When the Goo Goo Dolls wrote Iris, they had no idea they were about to change their lives — and leave a permanent mark on music history.

In the late ’90s, frontman Johnny Rzeznik was battling writer’s block when he was approached to contribute a song to an upcoming romantic drama, City of Angels. The film starred Nicolas Cage as a celestial being who falls in love with a mortal, played by Meg Ryan, and must choose between immortality and human connection. The emotional weight of the story struck a chord with Rzeznik, who reportedly wrote Iris in a single night.

The result was a sweeping, soul-baring ballad — cinematic in scale but deeply intimate in its vulnerability. Originally released on the City of Angels soundtrack, the band quickly realised the song’s potential and added it to their own album, Dizzy Up the Girl.

What followed was a phenomenon. Iris spent an astonishing 18 weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 Airplay chart — a record that held strong for over 20 years until Ed Sheeran’s Shape of You finally broke it.

The song also earned the band three Grammy nominations in 1999, including Record of the Year and Song of the Year. While they didn’t take home any awards, Rzeznik maintained his trademark humour, showing up to the ceremony in a T-shirt that read: “I was nominated for 3 Grammys and all I got was this lousy T-shirt.”

Musically, Iris stood out thanks to its unique guitar tuning (D-D-D-D-D-D) and its blend of orchestral drama and alternative rock. It became not just a hit — but the defining love song of its time.

And it’s still a fan favourite. When HOT 1027 ran a poll asking listeners which Classic Countdown hit still gets them singing every time, Iris came out on top — earning nearly half the votes. It beat out Cher’s Believe, the Backstreet Boys’ Everybody, and even Celine Dion’s My Heart Will Go On.

Clearly, Iris isn’t just a memory — it’s a song that still moves people. What began as a movie moment became a timeless anthem — and the heartbeat of the Goo Goo Dolls’ legacy.

Listen to the actual Backstory here: