Can you believe it's been 25 years since we went sailing across the sun? Aka 25 years since acclaimed 2000s alt rock act Train dropped one of their signature hits, "Drops of Jupiter (Tell Me)."
The band experienced their first taste of mainstream success with the release of their 1998 self-titled debut album, with their debut single "Meet Virginia" being a top 20 hit.
But their fortunes turned around completely with the breakout success of the lead single from their follow-up LP, 2001's Drops of Jupiter, with the song of the same name now experiencing a new surge of viral fame.
© Getty ImagesThe "Drops of Jupiter (Tell Me)" comeback story
Over the past few months, the song has gone viral on TikTok, especially with many users relating to the lyrics to flashback to a simpler time, particularly with memorable lines like "But tell me, did you sail across the sun?" and the opener "Now that she's back in the atmosphere/With drops of Jupiter in her hair."
The track received a major stamp of approval back in November of 2025, when it was certified Diamond by the RIAA, indicating more than 10 million in sales in the United States alone.
Several TikTok clips using the song have amassed millions of views, with a clip of the band actually performing the track at the top of the Empire State Building also going viral, with nearly 12 million views on the platform alone (they later did a similar performance at the Golden Gate Bridge that also went viral).
© Getty ImagesThe band's lead singer Pat Monahan, the only remaining founding member, has said in the past that the song was inspired by a dream he had about his late mom, and was one he'd whipped up in mere minutes after waking up with the opening lyric in his head.
The journey to "Drops of Jupiter (Tell Me)" wasn't instantaneous, though. "We thought we had so many beautiful songs and our record label said, 'You don't have a first single,'" he recently recalled to People of presenting their second album to Columbia.
© Getty ImagesHowever, after writing the track, when they headed to New York City to play it for their label, a record executive "lifted his arms up and said, 'Song of the year.'"
Sure enough, the song was a huge hit, reaching the top 10 in several countries worldwide (including top five in the United States), and was nominated for five Grammy Awards (including Song of the Year), ultimately winning two.
© Getty ImagesWhere is Train now?
The band has experienced several line-up changes since Drops of Jupiter dropped, with the band now consisting of Pat, Jerry Becker (on keyboards and rhythm guitar), Hector Maldonado (on bass), Matt Musty (on percussion), and Butch Walker (on lead guitar).
Earlier this year, the band released their latest single titled "The Weekend," and this summer, they'll be celebrating their album's 25th anniversary by going on tour! Drops of Jupiter: 25 Years in the Atmosphere Tour kicks off this July, traveling around the country until February 2027, with supporting acts Barenaked Ladies and Matt Nathanson.
Looking back on the permanence of the band's signature hit (arguably alongside "Hey, Soul Sister"), Pat told People: "Many artists have said it, once you send a song out to the world, it's no longer about what you wrote it about. It's about what the listener wants it to be about, I totally back that."
