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The English Beat
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Artist · chart history · #78 in alternative artist polls · #462 in indie & aaa artist polls

The English Beat

Band Birmingham United Kingdom Formed 1979 UK ska band aka The English Beat

The English Beat formed in 1979 in Birmingham, United Kingdom. The English Beat has 228 chart appearances on 91 radio countdowns from 23 stations on RockLists, spanning 1981–2026. The most successful song on radio countdowns is “Save It For Later”, which appears on 69 lists with a best position of #9. The station that charted The English Beat most often is CD101 (Columbus, OH), with 63 appearances. The artist’s biggest year on year-end countdowns was 1983.

228appearances
91countdowns
13songs charted
23stations
0#1 finishes
1981–2026years

The English Beat, known simply as the Beat back home in Birmingham, were one of the most musically adventurous bands to come out of Britain at the turn of the '80s. Dave Wakeling sang and played guitar, Ranking Roger sang, Andy Cox played guitar, David Steele played bass, Everett Morton drummed and Saxa, the saxophone man born Lionel Augustus Martin, blew over the top of it all. Dave "Blockhead" Wright came in on keyboards in 1980.

What they played was ska, but ska stretched out to include Latin rhythms, pop hooks, soul, reggae and the jittery energy of punk. It's dance music with a nervous system, and they made three albums of it in quick succession. I Just Can't Stop It came first in 1980, with "Mirror in the Bathroom", "Twist and Crawl", "Best Friend", "Rough Rider" and "Big Shot", plus "Stand Down Margaret".

Wha'ppen? followed in 1981, looser and more woozily tropical, with "French Toast (Soleil Trop Chaud)", and Special Beat Service rounded out the trilogy in 1982, the most polished of the three. "Save It for Later" is its crown jewel, a bittersweet jangle-pop song that sounds like it was written on a rainy afternoon, and "I Confess" gave the album its moody heart. Singles like "Too Nice to Talk To", "Can't Get Used to Losing You", "Hands Off...She's Mine" and "All Out to Get You" filled in the gaps, and together they make as tight a run of records as any band of the era.

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

Songs by The English Beat on radio countdowns

#SongStrengthListsBest#1sPeak year
1 Save It For Later
4,011		 69 #9 – 1983
2 Mirror in the Bathroom
3,485		 64 #38 – 1983
3 I Confess
2,331		 40 #10 – 1983
4 Tears of a Clown
958		 16 #82 – –
5 Twist And Crawl
402		 19 #261 – –
6 Best Friends
192		 2 #46 – –
7 Best Friend
88		 2 #103 – –
8 Ranking Full Stop
78		 2 #554 – –
9 Rough Rider
76		 2 #618 – –
10 I Can't Get Used to Losing You
68		 2 #201 – –
11 French Toast (Soleil Trop Chaud)
52		 1 #983 – –
12 Big Shot
45		 1 #1131 – –
13 Whine and Grine/ Stand Down Margaret
36		 1 #1300 – –

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.

