Goo Goo Dolls' signature ballad “Iris” has surpassed one billion streams, according to Rock Cellar. The track, which appeared on the band's 1998 Dizzy Up The Girl album and written by John Rzeznik, peaked at Number Nine on the Billboard Hot 100 and was also featured in on the soundtrack to the Nicolas Cage / Meg Ryan film City Of Angels. Just released is the Goos' 13th studio set, Chaos In Bloom.
In 1999, “Iris” snagged a Grammy nomination for Record Of The Year, but lost to Celine Dion's “My Heart Will Go On.” In the ensuing years, “Iris” was ranked at number 39 on Rolling Stone's list of the “100 Greatest Pop Songs.”
In October 2012, “Iris” topped Billboard's “Top 100 Pop Songs 1992-2012” chart, which listed the top tunes from the magazine's first 20 years of the Mainstream Top 40/Pop Songs chart.
Not too long ago, John Rzeznik spoke to WatchMojo about the power that “Iris” has held over people since he first wrote it nearly 25 years ago: “I don't know. That's one of those songs it was like lightening striking — and then everybody going, 'Wow, that was amazing — do it again!' It's just that it's got a very, sort of — a very simple, basic emotional, sort of, theme to it.”
Goo Goo Dolls perform tonight (August 19th) in Saratoga Springs, New York at Saratoga Performing Arts Center.