Somewhere in a studio, someone shrugged and said, “We just need one more track.” Years later, that shrug was blasting from stadium speakers, wedding dance floors, and car radios.
Not every song here was literal filler. Some were B-sides, some were last-minute rescues, and one was a riff that appeared because an album ran short. The strangest twist is saved for #1, where the throwaway ended up naming the whole album.
#14: “I Will Survive” Started on the Wrong Side of the Record
Gloria Gaynor’s label put its faith in a song called “Substitute.” “I Will Survive” was tucked onto the B-side of that 1978 single.
Then DJs started flipping the record over. By March 1979, the song written by Dino Fekaris and Freddie Perren was number one on the Billboard Hot 100.
It became the go-to anthem for anyone walking away from a bad breakup. Not bad for the side nobody was pushing.
Next up is another B-side idea that turned into a cultural moment.
#13: “Vogue” Was Supposed to Be the Bonus Track
Producer Shep Pettibone built “Vogue” with Madonna as a B-side for her single “Keep It Together.” It was never planned as the main event.
Then people at her label heard it and realized they had something much bigger. “Vogue” came out as its own single in 1990 and went to number one on the Hot 100.
Up next is an instrumental with basically one word of lyrics.
#12: “Tequila” Was Just the Flip Side
The Champs needed a B-side for their single “Train to Nowhere,” so they cut “Tequila.” The sax-driven instrumental’s entire vocal is a shouted word.
Then a Cleveland DJ reportedly played the wrong side, and listeners kept calling for it. In 1958, “Tequila” hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100.
The song that launched a thousand barroom shouts began as a throwaway. Next, a B-side that got help from Hollywood.
#11: “Rock Around the Clock” Was the B-Side to “Thirteen Women”
Bill Haley & His Comets released “Rock Around the Clock” as the flip side of “Thirteen Women” in 1954. It didn’t set the charts on fire at first.
Then it landed in the 1955 film Blackboard Jungle, and teenagers had a new anthem. The song went to number one and stayed there for eight weeks.
Fast Facts
- Released in 1954 as the flip side of “Thirteen Women.”
- Written by Max C. Freedman and James E. Myers.
- Its big break came with the 1955 film Blackboard Jungle.
- It topped the chart in 1955 and held the spot for eight weeks.
Next, a track that crashed the party after the artwork was already printed.
#10: “Train in Vain” Is the Song the Clash Forgot to List
“Train in Vain” was added to London Calling at the last minute. It had been meant for an NME giveaway that fell through.
By then the album sleeve was already printed, so the song went uncredited. It became the Clash’s first U.S. Top 40 hit anyway.
Next, a band that was told its album was missing something important.
#9: “Harder to Breathe” Was Born from Frustration
Maroon 5 thought they had enough for Songs About Jane. Their label felt the album still needed a single.
Adam Levine has said the song grew out of frustration with that pressure. “Harder to Breathe” became the album’s lead single.
Next, a rap hit that arrived on the wrong side of the record.
#8: “Ice Ice Baby” Was the B-Side Nobody Was Selling
Vanilla Ice’s label pushed his cover of “Play That Funky Music.” “Ice Ice Baby” was the B-side.
A Georgia DJ flipped the record, and the song took off. It became the first hip-hop single to top the Billboard Hot 100.
The famous bass line sampled Queen and David Bowie’s “Under Pressure,” and the pair were later credited. Next, a mid-level rocker who wasn’t expecting a smash.
#7: “Maggie May” Went from Flip Side to Number One
Rod Stewart’s label released “Reason to Believe” as the A-side, with “Maggie May” on the back. Stewart reportedly saw the latter as a throwaway.
DJs flipped the record anyway. “Maggie May” spent five weeks at number one on the Hot 100 and topped the UK chart too.
Quick Compare
- “Reason to Believe”: the planned A-side.
- “Maggie May”: the flip side that DJs made the star.
- The result: five weeks at number one in the U.S. for the B-side.
Next, a rock giant that suddenly needed one more song.
#6: “Pour Some Sugar on Me” Came Late in the Hysteria Sessions
Def Leppard was deep into Hysteria when producer Mutt Lange pushed for one more song. Joe Elliott shared some riffs, and Lange liked the chorus ideas.
The late addition grew into one of the band’s signature songs. It reached number two on the Hot 100 in 1988.
Next, a song about not being able to write a hit that turned out to be a hit.
#5: “Dancing in the Dark” Was Written Because the Boss Needed a Single
Bruce Springsteen was close to finishing Born in the U.S.A. when producer Jon Landau pushed for a single. Springsteen wrote “Dancing in the Dark” and recorded it as the final piece.
It became the album’s lead single and his highest-charting hit, reaching number two. Its lyrics even describe feeling stuck and wanting something new.
Next, a song that arrived practically overnight.
#4: “When Doves Cry” Arrived the Day After a Request
Prince had most of Purple Rain done when director Albert Magnoli asked for one more song. Prince reportedly returned with “When Doves Cry” the next day.
It became his first U.S. number one and the top-selling single of 1984. The song also famously has no bass line.
At a Glance
- The ask: one more song for the Purple Rain project.
- The turnaround: reportedly the very next day.
- The milestone: Prince’s first U.S. number one.
- The oddity: no bass line anywhere in the mix.
Next, a label verdict that nearly blocked a masterpiece.
#3: “Starman” Was Bowie’s Fix for a Missing Single
After hearing the Ziggy Stardust sessions, RCA felt the album lacked an obvious single. Bowie wrote “Starman” and swapped it in for a Chuck Berry cover, “Round and Round.”
It helped turn him from the “Space Oddity” guy into a rock icon. The song’s big, singalong chorus fit the glam era perfectly.
Next, a riff that rose from the ashes of a real disaster.
#2: “Smoke on the Water” Was Just One Song on Machine Head
Deep Purple turned a real event into a song: the Montreux Casino fire during a Frank Zappa concert. The riff came from Ritchie Blackmore.
The band reportedly didn’t see it as the album’s main event. A Warner Bros. executive pushed for its single release, and it became Deep Purple’s signature song.
Why It Stands Out
- The song is based on a real fire that broke out in December 1971.
- The lyrics name-check Montreux and the lake the smoke drifted over.
- The riff is built from just a few notes, which is why beginners learn it first.
- The single reached the U.S. Top 10 in 1973.
Now for the one that changed the name of the album.
#1: “Paranoid” Was a Lunchtime Fix That Named the Album
Black Sabbath’s second album ran short, and the band needed a quick three-minute filler. Tony Iommi came up with the riff while the others were at lunch.
Geezer Butler wrote lyrics fast, and Ozzy Osbourne sang them. The song reportedly took about 25 minutes to complete.
It reached number four in the UK, became the band’s biggest hit, and helped shape heavy metal. The album ended up being renamed Paranoid after the song that was supposed to be filler.
Not every song on this list was literal filler. Some were B-sides, some were late rescues, and some were quick fixes for a missing single.
But all of them prove how little anyone in the room can predict. Sometimes the song nobody planned is the one everybody remembers.
