Every one-hit wonder from the 1990s stood out to the masses at the time, but some of those songs really do deserve more love for being as close to perfect as one can get. That’s certainly how I feel about the following four one-hit wonder tracks from the 1990s, each of which is perfect in its own way. Let’s take a look!
“Nothing Compares 2 U” by Sinéad O’Connor (1990)
“Nothing Compares 2 U” might have been originally written and recorded by Prince. But just about everyone who was alive in the 90s remembers Sinéad O’Connor’s global hit version first. Few musicians could take a song about a forlorn lover and turn it into a tender ballad about one’s late mother. O’Connor did it beautifully. “Nothing Compares 2 U” was a No. 1 hit around the globe. Sadly, the Irish crooner never had another major hit in the US again.
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“Insane In The Brain” by Cypress Hill (1993)
Cypress Hill was ahead of their time with this horrorcore hip-hop track from 1993. The whole of hip-hop was going through big changes in the 1990s. However, this outfit decided to go in a whole new direction, basically inventing West Coast hip-hop in the process. “Insane In The Brain” peaked at No. 19 on the Billboard Hot 100 and made it to the Top 40 across dozens of charts. Sadly, the group never had another Top 40 hit on the Hot 100 afterward.
“No Rain” by Blind Melon (1993)
Blind Melon could have been the next big alt-rock outfit of the 1990s, especially after they made waves with “No Rain” in 1993. Sadly, following singer Shannon Hoon’s tragic passing and a long hiatus due to difficulties finding a new singer, Blind Melon simply faded away as the 90s came to a close. At least we can still enjoy a taste of their potential with “No Rain”, the band’s only Top 20 hit on the Hot 100.
“Pepper” by Butthole Surfers (1996)
Alright, my bias is showing. I’ve been obsessed with this song for years. It’s the alt-rock band Butthole Surfers’ best song. I’m putting it on my list of one-hit wonders from the 1990s that are perfect, darn it! Clearly, the masses thought the same thing in 1996, because this electronic psychedelic rock song was the band’s only major hit back in the day. “Pepper” peaked at No. 19 on the US Mainstream Rock chart in 1996. It remains the band’s only song to make it to the chart.
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Phil Collins (born in 1951), British actor and singer-songwriter, during a concert at Bercy. Paris (12th arrondissement), March 5, 1985. (Photo by Christian Rose/Roger Viollet via Getty Images)
