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Sarah McLachlan
Photo: Wikimedia Commons

Artist · chart history · #98 in indie & aaa artist polls · #138 in alternative artist polls

Sarah McLachlan

Solo artist Halifax Canada

Sarah McLachlan is an artist from Halifax. Sarah McLachlan has 208 chart appearances on 97 radio countdowns from 37 stations on RockLists, spanning 1991–2026. The most successful song on radio countdowns is “Possession”, which appears on 40 lists with a best position of #24. The station that charted Sarah McLachlan most often is CD101 (Columbus, OH), with 78 appearances. The artist’s biggest year on year-end countdowns was 1997.

208appearances
97countdowns
22songs charted
37stations
0#1 finishes
1991–2026years

Sarah McLachlan, born in Halifax on January 28, 1968, makes music that seems to hover just above the ground: piano, guitar and occasionally harp, and a voice that can go from a whisper to a soaring cry without ever losing its composure. It's pop and soft rock at heart, but with a gravity and intimacy that set it apart.

Touch came out in 1988, with "Vox" as its dark, dramatic calling card, and Solace followed in 1991, with "Into the Fire" and "Drawn to the Rhythm". In 1992 she won a Juno for Video of the Year. Then came Fumbling Towards Ecstasy in 1993, with "Possession", "Good Enough", "Hold On" and "Ice Cream", songs that are hushed and spellbinding.

Surfacing, in 1997, became her best-selling album, winning two Grammy Awards and four Juno Awards, with "Building a Mystery", "Sweet Surrender", "Adia" and "Angel". By 2025 she had sold more than 40 million albums worldwide, and that year she released Better Broken.

She has won three Grammys and twelve Junos in all, and she is an Officer of the Order of Canada and a member of both the Canadian Music Hall of Fame and the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame.

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

Songs by Sarah McLachlan on radio countdowns

#SongStrengthListsBest#1sPeak year
1 Possession
2,414		 40 #24 – 1994
2 Building a Mystery
1,582		 36 #10 – 1997
3 Into The Fire
1,290		 24 #47 – 1992
4 Drawn To The Rhythm
758		 16 #83 – 1991
5 Sweet Surrender
576		 23 #19 – 1997
6 Good Enough
443		 12 #52 – 1994
7 Hold On
321		 10 #263 – –
8 Adia
286		 14 #1214 – –
9 Loving You Is Easy
249		 5 #25 – 2010
10 Ice Cream
139		 3 #225 – –
11 Fallen
137		 2 #47 – 2003
12 U Want Me 2
116		 2 #29 – 2008
13 In Your Shoes
104		 3 #52 – 2014
14 Better Broken
99		 3 #28 – 2025
15 Vox
96		 2 #324 – –
16 The Path of Thorns (Terms)
81		 2 #51 – 1991
17 Possession (Live)
58		 1 #38 – 1999
18 Sweet Surrender (Uberzone Remix)
54		 1 #46 – 1998
19 Black and White
52		 1 #438 – –
20 Angel
49		 2 #455 – –
21 Dear God
36		 1 #547 – –
22 I Will Remember You
24		 1 #693 – –

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 92 94 95 97 98 99 03 08 09 10 14 25

Every countdown appearance

Year#SongCountdown
2026 760 Building a Mystery WYEP Greatest Songs of All Time
2026 954 Possession WYEP Greatest Songs of All Time
2025 28 Better Broken WBER Listener Countdown 2025
2025 64 Better Broken WYEP Top 91 Songs of 2025
2025 76 Better Broken The Current Top 89 Songs of 2025
2025 221 Building a Mystery WFPK Top 500 Songs of the '90s
2025 256 Possession WFPK Top 500 Songs of the '90s
2024 562 Building a Mystery WYEP Best Songs of the Past 50 Years
2024 603 Possession WYEP Best Songs of the Past 50 Years
2024 547 Dear God The Colorado Sound Top 850 Cover Songs
2023 110 Possession 90.9 The Bridge Top 909 Songs of All Time
2023 269 Possession WYEP Countdown to Fall 2023
2023 1062 Building a Mystery WYEP Countdown to Fall 2023
2023 95 Possession The Current's 893 Essential Songs of the '90s
2023 471 Ice Cream The Current's 893 Essential Songs of the '90s
2022 1209 Building a Mystery WYEP Countdown to Fall 2022
2022 1278 Possession WYEP Countdown to Fall 2022
2022 183 Possession The Colorado Sound Top 900 Songs of the '90s
2021 48 Possession 90.9 The Bridge Top 909 Songs of the '90s
2021 225 Ice Cream 90.9 The Bridge Top 909 Songs of the '90s
2021 438 Black and White 90.9 The Bridge Top 909 Songs of the '90s
2021 628 Building a Mystery 90.9 The Bridge Top 909 Songs of the '90s
2021 809 Sweet Surrender 90.9 The Bridge Top 909 Songs of the '90s
2019 222 Possession WYEP Big Spring Countdown 2019
2019 222 Possession WYEP Labor Day Weekend Countdown 2019
2014 52 In Your Shoes WEXT Top 97 of 2014
2014 93 In Your Shoes WXPN Year in Review: Top 200 Songs of 2014
2014 105 In Your Shoes WXPK Top 107 Songs of 2014
2014 1250 Into The Fire CD101 Top 2014 Songs of All-Time (2014)
2014 1526 Adia CD101 Top 2014 Songs of All-Time (2014)
2014 1798 Drawn To The Rhythm CD101 Top 2014 Songs of All-Time (2014)
2013 1189 Into The Fire CD101 Top 2013 Songs of All-Time (December 2013)
2013 1467 Adia CD101 Top 2013 Songs of All-Time (December 2013)
2013 1731 Drawn To The Rhythm CD101 Top 2013 Songs of All-Time (December 2013)
2011 1135 Into The Fire CD101 Top 2012 Songs of All-Time (December 2011)
2011 1417 Adia CD101 Top 2012 Songs of All-Time (December 2011)
2011 1664 Drawn To The Rhythm CD101 Top 2012 Songs of All-Time (December 2011)
2010 25 Loving You Is Easy WXPK Top 107 Songs of 2010
2010 26 Loving You Is Easy WFIV Top 105 of 2010
2010 60 Loving You Is Easy WEXT Top 97 of 2010
2010 69 Loving You Is Easy 106.1 The Corner Top 106 of 2010
2010 82 Loving You Is Easy 103.1 The River Top 103 of 2010
2010 1097 Into The Fire CD101 Top 2011 Songs of All-Time (December 2010)
2010 1356 Adia CD101 Top 2011 Songs of All-Time (December 2010)
2010 1594 Drawn To The Rhythm CD101 Top 2011 Songs of All-Time (December 2010)
2009 61 U Want Me 2 103.1 The River Top 103 of 2009
2009 1056 Into The Fire CD101 Top 2010 Songs of All-Time (December 2009)
2009 1319 Adia CD101 Top 2010 Songs of All-Time (December 2009)
2009 1562 Drawn To The Rhythm CD101 Top 2010 Songs of All-Time (December 2009)
2009 237 Possession WYEP 913 Essential Songs
2009 263 Hold On WYEP 913 Essential Songs
2009 693 I Will Remember You WYEP 913 Essential Songs
2009 358 Fallen WYEP 913 Songs That Matter from the Last Decade
2009 287 Hold On WXPN 885 Desert Island Songs (2009)
2009 476 Possession WXPN 885 Desert Island Songs (2009)
