Hit Parade: The Silver Medalists Edition

Podcast: Hit Parade | Music History and Music Trivia
Host: Chris Molanphy
Date: December 28, 2017

Episode Overview

In this "holiday potpourri" edition of Hit Parade, host and chart analyst Chris Molanphy revisits the heartbreak and significance of peaking at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100—what he calls “the most heartbreaking position” in pop music. Molanphy discusses how some of music’s most enduring and influential songs never hit No. 1, unpacks the stories behind three legendary No. 2 singles across different decades, and explores how these "silver medalists" helped define entire eras of pop and rock music. Through storytelling and deep chart trivia, the episode demonstrates why these second-place songs often hold an outsized place in music history and our memories.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. The Pain and Power of Peaking at No. 2

• Chart heartbreak: Much of the episode revolves around the frustration, irony, and sometimes greater cultural impact of songs that just missed the top spot.
• Notable mention of other "frustrating" chart positions: No. 41 (missing the Top 40) and No. 11 (missing the Top 10).
• “Pop charts in particular, are all about the gold. … some of the most enduring songs in rock history peaked in the chart’s runner-up slot.” (Chris Molanphy, 01:51)

2. The Miracles – “Shop Around” (1961)

Segment Starts: 06:05

The Story:

• The Miracles' “Shop Around” was Motown’s first million-selling single and the earliest smash from Smokey Robinson, co-written by label founder Berry Gordy.
• The song’s arrangement was heavily reworked by Gordy overnight into a “peppier” signature: “He ordered Robinson and the Miracles into a studio at three in the morning and they completely rearranged the track overnight into a future smash.” (Chris Molanphy, 10:53)
• Despite its huge success, “Shop Around” was held at No. 2 for multiple weeks by Lawrence Welk’s “Calcutta”—a record much less remembered today.
• If “Shop Around” had hit No. 1, it would have predated any other Motown single topping the pop charts.
• The Miracles didn’t reach No. 1 until 1970 with “The Tears of a Clown”—nearly a decade later.

Notable Quotes:

• “If it had gone all the way, Shop Around would have been the first pop number one both for Robinson and the Miracles and for Motown.” (Chris Molanphy, 13:06)
• “Most critics agree Shop Around was fine, but not even as amazing as the songs they would record for the rest of the 60s—including ‘You Really Got a Hold on Me’ and ‘The Tracks of My Tears.’” (Chris Molanphy, 15:58)

Memorable Moments:

• The quirky history of “Shop Around” evolving from a sluggish, bluesy draft to a chart juggernaut thanks to Gordy’s late-night inspiration.
• Connections made between “Shop Around” and later Motown classics.

3. The Go-Go’s – “We Got the Beat” (1982)

Segment Starts: 18:38

The Story:

• The Go-Go’s formed out of the late ‘70s LA punk scene, becoming an all-female rock group signed to IRS Records after major labels passed.
• “We Got the Beat” was inspired by The Miracles’ “Going to a Go-Go,” showing the interconnectedness of pop history: “Caffey…was inspired after spending the day listening to the Miracles’ 1966 hit ‘Going to a Go-Go’—a song that had inspired the Go-Go’s name.” (Chris Molanphy, 22:34)
• Their album Beauty and the Beat had a slow rise before “We Got the Beat” reached No. 2, blocked by Joan Jett’s “I Love Rock ‘n Roll.”
• Uniqueness of the chart moment: For three weeks, the Hot 100 was commanded by two female-led, punk-adjacent acts from LA.

Notable Quotes:

• “One theme that runs through all our hits this episode is artists re-recording their future hits until they get it right.” (Chris Molanphy, 25:43)
• “What made the Go-Go’s peak in 1982 remarkable—side by side with Joan Jett—is that it happened entirely organically, defying the prejudices of the major label system and making rock that happens to be female both dominant and unremarkable.” (Chris Molanphy, 30:48)

Memorable Moments:

• The Go-Go’s early ambitions and “punk cred” skepticism from the LA scene.
• Their trailblazing as an all-female band in the mainstream, paving the way for acts like The Bangles and Cyndi Lauper.

4. Kelly Clarkson – “Since U Been Gone” (2005)

Segment Starts: 31:21

The Story:

• Unlike other acts discussed, Clarkson’s first chart success was a No. 1 – immediately after winning the inaugural season of American Idol.
• “Since U Been Gone” was crafted by Max Martin and Dr. Luke, inspired by indie rock (notably the Yeah Yeah Yeahs’ “Maps”), and initially shopped to Pink and Hilary Duff.
• The song’s production fused indie rock guitars with Max Martin’s pop sensibilities, helping to set a new sonic tone for ‘00s pop and restoring Martin’s hitmaking relevance.
• The single peaked at No. 2, blocked by 50 Cent’s “Candy Shop”—a track now less culturally resonant—while Clarkson’s song endured and signaled a return of bold, female-fronted pop/rock.

Notable Quotes:

• “Since U Been Gone was pop’s Trojan horse, smuggling indie rock production elements into a big pop hit.” (Chris Molanphy, 44:22)
• “Ted Leo…told MTV News, ‘It’s just one great hook after another! … Written in a way that’s so transparent in terms of drawing from a lot of what’s vaguely edgy and popular right now, but put together in such a perfect little package, it’s undeniable.’” (Chris Molanphy quoting Ted Leo, 45:53)
• “The song that continues to appear on Kelly’s live set lists most consistently is her signature smash, a number two hit that helped redefine what eclectic pop could sound like in the 21st century…” (Chris Molanphy, 49:16)

Memorable Moments:

• The “aha!” moment of Max Martin wishing indie hits had big pop choruses—and then writing one.
• The song’s impact on pop and the subsequent Max Martin-fueled careers of artists like Katy Perry, Pink, and the resurgence of Britney Spears.

Notable Quotes & Timestamps

• “Pop charts in particular, are all about the gold. Turn on any oldies radio station, and…you may notice stations going several songs deep playing straight number one hits before they play a number two.” - Chris Molanphy (01:56)
• “He ordered Robinson and the Miracles into a studio at three in the morning and they completely rearranged the track overnight into a future smash.” - Chris Molanphy (10:53)
• “What made the go go's peak in 1982 remarkable… is that it happened entirely organically, defying the prejudices of the major label system…” - Chris Molanphy (30:48)
• “Since U Been Gone was pop's Trojan horse, smuggling indie rock production elements into a big pop hit.” - Chris Molanphy (44:22)
• “‘It’s just one great hook after another. ... Put together in such a perfect little package, it’s undeniable.’” - Ted Leo (45:53, quoting from MTV News interview)

Important Segments & Timestamps

• Intro & episode thesis: 00:00–03:31
• Miracles/Motown/Shop Around: 06:05–18:38
• Go-Go’s/New Wave/We Got the Beat: 18:38–31:19
• Kelly Clarkson/Since U Been Gone/Max Martin: 31:21–49:16
• Wrap-up and influence on future pop: 49:16–End

Conclusion

Chris Molanphy’s exploration of “silver medalist” songs reveals that chart position does not always correlate with cultural impact or musical greatness. From Motown’s first million-seller and the pioneering all-female Go-Go’s to a pop anthem that redefined 21st-century radio, these No. 2 hits might have missed the literal top spot, but they continue to inspire, influence, and “dominate the airwaves” for generations. As Molanphy notes, sometimes the runners-up are the ones for the record books.