81 83 84

Every countdown appearance

Year#SongCountdown
2026 157 Save It For Later WYEP Greatest Songs of All Time
2026 848 I Confess WYEP Greatest Songs of All Time
2026 878 Mirror in the Bathroom KXT 917 Song Countdown
2026 311 Mirror in the Bathroom WFPK Top 500 Songs of the '80s
2026 554 Ranking Full Stop The Colorado Sound Top 1055 Songs You Discovered on The Colorado Sound
2025 65 Save It For Later The Colorado Sound Top 800 Mood Booster Songs
2025 239 I Confess The Colorado Sound Top 800 Mood Booster Songs
2024 67 Save It For Later WYEP Best Songs of the Past 50 Years
2024 331 Mirror in the Bathroom WYEP Best Songs of the Past 50 Years
2024 743 I Confess WYEP Best Songs of the Past 50 Years
2024 89 Tears of a Clown The Colorado Sound Top 850 Cover Songs
2024 510 I Confess The Best Opening Tracks of All Time
2024 685 Mirror in the Bathroom The Best Opening Tracks of All Time
2024 782 I Can't Get Used to Losing You The Colorado Sound Top 850 Cover Songs
2023 24 Save It For Later 91X Top 91 Songs of The Last 40 Years
2023 492 Save It For Later 90.9 The Bridge Top 909 Songs of All Time
2023 673 Mirror in the Bathroom 90.9 The Bridge Top 909 Songs of All Time
2023 1045 Save It For Later WYEP Countdown to Fall 2023
2023 1106 Mirror in the Bathroom WYEP Countdown to Fall 2023
2023 38 Save It For Later The Colorado Sound Top 850 Songs of the 1980s
2023 53 Mirror in the Bathroom The Colorado Sound Top 850 Songs of the 1980s
2023 143 I Confess The Colorado Sound Top 850 Songs of the 1980s
2023 716 Mirror in the Bathroom The Colorado Sound Top 800 Songs About Places
2022 468 Save It For Later X96 Top 500 Alternative Songs of All Time
2022 734 Ranking Full Stop The Colorado Sound Top 1055 Colorado Sound Songs of All Time
2021 73 Save It For Later 90.9 The Bridge Top 909 Songs of the '80s
2021 440 Mirror in the Bathroom 90.9 The Bridge Top 909 Songs of the '80s
2020 1557 Save It For Later WXPN 2020 Greatest Songs of All Time
2019 287 Save It For Later KEXP Listeners' Favorite Songs of All Time
2019 884 Save It For Later WYEP Labor Day Weekend Countdown 2019
2019 884 Save It For Later WYEP Big Spring Countdown 2019
2018 589 Save It For Later The Current's 893 Essential Songs
2014 306 Save It For Later CD101 Top 2014 Songs of All-Time (2014)
2014 681 Tears of a Clown CD101 Top 2014 Songs of All-Time (2014)
2014 855 Mirror in the Bathroom CD101 Top 2014 Songs of All-Time (2014)
2014 1193 I Confess CD101 Top 2014 Songs of All-Time (2014)
2014 1981 Twist And Crawl CD101 Top 2014 Songs of All-Time (2014)
2013 306 Save It For Later CD101 Top 2013 Songs of All-Time (December 2013)
2013 652 Tears of a Clown CD101 Top 2013 Songs of All-Time (December 2013)
2013 847 Mirror in the Bathroom CD101 Top 2013 Songs of All-Time (December 2013)
2013 1251 I Confess CD101 Top 2013 Songs of All-Time (December 2013)
2013 1955 Twist And Crawl CD101 Top 2013 Songs of All-Time (December 2013)
2011 309 Save It For Later CD101 Top 2012 Songs of All-Time (December 2011)
2011 631 Tears of a Clown CD101 Top 2012 Songs of All-Time (December 2011)
2011 874 Mirror in the Bathroom CD101 Top 2012 Songs of All-Time (December 2011)
2011 1269 I Confess CD101 Top 2012 Songs of All-Time (December 2011)
