Artist · chart history
The Rheostatics
Band Etobicoke Canada Active 1980–2007
The Rheostatics formed in 1980 in Etobicoke, Canada and was active until 2007. The Rheostatics has 4 chart appearances on 2 radio countdowns from 1 station on RockLists, spanning 1991–1999. The most successful song on radio countdowns is “Claire”, which appears on 1 list with a best position of #706. The station that charted The Rheostatics most often is CFNY 102.1 The Edge (Toronto, ON), with 4 appearances.
The Rheostatics came out of Etobicoke and played from 1980 until they split in 2007, and in that time they turned into one of Canadian rock's great eccentric institutions: a band that could lurch from sweet pop to shaggy art-rock without ever sounding like anyone else. Dave Bidini and Tim Vesely were there the whole way, Martin Tielli joined early on, Dave Clark, Don Kerr and Michael Phillip Wojewoda all did stints, and Kevin Hearn is part of the current lineup.
Melville, from 1991, has been cited again and again in critics' and listeners' polls of the best Canadian albums ever made, along with Whale Music. "Horses" and "Record Body Count" come from it, sprawling, restless songs full of odd turns and big feeling.
"Claire", from 1994's Introducing Happiness, was their one Top 40 hit, a gentle, lilting tune that shows how tuneful they could be when they wanted. After years of one-off reunion shows, they reformed in late 2016 with new songs.
Written with AI assistance from RockLists chart data, MusicBrainz and Wikipedia.
Songs by The Rheostatics on radio countdowns
| # | Song | Strength | Lists | Best | #1s | Peak year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Claire | 1 | #706 | – | – | |
| 2 | Horses | 1 | #771 | – | – | |
| 3 | Record Body Count | 2 | #860 | – | – |
Albums with charting songs
Where each song was first released, from MusicBrainz.
Every countdown appearance
| Year | # | Song | Countdown |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | 706 | Claire | CFNY Top 1002 Songs of All-Time (November 1999) |
| 1999 | 960 | Record Body Count | CFNY Top 1002 Songs of All-Time (November 1999) |
| 1991 | 771 | Horses | CFNY Top 1002 Songs of All-Time (1991 Edition) |
| 1991 | 860 | Record Body Count | CFNY Top 1002 Songs of All-Time (1991 Edition) |
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