Were Madness the best singles band ever?



Exactly. I'm not knocking most of their singles other than towards the end with Sheila take a bow, Ask etc. I'd rather listen to The Smiths or Meat is Murder albums than their released singles any day.
They had so many we were probably spoilt to be fair. Well I Wonder, Some Girls Are Bigger than Others, Sweet and Tender Hooligan, Asleep, What She Said, You Just Haven't Earned It Yet Baby, I Know It's Over, Rubber Ring, Half a Person are all classics
 
Ignoring The Beatles, as we seem to be doing for the purposes of the thread and also wilfully forgetting the Joy Division/New Order panjandrum, then Madness are up there. However, Adam and the Ants were the classic singles band and Duran Duran and Wham are also in the running.
 
Squeeze produced some brilliant singles, probably my pick
My cousin (St Aidan's lad) played bass with them for about 12 years, after the first split. Never really had the same level of success in the singles charts but were still knocking out some belters like Hourglass and Third Rail, and were probably bigger in the US during that period. He has some good stories, especially from a stadium tour with Fleetwood Mac!!
 
Ignoring The Beatles, as we seem to be doing for the purposes of the thread and also wilfully forgetting the Joy Division/New Order panjandrum, then Madness are up there. However, Adam and the Ants were the classic singles band and Duran Duran and Wham are also in the running.
We should definitely ignore The Beatles, as they don't fit the bill. Wham is actually a decent shout for a singles band.
 
We should definitely ignore The Beatles, as they don't fit the bill. Wham is actually a decent shout for a singles band.
Does making good albums mean you can't be a good singles band also?The Beatles were arguably the best at both. If anything, they were better as a singles band than an album band.
The answer is ABBA

Can't be a great singles band as Arrival is terrific album, apparently.
 
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The Who are up there as a singles band.

I'd go with this. I think their albums are patchy. With one that's very good. I love that band as well. But they're best in compilations.

I think there's some bands who are a great singles band but only because their whole body of work was good. Beatles were technically a good singles band but because they were writing the best and most consistent body of work ever made it stands to reason their singles would be good.
The answer is ABBA

That's a good call. Abba gold is the all time great pop compilation imo
 
Does making good albums mean you can't be a good singles band also?The Beatles were arguably the best at both. If anything, they were better as a singles band than an album band.


Can't be a great singles band as Arrival is terrific album, apparently.

Whilst I agree, I think the Beatles are the best ever, I think they're more the whole package. Unfair to call them a singles band, that generally applies to a band who consistently had high quality hits but didn't make great albums.
I think the rolling stones count as a singles band, but they did hit form with albums from 68-73
 
I'd go with this. I think their albums are patchy. With one that's very good. I love that band as well. But they're best in compilations.

I think there's some bands who are a great singles band but only because their whole body of work was good. Beatles were technically a good singles band but because they were writing the best and most consistent body of work ever made it stands to reason their singles would be good.


That's a good call. Abba gold is the all time great pop compilation imo
Yes. A singles band don't write superb albums. That is why they are called singles bands. It means a few belters and nowt much else each release.
I think the rolling stones count as a singles band, but they did hit form with albums from 68-73
Not for me like. Five or six absolutely class albums from start to finish.
 
Madness n darkness are 2 bands in my top 5.
Both probably mocked for being a bit whacky but very underated.
Darkness still remain best set ill ever see (t in the park).
 
Although they might be considered more of an albums band, The Cure had a run of singles over their first 15 years or so which takes some topping.
Dunno like. That Jam singles run is 21 in a row, over 5 years. I think there's only two slight weaklings out of 21.
 

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