First Pop Hit at an Older Age

[johnm1120]

As I mentioned in the R&R commentary, A.R Rahman has his first top 40 hit at age 43. This thread is for acts who were older or further in their careers before having their first hit. Most of these tend to be one-hit wonders unfortunately. However many were also successful in other genres before getting a crossover.

Rare but not uncommon especially today when labels are pushing artists younger and younger. (Edited to include everyone's contributions)

Age Artist & Hit

47 David Sanborn - Bang Bang
44 Tina Turner - Let's Stay Together
43 Iggy Pop - Candy*
43 A.R. Rahman - Jai Ho
42 Sergio Mendes - Never Gonna Let You Go
42 Gavin Rossdale - Love Remains the Same*
41 Al Jarreau - We're in This Love Together
41 Christine McVie - Got a Hold on Me*
41 Mick Jagger - Just Another Night*
41 Peter Cetera - Glory of Love*
41 Bonnie Raitt - Somethin' to Talk About
41 Shawn Colvin - Sunny Came Home
41 David Guetta - When Love Takes Over
40 Julio Iglesias - To All The Girls I've Loved Before
40 Ozzy Osbourne - Close My Eyes Forever*
40 Bob Carlisle - Butterfly Kisses
40 Loreena McKennitt - The Mummers' Dance
39 Toni Basil - Mickey
39 Tom Cochrane - Life is a Highway
38 Bobby McFerrin - Don't Worry Be Happy
38 Meredith Brooks - Bitch
38 Jamie Foxx - Unpredictable
37 Tim McGraw - Live Like You Were Dying
36 Liz Phair - Why Can't I
35 Gwen Stefani - What You Waiting For*
35 Daniel Powter - Bad Day
35 Timbaland - Give it 2 Me
34 Michael Bolton - That's What Love is All About
33 Stevie Nicks - Stop Dragging My Heart Around*
33 Sting - If You Love Somebody, Set Them Free*
33 Gregory Abbott - Shake You Down
32 Billy Ray Cyrus - Achy Breaky Heart
32 Sheryl Crow - All I Wanna Do
32 Nicki French - Total Eclipse of the Heart
32 Shania Twain - You're Still the One
32 Macy Gray - I Try
32 James Blunt - You're Beautiful
31 Joe Cocker - You Are So Beautiful
31 Anastacia - I'm Outta Love
30 Phil Collins - I Missed Again
30 Kenny G - Songbird
30 Faith Hill - This Kiss
30 Jennifer Lopez - If You Had My Love


*The act had previously scored hits with their band before going solo

Bands:

Greatful Dead - Touch of Grey (Jerry Garcia was 45)
Right Said Fred - I'm Too Sexy (Richard Fairbrass was 39)
Michael Franti & Spearhead - Say Hey (Michael Franti was 43)

Feel free to add

(Note some of these have credits before their first hit, but this is their first hit as the main artist)

[Az Paynter]

It wasn't a mainstream US hit (although it was a club play hit) but Anastacia was 32 when she released 'I'm Outta Love', which was a hit just about everywhere BUT the US.

[Felicia]

Mar 28, 2009 2:54:50 GMT -5 johnm1120 said:

39 Toni Basil - Mickey

:o

[Libra]

Mar 28, 2009 4:04:02 GMT -5 Az Paynter said:

It wasn't a mainstream US hit (although it was a club play hit) but Anastacia was 32 when she released 'I'm Outta Love', which was a hit just about everywhere BUT the US.

Actually, she didn't turn 32 until September of 2000. "I'm Outta Love" spent a couple weeks in the Top 40 in May of 2000. Still counts, though...

[Az Paynter]

I was only going by the year of release for IOL and her age now, so thanks for the correction. :)

[Ragin]

Cool topic! It seems to me though that there should be a lot more.

[topinizer]

gwen was like 36.. i dont think thats old.. and she was in no doubt which i think is why u put the asterisk.

[Ragin]

Mar 28, 2009 7:43:53 GMT -5 topinizer said:

gwen was like 36.. i dont think thats old.. and she was in no doubt which i think is why u put the asterisk.

That's not that old, but considering how fickle pop music is and that it's largely a young person audience, that is older to have your first pop hit. When you think of Michael Jackson as a kid and the teen hearthrobs you realize that pop music is chiefly dominated by younger artists. I think this is an interesting topic.

