music...
Eastside Beat made "Ride like the wind" a UK hit in 1991 and Sharam made "Party all the time" a UK hit in 2006.
True!
I am in total shock that When In Rome's "The Promise" wasn't a hit in the UK. I always thought it must of been a hit there that transferred over. Such a great song.
It also has a British feel with the synth
It’s an AWESOME song!! One of my alltime faves. Can’t believe the Brits didn’t go for it 🙄😔
By then, anything Stock Aitken Waterman and Eurodance in its early stages were the thing in the UK.
I always thought Orchestral Maneuvers in the Dark (OMD) sang that song. Shock!
Believe me, it would have been a massive hit if I was old enough to buy records then. It's a brilliant song
There were lots of hits that topped the charts in Europe that never made it in the U.S.
They also did videos going that way.
Poor Laura Branigan. She always was so underrated. Such talent!
True, I loved her so much!
Such a good podcast about her btw.. "Mobituaries"- she died so young ♡
Underrated by whom? "Gloria" is a dance-floor classic and she had at least 4 or 5 big hits on Atlantic Records. She was very successful but was not a Streisand or Celine Dion so maybe that's what you mean...
@FriendofDorothy that's what I was thinking, she wasn't underrated, she had a pretty successful career but like most pop artists her success faded towards the end of the 80s
Gloria and Self Control were both big hits in Europe
Donna summers "last dance " only made it to #51 UK. Won an academy award in the USA
That's 70s.
@@rachelplows3001I know that. I'm pointing out that a huge hit in America that received an academy award never reached the top 40 UK
not sure why UK chart matters...any singer in the world would rather make it big in the US.
Donna (am a huge fan) had several UK hits before "Last Dance" that failed to be hits in the US. "Love's Unkind" hit #3 UK in early 1978 but never made the Billboard Hot 100.
Twist Of Fate, one of ONJ's best!
It was a modern rock style song! Her last Top 10 hit in the US.
One of my favorites!
I love 'Twist of faith'
Wow! Same goes with UK hits that flopped in the USA
Wow! Such great hits!! I was a teen in the 1980's.
change of heart Cyndi Lauper US nr.3.UK.67!!!. and the top of it , the video for the song was made in Trafalgar square, London...The same goes for Belinda Carlisle Mad about you!!!!US nr.3, UK 67!!!!
Belinda Carlisle ended up having hit singles in the UK a few years after she'd stopped having them in the US.
@@trickygoose2yeah she had her share of hits in the UK and were good songs.
@@trickygoose2 Yep, that's true for Belinda
The Go-Go's didn't chart in the UK at all until 95 {I assume that must have been a re-union}.
Mad About You was her debut solo single in the US, she went to #1 in the UK about 16 months later with Heaven Is A Place on Earth and Circle in the Sand, Leave a Light On and We Want the Same Thing all went Top 10 in 88/89.
She then had a bit of a comeback in 96 with In Too Deep and Always Breaking My Heart also going Top 10.
@@franohmsford7548 according to Wikipedia, they reformed to record some new tracks for a compilation that was released in 1995.
Certainly Harden my heart, Ride like the wind, you can do magic, pilot of the airwaves & freeway of love is all well known over here (well, by me anyway) but for some reason they barely scraped the charts back then.
I can remember all of them getting quite a lot of airplay in the UK at the time.
Audiences are fickle. Sometimes they’re not ready for a particular aesthetic when it debuts or just not in the mood, but like it after later review.
I remember those too, they were played lots on the radio. Angel of the morning is still a favourite of mine.
I never heard of them
That was one of the differences between the US and UK charts at the time though. The charts here in the UK were based purely on sales, whereas in the US they were based on sales and airplay. So whilst we may be familiar with a lot of these songs because they were played on the radio, they just weren't popular enough for us to go out and buy them to push them up the charts.
