I was just thinking about this one song that used to always get played on the radio here in Detroit called "When I Hear Music (It Makes Me Dance)". This song is sort of irratating and for some reason when everyone wasn't afraid of the eigties or dance music, it got a lot of radio play here. I looked it up and the song ended up not even being a hit anywhere, except for I guess here. It was by Debbie Deb, how only had two tracks that charted on the dance charts (neither being "Music").

Another story I have is about Stevie Wonder's "My Eyes Don't Cry". For some reason, around 1996 DJs used to always play this song and call it "The Slide" (which I thought was a coutnry dance) and really used to love playing in on Friday afternoons with people. I knew this probably wasn't a new song but figured it was probably a big hit when it came out. Checked it out and turns out it peaked at 6 on the R&B charts, 12 on the dance charts but never touched the pop charts and it was mostly pop stations playing the song. So while I guess it was a minor hit, it was by no means a song that most people will know that well off hand. I don't think the song appears on any of his hits collection (which is shame becuase it is one of the better things he did the eighties compared to his hits).

I'm sure there are a few more that were only hits in Detroit but I can't think of any. Just wondering if anyone else can think of songs that were hits only were they are from and got lots of radio play.

I remember when I was a kid growing up in Indiana, there was a song called "The Atom Smasher" that everyone in my school HAD to own if we were cool. I think it was just a stupid novelty song by an Indy DJ, but for a while it was hot-hot-hot...on Hoosier elementary school playgrounds, anyway!!

VinnyM27 said:

Actually, all the clubs I ever hung out in called Eyes Don't Cry the "Hustle" song. I notice here in Detroit, we have always called the dance the "Hustle" (never changed the name from the disco days) where in other cities, it was called the "Slide" or the "Electric Slide". The Hustle is "big business" around here--club nights teach all kinds of different dance steps. We also have "Ballroom" which is a bit like the "Stepping" that they do in Chicago.

Anyway, back to the original topic--there have been LOTS of hits, especially in the 70's and 80's that made it in Detroit and not elsewhere. Of course, my mouldy brain can't think of any right now off hand . The main point, though, is that those decades seem to be the last time that radio was interested in playing local artists. WGPR is good at playing local artists now, but I don't know of any others (maybe WDET--public radio or WDTR--the Detroit Public Schools station).

NuPwr319 said:

You know, I think it was called the the Hustle! Thanks. I wasn't sure but I know they named it after all.

The 80s were a pretty good decade for radio but too bad I was young and pretty much only listened to radio in my pareents car! WDTR is a pretty good station but it seems like they sometimes just have like a mix tape that they play. In other words, they sometimes play the same songs in the same squences. The one I always catch is this minor R&B hit called "I Don't Want To Be Alone Tonight" and then and then they play "Curiousity", which I think is a Jet's song. It drives me nuts but it is public radio and it rocks! Not sure if either of those were "local" hits or whether they play songs that were hits in Detroit back int the day but they seem to be pretty diverse, playing older R&B that isn't all played out. During the day, they play really classic soul from the seventies for the adults.