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Primus
Photo: Wikimedia Commons

Artist · chart history · #129 in alternative artist polls · #372 in indie & aaa artist polls

Primus

Band El Sobrante United States Formed 1984 US rock band

Primus formed in 1984 in El Sobrante, United States. Primus has 179 chart appearances on 110 radio countdowns from 33 stations on RockLists, spanning 1991–2026. The most successful song on radio countdowns is “Jerry Was A Race Car Driver”, which appears on 62 lists with a best position of #26. The station that charted Primus most often is CD101 (Columbus, OH), with 22 appearances. The artist’s biggest year on year-end countdowns was 1995.

179appearances
110countdowns
13songs charted
33stations
0#1 finishes
1991–2026years

Primus crawled out of El Sobrante, California, in 1984, and even now, with the alternative nation suddenly everybody's business, nothing else in the room sounds like them. The band is Les Claypool's contraption first and foremost: a bassist and singer who treats his instrument like the lead voice, and whose bass lines drive nearly every song. The early lineup had Todd Huth on guitar and Jay Lane on drums, but by 1989 both were gone, replaced by guitarist Larry "Ler" LaLonde and drummer Tim "Herb" Alexander.

That trio announced itself with Suck on This, a live album Claypool put out in 1989 on his own Prawn Song label before Caroline Records picked it up. Caroline also issued the studio debut, Frizzle Fry, in 1990, and the underground buzz it stirred had the majors sniffing around. Interscope won, and Sailing the Seas of Cheese, in 1991, is the result: "Jerry Was a Race Car Driver" became their first charting single, and "Tommy the Cat" is as good an introduction to the Primus worldview as you'll find, all twanging, galloping bass, LaLonde's guitar skittering around the edges like a nervous insect, and Claypool narrating in a nasal cartoon drawl.

Then the hits kept arriving, against all odds for a band this weird. Pork Soda in 1993 and Tales From the Punchbowl in 1995 both reached the top 10 of the Billboard 200; the first carried "My Name Is Mud", a top-10 hit on the rock chart, and the second "Wynona's Big Brown Beaver", the only Primus song to chart outside North America. Robert Christgau reckoned they might be the oddest band ever to get that high on the album chart, and he meant it kindly. Critics usually file them under funk metal, a tag the band wants nothing to do with; the sound draws on prog, metal, funk and psychedelia and refuses to settle.

Alexander left in 1996, and with Bryan "Brain" Mantia on drums they made Brown Album and Antipop, the covers EP Rhinoplasty and the theme song for South Park. A hiatus followed in 2000, then years of comings and goings: Alexander back in 2003, out in 2010, Lane back for Green Naugahyde in 2011, Alexander back again for The Desaturating Seven and the Conspiranoid EP, and out a third time in 2024. John Hoffman now sits behind the kit, with Claypool and LaLonde still steering the ship.

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

Songs by Primus on radio countdowns

#SongStrengthListsBest#1sPeak year
1 Jerry Was A Race Car Driver
2,976		 62 #26 – 1991
2 Wynona's Big Brown Beaver
1,297		 40 #28 – 1995
3 My Name is Mud
960		 22 #4 – 1993
4 Tommy The Cat
595		 12 #95 – –
5 Electric Uncle Sam
452		 9 #93 – 1999
6 N.I.B.
249		 8 #272 – –
7 Tragedy's A Comin
201		 4 #43 – 2011
8 Making Plans For Nigel
195		 5 #386 – –
9 Mr. Krinkle
84		 4 #71 – 1993
10 Shake Hands With Beef
55		 2 #65 – 1997
11 Pilcher's Squad
28		 1 #165 – 2004
12 Little Lord Fentanyl
12		 1 #92 – 2025
13 Those Dammed Blue-Collar Tweekers
3		 1 #1939 – –

