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Catherine Wheel
Photo: Wikimedia Commons

Artist · chart history · #588 in indie & aaa artist polls

Catherine Wheel

Band Great Yarmouth United Kingdom Active 1990–2000 UK shoegaze / alternative rock band

Catherine Wheel formed in 1990 in Great Yarmouth, United Kingdom and was active until 2000. Catherine Wheel has 108 chart appearances on 76 radio countdowns from 27 stations on RockLists, spanning 1991–2026. The most successful song on radio countdowns is “Black Metallic”, which appears on 47 lists with a best position of #15. The station that charted Catherine Wheel most often is CD101 (Columbus, OH), with 30 appearances. The artist’s biggest year on year-end countdowns was 1992.

108appearances
76countdowns
11songs charted
27stations
0#1 finishes
1991–2026years

Catherine Wheel came out of Great Yarmouth and Lowestoft in 1990, with Rob Dickinson, Brian Futter, Dave Hawes and Neil Sims in the lineup and a sound that started out in the shoegazing camp. The Painful Thing EP introduced them in 1991 with "I Want To Touch You", and Ferment, the 1992 debut, delivered "Black Metallic", a slow-motion avalanche of guitar haze with a melody buried somewhere in the drift, alongside "Texture".

Then they toughened up. Chrome, in 1993, traded some of the fog for muscle, and "Crank" landed with real force; the album and single took them further than they had ever been. Over the records that followed they kept leaning toward the weight of hard rock and metal. Happy Days, in 1995, brought "Waydown" and "Judy Staring At The Sun", a collaboration with Tanya Donelly that turned into one of their more popular songs.

Adam and Eve followed in 1997 with "Delicious", and Wishville, in 2000, gave them "Sparks Are Gonna Fly" before the band called it a day that same year, 5 albums in.

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

Songs by Catherine Wheel on radio countdowns

#SongStrengthListsBest#1sPeak year
1 Black Metallic
2,025		 47 #15 – 1992
2 Judy Staring At The Sun
729		 19 #61 – 1995
3 Crank
292		 9 #39 – 1993
4 I Want To Touch You
259		 5 #85 – 1992
5 Sparks Are Gonna Fly
218		 15 #26 – 2000
6 Delicious
63		 2 #70 – 1997
7 Waydown
62		 6 #76 – 1995
8 Texture
19		 1 #602 – –
9 Wish You Were Here
9		 1 #84 – 1994
10 Satellite
3		 1 #487 – –
11 Chrome
1		 1 #1984 – –

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.

