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Camper Van Beethoven
Photo: Wikimedia Commons

Artist · chart history

Camper Van Beethoven

Band Redlands United States Formed 1983

Camper Van Beethoven formed in 1983 in Redlands, United States. Camper Van Beethoven has 118 chart appearances on 55 radio countdowns from 17 stations on RockLists, spanning 1986–2026. The most successful song on radio countdowns is “Take The Skinheads Bowling”, which appears on 45 lists with a best position of #21. The station that charted Camper Van Beethoven most often is CD101 (Columbus, OH), with 50 appearances. The artist’s biggest year on year-end countdowns was 1989.

118appearances
55countdowns
11songs charted
17stations
0#1 finishes
1986–2026years

Camper Van Beethoven started in Redlands, California, in 1983 and never did the expected thing. They later settled in Santa Cruz and San Francisco, and their sound was a gleeful jumble of pop, ska, punk, folk, country and world music, all played with a smirk and a kitchen-sink spirit. Hardcore punk crowds in the Inland Empire didn't know what to make of them at first. Everybody else gradually caught on, and their do-it-yourself stubbornness became a template for the indie rock that followed.

The first 3 records, all on independent labels, came out inside 18 months. Telephone Free Landslide Victory, in 1985, carried their debut single, "Take the Skinheads Bowling", a song whose words refuse to make sense and which turned into a surprise hit anyway. The self-titled album of 1987 brought "Good Guys and Bad Guys", and the Vampire Can Mating Oven EP of the same year carried "Seven Languages".

Signing to Virgin in 1987, they made 2 albums for the label. Our Beloved Revolutionary Sweetheart, in 1988, gave the countdowns "Life Is Grand", "Turquoise Jewelry" and "Eye of Fatima". Key Lime Pie, in 1989, gave them the biggest hit they would ever have, a woozy cover of Status Quo's "Pictures of Matchstick Men" that went to number one on Billboard's Modern Rock Tracks chart, along with the melancholy "All Her Favorite Fruit".

Internal tensions broke them up the following year. David Lowery, their lead singer, formed Cracker, David Immerglück joined Counting Crows, and several of the others carried on as Monks of Doom. From 1999 the band was back together and making new records, among them New Roman Times in 2004, which put "51-7" on the countdowns.

Written with AI assistance from RockLists chart data, MusicBrainz and Wikipedia.

Songs by Camper Van Beethoven on radio countdowns

#SongStrengthListsBest#1sPeak year
1 Take The Skinheads Bowling
2,314		 45 #21 – 1986
2 Pictures of Matchstick Men
1,729		 35 #28 – 1989
3 All Her Favorite Fruit
402		 7 #809 – –
4 Life Is Grand
300		 15 #790 – –
5 Eye of Fatima
223		 6 #60 – 1988
6 Good Guys and Bad Guys
134		 2 #104 – –
7 Seven Languages
92		 2 #244 – –
8 Where The Hell Is Bill
60		 2 #545 – –
9 Turquoise Jewelry
55		 2 #95 – 1988
10 51-7
48		 1 #54 – 2004
11 Eye of Fatima (Part 1)
45		 1 #1120 – –

Albums with charting songs

Where each song was first released, from MusicBrainz.

Year-end chart timeline

Combined year-end countdown points per year. Taller bars mean more songs placing higher across more stations.

