Songs that are classic now but were controversal at the time and hurt their airplay?
 

The first song that comes to mind is Under My Thumb by The Rolling Stones. That song had the potential of being a solid Top 10 hit, but it never cracked the Top 40 because of its derogatory theme against women.

Louie Louie is the 1st one that comes to mind

Prince - Darling Nikki

Most of the Stones

Motley Crue - Shout at the Devil

John Denver - Rocky Mountain High

That one song by that one country singer who sang about that thing.

VH1 did a special on the top 100 something or other too, I just can't remember who it was or what they sang about.

Anything by ministry or slayer or Nine Inch Nails. Back when Nails started out they got a sliver of play but not much. Even though he (trent reznor) has a huge underground following he did not even start to tap into his "main stream" fan base until closure came out. which is a great shame because every single he has released is pure greatness. The real sad thing is ministry and slayer have never gotten any play EVER (in the U.S.A. anyway)

Johnny Cash - "Folsom Prison Blues"

Ministry actually got some airplay (MTV wise) with "Psalm 69" with the songs "Jesus Built My Hot Rod" (which also got some radio play) and "Just One Fix" (video featuring William S. Burrows).

I'm not sure if I'd say NIN were hurt because of controversial songs (the opposite may be true however). Look at the hit "Closer", tons of MTV play and when I was in college you couldn't go to the bars without hearing that song played at least twice a night. "Hurt" also got airplay from that same album.

Also, to the best of my knowledge "Wish" is still the only Grammy Award Winning song to contain the word fistf***.