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MMMBop

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This article is about the song. For the demo album, seeMMMBop (album).

"MMMBop"
SinglebyHanson
from the albumMiddle of Nowhere
B-side"Where's the Love"
ReleasedApril 15, 1997(1997-04-15)
Recorded
Genre
Length
  • 4:28(album version)
  • 3:58 (single version)
LabelMercury
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
Hansonsingles chronology
"MMMBop"
(1997) 		"Where's the Love"
(1997)
Audio sample
Music video
"MMMBop"onYouTube

"MMMBop"is a song written and performed by Americanpop rockbandHanson.It was released on April 15, 1997, as thelead singlefrom their first full-length studio album,Middle of Nowhere(1997). The song was nominated for twoGrammysat the40th Annual Grammy Awardsand is the band's most successful single to date. "MMMBop" was a major success worldwide,[1]reaching number one in at least 12 countries, including Australia, Canada, Germany, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States.

The song was voted the best single of the year inThe Village VoicePazz & Jopcritics poll, while also topping critics' polls from such media asRolling Stone,Spin,andVH1,and was ranked number 20 on VH1's "100 Greatest Songs of the 90s", as well as number 98 on VH1's "100 Greatest Songs of the Past 25 Years". In 2023, Hanson released a new version of "MMMBop", entitled "MMMBop 2.0" in collaboration with Englishpop punkbandBusted.

Background and composition

[edit]

The song originally appeared on the 1996 independent albumMMMBopwith a slower tempo, but was reworked as an upbeat pop track by producersthe Dust Brothers.This became the hit version. In an August 2004 interview with Songfacts, Zac Hanson explained the song's origins:

That song started out really as the background part for another song. We were making our first independent album and we were trying to come up with a background part. We started singing a slightly different incarnation of what is now the chorus of "MMMbop". That sort of stuck in our heads and never really worked as a background part, and over a couple of years, that piece really has stuck in our heads and we really crafted the rest of the song – the verses and bridge and so on.

What that song talks about is, you've got to hold on to the things that really matter. "MMMbop" represents a frame of time or the futility of life. Things are going to be gone, whether it's your age and your youth, or maybe the money you have, or whatever it is, and all that's going to be left are the people you've nurtured and have really built to be your backbone and your support system.

They [the lyrics] weren't inspired by one artist in particular. The first music that we got into was '50s and '60s music. If anything, "MMMbop" was inspired byThe Beach Boysand vocal groups of that era – using your voice as almost adoo-wopkind of thing. It was something we almost stumbled upon.[2]

"MMMBop" is written and composed in thekeyofA major.[3]

Critical reception

[edit]

Larry FlickfromBillboardwrote, "The rush of youth-driven acts on radio accelerates with the onset of this candy-coated pop confection. Try to imagine what theJackson 5might sound like with the accompaniment of a skittlingfunkbeat and scratchy faux-grungeguitars, and you will have a clear picture of where Hanson is coming from. Initially it's a mildly jarring combination, but it's ultimately quite cool. Factor in an instantly catchychorus,and you have the making of a runaway smash. "[4]A reviewer from ScottishDaily Recordnoted, "They're about half the age of theSpice Girls,but Hanson can sing, play their own instruments and string a sentence together. It must be their American upbringing. "[5]Sara Scribner fromLos Angeles Timesviewed it as "a lighthearted dollop of nonsensical pop."[6]British magazineMusic Weekgave the song four out of five, stating that "media attention is sky high for these threeTulsabrothers, aged 11, 14 and 16. And this cutesy, catchy pop song is the ideal debut single to cash in on that interest. "[7]

Chuck EddyofRolling Stonefelt it "sticks in your brain likeTridentin your shag carpet. "He explained," Built on a turntable-scratch update of thesoulrhythms that served as turn-of-the-'70sbubblegum rock's secret weapon, the song is as unintelligible as it is indelible. Its hooks suburbanize the Jackson 5 as expertly asthe Osmondsused to, but whether its quivering lyrics really deal with chewing (a favorite bubble entendre since theOhio Express' "Chewy Chewy") is anybody's guess."[8]Ian Hyland fromSunday Mirrorrated the song eight out of ten, commenting, "Teenage brothers from America who sound a bit likeSheryl Crowonhelium.You'll love this at first, but in a few weeks you'll be kicking the TV in whenever their smiley faces appear. "[9]David Sinclair fromThe Timesconcluded, "No 1 in America and all over British radio like a rash, it sounds like a gilt-edgedpop standardalready. "[10]

