3 Songs That Were Rejected Multiple Times Before Becoming Hits

It can be hard to predict which songs will become hits. In hindsight, it’s hard to imagine a top-selling song wouldn’t be successful, but for those on the creative end who have to select songs an audience could connect with, it’s a much harder deal. The three hits below have become impossibly popular over the years, but the songwriters struggled to find someone to record them and/or release them. Can you believe these songs were rejected?

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“Hallelujah” – Leonard Cohen

Leonard Cohen‘s “Hallelujah” is a standard by now. The poet-turned-musician crafted a song so universal and timeless that it has become part of the collective consciousness. Moreover, Jeff Buckley’s cover of the song pushed it even further into the spotlight than before.

Despite this song’s popularity, it struggled to get released. Cohen’s record label shelved the project to the point that he wasn’t sure it would ever see the light of day. Luckily, Cohen’s peers, like Bob Dylan and John Cale, knew the merit of this song and helped it get the recognition it deserved.

[RELATED: On This Day in 2016, the World Lost One of the Most Influential Songwriters of All Time, Despite Him Trying to Pursue Multiple Other Careers]

“…Baby One More Time” – Britney Spears

“…Baby One More Time” launched Britney Spears to unimaginable fame. This song became an era-defining hit, but not before it was passed on by both TLC and the boy band Five.

TLC found the title too referential to domestic violence, moving them to pass the song along. Eventually, the song reached Spears, who helped turn it into a generational anthem.

“Me and Bobby McGee” – Kris Kristofferson

The first rejection of “Me and Bobby McGee” was from Kris Kristofferson himself. After being pitched the title by a producer, Kristofferson struggled to pen a song to match it. But the issues with “Me and Bobby McGee” didn’t stop there.

Later, labels rejected the song, derailing Kristofferson’s songwriting career for a while. Several artists tried to cover this song, but weren’t met with critical acclaim. It took Janis Joplin to make this song a hit. Joplin’s rendition is one of the most iconic covers of all time. It worked so well that many don’t even know that Kristofferson was the writer in the first place.

[RELATED: On This Day in 1973, Kris Kristofferson’s First Collaborative Album With Wife Rita Coolidge Knocked His Previous Album off the Top of the Chart]

(Photo by Evening Standard/Getty Images)