FOR THE WEEK OF JULY 17, 2017

DEAR JERRY: I read your column on top-selling artists with no No. 1 singles; how about the LP equivalent? From 1949 to '89, which ones made the Top 10 with one or more LPs, but never hit the top spot?
—Peter Sylvester, Boulder City, Nev.

DEAR PETER: When researching this topic, the first thing that jumps out is that well over a hundred artists of the LP (i.e., vinyl) era saw their albums peak somewhere in the Top 10, but never at No. 1.

It must have been especially frustrating for those with multiple LPs that rose no higher than No. 2, including: Aretha Franklin; Herman's Hermits; Steve Miller; Joni Mitchell; and Nancy Wilson.

Then there are the Commodores, with four LPs that stalled at No. 3.

Alphabetically by artists, their highest ranked LPs and years of issue are identified. When more than one peaked at the same number, all are listed. Does not include Original Casts, Soundtracks, or Christmas albums:

Animals "Best of the Animals" (1966) No. 6
Paul Anka "Paul Anka Sings His Big 15" (1960) No. 4
Ray Anthony "I Remember Glenn Miller" (1954) No. 6
Louis Armstrong & the All Stars "Satchmo at Pasadena" (1952) No. 9
Eddy Arnold "To Mother" (1949) No. 2
Association "Greatest Hits" (1968) No. 4
Chet Atkins "Chet Atkins' Workshop" (1961) No. 7
Atlanta Rhythm Section "Champagne Jam" (1978) No. 7
Joan Baez "Joan Baez in Concert, Part Two" (1963) No. 7
Les Baxter & His Orchestra "Perfume Set to Music" (1949) No. 7
Jeff Beck "Blow By Blow" (1975) No. 4
Tony Bennett "I Left My Heart in San Francisco" (1962) and "I Wanna Be Around" (1963) both No. 5
Chuck Berry "The London Chuck Berry Sessions" (1972) No. 8
B-52's "Cosmic Thing" (1989) No. 4
Black Sabbath "Master of Reality" (1971) No. 8
Blondie "Parallel Lines" (1978) No. 6
Pat Boone "Star Dust" (1958) No. 2
Boston Pops Orchestra "Jalouise, and Other Favorites in the Latin Flavor" (1963) No. 5
Bread "The Best of Bread" (1973) No. 2
Brothers Four "B.M.O.C. (Best Music On/Off Campus)" (1961) No. 4
Brothers Johnson "Light Up the Night" (1980) No. 5
James Brown "Live at the Apollo" (1963) No. 2
Les Brown & His Orchestra "Your Dance Date" (1950) No. 4
Dave Brubeck Quartet "Time Out Featuring Take Five" (1960) No. 2
Jimmy Buffett "Son of a Sailor" (1978) No. 10
Byrds "Mr. Tambourine Man" (1965) and "Greatest Hits" (1967) both No. 6
Cameo "Word Up!" (1986) No. 8
Captain & Tennille "Love Will Keep Us Together" (1975) No. 2
Cars "Candy-O" (1979) and "Heartbeat City" (1984) both No. 3
Harry Chapin "Verities & Balderdash" (1974) No. 4
Cheap Trick "Cheap Trick at Bodukan" (1979) No. 4
Cher "Heart of Stone" (1989) No. 10
Chubby Checker "Your Twist Party" (1961) No. 2
Chordettes "Harmony Time" (1950) No. 3
June Christy "Something Cool" (1954) No. 8
Dave Clark Five "Glad All Over" (1964) No. 3
Clash "Combat Rock" (1982) No. 7
Rosemary Clooney & Harry James "Hollywood's Best" (1952) No. 3
Joe Cocker "Mad Dogs & Englishmen" (1970) No. 2
Judy Collins "Wildflowers" (1968) No. 5
Commodores "Commodores" (1977), "Commodores Live" (1977), "Natural High" (1978), and "Midnight Magic" (1979), all four are No. 3
Ray Conniff with His Orchestra and Chorus "Somewhere My Love" (1966) No. 3
