evergreen hit

4.5

A song that stays popular and is loved for many years

noun
/ˈɛvərˌɡriːn hɪt/

: éxito atemporal

Mariah Carey's Christmas song has become an evergreen hit played every December.

Examples

The band's only evergreen hit still brings back memories of the 1980s.
Despite being released decades ago, the song remains an evergreen hit worldwide.
That song is an evergreen hit!
This song is an evergreen hit!
Despite being released decades ago, the song remains an evergreen hit worldwide.
Mariah Carey's Christmas song has become an evergreen hit played every December.
The band's only evergreen hit still brings back memories of the 1980s.

Synonyms

oldie

vsevergreen hit

Informal

14 4.9

A popular song from the past that people still like

highlights ongoing popularity and appeal rather than just past fame

golden oldie

vsevergreen hit

3 3.8

A popular song from the past that people still like

focuses on lasting popularity and appeal over time rather than only age

evergreen

vsevergreen hit

Jargon

1 4.6

A piece of content like an article or video that stays useful for a long time

applies specifically to songs rather than to all kinds of content

Antonyms

no-hit wonder

Literature

8.8

A person, group, or work that never becomes popular and has no hit

Surface Forms

evergreen hit singular

evergreen hits plural

Morphology

evergreen + hit

The phrase is fully compositional: 'evergreen' (lasting/relevant) modifies 'hit' (a successful song/work), so the meaning 'a hit that remains popular over time' is directly derivable from the parts. This is a regular modifier+noun construction rather than an idiom, so a B1 learner who knows both constituent meanings should understand it.

Etymology

Evergreen hit compares a popular hit to an evergreen tree that stays green all year, giving the image of a song that always feels fresh. So an evergreen hit is a song that 'remains popular' for a long time.