What exactly is a sleeper hit? In music, it’s a song that doesn’t get much attention when it is first released, only to become a smash hit at a later date. This might be months, years, or even decades later! There are many reasons why songs can become sleeper hits. They might be re-released as a single, be featured in a film or television show, or go viral on social media. Here are five songs that became massively popular long after they were first released.
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1. “Running up That Hill” — Kate Bush
Everyone and their mother has heard “Running up That Hill”—in fact, after its massive success in 2022, they’re probably downright sick of it. The song was a modest hit when it was released in 1985. It hit No. 3 on the charts in Bush’s native U.K. and No. 30 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100. But it would be nearly 40 years before it became a huge hit.
In 2022, the song was featured on the streaming series Stranger Things as a prominent plot point in helping the character Max escape the monster Vecna. The huge popularity of the show catapulted “Running up That Hill” to No. 1 on charts around the world. It hit No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100. Ironically, Bush doesn’t allow her songs to be licensed as a rule—she only agreed in this case because she was already a big fan of Stranger Things. Good move on her part.
2. “We Have All the Time in the World” — Louis Armstrong
Who would have expected a Louis Armstrong song to become a chart topper in the 1990s, more than 20 years after the singer’s death? “We Have All the Time in the World” was recorded in 1969 for the James Bond film On Her Majesty’s Secret Service. But at the time, it didn’t even chart. It wasn’t until 1994, when My Bloody Valentine covered it for a Guinness beer commercial, that it became a hit. Seeing the writing on the wall, Armstrong’s label re-released the original, which hit No. 3 in the U.K. Decades later, it remains a favorite for weddings in the U.K. and Ireland.
[RELATED: Behind the Song: Louis Armstrong, “What a Wonderful World”]
3. “Dream On” — Aerosmith
Aerosmith was just getting started in 1973 when they released “Dream On” on their debut album. The original recording notably didn’t feature frontman Steven Tyler fully utilizing his distinctive vocal style. It was a modest success when it was first released. But things really exploded two years later when the band re-recorded the song. The new version climbed to No. 6 on the Billboard Hot 100. It returned to the global charts in 2022 when rapper Eminem was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. The ceremony included a live performance of the rapper’s song “Sing for the Moment,” which samples Aerosmith’s song. Thus, “Dream On” is an example of a song that became a sleeper hit not just once, but several times!
4. “Layla” — Derek & the Dominos
Almost every list of great sleeper hits will include Eric Clapton’s “Layla.” Now one of his most iconic hits, the song was originally released in 1970 under the name of Clapton’s one-off band Derek & the Dominos. At the time, it barely made a dent.That might have been because of the radio edit, which producers thought was necessary. The response was underwhelming. Two years later, “Layla” got re-released in its original seven-minute version. It became a huge hit and is now considered not just one of Clapton’s best works, but one of his greatest guitar pieces as well.
5. “Truth Hurts” — Lizzo
How many times have you heard Lizzo’s “Truth Hurts?” 100 times? 200? If you’re on TikTok, it might be even mohttps://music.youtube.com/watch?v=pzFPNctITis&feature=sharedre. Social media can do amazing things, like making old music newly popular. “Truth Hurts” came out back in 2017 but barely made a blip on the charts. Two years later, it was featured on the movie soundtrack for Someone Great. Then it became a viral TikTok challenge. The track made Lizzo a superstar and the rest, as some people tend to say, is history.
Photo by Theo Wargo/Getty Images for Pandora
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