Canon-forming and pop

[freakytigger.livejournal.com]

On today's poll thread Cis raises the spectre (which may be a benign spectre, and may not be spectral at all) of a 'pop canon'.

I have a couple of questions which may or may not relate to it:

Are there any very well-known (and ideally well-loved) pop songs that weren't especially popular when first released?

Are there any very well-known and well-loved pop songs that have never actually been hit singles?

Comments

[katstevens.livejournal.com]

Back In The USSR was a single but not in the traditional sense (1976 re-release). I've just been looking over the canons, innit :-)

Also a bunch of REALLY well known Queen songs aren't singles. Can't remember which ones, haven't got up to there yet...