“Don’t call it a comeback, I been here for years,” rapped LL Cool J on the smash 1990 single “Mama Said Knock You Out.” The song did indeed help kick off a new chapter for the pioneering rapper’s career, which continued to yield hits throughout the 1990s and beyond. Yet his words ring true in that his rapid return to the charts wasn’t one of the biggest comebacks in music history – which is littered with epic rises and falls. What’s important is that one keeps playing the game just as LL Cool J did when his momentum started to wane in the late 1980s.
So who did stage some of the biggest comebacks in music history? To determine the biggest comebacks in music history, 24/7 Tempo reviewed performance data for the top 40 songs on Billboard’s Hot 100. Artists were ranked based on the gap in time between the entrance of one Top 40 hit and the exit from the charts of their prior Top 40 hit. Holiday songs and older releases that became popular years after their initial release were not considered. Chart data is current through February 11, 2023. (These are examples of some classic songs that have returned to the Billboard Hot 100.)
Click here to see the biggest comebacks in music history
Some of the artists on our list are relatively obvious, in that their descent into the abyss and meteoric return to the spotlight has become the stuff of legend. A quick example is Ozzy Osbourne, who’s staged not just one but multiple comebacks throughout his long career. (For comebacks in a different arena, read about the most unbelievable comebacks in sports history.)
On the less obvious side of the aisle are performers such as Carly Simon or Del Shannon, who remain synonymous with a specific musical era. Their purported “comebacks” are really more like late-stage flashes in the pan than they are full-blown career revivals. Nevertheless, the data has spoken and we’re certainly not trying to discredit their achievements.
40. “Weird Al” Yankovic
> Gap between Top 40 hits: 14 years, 5 months
> Comeback song: White & Nerdy (2006)
> Prior Top 40 hit: Smells Like Nirvana (1992)
> Career Top 40 hits: 4 songs (20 weeks total)
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39. Radiohead
> Gap between Top 40 hits: 14 years, 7 months
> Comeback song: Nudе (2008)
> Prior Top 40 hit: Creep (1993)
> Career Top 40 hits: 2 songs (6 weeks total)
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38. The Spinners
> Gap between Top 40 hits: 14 years, 8 months
> Comeback song: I’ll Be Around (w/ Rappin’ 4-Tay) (1995)
> Prior Top 40 hit: Cupid/I’ve Loved You for a Long Time (1980)
> Career Top 40 hits: 17 songs (140 weeks total)
37. Meat Loaf
> Gap between Top 40 hits: 14 years, 8 months
> Comeback song: I’d Do Anything for Love (But I Won’t Do That) (1993)
> Prior Top 40 hit: You Took the Words Right Out of My Mouth (1979)
> Career Top 40 hits: 7 songs (61 weeks total)
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36. Carly Simon
> Gap between Top 40 hits: 14 years, 10 months
> Comeback song: Son of a Gun (w/ Janet, Missy Elliott & P. Diddy) (2001)
> Prior Top 40 hit: Coming Around Again (1986)
> Career Top 40 hits: 13 songs (123 weeks total)
35. Billy Ray Cyrus
> Gap between Top 40 hits: 15 years, 4 months
> Comeback song: Ready, Set, Don’t Go (w/ Miley Cyrus) (2008)
> Prior Top 40 hit: Achy Breaky Heart (1992)
> Career Top 40 hits: 3 songs (67 weeks total)
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34. Kenny Rogers
> Gap between Top 40 hits: 15 years, 5 months
> Comeback song: Buy Me a Rose (w/ Alison Krauss & Billy Dean) (2000)
> Prior Top 40 hit: What About Me? (w/ Kim Carnes & James Ingram) (1984)
> Career Top 40 hits: 25 songs (246 weeks total)
33. Alabama
> Gap between Top 40 hits: 15 years, 12 months
> Comeback song: God Must Have Spent a Little More Time on You (w/ ‘N Sync) (1999)
> Prior Top 40 hit: The Closer You Get (1983)
