Friday, September 3, 2010

How popular have the Barenaked Ladies been in America*?


*(And by "America" of course I mean "America," not "North America.")

Search: barenaked ladies

Why: When the country went apeshit about "90210 Day" yesterday, I got to reading about Canadian Jason Priestly and how he was instrumental in the band's success in America:
Priestley is a big fan of the band Barenaked Ladies and went to many of their California concerts in the early to mid-1990s. He eventually met the band and in his desire to help them succeed, suggested that he direct the music video for "The Old Apartment, and used his fame to persuade American stations to air it. He also invited the band to play at the "Peach Pit After Dark" on an episode of 90210. Lead singer Ed Robertson continues to cite him as being instrumental in their American success. He directed a feature-length documentary about the band's 1999 whirlwind of success entitled Barenaked in America, intending to capture on film the fun he had while riding around on the tour bus with the band.
Answer: Here are their songs that have made it to Billboard's Hot 100 and Hot Modern /Alternative Songs lists:
  • "The Old Apartment" (1996) - #88
  • "Brian Wilson" (1997) - #68, #23 modern
  • "One Week" (1998) - #1, #1 modern
  • "It's All Been Done" - #44, #15 modern
  • "Alcohol" (1999) - #33 modern
  • "Call and Answer" (1999) - #121
  • "Pinch Me" (2000) - #15, #30 modern
  • "Too Little Too Late" (2000) - #86
  • "Another Postcard" (2003) - #82
  • "Easy" (2006) - #121
I guess that's pretty good.

But in comparison, here is how they've done in Canadia:
  • 1992 - "Lovers in a Dangerous Time" #16, "Be My Yoko Ono" #77, "Enid" #2, "Grade 9" #53, "If I Had $1000000" #13
  • 1993 - "Brian Wilson" #18, "What a Good Boy" #34
  • 1994 - "Jane" #3, "Alternative Girlfriend" #22
  • 1995 - "Life in a Nutshell" #29
  • 1996 - "Shoe Box" #10, "The Old Apartment" #14
  • 1998 - "One Week" #3, "It's All Been Done" #1
  • 1999 - "Alcohol" #73, "Call and Answer" #10, "Get in Line" #18
  • 2000 - "Pinch Me" #4
  • 2003 - "Another Postcard" #28
  • 2010 - "You Run Away" #25
Maybe you remember that last one from the episode of "The Bachelorette" when that dude cried because he didn't know how to kiss.

Source
: Wikipedia

The More You Know
: I first heard Rock Spectacle (1996) in Hal Towbin's car when he was driving me to school in 9th grade. I am listening to it now.

Here is that video Jason Priestley directed:
Bitchin shades!