3 One-Hit Wonders From 1990 We’re Sure You’ve Never Heard Of

If you close your eyes and think for just a moment, you can probably remember your favorite one-hit wonder songs. Whether it’s “Baby Got Back” or “The Purple People Eater”, there are likely tracks that rise quickly to your consciousness and that put a smile on your face. But for every well-known and well-remembered tune, there are several you and the world have likely forgotten.

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We wanted to dive into a threesome of one-hit wonders from the golden age of music (the 1990s) that came and went so quickly you’d think they were your emo cousin at Thanksgiving. Indeed, these are three one-hit wonders from 1990 that we’re sure you’ve never heard of.

“If U Were Mine” by The U-Krew from ‘The U-Krew’ (1989)

While the Portland, Oregon-born group’s self-titled album was released in 1989, it wasn’t until 1990 when their single “If U Were Mine” hit the Billboard Hot 100 chart, peaking at no. 24. That marked The U-Krew’s only foray into the Top 40. The song is like a time capsule of that brief era between the late 1980s and early 1990s when everything was colorful, big electronic percussion was en vogue, and the world seemed just a little goofier. Nevertheless, the love song did well for the band, which never released another album again.

“Whole Wide World” by A’Me Lorain from ‘Starring In…Standing In A Monkey Sea’ (1989)

Pop singer A’Me Lorain released her sole album with her group The Family Affair, Starring In…Standing In A Monkey Sea, and with it came the 1990 single, “Whole Wide World”. The tune, which hit no. 9 on the Billboard Hot 100, in a way resembles the track above by The U-Krew. It’s rhythmic, silly (by today’s standards), and marks an era when decades were shifting along with pop culture tastes. It seems like that time period chewed up artists, even those who hit the charts, as their styles and times in the sun only lasted a brief few months.

“Dare To Fall In Love” by Brent Bourgeois from ‘Brent Bourgeois’ (1990)

The New Orleans-born artist Brent Bourgeois released his self-titled debut solo LP in 1990. That record, which featured guest appearances by artists like Christine McVie of Fleetwood Mac, included the debut single, “Dare To Fall In Love”. That tune hit no. 31 on the Billboard Hot 100, making it a successful release for the hopeful artist. A passionate, heartfelt love song, there is something familiar about this tune, like it may have appeared on a series of mixtapes made by your friends at one point in your life, even if it is not remembered at all by history today.

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