I was lucky to hear almost all the songs (since 1982) from American Top 40 chart presented by Casey Casem. It was then aired in Europe by Ö3/Blue Danube Radio. Time of my life.
fond memories, pre streaming , Casey and his funky knitwear
@@vaseline69Funny thing. I lived then north of Austria in rigid communist country (Czechoslovakia). There was lack of information about western music. I've never knew how Casey Casem looked like or how to spell his name. Were even not able to correctly spell some groups names (I thought then that Asia was 'Azure' or Def Leppard were 'The Fleppert' 😂). But as I said - time of my life.
Am in the US and never missed Casey's weekly Radio show when I was a kid and then latched onto his Top 10 TV show. He is missed!
@@larrycj4382 I'm in the UK and we had a cutdown version of his show during the kids tv on a Saturday
@@vaseline69 We briefly had a year of "Top Of The Pops" which I really relished hearing many unknown songs at the top of the chart. Have been trying to catch up on TH-cam but they are not all here.
Many of these songs are big faves of mine's.Foreigner's,Olivia's, etc except but a few.But generally i personally always prefered UK/European charts cause i found them fascinating,less 'static",inventive ,crafted with more imaginative wit and non-predictable plus way more fun.Love those clips btw.Thank u.
Can you do hits in the UK and flops in the USA 80s edition?
Yup, that will come as well^^
@@ExplorHits Why did you skip so many Kate Bush songs? She is HUGE in the UK.
@@bunjijumper5345 It's a random selection, I'll need to make several videos to cover most hits.
About 3/4 of these were hits in Australia. And about the same vice versa with UK hits US flops. We were so lucky with our music here we had a good mix of both plus our Australian hits too. Good to see some Aussie representation with Olivia Newton John, Air Supply and Icehouse. Im surprised they flopped in Britain when traditionally they're more open to our music and artists than America is.
I will never understand how Air Supply failed so hard in the UK with their amazing songs.
Twist of Fate got some boost due to its tie in with a movie. Two of a Kind wasn’t good, but it got some buzz as a reunion event for ONJ and John Travolta.
I’m genuinely surprised to learn Icehouse wasn’t more successful in the UK.
In my opinion, I believe the Australian music market is/was very underrated and you mates out there have the right balance of hit exposure. You have your own acts of course (i.e. Men at Work, INXS, Midnight Oil, Air Supply, Kylie Minogue and many more), plus both UK and US markets. A very broad perspective on music styles. Air Supply in particular were very famous in my home country at their peak, even they tour there and us who grew up in that time remember them fondly.
@ExplorHits …..this is only my opinion, as I don’t live in the UK, yet I’m fascinated with their 80s and early 90s music charts. For what I’ve seen overall, the UK public at the time seemed not to be very fond of ballads (there are always exceptions, i.e. “The Power of Love” by Jennifer Rush, some Whitney Houston songs, anything featured on a movie or a musical, etc.). At the start of the decade the UK was already innovating in their music while in the US it took a while longer to get out of the 70s vibes. UK music at the time seemed to go for more uptempo/dance/club/some rock styles. Plus in the US, a ballad hit meant a much wider audience - particularly among women - and therefore higher chart positions (even the glam metal acts took advantage of this with success - hence...the "Power Ballad"). Add to the mix, the fragmentation of radio stations in the US catered to specific audiences while in the UK it seemed that was much less. Just my observation.
Im surprised that Ice House didnt heat up the UK charts. Electric Blue is a brilliant song that to me, sounds exactly like the kind of song that would/should have hit Top 10 at the time. Same with the song, "Touch the Fire". Thats a Brilliant one!!!!
A lot of the songs Im hearing here sound like the sort of Euro Electro Pop that, again would defo have fared better in mainland Europe and should have reached higher in the UK. 👍
OMG voices carry didnt even CHART in the UK??? Cant believe that! That song ROCKS!!! I could listen to it all day long!!!
the only good song in the whole video
That and 'Sunglasses at Night' are really the only two on this list where I think the Brits got it wrong (although I guess I also have a soft spot for 'Party All the Time'.
@@142chrisjake Yep, this is one of those songs where while both are great, the video is actually the better of the 2. Obvious example being Thriller.
I can't stand Voices Carry, the UK got it right
@@jph0917 Everybody's entitled to their opinion.
The Romantics' song was a chart hit on the UK when Bucks Fizz covered it.
