Sometimes, a ban can be the best marketing a song ever gets. Several tracks have actually benefited from being prohibited, climbing the charts precisely because of the controversy. It taps into a very human impulse: tell us we can’t have something, and suddenly we want it even more.
Songs That Topped the Charts After Being Banned
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From The Who to Billy Joel to The Sex Pistols, these artists found fame—and fortune—on the other side of censorship.
- The BBC banned The Who’s “My Generation” over concerns about stuttering, inadvertently boosting its popularity.
- Billy Joel’s “Only The Good Die Young” faced pressure from religious groups, but still became a hit and helped propel his album to success.
- The Sex Pistols’ “God Save The Queen” was widely banned, yet reached No. 2 on the UK singles chart.
“My Generation” by The Who
In the 1960s, if the establishment tried to keep music from young people, they found a way around it. That’s exactly what happened after The Who released “My Generation.” The BBC banned the single, citing concerns it could offend people who stuttered. This act of censorship, however, only fueled the song’s success in the United Kingdom.
Following the BBC’s ban, unofficial radio stations began playing the track, and it quickly peaked at No. 2 on the UK singles chart, selling 300,000 copies. The song’s astounding success eventually led the BBC to lift its ban.
“Only The Good Die Young” by Billy Joel
Billy Joel’s single, “Only The Good Die Young,” is an anthem about embracing life to the fullest. It’s a call to indulge, live freely, and not let societal norms dictate your choices.
This message, and the poetic way Joel delivered it, prompted the Archdiocese of St. Louis and other Catholic groups to pressure radio stations to ban the song. Some stations complied, but this only amplified its reach. The single peaked at No. 24 on the Billboard Hot 100 and helped the album, The Stranger, reach No. 2 on the Billboard 200 for six weeks.
“God Save The Queen” by The Sex Pistols
It’s likely The Sex Pistols intentionally sought controversy with “God Save The Queen.” The song’s subject matter, combined with its release timing, made a ban almost inevitable. And it happened: the BBC and other outlets completely prohibited the song from airplay.
A direct critique of the Queen and the English monarchy, “God Save The Queen” resonated with a segment of the English population. The result? The single landed at No. 2 on the UK singles chart.
