How did Good Riddance (Time of Your Life) never hit the Billboard’s Hot 100?

[Yosuke Hanamura]

It’s fair to say that Good Riddance is a special song in Green Day’s back catalogue. The song that became their best selling single up until that point. The song of the summer, used for every event under the sun including the final episode of Seinfeld, played on MTV and the radio constantly, was the whole reason they showed up to the VMA’s in 1998, and made it on the Mainstream Top 40. So.. What stopped it from making it to the Hot 100?

[michael1989]

Hmm I didn't know that. Here in Australia it reached number 2 on our chart which is the equivalent of the Hot 100 and it was the 8th highest selling single of 1998.

[HAPPY ZOMBIE UNICORN]

Just guessing, but I think at the time Hot 100 was heavily influenced by physical copy sales, while Mainstream Top 40 was only based on radio. So probably the song was a radio success, but Nimrod/the single CD didn’t sell enough to make it a Hot 100 song. 

[Yosuke Hanamura]

42 minutes ago, HAPPY ROOTING UNICORN said:

Just guessing, but I think at the time Hot 100 was heavily influenced by physical copy sales, while Mainstream Top 40 was only based on radio. So probably the song was a radio success, but Nimrod/the single CD didn’t sell enough to make it a Hot 100 song. 

Ah, that makes sense. Plus, if it sold more, then it’s possible that Hitchin’ a Ride would’ve made it to the Hot 100 as well.

[Grinch]

I'm pretty sure the hot 100 just worked differently back then, which is why literally none of their songs until American Idiot ever charted even though Dookie was loaded with very popular songs.

[HAPPY ZOMBIE UNICORN]

1 hour ago, Grinch said:

I'm pretty sure the hot 100 just worked differently back then, which is why literally none of their songs until American Idiot ever charted even though Dookie was loaded with very popular songs.

American Idiot charted in the hot 100 before they changed the system to include digital downloads, which makes the song and record performance even more impressive. 

[Yosuke Hanamura]

What’s even more impressive is that Minority hit #1 on the Bubbling under 100 chart, and Good Riddance didn’t chart there at all. That implies Minority overall sold more.

[DookieLukie]

Prior to 1997, Billboard didn't allow songs on the Hot 100 unless they released a physical single. Green Day (for some reason) never released official physical single copies. Therefore, their songs did well on other charts but weren't allowed on the Hot 100.

[Yosuke Hanamura]

10 minutes ago, DookieLukie said:

Prior to 1997, Billboard didn't allow songs on the Hot 100 unless they released a physical single. Green Day (for some reason) never released official physical single copies. Therefore, their songs did well on other charts but weren't allowed on the Hot 100.

Seriously? Then were these singles only sent to radio stations?

https://www.discogs.com/Green-Day-Time-Of-Your-Life-Good-Riddance/release/4866135

[Joe.]

12 hours ago, Yosuke Hanamura said:

Seriously? Then were these singles only sent to radio stations?

https://www.discogs.com/Green-Day-Time-Of-Your-Life-Good-Riddance/release/4866135

Assume so. Its listed under 'promo'

[theangel]

15 hours ago, Yosuke Hanamura said:

Seriously? Then were these singles only sent to radio stations?

https://www.discogs.com/Green-Day-Time-Of-Your-Life-Good-Riddance/release/4866135

They were all either only sent to radios/given away or were released in other countries.

[That Dude]

What can GDA do to effect the charts?   

Let's start with the goal.   The goal will be to make every Green Day song reach #1 on EVERY CHART.  Rap, pop, country, rock, college.....all of them.    

Let's DO THIS!  

I'll get to work on "Too Dumb to Die", you guys start working on "X-Kid" and we'll team up when needed.   Thanks!