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 93 95 97 99 04 05 11 12 25

Every countdown appearance

Year#SongCountdown
2026 387 N.I.B. WLLZ Rock N Roll 500 (2026)
2025 92 Little Lord Fentanyl WEQX Top 102.7 of 2025
2025 380 N.I.B. WLLZ Rock N Roll 500 (2025)
2025 463 Wynona's Big Brown Beaver WFPK Top 500 Songs of the '90s
2025 494 Jerry Was A Race Car Driver WFPK Top 500 Songs of the '90s
2024 291 N.I.B. WLLZ Rock N Roll 500 (2024)
2024 616 Making Plans For Nigel The Colorado Sound Top 850 Cover Songs
2023 272 N.I.B. WLLZ Rock N Roll 500 (2023)
2023 317 Jerry Was A Race Car Driver 105.9 The X July 420 (2023)
2023 334 My Name is Mud 105.9 The X July 420 (2023)
2023 393 Wynona's Big Brown Beaver WCYY CYY 500 Most Played Songs (2023)
2023 396 Wynona's Big Brown Beaver 105.9 The X July 420 (2023)
2023 456 Jerry Was A Race Car Driver WCYY CYY 500 Most Played Songs (2023)
2023 481 Jerry Was A Race Car Driver The Current's 893 Essential Songs of the '90s
2022 58 Jerry Was A Race Car Driver X96 Top 500 Alternative Songs of All Time
2022 116 Tommy The Cat X96 Top 500 Alternative Songs of All Time
2022 222 Wynona's Big Brown Beaver X96 Top 500 Alternative Songs of All Time
2022 272 N.I.B. WLLZ Rock N Roll 500 (2022)
2022 272 My Name is Mud 105.9 The X July 420 (2022)
2022 316 Jerry Was A Race Car Driver 105.9 The X July 420 (2022)
2022 388 Wynona's Big Brown Beaver 105.9 The X July 420 (2022)
2022 584 Jerry Was A Race Car Driver The Colorado Sound Top 900 Songs of the '90s
2022 644 Tommy The Cat The Colorado Sound Top 900 Songs of the '90s
2021 259 My Name is Mud 105.9 The X July 420 (2021)
2021 286 N.I.B. WLLZ 500 (2021)
2021 298 Jerry Was A Race Car Driver 105.9 The X July 420 (2021)
2021 327 Wynona's Big Brown Beaver 105.9 The X July 420 (2021)
2021 275 My Name is Mud 90.9 The Bridge Top 909 Songs of the '90s
2021 538 Wynona's Big Brown Beaver 90.9 The Bridge Top 909 Songs of the '90s
2021 886 Jerry Was A Race Car Driver 90.9 The Bridge Top 909 Songs of the '90s
2020 282 Jerry Was A Race Car Driver 105.9 The X July 420 (2020)
2020 298 My Name is Mud 105.9 The X July 420 (2020)
2020 331 Wynona's Big Brown Beaver 105.9 The X July 420 (2020)
2020 417 N.I.B. WLLZ 500 (2020)
2019 311 Wynona's Big Brown Beaver WCYY CYY 500 Most Played Songs (2019)
2019 459 N.I.B. WLLZ 500 (2019)
2019 464 Jerry Was A Race Car Driver WCYY CYY 500 Most Played Songs (2019)
2019 60 Wynona's Big Brown Beaver X96's Top 100 Songs of the 90's
2019 95 Tommy The Cat X96's Top 100 Songs of the 90's
2015 351 Wynona's Big Brown Beaver WCYY CYY 500 Most Played Songs (2015)
2015 442 Jerry Was A Race Car Driver WCYY CYY 500 Most Played Songs (2015)
2014 433 Jerry Was A Race Car Driver CD101 Top 2014 Songs of All-Time (2014)
2014 837 Electric Uncle Sam CD101 Top 2014 Songs of All-Time (2014)
2014 337 Wynona's Big Brown Beaver WCYY CYY 500 Most Played Songs (2014)
2014 433 Jerry Was A Race Car Driver WCYY CYY 500 Most Played Songs (2014)
2013 431 Jerry Was A Race Car Driver CD101 Top 2013 Songs of All-Time (December 2013)
2013 801 Electric Uncle Sam CD101 Top 2013 Songs of All-Time (December 2013)
2013 90 My Name is Mud KBPI Top 200 Songs of All Time
