Some of the greatest global hits in music history weren’t carefully planned masterpieces. They were born from pure chance, unexpected moments, and lucky accidents.
10“Seven Nation Army” – The White Stripes (2003)
Jack White came up with this iconic riff thinking it was just a bass line for soundcheck. The name came from a childhood misunderstanding; he used to call the Salvation Army the “Seven Nation Army.” Nothing was planned… and yet, it became a global anthem.
9“I Will Survive” – Gloria Gaynor (1978)
Originally released as the B-side to the single “Substitute”, this song wasn’t meant to be highlighted. It took a DJ flipping the record for the massive hit we all know to take off.
8“Under Pressure” – Queen & David Bowie (1981)
An impromptu jam session in Montreux, wine, pizza, a hypnotic bassline… and suddenly, a legendary duo was born. It wasn’t even intended to be a collaboration in the first place.
7“No Woman No Cry” – Bob Marley & The Wailers (1975)
The studio version went largely unnoticed. It was a spontaneous live recording in London, full of unique atmosphere, that propelled this song into musical history.
6“Sweet Child O’ Mine” – Guns N’ Roses (1987)
Slash was playing the riff as a warm-up exercise… Axl immediately caught on. They built the song in the studio and wrote it within a few hours.
5“Yesterday” – The Beatles (1965)
Paul McCartney dreamed the melody, wrote it down upon waking, convinced he had subconsciously stolen it. He even called it “Scrambled Eggs” while waiting to write real lyrics.
4“Smells Like Teen Spirit” – Nirvana (1991)
Kurt meant it as a Pixies parody riff, unaware it would become the anthem of a generation. The title? A friend’s graffiti: “Kurt smells like Teen Spirit” — a brand of girls’ deodorant.
3“Billie Jean” – Michael Jackson (1982)
Michael composed the track in the car and begged his driver not to stop so he wouldn’t forget the melody. He later recorded it with an ultra-minimal beat that changed everything.
2“Like a Rolling Stone” – Bob Dylan (1965)
Exhausted and depressed, Dylan wrote a 10-page rant. He trimmed it down, added an almost accidental organ riff… and invented modern rock.
1“(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction” – The Rolling Stones (1965)
Keith Richards recorded the riff in the middle of the night on a small tape recorder, then fell back asleep. The next day, he found he’d captured a legendary riff between snores. The rest is history.
