Music Metrics Vault

Norman Greenbaum

Data updated on 2025-04-04 11:29:30 UTC
Best-known for his 1970 hit "Spirit in the Sky," singer/songwriter Norman Greenbaum was born November 20, 1942, in Malden, MA. He began his musical career while a student at Boston University, playing area coffeehouses before relocating to the West Coast during the mid-'60s and forming a kind of psychedelic jug band dubbed Dr. West's Medicine Show and Junk Band. After issuing the 1966 single "The Eggplant That Ate Chicago," which fell just shy of reaching the Top 50, the group disbanded, and Greenbaum subsequently formed a series of short-lived acts before finally returning to his solo career in 1968. A year later he issued his debut LP, Spirit in the Sky, releasing several unsuccessful singles before reaching the Top Three with the smash title track, which sold some two million copies. It proved to be Greenbaum's only hit, however, as follow-ups like 1970's "Canned Ham" and the next year's "California Earthquake" tanked; after the release of 1972's Petaluma, he retreated from music to focus on his California dairy farm, but returned to show business during the mid-'80s in a managerial capacity, also promoting a number of concerts. ~ Jason Ankeny, Rovi

Genres

: classic rock

Total plays

580.0 million
Updated on 2025-04-04

Monthly listeners

3,391,780

Followers

96,223

Top Cities

  1. Australia
    69,749 listeners
  2. Australia
    59,204 listeners
  3. Australia
    55,096 listeners
  4. Australia
    36,107 listeners
  5. United States
    38,179 listeners

Most popular tracks

Track Plays Duration Release date
Spirit In The Sky
Spirit In The Sky
575,247,315 4:03 1969-01-01
Marcy
Marcy
648,613 3:17 1969-01-01
Tars Of India
Tars Of India
631,918 3:05 1969-01-01
Skyline
Skyline
404,049 3:14 1969-01-01
Junior Cadillac
Junior Cadillac
365,362 3:38 1969-01-01
Jubilee
Jubilee
271,423 3:01 1969-01-01
Good Lookin' Woman
Good Lookin' Woman
233,975 4:17 1969-01-01
5 Pennies
5 Pennies
190,547 2:47 2023-06-30
Dairy Queen
Dairy Queen
172,530 2:31 2023-06-30
Spirit In The Sky - Demo Version
Spirit In The Sky - Demo Version
172,020 3:02 1969-01-01
Alice Bodine
Alice Bodine
158,923 3:42 1969-01-01
The Power
The Power
152,931 2:38 1969-01-01
Canned Ham
Canned Ham
137,890 2:53 1969-01-01
Chocolate Milk
Chocolate Milk
125,413 1:57 1969-01-01
Petaluma
Petaluma
124,431 2:44 2023-06-30
Milk Cow
Milk Cow
117,757 3:04 1969-01-01
School For Sweet Talk
School For Sweet Talk
106,930 2:57 1969-01-01
Children Of Paradise
Children Of Paradise
104,821 2:11 1969-01-01
Campin
Campin
81,803 2:03 2023-06-30
Save Me For A Rainy Day
Save Me For A Rainy Day
74,955 2:47 1969-01-01
Norman Greenbaum Radio Promo
Norman Greenbaum Radio Promo
69,167 0:53 1969-01-01
Damper
Damper
56,443 2:59 2023-06-30
Country Lad
Country Lad
50,064 2:22 2023-06-30
The Day The Well Went Dry
The Day The Well Went Dry
45,615 2:36 2023-06-30
Hook And Ladder
Hook And Ladder
39,853 2:47 2023-06-30
Back Home Again
Back Home Again
39,315 2:42 2023-06-30
Crazy Over You
Crazy Over You
39,276 2:40 2023-06-30
New Dead Shrimp Blues
New Dead Shrimp Blues
36,962 3:22 2023-06-30
Japanese Silky
Japanese Silky
36,086 1:42 2023-06-30
Circulate
Circulate
11,739 3:10 2023-06-30
Grade A Barn
Grade A Barn
10,322 2:40 2023-06-30
I.J. Foxx
I.J. Foxx
8,785 4:19 2023-06-30
Titfield Thunder
Titfield Thunder
7,841 5:08 2023-06-30
Lucille Got Stealed
Lucille Got Stealed
5,415 3:58 2023-06-30
Miss Fancy
Miss Fancy
5,312 3:20 2023-06-30
Rhode Island Red
Rhode Island Red
5,258 2:48 2023-06-30

New releases

Beyond The Spirit
Beyond The Spirit
2024-07-01
[UME - Global Clearing House]
Petaluma
Petaluma
2023-06-30
[Craft Recordings]
Back Home Again
Back Home Again
2023-06-30
[Craft Recordings]
Spirit In The Sky (Deluxe Edition)
Spirit In The Sky (Deluxe Edition)
1969-01-01
[Craft Recordings]