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Cover of Duke by Genesis
Cover: Duke

Song · Genesis

“Misunderstanding” by Genesis

From the album Duke (1980)

“Misunderstanding” by Genesis appears on 30 radio countdowns from 16 stations between 1980 and 2026. It was first released in 1980 on the album Duke. Its best result is #32 on the KROQ Top 106.7 Songs of 1980. In the combined RockLists rankings it is the #32 alternative song of 1980.

30countdowns
16stations
#32best position
0#1 finishes
0top 10 finishes
1980–2026years charted

Watch

Genesis - Misunderstanding (Official Music Video)

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

"Misunderstanding" landed on Genesis' 1980 album Duke, but it was born somewhere else: Phil Collins wrote it while working on his first solo record, Face Value, and handed it over to the band along with "Please Don't Ask". He has said he modelled it on the Beach Boys' "Sail On, Sailor", Sly and the Family Stone's "Hot Fun in the Summertime" and Toto's "Hold the Line", and Tony Banks recalled that all three of them loved the Beach Boys, so it was a fun one to take on.

Collins sings and drums, Banks plays keyboards and Mike Rutherford covers guitar and bass, with David Hentschel co-producing and engineering. It's Genesis in shirtsleeves, a band loosening its collar for a pop-rock tune. It went to number one in Canada, reached 14 on Billboard, stalled at 42 in Britain, and opened side three of the 1982 live set Three Sides Live.

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

RockLists rankings

Alternative & Modern Rock

Indie & Adult Alternative

Classic Rock

All Rock Formats

Year-end countdowns

Year#StationCountdownof
1980 32 KROQ Los Angeles, CA KROQ Top 106.7 Songs of 1980 106

All-time and decade countdowns

Year#StationCountdownof
1991 264 WNEW-FM WNEW Firecracker 500 (1991) 500
1997 330 100.7 WZLX WZLX Memorial 500 (1997) 499
2001 656 WFPK WFPK 2001 Greatest Songs of All Time 2000
2002 721 92.3 KGON KGON Top 923 Classic Rock Songs of All Time (2002) 923
2002 198 100.7 WZLX WZLX Memorial 500 (2002) 500
2011 552 100.7 WZLX 100.7 WZLX Top 1100 Countdown (2011) 1100
2012 553 100.7 WZLX 100.7 WZLX Top 1200 Countdown (2012) 1200
2012 454 Big 100 BIG 500 Memorial Day Countdown (2012) 500
2013 310 Big 100 BIG 500 Labor Day Countdown (2013) 500
2013 335 Big 100 BIG 500 Memorial Day Countdown (2013) 500
2014 545 Big 100 BIG 1000 New Year's Countdown (2014) 1000
2016 345 Big 100 BIG 500 Memorial Day Countdown (2016) 500
2016 387 100.7 WZLX 100.7 WZLX Top 1007 Countdown for 2016 1007
2017 356 Big 100 BIG 500 Memorial Day Countdown (2017) 500
2018 359 Big 100 BIG 500 Memorial Day Countdown (2018) 500
2019 312 Big 100 BIG 500 Memorial Day Countdown (2019) 500
2020 434 97 Rock 97 Rock N Roll 500 (2020) 500
2021 156 90.9 The Bridge 90.9 The Bridge Top 909 Songs of the '80s 909
2021 463 97 Rock 97 Rock N Roll 500 (2021) 500
2021 1002 Q104.3 Q104.3 Top 1,043 Classic Rock Songs of All Time (2021) 1043
2022 264 99.1 PLR 99.1 PLR Big 500 (2022) 500
2022 204 97.1 The River River 500 (2022) 500
2022 400 102.5 KZOK KZOK Classic Rock Top 1025 (2022) 1025
2023 647 The Colorado Sound The Colorado Sound Top 850 Songs of the 1980s 850
2023 520 101.5 WPDH WPDH Top 1015 (2023) 1015
2023 227 97.1 The Drive 97.1 The Drive Memorial Day Weekend Rock N Roll 500 (2023) 500
2023 910 Q104.3 Q104.3 Top 1,043 Classic Rock Songs of All Time (2023) 1043
2024 1034 Q104.3 Q104.3 Top 1,043 Classic Rock Songs of All Time (2024) 1043
2026 196 WMGK WMGK Philly 500 (2026) 500

Charting alongside it in 1980

Best songs of 1980 →
  1. 1And the Cradle Will RockVan Halen
  2. 2Another One Bites the DustQueen
  3. 3Whip ItDevo
  4. 4Don't Stand So Close to MeThe Police
  5. 5Once in a LifetimeTalking Heads
  6. 6You Shook Me All Night LongAC/DC

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