Cher and the enduring power of Believe after 25 years

By the AD HOC NEWS Music Desk » Anniversary - the editorial team covers albums, tours, charts and scene developments. Published: June 27, 2026 · Last reviewed: June 27, 2026 at 12:50 pm

Cher helped redefine late-1990s pop with the single Believe. More than 25 years after its release, the song’s chart run, Auto-Tune effect and enduring popularity still anchor her status as one of the most influential voices in U.S. pop history.

How Believe changed the charts

When Cher released Believe in 1998, the track quickly became a global hit, driven by a four-on-the-floor beat and a heavily processed vocal hook that used Auto-Tune as an audible effect rather than a hidden correction tool. It reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in March 1999 and stayed there for four weeks, making Cher, then 52, the oldest woman to top the chart at the time.

The single also performed strongly on Billboard’s dance and adult contemporary rankings, crossing over from clubs to mainstream radio. In the U.S., Believe went on to earn multi-platinum sales, reflecting both physical singles and later digital-era consumption as catalog listening grew.

The Grammy and global impact

Believe won the Grammy Award for best dance recording at the 1999 ceremony, giving Cher one of the most high-profile acknowledgments of her late-career reinvention. The win came more than three decades after her first hits with Sonny & Cher, underlining a rare longevity across distinct pop eras.

Internationally, the single hit No. 1 in major markets including the UK, where it topped the Official Singles Chart for seven weeks and became one of the country’s best-selling singles of all time. Its success helped cement the European dance-pop sound on late-1990s U.S. radio and influenced producers who would define early-2000s mainstream pop.

The sound of Believe

Musically, Believe combines Eurodance production with a straightforward pop song structure built around a soaring chorus. The now-famous Auto-Tune effect on Cher’s voice, sometimes called the Cher effect, pushed pitch correction from studio tool to central creative device and prefigured how later artists would experiment with vocal processing.

The track’s lyrics revolve around resilience after heartbreak, delivered with a directness that matches Cher’s long-standing vocal style. Producers Mark Taylor and Brian Rawling framed her performance with pulsing synths and a steady kick drum, creating a template that many late-1990s and early-2000s pop singles would echo.

Cher’s broader musical identity

Beyond Believe, Cher’s catalog spans 1960s folk-pop, 1970s rock and disco, 1980s power ballads and 1990s dance-pop. Albums such as Heart of Stone (1989), Love Hurts (1991) and Living Proof (2001) demonstrate shifts from radio rock toward club-oriented production, while her distinctive contralto voice remains a constant thread.

She has also maintained a presence on stage through residencies and tours, often presenting her hits in elaborate live productions that mirror the theatricality of her recordings. This mix of stylistic change and recognizable vocal character has helped preserve her relevance across decades of shifting U.S. pop trends.

Where Cher stands now

Cher is currently celebrated primarily through her extensive recorded legacy, with no officially announced future tour dates or new studio albums on the calendar at this time.

This article was created with AI assistance and editorially reviewed. All information without guarantee; dates, chart positions and certifications may change at short notice.