The Second Biggest Hit by 4 So-Called “One-Hit Wonders” From 90s Rock

The 90s saw plenty of rock one-hit wonders. However, some of those artists and bands shouldn’t really be considered one-hit wonders. This is due to the fact that some rock bands from that decade released at least one more hit after (or before) their breakthrough hit. Let’s explore the second biggest hits of four rock one-hit wonders from the 1990s!

1. “Movies” by Alien Ant Farm

Nu metal outfit Alien Ant Farm made it big with their 2001 cover of a Michael Jackson classic. “Smooth Criminal” was a huge hit that took a pop classic and turned it into a modern rock earworm. As of 2024, the song has been streamed more than 450 million times on Spotify, and it topped the Billboard Alternative Airplay chart when it was first released.

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“Movies” actually came out a few years before the band’s breakthrough hit “Smooth Criminal”, and it deserves more love. It hit no. 18 on the Alternative Airplay chart in 1999 and paved the way for the success of “Smooth Criminal”.

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2. “Nobody’s Real” by Powerman 5000

Nu-metal fans who were around during the genre’s heyday in the late 1990s likely remember Powerman 5000. This band became pretty huge with the song “When Worlds Collide”. That hit made it to the Top 20 on various rock charts and became more popular when it was added to the soundtrack of Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater and Adam Sandler’s film Little Nicky.

“Nobody’s Real” is another hit from Powerman 5000. It didn’t quite grab the attention of listeners like “When Worlds Collide”, but it did do very well upon its release in 1999. It made it to the Top 20 on the Modern Rock chart and no. 23 on the Mainstream Rock chart.

3. “Tyler” by Toadies

This underrated grunge band released “Possum Kingdom” in 1994, and they were expected to catapult to the level of fame enjoyed by their fellow grunge contemporaries. The song peaked at no. 4 on the Alternative Airplay chart and quickly became their most recognizable song.

The band’s second hit “Tyler” should have dislodged them from the label of “one-hit wonders”. However, it didn’t quite meet the level of popularity of “Possum Kingdom”. It’s still a catchy track, though.

4. “Just Take My Heart” by Mr. Big

“To Be With You” by Mr. Big was the signature ballad of 1991. It topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart for three weeks and became a global hit for the glam metal outfit.

“Just Take My Heart” got close to being just as big, as did their cover of “Wild World”. However, “Just Take My Heart” only made it to no. 16 on the Hot 100 chart and didn’t really have the lasting effect or catchiness of “To Be With You”.

Photo by Paul Natkin

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