Dick Contino "Horace Heidt Presents Dick Contino" (1949) No. 3
Rita Coolidge "Anytime. . . Anywhere" (1977) No. 6
Bill Cosby "Revenge" (1967) No. 2
Elvis Costello "Armed Forces" (1979) No. 10
Pete Daily's Dixieland Band "Pete Daily's Dixieland Band" (1950) No. 3
Charlie Daniels Band "Million Mile Reflections" (1979) No. 5
Bobby Darin "This Is Darin" (1960) No. 6
Deep Purple "Made in Japan" (1973) No. 6
Neil Diamond "Jonathan Livingston Seagull" (1973) No. 2
Donovan "Greatest Hits" (1969) No. 4
Jimmy Dorsey & His Orchestra "Dixie By Dorsey" (1950) No. 4
Billy Eckstine "Songs By Billy Eckstine" (1950) No. 4
Duane Eddy "Have 'Twangy' Guitar - Will Travel" (1959) No. 5
Electric Light Orchestra "Out of the Blue" (1977) No. 4
Emerson, Lake & Palmer "Welcome Back, My Friends" (1974) No. 4
Eurythmics "Touch" (1984) No. 7
Everly Brothers "It's Everly Time!" (1960) and "A Date with the Everly Brothers" (1960) both No. 9
Percy Faith & His Orchestra "Music From Hollywood" (1953) No. 2
Jose Feliciano "Feliciano!" (1968) No. 2
5th Dimension "The Age of Aquarius" (1969) No. 2
Dan Fogelberg "Home Free" (1982) No. 2
Four Aces "The Four Aces Featuring Al Alberts" (1952) No. 4
4 Seasons "Sherry" (1962) and "Dawn" (1964) both No. 6
Four Tops "Greatest Hits" (1967) No. 4
Connie Francis "Italian Favorites" (1960) No. 4
Aretha Franklin "I Never Loved a Man the Way That I Love You" (1967) and "Lady Soul" (1968) both No. 2
Art Garfunkel "Angel Clare" (1973) No. 5
Marvin Gaye "Let's Get It On" (1973) No. 2
Genesis "Invisible Touch" (1986) No. 3
Bobby Goldsboro "Honey" (1968) No. 5
Grand Funk Railroad "We're an American Band" (1973) No. 2
Grateful Dead "In the Dark" (1987) No. 6
Jerry Gray & His Orchestra "Tribute to Glenn Miller" (1952) No. 6
Al Green "I'm Still in Love With You" (1972) No. 4
Guess Who "American Woman" (1970) No. 9
Bill Haley and His Comets "Shake, Rattle and Roll" (1955) No. 5
Daryl Hall & John Oates "H2O" (1982) No. 3
Eddie Harris "Exodus to Jazz" (1961) No. 2
Woody Herman & the Herd "Woody Herman at Carnegie Hall, 1946" (1952) No. 9
Herman's Hermits "Introducing Herman's Hermits" (1965) and "On Tour" (1965) both No. 2
Al Hirt "Honey in the Horn" (1963) No. 3
Engelbert Humperdinck "Engelbert Humperdinck" (1970) and "Miracles By Engelbert Humperdinck" (1977) both No. 5
Impressions "Keep on Pushing" (1964) No. 8
INXS "Kick" (1987) No. 3
Jackson 5 "ABC" (1970) and "Third Album" (1970) both No. 4
Joni James "Let There Be Love" (1953) No. 5
Rick James "Street Songs" (1981) No. 3
Tommy James and the Shondells "Crimson & Clover" (1969) No. 8
Jefferson Airplane "Surrealistic Pillow" (1967) No. 3
Gordon Jenkins "Seven Dreams" (1954) No. 8
Quincy Jones "Body Heat" (1974) No. 6
Rickie Lee Jones "Rickie Lee Jones" (1979) No. 3
Tom Jones "Live in Las Vegas" (1969) No. 3
Kansas "Point of Know Return" (1977) No. 4
KC and the Sunshine Band "KC and the Sunshine Band" (1975) No. 4
Kinks "The Kinks Greatest Hits!" (1966) No. 9
KISS "Love Gun" (1977) No. 4
Eartha Kitt "RCA Victor Presents Eartha Kitt" (1953) No. 2
Gladys Knight & the Pips "Neither One of Us" (1973) and "Imagination" (1973) both No. 9
