Friday, 08 May 2009

• '90s One-Hit Wonders: Where Are They Now?

  Miss J
  

  Meredith Brooks, "Bitch"

  

  Your mom got mad when you sang along to this one, but that didn't stop you from rocking out at Lilith Fair to Meredith Brooks' 1998 feisty-femme anthem. But while some of those late-90s grrl-power singer-songwriters have stood the test of time (Jewel, Sarah McLachlan), Meredith got lost in one-hit-woman-wonderland along with Shawn Colvin and Paula Cole. So what's she up to today?

  

  50 (!) year-old Meredith Brooks is still making music. She just completed a children's album and gave birth to a son in 2003, and she continues to work as a producer for Sony Entertainment.

  Chumbawamba, "Tubthumping"
  

  

  All together now: "I get knocked down! But I get up again! You're never gonna keep me down!" Well, obviously something did keep Chumbawamba down, because after this saucy 1997 hit, they faded into total obscurity. But are Chumbawamba still thumping tubs somewhere out there today?

  

  The British band, who has been recording albums since 1982, has remained prolific, putting out a number of albums, creating their own record label and even playing at hipster music-fest Glastonbury.

  4 Non Blondes, "What's Up?"

  

  This band consisting of, well, four brunettes, had a smash hit in 1993 with their shrill, existential power ballad "What's Up?" What was up on the charts was only that song, for the rest of their career. (Check out American Idol's Adam Lambert's version!)

  

  4 Non Blondes split after only one album, and lead singer Linda Perry embarked on a solo career as a singer and producer. Other members have also pursued solo work.

  The Cardigans, "Lovefool"

  

  It was 1996 and "Romeo and Juliet" was topping the box office. Claire and Leo fell in tragic love to the tune of that infectious Swedish bubble-gum pop "Lovefool" (actually, that was a pretty sweet soundtrack all around). But even a song that catchy can't sustain a career, and soon the only Cardigans we had use for were sweaters. So where are they now?

  

  The Cardigans have continued to release albums and tour. So far, they've been unable to recreate the success of their album First Band on the Moon.

  Aqua, "Barbie Girl"

  

  Ugh. Just ugh. This 1997 song made me wish I were a Barbie, so I wouldn't have ears to hear that cartoonish chorus and inane lyrics. Fortunately, it had a shelf life shorter than Barbie's 50 years of fierceness. Is Aqua still penning tunes about toys?

  

  The Danish pop group released two albums before splitting in 2001. They have sold 33 million albums (really?) and are planning on releasing a Greatest Hits album (no, really??).

  Who were your favorite one hit wonders? Do you think they're still rocking it?

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