1990s One Hit Wonders Quiz

Can you name the one-hit musical acts behind these nineties songs?
Dear nitpicker We are aware that most of these groups had other hits
However, the vast majority people will know only their one song
Quiz by Quizmaster
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Last updated: August 27, 2018
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First submittedApril 15, 2010
Times taken34,964
Average score50.0%
Rating3.95
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Year
Song
Musical Act
1990
Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now)
C+C Music Factory
1990
Ice Ice Baby
Vanilla Ice
1990
Nothing Compares 2 U
Sinead O'Connor
1991
I Touch Myself
Divinyls
1991
I'm Too Sexy
Right Said Fred
1992
Jump Around
House of Pain
1992
Achy Breaky Heart
Billy Ray Cyrus
1992
Baby Got Back
Sir Mix-a-Lot
1993
What is Love
Haddaway
1994
I'll Be There for You
The Rembrandts
1995
Macarena
Los Del Rio
1995
I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)
The Proclaimers
1996
Lovefool
The Cardigans
1997
MMMBop
Hanson
1997
Tubthumping
Chumbawamba
1998
Bitter Sweet Symphony
The Verve
1998
Closing Time
Semisonic
1999
Mambo No. 5
Lou Bega
+5
Level ∞
Apr 30, 2013
Just to repeat what's said above. We know that some of these aren't technically one-hit wonders. But they will always be known for just that one song.
+2
Level 67
May 14, 2013
Thank God you put this before all the sticklers showed up. "Well, actually they had a song chart at #47, and that other one was huge on the Scottish dance charts..." I agree. All of these acts will be remembered for these songs.
+4
Level 77
May 14, 2013
Or in my case, not at all.
+10
Level 62
Apr 25, 2016
It's not just songs reaching some minor position in the charts. The Verve were significantly more successful in the UK than in the US. "Bittersweet Symphony" was #2, but "Drugs Don't Work" was a #1. They also had an extremely successful album, which pretty much should exclude anyone from calling a band a one-hit wonder.
+10
Level 39
Jun 23, 2017
In the UK The Verve were certainly not one hit wonders. They may only be known in the US as a one hit band, maybe this should be called "one US hit wonders". Also when I think of the Cardigans I would have thought My Favourite Game was bigger?

