The May 6 release quickly shot to No. 1 in several countries like the UK, Australia and Germany, though it peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard 200, blocked from reaching the top spot by pop superstars, the Spice Girls.
Still, it turned the trio into global pop-rock sensations almost overnight.
At the center of the album’s success was the lead single, “MMMBop,” a catchy earworm with an infectious chorus that became one of the defining pop hits of the late 1990s, and remains a nostalgic bop all these years later.
Issac, now 45, previously told The Guardian that they listened to a lot of rock and roll growing up, along with a “lot of doo-wop,” which influenced the chorus.
“We recorded it in a one-car garage, put it on an independent album and sold several thousand copies at local gigs,” he said.
While the original version was “slower and more brooding,” it was rejected by all record companies before Mercury turned it into a smash hit.
The rest is history.
In a landscape dominated by teen boy bands, “MMMBop” stormed the charts, with the breakout smash hit peaking at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and staying there for three weeks, while reaching the Top 10 in many countries across Europe.
The song’s success was powered largely by radio plays, though it was heavily in rotation on MTV as well.
The album sold over 10 million copies worldwide and earned three Grammy nominations. And while “MMMBop” remains a large part of the success, the additional five singles were also well received, including “Where’s the Love,” “Weird,” “Thinking of You” and “I Will Come to You.”
The Governor at the time, Frank Keating, even declared May 6 as “Hanson Day” in Tulsa to commemorate the major release of the three brothers whose melodies reached audiences all across the world.
To this day, Hanson’s fanbase remains strong and dedicated, with Middle of Nowhere remembered as one of the biggest debut albums of the era, with “MMMBop” their signature and most recognizable hit.
A quick listen to the single’s youthful pop-rock melody will instantly transport you to 1997, as the band was on the cusp of their teen global domination.
