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

[carsmilesteve.livejournal.com]

i have played miracles to a wide-range of audiences and it always goes down well (especially at weddings for some reason), i had assumed it had been a hit...

...top track anyhoo.