When “MMMBop” came out, the song blew our adolescent minds.
1 spot for three weeks.
Before long, Hanson’s debut album, “Middle of Nowhere,” was flying off store shelves.
The record sold 10 million copies worldwide and reached quadruple platinum status in the United States.
According to Details Magazine, “Middle of Nowhere” amassed $12 million in sales (viahanson.net).
The pop icons also cashed in during their 1998 tour, which garnered $9 million in gross profits.
“We didn’t suddenly become jackasses and buy really stupid stuff,” Isaac Hanson told Details Magazine.
He added, “We invested in ourselves and built a studio.”
Today, “MMMBop” arguably remains Hanson’s greatest claim to fame.
The brothers composed their own music, wrote songs, and played numerous instruments.
Their style set them apart from other ’90s boybands, who veered towards fancy choreography and copious auto-tune.
Despite breaking into the music business as children, Hanson always had a clear vision for their musical career.
“It’s kind of a weird thing to look back at the music.
While kids couldn’t get enough of the song, most grown-ups weren’t so enthused.
The gag aired on December 13, 1997, and featured Hanson, Will Ferrell, andHelen Hunt.
In the end, Isaac and Zac go catatonic, but Taylor remains unbothered.
Ferrell’s character realizes that he actually likes the song, which prompts Hunt’s character to execute him.
As adults, this vintage skit has us reflecting on how well and truly most adultshated"MMMBop.”
But we also can’t help feeling like this sketch is a little too sadistic.
The resulting version of “MMMBop” was a runaway success.
But when you listen closely to the words, you’ll notice it’s a pretty depressing song.
As for the other ones?
Hanson regrets to inform: “You turn your back, and they’re gone so fast.”
Meanwhile, media outlets ragged on their looks, voices, and the perceived cheesiness of the band.
Moreover, the group felt suffocated by the limelight.
In hindsight, it’s easy to laugh at the absurdity of it all.
However, some encounters with fans were less than amusing.
Nevertheless, religion played a massive role in their lives.
The trio were raised in an Evangelical Christian household, and like many Evangelicals, they were homeschooled.
“I do consider myself a Christian,” Zac Hanson toldChristianity Todayin 2007.
I think, unfortunately, it can be a barrier to people."
While the trio didn’t write expressly Christian songs, they did sprinkle theology into their music.
When Hanson came along, bigwigs at Mercury Records immediately saw them as the next teen heartthrobs.
Some of that experience is even too hard to articulate."
Plus, there were times when things got downright scary in the Hanson fandom.
Unlike other boybands, many of whom were a bit more raunchy, Hanson capitalized on their wholesome image.
The band touted their strong family values and portrayed themselves as paragons of good manners.
They were also active in charitable causes, such as pediatric AIDS, disaster relief, and poverty alleviation.
As their lives became increasingly public, the trio took great care to preserve their squeaky-clean image.
“We just never did that on camera.”
But despite their golden boy image, Hanson might’ve been more controversial than we initially realized.
In several instances, fans criticized Hanson for being “rude” and “arrogant.”
Additionally, some scorned Fansons claimed that the trio allowed a toxic culture to flourish within their fanbase.
“Hanson fans can be real a**holes.
I’m just going to be honest,” a former fan toldVicein 2020.
“They will push and shove and backstab you just to get front row.
The long-haired Hansons attracted a dumpster fire of jokes and speculation about their sexuality.
It wasn’t just the media that slammed the young musicians.
In 1997, some baseball fans booed the band right before theysang the National Anthemat the World Series.
Despite the negative press, Hanson stayed the course and focused on making music.
“We’ve always been proud of what we’ve done,” Taylor told NPR in 2007.
