Songs That Were Flops at First—Then Turned Into Legends
Mr. Brightside – The Killers
Picture this: The Las Vegas band The Killers’ debut single was a flop when first released in September 2003. Nobody wanted to touch it with a ten-foot pole. Radio stations weren’t interested, and the song barely registered on anyone’s radar. Fast forward to 2004, and the same track becomes one of the most beloved anthems of the 2000s. What changed? Everything and nothing. In the wake of the more successful ‘Somebody Told Me’, the record company decided to give it a second ride on the horse in November 2004. Singer Brandon Flowers was given a new haircut, and the new video was given a glamorous makeover based on the 2001 film Moulin Rouge. Sometimes all it takes is better timing and a decent haircut. Next minute the song – where Mr. Brightside is Flowers, after he woke up with a niggling feeling and high-tailed it to his favourite pub Crown and Anchor and caught his girlfriend cheating on him – was in the Top 10 in the US and refused to leave the Top 100 for 219 weeks and sold 4 million.
Bohemian Rhapsody – Queen
Here’s one that’ll blow your mind: Queen’s masterpiece was basically laughed out of the room by music executives. When the band wanted to release ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ in 1975, music executives told Queen that at 5 minutes and 55 seconds long, the song would never be played on the radio and would not be a hit. However Queen gave the recording to Smooth Radio’s sister station Capital FM, where DJ Kenny Everett teased parts of the song for listeners until they were clamouring to hear the whole thing, culminating in the song being played in full 14 times in two days. The critics weren’t kind either. The UK music papers reacted with bemusement, recognising that the song was original and technically accomplished, but they mostly remained indifferent. Pete Erskine of NME observed that, “It’ll be interesting to see whether it’ll be played in its entirety on the radio”. Yet this “radio-unfriendly” song stayed at number one for nine consecutive weeks. Sometimes the experts are spectacularly wrong, and thank goodness for that. The song became the 1975 UK Christmas number one, holding the top position for nine weeks. “Bohemian Rhapsody” was the first song ever to get to number one in the UK twice with the same version.
Creep – Radiohead
Before Radiohead became the darlings of alternative rock, they were just another band with a song nobody wanted to hear. Back in 1993, Radiohead’s first single release Creep failed to make an impression, missing the Top 75 altogether. But it wasn’t all over for the future classic – it had another go and reached Number 7. The song that would define an entire generation’s angst was initially deemed too weird, too depressing, too everything. Radio programmers didn’t get it, record executives scratched their heads, and even the band themselves weren’t entirely convinced. But sometimes the most honest, raw expressions of human emotion take time to find their audience. Years later, “Creep” became the anthem for every misfit who ever felt like they didn’t belong – which, let’s face it, is pretty much everyone at some point.
Layla – Derek and the Dominos
Eric Clapton’s heart-wrenching masterpiece about his forbidden love for George Harrison’s wife didn’t exactly set the world on fire at first. Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs opened to lacklustre sales as the Derek and the Dominos album never actually reached the music charts in the United Kingdom, possibly in part because Clapton’s name was found only on the back cover. In addition, the song’s length proved prohibitive for radio airplay. The original seven-minute epic was too long for radio, and a shortened version of the song, consisting of the first 2:43 of Part I, was released as a single in March 1971 by Atco Records in the United States. The version peaked at number 51 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart. Not exactly chart-topping material. However, when “Layla” was re-released on the 1972 compilations The History of Eric Clapton and Duane Allman’s An Anthology and then released the full 7:10 version (including the “Piano Exit” that formed Part II) as a single, it charted at number seven in the United Kingdom and reached number 10 in the United States. Sometimes great art just needs time to breathe.
Truth Hurts – Lizzo
While “Truth Hurts” initially came out in 2017, it didn’t really blow up until 2019 when it was picked up by TikTok users. On the social media platform Lizzo found newly dedicated fans who championed “Truth Hurts” and sent it climbing the charts. That’s right – this absolute banger sat in relative obscurity for two whole years before becoming the confidence anthem we all needed. It hit No. 1 on the Hot 100 in September 2019 after debuting at No. 50, becoming Lizzo’s first No. 1 hit. The song perfectly captured the zeitgeist of self-empowerment and “I don’t need a man” energy, but apparently the world wasn’t ready for that level of sass in 2017. Thank goodness for TikTok algorithms and viral dance moves – they gave this gem the second chance it deserved.