[Ragin]

To add a few

33--Gregory Abbott only hit Shake You Down 1987
36, 37, 38, 42 and 44 -- AC/DC Money Talks 1991
32--lead singer for Gnarls Barkley Crazy 2006
34--Michael Bolton 1987
32--Garth Brooks 1994
36, 39--Buckcherry Sorry 2008
39--Tom Cochrane Life is a Highway 1992
31--Joe Cocker 1975

To name a few

[620 Soul Train]

41 Al Jarreau "We're In This Love Together" (Casey mentioned this on AT40 when this charted)

[Devil Marlena Nylund]

Nikki French's 'Total Eclipse Of The Heart'. Not sure of her age now but I think she's older.

[Deleted]

Mar 28, 2009 11:24:44 GMT -5 Devil Marlena Nylund said:

Nikki French's 'Total Eclipse Of The Heart'. Not sure of her age now but I think she's older.

She was 32.

Fergie was 31 when she got her first solo hit.

It looks like the cut-off is about 30 in this thread, so in that case, Jennifer Lopez was 30 when "If You Had My Love" peaked.

When Los Lobos went to #1 with "La Bamba," the members were 36, 34, 32, 32, and 31.

The following two are weird exceptions because the songs were re-released after the CHR/Pop chart started.

Louis Armstrong was dead when he got his first CHR/Pop hit. He would have been 86.

I don't know their individual ages, but The Contours would have been in their late 40's or so when "Do You Love Me" became a CHR/Pop hit.

[Cerebro]

Hey, where do you get off calling people over 30 "old"? ;) I resemble that remark. Here are some others for the list.

Solo artists:
Age - Artist - First Pop Hit (year charted)
44 - Tina Turner - Let's Stay Together (1984, had a handful of charted singles in the '60s and '70s with Ike Turner, but she really became a superstar with her solo career that began here)
40 - Bob Carlisle - Butterfly Kisses (1997, crossed over from Christian)
40 - Ozzy Osbourne - Close My Eyes Forever (w/ Lita Ford) (1989, charted several rock singles, both solo and with Black Sabbath, first pop outing)
33 - Sting - If You Love Somebody Set Them Free (1985, first solo hit)
32 - Billy Ray Cyrus - Achy Break Heart (1992, crossed over from Country)
32 - Melissa Etheridge - Come To My Window (1994)
32 - Shania Twain - You're Still The One (1998, crossed over from Country)
30 - Phil Collins - I Missed Again (1981, first solo hit)
30 - Faith Hill - This Kiss (1998, crossed over from Country)
30 - Kenny G - Songbird (1987)

Groups:
Artist - First Pop Hit (year chart, age of key performers)
The Mighty Mighty Bosstones - The Impression That I Get (1997, Dicky Barrett was 33)
Enigma - Sadeness, Part 1 (1991, Michael Cretu was 32)
Huey Lewis and The News - Do You Believe In Love (1981, Huey Lewis was 31)

[skaterboyccs]

Mar 28, 2009 13:09:33 GMT -5 Cerebro said:

Hey, where do you get off calling people over 30 "old"? ;) I resemble that remark. Here are some others for the list.

Solo artists:
Age - Artist - First Pop Hit (year charted)
44 - Tina Turner - Let's Stay Together (1984, had a handful of charted singles in the '60s and '70s with Ike Turner, but she really became a superstar with her solo career that began here)
40 - Bob Carlisle - Butterfly Kisses (1997, crossed over from Christian)
40 - Ozzy Osbourne - Close My Eyes Forever (w/ Lita Ford) (1989, charted several rock singles, both solo and with Black Sabbath, first pop outing)
33 - Sting - If You Love Somebody Set Them Free (1985, first solo hit)
32 - Billy Ray Cyrus - Achy Break Heart (1992, crossed over from Country)
32 - Melissa Etheridge - Come To My Window (1994)
32 - Shania Twain - You're Still The One (1998, crossed over from Country)
30 - Phil Collins - I Missed Again (1981, first solo hit)
30 - Faith Hill - This Kiss (1998, crossed over from Country)
30 - Kenny G - Songbird (1987)

Groups:
Artist - First Pop Hit (year chart, age of key performers)
The Mighty Mighty Bosstones - The Impression That I Get (1997, Dicky Barrett was 33)
Enigma - Sadeness, Part 1 (1991, Michael Cretu was 32)
Huey Lewis and The News - Do You Believe In Love (1981, Huey Lewis was 31)

Christine Mc Vie had her first solo top 40 hit on Chr on 1984 with "Got A Hold On Me" when she was 41, it went top 10..

