Some 90s artists built decade-long careers. Others got one perfect song, one music video in heavy rotation and one summer on top of the world. These are the 90s one hit wonders: songs so catchy that you probably still know every beat, even if you could not name a second song by the artist.
Quick answer
The best-known 90s one hit wonders include "Macarena" (Los del Río, 1996), "Tubthumping" (Chumbawamba, 1997), "Blue (Da Ba Dee)" (Eiffel 65, 1999), "What's Up?" (4 Non Blondes, 1993), "Mambo No. 5" (Lou Bega, 1999), "No Rain" (Blind Melon, 1993) and "How Bizarre" (OMC, 1996).
Key takeaways
- "One-hit wonder" usually refers to the US charts; some of these artists had more hits abroad.
- Dance and novelty songs dominate the list, thanks to clubs, sports arenas and weddings.
- Most of these songs are still party staples today.
The 25 best 90s one hit wonders
| # | Song | Artist | Year | Why it stuck |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Macarena (Bayside Boys Mix) | Los del Río | 1996 | A dance everyone at every wedding knew |
| 2 | Tubthumping | Chumbawamba | 1997 | The ultimate get-back-up anthem |
| 3 | Blue (Da Ba Dee) | Eiffel 65 | 1999 | Pitch-shifted vocals and a hook you cannot unhear |
| 4 | What's Up? | 4 Non Blondes | 1993 | A huge sing-along chorus |
| 5 | Mambo No. 5 | Lou Bega | 1999 | Swing-revival fun with a list of names |
| 6 | No Rain | Blind Melon | 1993 | The "bee girl" music video |
| 7 | How Bizarre | OMC | 1996 | A breezy New Zealand summer hit |
| 8 | Steal My Sunshine | Len | 1999 | Peak late-90s road-trip pop |
| 9 | Barbie Girl | Aqua | 1997 | Bubblegum Eurodance at its most extreme |
| 10 | Whoomp! (There It Is) | Tag Team | 1993 | A sports-arena staple |
| 11 | C'mon N' Ride It (The Train) | Quad City DJ's | 1996 | Instant dance-floor conga line |
| 12 | Cotton Eye Joe | Rednex | 1994 | Techno meets hoedown |
| 13 | Informer | Snow | 1993 | Fast-talking reggae-pop that topped the US chart |
| 14 | I'm Too Sexy | Right Said Fred | 1991 | Deadpan catwalk parody |
| 15 | Groove Is in the Heart | Deee-Lite | 1990 | Psychedelic dance-floor joy |
| 16 | Unbelievable | EMF | 1991 | Indie-dance crossover with a shout-along hook |
| 17 | Breakfast at Tiffany's | Deep Blue Something | 1995 | The song everyone knows the chorus of |
| 18 | Return of the Mack | Mark Morrison | 1996 | Smooth R&B that never ages |
| 19 | Barely Breathing | Duncan Sheik | 1996 | A radio slow-burner that lasted for months |
| 20 | Rico Suave | Gerardo | 1991 | Pure early-90s swagger |
| 21 | Lovefool | The Cardigans | 1996 | Sweet Swedish pop from a big movie soundtrack |
| 22 | Here Comes the Hotstepper | Ini Kamoze | 1994 | Reggae-rap with an iconic intro |
| 23 | The Rhythm of the Night | Corona | 1994 | Italian Eurodance that filled every club |
| 24 | Who Let the Dogs Out | Baha Men | 2000 | The bark heard at every ballpark |
| 25 | Torn | Natalie Imbruglia | 1997 | Huge on US radio; she had more hits in the UK and Australia |
Hosting a party? One-hit wonders are the secret weapon of a 90s playlist: everyone knows them, and nobody is sick of them yet. Pair this list with our 90s party songs for a full night.
ONE HIT WONDERS
- Macarena
- Tubthumping
- Blue (Da Ba Dee)
- What's Up?
- Mambo No. 5
- No Rain
- How Bizarre
- Steal My Sunshine
- Barbie Girl
- Whoomp! (There It Is)
- Cotton Eye Joe
- Return of the Mack
The dance-craze one-hit wonders
A big share of 90s one-hit wonders came with a dance. The Macarena is the most famous: its arm-by-arm routine was simple enough for grandparents and kids, and it spread through weddings, school dances, ball games and even political conventions. "C'mon N' Ride It (The Train)" and "Cotton Eye Joe" became line-dance staples, while "Whoomp! (There It Is)" turned into a stadium chant. These songs did not need radio to survive; they lived on wherever people danced.
The alternative and rock one-hit wonders
The early 90s alternative boom produced its own one-hit wonders. 4 Non Blondes scored with "What's Up?", a song with one of the decade's biggest sing-along choruses. Blind Melon's "No Rain" was helped by a music video starring a girl in a bee costume, which became an MTV favorite. Late in the decade, Chumbawamba, a band with a long history in the UK underground, turned "Tubthumping" into a global anthem.
The Eurodance invasion
Europe exported a wave of high-energy pop to US radio in the late 90s. Aqua's "Barbie Girl" and Eiffel 65's "Blue (Da Ba Dee)" are the best-known examples. Both songs sounded like nothing else on American radio, which is part of why they were impossible to follow up there.
Fun fact: The "bee girl" from the "No Rain" video became one of the most recognizable images of 90s MTV, and the video is still a nostalgia favorite.
Why the 90s made so many one-hit wonders
- CD singles and cassingles: cheap singles let fans buy one song without the album, so a single could chart without a hit album behind it.
- MTV and VH1: one memorable video could make an unknown band famous overnight.
- Movie soundtracks: a song on a hit soundtrack could reach millions of people who had never heard of the band.
- Novelty and dance songs: songs built around a dance or a gimmick are hard to follow up.
A ready-made one-hit wonder playlist order
Throwback playlist flow
- Warm-up: "Groove Is in the Heart", "Lovefool", "How Bizarre"
- Sing-along: "What's Up?", "Breakfast at Tiffany's", "Torn"
- Dance break: "Macarena", "C'mon N' Ride It (The Train)", "Cotton Eye Joe"
- Peak: "Tubthumping", "Blue (Da Ba Dee)", "Mambo No. 5"
- Wind-down: "Return of the Mack", "Barely Breathing"
Try this: Think you know your one-hit wonders? Take the music round of the 90s trivia quiz.
Conclusion
One-hit wonders are a big part of why 90s music still feels fun. For the artists who stuck around, see our guides to 90s boy bands and 90s girl groups, or test your friends with our 90s trivia questions.
Frequently asked questions
What is a one-hit wonder?
A one-hit wonder is an artist best known for a single hit song and no other comparable chart success. The label usually refers to one country's charts, so an artist can be a one-hit wonder in the US but have several hits elsewhere.
What is the biggest 90s one-hit wonder?
The "Macarena" by Los del Río is usually named the biggest. The Bayside Boys remix spent 14 weeks at number one in the US in 1996 and started a worldwide dance craze.
Is "Barbie Girl" a one-hit wonder?
In the US, yes: Aqua never had another hit as big. In parts of Europe and Australia, Aqua had several more hits, so it depends on where you grew up.
What one-hit wonders are good for a 90s party?
Crowd-pleasers include "Macarena", "Tubthumping", "Blue (Da Ba Dee)", "Mambo No. 5", "Whoomp! (There It Is)", "C'mon N' Ride It (The Train)" and "Cotton Eye Joe".
Why were there so many one-hit wonders in the 90s?
Radio, MTV and big CD-single sales could turn one catchy song into a global hit very quickly, and novelty dance songs spread through clubs, sports arenas and weddings. Following up a novelty hit was hard.