2011 1900 Twist And Crawl CD101 Top 2012 Songs of All-Time (December 2011)
2010 308 Save It For Later CD101 Top 2011 Songs of All-Time (December 2010)
2010 611 Tears of a Clown CD101 Top 2011 Songs of All-Time (December 2010)
2010 902 Mirror in the Bathroom CD101 Top 2011 Songs of All-Time (December 2010)
2010 1216 I Confess CD101 Top 2011 Songs of All-Time (December 2010)
2010 1822 Twist And Crawl CD101 Top 2011 Songs of All-Time (December 2010)
2009 301 Save It For Later CD101 Top 2010 Songs of All-Time (December 2009)
2009 591 Tears of a Clown CD101 Top 2010 Songs of All-Time (December 2009)
2009 869 Mirror in the Bathroom CD101 Top 2010 Songs of All-Time (December 2009)
2009 1180 I Confess CD101 Top 2010 Songs of All-Time (December 2009)
2009 1778 Twist And Crawl CD101 Top 2010 Songs of All-Time (December 2009)
2009 442 I Confess WYEP 913 Essential Songs
2008 217 Mirror in the Bathroom KROQ Flashback 500 (Memorial Day 2008)
2008 295 Save It For Later CD101 Top 2009 Songs of All-Time (December 2008)
2008 582 Tears of a Clown CD101 Top 2009 Songs of All-Time (December 2008)
2008 854 Mirror in the Bathroom CD101 Top 2009 Songs of All-Time (December 2008)
2008 1163 I Confess CD101 Top 2009 Songs of All-Time (December 2008)
2008 1754 Twist And Crawl CD101 Top 2009 Songs of All-Time (December 2008)
2007 357 Save It For Later CD101 Top 2008 Songs of All-Time (December 2007)
2007 600 Tears of a Clown CD101 Top 2008 Songs of All-Time (December 2007)
2007 917 Mirror in the Bathroom CD101 Top 2008 Songs of All-Time (December 2007)
2007 1212 I Confess CD101 Top 2008 Songs of All-Time (December 2007)
2007 1786 Twist And Crawl CD101 Top 2008 Songs of All-Time (December 2007)
2007 816 Mirror in the Bathroom WTMD Top 897 Songs of All Time
2006 307 Mirror in the Bathroom KROQ Flashback 500 (Memorial Day 2006)
2006 186 Mirror in the Bathroom WOXY Modern Rock 500 (2006)
2006 211 Save It For Later WOXY Modern Rock 500 (2006)
2006 35 Artist ranking 91X Top 100 Artists of All-Time (Memorial Day 2006)
2006 465 Artist ranking WXPN 885 All-Time Greatest Artists (2006)
2006 86 Save It For Later The End Top 107 Resurrection Songs (December 2006)
2005 222 Save It For Later WOXY Modern Rock 500 (2005)
2005 254 Mirror in the Bathroom WOXY Modern Rock 500 (2005)
2005 397 Save It For Later CD101 Top 2006 Songs of All-Time (December 2005)
2005 729 I Confess CD101 Top 2006 Songs of All-Time (December 2005)
2005 859 Mirror in the Bathroom CD101 Top 2006 Songs of All-Time (December 2005)
2005 1590 Twist And Crawl CD101 Top 2006 Songs of All-Time (December 2005)
2005 822 Mirror in the Bathroom 99X Freedom of Choice 1000 (2005)
2005 920 Save It For Later 99X Freedom of Choice 1000 (2005)
2005 103 Artist ranking KROQ Top 106.7 Biggest Bands of All-Time (July 2005)
2005 82 Save It For Later 96.5 The Buzz Top 96 of the 70s & 80s
2004 158 Mirror in the Bathroom Q101 Top 300 Party Songs of All-Time (July 2004)
2004 396 Save It For Later CD101 Top 2005 Songs of All-Time (December 2004)
2004 729 I Confess CD101 Top 2005 Songs of All-Time (December 2004)
2004 859 Mirror in the Bathroom CD101 Top 2005 Songs of All-Time (December 2004)
2004 1592 Twist And Crawl CD101 Top 2005 Songs of All-Time (December 2004)
2003 231 Save It For Later WOXY Modern Rock 500 (2003)
2003 294 Mirror in the Bathroom WOXY Modern Rock 500 (2003)
2003 396 Save It For Later CD101 Top 2004 Songs of All-Time (December 2003)
2003 729 I Confess CD101 Top 2004 Songs of All-Time (December 2003)
2003 859 Mirror in the Bathroom CD101 Top 2004 Songs of All-Time (December 2003)
2003 1592 Twist And Crawl CD101 Top 2004 Songs of All-Time (December 2003)
2003 9 Save It For Later Fred XM Top 2044 Songs of All-Time (July 2003)
2003 46 Best Friends Fred XM Top 2044 Songs of All-Time (July 2003)
2003 99 Mirror in the Bathroom Fred XM Top 2044 Songs of All-Time (July 2003)
2003 296 I Confess Fred XM Top 2044 Songs of All-Time (July 2003)
2003 618 Rough Rider Fred XM Top 2044 Songs of All-Time (July 2003)
2003 733 Twist And Crawl Fred XM Top 2044 Songs of All-Time (July 2003)
2003 983 French Toast (Soleil Trop Chaud) Fred XM Top 2044 Songs of All-Time (July 2003)
2003 1131 Big Shot Fred XM Top 2044 Songs of All-Time (July 2003)
2003 1300 Whine and Grine/ Stand Down Margaret Fred XM Top 2044 Songs of All-Time (July 2003)
2002 161 Save It For Later WOXY Modern Rock 500 (2002)
2002 240 Mirror in the Bathroom WOXY Modern Rock 500 (2002)
2002 396 Save It For Later CD101 Top 2003 Songs of All-Time (December 2002)
2002 729 I Confess CD101 Top 2003 Songs of All-Time (December 2002)
2002 861 Mirror in the Bathroom CD101 Top 2003 Songs of All-Time (December 2002)
2002 1595 Twist And Crawl CD101 Top 2003 Songs of All-Time (December 2002)
2002 30 Save It For Later Fred XM Top 2002 Songs of All-Time (July 2002)
2002 120 Best Friends Fred XM Top 2002 Songs of All-Time (July 2002)
2002 193 Mirror in the Bathroom Fred XM Top 2002 Songs of All-Time (July 2002)
2002 362 I Confess Fred XM Top 2002 Songs of All-Time (July 2002)
2002 1881 Rough Rider Fred XM Top 2002 Songs of All-Time (July 2002)
2001 127 Save It For Later WOXY Modern Rock 500 (2001)
2001 195 Mirror in the Bathroom WOXY Modern Rock 500 (2001)
2001 396 Save It For Later CD101 Top 2002 Songs of All-Time (December 2001)
2001 729 I Confess CD101 Top 2002 Songs of All-Time (December 2001)
2001 861 Mirror in the Bathroom CD101 Top 2002 Songs of All-Time (December 2001)
2001 1603 Twist And Crawl CD101 Top 2002 Songs of All-Time (December 2001)
2001 703 Mirror in the Bathroom WFPK 2001 Greatest Songs of All Time
2001 1276 Save It For Later WFPK 2001 Greatest Songs of All Time
2000 125 Save It For Later WOXY Modern Rock 500 (2000)
2000 194 Mirror in the Bathroom WOXY Modern Rock 500 (2000)
2000 394 Save It For Later CD101 Top 2001 Songs of All-Time (December 2000)
2000 729 I Confess CD101 Top 2001 Songs of All-Time (December 2000)
2000 859 Mirror in the Bathroom CD101 Top 2001 Songs of All-Time (December 2000)
2000 1603 Twist And Crawl CD101 Top 2001 Songs of All-Time (December 2000)
1999 137 Mirror in the Bathroom 91X Fat 500 Songs of All-Time (July 1999)
1999 258 Save It For Later 91X Fat 500 Songs of All-Time (July 1999)
1999 596 Save It For Later Q101 Top 1,011 Songs of All-Time (December 1999)
1999 151 Mirror in the Bathroom WFNX Top 500 Songs of All-Time (June 1999)
