Dont stop me now - when did it become a huge hit?

What happened here? Today its considered one of Queens absolutely biggest hits and when I check out Spotify only Bo Rhap have more streams.

The single peaked at #9 in the UK and barely Made it into Top 100 in the US when it was released. I remember when I became a fan in the middle of the 90s it was not at all this popular.

So - what made it so big? Was it part of a very successful commercial or somethinng else that I misses and when did it happen?

I don't think it's just one thing, it's just a song that has been brought into the public eye several times over the last 15 or so years, so gets renued interest in the UK.
Mcfly covered it, then it was used for Cadbury / Schweppes marketing adverts, then Shaun of the Dead used it, then it was used during a Doctor Who episode, then Google had it as a Doodle.

It's one of those ones that was never massive but has always been around.

It had a life of its own. I suppose it managed to adapt, evolutionary-wise, to how times changed ever since its original release almost forty years ago. I remember back in '99 that I noticed it was starting to get more airplay, and people started talking about it as a highlight on the 'Greatest Hits' compilation, which is probably one of the factors which led to McFly covering it in '06 (IIRC), and then it just kept growing exponentially.

Quite right Sebastian . Further, cream always rises to the top .
It's great experiencing this floor filler at wedding and function discos!

Also, the song won a Top Gear award for the best driving song in 2005 - www.youtube.com/watch?v=-APD7fkwfWw

It was popular in sticky floored small town night clubs well before all that

Freddie always wrote the best songs for Queen that turned into gold be it Bohemian Rhapsody, Somebody to Love, Crazy little thing, or Dont stop me now !
I remember when Dont stop me now was released Top of the pops only played half of the video because they hated Queen with a vengeance.

it's become camp, and it's been adopted by asshole hipsters as well since it's inclusion on Shaun of The Dead... those people can hardly name any other Queen songs, but I guess that's pretty much the casual fan

A boost was its inclusion on 'Live Killers'.

I have a sentimentality as a fan towards 'Jealousy' and 'Dreamer's Ball'......but, let's face it, DSMN is arguably the best song on the album, THE hit, and has aged incredibly well.

Timeless.

I do remember the rise of DSMN. It was weird to watch.

Its simply a great song and a great party track that most people tend to like. Main reason for the success over the years is the quality of it. Queen have recorded several songs that were not instant hits but has become a part of peoples conciousnes over the years.

I never liked it BTW. Very much a second tier single for me so was kinda surprised when it lifted off.

In the 00s it was a thing post britpop to deep dive on 70s acts to freshen up the public stock. So out went the over played and in came the second tier hits. THis one stuck.

"Don't stop me now" to Queen is what "Dancing Queen" was to Abba. Easily recognisable and got the dance floor busy !
Freddie at his coolest !

It was a top ten hit in the UK, not so shabby....some songs have staying power, for one, it's a good song, and when the song is covered by future generations that helps as well. The song was also featured in movies, TV commercials....It's still unheard of in America though.

Seem to remember it popping up quite a few times on those endless reality singing shows, at least here in the UK. That and the Mcfly cover certainly brought it to the attention of milennials. And Glee. Ugh. That show gave a fresh leash of life to Journeys Don't stop believing and DSMN.