Correct!
@@ExplorHits The Romantics didn't chart in the the Top 100 or Top 200 ?
@@thelonesomejubilee3495 I found out after I've uploaded the video that they peaked at No'134 in the UK.
Certain videos hit different in each country. I lived in Australia and the US and the options to see which songs were completely different.
I'm actually shocked Puttin' on the Ritz didn't chart at all in the UK.
I am too.
Seems like a natural fit for the UK charts.
The song charted in many countries around the world, so it's really odd as Taco is from Europe.
I'm not, it was a dumb song lol
@@walkerpantera True but lots of dumb songs charted in the 1980s.
Angel of the Morning was a great song performed brilliantly by Juice Newton. It deserved to be a global smash hit.
It was a good song, but I wouldn't want Juice Newton to be successful at anything. In real life, she really is a b1tch.
So glad that Foreigner - Urgent, Christopher Cross - Run like the wind & Taco - Puttin’ on the Ritz all managed to reach me though…
these videos are so fun to watch! ty!!
Thank you!
Twist of fate❤
Laura branigan is such a talent that she should've been bigger ❤ the UK has a better taste in music than the US
Many of the most enduring songs didn't chart as high as I would've thought, or even as high as some of the more forgotten ones.
The U.K. had no business sleeping on Gloria Estefan like that 😢
Actually MSM had several hits in the UK before "Conga" became their 1st US hit. "Dr. Beat" hit #6 UK and charted in many countries around the world in 1984 but failed to hit the Billboard Hot 100.
Foreigner - Urgent, Christopher Cross - Ride like the wind, Taco - Puttin’ on the Ritz, how could the UK miss these ones?
Run like the wind was remixed and released in 1991 and was a massive hit all over Europe. I didn’t know until seeing this that it was an 80s song
Eye In The Sky - The Alan Parsons Project 1982 US: #3/UK: Failed To Chart in his own country
The UK for the most part their hits were more progressive in the 80s with Synth, HiNrg, Alt Music, Acid House, and Techno. The ironic thing is that most of these genres started here in the USA
Yeah most pop musical genres are started by African Americans, then taken up and expanded upon by white people et al.
Well damn…I just realized Pat Benatar isn’t the singer of Harden My Heart!! 😲🙈
haha :D
Sounds nothing like her.
@@ranlive1 Nobody said it sounded like her. At the time "Harden My Heart" was released Quarterflash singer "Rindy" Ross LOOKED a whole lot like Pat Benatar.
@@MarkMay-cr6bv She looks NOTHING like Pat Benatar. Pat never had a sax in her mouth either.
Love them all !
On the other hand, there were bands that did very well in Europe, but no so much here in The United States. Ultravox is one of them.
I agree. Actually I saw a video from a European TH-camr who made 100 best European pop songs ever and didn't recognize more than half of them.
@robertmyers7383 Some of the bands that did very well in Europe may have had a little what you may call a little cult following here in The United States but that was about it.
@@michaelmack1035
I have alot of respect for British bands and solo artists. Their population is 1/7 of US population and they have almost the same amount of popular songs as the US. Well at least throughout 60''s to 80's. You can even say pound for pound they might be ahead.
Kinda of weird that "Angel in the Morning" flopped in the UK ... cause it sounds like your typical melodramatic 80's UK pop song 🤗
Of course, a lot of music wasn’t released on both sides of the Atlantic back in the days of physical media.
True, but these recaps include songs that had a full release in the US and the UK.
That and unless you traveled frequently in those days it was very easy for audiences on either side of the Atlantic not to know what was happening on the other.
Seems like a band from the UK would establish some musical identity further a few years and by the time we learned about them in the States these bands were pretty polished. Often by the time we knew about them they were already about to break up.
The Outfield’s “Your Love” was kind of a sleeper in the UK. It’s one of those songs that we all sort of know it when we hear it, but it’s just not one of those songs you actively go out of your way to listen to. The UK pumped out so many big artists and songs in the 80s, that this kinda seemed a bit “Meh!” for the time, even for us.
Love the song though.