With Fleetwood Mac Her first hit was Over My Head and she was 31 on 1975.

Stevie Nicks had her first credited solo pop hit with "Stop Draggin My Heart Around" on 1981 when she was 33

[Matt4319]

When I saw the thread title, "Sunny Came Home" was the first song I thought of.

I don't think solo artists' debuts should count if they were previously in a band that made the chart... but if we're throwing them out there:

Carlos Santana was 52 when "Smooth" hit the chart.

[Deleted]

Mar 28, 2009 15:11:17 GMT -5 Matt4319 said:

When I saw the thread title, "Sunny Came Home" was the first song I thought of.

I don't think solo artists' debuts should count if they were previously in a band that made the chart... but if we're throwing them out there:

Carlos Santana was 52 when "Smooth" hit the chart.

I'm pretty sure Carlos Santana was not credited as a solo artist on any of his hits, in which case Santana would certainly not be eligible as their first CHR/Pop hit was in 1977.

[Acid Eyes]

I had no idea Shawn Colvin was in her 40s when SCH blew up. Wow.

[COW COW COW COW COW COW COW]

Tina Turner is the queen...

Um, how about Fergie...She was about 32...
and if Nicole ever has a solo hit...she'll be 32 in real life (and 29 in fake life)

[johnm1120]

Ok, found one older than Tina.

47 David Sanborn - Bang Bang

[billme]

Los Del Rio (Antonio Romero Monge and Rafael Ruíz) formed in the 60's and their first hit wasn't until in 1995.

[Juanca]

OMG!!!
You guys saying that 30s is OLD is really of bad taste >:(
When I read the title, I was thinking of 40+ and two artists came to my mind:
- Tina Turner, which had a SMASH debut as SOLO artist (not with her husband) with her Private Dancer album in 1984, which included the #1 hit "What's Love Got To Do With It?". I remember that I even got my mom (a traditional Latin mom) into her. She was so happy to know that someone at Tina's age could have that successful re-start... and those hot legs! LOL
- Los del Rio. They were a popular Spanish duo already. They were both born in 1946, so they were around 50 years old when Macarena became a big hit (I was surprised how no one but the last poster remembered that!)

Now, thinking a bit more, I came up with a bunch of names, especially from the 80s-early90s (my favorite time ;) ):
- Tammy Wynette: I'm not sure how long this chart reference goes, though. I remember her participation in one of my favorite songs from 1992: "Justified and Ancients" and she was 49 years old when it was a hit in the US featured by KLF... but I just found out in Wiki that she had a 'Pop' Top40 hit in 1968 with "Stand by Your Man" as a country crossovoer. Not sure about considering that chart as Pop radio chart. I think it refers to the Hot100.
- Sérgio Mendes as 'solo' artist (away from the Brasil 66 and 67 bands) had his first big hit in 1983 with "Never Gonna Let You Go", at the age of 42
- Mick Jagger had his first solo hit when he was 41 with "Just Another Night" (1985)
- Kate Pierson from the B-52s was 42 when she was featured in the song "Candy" by Iggy Pop and reached the Pop Top40 in 1991 (she was also featured on REM's Shiny Happy People later that year but her appearance was not credited)
- And speaking of Iggy Pop, he was born in 1947, so if Candy was his first Pop Top 40 (it peaked at #32), then he was 43 back then (not sure if 1986's "Real Wild Child" was ever a Pop hit in the US, though)
- Debbie or Deborah Harry was born in July 1945 and she had at least a couple of moderate worldwide hits when she departed from Blondie: "French Kissing in the USA" (from her 2nd album from 1986) and "I Want that Man" (1989). We heard those songs even in Peru, so maybe they had any impact in the US.
- Julio Iglesias. I think his first US Pop hit was in 1984 with Willie Nelso: "To All the Girls I've Loved Before", when Julio was 40.
- Peter Cetera was 41 when he got his first solo hit after Chicago "Glory of Love" in 1986
- Ronald Isley had a Pop hit in a duet with Rod Stewart in 1990 "This Old Heart O' Mine" when Ronald was 48! and I think this was the first time he had a hit as solo, away from the Isley Brothers

If you want to go to people with late 30s (NO! I won't mention people younger than 35! >:( )

