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"Iris" reached number one in Australia, Canada, and Italy, number three in the United Kingdom, and number nine on the US Billboard Hot 100. In Ireland, it is the 19th-most-successful single of all time. "Iris" is the Goo Goo Dolls' signature song and has received critical acclaim, being described as a "ubiquitous" staple for the band's live sets and is one of the best selling singles of all time.[6][7]
After completing the first-edit on the film City of Angels, co-producer Bob Cavallo and his son Rob Cavallo, also a music producer, decided to take along musical artists to a viewing to create the soundtrack. Bob took Alanis Morissette whilst Rob took the Goo Goo Dolls. The following morning Morissette called Rob, and asked him to produce the song "Uninvited", which she had written afterwards as a demo. Shortly afterwards that same day, John Rzeznik called Rob with a song he had written called "Iris", a power ballad.[8][9] In a 2013 interview with Songfacts, Rzeznik explained how he wrote the song:
"I was thinking about the situation of the Nicolas Cage character in the movie. This guy is completely willing to give up his own immortality, just to be able to feel something very human. And I think, 'Wow! What an amazing thing it must be like to love someone so much that you give up everything to be with them.' That's a pretty heavy thought."[10]
Speaking with Songwriting Magazine, Rzeznik said that further inspiration for the song came from the fact that he wanted to be on a soundtrack album with U2, Peter Gabriel and Alanis Morissette.[11]
No character named Iris appears in the film, and the song title is not heard in the lyrics.[12] Rzeznik named the song after country folk singer-songwriter Iris DeMent, after he noticed her name in a concert listing in the LA Weekly newspaper.[13]
Upon its release, "Iris" became the second hit from the film's soundtrack, after "Uninvited". The song debuted at number 66 on the BillboardHot 100 Airplay chart on April 18, 1998, and eventually spent a then-record of 18 weeks at number one in Hot 100 Airplay. However, it was not allowed to chart on the Billboard Hot 100 because no commercial single had been released. On December 5, 1998, the eighteenth and last week that the song topped the airplay chart, the rules changed to allow airplay-only songs onto the chart. As a result, the song debuted and peaked at number nine and stayed on the chart for 14 weeks.
"Iris" was also an international hit. It peaked at number five on the Irish Singles Chart and has since become the 19th-biggest-selling single of all time in Ireland.[15] The song initially peaked at number 50 in the United Kingdom in August 1998 before rising to number 26 the following year. On October 2, 2011, after performances by auditionees on The X Factor, the song re-entered the UK Singles Chart at number three. In May 2013, the song charted at number 12 after it was covered by Britain's Got Talent contestant Robbie Kennedy.[16] Elsewhere, the song became a number-one hit in Italy (for two weeks), Australia (for five weeks), and Canada (for eight weeks), and it reached the top 10 in Flanders and the Netherlands.
In October 2012, "Iris" was ranked number one on Billboard's "Top 100 Pop Songs 1992–2012" chart, which ranked the top songs of the first 20 years of the Mainstream Top 40/Pop Songs chart. The list also featured the Goo Goo Dolls' hits "Slide", ranking at number nine, and "Name" at number 24. The Goo Goo Dolls are the only musicians to have three songs on the list, two breaking the top 10 and all three falling within the top 25. They are also the only musicians that have back to back singles ("Iris", 1998 and "Slide", 1999) featured on the list.[20] In a revised list in October 2017, "Iris" still ranked in the top 10, at number eight.[21] Iris is also the 19th most streamed song in Ireland.[22]
The song's melodic and structural similarities to "Piano Man" by Billy Joel have been remarked upon by some commentators.[23] Joel himself has performed the song live with the Goo Goo Dolls.[24]
"Iris" appears on the soundtrack of the 2024 film Deadpool & Wolverine. As a result of its appearance in the film, the song resurged in popularity and reappeared on the Billboard charts.[25] The song is also featured in the third episode of the Apple TV+ series Shrinking’s second season, “Psychological Something-ism.” [26]
It is also briefly used in the 2025 film Companion, whose main character is named Iris. [27]
* Sales figures based on certification alone. ^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. ‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.
While awaiting the results of the 2020 United States presidential election on November 3, singer-songwriter Phoebe Bridgers tweeted that she would cover "Iris".[114][115] The cover, which was recorded as a duet with Maggie Rogers under the name Phoebe & Maggie, was released exclusively via Bridgers' Bandcamp page for one day only on November 13, with proceeds going towards Stacey Abrams' Fair Fight organization to promote fair elections in the state of Georgia as well as nationally.[114][116] Despite only being available for purchase for one day, the song debuted at number one on the Digital Song Sales chart and number 57 on the Billboard Hot 100, making it both artists' first entry on the latter chart.[117] The song has also charted in Australia, New Zealand, and Scotland.
On November 4, 2022, the song was re-released, again for only 24 hours, ahead of the 2022 midterm elections. Proceeds went to the Brigid Alliance, an abortion care group.[118]
In October 2022, American grocery chain Kroger partnered with singer Colbie Caillat to record a special stylized rendition of "Iris" for its Today's Holiday Moments are Tomorrow's Memories short film and associated ad campaign.[129]
Separately, Canadian country music artist Josh Ross released his own version of "Iris" on his November 2022 extended play Live Sessions.[130]
^Iris (Japanese maxi-CD single liner notes). Goo Goo Dolls. Warner Bros. 1998. WPCR-1963.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
^Iris (UK CD single liner notes). Goo Goo Dolls. Warner Sunset Records, Reprise Records. 1998. W0449CD, 9362-44525-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
^Iris (European CD single liner notes). Goo Goo Dolls. Hollywood Records, Third Rail Records. 1999. 0102485HWR.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
