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Cover of Tim by The Replacements
Cover: Tim

Song · The Replacements

“Left of the Dial” by The Replacements

From the album Tim (1985)

“Left of the Dial” by The Replacements appears on 32 radio countdowns from 9 stations between 1989 and 2026. It was first released in 1985 on the album Tim. Its best result is #33 on the 90.9 The Bridge Top 909 Songs of the '80s. In the combined RockLists rankings it is #836 alternative song of all time.

32countdowns
9stations
#33best position
0#1 finishes
0top 10 finishes
1989–2026years charted

Watch

Left of the Dial

Video from YouTube (The Replacements - Topic). Pressing play loads YouTube's player. Watch on YouTube

"Left of the Dial" comes from the Replacements' 1985 album Tim, and it's Paul Westerberg at full tilt: he wrote the music and the words both, and the band plays it like they're chasing a bus that's already pulling away.

Thomas Erdelyi produced it and Steve Fjelstad engineered, and the sound is ragged but big-hearted, guitars chiming and crashing at once, a melody that sticks and a vocal that sounds shredded and hopeful in the same breath. Listen close to the backing vocals and there's Alex Chilton in there, lending a hand. It's messy, loud and tender all at once, and it doesn't waste a second.

Written with AI assistance from RockLists chart data, MusicBrainz.

RockLists rankings

Alternative & Modern Rock

Indie & Adult Alternative

All Rock Formats

All-time and decade countdowns

Year#StationCountdownof
1989 335 WOXY 97X WOXY Modern Rock 500 (1989) 500
1999 602 CD101 CD101 Top 2000 Songs of All-Time (December 1999) 2000
2000 602 CD101 CD101 Top 2001 Songs of All-Time (December 2000) 2001
2001 602 CD101 CD101 Top 2002 Songs of All-Time (December 2001) 2002
2002 602 CD101 CD101 Top 2003 Songs of All-Time (December 2002) 2003
2003 602 CD101 CD101 Top 2004 Songs of All-Time (December 2003) 2004
2004 602 CD101 CD101 Top 2005 Songs of All-Time (December 2004) 2005
2004 408 WXPN WXPN 885 All-Time Greatest Songs (2004) 885
2005 603 CD101 CD101 Top 2006 Songs of All-Time (December 2005) 1994
2007 387 CD101 CD101 Top 2008 Songs of All-Time (December 2007) 2008
2008 371 CD101 CD101 Top 2009 Songs of All-Time (December 2008) 2009
2009 365 CD101 CD101 Top 2010 Songs of All-Time (December 2009) 2010
2010 358 CD101 CD101 Top 2011 Songs of All-Time (December 2010) 2011
2010 882 WXPN WXPN 885 Ultimate Road Trip Songs (2010) 885
2011 355 CD101 CD101 Top 2012 Songs of All-Time (December 2011) 2011
2012 192 WXPN WXPN 885 Greatest Rock Songs (2012) 885
2013 353 CD101 CD101 Top 2013 Songs of All-Time (December 2013) 2012
2014 354 CD101 CD101 Top 2014 Songs of All-Time (2014) 2013
2014 528 WXPN WXPN 885 All-Time Greatest Songs (2014) 885
2016 532 WYEP WYEP 913 Countdown 2016 913
2018 164 The Current The Current's 893 Essential Songs 892
2019 413 WYEP WYEP Big Spring Countdown 2019 1017
2019 314 KEXP KEXP Listeners' Favorite Songs of All Time 627
2019 413 WYEP WYEP Labor Day Weekend Countdown 2019 1099
2020 710 WXPN WXPN 2020 Greatest Songs of All Time 2020
2021 33 90.9 The Bridge 90.9 The Bridge Top 909 Songs of the '80s 909
2022 825 WYEP WYEP Countdown to Fall 2022 603
2022 156 KEXP KEXP Top Songs of the Last 50 Years (1972-2022) 491
2023 253 The Colorado Sound The Colorado Sound Top 850 Songs of the 1980s 850
2023 466 90.9 The Bridge 90.9 The Bridge Top 909 Songs of All Time 909
2024 345 WYEP WYEP Best Songs of the Past 50 Years 1049
2026 424 WFPK WFPK Top 500 Songs of the '80s 498

Also listed as: Left Of The Dial.

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