Kool & the Gang "Celebrate" (1980) No. 10
Frankie Laine "One for My Baby" (1952) No. 8
Brenda Lee "This Is . . . Brenda" (1960) No. 4
Lettermen "A Song for Young Love" (1962) No. 6
Ramsey Lewis "The In Crowd" (1965) No. 2
Limeliters "Tonight: In Person" (1961) No. 5
Kenny Loggins "Nightwatch" (1978) No. 7
Loggins & Messina "On Stage" (1974) No. 5
Guy Lombardo & His Royal Canadians "Guy Lombardo & His Royal Canadians Featuring the Twin Pianos" (1949) No 3
Trini Lopez "Trini Lopez at P.J.'s" (1963) No. 2
Lovin' Spoonful "Best of the Lovin' Spoonful" (1967) No. 3
Lynyrd Skynyrd "Street Survivors" (1977) No. 5
Bob Marley and the Wailers "Rastaman Vibrations" (1976) No. 8
Marion Marlowe & Frank Parker "Sweethearts" (1953) No. 2
Dean Martin "Everybody Loves Somebody" (1964) No. 2
Steve Martin "A Wild and Crazy Guy" (1978) No. 2
Al Martino "I Love You Because" (1963) No. 7
Billy May & His Orchestra "Big Band Bash!" (1952) No. 3
Melachrino Strings & Orchestra "Music for Dining" (1953) No. 7
Sergio Mendes & Brasil '66 "Fool on the Hill" (1968) No. 3
Bette Midler "Beaches" (1989) No. 2
Roger Miller "The Return of Roger Miller" (1965) No. 4
Steve Miller Band "The Joker" (1973) and "Book of Dreams" (1977) both No. 2
Mills Brothers "Souvenir Album" (1950) No. 9
Miracles "Greatest Hits, Vol. 2" (1968) No. 7
Joni Mitchell "Court and Spark" (1974) and "Miles of Aisles" (1974) both No. 2
Sandy Nelson "Let There Be Drums" (1962) No. 6
Willie Nelson "Always on My Mind" (1982) No. 2
Aaron Neville "Cry Like a Rainstorm - Howl Like the Wind" (1989) No. 7
New Christy Minstrels "Today" (1964) No. 9
Randy Newman "Little Criminals" (1977) No. 9
Nilsson "Nilsson Schmillsson" (1971) No. 3
O'Jays "So Full of Love" (1978) No. 6
Roy Orbison "Mystery Girl" (1989) No. 5
Donnie Osmond "Portrait of Donny" (1972) No. 6
Osmonds "Phase III" (1972) No. 10
Gilbert O'Sullivan "Himself" (1972) No. 9
Pablo Cruise "Worlds Away" (1978) No. 6
Alan Parsons Project "Eye in the Sky" (1982) No. 7
Les Paul & Mary Ford "Les Paul's New Sound, Vol. 2" (1951) and "Bye Bye Blues" (1952) both No. 2
Peaches & Herb "2 Hot" (1978) No. 2
Teddy Pendergrass "Teddy" (1979) No. 5
Pet Shop Boys "Please" (1986) No. 7
Tom Petty "Damn the Torpedoes" (1979) No. 2
Platters "Encore of Golden Hits" (1960) No. 6
Pointer Sisters "Break Out" (1983) No. 8
Poison "Open Up and Say . . . Ahh!" (1988) No. 2
Pretenders "Learning to Crawl" (1984) No. 5
Louis Prima "Wonderland By Night" (1961) No. 9
Procol Harum "Live in Concert with the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra" (1972) No. 5
Quarterflash "Quarterflash" (1981) No. 8
Lou Rawls "Lou Rawls Live!" (1966) No. 4
Johnnie Ray "Johnnie Ray" (1952) No. 2
Otis Redding "The Dock of the Bay" (1968) No. 4
Helen Reddy "Greatest Hits" (1975) No. 5
Lou Reed "Sally Can't Dance" (1974) No. 10
Jim Reeves "Best of Jim Reeves" (1964) No. 9
Paul Revere and the Raiders "Just Like Us" (1966) No. 5
Charlie Rich "Behind Closed Doors" (1973) No. 8
Righteous Brothers "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'" (1965) No. 4
Minnie Riperton "Perfect Angel" (1974) No. 4
Johnny Rivers "Realization" (1968) No. 5
