Despite their debut single being titled “Popular”, 90s alt-rock band Nada Surf took a while to find their niche. This single got them so close to the mainstream relatively early. But when they went in a different stylistic direction for later releases, that popularity seemed to wane.
Still, for those in the know, Nada Surf remained a beloved band in the late-90s alt-rock scene. “Popular” had a hand in kicking off their cult status, with the unusual source material for the song’s verses.
“Popular” is made up of a singular chorus breaking up verses that recite popularity tips for high schoolers of the 1960s. The verses are taken from Penny’s Guide to Teen-Age Charm and Popularity, a 1964 etiquette guide written by actress Gloria Winters, who notably portrayed Penny King on the 50s drama series Sky King.
Nada Surf’s Matthew Caws took these tips and gave them a sarcastic, spoken-word delivery. The result is a song that sounds like the inner monologue of every main character in quintessential 90s teen movies.
Nada Surf’s Popularity Became Cult Status as Mainstream Interest Dwindled After Debut
Nada Surf’s debut single was well received on the radio after its release in May 1996. Its presence grew steadily, increasing by 151 plays on the air from May 20 to May 26, according to the World Radio History archive. It was played on a total of 22 stations within that time as well.
But once Nada Surf released the rest of their debut album, High/Low, that upward trajectory seemed to slow. That’s not something you ever want as a band. But chart formulas and mainstream trends are still prevalent today. There’s a reason why hit singles exist, after all.
“After the attention from ‘Popular’ died down, people seemed to get the impression that we’d somehow fallen from grace,” said Matthew Caws, speaking with Time in 2012.
Nada Surf is often labeled a one-hit wonder after the surge of “Popular”. That’s not to say the song didn’t deserve the attention. But longtime fans know there’s so much more to Nada Surf than mainstream popularity. Especially years after “Popular”, as the band went through stylistic experiments and changes. Their latest album was Moon Mirror from 2024.
Although they continued to perform “Popular” during live shows, Caws essentially said that it felt difficult to balance who they are now with who they were then. More specifically, it often comes down to new fans vs. old fans.
“We’ve tried playing ‘Popular’ at concerts now,” he said in 2012. “If we don’t play it, someone is grumpy. If we do play it, someone else is grumpy. We can’t win.”
The post This 1996 Alt-Rock Hit Took Words Straight out of a 1960s Dating Manual, Yet It’s Surprisingly Great appeared first on VICE.
