3 Two-Hit Wonders From the 1990s That Will Remind You of a Different Time

The 1990s were a special time. It might have been the decade with the most robust amount of musical choices. There was a giant swath of genres—from rock to alternative to rap to electronic to grunge to pop to ska and more—and there were excellent acts helming each style.

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But while big names like Dr. Dre, Backstreet Boys, and Britney Spears topped the charts most of the time, there were a few groups to break into the mix. In fact some bands were able to achieve the mark twice. Indeed, here below are three two-hit wonders from the 1990s that will remind you of a different time.

[RELATED: 3 Two-Hit Wonder, Foreign-Born Bands that Ruled the 1970s]

Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch: “Good Vibrations” and “Wild Side” from Music for the People (1991)

These songs hit No. 1 and No. 10, respectively, on the Billboard Hot 100. Even today, the chart-topping “Good Vibrations” is a crowd-pleaser, especially thanks to its lively and catchy chorus sung by Loleatta Holloway. As for “Wild Side,” the song samples the famed Lou Reed song “Walk on the Wild Side.” So, rapping over guitars and bass, Marky Mark (aka Mark Wahlberg) tells his stories. Let’s just say the whole thing is of a time.

The Rembrandts: “Just the Way It Is, Baby” from The Rembrandts (1990) and “I’ll Be There for You” from L.P. (1995)

While most know The Rembrandts from their hit song “I’ll Be There for You” from the TV show Friends, the group had an earlier hit in 1990, “Just the Way It Is, Baby.” That song hit No. 14 on the Billboard Hot 100, which was three spots higher than their more famous theme song. Their breakout track is a bit more easy listening. A love song that sounds like it could be a George Harrison B-side. Their TV hit, though. That’s an all-timer.

Ugly Kid Joe: “Everything About You” from As Ugly as They Wanna Be (1992) and “Cat’s in the Cradle” from America’s Least Wanted (1993)

“Everything About You” hit No. 9 on the Billboard Hot 100. It lives somewhere between pop and grunge, with catchy vocals screeching over sticky-yet-heavy guitar riffs. But it was the band’s cover of the classic rock track “Cat’s in the Cradle” that got even higher, peaking at No. 6. On that one, the group sounded like they were channeling Guns N’ Roses. Flower power meeting debauchery. Something old and something new all at once.

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