The greatest one-hit wonders of the 1990s

Ranging from Oasis to Blur, The Chemical Brothers to The Prodigy, the Spice Girls to Madonna, and Manic Street Preachers to The Verve, there were no shortage of blockbuster artists in the 1990s. They dominated the charts and released a succession of hit albums and singles that helped define the musical landscape of the decade.

Yet, for all these big-name acts, the 1990s was also a vintage decade for one-hit wonders. A flurry of artists suddenly appeared – often seemingly out of nowhere, other times via a TV advert for a certain jeans brand – and stormed the charts and airwaves with a huge song before disappearing into obscurity.

We’ve rounded up one-hit wonders from the 1990s, from guilty pleasures to genuinely brilliant bangers, check out the full list below.

The greatest one-hit wonders of the 1990s:

White Town – ‘Your Woman’ (1997):

Derby based one-man band White Town – aka Jyoti Mishra – stormed to Number 1 in January 1997 with his beguiling and totally unique electronic pop tour-de-force ‘Your Woman’.

Strangely infectious, ‘Your Woman’ was a truly international one-hit wonder topping the charts in Spain and Iceland and reaching the Top 10 in a dozen other countries.

Charles & Eddie – ‘Would I Lie To You?' (1992):

Not to be confused with the BBC gameshow of the same name, Charles & Eddie’s super-smooth, pop-tinged soul gem ‘Would I Lie To You?’ was ubiquitous upon its release in 1992. The American duo scored a few other very minor hits after ‘Would I Lie To You?’, but went their separate ways in 1997.

Crash Test Dummies – ‘Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm’ (1993):

Powered by the bass-baritone voice of singer Brad Roberts and the instantly catchy humming refrain of the chorus, Crash Test Dummies' ‘Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm’ peaked at Number 2 in the UK in May 1995. Lyrically the song is very dark with Brad narrating the stories of three children blighted by setbacks in life.

Mr Oizo – ‘Flat Beat’ (1999):

Whether you loved or loathed the headbanging yellow puppet Flat Eric, there’s no denying that Levi’s played a genius move with their TV commercial in 1999. The accompanying instrumental song ‘Flat Beat’ by French musician Mr Oizo with its squelchy electro-pop grooves reached Number 1 in the UK and countries around the globe.

4 Non Blondes – ‘What's Up?’ (1993):

Short-lived San Francisco alternative rockers 4 Non Blondes only released one album in their career, 1992’s ‘Bigger, Better, Faster, More!’, however it spawned the colossal anthem 'What's Up?' that reached Number 2 in the UK and sold more than 400,000 copies. Singer Linda Perry is now an esteemed producer and songwriter, and helped launch the career of a certain James Blunt.

Babylon Zoo - ‘Spaceman’ (1996):

Led by singer Jas Mann, Wolverhampton rockers Babylon Zoo scored a Number 1 UK hit with their electro-tinged track ‘Spaceman’ in January 1996 thanks to a Levi’s jeans commercial.

Incredibly, it was the fastest-selling debut single in British history at the time (overtaking The Beatles’ ‘Can’t Buy Me Love’) shifting 383,000 units in its first seven days alone. Despite a series of self-aggrandising interviews – including infamously on Brass Eye – Babylon Zoo predictably disappeared into obscurity.

Baz Luhrmann - ‘Everybody's Free (To Wear Sunscreen)’ (1999):

The surprise 1999 Number 1 hit from acclaimed Romeo + Juliet director Baz Luhrmann is essentially a spoken-word recital of an essay by journalist Mary Schmich, which offers various pieces of advice on how to live a happier life.

The chilled out backing music included a sample of Quindon Tarver’s choir cover of Rozalla’s 1991 song ‘Everybody's Free (To Feel Good)’, which was used in Romeo + Juliet.

OMC - ‘How Bizarre’ (1995):

The impossibly feel-good and summery ‘How Bizarre’ entered the charts like a ray of sunshine in 1995, peaking at Number 5. Selling over 400,000 copies on these shores alone, it was the New Zealand duo’s only hit. Tragically, OMC founder Phil Fuemana died of a heart attack in 2005 aged just 41, while singer Pauly Fuemana died five years later aged 40.

