Nearly three decades after its release, Goo Goo Dolls' "Iris" has been enjoying a major retrospective surge.
The City Of Angels ballad has been percolating in the pop-cultural ether for a few years now. Remember when Phoebe Bridgers and Maggie Rogers covered it in 2020? You probably don't remember this, but masked singer RMR covered it back then too. Billy Joel performed it with Goo Goo Dolls' John Rzeznik in 2021, and Demi Lovato started covering it at her shows in 2022, including once with Rzeznik.
But in 2025, the "Iris" revival had its biggest year yet. Machine Gun Kelly and Julia Wolf covered it, as did Dirt Buyer. Goo Goo Dolls performed it at Lovato's wedding and the American Idol season finale, and it also soundtracked one of Love Island's most notable couples from last fall's US season. No song released in the '90s was streamed more last year.
Most streamed song by release decade in 2025 (US):
— chart data (@chartdata) January 14, 2026
1960s — Fortunate Son
1970s — Dreams
1980s — Don't Stop Believin'
1990s — Iris
2000s — Mr. Brightside
2010s — Tennessee Whiskey
2020s — Ordinary
Another thing that happened last year was John Rzeznik joining Steve Aoki onstage during the latter's Stagecoach set. A couple months ago Aoki tackled the 2000s hit "The Reason" by Hoobastank. Now "Iris" is getting another victory lap with Aoki's official studio treatment.
Check it out below.
Goo Goo Dolls performed "Iris" at Love Rocks NYC's 10th anniversary benefit in NYC just last night. John Rzeznik, the world sees you, and they understand.
