The title is somewhat misleading but I guess "On And Off The Charts: One Track Each From The More Popular Artists And Their Spin-Off Groups on I.R.S. Records 1981-1992" is a little long and arguably pedantic. And don't get me started on the unimaginative cover art. But once I'm able to quit being petty about such things and listen to the tunes, this compilation ain't bad at all. The selections perfectly illustrate what a great label I.R.S. was for up and coming rockers in the '80s, moving from post-punk to new wave to pop to alt rock.
Peak on the US Billboard Top 200 chart: Did not chart
Tracks:
| Song | Artist | Year | Hot 100 | Rock |
| Our Lips Are Sealed | Go-Go's | 1981 | 20 | 15 |
| Mexican Radio (edit) | Wall Of Voodoo | 1982 | 58 | 41 |
| Only A Lad | Oingo Boingo | 1981 | - | - |
| The Future's So Bright, I Gotta Wear Shades | Timbuk 3 | 1986 | 19 | 14 |
| Save It For Later | The English Beat | 1982 | - | - |
| She Drives Me Crazy | Fine Young Cannibals | 1988 | 1 | - |
| Mad About You (single mix) | Belinda Carlisle | 1986 | 3 | - |
| Tenderness | General Public | 1984 | 27 | 39 |
| The One I Love | R.E.M. | 1987 | 9 | 2 |
| Joey | Concrete Blonde | 1990 | 19 | 20 |
| Rain In The Summertime (edit) | The Alarm | 1987 | 71 | 6 |
| Dizz Knee Land | dada | 1992 | 102 | 27 |
The highlights for me are the tracks from the Go-Go's and English Beat. I was previously unfamiliar with the tune by The Alarm and am happy to have finally discovered it here - very Joshua Tree-ish to these ears. I've never liked the Concrete Blonde tune and had forgotten all about the dada track. While I'm being petty, I would have picked a different REM tune (probably Radio Free Europe) but since The One I Love was the group's only Top 40 hit on the IRS label, I understand its inclusion here.
Personal Memory Associated with this CD: When I was in high school, I thought that silver label with the iconic maroon logo was the coolest LP label graphic going.
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