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

[bengraham.livejournal.com]

I think you might have hit the nail on the head there. And it's to do with US TV and films, I reckon. We all know 'Iris' because it was used in 'City of Angels' and by the same token, I believe Phantom Planet's 'California' falls into that category by being the theme from The O.C.