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Cover of Armed Forces by Elvis Costello & the Attractions
Cover: Armed Forces

Song · Elvis Costello & the Attractions

“Accidents Will Happen” by Elvis Costello & the Attractions

From the album Armed Forces (1979)

“Accidents Will Happen” by Elvis Costello & the Attractions appears on 24 radio countdowns from 10 stations between 1989 and 2024. It was first released in 1979 on the album Armed Forces. Its best result is #121 on the CD101 Top 2005 Songs of All-Time (December 2004). In the combined RockLists rankings it is #638 alternative song of all time.

24countdowns
10stations
#121best position
0#1 finishes
0top 10 finishes
1989–2024years charted

Watch

Elvis Costello & The Attractions - Accidents Will Happen

Video from YouTube (ElvisCostelloVEVO). Pressing play loads YouTube's player. Watch on YouTube

Elvis Costello turns a guilty conscience into pop on "Accidents Will Happen", from his and the Attractions' 1979 album Armed Forces. He wrote it about his own cheating during those years, right down to an encounter with a Tucson taxi driver, and there's no swagger in it: just a man owning up and hoping the melody will cover for him. It started life as a piano song in the mold of "Anyone Who Had a Heart" and "Walk Away Renée", and Steve Nieve's keys still carry that tender streak, with Bruce Thomas and Pete Thomas pushing underneath. Nick Lowe produced.

Pulled from the album as its second single, it made the UK Top 30, and its cartoon video is widely held to be the first music video made entirely in animation.

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

RockLists rankings

Alternative & Modern Rock

Indie & Adult Alternative

Classic Rock

All Rock Formats

All-time and decade countdowns

Year#StationCountdownof
1989 260 WOXY 97X WOXY Modern Rock 500 (1989) 500
1991 195 WOXY 97X WOXY Modern Rock 500 (1991) 500
1996 326 Q101 Q101 Top 500 Songs of All-Time (1996) 500
1996 478 WNEW-FM WNEW Firecracker 500 (1996) 500
1999 583 107.7 The End The End Top 1077 Songs of All-Time (December 1999) 1077
1999 121 CD101 CD101 Top 2000 Songs of All-Time (December 1999) 2000
1999 440 CFNY 102.1 The Edge CFNY Top 1002 Songs of All-Time (November 1999) 1002
2000 121 CD101 CD101 Top 2001 Songs of All-Time (December 2000) 2001
2001 121 CD101 CD101 Top 2002 Songs of All-Time (December 2001) 2002
2001 1251 WFPK WFPK 2001 Greatest Songs of All Time 2000
2002 121 CD101 CD101 Top 2003 Songs of All-Time (December 2002) 2003
2003 121 CD101 CD101 Top 2004 Songs of All-Time (December 2003) 2004
2004 121 CD101 CD101 Top 2005 Songs of All-Time (December 2004) 2005
2005 121 CD101 CD101 Top 2006 Songs of All-Time (December 2005) 1994
2007 592 CD101 CD101 Top 2008 Songs of All-Time (December 2007) 2008
2008 575 CD101 CD101 Top 2009 Songs of All-Time (December 2008) 2009
2009 582 CD101 CD101 Top 2010 Songs of All-Time (December 2009) 2010
2010 602 CD101 CD101 Top 2011 Songs of All-Time (December 2010) 2011
2010 802 WXPN WXPN 885 Ultimate Road Trip Songs (2010) 885
2011 621 CD101 CD101 Top 2012 Songs of All-Time (December 2011) 2011
2013 635 CD101 CD101 Top 2013 Songs of All-Time (December 2013) 2012
2014 646 CD101 CD101 Top 2014 Songs of All-Time (2014) 2013
2024 912 WYEP WYEP Best Songs of the Past 50 Years 1049
2024 529 KEXP The Best Opening Tracks of All Time 738

Also listed as: Accedents Will Happen.

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