Misery (Soul Asylum song)

"Misery"
Single by Soul Asylum
from the album Let Your Dim Light Shine
B-side	"Hope" "Fearless Leader" "You'll Live for Now" "Summer of Drugs"
Released	May 15, 1995 (1995-05-15)
Genre	Alternative rock [1]
Length	4:24
Label	Columbia
Songwriter	Dave Pirner
Producers	Butch Vig, Soul Asylum
Soul Asylum singles chronology
"Summer of Drugs" (1994) "Misery" (1995) "Just Like Anyone" (1995)

"Misery" is a song by Minneapolis rock band Soul Asylum, released as the lead single from their seventh studio album, Let Your Dim Light Shine (1995). The track was serviced to US alternative radio in May 1995 and was later issued as a commercial single. "Misery" reached number 20 on the US Billboard Hot 100, number one on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart, and number three in Canada.

Music video

The music video for "Misery", directed by Matt Mahurin, features footage of the band performing onstage intercut with shots of a record plant pressing copies of the "Misery" CD single itself.

Track listings

US 7-inch, CD, and cassette single ^{[2] [3] [4]}

1. "Misery"
2. "Hope"

US and Canadian maxi-CD single ^[5]

1. "Misery" – 4:24
2. "Hope" – 2:06
3. "Fearless Leader" – 5:28
4. "You'll Live for Now" – 3:12
5. "Summer of Drugs" – 4:06

Australian CD and cassette single ^{[6] [7]}

1. "Misery" (edit)
2. "String of Pearls"
3. "Misery"

UK 7-inch and cassette single; European CD single ^{[8] [9] [10]}

1. "Misery"
2. "String of Pearls"

UK CD single ^[11]

1. "Misery"
2. "String of Pearls"
3. "Hope"
4. "I Did My Best"

European maxi-CD single ^[12]

1. "Misery"
2. "String of Pearls"
3. "Caged Rat"
4. "I Did My Best"

Japanese CD single ^[13]

1. "Misery" (edit)
2. "Summer of Drugs"
3. "Misery" (live version)

Charts

Weekly charts Weekly chart performance for "Misery" Chart (1995) Peak position Australia (ARIA) [14] 22 Canada Top Singles ( RPM ) [15] 3 Canada Rock/Alternative ( RPM ) [16] 1 Germany (GfK) [17] 75 Italy Airplay ( Music & Media ) [18] 7 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ) [19] 21 Scotland (OCC) [20] 31 UK Singles (OCC) [21] 30 US Billboard Hot 100 [22] 20 US Alternative Airplay ( Billboard ) [23] 1 US Mainstream Rock ( Billboard ) [24] 2 US Pop Airplay ( Billboard ) [25] 13

Year-end charts Year-end chart performance for "Misery" Chart (1995) Position Canada Top Singles (RPM) [26] 16 Canada Rock/Alternative (RPM) [27] 3 US Billboard Hot 100 [28] 99 US Album Rock Tracks (Billboard) [29] 13 US Modern Rock Tracks (Billboard) [30] 28

Release history

Region	Date	Format(s)	Label(s)	Ref.
United States	May 15, 1995	Alternative radio	Columbia	[31]
Australia	June 12, 1995	CD cassette		[32]
United Kingdom	July 3, 1995	7-inch vinyl CD cassette		[33]
Japan	August 19, 1995	CD	Sony	[34]

See also

• Number one modern rock hits of 1995
• List of RPM Rock/Alternative number-one singles (Canada)

References

1. "The 95 Best Alternative Rock Songs of 1995". Spin . August 6, 2015. p. 3. Retrieved September 18, 2020.
2. Misery (US 7-inch single vinyl disc). Columbia Records. 1995. 38 77959.
3. Misery (US CD single liner notes). Columbia Records. 1995. 38K 77959.
4. Misery (US cassette single sleeve). Columbia Records. 1995. 38T 77959.
5. Misery (US & Canadian maxi-CD single disc notes). Columbia Records. 1995. 44K 77960.
6. Misery (Australian CD single liner notes). Columbia Records. 1995. 662060 2.
7. Misery (Australian cassette single sleeve). Columbia Records. 1995. 662060 8.
8. Misery (UK 7-inch single sleeve). Columbia Records. 1995. 662109 7.
9. Misery (UK cassette single sleeve). Columbia Records. 1995. 662109 4.
10. Misery (European CD single liner notes). Columbia Records. 1995. COL 661499 1.
11. Misery (UK CD single liner notes). Columbia Records. 1995. 662109 2.
12. Misery (European maxi-CD single liner notes). Columbia Records. 1995. COL 661499 2.
13. Misery (Japanese CD single liner notes). Sony Music Entertainment Japan. 1995. SRCS-7717.
14. "Soul Asylum – Misery". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved December 28, 2021.
15. "Top RPM Singles: Issue 9016." RPM . Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved August 28, 2020.
16. "Top RPM Rock/Alternative Tracks: Issue 9205." RPM . Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved August 28, 2020.
17. "Soul Asylum – Misery" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved December 28, 2021.
18. "Major Market Airplay: Italy" (PDF). Music & Media . Vol. 12, no. 33. August 19, 1995. p. 31.
19. "Soul Asylum – Misery". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved December 28, 2021.
20. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved December 28, 2021.
21. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved December 28, 2021.
22. "Soul Asylum Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved August 28, 2020.
23. "Soul Asylum Chart History (Alternative Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved August 28, 2020.
24. "Soul Asylum Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved August 28, 2020.
25. "Soul Asylum Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved August 28, 2020.
26. "RPM Top 100 Hit Tracks of 1995". RPM . Retrieved May 7, 2023– via Library and Archives Canada.
27. "RPM Top 50 Alternative Tracks of 1995". RPM. Retrieved May 7, 2023– via Library and Archives Canada.
28. "Billboard Top 100 – 1995". Archived from the original on August 15, 2009. Retrieved August 27, 2010.
29. "The Year in Music: Hot Album Rock Tracks". Billboard. Vol. 107, no. 51. December 23, 1995. p. YE-76.
30. "The Year in Music: Hot Modern Rock Tracks". Billboard. Vol. 107, no. 51. December 23, 1995. p. YE-77.
31. "New Music for May". Radio & Records . No. 1092. April 28, 1995. p. 70.
32. "New Releases – Product Available from : 12/06/95: Singles". The ARIA Report . No. 278. June 11, 1995. p. 22.
33. "New Releases: Singles". Music Week . July 1, 1995. p. 31.
34. "ミザリー | ソウル・アサイラム" [Misery | Soul Asylum] (in Japanese). Oricon . Retrieved February 25, 2024.

External links

• "Misery" official music video on YouTube