It might have been nearly three decades since American rock band the Goo Goo Dolls released one of the most popular anthems of the ’90s, but Iris is well and truly having a resurgence in 2026. Taylor Swift once praised the track, which spent 92 weeks in the UK top 100 charts and has been used to soundtrack countless movies and TV shows, as “the best song ever written”. Now, the hit has reached a whole new generation as it climbs its way back up the charts almost 28 years later.
As of 26 March, the track is back on the UK top 100 single chart at number 48 after making the rounds on social media for a popular TikTok trend. Hollywood icons like Drew Barrymore, Kevin Bacon and Courteney Cox have all used the Goo Goo Dolls song for throwback video montages reminiscing on what they were like in the ’90s. With Iris getting more love than ever, what is the band behind the hit up to?
Read on to see where The Goo Goo Dolls and the band’s frontman John Rzeznik are now and how they’ve breathed new life into their number one hit.
They’re still touring
The Goo Goo Dolls have been around since 1986, when guitarist and singer John Rzeznik, bass guitarist Robby Takac and drummer George Tutuska started as a cover band in Buffalo, New York. The group were originally called the Sex Maggots but had to quickly change their name after a club own refused to book them. But it wasn’t until their sixth studio album in 1998 that they released Iris. And the rest is history.
With other hits like Slide, Name, Black Balloon and Broadway in their discography, the group have built up a strong fanbase that has carried them through four decades. The group has a slightly different lineup these days after their original drummer George left the band in 1995 and was replaced by Mike Malinin up until 2013. As of 2026, original frontman John and bassist Robby still make music and perform as The Goo Goo Dolls together. The full lineup now includes Brad Fernquist on guitar, Craig Macintyre on drums, and multi-instrumentalist Jim McGorman.
© WireImageThe group released their last album, ‘Chaos in Bloom’, in 2022, followed by a new EP titled ‘Summer Anthem’ in August 2025. While it’s been nearly three years since they last toured the UK in June 2023, fans will be delighted to know they’re still on the road. The group are currently touring Canada and the United States, which they’re scheduled to wrap up with with a performance at the Oceans Calling Festival in September.
2026 resurgence
Almost 30 years on from its original release, Iris has received the remix treatment in 2026, with a brand new version featuring American DJ Steve Aoki. On top of the brand new collaboration earlier this month, the original version has been trending on TikTok recently with nostalgia-fuelled videos of people – including a plethora of celebrities – posting old photos of them in the ’90s decade.
“We’re so thrilled at the continued support of ‘Iris’ nearly 30 years after its release,” lead singer John told Today recently.
“The ‘90s trend is a blast for us and it’s so fun to see all the old school photos from some of our favourite people,” he said. “It’s also really cool to connect with a younger audience who are discovering not only “Iris” but a lot of our songs.”
The singer added: “It’s really been a great time and I’m super grateful.” Amid the recent Iris resurgence, The Goo Goo Dolls performed a reimagined rendition of the classic for Apple Music on 25 March.
“To this day no other song compares to the masterpiece that is Iris,” one fan gushed under a video of the performance on Instagram while another dubbed it the “best song ever”. Some might just be discovering the track, but for others, it’s been a soundtrack to their lives for years. “I’ve never stopped listening to it since the 90s,” someone admitted. Another added it’s “taking the rest of the world to catch up to what we knew in the 90s.”
Iris might be the track in the spotlight right now, but the group’s 1995 hit Name ” has recently received renewed attention as well. The song featured in episode five of Ryan Murphy’s popular miniseries Love Story, which follows the late couple John F. Kennedy and Carolyn Bessette.
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