3 Unusual Avant-Garde Songs That Became Surprising Mainstream Hits

Avant-garde music can be described as experimental tunes developed from the mid-20th century onward. The genre is far too large and diverse to describe in such simple terms. But, to be a realist, the genre wasn’t exactly popular among mainstream listeners. Avant-garde, by default, was ahead of its time. Too ahead of its time for many. But that didn’t stop a handful of avant-garde classics from becoming surprising mainstream hits. Let’s look at a few examples!

“Autobahn” by Kraftwerk from ‘Autobahn’ (1975)

Is there a band out there that was more ahead of their time than Kraftwerk? If you watch footage of the band performing the earliest iterations of electronic music and the stunned reaction from the crowd, you might agree with me that they were surely from the future.

“Autobahn” dropped just when electronic music, synthesizers, and more experimental stylings were coming into the foray of popular music. This song remains their most successful international release, and it was a surprising smash hit, despite being so ahead of the curve. It made it all the way to No. 25 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 11 on the UK Singles chart. “Autobahn” also reached the Top 40 in several other international mainstream charts.

“O Superman” by Laurie Anderson from ‘Big Science’ (1981)

“O Superman” could easily be the most famous avant-garde song out there, one that has come in and out of vogue over the years. Most recently, in the 2020s, the song became enormously popular on TikTok. And back in 1981, even though avant-garde music wasn’t extremely embraced by mainstream audiences, “O Superman” became a No. 2 hit on the UK Singles chart. The track also reached the Top 40 across numerous other countries. “O Superman” is incredibly minimalist but enthralling nonetheless. Laurie Anderson later said that the song was about how “technology cannot save you,” and I’m still devastated by that notion today.

“Flowers Of Romance” by Public Image Ltd. from ‘The Flowers Of Romance’ (1981)

This experimental rock post-punk delight makes it to our list of avant-garde hits, as it peaked at No. 24 in the UK and No. 19 in Ireland back in 1981. “Flowers Of Romance” by Public Image Ltd. was famously described as “the strangest chart record of the last 25 years, maybe ever,” by one music journalist, and I find myself agreeing with that. This song is a nightmare and a surreal soundscape, one that is, without a doubt, very indicative of the creativity of the 1980s. John Lydon, formerly of Sex Pistols, even recorded it alone, more or less.

(Photo by Maurice Seymour/Kraftwerk/Getty Images)