2008 29 U Want Me 2 WXPK Top 107 Songs of 2008
2008 1040 Into The Fire CD101 Top 2009 Songs of All-Time (December 2008)
2008 1294 Adia CD101 Top 2009 Songs of All-Time (December 2008)
2008 1546 Drawn To The Rhythm CD101 Top 2009 Songs of All-Time (December 2008)
2007 1009 Into The Fire CD101 Top 2008 Songs of All-Time (December 2007)
2007 1214 Adia CD101 Top 2008 Songs of All-Time (December 2007)
2007 1553 Drawn To The Rhythm CD101 Top 2008 Songs of All-Time (December 2007)
2007 1580 Possession CD101 Top 2008 Songs of All-Time (December 2007)
2007 279 Possession WTMD Top 897 Songs of All Time
2007 863 Sweet Surrender WTMD Top 897 Songs of All Time
2006 101 Artist ranking WXPN 885 All-Time Greatest Artists (2006)
2005 88 Possession CD101 Top 2006 Songs of All-Time (December 2005)
2005 297 Into The Fire CD101 Top 2006 Songs of All-Time (December 2005)
2005 354 Drawn To The Rhythm CD101 Top 2006 Songs of All-Time (December 2005)
2005 977 Good Enough CD101 Top 2006 Songs of All-Time (December 2005)
2005 1529 Hold On CD101 Top 2006 Songs of All-Time (December 2005)
2005 1592 Building a Mystery CD101 Top 2006 Songs of All-Time (December 2005)
2005 1755 Sweet Surrender CD101 Top 2006 Songs of All-Time (December 2005)
2005 1803 Adia CD101 Top 2006 Songs of All-Time (December 2005)
2005 738 Possession 99X Freedom of Choice 1000 (2005)
2004 87 Possession CD101 Top 2005 Songs of All-Time (December 2004)
2004 296 Into The Fire CD101 Top 2005 Songs of All-Time (December 2004)
2004 351 Drawn To The Rhythm CD101 Top 2005 Songs of All-Time (December 2004)
2004 976 Good Enough CD101 Top 2005 Songs of All-Time (December 2004)
2004 1531 Hold On CD101 Top 2005 Songs of All-Time (December 2004)
2004 1594 Building a Mystery CD101 Top 2005 Songs of All-Time (December 2004)
2004 1754 Sweet Surrender CD101 Top 2005 Songs of All-Time (December 2004)
2004 1806 Adia CD101 Top 2005 Songs of All-Time (December 2004)
2004 136 Possession WXPN 885 All-Time Greatest Songs (2004)
2004 455 Angel WXPN 885 All-Time Greatest Songs (2004)
2004 741 Hold On WXPN 885 All-Time Greatest Songs (2004)
2004 864 Good Enough WXPN 885 All-Time Greatest Songs (2004)
2003 47 (tie) Fallen WBER Listener Countdown 2003
2003 83 Possession CD101 Top 2004 Songs of All-Time (December 2003)
2003 296 Into The Fire CD101 Top 2004 Songs of All-Time (December 2003)
2003 351 Drawn To The Rhythm CD101 Top 2004 Songs of All-Time (December 2003)
2003 976 Good Enough CD101 Top 2004 Songs of All-Time (December 2003)
2003 1531 Hold On CD101 Top 2004 Songs of All-Time (December 2003)
2003 1594 Building a Mystery CD101 Top 2004 Songs of All-Time (December 2003)
2003 1754 Sweet Surrender CD101 Top 2004 Songs of All-Time (December 2003)
2003 1806 Adia CD101 Top 2004 Songs of All-Time (December 2003)
2002 83 Possession CD101 Top 2003 Songs of All-Time (December 2002)
2002 296 Into The Fire CD101 Top 2003 Songs of All-Time (December 2002)
2002 351 Drawn To The Rhythm CD101 Top 2003 Songs of All-Time (December 2002)
2002 991 Good Enough CD101 Top 2003 Songs of All-Time (December 2002)
2002 1527 Hold On CD101 Top 2003 Songs of All-Time (December 2002)
2002 1597 Building a Mystery CD101 Top 2003 Songs of All-Time (December 2002)
2002 1772 Sweet Surrender CD101 Top 2003 Songs of All-Time (December 2002)