86 88 89 04

Every countdown appearance

Year#SongCountdown
2026 158 Take The Skinheads Bowling WFPK Top 500 Songs of the '80s
2026 714 Take The Skinheads Bowling The Colorado Sound Top 1055 Songs You Discovered on The Colorado Sound
2025 722 Take The Skinheads Bowling The Colorado Sound Top 800 Mood Booster Songs
2024 854 Take The Skinheads Bowling WYEP Best Songs of the Past 50 Years
2024 97 Pictures of Matchstick Men The Colorado Sound Top 850 Cover Songs
2023 786 Pictures of Matchstick Men 90.9 The Bridge Top 909 Songs of All Time
2023 893 Take The Skinheads Bowling 90.9 The Bridge Top 909 Songs of All Time
2023 545 Where The Hell Is Bill The Colorado Sound Top 850 Songs of the 1980s
2023 680 Take The Skinheads Bowling The Colorado Sound Top 850 Songs of the 1980s
2022 804 Where The Hell Is Bill The Colorado Sound Top 1055 Colorado Sound Songs of All Time
2022 1014 Take The Skinheads Bowling The Colorado Sound Top 1055 Colorado Sound Songs of All Time
2021 651 Take The Skinheads Bowling 90.9 The Bridge Top 909 Songs of the '80s
2021 785 Eye of Fatima 90.9 The Bridge Top 909 Songs of the '80s
2019 401 Take The Skinheads Bowling KEXP Listeners' Favorite Songs of All Time
2019 586 Pictures of Matchstick Men KEXP Listeners' Favorite Songs of All Time
2019 982 Pictures of Matchstick Men WYEP Labor Day Weekend Countdown 2019
2019 982 Pictures of Matchstick Men WYEP Big Spring Countdown 2019
2014 636 Pictures of Matchstick Men CD101 Top 2014 Songs of All-Time (2014)
2014 672 Take The Skinheads Bowling CD101 Top 2014 Songs of All-Time (2014)
2014 1687 Life Is Grand CD101 Top 2014 Songs of All-Time (2014)
2013 614 Pictures of Matchstick Men CD101 Top 2013 Songs of All-Time (December 2013)
2013 648 Take The Skinheads Bowling CD101 Top 2013 Songs of All-Time (December 2013)
2013 1626 Life Is Grand CD101 Top 2013 Songs of All-Time (December 2013)
2011 597 Pictures of Matchstick Men CD101 Top 2012 Songs of All-Time (December 2011)
2011 653 Take The Skinheads Bowling CD101 Top 2012 Songs of All-Time (December 2011)
2011 1569 Life Is Grand CD101 Top 2012 Songs of All-Time (December 2011)
2010 569 Pictures of Matchstick Men CD101 Top 2011 Songs of All-Time (December 2010)
2010 633 Take The Skinheads Bowling CD101 Top 2011 Songs of All-Time (December 2010)
2010 1502 Life Is Grand CD101 Top 2011 Songs of All-Time (December 2010)
2009 553 Pictures of Matchstick Men CD101 Top 2010 Songs of All-Time (December 2009)
2009 614 Take The Skinheads Bowling CD101 Top 2010 Songs of All-Time (December 2009)
2009 1587 Life Is Grand CD101 Top 2010 Songs of All-Time (December 2009)
2008 547 Pictures of Matchstick Men CD101 Top 2009 Songs of All-Time (December 2008)
2008 631 Take The Skinheads Bowling CD101 Top 2009 Songs of All-Time (December 2008)
2008 1620 Life Is Grand CD101 Top 2009 Songs of All-Time (December 2008)
2007 576 Pictures of Matchstick Men CD101 Top 2008 Songs of All-Time (December 2007)
2007 688 Take The Skinheads Bowling CD101 Top 2008 Songs of All-Time (December 2007)
2007 1684 Life Is Grand CD101 Top 2008 Songs of All-Time (December 2007)
2006 70 Take The Skinheads Bowling WOXY Modern Rock 500 (2006)
2005 83 Take The Skinheads Bowling WOXY Modern Rock 500 (2005)
2005 374 Pictures of Matchstick Men CD101 Top 2006 Songs of All-Time (December 2005)
2005 860 All Her Favorite Fruit CD101 Top 2006 Songs of All-Time (December 2005)
2005 1217 Take The Skinheads Bowling CD101 Top 2006 Songs of All-Time (December 2005)
2005 1601 Life Is Grand CD101 Top 2006 Songs of All-Time (December 2005)
2005 514 Pictures of Matchstick Men 99X Freedom of Choice 1000 (2005)
2005 770 Take The Skinheads Bowling 99X Freedom of Choice 1000 (2005)
2005 75 Take The Skinheads Bowling 96.5 The Buzz Top 96 of the 70s & 80s
2004 54 51-7 CD101 Top 101 Songs of 2004
2004 239 Take The Skinheads Bowling Q101 Top 300 Party Songs of All-Time (July 2004)
2004 374 Pictures of Matchstick Men CD101 Top 2005 Songs of All-Time (December 2004)
2004 860 All Her Favorite Fruit CD101 Top 2005 Songs of All-Time (December 2004)
2004 1225 Take The Skinheads Bowling CD101 Top 2005 Songs of All-Time (December 2004)
2004 1603 Life Is Grand CD101 Top 2005 Songs of All-Time (December 2004)
2003 64 Take The Skinheads Bowling WOXY Modern Rock 500 (2003)
2003 473 Pictures of Matchstick Men WOXY Modern Rock 500 (2003)
2003 374 Pictures of Matchstick Men CD101 Top 2004 Songs of All-Time (December 2003)
2003 860 All Her Favorite Fruit CD101 Top 2004 Songs of All-Time (December 2003)
