Hit Parade | Music History and Music Trivia

Episode: A Deal with the TV God Part 2 (July 1, 2022)

Host: Chris Molanphy

Episode Overview

In this episode of Hit Parade, host Chris Molanphy explores the dynamic relationship between television and pop music, focusing on how TV has revived, launched, or extended the life of hit songs from the 1980s through the era of streaming. He examines the phenomenon of older songs surging back onto the charts thanks to TV placements, culminating in the resurgence of Kate Bush’s "Running Up That Hill" via Stranger Things.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

The Post-Miami Vice Era (1980s: TV’s Music Power Increases)

• Emulation of Miami Vice Model: TV shows in the 1980s began curating soundtracks with hit potential, aiming to replicate the music-driven success of Miami Vice.
  • Moonlighting theme by Al Jarreau reached #23 in 1987.
  • Mike Post’s attempt to create a TV theme album with L.A. Law failed to chart.
  • "These glossy TV soundtracks were hit and miss." – Chris Molanphy

Family Ties and Billy Vera’s “At This Moment”

• At This Moment first charted modestly in 1981 (#79).
• Five years later, Family Ties used it as a love theme, reviving public interest.
• Vera struggled to get the song reissued; it finally re-entered and reached #1 in early 1987 after multiple TV uses.
  • "NBC says they have never received so many letters and phone calls about one song." (04:43)

Critical Insight: TV as a Platform for Song Resurrection

• Consultant Sean Ross:

  "I think at this Moment had a lot to do with starting the trend because it established a route to radio for songs that weren't of a piece with what else was on the radio." (05:08)

The TV “Bring Back” Movement (Late 80s-90s)

• Movies Follow TV’s Lead: Films in the 80s and 90s began rejuvenating old hits (e.g., “Twist and Shout” in Ferris Bueller, “Stand By Me”, "Bohemian Rhapsody" in Wayne’s World).
• TV Continues the Trend:
  • The Wonder Years: Used Joe Cocker’s “With A Little Help From My Friends”—returned the song to radio years after its original #68 peak.
  • Friends: Rembrandts scored a hit with the theme, and Hootie & the Blowfish’s B-side “I Go Blind” reached #13 due to TV play.
  • Party of Five: The BoDeans' “Closer to Free” became a Top 40 hit three years post-release (#16 in 1996).
    • "Even cartoon metalheads Beavis and Butthead were resurrecting songs..." (08:34) — notably, White Zombie’s “Thunder Kiss ’65” belatedly became a hit.

Fake Bands and TV-Launched Artists

• The Heights (FOX, 1992): The fictional band’s “How Do You Talk to an Angel?” (Jamie Walters singing) becomes a real #1 hit, followed by Walters' own brief pop career.

TV as a Star-Maker (Vonda Shepard and Ally McBeal)

• Shepard’s overlooked single “Searchin’ My Soul” found TV revival, charting internationally after use as Ally McBeal’s theme (number 22 on U.S. Adult Contemporary).
• "It was Fox's aforementioned legal satire Ally McBeal that turned Vonda into a star." (11:21)

TV Shows Reinvigorating Contemporary and Past Hits

• Dawson’s Creek: Cole’s “I Don’t Want to Wait” (originally peaked at #11) saw its chart run extended to over a year due to its role as the show’s theme (12:50).

  • “Dawson’s extended the life of ‘I Don’t Want to Wait.’ Cole’s single remained lodged in the top 20 for months.” (12:50)

• OC and Indie-Rock TV Culture

  • The O.C.: Boosted Phantom Planet’s “California” to gold certification and broke Imogen Heap’s “Hide and Seek,” later sampled by Jason Derulo for a #1 hit.
  • "OC helped break the career of British electropop artist Imogen Heap." (15:52)

The Grey’s Anatomy & TV-Driven Chart Surges (2000s)

• Grey’s Anatomy: Key example of TV “owning” songs and driving them up the charts.
  • Snow Patrol’s “Chasing Cars” (#5) and The Fray’s “How to Save a Life” (#3) sold millions bolstered by dramatic TV placement.
  • "...still rank among the best selling rock songs in digital music history, all because of their association with the doctors of Seattle Grace Hospital." (17:42)

Don’t Stop Believin’: The Most Iconic TV (and Sports) Resurgence

• Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin’” (originally a #9 hit in 1981) saw a surge in 2005 with the Chicago White Sox, then a legendary bump during the Sopranos finale (19:52).
  • “The incongruousness of the soaring rock anthem with this domestically wholesome, possibly murderous final shot captured the public’s imagination as 12 million viewers watched the finale.” (19:52)
  • Downloaded 41,000 times the week after Sopranos ended; later, became iTunes’ all-time best-selling catalog song (>7 million downloads).