2002 1830 Adia CD101 Top 2003 Songs of All-Time (December 2002)
2002 1441 Into The Fire Fred XM Top 2002 Songs of All-Time (July 2002)
2002 64 Artist ranking WLIR Top 92 Artists of All-Time (September 2002)
2001 119 Building a Mystery WOXY Modern Rock 500 (2001)
2001 83 Possession CD101 Top 2002 Songs of All-Time (December 2001)
2001 296 Into The Fire CD101 Top 2002 Songs of All-Time (December 2001)
2001 351 Drawn To The Rhythm CD101 Top 2002 Songs of All-Time (December 2001)
2001 991 Good Enough CD101 Top 2002 Songs of All-Time (December 2001)
2001 1530 Hold On CD101 Top 2002 Songs of All-Time (December 2001)
2001 1605 Building a Mystery CD101 Top 2002 Songs of All-Time (December 2001)
2001 1783 Sweet Surrender CD101 Top 2002 Songs of All-Time (December 2001)
2001 1844 Adia CD101 Top 2002 Songs of All-Time (December 2001)
2001 1512 Possession WFPK 2001 Greatest Songs of All Time
2001 1682 Ice Cream WFPK 2001 Greatest Songs of All Time
2001 1992 Angel WFPK 2001 Greatest Songs of All Time
2001 382 Building a Mystery WBRU Modern Rock Top 500 (2001)
2001 416 Possession WBRU Modern Rock Top 500 (2001)
2000 117 Building a Mystery WOXY Modern Rock 500 (2000)
2000 491 Into The Fire WOXY Modern Rock 500 (2000)
2000 83 Possession CD101 Top 2001 Songs of All-Time (December 2000)
2000 284 Into The Fire CD101 Top 2001 Songs of All-Time (December 2000)
2000 348 Drawn To The Rhythm CD101 Top 2001 Songs of All-Time (December 2000)
2000 1025 Good Enough CD101 Top 2001 Songs of All-Time (December 2000)
2000 1528 Hold On CD101 Top 2001 Songs of All-Time (December 2000)
2000 1605 Building a Mystery CD101 Top 2001 Songs of All-Time (December 2000)
2000 1782 Sweet Surrender CD101 Top 2001 Songs of All-Time (December 2000)
2000 1842 Adia CD101 Top 2001 Songs of All-Time (December 2000)
2000 30 Possession Y100 Top 300 Songs of the '90s (September 2000)
1999 38 Possession (Live) 89X Top 89 Songs of 1999
1999 412 Building a Mystery 91X Fat 500 Songs of All-Time (July 1999)
1999 131 Possession Q101 Top 1,011 Songs of All-Time (December 1999)
1999 520 Sweet Surrender Q101 Top 1,011 Songs of All-Time (December 1999)
1999 545 Into The Fire Q101 Top 1,011 Songs of All-Time (December 1999)
1999 58 Sweet Surrender WLIR Top 300 Songs of All-Time (December 1999)
1999 136 Building a Mystery WLIR Top 300 Songs of All-Time (December 1999)
1999 139 Possession WFNX Top 500 Songs of All-Time (June 1999)
1999 416 Building a Mystery WFNX Top 500 Songs of All-Time (June 1999)
1999 245 Possession The End Top 1077 Songs of All-Time (December 1999)
1999 687 Building a Mystery The End Top 1077 Songs of All-Time (December 1999)
1999 824 Sweet Surrender The End Top 1077 Songs of All-Time (December 1999)
1999 1003 Good Enough The End Top 1077 Songs of All-Time (December 1999)
1999 109 Building a Mystery WOXY Modern Rock 500 (1999)
1999 83 Possession CD101 Top 2000 Songs of All-Time (December 1999)
1999 283 Into The Fire CD101 Top 2000 Songs of All-Time (December 1999)
1999 346 Drawn To The Rhythm CD101 Top 2000 Songs of All-Time (December 1999)
1999 974 Good Enough CD101 Top 2000 Songs of All-Time (December 1999)
1999 1527 Hold On CD101 Top 2000 Songs of All-Time (December 1999)
1999 1605 Building a Mystery CD101 Top 2000 Songs of All-Time (December 1999)
1999 1781 Sweet Surrender CD101 Top 2000 Songs of All-Time (December 1999)
