Login
Login

Suicide Blonde#Charts

{{Short description|1990 single by INXS}}

{{Use Australian English|date=May 2011}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2023}}

{{Infobox song

| name = Suicide Blonde

| cover = Suicide_blonde.jpg

| alt =

| type = single

| artist = INXS

| album = X

| B-side = Everybody Wants U Tonight

| released = {{start date|1990|8|22|df=y}}

| recorded =

| studio =

| venue =

| genre =

| length = 3:53

| label = WEA

| writer =

| producer = Chris Thomas

| prev_title = Mystify

| prev_year = 1989

| next_title = Disappear

| next_year = 1990

}}

"Suicide Blonde" is the lead single from Australian rock band INXS's seventh studio album, X (1990). It was released on 22 August 1990 in the United States and on 3 September 1990 in the United Kingdom. The song reached number two in Australia, number nine in the United States, and number 11 in the United Kingdom. In Canada and New Zealand, the single peaked at number one for two and three weeks, respectively. At the APRA Music Awards of 1991, "Suicide Blonde" won the award Most Performed Australian Work Overseas.{{cite web|url=http://apraamcos.com.au/awards/1990-1999/1991-music-awards/|title=1991 APRA Music Award Winners|publisher=APRA AMCOs|access-date=5 July 2019|archive-date=17 March 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150317222718/http://apraamcos.com.au/awards/1990-1999/1991-music-awards/|url-status=dead}}

"Suicide Blonde" would be the final song performed live in front of an audience by Hutchence with INXS, on 27 September 1997 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, before his death on 22 November 1997.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/flashback-listen-to-final-inxs-concert-with-michael-hutchence-125209/|title=Flashback: Listen to Final INXS Concert With Michael Hutchence|last=Greene|first=Andy|magazine=Rolling Stone|date=22 November 2017|access-date=18 March 2022}}

Writing and recording

"Suicide Blonde" was written by INXS members Michael Hutchence and Andrew Farriss, after the band had gotten back together after a year-long sabbatical in 1989. The song's title originates from the night Hutchence and then-girlfriend Kylie Minogue attended the debut of the 1989 romantic drama film The Delinquents, which stars Minogue. For the premiere, she wore a blonde wig whose colour she called "suicide blonde".{{cite book|last1=Kutner|first1=Jon|last2=Leigh|first2=Spencer|date=2005|title=1,000 UK Number One Hits|location=London, England|publisher=Omnibus Press|type=E-book|edition=2013|pages=918–919|isbn=978-0-85712-360-2}}

The recording of "Suicide Blonde" showed some new and older influences on INXS. Jon Farriss's drums show the influence of dance music especially the acid house sounds popular in the UK. Similarly, the blues harp intro on the track, performed by Charlie Musselwhite, was sampled rather than recorded live.{{Cite web |title=Charlie Musselwhite (Part II) – Komedia, Brighton, 18th November 2008 – Harp Surgery |url=https://www.harpsurgery.com/charlie-musselwhite-part-ii-komedia-brighton-18th-november-2008/ |access-date=26 December 2023 |website=www.harpsurgery.com}}

Critical reception

David Giles of Music Week stated that "Suicide Blonde" is "less rocky than their previous work, with an emphatic dancefloor appeal".{{cite magazine |url= https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-Week/1990/MW-1990-09-15.pdf |title=Singles |first=David |last=Giles |magazine=Music Week |date=15 September 1990 |page=21 |via=World Radio History |accessdate=6 September 2023}}

Chart performance

In the United States, the track reached a peak of number nine on the Billboard Hot 100, and it topped both the Album Rock Tracks and Modern Rock Tracks charts. A dance remix of the track received wide airplay on US top-forty stations, allowing it to reach the top 10 on the Hot Dance Club Play chart. On the UK Singles Chart the single reached a peak of number 11, while on the Australian Singles Chart it reached number two. In Canada and New Zealand, "Suicide Blonde" reached number one for two and three weeks respectively.

