ARTIST SPOTLIGHT = Weezer (4 songs)
This band formed in 1992 in Los Angeles CA by Rivers Cuomo, Patrick Wilson, Brian Bell & Scott Shriner. The lineup has changed 3 times since.
#1
This song was released 09/07/1994 as the 2nd single from their debut self-titled album. It’s best United States performance was on the Modern Rock Tracks chart, where it peaked at #2, becoming the band’s 1st Top 5 & 2nd Top 10 on that chart, preceded by “Undone – The Sweater Song” (#6). Elsewhere, this single reached #6 in Canada & #12 in England. Check out the video, from Arnold’s Drive-In dinner (“Happy Days”), which won 4 awards at the 1995 MTV Video Music Awards.
#2
This song, which debuted 07/13/1995 as the 3rd & final release from their self-titled debut album, became the band’s 3rd straight Top 10 on the Modern Rock Tracks chart, peaking at #7. It also notched at #6 in Canada. Frontman Rivers Cuomo wrote this song, inspired by an incident in high school where he came home & saw a bottle of beer in the fridge; he was afraid his Mom’s marriage to his step-father might end the same way her marriage had ended with his father (an alcoholic).
#3
This song is the 2nd single from the band’s 2001 self-titled album. Not originally planned for the album, producer Ric Ocasek fought to include it … & it proved him correct. While the album’s 1st single had peaked at #2 on the Modern Rock Tracks chart, this song debuted 08/28/2001 & reached #11 on that chart. But, it faired better internationally, where it reached #9 in Belgium, #17 in France & #31 in England.
#4
This song is why many think of this band as a “1-hit wonder”. After only 2 Top 10 hits on the Modern Rock Tracks chart 1996-2002 (2001’s “Hash Pipe”, #2, & 2002’s “Dope Nose”, #8), the band released no new music in 2003 & 2004. Then, this song hit the airwaves 03/29/2005, as the debut single from their album ‘Make Believe’. It quickly claimed #1 on the Modern Rock Tracks chart & reached #10 on the Billboard Hot 100, while notching at #9 in England. Since, the band has had 2 more #1s on the Modern Rock Tracks chart: 2005’s “Perfect Situation” & 2008’s “Pork & Beans”.