Mainstream Rock Tracks
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The Mainstream Rock Tracks chart is a ranking in Billboard magazine of the most-played songs on mainstream rock radio stations, a category that includes stations that play primarily rock music but are not modern rock (i.e. alternative) stations, which are counted in the Modern Rock Tracks chart.
This chart began with the March 21, 1981 issue of Billboard. It was originally named simply Rock Tracks, and was accompanied by a Rock Albums chart, which was discontinued in 1984 but has now made a comeback.[link] Before this, Billboard did not compile a chart specifically for rock songs. The closest thing to it was an Album Radio Action page which named some of the albums (but not songs) receiving airplay on Album-oriented rock stations. The Rock Tracks chart originally listed 60 songs. The first #1 song was I Can't Stand It by Eric Clapton.
The chart changed its name to Album Rock Tracks in April 1986. During the 1980's, a subgenre of rock music began to develop and gain popularity, known as New Wave, or Modern Rock. The Album Rock Tracks chart included some New Wave songs, but usually only those with crossover appeal to mainstream listeners. Radio stations devoted entirely to this new category of rock music began to grow in popularity, but data from these stations were not included in compiling the Album Rock chart.
In order to give more recognition to Modern Rock, Billboard began a separate Modern Rock Tracks chart, beginning with the September 10, 1988 issue. The Album Rock Tracks chart remained as before, and continued to include Modern Rock songs with crossover appeal. Within two months of the first Modern Rock Tracks chart, the song Desire by U2 became the first song to reach #1 on both Rock Tracks charts.
In 1996, Album Rock Tracks once again changed its name, to Mainstream Rock Tracks. This occurred soon after Billboard established the Adult Top 40 chart. Like Modern Rock Tracks, Adult Top 40 also had some songs in common with Mainstream Rock Tracks. Ironically, Adult Top 40 has often featured artists who were once prominent on the Rock Tracks charts, but were now considered too "soft" for rock radio.
Mainstream Rock Tracks was published in the print edition of Billboard for the last time in its July 26, 2003 issue. The chart is still compiled today but it is only available through the magazine's website.
The longest any track has held the #1 position on the Mainstream Rock Tracks chart is 21 weeks, set in 2000 by 3 Doors Down with their song "Loser." Other major Mainstream Rock Tracks hits include:
18 weeks
17 weeks 15 weeks- "Boulevard of Broken Dreams" by Green Day in 2005
- "Interstate Love Song" by Stone Temple Pilots in 1994
- "Heavy" by Collective Soul in 1999
- "How You Remind Me" by Nickelback in 2001
- "Figured You Out" by Nickelback in 2004
- "Dani California" by the Red Hot Chili Peppers in 2006
- "Fall to Pieces" by Velvet Revolver in 2004
- "Slither" by Velvet Revolver in 2004
- "December" by Collective Soul in 1995
- "Livin' on the Edge" by Aerosmith in 1993
- "By the Way" by the Red Hot Chili Peppers in 2002
- "Kryptonite" by 3 Doors Down in 2000
- "Photograph" by Nickelback in 2005
See Also
- List of number-one mainstream rock hits (United States)
Other Trivia
- Van Halen holds the record for the most singles to hit #1 on the Mainstream Rock Tracks chart, with 11 singles.
- Only twice have two consecutive #1 songs been by the same artist. In 1992, the Black Crowes hit #1 with Remedy, followed by Sting Me. In 1994, the Stone Temple Pilots' Vasoline hit #1 but was soon replaced by its album mate Interstate Love Song.
- Two songs have performed a "hat trick" by reaching #1 on Mainstream Rock Tracks, Modern Rock Tracks, and Adult Top 40. The first was One Headlight by The Wallflowers in 1997. The second was Boulevard of Broken Dreams by Green Day in 2005.
External links
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