2012 43 (tie) Tragedy's A Comin WBER Listener Countdown 2012
2011 48 Tragedy's A Comin KSLG Top 94 Slugtracks of 2011
2011 57 Tragedy's A Comin 88.3 The Sting WBWC Top 88 Songs of 2011
2011 60 (tie) Tragedy's A Comin WBER Listener Countdown 2011
2011 438 Jerry Was A Race Car Driver CD101 Top 2012 Songs of All-Time (December 2011)
2011 779 Electric Uncle Sam CD101 Top 2012 Songs of All-Time (December 2011)
2010 448 Jerry Was A Race Car Driver CD101 Top 2011 Songs of All-Time (December 2010)
2010 749 Electric Uncle Sam CD101 Top 2011 Songs of All-Time (December 2010)
2009 463 Jerry Was A Race Car Driver Live 105 Memorial 500 Song List (2009)
2009 459 Jerry Was A Race Car Driver CD101 Top 2010 Songs of All-Time (December 2009)
2009 733 Electric Uncle Sam CD101 Top 2010 Songs of All-Time (December 2009)
2008 380 Jerry Was A Race Car Driver KROQ Flashback 500 (Memorial Day 2008)
2008 464 Jerry Was A Race Car Driver CD101 Top 2009 Songs of All-Time (December 2008)
2008 713 Electric Uncle Sam CD101 Top 2009 Songs of All-Time (December 2008)
2007 473 Jerry Was A Race Car Driver CD101 Top 2008 Songs of All-Time (December 2007)
2007 666 Electric Uncle Sam CD101 Top 2008 Songs of All-Time (December 2007)
2007 236 Jerry Was A Race Car Driver KROQ Top 500 Most Requested Songs of the '90s (Labor Day 2007)
2007 264 Wynona's Big Brown Beaver KROQ Top 500 Most Requested Songs of the '90s (Labor Day 2007)
2007 99 Artist ranking KROQ Top 106.7 Artists of All-Time (Memorial Day 2007)
2006 187 Jerry Was A Race Car Driver KROQ Flashback 500 (Memorial Day 2006)
2006 229 Wynona's Big Brown Beaver KROQ Flashback 500 (Memorial Day 2006)
2006 306 My Name is Mud Live 105 500 Co-Op Countdown (Memorial Day 2006)
2006 234 Jerry Was A Race Car Driver WOXY Modern Rock 500 (2006)
2006 277 Tommy The Cat WOXY Modern Rock 500 (2006)
2006 100 Wynona's Big Brown Beaver The End Top 107 Songs of the '90s (December 2006)
2006 64 Artist ranking 91X Top 100 Artists of All-Time (Memorial Day 2006)
2006 375 Artist ranking WXPN 885 All-Time Greatest Artists (2006)
2005 79 Jerry Was A Race Car Driver CD101 Top 101 Songs of 2005
2005 98 Tommy The Cat WOXY Modern Rock 500 (2005)
2005 209 Jerry Was A Race Car Driver WOXY Modern Rock 500 (2005)
2005 310 Jerry Was A Race Car Driver CD101 Top 2006 Songs of All-Time (December 2005)
2005 357 Wynona's Big Brown Beaver 99X Freedom of Choice 1000 (2005)
2005 402 My Name is Mud 99X Freedom of Choice 1000 (2005)
2005 105.3 My Name is Mud Live 105 Top 105.3 Songs of the '90s (August 2005)
2005 106 Artist ranking KROQ Top 106.7 Biggest Bands of All-Time (July 2005)
2004 165 (tie) Pilcher's Squad WBER Listener Countdown 2004
2004 126 Jerry Was A Race Car Driver Q101 Top 300 Party Songs of All-Time (July 2004)
2004 248 Wynona's Big Brown Beaver Q101 Top 300 Party Songs of All-Time (July 2004)
2004 200 My Name is Mud The End Original Alternative 500 (May 2004)
2004 294 Jerry Was A Race Car Driver The End Original Alternative 500 (May 2004)
2004 327 Wynona's Big Brown Beaver The End Original Alternative 500 (May 2004)
2004 321 Jerry Was A Race Car Driver CD101 Top 2005 Songs of All-Time (December 2004)
