1970 Rock Classic, Helping Define the Power Pop Genre, Remains a Timeless Anthem
At the start of the 1970s, Badfinger signed with Apple Records and quickly broke through with a string of standout releases. Among them was "No Matter What," a mainstream hit that continued to establish the band's signature sound and is widely credited by critics with helping define the power pop genre.
Pete Ham was behind the creation of "No Matter What," which was recorded for the band's No Dice album. Its lyrics became known as a pledge to eternal love, with some having tagged the track' sound for "pioneering the 'power pop' style years before that was named by critics."
"No Matter What" landed Badfinger at No.8 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and is credited for being their third-best song with one of the genre's mightiest hooks. Many called out the track's Beatles influence, and it became a hit among radio stations despite its false ending, where, after a short pause, the last line is repeated twice before the final ending chord.
The demo of the song was originally recorded as an acoustic version before Badfinger recorded a rockier version with a faster tempo in May of that year. Among fans, the track also became well-known for its slide guitar solo. Guitarist Joey Molland recalls it having been worked out while in the studio.
"I think we took about an hour or two hours to do the record. We worked out those little guitar lines, and then the harmonies. I originally had a different guitar solo, one that kind of slurred the strings," he said.
"But we were at Abbey Road mixing the song, and there was a lap steel. I got that out and started playing along with the backing track. Everybody said: 'Why don't we put that on there?' That's how it became a slide guitar solo."
Despite the band feeling like "No Matter What" was a hit track, the higher-ups at Apple Records didn't see it that way. The band fought for it to be released, with Al Steckler, the American director of Apple in New York, having heard the tape in August 1970. He felt the track was a worthy entry for the band and allowed it to be released in the album and as a single.
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This story was originally published June 17, 2026 at 10:14 AM.