Some pop songs are mercilessly mocked for being overplayed. On one hand, an artist kills for prime airplay. On the other hand, the double-edged sword can cut them deep. The three pop hits below experienced this overplay fatigue. In their day, each of these songs got so much exposure that listeners began to resent them. In the years since, they’ve managed to overcome that fatigue and become classics.
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Videos by American Songwriter
“Believe” — Cher
Cher’s “Believe” was unlike anything else she had put out at the time of its release. This techno, auto-tuned pop song was distinctive and thus everywhere at the time. While some listeners enjoyed this diverting sound for Cher, others found it too far from what made her famous. Others just found it downright cheesy.
Whatever the cause, Cher’s “Believe” was a bit of a joke for a while. It’s only recently earned enough nostalgia to be considered a welcome, sanguine classic. In hindsight, Cher delivered one of the most enticing floor fillers ever. That is something we all have to give her credit for.
“Call Me Maybe” — Carly Rae Jepsen
A few decades later, we have Carly Rae Jepsen’s “Call Me Maybe”. This internet-fueled pop song was chalked up as an irritating, childlike one. It might’ve been played everywhere, but that doesn’t mean many people weren’t reaching for the channel changer whenever it came on. “I threw a wish in the well / Don’t ask me, I’ll never tell,” the lyrics read. Back when this song was released, this opening line either sent your heart racing or sent shivers up your spine.
However, now that a little time has passed and this song isn’t played every day, the nostalgia makes us hear it through rose-colored glasses. Many listeners’ hearts have softened at the idea of this bubblegum pop hit.
“Tik Tok” — Kesha
Kesha’s “Tik Tok” was another pop hit that had people rushing to turn the volume down if they weren’t fans. The opening line was a great divider. If you were into it, you immediately jumped in to sing along with Kesha. If you weren’t, it was an eye-roller moment.
Now that we’ve put some space between this song’s release and now, it’s easier to welcome this hit in as a fun pop classic. Because “Tik Tok” now reminds us of simpler times, it’s a hard skip. It would be like skipping a beloved memory.
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