Hits List: John (Cougar) Mellencamp

John Mellencamp captured the "heart" of the heartland and spread the message loud and clear all across the world.  He's been an amazing artist for over 30 years now, providing some of the most meaningful music in that time.  Here is the complete Hits List:

1978:  "I Need A Lover" (#5 Australia)
           "Factory"
1979:  "Miami" (#31 Australia)
           "I Need a Lover" (#28)
           "Taxi Dancer"
1980:  "Small Paradise" (#87)
           "A Little Night Dancin'"
           "This Time" (#27, #43 Australia)
1981:  "Ain't Even Done With the Night" (#17, #44 Mainstream Rock, #6 Canada)
           "Hot Night in a Cold Town"

1982:  "Hurts So Good" (#2, #1 Rock, #1 Canada, #5 Australia)
           "Jack & Diane" (#1, #3 Rock, #1 Canada, #7 Australia)
           "Thundering Hearts" (#36 Rock)
           "Hand to Hold on To" (#19, #97 Australia)
1983:  "Crumblin' Down" (#9, #2 Rock, #12 Canada, #42 Australia)
           "Pink Houses" (#8, #3 Rock, #11 Canada, #69 Australia)
1984:  "Serious Business" (#34 Rock)
           "Play Guitar" (#28 Rock)
           "The Authority Song" (#15, #15 Rock, #20 Canada, #93 Australia)--underrated.
1985:  "Lonely Ol' Night" (#6, #1 Rock, #37 Adult Contemporary, #4 Canada, #32 Australia)
           "Small Town" (#6, #2 Rock, #13 AC, #21 Canada, #80 Australia)
           "Justice and Independence '85" (#28 Rock)

Mellencamp's amazing Scarecrow album...
1986:  "Minutes to Memories" (#14 Rock)--highly underrated.
           "R.O.C.K. in the U.S.A." (#2, #6 Rock, #36 AC, #6 Canada, #18 Australia)
           "Under the Boardwalk" (#19 Rock, #18 Australia)
           "Rain on the Scarecrow" (#21, #16 Rock, #34 Australia)--underrated.
           "Rumbleseat" (#28, #4 Rock, #84 Australia)
1987:  "Paper in Fire" (#9, #1 Rock, #1 Canada, #13 Australia)
           "Cherry Bomb" (#8, #1 Rock, #12 AC, #4 Canada, #20 Australia)
           "Hard Times for an Honest Man" (#10 Rock)
           "The Real Life" (#3 Rock)
1988:  "Check It Out" (#14, #3 Rock, #12 Canada, #22 Australia)
           "Rooty Toot Toot" (#61, #7 Rock, #14 Canada, #54 Australia)
           "Rave On" (#17 Rock, #14 Canada)
1989:  "Pop Singer" (#15, #2 Rock, #8 Canada, #8 Australia)
           "Jackie Brown" (#48, #20 Rock, #31 AC, #36 Canada, #47 Australia)
           "Martha Say" (#8 Rock)
           "Let It Out (Let It All Hang Out)" (#42 Rock), #87 Australia)
1991:  "Get a Leg Up" (#14, #1 Rock, #7 Canada, #21 Australia)
           "Love and Happiness" (#5 Rock)
1992:  "Again Tonight" (#36, #1 Rock, #46 AC, #26 Canada, #39 Australia)
           "Last Chance" (#12 Rock)
           "Now More Than Ever" (#3 Rock, #57 Australia)
1993:  "Human Wheels" (#48, #2 Rock, #40 AC, #14 Canada, #40 Australia)
           "What If I Came Knocking" (#1 Rock, #16 Canada)
           "When Jesus Left Birmingham" (#35 Rock)
1994:  "Junior" (#35 Rock)
           "Baby Please Don't Go"
           "Wild Night" (with Meshell Ndegeocello) (#3, #17 Rock, #1 AC #3 Canada, #18 Australia)
           "Dance Naked" (#41, #21 Rock, #37 AC, #18 Canada)

1996:  "Key West Intermezzo (I Saw You First)" (#14, #10 Rock, #15 AC, #1 Canada, #21 Australia)
           "Just Another Day" (#46, #13 Rock, #24 AC, #11 Canada)
           "Without Expression" (#25 Rock, #26 Canada)
1998:  "Your Life Is Now" (#15 Rock, #19 AC, #16 Canada)
1999:  "I'm Not Running Anymore" (#37 Rock, #22 AC)
2000:  "Yours Forever"
2001:  "Peaceful World" (with Inda.Arie) (#38 Rock, #27 AC)
2003:  "To Washington"
           "Teardrops Will Fall"
2004:  "Walk Tall" (#25 AC)
2006:  "Our Country" (#88, #16 AC)

2007:  "The Americans"
           "Someday"
2008:  "My Sweet Love (#25 AC)
           "Troubled Land"
2009:  "A Ride Back Home" (with Karen Fairchild)
2010:  "No Better Than This"

John has racked up 29 hits with 10 of those going Top 10 and one #1.  His main appeal is in the sub-genre of Mainstream Rock, which is closer to the old "Top 40" charts than what is presented now as the "popular" chart.  On that chart, which first began in 1981, Mellencamp has had 45 hits, with 22 Top 10's and seven number one songs.  The largest audience by far, of course, is the Adult Contemporary chart.  Even though that isn't Mellencamp's direction, he has charted 17 AC hits, with one Top 10 and one #1.