A sleeper hit is an interesting phenomenon in music. It speaks to the power of an audience. While most of the music industry is shaped by artists and their teams, a song that gains popularity at a time when an artist has lost hope for it is all due to a strong fanbase. The three iconic rock songs below were all considered sleeper hits. These songs took a while to earn their keep.
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“Here I Go Again” — “Whitesnake”
Whitesnake’s “Here I Go Again” is an 80s masterclass at overindulgent arena rock. It scratches an itch that only a glam band from this era can. It’s certainly not a song I’d call timeless, but its appeal certainly is. Given this song’s success in modernity, it might come as a surprise to learn that it was a sleeper hit. It took a re-recording and a push from label head David Geffen to give this song its proper due.
“I wasn’t impressed, but it worked out,” frontman David Coverdale once said. “It was Geffen who convinced me, and thank God they did because that does help with the mortgage!” Luckily, the band listened to their label and gave this song another shot at the spotlight. It didn’t disappoint, becoming the band’s signature track.
“Tiny Dancer” — Elton John
Elton John’s “Tiny Dancer” is one of the most beloved songs of all time. It’s a stunning example of perfect songwriting and perfect delivery. Nevertheless, this song had some trouble finding its footing upon its release.
This song’s initial struggle was largely due to its length. Running six minutes long, “Tiny Dancer” isn’t your typical radio hit. But, even after the song got a good trim, John’s lyric about “Jesus freaks” put it in a bad light amongst some listeners. Eventually, though, this song reached cult status and later became legendary. You would never know of “Tiny Dancer’s” initial struggle—all of that has disappeared in the rearview mirror at this point.
“American Girl” — Tom Petty
Tom Petty’s “American Girl” is the kind of song that never gets old. It’s lush, buoyant, and endlessly charming. However, it took a while for this song to reach hit status. In fact, it never truly has, by chart metrics. It took Petty’s live show to give this song its place in the upper echelon of rock, speaking to his and The Heartbreakers’ talent on stage.
“American Girl” is a hit as far as fans are concerned. This song epitomizes the band’s ethos and musicality. It’s an earworm but with something to sink your teeth into.
(Photo by Vinnie Zuffante/Getty Images)
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