The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) has just awarded Pavement a Gold Record for the first time in his career. The distinction belongs to 'Harness Your Hopes', a until recently unknown song by Pavement that, in recent years, has gone viral on TikTok, leading it to amass nearly 150 million views to date.
'Harness Your Hopes' is a song from Pavement's fourth album, 'Brighten the Corners', in 1997, although it is a composition that was never part of the original album. It was only officially released, first, on a 1999 EP, 'Spit on a Stranger', and then on an expanded version of that album, released in 2008.
The figures for 'Harness Your Hopes' reach 500,000 copies only thanks to the digital format, which is why the RIAA has confirmed its certification. The TikTok viral, but also – and above all – the automatic playback of Spotify, have led 'Harness Your Hopes' to commercially surpass what until now was Pavement's most successful single, the 1994 single 'Cut Your Hair '.
Pavement's career has seen other curious moments in recent times. To the joke at the expense of Stephen Malkmus seen in the blockbuster 'Barbie' we must add – for example – the beabadoobee song dedicated to the American composer.
In recent times, Pavement has continued to tour, performing for example at Primavera Sound. Gary Young, their original drummer, passed away last year.