1999 394 Save It For Later WFNX Top 500 Songs of All-Time (June 1999)
1999 615 Mirror in the Bathroom The End Top 1077 Songs of All-Time (December 1999)
1999 870 Save It For Later The End Top 1077 Songs of All-Time (December 1999)
1999 144 Save It For Later WOXY Modern Rock 500 (1999)
1999 212 Mirror in the Bathroom WOXY Modern Rock 500 (1999)
1999 392 Save It For Later CD101 Top 2000 Songs of All-Time (December 1999)
1999 728 I Confess CD101 Top 2000 Songs of All-Time (December 1999)
1999 808 Mirror in the Bathroom CD101 Top 2000 Songs of All-Time (December 1999)
1999 1603 Twist And Crawl CD101 Top 2000 Songs of All-Time (December 1999)
1999 84 Mirror in the Bathroom CFNY Top 1002 Songs of All-Time (November 1999)
1999 261 Twist And Crawl CFNY Top 1002 Songs of All-Time (November 1999)
1999 472 Save It For Later CFNY Top 1002 Songs of All-Time (November 1999)
1999 636 Tears of a Clown CFNY Top 1002 Songs of All-Time (November 1999)
1999 46 Save It For Later Channel 104.9 Top 101 Songs of the '80s (February 1999)
1999 102 Artist ranking KROQ Top 106.7 Artists of All-Time (Memorial Day 1999)
1998 47 Mirror in the Bathroom KROQ Flashback 500 (Memorial Day 1998)
1998 182 I Confess KROQ Flashback 500 (Memorial Day 1998)
1998 220 Save It For Later KROQ Flashback 500 (Memorial Day 1998)
1998 366 Tears of a Clown KROQ Flashback 500 (Memorial Day 1998)
1997 60 Artist ranking KROQ Top 106.7 Artists of All-Time (Memorial Day 1997)
1996 70 Mirror in the Bathroom KROQ Flashback 500 (Memorial Day 1996)
1996 157 Save It For Later KROQ Flashback 500 (Memorial Day 1996)
1996 168 I Confess KROQ Flashback 500 (Memorial Day 1996)
1996 234 Tears of a Clown KROQ Flashback 500 (Memorial Day 1996)
1996 291 Mirror in the Bathroom Q101 Top 500 Songs of All-Time (1996)
1996 472 Save It For Later Q101 Top 500 Songs of All-Time (1996)
1996 135 Save It For Later WOXY Modern Rock 500 (1996)
1996 174 Mirror in the Bathroom WOXY Modern Rock 500 (1996)
1995 62 Mirror in the Bathroom KROQ Flashback 500 (Memorial Day 1995)
1995 302 I Confess KROQ Flashback 500 (Memorial Day 1995)
1995 436 Save It For Later KROQ Flashback 500 (Memorial Day 1995)
1995 56 I Confess Live 105 Revolutionary 300 (July 1995)
1995 270 Mirror in the Bathroom Live 105 Revolutionary 300 (July 1995)
1994 189 Mirror in the Bathroom KROQ Flashback 500 (Memorial Day 1994)
1994 246 I Confess KROQ Flashback 500 (Memorial Day 1994)
1994 420 Save It For Later KROQ Flashback 500 (Memorial Day 1994)
1994 442 Tears of a Clown KROQ Flashback 500 (Memorial Day 1994)
1994 59 I Confess Live 105 Revolutionary 500 (July 1994)
1994 254 Mirror in the Bathroom Live 105 Revolutionary 500 (July 1994)
1994 346 Save It For Later Live 105 Revolutionary 500 (July 1994)
1994 145 Save It For Later WOXY Modern Rock 500 (1994)
1994 198 Mirror in the Bathroom WOXY Modern Rock 500 (1994)
1992 54 Mirror in the Bathroom KROQ Flashback 500 (Memorial Day 1992)
1992 99 I Confess KROQ Flashback 500 (Memorial Day 1992)
1992 171 Tears of a Clown KROQ Flashback 500 (Memorial Day 1992)
1992 402 Save It For Later KROQ Flashback 500 (Memorial Day 1992)
1992 78 Mirror in the Bathroom Live 105 Top 300 Songs of All-Time (Memorial Day 1992)
