History Main / RereleaseTheSong

* Obscure 80s band Sheriff made "When I'm With You" in 1983; it flopped and the band broke up. A DJ started playing the song again in 1988 and it shot to [=#1=], by which time the band had long since split up; two of the former members were promoting a new band at the time called Frozen Ghost and refused to reunite with the other members of Sheriff to promote the song.

* Obscure 80s band Sheriff made "When I'm With You" in 1983; it flopped and the band broke up. A DJ started playing the song again in 1988 and it shot to [=#1=].

* The Verve Pipe's SignatureSong "The Freshmen" took two re-releases and re-recordings before it became a hit (though only the last of these was promoted as a single anyway). The first version was an acoustic arrangement that appeared on their 1992 album ''I Suffered A Head Injury''. A full-band version was recorded for ''Villains'' in 1995, but the song was recorded yet a third time when it was released as a single in 1996: The single arrangement was similar to the album version, but was about 30 seconds shorter, added distorted guitar to the chorus, and was recorded with a different RecordProducer (Jack Joseph Puig instead of Jerry Harrison). The earlier versions of this song have sort of become rarities: First, when ''I Suffered A Head Injury'' was re-released in 1995, three songs were cut, including the original version of "The Freshmen"; Then ''Villains'' was re-released with the single version replacing the album recording. However, the 1995 version of the song was at least re-released as a BSide, where it was re-titled "The Freshmen (Studio D Version)".

* The Verve Pipe's SignatureSong "The Freshmen" took two re-releases and re-recordings before it became a hit (though only the last of these was promoted as a single anyway). It first appeared on their 1992 independent album ''I Suffered A Head Injury'', where it had a minimal arrangement featuring only acoustic guitar, bass, and vocals. Then they recorded a full band version with electric guitar for their 1995 major label debut ''Villains''. Finally, the hit single re-recording was released in 1996: It wasn't a drastically different arrangement from the ''Villains'' version, but it featured more use of guitar distortion, was recorded with a different RecordProducer (Jack Joseph Puig instead of Jerry Harrison), and was about 30 seconds shorter. The earlier versions of this song have sort of become rarities: First, when ''I Suffered A Head Injury'' was re-released in 1995, three songs were cut, including the original version of "The Freshmen"; Then ''Villains'' was re-released with the single version replacing the album recording. However, the 1995 version of "The Freshmen" was at least re-released as a BSide, where it was re-titled "The Freshmen (Studio D Version)".

* Another BSide re-released as a single to promote a GreatestHitsAlbum was {{Soundgarden}}'s "Bleed Together": It was originally an outtake from ''Down On The Upside'' and first saw release as a b-side to "Burden In My Hand". Then it was one of two b-sides placed on the GreatestHitsAlbum ''A-Sides'' and became a single of it's own. The song was an outtake to begin with because the band couldn't find a mix they were happy with until after ''Down On The Upside'' came out.

* Neil Sedaka's first version of "Breaking Up Is Hard To Do" is [[LyricalDissonance fast and upbeat]]. The re-released version is a SofterAndSlowerCover.

* Another BSide re-released as a single to promote a GreatestHitsAlbum was {{Soundgarden}}'s "Bleed Together": It was originally an outtake from ''Down On The Upside'' and first saw release as a b-side to "Burden In My Hand". Then it was one of two b-sides placed on the GreatestHitsAlbum ''A-Sides'' and became a single of it's own. The song was an outtake to begin with because the band didn't find a mix of the song they were happy with until after ''Down On The Upside'' came out.

* FaithNoMore's CoverVersion of [[TheBeeGees "I Started A Joke"]] was initially released in 1995, as a BSide of "Digging The Grave". It then became the band's final single in 1998, promoting the GreatestHitsAlbum ''Who Cares A Lot?''.

* Music/BritneySpears re-released "Radar", from the 2007 album ''Blackout'', as a single from her album ''Circus'' in 2009.

* Music/{{Switchfoot}}'s "I Dare You to Move" was the first track from their album ''Learning to Breathe''. Feeling that "that song hadn't lived its shelf life yet", Switchfoot re-recorded it (but the new version sounds so much like the original version, you really have to pay attention to hear the difference) for their next album ''The Beautiful Letdown''. This turned out to be their breakout album, and "Dare You to Move" became a certified-gold single.

* RandyTravis' first single for Warner Bros., "On the Other Hand", flopped upon initial release. After its followup, "1982", became a top 10 hit, he persuaded the label to re-release "On the Other Hand". The re-release became his first #1 hit.