"MMMBop" was voted the best single of the year inThe Village VoicePazz & Jopcritics poll, while also topping critics' polls from such media asRolling Stone,Spin,andVH1,and was ranked number 20 on VH1's "100 Greatest Songs of the 90s",[11]as well as number 98 on VH1's "100 Greatest Songs of the Past 25 Years".[12]In 2021,Rolling Stoneranked it as the ninth-best boy band song of all time.[13]

Music video

[edit]

Amusic videowas produced to promote the single, directed by American film, television and music video directorTamra Davis.[14]It features the Hanson brothers singing and playing their instruments in a suburban living room. In between, there are clips of them entering a cave, ending up on a beach. Other scenes show them playing around in a city, dancing on the Moon, driving a car or appearing in old footage ofAlbert Einstein.[15]

Track listings

[edit]

All songs were written by Isaac Hanson,Taylor Hanson,and Zac Hanson. Additional songwriters are noted in parentheses.

Charts

[edit]

Certifications

[edit]
Region Certification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[77] 2× Platinum 140,000^
Austria (IFPIAustria)[78] Gold 25,000*
Belgium (BEA)[79] Platinum 50,000*
Germany (BVMI)[80] Platinum 500,000^
New Zealand (RMNZ)[81] Platinum 10,000*
Sweden (GLF)[82] Platinum 30,000^
Switzerland (IFPISwitzerland)[83] Gold 25,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[85] Platinum 758,000[84]
United States (RIAA)[87] Platinum 1,500,000[86]

*Sales figures based on certification alone.
^Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Release history

[edit]
Region Date Format(s) Label(s) Ref(s).
United States March 24, 1997 Top 40 radio Mercury [88]
April 15, 1997
  • 7-inch vinyl
  • CD
  • cassette
 [89][90]
United Kingdom May 26, 1997
  • CD
  • cassette
 [91]
Japan June 4, 1997 Mini-CD [92]
June 20, 1997 CD [93]

Notable cover versions

[edit]

Twenty years after the first recording of "MMMBop", approximately 93,000 cover versions of the song were counted byMTVreporter Patrick Hosken in March 2016, as represented onYouTube.[94]The Hansons told Rebecca Milzoff atVulturethat they had not heard any good cover versions, because "People can't sing the chorus right. Most of the time they syncopate it wrong," according to Isaac Hanson.[95]Later that year,Postmodern Jukeboxrecorded a cover in the style of 1950s swingingdoo-wopwith four male singers;[95]picking up 1.5 million views on YouTube in the first year.[96]In July 2019, the official HansonTwitterfeed shared a video by Scary Pockets, a band founded by keyboardistJack Conte.The Scary Pockets version was fronted byLucy Schwartzon lead vocals, andAdam Neelycovered the electric bass.[97]

In 2023, English bandBustedreleased a cover version of the song, in collaboration with Hanson. The new version, "MMMBop 2.0", was released as a single worldwide on May 26, 2023.[98][99][100]It peaked at number 10 on theUK Singles Sales Chart.[101]