I wonder how I managed to miss "How Can I Fall?" by Breathe here in the US. I need to check that one out. I definitely heard "Hands to Heaven" back then.
check out say a prayer for a more upbeat song from the group
They are a UK act so it's odd that the UK missed this song. "Hands" did better - #4 UK and #2 US.
The Alan Parsons Project ("Time", "Don't Answer Me") couldn't catch a break in their native England, where they were dismissed as Pink Floyd Lite. In the US they had 7 Top 20 hits, with "Eye in the Sky" peaking at #3. In the UK they never cracked the Top 40.
Promise by When in Rome is a brilliant song.
It is, I love it!
The Promise was only released in Brazil in 1992 and was a huge success, the most played song of the year.
Surprising it didn't do well in their native Britain but was a hit in the US. But maybe there were too many similar synth-pop songs in the UK whereas there were less of those in the US.
"Sunglasses At Night" also a surprising one..
And yet a Pet Shop Boys/Corey Hart mashup of “West End - Sunglasses” exists. Produced by Bobby O in 1984.
Agree as it was constantly on MTV
Definitely topped Canadian charts.
She Blinded me With Science
US #5
UK #36
Despite the advent of videos, there was/is a big difference between Top-40 radio and (by that time) FM radio stations that specializes in taste ghetto genres (R&B, country, rock). This was the heyday of L.As KROQ and similar radio stations.
With the exception of three, maybe 4 songs, I am with the Bitts. Urgent.....cant believe that wasnt a hit. Thats such a good song from a brilliant band. Juke Box Hero and their biggest hit, I want to know what love is.
A couple of things didn't even seem to have charted in Canada... hadn't heard of them at all before watching this! The rest I recognized immediately.
I always liked Saxon version of ride like the wind. That song was played to the death in my house as a teenager. I still sing very loudly if it appears on my playlist.
WHAT??!! Flops in the uk?? Shid you got me downloading them now in 2024
Surprised Chris Cross wasn’t bigger in the uk. Especially after the success of Arthur’s theme here.
Arthur's Theme was released about 2 years after Ride like the Wind.
One of my favourite songs ever , he is brilliant
The UK hated Air Supply that much? Damn…
A Woman Needs Love (Just Like You Do) Ray Parker, Jr. and Raydio 1981 (US: #4/UK: Failed To Chart)
The Other Woman - Ray Parker, Jr. 1982 (US: #4/UK: Failed To Chart)
I'll Always Love You - Taylor Dayne 1988 (US: #3/UK: #41)
Real Love - The Doobie Brothers 1980 (US: #5/UK: No UK release)
Tonight She Comes - The Cars
There are tons more songs that hit in the UK and flopped in the US!
Well, that was a surprise; I have a newfound respect for the 1980s US charts.
Many of these were hits here in the Netherlands. We took the best of four worlds: our own country, the rest of continental Europe, the UK and the US.
On the other hand: Kenny Loggins "Footloose" charted everywhere in 1984 but not in NL. Nevertheless, everyone here knows the song because of the movie and the musicals made of it.
1:56 this is one of my nost favourite songs
I only know ride like the wind!!
As an Aussie, we were caught in the middle somewhere. The UK was producing edgier and more innovative stuff at the is time and US style soft rock just didn’t fit. No surprise why many of these songs failed. We were fortunate that we got the best of both along with our own outstanding local music scene. TBH I was a much bigger fan of what was coming out of the UK and Aussie pub rock.
They forgot about Sugar Walls
Yes! #9 US and #95 UK where Sheena is from! The song was written by Prince. Their duet of "You Got The Look" did better - #11 UK and #2 US.
Outfield song Use Your Love was one of my favorite in the 80's. They sample this song many times in the dance clubs and in the DJ concerts all over the world.
Strange that a UK band couldn't break into their charts at home.
Quite a few of these were played on the radio a lot in the UK-- they just didn't sell.
You forgot Sheena easton 'Strut' and 'Sugar walls' top 10 in us,flop in uk
I don't think the UK liked Sheen's transition to an edgier style at the time. "Strut" hit #7 US but did not chart in the UK.
