Sugar Ray, Smash Mouth, and the One-Hit Wonders That Weren’t

About this episode

Scott & Blake explore the cases of musicians labeled as one-hit wonders who achieved lasting success.

Pop music simply wouldn't be the same without one-hit wonders, those flash in a pan artists who capture the listening public's imagination... for about 5 minutes. But, what about those musicians who are labeled one-hit wonders and then absolutely refuse to go away? In this episode, Scott & Blake explore the curious cases of bands that scored a massive breakthrough hit, got written off by critics and industry insiders, and then somehow came roaring back with even BIGGER songs. This unique pattern popped up all over the 1990s, and it's easy to forget that some serious household names were originally supposed to fade into oblivion after their initial success: Smash Mouth. Sugar Ray. Beck. The Goo Goo Dolls. Radiohead! Here's a '90s-nostalgia infused look at the rare artists who've turned their 15 minutes of fame into careers that've lasted decades.

People in this episode

Hosts: Blake Wyland, Scott Marquart

Topics covered

• one-hit wonders
• 1990s music
• pop music history
• artist comebacks
• music industry

Keywords

• one-hit wonders
• 1990s
• Smash Mouth
• Sugar Ray
• music history
• artist comebacks
• pop music

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Smash Mouth, Sugar Ray, Beck, The Goo Goo Dolls, Radiohead

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