Track listings

{{col-begin}}

{{col-2}}

7-inch, cassette, and mini-CD single{{cite AV media notes|title=Suicide Blonde|others=INXS|year=1990|type=Australian 7-inch single vinyl disc|publisher=WEA|id=903172348-7}}{{cite AV media notes|title=Suicide Blonde|others=INXS|year=1990|type=Australian cassette single sleeve|publisher=WEA|id=903172348-4}}{{cite AV media notes|title=Suicide Blonde|others=INXS|year=1990|type=Japanese mini-CD single liner notes|publisher=WEA|id=WMD5-4040}}

  1. "Suicide Blonde" – 3:55
  2. "Everybody Wants U Tonight" – 5:08

US maxi-CD single{{cite AV media notes|title=Suicide Blonde|others=INXS|year=1990|type=US maxi-CD single liner notes|publisher=Atlantic Records|id=7 86139-2}}

  1. "Suicide Blonde" (7-inch mix) – 3:54
  2. "Suicide Blonde" (Earth mix) – 5:39
  3. "Suicide Blonde" (Devastation mix) – 6:19
  4. "Suicide Blonde" (Milk mix) – 5:40
  5. "Suicide Blonde" (Demolition mix) – 6:53
  6. "Everybody Wants U Tonight" – 5:09

UK 12-inch single{{cite AV media notes|title=Suicide Blonde|others=INXS|year=1990|type=UK CD single liner notes|publisher=Mercury Records|id=INXS 1412, 878 087-1}}

:A1. "Suicide Blonde" (Milk mix)

:B1. "Suicide Blonde" (Devastation mix)

:B2. "Everybody Wants U Tonight"

{{col-2}}

UK CD single{{cite AV media notes|title=Suicide Blonde|others=INXS|year=1990|type=UK CD single liner notes|publisher=Mercury Records|id=INXCD 14, 878 087-2}}

  1. "Suicide Blonde" (7-inch version)
  2. "Suicide Blonde" (Demolition mix)
  3. "Everybody Wants U Tonight"
  4. "Suicide Blonde" (7-inch Nik mix)

Japanese mini-album{{cite AV media notes|title=Suicide Blonde|others=INXS|year=1990|type=Japanese mini-album liner notes|publisher=WEA|id=WMC5-218}}

  1. "Suicide Blonde" (Milk mix)
  2. "Suicide Blonde" (Devastation mix)
  3. "Suicide Blonde" (Demolition mix)
  4. "Suicide Blonde" (Nix mix)
  5. "Suicide Blonde" (Earth mix)
  6. "Suicide Blonde" (7-inch single mix)
  7. "Everybody Wants U Tonight"

{{col-end}}

Charts

{{col-begin}}

{{col-2}}

=Weekly charts=

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"

!Chart (1990)

!Peak
position

{{single chart|Australia|2|artist=INXS|song=Suicide Blonde|rowheader=true|accessdate=9 July 2019|refname="aus"}}
{{single chart|Austria|24|artist=INXS|song=Suicide Blonde|rowheader=true|accessdate=9 July 2019}}
{{single chart|Flanders|4|artist=INXS|song=Suicide Blonde|rowheader=true|accessdate=9 July 2019}}
{{single chart|Canadatopsingles|1|chartid=7749|rowheader=true|accessdate=9 July 2019|refname="can"}}
scope="row"|Europe (Eurochart Hot 100){{cite magazine|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-and-Media/90s/1990/MM-1990-10-27.pdf|title=Eurochart Hot 100 Singles|magazine=Music & Media|volume=7|issue=43|page=V|date=27 October 1990|access-date=22 May 2020}}

|24

scope="row"|Finland (Suomen virallinen lista){{cite book|first=Jake|last=Nyman|year=2005|title=Suomi soi 4: Suuri suomalainen listakirja|edition=1st|publisher=Tammi|location=Helsinki|isbn=951-31-2503-3|language=fi}}

