# 3 Rock Songs From the 1990s That Became Hits Against All Odds

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/3-rock-songs-from-the-1990s-that-became-hits-against-all-odds/
- Published: 2026-10-29T22:30:00+00:00
- Updated: 2026-10-29T23:55:50+00:00
- Original publisher: American Songwriter
- Original article: https://americansongwriter.com/3-rock-songs-from-the-1990s-that-became-hits-against-all-odds/
- Topics: Entertainment, Film, Music

## Key points

- Pearl Jam resisted making “Black” a commercial single.
- Rage Against the Machine’s protest song reached mainstream listeners.
- Semisonic’s “Closing Time” succeeded despite executives’ doubts.

## Summary

Three 1990s rock songs became hits despite resistance from their bands or doubts from music executives. Their success showed that tracks considered too emotionally raw, combative or unlikely to sell could still find a wide audience and endure as cultural touchstones.

Pearl Jam resisted releasing “Black” as a single, and Eddie Vedder opposed making a music video because he felt the song was too personal. Rage Against the Machine’s confrontational protest song crossed over to mainstream listeners, while executives initially doubted Semisonic’s “Closing Time”, which later became associated with last calls and carried a coded story about fatherhood.

---
Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.