91 92 93 94 95 97 00

Every countdown appearance

Year#SongCountdown
2026 543 Black Metallic KXT 917 Song Countdown
2026 793 Judy Staring At The Sun The Colorado Sound Top 1055 Songs You Discovered on The Colorado Sound
2025 332 Black Metallic WFPK Top 500 Songs of the '90s
2024 602 Texture The Best Opening Tracks of All Time
2023 228 Black Metallic The Current's 893 Essential Songs of the '90s
2023 837 Waydown The Current's 893 Essential Songs of the '90s
2022 323 Black Metallic KEXP Top Songs of the Last 50 Years (1972-2022)
2022 948 Judy Staring At The Sun The Colorado Sound Top 1055 Colorado Sound Songs of All Time
2022 486 Judy Staring At The Sun The Colorado Sound Top 900 Songs of the '90s
2022 853 Waydown The Colorado Sound Top 900 Songs of the '90s
2021 242 I Want To Touch You 90.9 The Bridge Top 909 Songs of the '90s
2021 436 Black Metallic 90.9 The Bridge Top 909 Songs of the '90s
2021 626 Crank 90.9 The Bridge Top 909 Songs of the '90s
2021 894 Waydown 90.9 The Bridge Top 909 Songs of the '90s
2020 1882 Black Metallic WXPN 2020 Greatest Songs of All Time
2019 150 Black Metallic KEXP Listeners' Favorite Songs of All Time
2019 290 Crank KEXP Listeners' Favorite Songs of All Time
2014 940 Judy Staring At The Sun CD101 Top 2014 Songs of All-Time (2014)
2014 1910 Sparks Are Gonna Fly CD101 Top 2014 Songs of All-Time (2014)
2013 916 Judy Staring At The Sun CD101 Top 2013 Songs of All-Time (December 2013)
2013 1895 Sparks Are Gonna Fly CD101 Top 2013 Songs of All-Time (December 2013)
2012 487 Satellite WYEP Top 500 Songs Countdown
2011 883 Judy Staring At The Sun CD101 Top 2012 Songs of All-Time (December 2011)
2011 1884 Sparks Are Gonna Fly CD101 Top 2012 Songs of All-Time (December 2011)
2010 898 Judy Staring At The Sun CD101 Top 2011 Songs of All-Time (December 2010)
2010 1809 Sparks Are Gonna Fly CD101 Top 2011 Songs of All-Time (December 2010)
2009 441 Black Metallic Live 105 Memorial 500 Song List (2009)
2009 866 Judy Staring At The Sun CD101 Top 2010 Songs of All-Time (December 2009)
2009 1766 Sparks Are Gonna Fly CD101 Top 2010 Songs of All-Time (December 2009)
2008 851 Judy Staring At The Sun CD101 Top 2009 Songs of All-Time (December 2008)
2008 1847 Sparks Are Gonna Fly CD101 Top 2009 Songs of All-Time (December 2008)
2007 859 Judy Staring At The Sun CD101 Top 2008 Songs of All-Time (December 2007)
2007 1909 Sparks Are Gonna Fly CD101 Top 2008 Songs of All-Time (December 2007)
2007 300 Black Metallic KROQ Top 500 Most Requested Songs of the '90s (Labor Day 2007)
2006 370 Black Metallic KROQ Flashback 500 (Memorial Day 2006)
2006 138 Black Metallic Live 105 500 Co-Op Countdown (Memorial Day 2006)
2006 364 Black Metallic WOXY Modern Rock 500 (2006)
2006 591 Artist ranking WXPN 885 All-Time Greatest Artists (2006)
2005 389 Black Metallic WOXY Modern Rock 500 (2005)
2005 1362 Black Metallic CD101 Top 2006 Songs of All-Time (December 2005)
2005 1625 Judy Staring At The Sun CD101 Top 2006 Songs of All-Time (December 2005)
2005 1829 Sparks Are Gonna Fly CD101 Top 2006 Songs of All-Time (December 2005)
2005 584 Crank 99X Freedom of Choice 1000 (2005)
2005 100 Black Metallic Live 105 Top 105.3 Songs of the '90s (August 2005)
2004 461 Black Metallic The End Original Alternative 500 (May 2004)
2004 1363 Black Metallic CD101 Top 2005 Songs of All-Time (December 2004)
2004 1429 Judy Staring At The Sun CD101 Top 2005 Songs of All-Time (December 2004)
2004 1836 Sparks Are Gonna Fly CD101 Top 2005 Songs of All-Time (December 2004)
2003 350 Black Metallic WOXY Modern Rock 500 (2003)
2003 1363 Black Metallic CD101 Top 2004 Songs of All-Time (December 2003)
2003 1429 Judy Staring At The Sun CD101 Top 2004 Songs of All-Time (December 2003)