|8

{{single chart|France|23|artist=INXS|song=Suicide Blonde|rowheader=true|accessdate=9 July 2019}}
{{single chart|Germany|23|artist=INXS|song=Suicide Blonde|songid=2169|rowheader=true|accessdate=9 July 2019}}
{{single chart|Ireland2|3|song=Suicide Blonde|rowheader=true}}
{{single chart|Dutch40|5|year=1990|week=42|rowheader=true|accessdate=9 July 2019}}
{{single chart|Dutch100|9|artist=INXS|song=Suicide Blonde|rowheader=true|accessdate=9 July 2019}}
{{single chart|New Zealand|1|artist=INXS|song=Suicide Blonde|rowheader=true|accessdate=9 July 2019|refname="nz"}}
scope="row"|Spain (AFYVE){{cite book|last=Salaverri|first=Fernando|title=Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002|edition=1st|date=September 2005|publisher=Fundación Autor-SGAE|location=Spain|isbn=84-8048-639-2}}

|13

{{single chart|Sweden|16|artist=INXS|song=Suicide Blonde|rowheader=true|accessdate=9 July 2019}}
{{single chart|Switzerland|11|artist=INXS|song=Suicide Blonde|rowheader=true|accessdate=9 July 2019}}
{{single chart|UK|11|date=19900922|rowheader=true|accessdate=9 July 2019|refname="uk"}}
{{single chart|Billboardhot100|9|artist=INXS|rowheader=true|accessdate=9 July 2019|refname="hot100"}}
{{single chart|Billboardalternativesongs|1|artist=INXS|rowheader=true|accessdate=9 July 2019|refname="usalt"}}
{{single chart|Billboarddanceclubplay|25|artist=INXS|rowheader=true|accessdate=9 July 2019|refname="usdance"}}
{{single chart|Billboarddancesales|9|artist=INXS|rowheader=true|accessdate=30 September 2021}}
{{single chart|Billboardmainstreamrock|1|artist=INXS|rowheader=true|accessdate=9 July 2019|refname="usmr"}}
scope="row"|US Cash Box Top 100{{cite magazine|title=Top 100 Singles|magazine=Cash Box|volume=LIV|issue=13|page=30|date=27 October 1990}}

|5

scope="row"|US CHR Airplay (Radio & Records){{cite magazine|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-RandR/1990s/1990/RR-1990-10-12.pdf|title=National Airplay Overview – CHR|magazine=Radio & Records|issue=861|page=120|date=12 October 1990|access-date=3 April 2021}}

|10

{{col-2}}

=Year-end charts=

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"

!Chart (1990)

!Position

scope="row"|Australia (ARIA){{cite web|url=https://www.aria.com.au/charts/1990/singles-chart|title=ARIA Top 100 Singles for 1990|publisher=ARIA|access-date=9 July 2019}}

|42

scope="row"|Belgium (Ultratop){{cite web|url=https://www.ultratop.be/nl/annual.asp?year=1990|title=Jaaroverzichten 1990|publisher=Ultratop|language=nl|access-date=9 July 2019}}

|57

scope="row"|Canada Top Singles (RPM){{cite magazine|url=http://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/films-videos-sound-recordings/rpm/Pages/image.aspx?Image=nlc008388.9139&URLjpg=http%3a%2f%2fwww.collectionscanada.gc.ca%2fobj%2f028020%2ff4%2fnlc008388.9139.gif&Ecopy=nlc008388.9139|title=Top 100 Hit Tracks of 1990|magazine=RPM|via=Library and Archives Canada|access-date=9 July 2019}}

|15

scope="row"|Netherlands (Dutch Top 40){{cite web |url=http://www.top40.nl/pdf/Top%20100/top%20100%20-%201990.pdf|title=Single top 100 over 1990|publisher=Top40|language=nl|access-date=12 April 2010}}

|55

scope="row"|Netherlands (Single Top 100){{cite web|url=https://dutchcharts.nl/jaaroverzichten.asp?year=1990&cat=s|title=Jaaroverzichten – Single 1990|publisher=MegaCharts|language=nl|access-date=9 July 2019}}

|75

scope="row"|New Zealand (RIANZ){{cite web|url=https://aotearoamusiccharts.co.nz/archive/annual-singles/1990-12-31|title=End of Year Charts 1990|publisher=Recorded Music NZ|access-date=9 July 2019}}