2003 101 Tommy The Cat WOXY Modern Rock 500 (2003)
2003 205 Jerry Was A Race Car Driver WOXY Modern Rock 500 (2003)
2003 410 Wynona's Big Brown Beaver WOXY Modern Rock 500 (2003)
2003 321 Jerry Was A Race Car Driver CD101 Top 2004 Songs of All-Time (December 2003)
2003 642 My Name is Mud Fred XM Top 2044 Songs of All-Time (July 2003)
2003 852 Making Plans For Nigel Fred XM Top 2044 Songs of All-Time (July 2003)
2003 949 Jerry Was A Race Car Driver Fred XM Top 2044 Songs of All-Time (July 2003)
2003 1002 Tommy The Cat Fred XM Top 2044 Songs of All-Time (July 2003)
2003 1572 Mr. Krinkle Fred XM Top 2044 Songs of All-Time (July 2003)
2002 60 Wynona's Big Brown Beaver K-Rock Top 92 Party Songs of All-Time (2002)
2002 155 Tommy The Cat WOXY Modern Rock 500 (2002)
2002 239 Jerry Was A Race Car Driver WOXY Modern Rock 500 (2002)
2002 415 Wynona's Big Brown Beaver WOXY Modern Rock 500 (2002)
2002 321 Jerry Was A Race Car Driver CD101 Top 2003 Songs of All-Time (December 2002)
2002 861 Jerry Was A Race Car Driver KISW Top 999 of All Time (2002)
2002 864 Wynona's Big Brown Beaver KISW Top 999 of All Time (2002)
2002 901 My Name is Mud KISW Top 999 of All Time (2002)
2002 163 My Name is Mud Fred XM Top 2002 Songs of All-Time (July 2002)
2002 311 Jerry Was A Race Car Driver Fred XM Top 2002 Songs of All-Time (July 2002)
2002 746 Making Plans For Nigel Fred XM Top 2002 Songs of All-Time (July 2002)
2002 1531 Mr. Krinkle Fred XM Top 2002 Songs of All-Time (July 2002)
2002 1707 Wynona's Big Brown Beaver Fred XM Top 2002 Songs of All-Time (July 2002)
2002 1939 Those Dammed Blue-Collar Tweekers Fred XM Top 2002 Songs of All-Time (July 2002)
2002 75 Artist ranking KROQ Top 106.7 Artists of All-Time (Memorial Day 2002)
2002 86 Artist ranking WHFS Top 99 Artists of All-Time (November 2002)
2001 277 Jerry Was A Race Car Driver WOXY Modern Rock 500 (2001)
2001 285 Tommy The Cat WOXY Modern Rock 500 (2001)
2001 321 Jerry Was A Race Car Driver CD101 Top 2002 Songs of All-Time (December 2001)
2001 390 My Name is Mud WBRU Modern Rock Top 500 (2001)
2000 277 Jerry Was A Race Car Driver WOXY Modern Rock 500 (2000)
2000 284 Tommy The Cat WOXY Modern Rock 500 (2000)
2000 314 Jerry Was A Race Car Driver CD101 Top 2001 Songs of All-Time (December 2000)
1999 93 Electric Uncle Sam The End Top 107 Songs of 1999
1999 371 Wynona's Big Brown Beaver 91X Fat 500 Songs of All-Time (July 1999)
1999 391 Jerry Was A Race Car Driver 91X Fat 500 Songs of All-Time (July 1999)
1999 340 Wynona's Big Brown Beaver Q101 Top 1,011 Songs of All-Time (December 1999)
1999 462 My Name is Mud Q101 Top 1,011 Songs of All-Time (December 1999)
1999 529 Jerry Was A Race Car Driver Q101 Top 1,011 Songs of All-Time (December 1999)
1999 186 My Name is Mud The End Top 1077 Songs of All-Time (December 1999)
1999 573 Tommy The Cat The End Top 1077 Songs of All-Time (December 1999)
1999 582 Wynona's Big Brown Beaver The End Top 1077 Songs of All-Time (December 1999)
1999 651 Jerry Was A Race Car Driver The End Top 1077 Songs of All-Time (December 1999)
1999 1073 Electric Uncle Sam The End Top 1077 Songs of All-Time (December 1999)
1999 284 Jerry Was A Race Car Driver WOXY Modern Rock 500 (1999)
