Most one-hit wonders are massively popular for a year or two before promptly fading into obscurity. The following solitary hits, however, are still absolute jams today. It’s pretty rare to find alt-rock one-hit wonders that still hit hard today and have aged so well!
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1. “Sister” by The Nixons
The Nixons made it big in the 1990s with their hit single “Sister”. This post-grunge hit was their only song to make it to the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the US at no. 48. Honestly, the whole of Foma has aged pretty well, years after it had a ton of radio play.
2. “Pepper” by Butthole Surfers
It’s honestly hard to believe that Butthole Surfers are technically one-hit wonders. This noise rock outfit is an important one in the history of alternative rock, and plenty of their albums are still very much loved today. Still, “Pepper” is their only single to make it to the Billboard Radio Songs chart at no. 26.
3. “Far Behind” by Candlebox
A sorely underrated entry on our list of one-hit wonders in alt-rock, “Far Behind” by Candlebox deserves way more love than it gets. In fact, Candlebox should be up there with the grunge greats like Nirvana and Pearl Jam.
Sadly, this metal-leaning post-grunge hit was the only one from Candlebox to reach the Top 20 on the Hot 100 chart in 1994. “You” came close but wasn’t quite as big of a hit.
4. “The Impression That I Get” by Mighty Mighty Bosstones
Ah, The Mighty Mighty Bosstones. There was really no one else like them. This alt-rock ska-punk outfit is still considered one of the very first progenitors of ska-punk, and their biggest claim to fame was the 1997 song “The Impression That I Get”. This song is so much fun to listen to today. It’s wild that this track was the band’s only Top 30 hit to make it to the US Radio Songs chart. However, they had other songs that charted fairly well on the Alternative Airplay chart in the 90s.
5. “California” by Phantom Planet
Phantom Planet could easily be the most underrated entry on this list of one-hit wonders of alt-rock. That being said, they’re technically two-hit wonders. However, only one of their songs is remembered by the mainstream consciousness.
If you don’t think you’ve heard of them, you probably have. Their biggest hit, “California”, was the theme song of the series The O.C. It made it to no. 35 on the US Alternative Airplay chart. “Big Brat” from 2003 technically charted higher, but it is so much less memorable than “California”.
Fun fact: Actor Jason Schwartzman played the drums for Phantom Planet until 2003.
Photo by Jay West/WireImage
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