Billboard Magazine initiated the Rock Albums and Top Tracks chart in 1981 to rank albums and songs that received the most airplay on album rock radio stations in the US. In 1984, Billboard stopped the Album charts and renamed Top Tracks to Top Rock Tracks to focus on songs from albums. The chart continues today as Billboard’s Mainstream Rock Chart. The main purpose of the chart was to measure and ran songs played on the radio versus the sale of singles as many artists had multiple songs receiving airplay from the same album.
One of the overlooked bands that achieved success on this chart during the 1980’s was synth pop / rock band the Fixx. From 1982 until 1991, the Fixx were ranked in the top 40 of the chart 14 times. Although from England, the band found their greatest success in the US and Canada while only having moderate success in their home country. In fact, in addition to their success on the Top Rock Chart for radio airplay, the Fixx released six Top 40 singles. Meanwhile, they never charted higher than #54 on the UK Singles Chart. Thankfully, for all of the Fixx fans, the band released their first album in a decade in 2022 titled Every Five Seconds. The list below shows each of the 14 songs that charted in the Billboard Top Rock Tracks chart.
“Stand or Fall” (1982) from the LP Shuttered Rooms
Top Rock Tracks Chart Peak Position: #7
Billboard Hot 100 Peak Position: #76
“Red Skies” (1982) from the LP Shuttered Rooms
Top Rock Tracks Chart Peak Position: #13
Billboard Hot 100 Peak Position: #101
“Saved by Zero” (1983) from the LP Reach the Beach
Top Rock Tracks Chart Peak Position: #9
Billboard Hot 100 Peak Position: #20
“One Things Leads to Another” (1983) from the LP Reach the Beach
Top Rock Tracks Chart Peak Position: #2
Billboard Hot 100 Peak Position: #4
“The Sign of Fire” (1983) from the LP Reach the Beach
Top Rock Tracks Chart Peak Position: #20
Billboard Hot 100 Peak Position: #32
“Deeper and Deeper” (1984) from the LP Streets of Fire soundtrack
Top Rock Tracks Chart Peak Position: #3
Billboard Hot 100 Peak Position: N/A
“Are We Ourselves?” (1984) from the LP Phantoms
Top Rock Tracks Chart Peak Position: #1
Billboard Hot 100 Peak Position: #15
“Sunshine in the Shade” (1982) from the LP Phantoms
Top Rock Tracks Chart Peak Position: #37
Billboard Hot 100 Peak Position: #69
“Secret Separation (1986) from the LP Walkabout
Top Rock Tracks Chart Peak Position: #1
Billboard Hot 100 Peak Position: #19
“Built for the Future” (1986) from the LP Walkabout
