3 Legendary One-Hit Wonders From the 1990s (And Their Other Songs You Need To Hear)

It’s time to give the one-hit wonders another chance. Here are a few 90s one-hit wonders and other songs by their makers that are worth an additional listen.

Semisonic

You might not think you know Semisonic, but if you’ve heard their extremely catchy Billboard chart hit, “Closing Time”, you’re well acquainted with this 90s rock group. Another song by Semisonic that I think hits just as hard is “Singing In My Sleep”.

As Dan Wilson told The A.V. Club, bits and pieces of this song are inspired by a playlist he’d been sent. For example, he uses the word “Sony” in the song because the company’s logo was on the mixtape he’d received.

“Someone that I knew had sent me an amazing mixtape,” he explained. “And I was loving every song. A way to seduce someone is to make them a list of music, a playlist that, once they hear, they’re more likely to fall in love with you.”

The Verve

While most people know The Verve for hits like “Bitter Sweet Symphony”, a song that has racked up over a billion YouTube views, The Verve has quite a few other notable hits in their catalog worth mentioning.

A personal favorite of mine is “The Drugs Don’t Work”, which appears on Urban Hymns alongside “Bitter Sweet Symphony”. “The Drugs Don’t Work” is a deeply emotional song. Even The Verve’s lead singer, Richard Ashcroft, called it a “sensitive tune.”

“What I’ve found with lyrics is sometimes people’s own interpretations are on another level to mine, certainly with things like ‘The Drugs Don’t Work’,” he explained to SongFacts. “I found that was the most sensitive tune to start. I realized then, 20 years ago, if I underline with a big marker pen, ‘The Drugs Don’t Work’ equals whatever, then I’m killing it for people.”

Blind Melon

In 1993, rock group Blind Melon achieved success with the release of their song “No Rain”. This earned them a No. 1 placement on two Billboard rock charts. Formed in 1990 in Los Angeles, California, Blind Melon is for alt-rock listeners, especially those who love psychedelic rock.

If you like “No Rain”, another song of theirs, “Sleepyhouse”, will definitely catch your attention. Also featured on the group’s self-titled album, “Sleepyhouse” was inspired by a place where the band would record early demos.

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