Coming Around Again: How Unlikely a No. 1 Hit Was Plain White T’s’ ‘Hey There Delilah’?
Welcome back to the Coming Around Again podcast, part of the Pop Shop family, where host Andrew Unterberger and a variety of guests discuss notable anniversaries being celebrated in the music world!
This week, the pod takes on one of the most unexpected chart-toppers of the '00s: "Hey There Delilah," a slow-building pop smash for pop-punk outfit Plain White T's. This week (July 28) marks the 10-year anniversary of the song topping the Hot 100 — despite having been released for the first time well over 12 years ago — and Billboard staff writer Chris Payne joins to discuss the song's unlikely ascent from little-heard bonus ballad to the most popular song in the country.
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Chris recentlywrote a Throwback Thursday columnabout "Hey There Delilah," in which he discusses not only the factors that led to "Hey There Delilah" becoming a crossover megahit, but some of the unexpected folks who ended up benefitting from the song's success — including producer Ariel Rectshaid, who would go on to be one of the definitive sonic architects of '10s pop. We talk about his column, as well as the song's strange inspiration, and whether or not the song's sincerity ultimately overcomes its corniness.
Listen to the discussion below, and be sure to check back every week to see which classic artists, albums and songs are Coming Around Again!
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