it's like the anthem for feminists, maybe that's why it's so played even to this day.

At Last - Etta James
Hot100 peak #47

Big Yellow Taxi - Joni Mitchell
Hot100 peak #67

Jolene - Dolly Parton
Hot 100 peak #60

Peaks mean nothing though... otherwise, we'd consider A Thousand Years (#31, 4 million seller) a flop. It's not just about that.

Don't even try it. None of these songs sold over 1.3M. You might as well argue they are not as classic as RTW

Maybe because they were released 40-50 years ago...?

Holiday

Yeah right, can you tell me in what way these songs were more popular at their release time than RTW was at its time?

I don't know actually, maybe you're right, that's not what I meant. I just wanted to say that because people only bring up peaks with is not very relevant on its own.

Rehab by Amy

How was it a flop?

*1.4M+.

But yes, it is - of our generation, anyway.

Of course not. It didn't even sell 1M, let alone two. It managed to get certified 2× Platinum thanks to streaming.

What's the methodology then?


I guess when people list things you don't want to agree but I think there are less examples post 2000 and more examples pre 2000.

Possibly because when other artists have songs that "flop" they accept it and move to another single.

Beyonce and team have pushed Run the world the way you'd push a hit single.

So it's probably fair to say post 2000 Run the world might be it; however pre 2000 there are quite a few examples

Yes without a doubt.

I don't know about the phrase "iconic flop" but it seems to have become one of her signature songs and that has to account for something.

It has more spotify stream than most of hit song in 2011.