A chart-topping song which released in the 1990s has suddenly become one of the world’s most streamed songs.
An unlikely return to the charts for the Grammy Award-nominated band may be because of the tune’s recent feature in a Netflix release, but it marks a surprising return all the same.
Now 27 years on from its release and the song is still working for audiences, with the track receiving a spike in listeners over the last few weeks.
Even the frontman of the band is surprised, saying it’s the “biggest our band has ever been”.
While the song, released in 1998, has been on the Spotify Top 50 Global Chart for some months, it’s only now that people are noticing the sudden rise.
The Goo Goo Dolls’ classic song, Iris, is currently at 25 on the Top 50, making it one of Spotify’s most-streamed songs of the summer.
Its appearance on the charts has not just been a surprise for listeners, but the band also. Frontman John Rzeznik has mixed feelings on the track, with the success certainly helpful.
He said: “This is the biggest our band has ever been. But sometimes I feel like I wrote one song.” While the song’s use in the Marvel film Deadpool and Wolverine has certainly helped the song get onto the Spotify Top 50, its ongoing success may be thanks to a new Netflix series.
Building the Band, a Netflix reality television programme, has been using the song in a handful of its episodes. The series follows a panel piecing together six groups from 50 artists. Judging for the show included Nicole Scherzinger, Kelly Rowland, and the late One Direction member, Liam Payne.
The Netflix original marks the last public appearance of Payne, with final performances for the show filmed in Manchester in summer 2024.
A performance of Iris from Midnight ‘Til Morning was seen on the show, though it landed the group in danger of elimination. They were brought through by the judging panel, and survived another two rounds before being eliminated before the final.
Iris has featured in film and television frequently over the last few decades. Most notably, it featured on the soundtrack to the Meg Ryan and Nicolas Cage-starring City of Angels.
Speaking on writing the song, frontman Rzeznik shared: “I was going through a divorce at the time, and I was living in a hotel in Los Angeles. It was just a really intense and emotional time.
“I asked myself about what I would have said to this girl, had I been this guy.” A renewed love for Iris should be no surprise, as the song remains an all-time great from the Grammy Award-nominated band.