3 One-Hit Wonders From the 1990s That Had Enough “It” Factor To Become Superstars

So many one-hit wonders of the 1990s had that special “it” factor that could have easily turned them into superstars. Unfortunately, that never quite happened, as they only had one substantial charting hit between them. Let’s look at just three examples of such outfits that should have been way bigger in the 90s than they were.

Videos by American Songwriter

Deee-Lite

They were here for a good time, not a long time. Dance music outfit Deee-Lite lasted just short of a decade (not including their brief turn-of-the-millennium reunion) and tried to keep the groove going for about seven years after their sole hit, “Groove Is In The Heart”, made it to No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1990. That disco-revival jam was a Top 10 hit worldwide, too. And yet, for some reason, Deee-Lite couldn’t quite make it to the Top 40 of the Hot 100 again. They continued to chart on the dance charts, but I can’t help but think this group deserved more mainstream attention.

Blind Melon

Here’s a great example of a fantastic 90s alt-rock band that could have made it to superstardom, were it not for tragedy. Blind Melon was one of about a million alternative rock bands in the 1990s that started to get really popular during the grunge era, namely for their 1993 hit song “No Rain”. It was a No. 20 hit on the Hot 100 and did even better on the rock charts. Sadly, though, just a couple of years later, their beloved frontman Shannon Hoon died of an overdose. The band tried for years to find a new singer, but ultimately opted to end the band. They’ve since reformed, only to perform occasional gigs. Considering Blind Melon was nominated for several Grammy Awards back in the day, I can only imagine that if Hoon survived, they would have become even bigger, rather than one-hit wonders.

The Prodigy

Big beat fans like myself might be surprised to see The Prodigy on this list. Across the pond, this electronic rock outfit definitely has superstar status. However, much to my own surprise, The Prodigy would be considered one-hit wonders in the United States, thus earning a spot on our list of 1990s solitary hitmakers who didn’t quite become superstars in America.

The Prodigy topped the international charts well through the 2000s. However, their 1996 single “Firestarter” remains their only Top 40 hit on the Hot 100, peaking at No. 30. Though, I’d say The Prodigy have earned superstar status; just not in the US.

Photo by Lynn Goldsmith/Corbis/VCG via Getty Images