What Happened To These '90s One-Hit Wonders?

There's something so intriguing about one-hit wonders. These songs are like comets, shining with a burning intensity for a short time — only to fade out and leave us with memories of their beauty. Lucky for us, one-hit wonders can be played at our convenience, allowing us to revel in their glory. A decade that had some of the best one-hit wonders to put on repeat? The '90s. Alternative, grunge, hip-hop, pop — music in the '90s was fresh and diverse, giving room for new talent to emerge and make their names known. Some groups made it big in the '90s ... and some acts made it big for a short time, with one song. Makes you wonder: What happened to them after their five seconds of fame? 

Well, they didn't disappear off the face of the earth. In fact, you may be surprised just how much these '90s one-hit wonders have been up to since their smash hits debuted.

British alternative rockers the Verve (not to be confused with the other one-hit wonder '90s band, the Verve Pipe) achieved major success in the U.K. and across the pond in the States with 1998's "Bitter Sweet Symphony," a track that reached No. 12 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart (via Songfacts). The song earned the band a Grammy nomination in 1999, and its music video, featuring singer Richard Ashcroft practicing some awful sidewalk etiquette, earned several VMA nominations (via IMDb). The band's big hit had come, and it seemed as though more hits were on the horizon — but, alas, "Bittersweet Symphony" would be their only smash global hit.

So, what happened to the Verve? Well, according to MTV, they broke up in 1999 (for a second time in their career) but got back together in 2007 (via the BBC) before breaking up for good in 2009 (via The Guardian). Needless to say, their working relationship was tumultuous. And, of course, getting sued didn't help matters. According to the BBC, the song was the subject of a complicated copyright lawsuit brought on by former Rolling Stones manager Allen Klein, which resulted in the band losing their royalties and publishing rights to the tune. Those royalties were given back to Ashcroft more than two decades later, in 2019. But if your '90s heart is dying for a Verve reunion, don't hold your breath. As NME reports, some band members don't even talk to one another anymore. 

You know a band will deliver something memorable with a name like Chumbawamba. The Brit rockers struck gold with their 1997 song "Tubthumping," giving us the classic lyrics "I get knocked down, but I get up again, you're never gonna keep me down." The fun, nostalgia-triggering track reached No. 6 on the Billboard Hot 100 and catapulted to No. 1 on the Pop Songs chart, where it made itself comfy for nine weeks (via Billboard). With that kind of traction, it felt as though the band, who had been together since 1982 (per Rolling Stone), was on the fast track to a career filled with chart-toppers. However, the endearing "Tubthumping" would end up being the band's biggest hit, cementing its status as one of the funnest one-hit wonders of the '90s.

What happened to Chumbawamba post-"Tubthumping"? They made more music, and used their tunes to highlight political and social issues over the years. But, as the saying goes, all good things must come to an end. According to Rolling Stone, Chumbawamba broke up in 2012. There's no bad blood between bandmates, though, and '90s music enthusiasts haven't seen the last of the band. According to NME, former lead singer Dunstan Bruce made a documentary about Chumbawamba, but its release date is TBD. 

As soon as you hear the intro to House of Pain's "Jump Around," you know you're in for a good time. The 1992 party hit skyrocketed to the No. 3 spot on U.S. charts (via Songfacts) and charted across the globe. The infectious hip-hop crossover hit had people flocking to the dance floor to, you guessed it, jump around and let loose. House of Pain became the country's favorite Irish-American hooligans, dishing out a party and rally anthem that's still played at sporting events and bars. 

The trio, consisting of DJ Lethal, Danny Boy, and Everlast, collaborated to create an epic summer hit — but, turns out, it would be the only huge hit House of Pain would have. According to Songfacts, the group's follow-up singles failed to chart as highly as "Jump Around" did, and their 1994 and 1996 albums didn't make waves. And, according to Everlast (in an interview with The Aquarian), the group was plagued with personal issues that led to an unhappy atmosphere. As CNN reports, Everlast left the group in 1996. He went on to have a successful solo career, DJ Lethal joined a little band called Limp Bizkit, and, according to Page Six, Danny Boy battled drug addiction until he got clean in 2005. House of Pain have reunited on and off to play shows over the years, and all three members were part of the hip-hop supergroup La Coka Nostra, which Danny Boy and DJ Lethal are still part of.