- Vangelis was 38-39 when Chariots of Fire became a big hit in 1982
- Dave Stewart (the other half of Eurythmics) was 38 when "Lily Was Here" reached #12 on the Pop chart.
- Peter Wolf (former leader of J. Geils Band) was 38 when Lights Out became a big Pop hit in 1984.
- Frida was 37 years old when she got a Top40 hit away from Abba in 1983 with "I Know There's Something Going On"
- Jan Hammer was 37 when the "Miami Vice Theme" was a hit in 1985
- Don Johnson (from Miami Vice) had his only Pop hit at the age of 36 with "Heartbeat" (1986)
- Robin Zander was 36 when his duet with Ann Wilson for the soundtrack to Tequila Sunrise "Surrender to Me" was a Pop Top 10
- Rudolf Schenker and Klaus Meine of Scorpions were around 36 when "Rock You Like A Hurricane" reached US Pop Top 40 in 1984. However, they may have gotten another song, hit underperforming anytime before that.
- Dennis DeYoung (voice of Styx) was 37 when he reached Top10 on the Pop chart with "Desert Moon"

And just for information, considering 35 years old as "OLD"
- Patrick Swayze was 35 when "She's Like the Wind" became a Pop hit from Dirty Dancing (1988)
- Patty Smyth was also 35 when she got her first hit as a solo artist (away from Scandal) in 1992 with "Sometimes Love Just Ain't Enough"
- Martin Page was 35 when "In the House of Stone and Light" reached the Pop Top 10 in 1995


Sooooooooooo,
I think we can come up with MANY artists closer to their 40s that being above 35 had their first hits instead of checking the STILL YOUNG people below 35 >:( ;)

[Active Aggressive]

"Older" is a relative word. It's not like the thread says "First Pop Hit at a Geriatric Age" LOL. I am almost 30 and don't take offense to that. Interesting thread though but I am surprised to see it here. I thought this thread was only for songs.

[Deleted]

No one is saying that 30 is old. It's just relatively uncommon for artists to break through in the music industry after the age of 30.

[Cerebro]

A few more that came to mind:

41 - Bonnie Raitt - Something To Talk About (1991)
36 - Baz Luhrmann - Everybody's Free (To Wear Sunscreen) (1999, technically, shouldn't count, as he's not the performer, but his is the credited name so...)
32 - Peter Gabriel - Shock The Monkey (1982, never charted in the U.S. during his Genesis years)
31 - Bruce Hornsby - The Way It Is (1986)

[atlantaboy]

Mar 28, 2009 7:51:44 GMT -5 Ragin said:

36, 37, 38, 42 and 44 -- AC/DC Money Talks 1991

Just curious always thought You Shook Me All Night Long charted on CHR... (back in 80s)

[Deleted]

Mar 29, 2009 15:10:06 GMT -5 atlantaboy said:

Mar 28, 2009 7:51:44 GMT -5 Ragin said:

36, 37, 38, 42 and 44 -- AC/DC Money Talks 1991

Just curious always thought You Shook Me All Night Long charted on CHR... (back in 80s)

"Money Talks" is their one and only CHR/Pop hit.

[johnm1120]

Mar 29, 2009 4:09:33 GMT -5 Active Aggressive said:

"Older" is a relative word. It's not like the thread says "First Pop Hit at a Geriatric Age" LOL. I am almost 30 and don't take offense to that. Interesting thread though but I am surprised to see it here. I thought this thread was only for songs.

It's just that it becomes harder for artists to break the pop market as they get older. Nowadays if you don't start in your teens, you're not gonna make it.

[johnm1120]

One I just thought of that happened just recently. Gavin Rossdale hit the top 40 last September, one month shy of his 43rd birthday.

[COW COW COW COW COW COW COW]

Weren't the members of Mr. Big all in their thirties (at the least) when they hit big with "To Be With You."

[atlantaboy]

Mar 29, 2009 15:20:40 GMT -5 @rebirthxperience said:

Mar 29, 2009 15:10:06 GMT -5 atlantaboy said:

Just curious always thought You Shook Me All Night Long charted on CHR... (back in 80s)

"Money Talks" is their one and only CHR/Pop hit.

Yeah ur right just looked it up...thinkin that maybe You Shook Me All Night Long cracked the top 40 on the Billboard Hot 100 (cause of sales I guess) - AOR must've been huge back then for CHR not to touch it IMO