Unexpected Hits

Today’s post comes with a playlist – and a request for suggested inclusions.

May 24, 2026

I was reading about the Tones and I back story the other day, and how Toni Watson’s song “Dance Monkey” was inspired by her experience as a busker in Byron Bay repeatedly being asked by crowds to continue entertaining them — in effect, to “dance” again and again like a monkey on command. It became an unlikely global hit.

Some songs arrive with every commercial advantage imaginable: major-label backing, expensive producers, proven formulas and carefully engineered marketing campaigns. Others seem to succeed almost by accident. Here are 20 that became cultural phenomena for one reason or another. Listen via a Spotify playlist HERE. Please add your suggested additions to this list in the comments below. I will curate from the longer list for inclusion in the chapter for REMORANDOM 7.

“Axel F” – Crazy Frog (2005)
Originally based on a mobile-phone ringtone character, the song became an improbable worldwide hit and perfectly captured the bizarre economics of the ringtone era.

“Believe” – Cher (1998)
Initially considered overly synthetic, its pioneering use of Auto-Tune helped redefine modern pop production and turned the song into one of Cher’s biggest hits.

“Bohemian Rhapsody” – Queen (1975)
At nearly six minutes long and structured like a mini opera, it broke virtually every radio rule yet became one of the most celebrated songs in rock history.

“Come On Eileen” – Dexys Midnight Runners (1982)
With abrupt tempo changes, folk influences and unusual vocals, it hardly resembled standard pop music — which may be exactly why it stood out.

“Dance Monkey” – Tones and I (2019)
Written by an Australian busker with a highly unconventional vocal style, the song became one of the most streamed tracks ever released.
“Gangnam Style” – PSY (2012)
A satirical Korean pop song unexpectedly became the first true global YouTube viral sensation and changed perceptions of online music culture.

“Happy” – Pharrell Williams (2013)
Built around relentless positivity and repetition, the song became culturally unavoidable and inspired thousands of fan-made videos worldwide.

“Live It Up” – Mental As Anything (1985)
Originally a pop hit boosted internationally by its use in the movie Crocodile Dundee, the song enjoyed an unexpected second life decades later when it was adopted by Glasgow Rangers supporters as a football anthem, with tens of thousands of fans belting it out in stadiums.
“Macarena”[RR3:51] – Los del Río (1993)
A Spanish dance track aimed largely at local audiences somehow evolved into a global party anthem with one of the world’s most recognisable dance routines.

“Mambo No. 5” – Lou Bega (1999)
Based on a little-known instrumental piece from the 1940s, the song revived mambo music for an entirely new generation. Featured in REMORANDOM 3.
“My Sharona” – The Knack (1979)
Raw, aggressive and minimalist, it emerged unexpectedly from the late-1970s power-pop scene to dominate international charts.

“99 Luftballons” – Nena (1983)
A German-language anti-war song succeeding in English-speaking countries was highly unusual at the time, helping prove that pop music could transcend language barriers.
“Prisencolinensinainciusol” [RR6:63] – Adriano Celentano (1972)
Sung entirely in invented gibberish designed to sound like American English, the song became a cult classic decades before meme culture and viral absurdity existed. (There’s a entire REMORANDOM chapter on this song in RR6.)

“Somebody That I Used to Know” – Gotye featuring Kimbra (2011)
Sparse instrumentation, awkward silences and emotionally restrained vocals made it an unlikely pop smash — yet it resonated globally.

“Spirit in the Sky” – Norman Greenbaum (1969)
Written by a Jewish songwriter inspired by gospel music, its unusual fusion of spirituality and fuzz guitar became timeless.

“Take On Me” – a-ha (1985)
The song initially failed multiple times until its groundbreaking animated music video transformed it into an MTV-era classic.

“The Ketchup Song (Aserejé)” – Las Ketchup (2002)
Featuring intentionally mangled pseudo-English lyrics and a simple dance routine, it became an international novelty phenomenon.

“Tubthumping” – Chumbawamba (1997)
An anarchist punk collective accidentally created one of the world’s most enduring sporting-event singalongs.

“Video Killed the Radio Star” – The Buggles (1979)
A futuristic synth-pop novelty song gained historic significance when it became the very first music video aired on MTV.

“Who Let the Dogs Out” – Baha Men (2000)
More chant than conventional song, it became an inescapable sporting and party anthem despite widespread critical confusion over its appeal.