1999 1841 Adia CD101 Top 2000 Songs of All-Time (December 1999)
1999 361 Into The Fire CFNY Top 1002 Songs of All-Time (November 1999)
1999 449 Sweet Surrender CFNY Top 1002 Songs of All-Time (November 1999)
1999 610 Drawn To The Rhythm CFNY Top 1002 Songs of All-Time (November 1999)
1999 647 The Path of Thorns (Terms) CFNY Top 1002 Songs of All-Time (November 1999)
1999 720 Vox CFNY Top 1002 Songs of All-Time (November 1999)
1999 866 Building a Mystery CFNY Top 1002 Songs of All-Time (November 1999)
1999 934 Possession CFNY Top 1002 Songs of All-Time (November 1999)
1999 91 Possession The Buzz Top 99 Songs of All-Time (1999)
1999 138 Possession WHFS Top 500 Songs of the '90s (December 1999)
1999 198 Building a Mystery WHFS Top 500 Songs of the '90s (December 1999)
1999 425 Sweet Surrender WHFS Top 500 Songs of the '90s (December 1999)
1999 54 Artist ranking KROQ Top 106.7 Artists of All-Time (Memorial Day 1999)
1999 73 Artist ranking KROQ Top 106.7 Artists of All-Time (Year End 1999)
1998 46 Sweet Surrender (Uberzone Remix) WBER Listener Countdown 1998
1998 87 Sweet Surrender WEQX Top 102.7 of 1998
1998 87 Sweet Surrender Radio & Records Top 103 Songs of 1998
1997 34 Building a Mystery KROQ Top 106.7 Songs of 1997
1997 81 Sweet Surrender KROQ Top 106.7 Songs of 1997
1997 19 Sweet Surrender 91X Top 91 Songs of 1997
1997 52 Building a Mystery 91X Top 91 Songs of 1997
1997 30 Building a Mystery Live 105 Top 105.3 Songs of 1997
1997 83 Sweet Surrender Live 105 Top 105.3 Songs of 1997
1997 13 Building a Mystery Q101 Top 101 Songs of 1997
1997 82 Sweet Surrender Q101 Top 101 Songs of 1997
1997 19 Building a Mystery WHFS Top 99.1 Songs of 1997
1997 61 Sweet Surrender WHFS Top 99.1 Songs of 1997
1997 10 Building a Mystery The End Top 107 Songs of 1997
1997 85 Sweet Surrender The End Top 107 Songs of 1997
1997 22 Building a Mystery WEQX Top 102.7 of 1997
1997 22 Building a Mystery KNRK Top 94 Songs of 1997
1997 32 Building a Mystery 105.7 The Point Top 105.7 of 1997
1997 83 Sweet Surrender KNRK Top 94 Songs of 1997
1997 86 (tie) Building a Mystery WBER Listener Countdown 1997
1997 100 Building a Mystery X103.9 Top 103.9 Songs of 1997
1997 22 Building a Mystery Radio & Records Top 97 Songs of 1997
1996 468 Possession Q101 Top 500 Songs of All-Time (1996)
1996 361 Into The Fire WOXY Modern Rock 500 (1996)
1995 52 Good Enough WHFS Top 99.1 Songs of 1995
1995 50 Possession WMRQ Top 104 Songs of 1995
1994 90 Possession KROQ Top 106.7 Songs of 1994
1994 95 Possession Live 105 Top 105.3 Songs of 1994
1994 58 Possession Q101 Top 101 Songs of 1994
1994 89 Good Enough Q101 Top 101 Songs of 1994
1994 24 Possession WHFS Top 99.1 Songs of 1994
1994 32 Possession Radio & Records Top 94 Songs of 1994
1994 80 Good Enough Radio & Records Top 94 Songs of 1994
1994 381 Into The Fire WOXY Modern Rock 500 (1994)
1992 47 Into The Fire KROQ Top 106.7 Songs of 1992
1992 47 Into The Fire Q101 Top 101 Songs of 1992
1992 48 Into The Fire WHFS Top 99.1 Songs of 1992
1991 51 The Path of Thorns (Terms) CFNY Top 91 Songs of 1991
1991 73 Into The Fire CFNY Top 91 Songs of 1991
1991 83 Drawn To The Rhythm CFNY Top 91 Songs of 1991
1991 324 Vox CFNY Top 1002 Songs of All-Time (1991 Edition)
– 79 Building a Mystery CRNC Top 90.1 Songs of the '90s

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