2003 1225 Take The Skinheads Bowling CD101 Top 2004 Songs of All-Time (December 2003)
2003 1603 Life Is Grand CD101 Top 2004 Songs of All-Time (December 2003)
2003 267 Take The Skinheads Bowling Fred XM Top 2044 Songs of All-Time (July 2003)
2003 609 Pictures of Matchstick Men Fred XM Top 2044 Songs of All-Time (July 2003)
2003 1120 Eye of Fatima (Part 1) Fred XM Top 2044 Songs of All-Time (July 2003)
2002 37 Take The Skinheads Bowling WOXY Modern Rock 500 (2002)
2002 473 Pictures of Matchstick Men WOXY Modern Rock 500 (2002)
2002 374 Pictures of Matchstick Men CD101 Top 2003 Songs of All-Time (December 2002)
2002 862 All Her Favorite Fruit CD101 Top 2003 Songs of All-Time (December 2002)
2002 1240 Take The Skinheads Bowling CD101 Top 2003 Songs of All-Time (December 2002)
2002 1610 Life Is Grand CD101 Top 2003 Songs of All-Time (December 2002)
2002 357 Take The Skinheads Bowling Fred XM Top 2002 Songs of All-Time (July 2002)
2002 405 Pictures of Matchstick Men Fred XM Top 2002 Songs of All-Time (July 2002)
2002 1472 Eye of Fatima Fred XM Top 2002 Songs of All-Time (July 2002)
2001 29 Take The Skinheads Bowling WOXY Modern Rock 500 (2001)
2001 477 Pictures of Matchstick Men WOXY Modern Rock 500 (2001)
2001 374 Pictures of Matchstick Men CD101 Top 2002 Songs of All-Time (December 2001)
2001 862 All Her Favorite Fruit CD101 Top 2002 Songs of All-Time (December 2001)
2001 1241 Take The Skinheads Bowling CD101 Top 2002 Songs of All-Time (December 2001)
2001 1618 Life Is Grand CD101 Top 2002 Songs of All-Time (December 2001)
2001 1577 Take The Skinheads Bowling WFPK 2001 Greatest Songs of All Time
2000 28 Take The Skinheads Bowling WOXY Modern Rock 500 (2000)
2000 481 Pictures of Matchstick Men WOXY Modern Rock 500 (2000)
2000 375 Pictures of Matchstick Men CD101 Top 2001 Songs of All-Time (December 2000)
2000 860 All Her Favorite Fruit CD101 Top 2001 Songs of All-Time (December 2000)
2000 1272 Take The Skinheads Bowling CD101 Top 2001 Songs of All-Time (December 2000)
2000 1618 Life Is Grand CD101 Top 2001 Songs of All-Time (December 2000)
1999 430 Take The Skinheads Bowling 91X Fat 500 Songs of All-Time (July 1999)
1999 551 Pictures of Matchstick Men Q101 Top 1,011 Songs of All-Time (December 1999)
1999 686 Eye of Fatima Q101 Top 1,011 Songs of All-Time (December 1999)
1999 790 Life Is Grand Q101 Top 1,011 Songs of All-Time (December 1999)
1999 613 Pictures of Matchstick Men The End Top 1077 Songs of All-Time (December 1999)
1999 640 Take The Skinheads Bowling The End Top 1077 Songs of All-Time (December 1999)
1999 35 Take The Skinheads Bowling WOXY Modern Rock 500 (1999)
1999 348 Pictures of Matchstick Men WOXY Modern Rock 500 (1999)
1999 375 Pictures of Matchstick Men CD101 Top 2000 Songs of All-Time (December 1999)
1999 809 All Her Favorite Fruit CD101 Top 2000 Songs of All-Time (December 1999)
1999 1294 Take The Skinheads Bowling CD101 Top 2000 Songs of All-Time (December 1999)
1999 1618 Life Is Grand CD101 Top 2000 Songs of All-Time (December 1999)
1999 675 Take The Skinheads Bowling CFNY Top 1002 Songs of All-Time (November 1999)
1996 85 Take The Skinheads Bowling WOXY Modern Rock 500 (1996)
1996 450 Pictures of Matchstick Men WOXY Modern Rock 500 (1996)
1994 93 Take The Skinheads Bowling WOXY Modern Rock 500 (1994)
1994 461 Pictures of Matchstick Men WOXY Modern Rock 500 (1994)
1991 126 Take The Skinheads Bowling WOXY Modern Rock 500 (1991)
1991 229 Good Guys and Bad Guys WOXY Modern Rock 500 (1991)
1991 245 Eye of Fatima WOXY Modern Rock 500 (1991)
1991 298 Seven Languages WOXY Modern Rock 500 (1991)
1991 442 Pictures of Matchstick Men WOXY Modern Rock 500 (1991)
1991 676 Take The Skinheads Bowling CFNY Top 1002 Songs of All-Time (1991 Edition)
1989 37 Pictures of Matchstick Men KROQ Top 106.7 Songs of 1989
1989 28 Pictures of Matchstick Men 91X Top 91 Songs of 1989
1989 72 Pictures of Matchstick Men Live 105 Top 105.3 Songs of 1989
1989 21 Take The Skinheads Bowling WOXY Modern Rock 500 (1989)
1989 104 Good Guys and Bad Guys WOXY Modern Rock 500 (1989)
1989 183 Eye of Fatima WOXY Modern Rock 500 (1989)
1989 244 Seven Languages WOXY Modern Rock 500 (1989)
1989 288 Turquoise Jewelry WOXY Modern Rock 500 (1989)
1988 95 Turquoise Jewelry KROQ Top 106.7 Songs of 1988
1988 60 Eye of Fatima 91X Top 91 Songs of 1988
1986 47 Take The Skinheads Bowling John Peel's Festive Fifty of 1986

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