Ah, yes — the song that perfectly sums up every bar's last call. Alternative rock group Semisonic unleashed a huge '90s hit with 1998's "Closing Time," which hit No. 1 on the Billboard Alternative Airplay chart in the U.S. and reigned there for five weeks. The song, both a catchy way to get patrons to finish their last drink and a metaphor for entering the world (via Songfacts), put Semisonic on the late '90s pop-rock map. All that success ... and then poof, Semisonic seemed to disappear off the face of the planet. 

What happened? Well, as Entertainment Weekly reports, the band didn't "break up," necessarily — they just stopped playing music in the early 2000s. One of the reasons is that lead singer Dan Wilson wanted more time to care for his daughter (via Rolling Stone). He hasn't been completely out of the music scene, though. According to Rolling Stone, he's written songs along with, or for, several music powerhouses over the years, including the Chicks, Taylor Swift, and Adele.

After laying (mostly) dormant for almost 20 years, Semisonic got the band back together and released a new EP in 2020, bringing that nostalgic '90s pop-rock sound to the 21st century (via Rolling Stone). The band is still playing together and, according to their website, they're slated to play two sold-out shows in Minneapolis in January 2023.

Need a little bit of Monica in your life, or a little bit of Erica by your side? If so, turn on Lou Bega's cover of "Mambo No. 5." The German singer graced us with this hit in 1999 and it delivered, reaching No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 in November of that year after an impressive run on global airwaves over the summer (via All Music). It's one of the most iconic songs of the '90s, filled with jazz and mambo riffs that make people flock to the dance floor. The song's global success seemed like the perfect career tee-up for Bega — turns out, it had the opposite effect, with "Mambo No. 5" still being his only chart-topping song to date. 

Not that Bega didn't try to replicate the success of the song, though. As All Music states, he released albums in 2001, 2006, and 2010, but none of their tunes ignited that same spark that "Mambo No. 5" did back in '99. The albums may not have been massive commercial successes, but that didn't stop Bega from touring and performing his beloved '90s song in front of audiences. 

Now, you may wonder — how does Bega really feel about his one-hit wonder? According to Vanity Fair, he debated that question for a bit. But at the end of the day, he's all for "Mambo No. 5" and is grateful for everything it's brought him.

Armed with a feel-good melody and a story of princely proposals, "Two Princes" by Spin Doctors grabbed the attention of both pop and alternative listeners. The song went to No. 7 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1993 and earned the band a Grammy nomination. Their first album, "Pocket Full of Kryptonite," (which featured the semi-successful song "Little Miss Can't Be Wrong") was a huge success, going an impressive five times Platinum (via 48 Hills). 

A killer album, and a catchy crossover soaring on the charts — seems like Spin Doctors were destined to release more hits with that kind of start. However, their follow-up album, 1994's "Turn It Upside Down," failed to pick up mainstream attention. From there, Spin Doctors hit a bit of a rough patch.

According to 48 Hills, guitarist Eric Schenkman quit the band (right in the middle of a California performance) in 1994. Bassist Mark White left in 1999 — the same year lead singer Chris Barron experienced a serious vocal condition that jeopardized his singing career. Barron prevailed, though, and the original lineup played together again in 2001 as part of the last hurrah for Wetlands Preserve nightclub in New York City (via jambands.com). The band released three albums after that reunion (via All Music), but according to jambands.com, they parted ways with White after he chose not to get the COVID-19 vaccine. White's Instagram bio currently reads "Former bass player for the Spin Doctors because I refuse to get vaccinated."