Artist · chart history · #777 in indie & aaa artist polls
Steel Pulse
Band Handsworth United Kingdom Formed 1975
Steel Pulse formed in 1975 in Handsworth, United Kingdom. Steel Pulse has 3 chart appearances on 3 radio countdowns from 3 stations on RockLists, spanning 1989–2006. The most successful song on radio countdowns is “Ravers”, which appears on 1 list with a best position of #711. The station that charted Steel Pulse most often is 91X (San Diego, CA / Tijuana), with 1 appearance.
Steel Pulse came out of Handsworth in Birmingham, England, in 1975, a roots reggae band that first came together at Handsworth Wood Boys School. David Hinds sang lead and played guitar, Basil Gabbidon took lead guitar and vocals, Ronald McQueen held down the bass, Mykaell Riley added vocals and percussion, and Basil's brother Colin sat in on drums for a spell at the start.
What they made was reggae with its feet in the English Midlands and its heart in Jamaica: tough, heavy-bottomed grooves, chiming guitars and Hinds' urgent, preacher's voice riding on top. Island Records took them on, and over the years the roster grew around Hinds to take in Selwyn Brown, Alphonso Martin, Steve Nisbett, Sidney Mills and more.
Their standing speaks for itself: Steel Pulse were the first act from outside Jamaica to win the Grammy for Best Reggae Album, and they've picked up eight more nominations besides. "Stepping Out" is the track that has kept them on the countdowns.
Written with AI assistance from RockLists chart data, MusicBrainz and Wikipedia.
Songs by Steel Pulse on radio countdowns
| # | Song | Strength | Lists | Best | #1s | Peak year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ravers | 1 | #711 | – | – | |
| 2 | Stepping Out | 1 | #183 | – | – |
Every countdown appearance
| Year | # | Song | Countdown |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | 780 | Artist ranking | WXPN 885 All-Time Greatest Artists (2006) |
| 2001 | 711 | Ravers | WFPK 2001 Greatest Songs of All Time |
| 1989 | 183 | Stepping Out | 91X Top 191 Songs of the 1980s (1989) |
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