Bette Midler's 1980 rendition of 'The Rose', composed by Amanda McBroom, became an iconic ballad despite significant industry resistance. McBroom conceived the melody while driving, quickly composing it at her piano after being inspired by another artist's work. The song's gentle, introspective lyrics about love and resilience stood in stark contrast to what film producers expected, leading them to dismiss it as unsuitable for the Janis Joplin biopic soundtrack.

The track's path to prominence hinged on persistent advocacy from Paul Rothchild, the film's music supervisor and former producer of Janis Joplin. After being rebuffed twice by producers, Rothchild sent the composition directly to Midler, who recognised its merit and pushed for its inclusion. Her championing of the song proved decisive; it not only reached number one but also secured Midler a Grammy nomination and established itself as a durable standard, later covered successfully by Conway Twitty on the country charts.