> Career Top 40 hits: 6 songs (43 weeks total)
32. Guns N’ Roses
> Gap between Top 40 hits: 16 years, 1 months
> Comeback song: Chinese Democracy (2008)
> Prior Top 40 hit: November Rain (1992)
> Career Top 40 hits: 9 songs (97 weeks total)
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31. Barry White
> Gap between Top 40 hits: 16 years, 4 months
> Comeback song: Practice What You Preach (1994)
> Prior Top 40 hit: Oh What a Night for Dancing (1978)
> Career Top 40 hits: 11 songs (99 weeks total)
30. Clipse
> Gap between Top 40 hits: 16 years, 9 months
> Comeback song: Use This Gospel (w/ Kanye West & Kenny G) (2019)
> Prior Top 40 hit: When the Last Time (2002)
> Career Top 40 hits: 3 songs (21 weeks total)
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29. Santana
> Gap between Top 40 hits: 16 years, 10 months
> Comeback song: Smooth (w/ Rob Thomas) (1999)
> Prior Top 40 hit: Hold On (1982)
> Career Top 40 hits: 15 songs (228 weeks total)
28. Del Shannon
> Gap between Top 40 hits: 16 years, 10 months
> Comeback song: Sea of Love (1982)
> Prior Top 40 hit: Stranger in Town (1965)
> Career Top 40 hits: 9 songs (62 weeks total)
27. David Cassidy
> Gap between Top 40 hits: 17 years, 9 months
> Comeback song: Lyin’ to Myself (1990)
> Prior Top 40 hit: Looking Through the Eyes of Love (w/ The Partridge Family & Shirley Jones) (1973)
> Career Top 40 hits: 12 songs (82 weeks total)
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26. New Kids On The Block
> Gap between Top 40 hits: 17 years, 10 months
> Comeback song: Summertime (2008)
> Prior Top 40 hit: Tonight (1990)
> Career Top 40 hits: 10 songs (103 weeks total)
25. Dusty Springfield
> Gap between Top 40 hits: 17 years, 11 months
> Comeback song: What Have I Done to Deserve This? (w/ Pet Shop Boys) (1987)
> Prior Top 40 hit: A Brand New Me (1969)
> Career Top 40 hits: 11 songs (77 weeks total)
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24. Nas
> Gap between Top 40 hits: 17 years, 12 months
> Comeback song: Sorry Not Sorry (w/ DJ Khaled, Jay-Z & James Fauntleroy) (2021)
> Prior Top 40 hit: I Can (2003)
> Career Top 40 hits: 8 songs (86 weeks total)
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23. The Monkees
> Gap between Top 40 hits: 18 years
> Comeback song: That Was Then, This Is Now (1986)
> Prior Top 40 hit: D. W. Washburn (1968)
> Career Top 40 hits: 12 songs (91 weeks total)
22. Ray Charles
> Gap between Top 40 hits: 18 years, 7 months
> Comeback song: I’ll Be Good To You (w/ Quincy Jones & Chaka Khan) (1989)
> Prior Top 40 hit: Don’t Change On Me (1971)
> Career Top 40 hits: 31 songs (191 weeks total)
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21. Billy Vera & The Beaters
> Gap between Top 40 hits: 18 years, 8 months
> Comeback song: At This Moment (1986)
> Prior Top 40 hit: Country Girl – City Man (w/ Judy Clay) (1968)
> Career Top 40 hits: 2 songs (16 weeks total)
20. Gary U.S. Bonds
> Gap between Top 40 hits: 18 years, 9 months
> Comeback song: This Little Girl (1981)
> Prior Top 40 hit: Seven Day Weekend (1962)
> Career Top 40 hits: 7 songs (57 weeks total)
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19. Johnny Mathis
> Gap between Top 40 hits: 18 years, 11 months
> Comeback song: Friends in Love (w/ Dionne Warwick) (1982)
> Prior Top 40 hit: Every Step of the Way (1963)
> Career Top 40 hits: 10 songs (67 weeks total)
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18. Willie Nelson
> Gap between Top 40 hits: 18 years, 11 months
> Comeback song: Beer for My Horses (w/ Toby Keith) (2003)
> Prior Top 40 hit: To All the Girls I’ve Loved Before (w/ Julio Iglesias) (1984)
> Career Top 40 hits: 6 songs (61 weeks total)
17. Patti LaBelle
> Gap between Top 40 hits: 21 years, 2 months
> Comeback song: New Attitude (1985)
> Prior Top 40 hit: You’ll Never Walk Alone (1964)
> Career Top 40 hits: 5 songs (31 weeks total)
