Top 10 90s Rock One Hit Wonders You Forgot Were Awesome

WatchMojo

Time to dust off those flannel shirts and ripped jeans! Join us as we revisit those unforgettable 90s rock songs that dominated the airwaves before their creators faded into obscurity. These musical gems still deserve your attention, from angsty anthems to melancholic masterpieces that defined a generation of alternative rock, grunge, and post-grunge excellence.

Transcript

00:00Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the top 90s rock

00:13one-hit wonders you forgot were awesome.

00:15Look around your world, pretty baby, is it everything you hoped it'd be?

00:2310. Pepper, Butthole Surfers

00:27Known previously as an underground punk act, Butthole Surfers finally received mainstream

00:33attention with Pepper.

00:34The surreal lyrics and spoken word performance from Gibby Haynes makes this one unforgettable

00:46ride.

00:47Along with the psychedelic guitar part, the track has avant-garde elements that make it

00:52one of the stranger hits of the decade.

00:57Some will die in hot pursuit while sifting through my ashes.

01:00Haynes' delivery encapsulates a particular kind of 90s aesthetic that embraced the best

01:06of being weird.

01:07The song did well on several charts, including the Billboard Modern Rock charts, while also

01:13rewriting the playbook on the genre.

01:15Mikey took a knife while arguing in traffic.

01:18Flipper died a natural death.

01:19He caught a nasty virus.

01:21It also invited more casual fans into the world of truly alternative music.

01:25You never know just how you look through other people's eyes.

01:319.

01:32Flagpole Sitta, Harvey Danger

01:35Harvey Danger's fiery track, Flagpole Sitta, mixes influences in achieving its angsty sound.

01:42From power pop to alternative rock, the song features a plethora of signature ingredients.

01:47I had visions, I was in them, I was looking into the mirror.

01:53Singer Shawn Nelson sings every verse like his life depends on it, offering up a subversive

01:58list of 90s phrases.

02:00Many of those words are best when screamed or shouted along with Nelson.

02:04You told them all I was crazy.

02:07Appearing in different film and television shows, the tune has developed a cult following

02:11over the years.

02:13Its deeper meaning is a furious statement fit for a decade of innovative rock music.

02:23Although Harvey Danger didn't return with another substantial single, this hit still

02:27has its fair share of fans.

02:298.

02:38Popular, Not A Surf

02:41On their album High Low, Not A Surf's track Popular uses spoken word to deal with the throes

02:46of young love.

02:47Three important rules for breaking up.

02:50Don't put off breaking up when you know you're on school.

02:53Belonging the situation only makes it worse.

02:55The band was inspired by a teenage self-help book and decided to subvert the original message.

03:00In a tongue-in-cheek performance, the group lets a subtle guitar riff gradually ratchet

03:05up the tension.

03:06This all spills over into a rocking chorus that is every bit as distorted and loud as

03:16the best of 90s alternative rock.

03:18Lead singer Matthew Cause does justice to the material with the verses and the hook coming

03:23together for an impressive final product.

03:317.

03:32Three Little Pigs, Green Jelly

03:36The fairy tale Three Little Pigs gets a metal facelift in this song from Green Jelly.

03:40They spin a yarn about the famous characters, but give the lyrics a few extensive reworkings

03:53at the same time.

03:54This isn't your ordinary retelling, and the group makes sure that you won't soon forget.

03:59You'd think the surprises would end there, but the single even features some additional

04:10work from an all-star lineup of artists.

04:12Diverse voices like Tool's Maynard James Keenan and even Pauly Shore grace the track

04:17with their talents.

04:21Along the way, a few hard rock instrumentations give the piece another memorable addition.

04:376.

04:39Love Is On The Way Saigon Kick

04:42Even as the music world was shifting towards grunge, bands like Saigon Kick continued to fly

04:48the flag of the 80s glam metal scene.

04:58This prompted a single off of their album, The Lizard, called Love Is On The Way.

05:03It begins with a delicate acoustic guitar pattern that follows in the footsteps of many great

05:07ballads of the time.

05:087.

05:11By the time they reach the chorus, the band members come together for some powerful harmonies.

05:24The song itself was a top-20 hit in the early 90s and introduced the group to a wider audience.

05:33Saigon Kick continued to work through the decade, but they weren't able to find a success to

05:38equal this compelling power ballad.

05:495.

05:50Wake Up Boo – The Boo Radleys

05:54Anyone in need of a pick-me-up should play this track for instant results.

05:59British band The Boo Radleys crafted a tune that you can't help but love, with its sunshine

06:09tone and positive lyrics.

06:12The song starts up with a burst of sounds that don't waste any time in delivering happiness

06:16to listeners.

06:17By the time the band reaches the chorus, the Britpop production wins over everyone with

06:25its life-affirming and succinct message.

06:29Other members of the 90s subgenre might have taken over the mainstream, but this group still

06:33warms our heart with this cheery performance.

06:394.

06:44Send Me On My Way – Rusted Roots

06:47This acoustic guitar riff at the center of Send Me On My Way is arguably as famous as any

06:52other from the mid-90s.

06:54It is just one key part of the song's enduring appeal.

07:02In terms of its lyrics, the piece gives off feel-good vibes with its eternal optimism.

07:07The track was released in two versions, with the more well-known being on their album When

07:12I Woke.

07:13It has taken on a life of its own with various appearances in media in the years since.

07:23Some people count it out for being a one-hit wonder, but it actually carries a beautiful

07:27message behind it that's worth revisiting.

07:33In the late 90s, Sister Hazel offered up a popular, jangly rock single.

07:43Their hit All For You offers one of the more underrated hooks of the decade.

07:52The song brings an almost folk influence to the alternative music world, with a tune that's

07:59right for a sing-along.

08:00It's an amazing debut that hasn't lost its luster after many changing trends.

08:05A powerful vocal performance sells the song as something more than a one-off release.

08:15Sister Hazel appeared on rock charts in several different countries for their fantastic work.

08:28Whenever it pops up on the radio or a streaming playlist, All For You reminds listeners of

08:33its indisputable catchiness.

08:42The Scottish band left the biggest impact of their career with Roll To Me, which made

09:04people stop and take notice with its elliptical guitar sounds.

09:08Few people cite the track for its vocal melodies, which are simply enthralling.

09:12The single, and its accompanying album Twisted, earned the band some of their best reviews

09:23in the process.

09:25Despite some people thinking Roll To Me gets overplayed, it still earns its status as one

09:29of the best earworms of the 90s rock scene.

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09:54In the meantime, expertly mines the depths of glam rock for a new era.

10:10Singer Royston Langdon pushes his talents to the limit in a career-defining performance.

10:15His impressive vocals are complemented by a slew of compelling work from the rest of the band,

10:20backing him with a layered sound.

10:22When I cry for me, I cry for you, with tears of holy joy.

10:28As both a piece of music, and a set of lyrics, the effort never backs down with its proud explorations

10:35of alternative songwriting.

10:42It also has a timeless quality that any rock fan can come to appreciate.

10:47Even if Space Hog doesn't have the same recognition today, this work still deserves its place in

10:52the pantheon of 90s classics.

11:00Did we forget your favorite rock one-hit wonder from the 90s?

11:04Let us know in the comments below.

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