I miss the 80s😢
There are 24 hrs in a day. There were 100's of Great Songs during the 80's Unfortunately not all of them got Air play. Thanks to D Internet, We can reminiscence
Interesting video, wonder if Europe,New Zealand, Canada or Australia had hits which had failed in America
When In Rome by The Promise?? i never ever heard of the group or the song.
As a Brit im surprised huge hits in U.K didnt do well in U.S
Frankie Sister Sledge
Chain Reaction Diana Ross
You win again BeeGees
The Brits have good taste in many of these cases. That Eddie Murphy song was the most annoying "hit" of the decade. Also, it's strange how some of these songs never made it to #1 yet are some of the most memorable of the decade.
Cliff Richard ? He is unknown in the USA.
Most of theses songs made the top ten in Australia. 😊
Indeed . Us Aussies had the best of both charts with a few exceptions.
Some of the songs I agree with them, but a lot of the songs deserve to be where the American pop charts ranked them.
God I miss the 80’s
A lot of these were hits in the US in more uptempo versions:
* "Party All the Time" was a #8 hit when remixed by Sharam of Deep Dish in 2006: th-cam.com/video/_J664Dq5Rbo/w-d-xo.html
* "Angel of the Morning" was used as the chorus of Shaggy's #1 hit "Angel" in 2001: th-cam.com/video/_j_HYMUakpk/w-d-xo.html
* "Sunglasses at Night" made #25 for Tiga & Zyntherius in 2002: th-cam.com/video/2kE8565_xrc/w-d-xo.html
I was surprised that "Conga" was not a hit in the UK, but then the novelty "Do the Conga" by Black Lace did make #10: th-cam.com/video/0V6N4elMVX4/w-d-xo.html
I discovered the Outfield song in the last ten years by playing SongPop. I've heard a few of these on that game, which is developed in the US, but that's the only one I'd say we missed out on.
Real talk: a hit in the US is a hit, period. A hit in the UK is just a hit in the UK. I'd much rather have a number one song in America that flops everywhere else than the other way around.
That's not accurate at all, usually a hit in the UK is a hit across Europe as well.
I live in Sweden and there's definitely more hits on the UK version that where hits here too, than in this version.
you're wrong! In fact, it is the opposite, the majority of US hits stay in America, British hits reach ALL of Europe and Oceania, and on many occasions also to America!
Ok, not gonna lie, I found this very shocking. But I think the two songs that really jumped out was When In Rome - The Promise, because it has such a euro sound and Corey Hart - Sunglasses at Night, that song was HUGE in the US and was everywhere so I would have thought they would have tried to push more in the UK
Proving the Brits have little taste. 😁 More proof UK #1's in the 80s - Mash - 'Theme From M*A*S*H (Suicide Is Painless)', Joe Dolce Music Theatre - 'Shaddap You Face', Julio Iglesias - 'Begin The Beguine (Volver A Empezar)', Spitting Image - 'The Chicken Song', Jive Bunny & The Mastermixers - 'Swing The Mood'
Hearts - Marty Balin 1981 US #8/UK: Failed To Chart
Her Town Too - James Taylor & J. D. Souther 1981 US: 11/UK: Failed To Chart
The song I always remember was 'Maniac' Michael Sembella , a US Number One, but in the UK only made Number 43. Also Expose had 7 US top 10 hits, but none of them got higher that number 75 in the UK..
Some of these US hits reappeared yrs. Later in the UK as hits. Very odd. Reissues caught on.
Can this be an apple music playlist pleaseeeee
I know several songs sad yes they never really breakout in Europe. I miss the 80's music so much !!
Laura Branigan is in Europe a kind of "One Hit Wonder" with her song Self Control. I do not know if she was famous for other songs.
I'm shock for Bette Midler .. The Rose is such a classic now
I love Conga by Miami Sound Machine & still love Gloria Estefan :) at least it was nr1 in Spain & nr 5 in Belgium
"Puttin' On the Ritz" by Taco was nr1 in Finland & nr 3 in Austria.
Gloria was a big hit for Laura Branigan
@@ricardogardel2470Yes and she charted in Europe with other songs too.