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16. The Isley Brothers
> Gap between Top 40 hits: 21 years, 2 months
> Comeback song: Contagious (2001)
> Prior Top 40 hit: Don’t Say Goodnight (It’s Time for Love) (Parts 1 & 2) (1980)
> Career Top 40 hits: 12 songs (105 weeks total)
15. Dolly Parton
> Gap between Top 40 hits: 22 years, 2 months
> Comeback song: When I Get Where I’m Going (w/ Brad Paisley) (2006)
> Prior Top 40 hit: Islands in the Stream (w/ Kenny Rogers) (1983)
> Career Top 40 hits: 8 songs (74 weeks total)
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14. Elton John
> Gap between Top 40 hits: 22 years, 6 months
> Comeback song: Cold Heart (PNAU Remix) (w/ Dua Lipa) (2021)
> Prior Top 40 hit: Written in the Stars (w/ LeAnn Rimes) (1999)
> Career Top 40 hits: 56 songs (592 weeks total)
13. Aaron Neville
> Gap between Top 40 hits: 22 years, 8 months
> Comeback song: Don’t Know Much (w/ Linda Ronstadt) (1989)
> Prior Top 40 hit: Tell It Like It Is (1966)
> Career Top 40 hits: 4 songs (48 weeks total)
12. Roy Orbison
> Gap between Top 40 hits: 22 years, 9 months
> Comeback song: You Got It (1989)
> Prior Top 40 hit: Twinkle Toes (1966)
> Career Top 40 hits: 23 songs (172 weeks total)
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11. Tammy Wynette
> Gap between Top 40 hits: 22 years, 12 months
> Comeback song: Justified And Ancient (w/ The KLF) (1992)
> Prior Top 40 hit: Stand By Your Man (1968)
> Career Top 40 hits: 2 songs (21 weeks total)
10. Louis Armstrong
> Gap between Top 40 hits: 23 years, 9 months
> Comeback song: What a Wonderful World (1988)
> Prior Top 40 hit: Hello, Dolly! (1964)
> Career Top 40 hits: 2 songs (22 weeks total)
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9. Jimmy Buffett
> Gap between Top 40 hits: 23 years, 9 months
> Comeback song: It’s Five O’Clock Somewhere (w/ Alan Jackson) (2003)
> Prior Top 40 hit: Fins (1979)
> Career Top 40 hits: 7 songs (59 weeks total)
8. Charlie Sexton
> Gap between Top 40 hits: 23 years, 10 months
> Comeback song: Hallelujah (w/ Justin Timberlake & Matt Morris) (2010)
> Prior Top 40 hit: Beat’s So Lonely (1986)
> Career Top 40 hits: 2 songs (11 weeks total)
7. Mick Jagger
> Gap between Top 40 hits: 24 years, 2 months
> Comeback song: T.H.E (The Hardest Ever) (w/ will.i.am & Jennifer Lopez) (2011)
> Prior Top 40 hit: Let’s Work (1987)
> Career Top 40 hits: 5 songs (24 weeks total)
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6. Dobie Gray
> Gap between Top 40 hits: 24 years, 2 months
> Comeback song: Drift Away (w/ Uncle Kracker) (2003)
> Prior Top 40 hit: You Can Do It (1979)
> Career Top 40 hits: 4 songs (52 weeks total)
5. Paul McCartney
> Gap between Top 40 hits: 25 years, 6 months
> Comeback song: Only One (w/ Kanye West) (2015)
> Prior Top 40 hit: My Brave Face (1989)
> Career Top 40 hits: 20 songs (208 weeks total)
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4. Snow
> Gap between Top 40 hits: 25 years, 9 months
> Comeback song: Con Calma (w/ Daddy Yankee & Katy Perry) (2019)
> Prior Top 40 hit: Girl, I’ve Been Hurt (1993)
> Career Top 40 hits: 3 songs (38 weeks total)
24/7 Wall St.3. Kenny G
> Gap between Top 40 hits: 26 years, 3 months
> Comeback song: Use This Gospel (w/ Kanye West & Clipse) (2019)
> Prior Top 40 hit: By the Time This Night Is Over (w/ Peabo Bryson) (1993)
> Career Top 40 hits: 6 songs (45 weeks total)
2. Ozzy Osbourne
> Gap between Top 40 hits: 27 years, 5 months
> Comeback song: Take What You Want (w/ Post Malone & Travis Scott) (2019)
> Prior Top 40 hit: Mama, I’m Coming Home (1992)
> Career Top 40 hits: 3 songs (23 weeks total)
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1. David Bowie
> Gap between Top 40 hits: 28 years, 4 months
> Comeback song: Lazarus (2016)
> Prior Top 40 hit: Never Let Me Down (1987)
> Career Top 40 hits: 13 songs (118 weeks total)
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