Dog Days Are Over – Florence + The Machine
Florence Welch’s soaring anthem about breaking free from depression barely made a dent when it first appeared. Sometimes, you have to play the long game, and Florence certainly did with Dog Days Are Over, which scraped into the Top 100 in 2008. It took a year, and a nice new video, for the song to finally find Top 40 glory, becoming Florence’s first hit in 2010. The song’s message about emerging from dark times and embracing joy was perhaps too optimistic for the cynical music landscape of 2008. But by 2010, people were ready for Florence’s theatrical, emotional delivery and the song’s infectious, life-affirming energy. Sometimes the world needs to catch up to the artist’s vision, and Florence proved that patience and persistence can turn a forgotten B-side into a career-defining moment.
I Owe You Nothing – Bros
The late ’80s were a strange time for pop music, and Bros experienced this firsthand with their debut single. After a childhood spent throwing a dart into the air for entertainment, the brothers Goss certainly deserved a break. Sadly, it wasn’t to be for their debut: stiffing at Number 80 on original release in 1987, it took the band’s second single, When Will I Be Famous, hitting the Top 10 to give I Owe You Nothing a boost. And boost it, it did – I Owe You Nothing became the band’s first and only Number 1 in 1988. The song that initially languished in the bottom reaches of the charts suddenly became irresistible when people actually knew who Bros were. It’s a perfect example of how success can be circular – sometimes you need a hit to make your previous “failures” into hits. The Goss brothers learned that timing isn’t everything in pop music; sometimes it’s the only thing.
Borderline – Madonna
Even the Queen of Pop wasn’t immune to the sting of a flop single early in her career. It’s hard to imagine Madonna having to stare single floppage in the face – well, in the ’80s anyway – but Madge’s third single Borderline tanked on release, stalling at 56 in 1984. It was to be her last flop for quite a while – her next 36 singles went Top 10, a chart record in the UK – and Madonna, like Theresa May, refused to take no for an answer, re-releasing Borderline in 1986, and taking it to Number 2. The song’s sleek production and catchy melody were ahead of their time in 1984, but by 1986, Madonna had established herself as a force to be reckoned with, and suddenly everyone wanted to hear what they’d missed the first time around. Sometimes being a pop star means having the audacity to believe in your own work even when the charts don’t.
Mysterious Girl – Peter Andre
Before he became a household name through reality TV and tabloid headlines, Peter Andre was just another guy with a catchy reggae-pop song that nobody seemed to want. Everyone’s favourite six-pack and celebrity parenting expert Peter Andre may have sold a million with this summery reggae smash, but it didn’t find success first time round. Mysterious Girl originally limped into the chart at 53 upon first release in September 1995, but when it was pushed back out the following summer, the world finally embraced its tropical vibes. The song’s laid-back island rhythm and Andre’s earnest vocals created the perfect summer anthem, but apparently 1995 wasn’t ready for that level of beach party energy. A year later, with better promotion and perhaps a more receptive audience, “Mysterious Girl” became the song that defined Peter Andre’s career and gave us all permission to pretend we were on a Caribbean beach, even when we were stuck in dreary British weather.
You’re Not Alone – Olive
The dance-pop landscape of the mid-’90s was crowded with wannabe club anthems, so it’s perhaps not surprising that Olive’s ethereal masterpiece initially got lost in the shuffle. The original version of You’re Not Alone flopped first time round, reaching 42 in 1996. Fast forward a year, however, and you’re straight in at Number 1 and leaving the Cardigans very disappointed. The song’s dreamy electronic production and haunting vocals were perhaps too sophisticated for the chart climate of 1996, when Britpop was king and dance music was still finding its mainstream footing. But by 1997, audiences were ready for something more atmospheric and emotionally complex. The song’s message of connection and support resonated with listeners who were perhaps feeling increasingly isolated in an rapidly changing world. Sometimes the most beautiful flowers take longest to bloom, and “You’re Not Alone” proved that dance music could be both euphoric and deeply moving.
What’s fascinating about these musical resurrection stories is how they remind us that art doesn’t always follow a predictable timeline. Sometimes the world just isn’t ready for what an artist has to offer, and sometimes it takes a perfect storm of circumstances – a new video, a viral moment, or simply the passage of time – to transform yesterday’s flop into tomorrow’s classic. Did you expect that even the biggest hits of all time once sat collecting dust in record company vaults?
The Science Behind Second Chances
There’s actually fascinating psychology behind why some songs flop initially but later become massive hits. Music researchers have discovered that our brains need time to process truly innovative sounds – what scientists call the ‘mere exposure effect’ means we literally need to hear something multiple times before we can appreciate its genius. Think about it: when you first heard your now-favorite song, did you instantly love it, or did it grow on you? The music industry has a term for this phenomenon – ‘growers’ – songs that don’t grab you immediately but burrow into your consciousness over time. Cultural timing plays a huge role too; a song that feels too weird or ahead of its time can suddenly sound prophetic when society catches up to its message. It’s like these tracks are musical time travelers, arriving before their moment but patiently waiting for the world to evolve enough to understand their brilliance.
