These three rock bands from the 90s were pretty big for a moment, but eventually faded into one-hit wonders. But they deserve so much more love than they got at the time, as they went on to build high-quality discographies. Whether they were too innovative, obscure, or even too derivative, these bands never quite got off the ground.
Toadies
Toadies formed in 1989 and became one-hit wonders with the song “Possum Kingdom”, released on their 1994 debut album Rubberneck. They deserved much more love, especially for that album, which they’ve since celebrated on its 20th and 25th anniversaries. Rubberneck was an innovative mix of conflicting genre elements and storytelling. It drew from theatrical metal, abrasive punk, and typical grunge-rock, using these to cradle a loosely conceptual narrative. In this way, “Possum Kingdom” was meant to be a continuation of the story told in “I Burn”, about cult members who immolate themselves.
The Nixons
The Nixons formed in 1990 and gained one-hit wonder status with the 1995 single “Sister” off their second album, Foma. While the general consensus labeled The Nixons as derivative of pretty much every other 90s alt-rock band on the radio, there’s something to be said for a familiar sound. It’s possible that if music critics and listeners weren’t gunning for something completely unique every time, The Nixons would have gained more recognition. Yes, they had a specific sound popular at the time. But the reason it’s popular is that it works. And that’s not always a bad thing.
Spacehog
Spacehog debuted in 1995 with the album Resident Alien, launching their one-hit wonder “In the Meantime”. This band of Englishmen in New York drew influences from glam rock superstars like David Bowie and T. Rex, blending them with a distinctly 90s alt-rock sound. Ambitiously mixing 70s rock theatrics with 90s grunge sentiment, Spacehog never quite got off the ground in the mainstream scene. They remain an underground favorite, however, with fans still flocking to their music videos on YouTube. A recurring comment on several Spacehog songs features fans recalling hearing them on the radio once, then losing track of them, only to find them again decades later. The Spacehog that goes around always comes around, as they say.
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