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Song · Nick Lowe

“Cruel To Be Kind” by Nick Lowe

From the album Labour of Lust (1979)

“Cruel To Be Kind” by Nick Lowe appears on 22 radio countdowns from 7 stations between 1988 and 2025. It was first released in 1979 on the album Labour of Lust. Its best result is #281 on the WLIR Top 300 Songs of All-Time (December 1999). In the combined RockLists rankings it is #1,886 alternative song of all time.

22countdowns
7stations
#281best position
0#1 finishes
0top 10 finishes
1988–2025years charted

RockLists rankings

Alternative & Modern Rock

Indie & Adult Alternative

Classic Rock

All Rock Formats

All-time and decade countdowns

Year#StationCountdownof
1988 360 KROQ KROQ Flashback 500 (Memorial Day 1988) 496
1999 281 WLIR / WDRE WLIR Top 300 Songs of All-Time (December 1999) 300
1999 844 CD101 CD101 Top 2000 Songs of All-Time (December 1999) 2000
2000 895 CD101 CD101 Top 2001 Songs of All-Time (December 2000) 2001
2001 900 CD101 CD101 Top 2002 Songs of All-Time (December 2001) 2002
2002 900 CD101 CD101 Top 2003 Songs of All-Time (December 2002) 2003
2003 895 CD101 CD101 Top 2004 Songs of All-Time (December 2003) 2004
2003 1564 Fred (XM 44) Fred XM Top 2044 Songs of All-Time (July 2003) 2044
2004 895 CD101 CD101 Top 2005 Songs of All-Time (December 2004) 2005
2004 347 WXPN WXPN 885 All-Time Greatest Songs (2004) 885
2005 895 CD101 CD101 Top 2006 Songs of All-Time (December 2005) 1994
2007 1993 CD101 CD101 Top 2008 Songs of All-Time (December 2007) 2008
2008 1970 CD101 CD101 Top 2009 Songs of All-Time (December 2008) 2009
2009 2000 CD101 CD101 Top 2010 Songs of All-Time (December 2009) 2010
2012 577 WXPN WXPN 885 Greatest Rock Songs (2012) 885
2020 392 WXPN WXPN 2020 Greatest Songs of All Time 2020
2021 858 Q104.3 Q104.3 Top 1,043 Classic Rock Songs of All Time (2021) 1043
2022 656 Q104.3 Q104.3 Top 1,043 Classic Rock Songs of All Time (2022) 1043
2023 849 Q104.3 Q104.3 Top 1,043 Classic Rock Songs of All Time (2023) 1043
2024 426 Q104.3 Q104.3 Top 1,043 Classic Rock Songs of All Time (2024) 1043
2024 732 KEXP The Best Opening Tracks of All Time 738
2025 602 Q104.3 Q104.3 Top 1,043 Classic Rock Songs of All Time (2025) 1043

Also listed as: Cruel to Be Kind; Cruel to be Kind.