4 Alternative Sleeper Hits of the 1990s

Sleeper hits occur when a track garners very little attention initially. Slowly, the song turns into a massive hit over time. There are various reasons for this, and it may surprise you to discover that these four iconic 1990s hits were actually sleeper hits upon release.

“closing time” by semisonic

You may already know this, but this iconic track was written about a bar’s closing time. Ultimately, this anthem is played around the world during last call at local bars. As much as this song is an instantly recognizable hit of the decade, it wasn’t an immediate success. Released on February 23, 1998, it took nearly three months for the song to land on the Alternative Airplay chart. In May 1998, the song peaked at No. 1 on the chart. and No. 4 on the Adult Airplay chart.

“fade into you” by mazzy star

Released as a single in September 1993 from their sophomore album, So Tonight That I Might See, it took many months to chart. Well into 1994, the song began to climb the Alternative Airplay chart. Ultimately, it peaked at No. 3 on the chart in April 1994 and No. 44 on the Billboard Hot 100, nearly six months beyond its initial release.

“flagpole sitta” by harvey danger

This defining radio hit was initially sent to radio stations without major-label backing. With the help of local radio stations in Detroit and Seattle, the song slowly became a radio hit. It eventually became a national radio hit. It got an additional push when it was used to promote the 1998 film Disturbing Behavior. Ultimately, the track peaked at No. 38 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 3 on the Alternative Airplay chart.

“bittersweet symphony” by the verve

The Verve started as a shoegaze group, among the pioneering shoegaze bands of the early-to-mid 1990s. By their third album, Urban Hymns, the band transformed into a more radio-friendly sound. Their lead single from their third album, “Bittersweet Symphony”, featured a sample of The Rolling Stones song “The Last Time.” It slowly climbed the charts through constant rotation on MTV and eventually became a global hit. In the US, it peaked at No. 12 on the Billboard Hot 100.

The Rolling Stones recorded their 1965 version with the Andrew Oldham Orchestra. In 1997, Mick Jagger and Keith Richards were added to the songwriting credits following a lawsuit brought by the band’s manager Allen Klein. In 2019, following Klein’s death, Jagger and Richards conceded their songwriting credits back to The Verve’s Richard Ashcroft.

Photo by Jim Steinfeldt/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

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