This Classic Rock Band Narrowly Missed The No. 1 Spot So Many Times It Set A Record

Creedence Clearwater Revival is one of the bestselling bands ever, and they released a slew of hit singles that established them as a foundational classic rock band — so many that it set a record for almost topping the pop chart a staggering number of times. Also known as Creedence or CCR, the hard rock-meets-swamp rock act from California and led by singer-songwriter-guitarist John Fogerty, has sold more than 30 million albums in the U.S. alone and millions more in singles, many of them during its hippie/young Boomer era heyday. CCR was objectively one of the most successful and popular bands of 1969, a year full of songs that virtually define rock history, and into 1970 as well. 

Its memorable tunes rank among the classic rock songs from the '60s and the '70s that are worth a head-turning amount of money. But CCR's truly remarkable chart feat is that it has the most No. 2 hits of any band, singer, or group in history. According to Billboard, other performers — including Drake, Taylor Swift, Madonna, Justin Bieber, and the Carpenters — have as many or more as CCR, but they've also made it to No. 1 on at least one occasion. And therein lies the disappointing twist: Creedence Clearwater Revival holds the Billboard record for most No. 2 hits without having any No. 1 hits.

Creedence Clearwater Revival's achievement is a chart record certified by Billboard, chronicler of musical consumption data. No band has hit the No. 2 spot more times than Creedence Clearwater Revival without also reaching No. 1 at some point. The rock band did it all within a condensed period of time, too.

Between March 1969 and October 1970, Creedence Clearwater Revival went to the almost-top-of-the-charts five times. The streak began in March 1969, when the chugging "Proud Mary" spent three weeks at No. 2, shut out of the No. 1 position by Sly and the Family Stone's "Everyday People" and Tommy Roe's "Dizzy." A little over three months later, "Bad Moon Rising" ascended to No. 2 for a week, prevented from going all the way by Henry Mancini's "Love Theme from Romeo and Juliet." Another three months after that, Creedence tried to go No. 1 once more with "Green River," but couldn't get there because of the Archies' "Sugar, Sugar." 

In the new year, Creedence Clearwater Revival faced the same fate. The double A-side single "Travelin' Band" / Who'll Stop the Rain" got as far as No. 2 in March 1970, stuck behind Simon & Garfunkel's "Bridge Over Troubled Water." Six months on, CCR hit No. 2 for the fifth, final, and record-setting time for one week, but their "Lookin' Out My Back Door" / "As Long as I Can See the Light" was unable to dislodge Diana Ross' version of "Ain't No Mountain High Enough."