It’s not a surprise to me that today’s featured artist never had a #1 on the Billboard Hot 100. But I’m including The Who in this series because it is a surprise that only one of their songs even reached the top ten. And that they never scored a #1 hit in their native UK, either.
In general, The Who just hasn’t had the staying power of other classic 60s and 70s rock bands. Despite being very influential on a whole generation of musicians, they seem to have faded in the general consciousness.
Once upon a time, The Who released nine straight albums that reached the top ten in the U.S., with six in the top five. Their biggest release, 1971’s Who’s Next, went triple-Platinum in the States.
But despite songs like ‘My Generation.’ ‘I Can’t Explain,’ ‘The Kids Are Alright,’ ‘Pinball Wizard,’ ‘Won’t Get Fooled Again,’ and ‘Baba O’Reilly’ becoming radio staples for a couple of decades, the band never had a major hit single.
The closest they came was with 1967’s ‘I Can See For Miles,’ which peaked at #9 on the Hot 100. Songwriter Pete Townsend believed this track would give the band its first #1 in the UK, but it stalled at #10 there. ‘My Generation’ and ‘I’m a Boy’ were The Who’s top-charting UK hits, both peaking at #2.
I know you’ve deceived me
Now here’s a surprise
I know that you have
‘Cause there’s magic in my eyes
[Alt. Chorus]
I can see for miles and miles
And miles and miles and miles
Oh yeah
[Verse 2]
If you think that I don’t know about
The little tricks you’ve played
And never see you when deliberately
You put things in my way
[Pre-Chorus 1]
Well, here’s a poke at you
You’re gonna choke on it too
You’re gonna lose that smile
Because all the while
[Chorus]
I can see for miles and miles
I can see for miles and miles
I can see for miles and miles
And miles and miles and miles
Oh yeah
[Verse 3]
You took advantage of my trust in you
When I was so far away
I saw you holding lots of other guys
And now you’ve got the nerve to say
[Pre-Chorus 2]
That you still want me
Well, that’s as may be
But you gotta stand trial
Because all the while
[Chorus]
I can see for miles and miles
I can see for miles and miles
I can see for miles and miles
And miles and miles and miles
Oh yeah
[Instrumental Bridge]
[Verse 4]
I know you’ve deceived me
Now here’s a surprise
I know that you have
‘Cause there’s magic in my eyes
[Alt. Chorus]
I can see for miles and miles
And miles and miles and miles
Oh yeah
[Verse 5]
The Eiffel Tower and the Taj Mahal
Are mine to see on clear days
You thought that I would need a crystal ball
To see right through the haze
[Pre-Chorus 3]
Well, here’s a poke at you
You’re gonna choke on it too
You’re gonna lose that smile
Because all the while
[Outro]
I can see for miles and miles
I can see for miles and miles
I can see for miles and miles and
Miles and miles and miles and
Miles and miles and miles
I can see for miles and miles
I can see for miles and miles
I can see for miles and miles
I can see for miles and miles
Meet Me In Montauk 
While The Who may not had chart success, even today, they would likely rank among the top 10 rock bands of all time.
I would argue with the “faded in the general consciousness” statement. The Who were never the type of band that would chart well in the singles, Top 100 format. But as you said, their album sales were quite strong, and for a long time – “Who’s Next” is in the competition for the strongest album, beginning to end, of all time (in my opinion). A listen to their catalogue, I believe, would reveal that many of their songs pass the test of time, and in 2024, “Tommy” has been playing to packed houses on Broadway – I don’t think those are all boomers in the audience. I may be biased though, I’ve been a fan for 50+ years!