Soft rock legend Carole King is known for pumping out classic after classic in the ’70s. Within the soft rock genre, her music is unsurprisingly dominating. Out of her entire discography, one track in particular has persevered long after its release.
In 2024, Ultimate Classic Rock ranked the top 40 soft rock songs in history, compiling an era-spanning list of the greatest works in the genre. Beating many iconic songs like, Daryl Hall & John Oates’ 1975 classic “Sara Smile” at No. 17 and Carly Simon’s 1972 hit “You’re So Vain” at No. 9, King’s 1971 hit “It’s Too Late” took the No. 8 spot.
Released as a single on her sophomore landmark album Tapestry, “Its Too Late” experienced immediate success. Within weeks, the song became a smash hit, climbing to the No. 1 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and holding it for five consecutive weeks.
In April 1971, “It’s Too Late” was certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for selling over 500,000 copies in the U.S. alone. The song launched Tapestry into unparalleled success; the album went on to sell over 30 million copies worldwide and remained on the charts for six consecutive years.