1999 378 Tommy The Cat WOXY Modern Rock 500 (1999)
1999 314 Jerry Was A Race Car Driver CD101 Top 2000 Songs of All-Time (December 1999)
1999 863 Wynona's Big Brown Beaver CFNY Top 1002 Songs of All-Time (November 1999)
1999 232 Wynona's Big Brown Beaver KROQ Top 300 Most Requested Songs of the '90s (Labor Day 1999)
1999 284 Jerry Was A Race Car Driver KROQ Top 300 Most Requested Songs of the '90s (Labor Day 1999)
1999 148 Jerry Was A Race Car Driver WHFS Top 500 Songs of the '90s (December 1999)
1999 460 My Name is Mud WHFS Top 500 Songs of the '90s (December 1999)
1999 74 Artist ranking KROQ Top 106.7 Artists of All-Time (Year End 1999)
1997 65 Shake Hands With Beef WBER Listener Countdown 1997
1997 82 Shake Hands With Beef Triple J Hottest 100 of 1997
1997 99 Artist ranking KROQ Top 106.7 Artists of All-Time (Memorial Day 1997)
1996 387 Jerry Was A Race Car Driver KROQ Flashback 500 (Memorial Day 1996)
1996 363 Jerry Was A Race Car Driver Q101 Top 500 Songs of All-Time (1996)
1996 412 My Name is Mud Q101 Top 500 Songs of All-Time (1996)
1996 367 Jerry Was A Race Car Driver WOXY Modern Rock 500 (1996)
1996 386 Making Plans For Nigel WOXY Modern Rock 500 (1996)
1995 54 Wynona's Big Brown Beaver KROQ Top 106.7 Songs of 1995
1995 73 Wynona's Big Brown Beaver 91X Top 91 Songs of 1995
1995 43 Wynona's Big Brown Beaver Q101 Top 101 Songs of 1995
1995 81 Wynona's Big Brown Beaver WHFS Top 99.1 Songs of 1995
1995 28 Wynona's Big Brown Beaver WBER Listener Countdown 1995
1995 30 Wynona's Big Brown Beaver The Buzz Top 103 Alternative Songs of '95
1995 97 Wynona's Big Brown Beaver WMRQ Top 104 Songs of 1995
1995 40 Wynona's Big Brown Beaver Triple J Hottest 100 of 1995
1995 62 Wynona's Big Brown Beaver Radio & Records Top 95 Songs of 1995
1995 69 Wynona's Big Brown Beaver WDRE Top 103.9 Songs of 1995
1995 361 Jerry Was A Race Car Driver KROQ Flashback 500 (Memorial Day 1995)
1995 135 Jerry Was A Race Car Driver Live 105 Revolutionary 300 (July 1995)
1995 194 Wynona's Big Brown Beaver Live 105 Revolutionary 300 (July 1995)
1995 719 Wynona's Big Brown Beaver KISW Top 1000 of All Time (1995)
1995 895 Jerry Was A Race Car Driver KISW Top 1000 of All Time (1995)
1995 963 My Name is Mud KISW Top 1000 of All Time (1995)
1994 155 Jerry Was A Race Car Driver KROQ Flashback 500 (Memorial Day 1994)
1994 92 My Name is Mud Live 105 Revolutionary 500 (July 1994)
1994 193 Jerry Was A Race Car Driver Live 105 Revolutionary 500 (July 1994)
1994 486 Mr. Krinkle Live 105 Revolutionary 500 (July 1994)
1994 382 Jerry Was A Race Car Driver WOXY Modern Rock 500 (1994)
1994 386 Making Plans For Nigel WOXY Modern Rock 500 (1994)
1993 71 Mr. Krinkle KROQ Top 106.7 Songs of 1993
1993 81 My Name is Mud 91X Top 91 Songs of 1993
1993 4 My Name is Mud Live 105 Top 105 Songs of 1993
1992 182 Jerry Was A Race Car Driver Live 105 Top 300 Songs of All-Time (Memorial Day 1992)
1991 66 Jerry Was A Race Car Driver KROQ Top 106.7 Songs of 1991
1991 29 Jerry Was A Race Car Driver 91X Top 91 Songs of 1991
1991 26 Jerry Was A Race Car Driver Live 105 Top 105.3 Songs of 1991

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