Marty Robbins "Gunfighter Ballads and Trail Songs" (1959) No. 6
Smokey Robinson "Being With You" (1981) No. 10
Rose Royce "In Full Bloom" (1977) No. 9
Rufus "Rags to Riches" (1974) No. 4
Rush "Moving Pictures" (1981) No. 3
Leon Russell "Carney" (1972) No. 2
Bobby Rydell & Chubby Checker "Bobby Rydell/Chubby Checker" (1961) No. 7
Boz Scaggs "Silk Degrees" (1976) No. 2
Scorpions "Savage Amusement" (1988) No. 5
Seals & Crofts "Diamond Girl" (1973) No. 4
George Shearing Quintet "You're Hearing George Shearing and His Quintet" (1950) No. 6
Bobby Sherman "Here Comes Bobby" (1970) No. 10
Simple Minds "Once Upon a Time" (1985) No. 10
Nancy Sinatra "Boots" (1966) No. 5
Sister Sledge "We Are Family" (1979) No. 3
Phoebe Snow "Phoebe Snow" (1974) No. 4
Spinners "Pick of the Litter" (1975) No. 8
Rick Springfield "Success Hasn't Spoiled Me Yet" (1982) No. 2
Billy Squier "Don't Say No" (1981) and "Emotions in Motion" (1982) both No. 5
Kay Starr "The Kay Starr Style" (1953) No. 2
Ringo Starr "Ringo" (1973) No. 2
Dakota Staton "The Late, Late Show" (1958) No. 4
Steely Dan "Aja" (1977) No. 3
Steppenwolf "The Second" (1968) No. 3
Al Stewart "Year of the Cat" (1976) No. 5
Stephen Stills "Stephen Stills" (1970) No. 3
Sting "The Dream of the Blue Turtles" (1985) No. 2
Stray Cats "Built for Speed" (1982) No. 2
Taste of Honey "A Taste of Honey" (1978) No. 6
James Taylor "Mud Slide Slim and the Blue Horizon" (1971) No. 2
Johnnie Taylor "Eargasm" (1976) No. 5
Temptations "All Directions" (1972) No. 2
38 Special "Special Forces" (1982) No. 10
Thompson Twins "Into the Gap" (1984) No. 10
Three Dog Night "Golden Bisquits" (1971) No. 5
Johnny Tillotson "It Keeps Right On A-Hurtin'" (1962) No. 8
Toto "Toto IV" (1982) No. 4
Pete Townshend "Empty Glass" (1980) No. 5
Traffic "John Barleycorn Must Die" (1970) No. 5
Traveling Wilburys "Volume One" (1988) No. 3
Robin Trower "For Earth Below" (1975) No. 5
Tina Turner "Private Dancer" (1984) No. 3
Turtles "Golden Hits" (1967) No. 7
Bonnie Tyler "Faster Than the Speed of Night" (1983) No. 4
Luther Vandross "Any Love" (1988) No. 9
Ventures "The Ventures Play Telstar" (1963) No. 8
Village People "Cruisin'" (1978) No. 3
Bobby Vinton "Roses Are Red" (1962) No. 5
Joe Walsh "The Smoker You Drink, the Player You Get" (1973) No. 6
Dionne Warwick "Valley of the Dolls" (1968) No. 6
Dinah Washington "Unforgettable" (1961) No. 10
Grover Washington Jr. "Winelight" (1980) No. 5
Whispers "The Whispers" (1980) No. 6
Whitesnake "Whitesnake" (1987) No. 2
Who "Quadrophenia" (1973) No. 2
Wild Cherry "Wild Cherry" (1976) No. 5
Nancy Wilson "Yesterday's Love Songs-Today's Blues" (1964) and "How Glad I Am" (1964) both No. 2
Bill Withers "Still Bill" (1972) No. 4
Yes "Close to the Edge" (1972) No. 3
Frank Zappa/Mothers of Invention "Apostrophe" (1974) No. 10
Warren Zevon "Excitable Boy" (1978) No. 8
ZZ Top "Afterburner" (1985) No. 4

IZ ZAT SO? Not found on the above list is Foreigner, whose fourth LP ("4") held the No. 1 position for 10 weeks in 1981 and '82.

Ironically, the hit single from that album, "Waiting for a Girl Like You," holds the record for the longest time at No. 2, without rising to No. 1.

That also lasted for 10 weeks.