What Were The Charting Songs In 2011?
As the world through light on the events of a decade ago, The Hollywood Reporter examines how the music industry was affected and how it responded. More than 165 songs and lyrics were listed as "lyrically questionable" in a memo sent to hundreds of Clear Channel-operated stations. The radio conglomerate initially denied the existence of such a list. Still, after industry insider site Hits Daily Double published it, the radio conglomerate clarified that the songs were more of a suggestion and action than an outright ban. AC/DC "Dirty Deeds Done Cheap" and "Highway to Hell," Alien Ant Farm's Smooth Criminal cover, Neil Diamond's "America," Bob Dylan's "Knockin' on Heaven's Door," Foo Fighters' "Learn to Fly," Billy Joel's "Only the Good Die Young," Judas Priest's "Some Heads are Gonna Roll," Dave Matthews Band's "Crash Into Me," "Another One Bites the Dust" by Queen, "It's the End of the World As We Know It" by R.E.M., and "Bodies" by Drowning Pool. The Beatles' "A Day in the Life," "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds," "Ob-la-di, Ob-la-da," and "Ticket to Ride" were also deemed inappropriate for a time.
Deep is also finishing the year at Number 9 on just under 799,000. Despite never actually reaching Number 1 on the Official Singles Chart, Maroon 5 and Christina Aguilera's collaboration Moves Like Jagger sold 1.04 million copies, finishing in second place on the year-end chart and becoming the second biggest Number 2 of all time, after Wham's Last Christmas.
The Billboard Hot 100 chart ranks the top 100 songs in the United States. Its data, compiled by Nielsen SoundScan and published by Billboard magazine, is dependent on each single's weekly physical and digital sales and airplay. In 2011, 14 singles topped the charts in 53 issues of the magazine, one of which, singer Katy Perry's "Firework," peaked in late 2010. In 2011, nine acts achieved their first number-one single in the United States, either as the lead artist or featured guests.
"The Boys of Queens" is a song about a soldier from an Irish family in Queens. His family has a long history of firefighters and lost most male members on 9/11. It also deals with his suffering as a result of the events and their aftermath, as well as his own death in the Middle East.