Billy Vera "At This Moment", #1 in the US in 1987. Made #97 in the UK.
I think he's featured in the 'No'1 US, A Flop in the UK' 80s Edition video.
A few of these songs I do not remember hearing before now... Most of them? Where hits in Iceland. The island is "clearly" West of UK and East of USA... Also North of both!
It’s even funnier that a lot these songs went to number one in Australia
All these songs are so good. Remind me of my childhood.
I can’t believe they were not riding on the freeway of love in a pink Cadillac what is wrong with those people lol
I'll make a list on Spotify right away.
Cool :D
I would rather have a USA hit than a UK hit, it’s the USA where it really matters
@Kevin-1969.....I use to agree but in todays woke society I cant stand most of the american "hit" makers
Shocking on some of those classics, with the TACO U.K. video for PUTTIN' ON THE RITZ having more 'blackface' than the U,.S. video (they missed cutting out ones image) and THE MOTELS' ONLY THE LONELY is one of the most shocking non-U./K. charters along with FREEWAY OF LOVE by ARETHA FRANKLIN. Hmmmmm.
The poms got is wrong with ICEHOUSE and Breathe
The Rose was No.1 when covered by Westlife.
I love seeing these it’s always so surprising what songs will hit in one place and not the other
A few of these songs are unfamiliar even to most Americans today. In fact I'd never heard that Deniece William's song before, I always thought "Let's Hear It For the Boy" was her one and only hit. You never hear America's "You Can Do Magic" anymore either.
Deniece Williams had several hit singles. including "Free", "Too Much, Too Little, Too Late", and I think also a track called "Black Butterfly". But yes, "Let's Hear it For the Boy" was her biggie. Her version of "It's Gonna Take a Miracle" (a remake of same song by The Royalettes) did quite well on the charts here in USA.
Deniece Williams was a big artist on the R&B charts but only had a few singles which crossed over to the Pop charts.
@@728huey As a white suburbanite who listens mostly to mainstream pop radio, "Let's Hear It For the Boy" might as well be the only Deniece Williams song that exists.
Hi mate could allso do 10s list of UK Number Ones but flop in the US include Example's Changed The Way You Kiss Me and Stay Awake in it they both went to number one in 2011 and allso please include him in the thumbnail. And am Lucky am From the UK we had these amazing Dance Bangers from the 90s 00s and 10s. And shame the US does'nt like Dance Music very Much 😢😢.
Camoooon.. it's among of 100 is a huge victory.
Huh. When In Rome, the Outfield…not easy for Manchester lads in the homeland in the 80s. 😁
How our liv was a.star every where
Missing a few INXS songs - The One Thing, What You Need in particular. More Than You Know by Martika
Conversely a few Madonna songs were UK #1s but not US
Martika's 'More Than You know' was a Top-20 hit in US & UK.
The UK has good taste
SO many great songs flopped in the UK! So weird!
Several of those were big hits in Brazil: Solitaire, Ride Like The Wind, Harden My Heart, The Promise, Your Love, Lost In Love, You Can Do Magic, Talking In Your Sleep, It's Gonna Take a Miracle, Jeopardy and Putting On The Ritz.
IGTAMiracle was the song that made me fall in love with Deniece Williams's voice. I love her Black Butterfly compilation album. The title track talks about racism in a subtle, yet very powerful way, without shoving it down people's throats. It's excellent.
As for Jeopardy, for a long time I thought it was a song by the guys who did 'centerfold' and 'freeze frame' (I forget their names nows). All three songs are great, anyway.
Thanks for another interesting video.
As always: thanks for watching it :o)
I really need to check Deniece Williams compilation album, I only know 4-5 songs of hers.
@@ExplorHits She's got a great voice! So does Randy Williams, another favourite of mine, who happens to have the most amazing smile in show business! 🙂
Most of these arguably didn't deserve to hit in the UK, apart from the excellent Voices Carry, Sunglasses at Night, Ride Like the Wind, Party All the Time and Conga. The rest, even by usually great artists like Aretha, Cyndi Lauper and Deniece Williams, are either bad or simply unmemorable.
Icehouse ... ha ha ha