|14

scope="row"|Sweden (Topplistan){{cite web|url=http://www.grammotex.se/topp90singlar.htm|title=Årstopplistan 1990, Singlar|publisher=Grammotex|language=sv|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010216102929/http://www.grammotex.se/topp90singlar.htm|archive-date=16 February 2001|access-date=7 April 2025}}

|96

scope="row"|US Album Rock Tracks (Billboard){{cite magazine|title=The Year in Music 1990: Top Album Rock Tracks|magazine=Billboard|volume=102|issue=51|page=YE-47|date=22 December 1990}}

|27

=Decade-end charts=

class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"

!Chart (1990–1999)

!Position

scope="row"|Canada (Nielsen SoundScan){{cite web|url=http://www.jamshowbiz.com/JamMusicCharts/100_1990.html|title=Top 100 singles of the 1990s|last=Lwin|first=Nanda|publisher=Jam!|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000829070927/http://www.jamshowbiz.com/JamMusicCharts/100_1990.html|archive-date=29 August 2000|access-date=26 March 2022}}

|83

{{col-end}}

Certifications

{{Certification Table Top}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Australia|type=single|award=Gold|relyear=1990|certyear=1990|certref=|access-date=9 July 2019}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=United States|type=single|artist=INXS|title=Suicide Blond|award=Gold|relyear=1990|certyear=1990|access-date=9 July 2019}}

{{Certification Table Bottom|nosales=true}}

Release history

class="wikitable plainrowheaders"

!scope="col"|Region

!scope="col"|Date

!scope="col"|Format(s)

!scope="col"|Label

!scope="col"|{{abbr|Ref.|Reference}}

scope="row"|United States

|22 August 1990

|{{hlist|7-inch vinyl|12-inch vinyl|maxi-CD|cassette|maxi-cassette}}

|Atlantic

|{{cite magazine|title=Inside Track|last=Lichtman|first=Irv|magazine=Billboard|volume=102|issue=34|page=98|date=25 August 1990|quote=['Suicide Blonde']'s release date is Wednesday (22).}}

scope="row" rowspan="2"|United Kingdom

|3 September 1990

|{{hlist|7-inch vinyl|12-inch vinyl|cassette}}

|rowspan="2"|Mercury

|{{cite magazine|title=New Singles|magazine=Music Week|page=33|date=1 September 1990}}

10 September 1990

|CD

|{{cite magazine|title=New Singles|magazine=Music Week|page=33|date=8 September 1990}}

scope="row" rowspan="2"|Japan

|25 October 1990

|Mini-CD

|rowspan="2"|WEA

|{{cite web|url=https://www.oricon.co.jp/prof/10710/products/302646/1/|title=スーサイド・ブロンド {{!}} INXS|trans-title=Suicide Blonde {{!}} INXS|publisher=Oricon|language=ja|access-date=9 September 2023}}

28 November 1990

|Maxi-CD

|{{cite web|url=https://www.oricon.co.jp/prof/10710/products/302072/1/|title=スーサイド・ブロンド(7トラックス) {{!}} INXS|trans-title=Suicide Blonde (7 Tracks) {{!}} INXS|publisher=Oricon|language=ja|access-date=22 March 2024}}

See also

References

{{Reflist}}

{{Refbegin}}

  • [{{AllMusic|class=song|id=t2760500|pure_url=yes}} Allmusic.com song article on Suicide Blonde]
  • [https://archive.today/20140904141031/http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1430358/19971124/story.j%5CBillboard Magazine'', 16 February 1991]
  • "INXS: X Marks the Spot" Rolling Stone Issue 590 1 November 1990 page 85

{{Refend}}

{{INXS}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:1990 songs

Category:1990 singles

Category:APRA Award winners

Category:Atlantic Records singles

Category:INXS songs

Category:Mercury Records singles

Category:Number-one singles in New Zealand

Category:RPM Top Singles number-one singles

Category:Song recordings produced by Chris Thomas (record producer)

Category:Songs written by Andrew Farriss

Category:Songs written by Michael Hutchence

Category:Warner Music Group singles