In the entertainment industry, a sleeper hit refers to a film, television series, music release, video game, or other entertainment product that was unpromising on release but eventually became a surprise success. A sleeper hit may have little promotion or lack a successful launch but gradually develops a fandom following media attention, which in turn increases its public exposure and public interest in the product. As Variety puts it, "A 'sleeper hit' can be defined as the kind of show that catches us by surprise—programs whose popularity grows over time and can ultimately outshine the preordained hits." A sleeper hit often lacks star performers or high production values, but prevails, at times against its own makers' expectations, on the strength of such qualities as narrative, approach, or novelty, as well as market accidents. Sleeper hit films benefit theater owners because the owners keep a larger percentage of money from ticket sales.
Surf Curse is an American indie surf rock band formed in 2012 in Reno, Nevada, and now based in Los Angeles. The band was formed by Nick Rattigan and Jacob Rubeck (guitars), and now also includes Henry Dillon and Noah Kholl. The band achieved mainstream success after their song "Freaks", written in 2011 and released in 2013, became popular on the short-form video platform TikTok in 2020. In 2024, their 2019 song "Disco" would also go viral on TikTok, topping the TikTok Billboard Top 50 chart in September 2024.
"Space Song" is a song by American dream pop duo Beach House, released in 2015 as a promotional single from their fifth studio album, Depression Cherry. In 2024, the song was certified platinum in the UK by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI).
Ashton Nicole Casey, known professionally as Ashnikko, is an American rapper, singer, and songwriter. Her 2019 single "Stupid" featuring Yung Baby Tate gained viral popularity on the video-sharing platform TikTok and was certified platinum in the United States and Canada. Ashnikko's debut mixtape, Demidevil, was released in January 2021, and spawned the singles "Daisy" and "Slumber Party". Her studio album, Weedkiller, came in 2023.
For music from a year in the 2020s, go to 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24
Daniel Virgil Maisonneuve, known professionally as Sub Urban, is an American singer-songwriter who rose to prominence with his 2019 hit single "Cradles" which gained virality on TikTok.
Jaden Isaiah Hossler, known professionally as Jxdn, is an American singer-songwriter and social media personality from Chattanooga, Tennessee. Hossler rose to prominence on the video sharing app TikTok in 2019 before beginning a music career in early 2020 with the release of his debut single "Comatose".
Penelope Scott is an American musician, singer-songwriter, and producer. She has produced all of her own music. After releasing the compilation albums Junkyard (2020) and The Junkyard 2 (2020), Scott released her debut album, Public Void, in August 2020. Her song "Rät" peaked at no. 29 on Billboard's Hot Rock & Alternative Songs Chart. Scott released the EP Hazards in 2021 and the EPs Girl's Night and Mysteries for Rats in November 2023.
The Longest Johns are an English folk musical group from Bristol, England, consisting of Andy Yates, Jonathan "JD" Darley, and Robbie Sattin. They are known for performing folk music and sea shanties in the English tradition, and they also compose and record their own music. They gained popularity from their rendition of the folk song "Wellerman", which went viral on TikTok in early 2021.
Samuel Wellings, known professionally as Kim Dracula, is an Australian alternative/indie music artist from Hobart, Tasmania whose songs have achieved popularity on TikTok. They are known both for original work and for metal covers of songs not typically associated with the genre. They became popular on YouTube for their authorial song "Make Me Famous" from their album A Gradual Decline In Morale. Dracula was previously the drummer of multiple bands. They were also the vocalist of Australian heavy metal band Jesterpose, which formed in 2017 and released the EP COVID-19 in 2020.
Elizabeth Catherine McAlpine is an American singer-songwriter and record producer. In 2020, she released her debut studio album, Give Me a Minute, to critical acclaim. Her second album, Five Seconds Flat (2022), gave her her first appearance on both the U.S. Billboard 200 and the Billboard Hot 100, with the TikTok-viral single "Ceilings". Following her 2023 signing with RCA Records, McAlpine released her third studio album, Older, on April 5, 2024, which was supported by the lead single of the same name.
Amelia Anne "Mimi" Webb, is an English singer and songwriter. In October 2021, she released her debut EP, Seven Shades of Heartbreak, which peaked at number nine on the UK Albums Chart, and included the single "Good Without", which peaked at number eight on the UK Singles Chart. Webb released her debut studio album, Amelia, in March 2023, which spawned the successful singles "House on Fire", "Ghost of You" and "Red Flags".
Charley Yang, known professionally as BoyWithUke, is a Korean-American singer, musician and internet personality. Yang first gained popularity on the online platform TikTok with his song "Two Moons" and later "Toxic", "IDGAF", and "Understand". Until October 10, 2023, he was known for hiding his face behind an LED mask. He is currently an independent artist after leaving Mercury Records.
Addison Grace is an American singer-songwriter and online personality. Having developed a following on social media sites like TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube, he has released two EPs, Immaturing and Things That Are Bad for Me, and toured with artists including Cavetown, Tessa Violet, Penelope Scott, and Chloe Moriondo.
Kani Nkshon Shorter Jr., known professionally as Kanii, is an American singer, rapper, and songwriter from Washington, D.C.. He is best known for his songs "I Know" and "Go ", which went viral on TikTok and charted in multiple territories.
Aryan Ashtiani, known professionally as Mareux, is an American musician from Los Angeles, California. He is of Iranian origin. Mareux's work incorporates the genres of darkwave, post-punk, gothic rock and electronic music.
"Soft Spot" is a liquid drum and bass song, first released independently on 4 June 2021, where it was credited to Piri. After she paid six TikTok creators to promote the song, the song was used in a video of a creator making a Japanese bench, which caused the song to go viral on that platform. Around this time, the track went viral on Spotify after featuring on the platform's "Fresh Finds" playlist. For this, EMI signed her and her producer Tommy Villiers and re-released the track under the name Piri & Tommy Villiers. The song appeared on the pair's 2022 mixtape Froge.mp3.
Layia Watkins, known professionally as Lay Bankz, is an American singer, rapper, and songwriter. After signing a record contract with Artist Partner Group (APG) in 2022, she released the singles "Left Cheek ", "Na Na Na" and "Ick" the following year. Her 2024 single, "Tell Ur Girlfriend" became popular on TikTok and marked her first entry on the Billboard Hot 100.
No Hands is the second studio album by American rap duo Joey Valence & Brae. It was self released on June 7, 2024. Excluding two songs, it exclusively features production from Joey Valence, one-half of the duo. Its featured artists consist of Danny Brown, Z-Trip, and Terror Reid. The album went on to receive critical acclaim.
Ayesha Erotica is an American singer-songwriter, rapper, and record producer. Known for her elusive media image and sexually-charged music, her songs are often 2000s-inspired and feature a hyperpop sound.
