A Thousand Miles is a 2002 pop single by Vanessa Carlton, and its opening piano motif became the part most people instantly recognise online. The track stayed popular beyond radio through movie associations, nostalgic playlists and short-form edits. On soundboards and social clips, users usually pick the intro because it signals melodrama or heartfelt longing in just a few seconds. It still gets reused because the melody is familiar across generations and can play sincerely or as a joke, depending on the video.