10 Failed Songs That Became Cult Classics

Styx has always had a bit of a mixed reputation among rock fans. Though critics dragged them through the mud every chance they had, the real rock fans were able to see past the layers of critical pretension and see the real chops that these guys had as songwriters. The band's road to stardom may have started with "Lady," but when it was first released, it was a full blown bomb.

Coming off of the band's second album, Dennis DeYoung's ode to his wife ended up being released as a single and quickly plummeted down the charts. Never much for singles, the band kept trucking with album after album, but were shocked to realize the power that the song had on its audience. They weren't getting anywhere with the critics, but one radio station ended up helping "Lady" achieve legendary status.

In a case of almost musical Stockholm Syndrome, one radio station in the Midwest was determined to play "Lady" once every night until it became a hit record. This plan could have easily backfired into annoyance, but the listening public quickly latched onto it as one of the most endearing pop rock songs of the '70s. After a few years cutting their teeth as a live band, Styx were finally off to the races to become one of the biggest bands of the decade.