10,000 Maniacs

Jamestown, New York-based band 10,000 Maniacs developed a significant alternative rock following throughout the 1980s and into the 1990s.  That translated into very limited crossover success to the pop chart, and through the middle of November 1993, the band had reached no higher then the peak position of number 44 for 1989’s “Trouble Me,” despite hitting Billboard‘s Hot 100 chart six times.  That changed the week ending November 27, 1993, as 10,000 Maniacs’ remake of the Patti Smith Group’s “Because The Night” reached number 40, giving the band its first Top 40 hit.  Twelve weeks later, exactly 20 years ago, that single peaked at number 11 and became the band’s biggest hit.

In 1997, 10,000 Maniacs hit the Top 40 a second time, as “More Than This” peaked at number 25.  In the time between, lead singer Natalie Merchant left the group to embark upon a solo career that produced three Top 40 singles from her debut solo album, Tigerlily, including her biggest hit, “Carnival,” which peaked at number 10 in October 1995.