2003 1835 Sparks Are Gonna Fly CD101 Top 2004 Songs of All-Time (December 2003)
2003 72 Black Metallic Fred XM Top 2044 Songs of All-Time (July 2003)
2003 1302 I Want To Touch You Fred XM Top 2044 Songs of All-Time (July 2003)
2003 1517 Crank Fred XM Top 2044 Songs of All-Time (July 2003)
2002 344 Black Metallic WOXY Modern Rock 500 (2002)
2002 1377 Black Metallic CD101 Top 2003 Songs of All-Time (December 2002)
2002 1443 Judy Staring At The Sun CD101 Top 2003 Songs of All-Time (December 2002)
2002 202 I Want To Touch You Fred XM Top 2002 Songs of All-Time (July 2002)
2002 353 Black Metallic Fred XM Top 2002 Songs of All-Time (July 2002)
2002 1784 Crank Fred XM Top 2002 Songs of All-Time (July 2002)
2002 1984 Chrome Fred XM Top 2002 Songs of All-Time (July 2002)
2001 331 Black Metallic WOXY Modern Rock 500 (2001)
2001 1378 Black Metallic CD101 Top 2002 Songs of All-Time (December 2001)
2001 1445 Judy Staring At The Sun CD101 Top 2002 Songs of All-Time (December 2001)
2000 96 Sparks Are Gonna Fly WFNX Top 100 Songs of 2000
2000 94 Sparks Are Gonna Fly The End Top 107 Songs of 2000
2000 69 Sparks Are Gonna Fly The Buzz Top 99 Songs of 2000
2000 26 Sparks Are Gonna Fly WBER Listener Countdown 2000
2000 88 Sparks Are Gonna Fly WEQX Top 102.7 of 2000
2000 331 Black Metallic WOXY Modern Rock 500 (2000)
2000 1377 Black Metallic CD101 Top 2001 Songs of All-Time (December 2000)
2000 1455 Judy Staring At The Sun CD101 Top 2001 Songs of All-Time (December 2000)
1999 112 Black Metallic 91X Fat 500 Songs of All-Time (July 1999)
1999 341 Black Metallic Q101 Top 1,011 Songs of All-Time (December 1999)
1999 852 Waydown Q101 Top 1,011 Songs of All-Time (December 1999)
1999 83 Black Metallic WFNX Top 500 Songs of All-Time (June 1999)
1999 609 Black Metallic The End Top 1077 Songs of All-Time (December 1999)
1999 1040 Crank The End Top 1077 Songs of All-Time (December 1999)
1999 498 Black Metallic WOXY Modern Rock 500 (1999)
1999 1455 Judy Staring At The Sun CD101 Top 2000 Songs of All-Time (December 1999)
1999 230 Black Metallic CFNY Top 1002 Songs of All-Time (November 1999)
1999 614 I Want To Touch You CFNY Top 1002 Songs of All-Time (November 1999)
1999 742 Crank CFNY Top 1002 Songs of All-Time (November 1999)
1999 269 Black Metallic WHFS Top 500 Songs of the '90s (December 1999)
1997 70 Delicious The End Top 107 Songs of 1997
1997 74 (tie) Delicious WBER Listener Countdown 1997
1996 308 Black Metallic Q101 Top 500 Songs of All-Time (1996)
1996 476 Black Metallic WOXY Modern Rock 500 (1996)
1995 74 Judy Staring At The Sun WHFS Top 99.1 Songs of 1995
1995 61 Judy Staring At The Sun WMRQ Top 104 Songs of 1995
1995 76 Waydown The Buzz Top 103 Alternative Songs of '95
1995 91 Waydown Radio & Records Top 95 Songs of 1995
1995 290 Black Metallic KROQ Flashback 500 (Memorial Day 1995)
1994 84 Wish You Were Here 91X Top 91 Songs of 1994
1994 325 Black Metallic KROQ Flashback 500 (Memorial Day 1994)
1994 123 Black Metallic Live 105 Revolutionary 500 (July 1994)
1994 473 Black Metallic WOXY Modern Rock 500 (1994)
1993 60 Crank 91X Top 91 Songs of 1993
1993 39 Crank Live 105 Top 105 Songs of 1993
1992 40 Black Metallic KROQ Top 106.7 Songs of 1992
1992 90 Black Metallic 91X Top 91 Songs of 1992
1992 19 Black Metallic Live 105 Top 105.3 Songs of 1992
1992 85 I Want To Touch You Live 105 Top 105.3 Songs of 1992
1992 40 Black Metallic Q101 Top 101 Songs of 1992
1992 19 Black Metallic WHFS Top 99.1 Songs of 1992
1992 72 Black Metallic CFNY Top 102 Songs of 1992
1991 15 Black Metallic John Peel's Festive Fifty of 1991 (the 'Phantom Fifty')

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