The Boo Radleys - ‘Wake Up Boo!’ (1995):

Wallasey indie band The Boo Radleys released six albums from 1990 to 1998 and scored seven Top 40 songs, however 1995’s anthem of optimism ‘Wake Up Boo!’ remains their only Top 10 smash. Such was its phenomenal popularity, accompanying album ‘Wake Up!’ even entered the album chart at Number 1.

Bran Van 3000 – ‘Drinking In LA’ (1997):

Canadian collective Bran Van 3000 entered the singles chart at Number 3 in February 1997 with their debut single ‘Drinking In LA’. The gem of track effortlessly fused pop with hip-hop and even deftly parodied Snoop Dogg’s ‘Gin & Juice’ with its “With my mind on my money and my money on my beer” line. Although they achieved further success in their native Canada, ‘Drinking In LA’ remains Bran Van 3000’s only UK hit song.

Olive - ‘You’re Not Alone’ (1997):

Fusing singer Ruth-Ann Boyle’s ethereal vocals with atmospheric electronic grooves and trip-hop beats, Olive’s ‘You’re Not Alone’ peaked at Number 1 in 1997. Following single ‘Outlaw’ was a minor hit for the trio, yet ‘You’re Not Alone’ remains their enduring anthem.

Meredith Brooks - ‘Bitch’ (1997):

US singer Meredith Brooks’ wrote the caustic, attitude packed ‘Bitch’ in response to her frustrations at not breaking through into the music industry. Fortunately, the song did the trick and propelled her to Number 6 on the UK singles chart, and she remained in the Top 10 for four weeks. Unfortunately, she failed to score another hit single.

The New Radicals – ‘You Get What You Give’ (1998):

An uplifting gem of a song that’s enough to put a smile on even the dourest cynic’s chops, The New Radicals’ ‘You Get What You Give’ was a Top 5 smash in the UK and a major hit around the globe. The New Radicals disbanded in 1999 after just one studio album, ‘Maybe You've Been Brainwashed Too’.

Len - ‘Steal My Sunshine’ (1999):

Another impossibly feel-good tune, Len vocalist Marc Costanzo wanted to imitate The Human League’s ‘Don’t You Want Me’ when he penned ‘Steal My Sunshine’ by alternating between male and female vocals. His plan clearly worked and ‘Steal My Sunshine’ reached Number 8 in the UK and Number 9 in the US. It remains their only hit on both sides of the Atlantic.

Spin Doctors – ‘Two Princes’ (1993):

The ridiculously catchy ‘Two Princes’ was a major international smash upon its release almost three decades ago. Peaking at Number 3 in the UK, it’s the Spin Doctors’ only Top 20 song here, although their other 1993 single ‘Little Miss Can't Be Wrong’ charted high internationally.

Cornershop - ‘Brimful of Asha’ Norman Cook Remix (1997):

Cornershop’s ode to Indian film culture originally reached Number 60 on the singles chart, however once Fatboy Slim himself Norman Cook gave it a sped-up remix it reached Number 1 in the UK.

Although Cornershop are still a reputable act writing and performing to this day – in fact, they released their latest studio album ‘England Is a Garden’ in March 2020 – they haven’t dented the Top 20 again in the past 23 years.

The Mighty Mighty Bosstones - ‘The Impression That I Get’ (1997):

Buoyed by jubilant trumpets and a euphoric chorus of “WELL I’VE NEVER HAD TO KNOCK ON WOOD”, The Mighty Mighty Bosstones ska punk anthem ‘The Impression That I Get’ reached Number 12 in the UK. It may be the Boston band’s only hit, but it’s an absolute belter.

The La’s - ‘There She Goes’ (1990):

Originally released in 1988, the Lee Mavers penned indie classic ‘There She Goes’ Number 13 upon its re-release in 1990. Rightfully regarded as one of the greatest indie anthems of all time, ‘There She Goes’ was The La’s only Top 20 hit before they went their separate ways in 1992.

Unlike many acts on this list, The La’s' legend was cemented with their self-titled October 1990 debut album 'The La's'. An absolute masterpiece.

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