* KeithUrban found that "You Look Good in My Shirt" (from the album ''Golden Road'') was getting positive reception whenever he played in concert, and several stations were playing it even though it wasn't a single at the time (the unsolicited airplay even got it on the charts). He re-recorded the song in 2008 and released it from a GreatestHitsAlbum.

* Pam Tillis first released "One of Those Things" in the 1980s when she was on Warner Bros. It didn't chart. She later re-recorded the song for her first Arista Records album, and the re-recording was a top 10 hit.

* Jake Owen originally recorded "Eight Second Ride" for his debut album "Startin' With Me." He re-recorded it for his second album "Easy Does It" and released it as a single.

* Dog Days Are Over by FlorenceAndTheMachine got re released in early 2010 with a new more to theme video.

* Music/DollyParton released "I Will Always Love You" twice: in 1974 and again in 1982. Both versions went to #1 on the country charts.

* {{Switchfoot}}'s "I Dare You to Move" was the first track from their album ''Learning to Breathe''. Feeling that "that song hadn't lived its shelf life yet", Switchfoot re-recorded it (but the new version sounds so much like the original version, you really have to pay attention to hear the difference) for their next album ''The Beautiful Letdown''. This turned out to be their breakout album, and "Dare You to Move" became a certified-gold single.
* JimmyBuffett did this with his song "The Captain and the Kid" (about Buffett's childhood relationship with his grandfather, a retired cargo ship captain), which first appeared on his less-than-successful second album "Down to Earth". It was later included on Buffett's much more successful seventh album "Havana Daydreaming", where it was released as a country single. It was released for a ''third'' time on his even more successful greatest hits collection, "Meet Me in Margaritaville: The Ultimate Collection".

* KennyChesney re-recorded his 1994 single "The Tin Man" for his first GreatestHitsAlbum and released the new version in 2001. The re-release has the distinction of being his only single release of the 2000s not to reach Top 10.
* {{Anberlin}}'s "The Feel Good Drag" was a track off their 2005 album ''Never Take Friendship Personal'' that the band liked and regretted never releasing as a single. They re-recorded it a few years later to be the first single off their major label debut, and it became their biggest hit.
* For some reason, GarthBrooks decided to release "Wild Horses", an album cut from his 1990 ''No Fences'' disc, in 2001.

* FleetwoodMac's "Landslide" first appeared on their 1975 self-titled album. A live version, which appeared on their 1997 album The Dance, was released as a single in 1998 and peaked at # 51 on the Billboard Hot 100.
* DollyParton released "I Will Always Love You" twice: in 1974 and again in 1982. Both versions went to #1 on the country charts.

* FleetwoodMac's "Landslide" first appeared on their 1975 self-titled album. A live version, which appeared on their 1997 album The Dance, was released as a single in 1998 and peaked at # 51 on the Billboard Hot 100.

* Fleetwood Mac's "Landslide" first appeared on their 1975 self-titled album. A live version, which appeared on their 1997 album The Dance, was released as a single in 1998 and peaked at # 51 on the Billboard Hot 100.

* Jake Owen originally recorded "Eight Second Ride" for his debut album "Startin' With Me." He re-recorded it for his second album "Easy Does It" and released it as a single.

* From 1986 to 1992 there was a major trend of rereleased songs becoming big hits in the US, including three that hit [=#1=] (the aforementioned "When I'm With You", "At This Moment" by Billy Vera & The Beaters, and "Red Red Wine" by [=UB40=]). They generally fell into two groups: RevivalByCommercialization ("At This Moment", "Stand By Me"-Ben E. King, "Twist & Shout"-Beatles, "Do You Love Me?"-Contours, "What a Wonderful World"-Louis Armstrong, "Unchained Melody"-Righteous Brothers, "Bohemian Rhapsody"-Queen), and Top 40 stations putting older songs into their rotation ("Red Red Wine", "When I'm With You", "Where Are You Now?"-Synch, "Into The Night"-Benny Mardones).

* For some reason, GarthBrooks decided to release "Wild Horses", an album cut from his 1990 ''No Fences'' disc, in 2001.

* {{Anberlin}}'s "The Feel Good Drag" was a track off their 2005 album ''Never Take Friendship Personal'' that the band liked and regretted never releasing as a single. They re-recorded it a few years later to be the first single off their major label debut, and it became their biggest hit.

* KennyChesney re-recorded his 1994 single "The Tin Man" for his first GreatestHitsAlbum and released the new version in 2001. The re-release has the distinction of being his only single release of the 2000s not to reach Top 10.

* Steve Wariner's first single was "I'm Already Taken" back in 1978. He re-recorded and re-released it in 1999.