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Cover of Electric Landlady by Kirsty MacColl
Cover: Electric Landlady

Song · Kirsty MacColl

“Walking Down Madison” by Kirsty MacColl

From the album Electric Landlady (1991)

“Walking Down Madison” by Kirsty MacColl appears on 24 radio countdowns from 7 stations between 1991 and 2025. It was first released in 1991 on the album Electric Landlady. Its best result is #57 on the Live 105 Top 105.3 Songs of 1991. In the combined RockLists rankings it is the #53 alternative song of 1991 and #946 alternative song of all time.

24countdowns
7stations
#57best position
0#1 finishes
0top 10 finishes
1991–2025years charted

Watch

Kirsty MacColl - Walking Down Madison (Official HD Music Video)

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

"Walking Down Madison" was the lead single from Electric Landlady, Kirsty MacColl's third studio album, out on Virgin in May 1991, and it's the sound of two people breaking a dry spell at once. MacColl was stuck, hunting for a new direction and running into writer's block, while Johnny Marr, freshly out of the Smiths, had a tune he'd written as a dance-minded guitar record, the first thing he came up with after that band fell apart, and had been saving for himself.

Together they turned it into a cool, loping groove, with Steve Lillywhite producing and DJ and rapper Aniff Cousins riding shotgun. Guitars chime over a club beat, MacColl's voice stays wry and unhurried, and the video was shot right on Madison Avenue.

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

RockLists rankings

Alternative & Modern Rock

Indie & Adult Alternative

All Rock Formats

Year-end countdowns

Year#StationCountdownof
1991 85 KROQ Los Angeles, CA KROQ Top 106.7 Songs of 1991 107
1991 63 91X San Diego, CA / Tijuana 91X Top 91 Songs of 1991 91
1991 57 Live 105 San Francisco, CA Live 105 Top 105.3 Songs of 1991 105
1991 64 CFNY 102.1 The Edge Toronto, ON CFNY Top 91 Songs of 1991 91

All-time and decade countdowns

Year#StationCountdownof
1994 409 WOXY 97X WOXY Modern Rock 500 (1994) 500
1996 387 WOXY 97X WOXY Modern Rock 500 (1996) 498
1999 282 WOXY 97X WOXY Modern Rock 500 (1999) 500
1999 400 CD101 CD101 Top 2000 Songs of All-Time (December 1999) 2000
2000 400 CD101 CD101 Top 2001 Songs of All-Time (December 2000) 2001
2001 378 CD101 CD101 Top 2002 Songs of All-Time (December 2001) 2002
2002 378 CD101 CD101 Top 2003 Songs of All-Time (December 2002) 2003
2003 378 CD101 CD101 Top 2004 Songs of All-Time (December 2003) 2004
2004 378 CD101 CD101 Top 2005 Songs of All-Time (December 2004) 2005
2005 379 CD101 CD101 Top 2006 Songs of All-Time (December 2005) 1994
2007 1120 CD101 CD101 Top 2008 Songs of All-Time (December 2007) 2008
2008 1024 CD101 CD101 Top 2009 Songs of All-Time (December 2008) 2009
2009 1003 CD101 CD101 Top 2010 Songs of All-Time (December 2009) 2010
2010 1040 CD101 CD101 Top 2011 Songs of All-Time (December 2010) 2011
2011 1076 CD101 CD101 Top 2012 Songs of All-Time (December 2011) 2011
2013 1130 CD101 CD101 Top 2013 Songs of All-Time (December 2013) 2012
2014 1037 CD101 CD101 Top 2014 Songs of All-Time (2014) 2013
2022 514 The Colorado Sound The Colorado Sound Top 900 Songs of the '90s 900
2023 603 The Colorado Sound The Colorado Sound Top 800 Songs About Places 800
2025 730 The Colorado Sound The Colorado Sound Top 800 Mood Booster Songs 800

Charting alongside it in 1991

Best songs of 1991 →
  1. 1Smells Like Teen SpiritNirvana
  2. 2Losing My ReligionR.E.M.
  3. 3UnbelievableEMF
  4. 4Kiss Them for MeSiouxsie and the Banshees
  5. 5RushBig Audio Dynamite
  6. 6Give It AwayRed Hot Chili Peppers

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