Songs get banned from the radio for all kinds of reasons. Suggestive themes, saucy music videos, anti-monarchist sentiments, the list goes on. Here are four songs that still found huge success even while they were banned from the airwaves.
“Relax” by Frankie Goes To Hollywood
Frankie Goes to Hollywood’s debut 1983 single, “Relax”, scaled the charts, but not before it was banned by BBC Radio. The song’s promotion was already a calculated attempt to shock listeners, orchestrated by ZTT Records co-founder Paul Morley. He focused on themes of sex, war, and religion in the band’s singles to court controversy, which he hoped would translate into chart success. That definitely happened, so it seems Morley knew what he was doing.
Upon release in 1983, “Relax” slowly climbed the U.K. Top 75, stalling at No. 35. By January 1984, following a performance on Top of the Pops, the single shot up to No. 6. Its big day out came the following week, when BBC Radio DJ Mike Read declared his disgust over the airwaves. “Relax” was banned, but it also soared to No. 2 on the charts, so who really won that battle in the end?
“My Generation” by The Who
The Who’s “My Generation” was released as a single from their debut album in 1965. While it didn’t quite crack the Top 40 in the U.S., stalling out at No. 75, it rapidly rose to No. 2 on the U.K. Singles Chart. And that’s despite being banned by BBC Radio. “My Generation” initially got zero airplay because the radio stations were afraid of offending people who stuttered.
“My Generation” perhaps comes in second only to BTO’s “You Ain’t Seen Nothing Yet” as the most recognizable stuttering song. At the time, the BBC banned the song from the airwaves to prevent angry listener responses. Instead, pirate radio stations took over, blasting the song to the people. Even while banned, “My Generation” climbed the charts and sold 300,000 copies, causing BBC Radio to lift the ban.
“God Save The Queen” by the Sex Pistols
The Sex Pistols’ second single, “God Save the Queen,” was gunning for a ban as soon as it was released in 1977. Not only was it not particularly flattering toward the monarchy, but it was also released during Queen Elizabeth II’s Silver Jubilee. Talk about purposeful timing.
Both the BBC and the Independent Broadcasting Authority banned the song completely, and members of the band were even attacked by pro-monarchist citizens. Despite this, it reached No. 1 on the NME chart but only No. 2 on the U.K. Singles chart. Because the BBC influenced the Singles Chart, many fans felt it had been rigged to keep the Sex Pistols from No. 1. They might not have been far off, however. Several major retailers refused to sell the single, and official chart compilers chose not to include sales from stores that sold their own records for the first week. In this case, sales through the Virgin Records stores didn’t count. All that, and “God Save the Queen” is still beloved by punks everywhere.
“Love To Love You Baby” by Donna Summer
Donna Summer’s “Love To Love You Baby” was released on her second album in 1975, but became her first breakthrough disco hit. Initially, Summer wasn’t sure about recording the song for herself due to its explicit themes. She made a demo with the intention of passing it on to another artist. But her boldly erotic take on it impressed songwriter Giorgio Moroder. He eventually convinced her to release it as a single.
That impressive eroticism, stretched to 17 minutes and taking up the entire first side of the record, wasn’t totally well-received. In the U.K., the BBC refused to promote the four-minute single version on the air after its release in 1976. However, it still reached No. 4 on the Singles Chart. The U.S. was a bit more receptive, sending it to No. 2 and giving Summer her first Top 40 hit. Retrospectively, some fans have shared that “Love To Love You Baby” wasn’t really that shocking considering the norm of 70s disco. But for big-time radio stations, a song made mostly of simulated orgasms may have seemed like a problem.
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