References

[edit]
  1. ^Pingitore, Silvia (May 19, 2022)."From the 1997 world hit MMMBop to 30 years in music: interview with Hanson".The Shortlisted.RetrievedJune 27,2023.
  2. ^"Zac Hanson: Songwriter Interviews".Songfacts.RetrievedJanuary 30,2018.
  3. ^Taylor, Hanson; Isaac, Hanson; Zachary, Hanson (January 13, 2020)."MMMBop".Musicnotes.RetrievedMay 26,2021.
  4. ^Flick, Larry(April 5, 1997). "Reviews & Previews: Singles - New & Noteworthy".Billboard.p. 72.
  5. ^"Charts Slot".Daily Record.June 6, 1997.
  6. ^Scribner, Sara (May 25, 1997)."In Brief".Los Angeles Times.RetrievedJanuary 22,2023.
  7. ^"Reviews: Singles".Music Week.May 17, 1997. p. 13.
  8. ^Eddy, Chuck(June 26, 1997). "Recordings".Rolling Stone.Issue 763.
  9. ^Hyland, Ian (May 25, 1997). "Tune in to Six of the Best by Radiohead Tune into Six of the Best; Preview: Music".Sunday Mirror.Retrieved December 1, 2020.
  10. ^Sinclair, David (May 31, 1997). "The week's top pop releases; Records".The Times.
  11. ^"VH1: 100 Greatest Songs of the '90s".VH1.Archived fromthe originalon October 14, 2014.RetrievedJanuary 27,2015.
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  15. ^"Hanson - MMMBop (Official Music Video)".YouTube.October 7, 2009.RetrievedSeptember 14,2021.
  16. ^US formats:
  17. ^Australian formats:
    • MMMBop(Australian CD single liner notes). Hanson. Mercury Records. 1997. 574 500-2.{{cite AV media notes}}:CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
    • MMMBop(Australian cassette single sleeve). Hanson. Mercury Records. 1997. 574 500-4.{{cite AV media notes}}:CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  18. ^MMMBop(US 7-inch single vinyl disc). Hanson. Mercury Records. 1997. 314 574 260-7.{{cite AV media notes}}:CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  19. ^MMMBop(US 12-inch single vinyl disc). Hanson. Mercury Records. 1997. 314 574 261-1.{{cite AV media notes}}:CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  20. ^MMMBop(UK CD single liner notes). Hanson. Mercury Records. 1997. 574 499-2.{{cite AV media notes}}:CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  21. ^MMMBop(UK cassette single sleeve). Hanson. Mercury Records. 1997. 574 498-4.{{cite AV media notes}}:CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  22. ^MMMBop(European CD single liner notes). Hanson. Mercury Records. 1997. 574 498-2.{{cite AV media notes}}:CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  23. ^MMMBop(Japanese CD single liner notes). Hanson. Mercury Records. 1997. PHCR-8405.{{cite AV media notes}}:CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
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  85. ^"British single certifications – Hanson – Mmmbop".British Phonographic Industry.RetrievedJanuary 25,2021.
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  88. ^Newman, Melinda (April 5, 1997). "Mercury Makes Way for Hanson".Billboard.Vol. 109, no. 14. p. 15....'MMMBop,' which officially went to top 40 radio with a different mix March 24.
  89. ^Unterberger, Andrew (April 20, 2017)."Coming Around Again Podcast: Remembering Hanson's 'MMMBop' 20 Years After Its Single Release".Billboard.RetrievedJuly 6,2021.
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  92. ^"キラメキ☆MMM Bop | ハンソン"[Sparkle☆MMM Bop | Hanson] (in Japanese).Oricon.RetrievedAugust 31,2023.
  93. ^"キラメキ☆MMM Bop | ハンソン"[Sparkle☆MMM Bop | Hanson] (in Japanese). Oricon.RetrievedAugust 31,2023.
  94. ^Hosken, Patrick (March 22, 2016)."Hanson Have Never Heard a Good Cover of 'MMMBop' – But Here's Who They Think Could Nail It".MTV News.Archived fromthe originalon March 23, 2016.RetrievedFebruary 16,2021.
  95. ^abMilzoff, Rebecca (March 22, 2016)."Hanson on the 20th Birthday of 'MMMBop'".Vulture.RetrievedFebruary 16,2021.
  96. ^Purdom, Clayton (May 5, 2017)."Hanson'sMiddle Of Nowhereturns 20 this weekend ".The A.V. Club.Archived fromthe originalon September 18, 2020.RetrievedFebruary 16,2021.
  97. ^@hansonmusic (August 5, 2019)."MMMBop ft. @LucySchwartz & @adamneelybass! Full video: http://youtu.be/fiShsfvbFUA"(Tweet) – viaTwitter.
  98. ^"Busted & Hanson - MMMBop 2.0".Apple Music.May 26, 2023.RetrievedMay 27,2023.
  99. ^"Busted and Hanson team up for new version of 90s classic MMMBop".Virgin Radio.May 23, 2023.RetrievedMay 27,2023.
  100. ^"Busted team up with Hanson on new version of '90s classic MMMBop".Retro Pop Magazine.May 26, 2023.RetrievedMay 27,2023.
  101. ^"Official Singles Sales Chart Top 100".Official Charts Company.June 2, 2023.RetrievedJune 2,2023.
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