The Era of Digital & Streaming-Driven Comebacks (Glee and Beyond)

• Glee: Blended nostalgia and contemporary pop, dominating digital sales and briefly holding the record for most Hot 100 entries by a single “artist” (207, later surpassed by Drake).
• Children’s/Tween TV: Hannah Montana and High School Musical spun off hits like “Breaking Free” (#4) for stars like Miley Cyrus and Zac Efron.
• Premium Cable Drama Endings:
  • Breaking Bad finale revived Badfinger’s “Baby Blue” (sales up 5,000 copies post-finale, 9,000% streaming spike) but didn’t re-enter the Hot 100 due to chart rules.
  • “Deep into the streaming era... it’s still pretty hard for an old song... to make an actual comeback on the big chart.” (27:08)

Stranger Things & the Kate Bush Phenomenon

• Stranger Things masterfully curates 1980s period music, elevating era-defining tracks:
  • The Clash’s “Should I Stay or Should I Go” and Limahl’s “The NeverEnding Story” spiked in streaming/downloads but didn’t hit the Hot 100.
  • Running Up That Hill by Kate Bush, however, became a 2022 sensation after its use in Season 4.
    • “[Running up that Hill] is benefiting from its newfound exposure instant, instantaneously. As of the week I’m recording this, Billboard reports that Running up that Hill is the number one download in America... streamed more than 29 million times.” (31:15)
    • Song gained airplay, sales, and streams, entering U.S. Top Five for the first time nearly four decades after its release.
  • “Kate Bush's song... not just because her song was on TV or because it reminds us of the past, but because it still sounds like the future.” (33:37)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On TV’s Chart Power

  "TV music supervisors were curating songs for maximum exposure and turning underappreciated gems into hits." (00:39) — Chris Molanphy

• Family Ties fan reaction to “At This Moment”

  “NBC says they have never received so many letters and phone calls about one song.” (04:43) — NBC music announcer

• On Trends in Song Resurrection

  "Movies more than TV took advantage of the trend, bringing back such hits as the Beatles Twist and Shout from Ferris Bueller's Day Off..." (05:40)

• On Kate Bush’s Enduring Appeal

  “Kate Bush finally has an American Top five hit, not just because her song was on TV or because it reminds us of the past, but because it still sounds like the future.” (33:37)

• On the Era of Streaming and Immortality

  “In an age when Gen Z listeners compile playlists where all songs have an equal shot at immortality regardless of their era, Kate Bush's song just sounds like it fits.” (33:00)

Key Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:39 – Trends post-Miami Vice: TV curating pop hits
• 04:11 – How “At This Moment” became a hit via Family Ties
• 08:34 – Beavis and Butthead’s unexpected influence on White Zombie
• 12:50 – How TV (e.g., Dawson’s Creek) can extend chart lives
• 15:20 – The OC’s effect on indie songs (“California”, “Hide and Seek”)
• 17:42 – Grey’s Anatomy drives “Chasing Cars” and “How to Save a Life”
• 19:52 – “Don’t Stop Believin’” and the Sopranos finale
• 25:05 – “Baby Blue” and the Breaking Bad effect
• 31:08 – “Running Up That Hill” and Stranger Things
• 33:00 – Gen Z, streaming, and the new era of song discovery

Conclusion

This episode demonstrates the immense, evolving power of television to resurrect forgotten gems, extend a hit's life, and introduce classic tracks to new generations. From the curated soundtracks of the 1980s, through millennial nostalgia, digital downloads, and now streaming, TV continues to blur the lines between pop culture past and present — exemplified by the unprecedented resurgence of Kate Bush's "Running Up That Hill."

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