1992 100 I Confess Live 105 Top 300 Songs of All-Time (Memorial Day 1992)
1992 205 Save It For Later Live 105 Top 300 Songs of All-Time (Memorial Day 1992)
1991 94 I Confess Live 105 Top 300 Songs of All-Time (Memorial Day 1991)
1991 201 Mirror in the Bathroom Live 105 Top 300 Songs of All-Time (Memorial Day 1991)
1991 220 Save It For Later Live 105 Top 300 Songs of All-Time (Memorial Day 1991)
1991 262 Twist And Crawl Live 105 Top 300 Songs of All-Time (Memorial Day 1991)
1991 34 Save It For Later WOXY Modern Rock 500 (1991)
1991 182 Mirror in the Bathroom WOXY Modern Rock 500 (1991)
1991 247 I Confess WOXY Modern Rock 500 (1991)
1991 38 Mirror in the Bathroom CFNY Top 1002 Songs of All-Time (1991 Edition)
1991 668 Twist And Crawl CFNY Top 1002 Songs of All-Time (1991 Edition)
1991 698 Tears of a Clown CFNY Top 1002 Songs of All-Time (1991 Edition)
1991 752 Save It For Later CFNY Top 1002 Songs of All-Time (1991 Edition)
1991 21 Artist ranking Live 105 Top 105 Artists of All-Time (1991)
1990 62 I Confess Live 105 Top 300 Songs of All-Time (Memorial Day 1990)
1990 101 Save It For Later Live 105 Top 300 Songs of All-Time (Memorial Day 1990)
1990 160 Mirror in the Bathroom Live 105 Top 300 Songs of All-Time (Memorial Day 1990)
1989 127 Tears of a Clown KROQ Flashback 500 (Memorial Day 1989)
1989 293 Best Friend KROQ Flashback 500 (Memorial Day 1989)
1989 333 Save It For Later KROQ Flashback 500 (Memorial Day 1989)
1989 454 Mirror in the Bathroom KROQ Flashback 500 (Memorial Day 1989)
1989 34 Save It For Later WOXY Modern Rock 500 (1989)
1989 184 Mirror in the Bathroom WOXY Modern Rock 500 (1989)
1989 262 I Confess WOXY Modern Rock 500 (1989)
1989 58 Save It For Later 91X Top 191 Songs of the 1980s (1989)
1989 103 Best Friend 91X Top 191 Songs of the 1980s (1989)
1989 164 I Confess 91X Top 191 Songs of the 1980s (1989)
1989 39 Save It For Later WFNX Top 101 Songs of the Decade (December 1989)
1989 85 I Confess WFNX Top 101 Songs of the Decade (December 1989)
1989 27 Artist ranking Live 105 Top 105 Artists of All-Time (1989)
1988 43 Mirror in the Bathroom KROQ Flashback 500 (Memorial Day 1988)
1988 92 Save It For Later KROQ Flashback 500 (Memorial Day 1988)
1988 246 I Confess KROQ Flashback 500 (Memorial Day 1988)
1988 23 I Confess Live 105 Top 500 Songs of All-Time (Memorial Day 1988)
1988 82 Tears of a Clown Live 105 Top 500 Songs of All-Time (Memorial Day 1988)
1988 125 Mirror in the Bathroom Live 105 Top 500 Songs of All-Time (Memorial Day 1988)
1988 201 I Can't Get Used to Losing You Live 105 Top 500 Songs of All-Time (Memorial Day 1988)
1988 264 Save It For Later Live 105 Top 500 Songs of All-Time (Memorial Day 1988)
1988 403 Twist And Crawl Live 105 Top 500 Songs of All-Time (Memorial Day 1988)
1984 59 Mirror in the Bathroom 91X Top 91 Songs of 1984
1983 10 I Confess KROQ Top 106.7 Songs of 1983
1983 30 Save It For Later KROQ Top 106.7 Songs of 1983
1983 10 I Confess 91X Top 91 Songs of 1983
1983 27 Save It For Later 91X Top 91 Songs of 1983
1983 49 Mirror in the Bathroom 91X Top 91 Songs of 1983
1981 98 Mirror in the Bathroom KROQ Top 106.7 Songs of 1981

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