Where Are They Now? 3 Rock One-Hit Wonders That Owned the 90s

These three famous rock bands may have released an additional hit or two back in the day, but they are mainly known for one respective song that dominated the airwaves in the 1990s. And if you’re wondering what these rock one-hit wonders from the 90s are doing now, we’ve got you covered!

1. Chumbawamba

Who could ever forget Chumbawamba? “Tubthumping” was all over the place in 1997, and the British rock band seemed like they were on the way to the top. Unfortunately, that never happened.

While the anarcho-punk outfit didn’t immediately disappear, they never quite had another hit like “Tubthumping” outside of the UK. Still, they didn’t give up and kept making music well into the 2000s. Unfortunately, in 2012, Chumbawamba broke up after 30 years together.

2. Semisonic

When it comes to rock one-hit wonders that dominated the 90s, we couldn’t forget Semisonic and their 1998 chart-topping hit “Closing Time”. The alt-rock band never really hit the charts on an international level the same way again (with the exception of “Secret Smile”) but they also didn’t close up shop right after “Closing Time” peaked.

The band released another album in the early 2000s that didn’t chart well stateside. They went on a hiatus for years until they celebrated the 20th anniversary of their debut album in 2017 with a small tour.

Semisonic released a surprise single in 2020 titled “You’re Not Alone”, followed by an EP and a few shows. They toured with Barenaked Ladies in 2023, and also released another album called Little Bit Of Sun. It seems like the band is still trying for a comeback, and we’re not mad about it. Their new work is pretty impressive.

3. Blind Melon

The song “No Rain” and its famous music video were one of the best alt-rock releases in 1993. Sadly, Blind Melon never really charted the same way again. Luckily, though, this Los Angeles rock band hasn’t gone anywhere… at least permanently.

Blind Melon went on a hiatus in 1999 following difficulties carrying on after the sudden and tragic death of their singer Shannon Hoon in 1995. The band reemerged in 2006 with a new lead singer, a new album, and a US tour by 2008. Sadly, a number of dates from that tour were canceled due to issues with their new lead singer, and the band went on another hiatus until 2010.

That year, they released some new work. In 2015, Hoon’s daughter famously performed the song “Change” with Blind Melon in Indiana. In the years since, they’ve released a documentary about Hoon, released some more music, and even released a book of interviews with people about Hoon’s legacy. It isn’t clear if an album will be coming as of 2024.

Photo by Niels van Iperen

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