Agree with the rest though

+3
Level 72
Sep 5, 2013
So, the Proclaimers came out with that song in 1988 (which is correct on the Who Did That 80s Song quiz)...unsure why it's here. DA DA DA DA!
+1
Level 48
May 15, 2014
Da dum dada dum dada dum dada dada dum
+1
Level 66
Oct 23, 2021
Because it blew up huge in 1993 thanks to its inclusion in the movie Benny & Joon.
+1
Level 83
Mar 10, 2014
It took me forever to spell "Divinyls" correctly. Any chance of being more lenient on the spelling for that one?
+2
Level 44
May 4, 2014
The verve were not really one hit wonders, the whole album was pretty good, and Richard Ashcroft had a moderately successful solo career. Also semisonic may have been more well known for their song "secret smile"
+2
Level 89
Aug 9, 2014
I don't know where you are from but where I live (California) there is no way that Semisonic is more well known for "Secret Smile" than for "Closing Time." Both good songs though.
+3
Level 32
May 7, 2015
I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles) was actually released in 1988
+2
Level 32
May 7, 2015
Ice Ice Baby 1989
+2
Level 74
Nov 19, 2015
If you want to get really pedantic, the year 1990 is technically the last year of the 80s...
+2
Level 76
Jul 23, 2018
It wasn't, though. I'm guessing you're thinking of the thing where the year 2000 was still part of the 20th century, and the 21st century started in 2001. That's all correct; since there was no year 0, the 1st century ran from 1-100 CE, the 2nd century from 101-200 CE, etc. But that's because they're being counted as part of a sequence, while saying something was during the '80s simply means during a year with "eighty" as part of its name; i.e., from 1980-1989.
+1
Level 93
Aug 5, 2021
interesting then that 2000 was not in the 90s but also not in the 21st century.
+1
Level 66
Oct 23, 2021
Yes, but it charted in the US in 1993, which is why it's on this quiz.
+1
Level 88
Mar 1, 2016
Not to nit pick but the Rembrandts had a fair amount of success in '90 with "That's Just the Way it Is" which was top 20 on several charts and had AOR airplay. Of course, powered by Friends, they had their biggest hit in 96.
+3
Level 66
Mar 6, 2016
The Divinyls have had MANY hits - well before I Touch Myself.... in Australia this song is actually not even close to being the one song they will always be known for!
+1
Level 62
Apr 25, 2016
Not sure about that. As a young person, that's the only song of theirs I know.
+1
Level 42
Jun 15, 2016
Maybe I'm just a Bill Murray fan, but I'll always remember C+C for the Space Jam
+1
Level 66
Oct 5, 2017
You don't mean the theme for the movie Space Jam, do you? Because that was the Quad City DJ's, not C+C Music Factory.
+3
Level 68
Jun 3, 2017
Come on, The Verve don't belong here. Neither do the Cardigans actually
+1
Level 35
Dec 7, 2017
Things that make you go hmmmm, arguably more radio play than Gonna make you sweat
+1
Level 66
Oct 19, 2018
For a brief period of time, but it didn't endure in public consciousness the way "Gonna Make You Sweat" did.
+2
Level 84
Apr 15, 2018
I definitely remember 500 miles from the 80s.
+1
Level 22
May 13, 2018
500 miles was an 80s song. Also, Hanson were not a one hit wonder.
+4
Level 61
May 17, 2018
you are correct. hanson was less than a one hit wonder.
+1
Level 62
Jul 23, 2018
Hanson had 2 top 10 hits in the US, 4 top 10's in the UK, and 5 top 10 hits in Australia, also several gold and platinum albums.
+1
Level 67
Jun 21, 2018
Sinead O'Connor, Divinyls and Billy Ray Cyrus are not one hit wonders. Maybe in America but they were huge around the world in Australia, Canada and United Kingdom etc.
+1
Level 59
Jul 22, 2018
I always find it funny how the Proclaimers seem to always be regarded as 90s one hit wonders, despite the fact that "I'm Gonna Be" was released in the 80s.
+1
Level 66
Oct 19, 2018
That's because it was relatively unknown in the US until it was included on the Benny and Joon soundtrack in 1993, which caused it to become a hit.
+1
Level 65
Jul 22, 2018
Sunshine of Leith is probably now more well known from the Proclaimers worldwide than 500 miles, although I get the latter is probably better known in America.
+1
Level 62
Jul 23, 2018
I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles) is a track from the album Sunshine On Leith.
+1
Level 76
Jul 23, 2018
Yes, and Sunshine on Leith was the title track from that album.
+2
Level 30
Jul 22, 2018
some of these singers had several hits. Vanilla Ice had "Play that Funky Music, #4, C + C Music Factory, "Things That Make you Go Hmmmm" also #4.
+1
Level 57
Jul 23, 2018
How bizarre to call the Proclaimers a one hit wonder! In the UK at least their most successful song was ''Letter from America' which reached #2 in charts and was massive.
+1
Level 47
Jul 23, 2018
Piece of cake.
+1
Level 61
Jul 23, 2018
What about "I Love You Always Forever"?
+1
Level 66
Jul 25, 2018
17/18. I'll Be There For You. I kept singing the Bon Jovi song. Didn't even think about the theme song from Friends.
+2
Level 66
Dec 3, 2018
Some of these I remember, but others I only know because of the excellent "One Hit Wonderland" YouTube series by Todd in the Shadows.
+1
Level 20
Mar 15, 2019
divinyls are NOT one hit wonders, they have several hits and are still popular in Australia.
+1
Level 58
Apr 10, 2019
The Proclaimers, The Verve and The Pretenders all had multiple big hits in the UK! This is definitely from an American perspective.
+1
Level 44
May 10, 2019
i tried KC and JC but for the life of me i couldn't figure out that dang music factory.
+2
Level 57
Dec 22, 2020
I'm gonna be one of those people and say many of these are NOT one hit wonders. There are better examples of the term.
+1
Level 76
Aug 13, 2021
So apparently pointing out that the frigging title of the quiz is inaccurate is being a nitpicker. >__>

What these artists are remembered for is a different issue, since the fact that their songs were hits is irrelevant to how well they are remembered decades later. You are conflating to separate things.

+2
Level 66
Oct 23, 2021
Does Billy Ray Cyrus still count as a one hit wonder now? He was in Old Town Road and that song was obnoxiously huge a couple years ago.
+1
Level 81
Mar 22, 2023
Pretty sure I tried C&C music factory - can we get a little flexibility here?
+1
Level 76
May 3, 2023
Pretty sure C&C Music Factory had more than one hit.