ONE HIT WONDERLAND: "Crazy for This Girl" by Evan and Jaron

(Go to curiositystream.com/toddinthes... for your special offer from CuriosityStream!)
They were two beautiful boys who played the most unthreatening music you've ever heard. Is "minivan rock" a real thing, and if so, were Evan and Jaron worth remembering as a part of it?

[@TheAirBear2000]

"We've Never Heard of You Either" is honestly a hilarious album name.

[@ddjsoyenby]

it really is.

[@bfish89ryuhayabusa]

And super on-the-nose for their now complete lack of public notoriety.

[@bigbearkat2010]

I actually do like the name. Like at least they're leaning into their obscurity.

[@Frosting1000]

Omg yeah, the more I think about it, the funnier it is

[@michaellisinski2822]

There's a part of me that feels like this is what the New Radicals album should have been called. It would have fit their image perfectly

[@maikujakufan]

"Who is this for?" Teen girls making their first shipping amv was my first thought. My fondness for a lot of these minivan songs can be directly tied to nostalgic feelings for old amvs that have disappeared off the face of the earth.

[@ToddintheShadows]

I did find quite a few decades-old fanvids of old WB shows set to their songs

[@frankabbeduto]

OMG I hate the fact that AMVs was the first thought about this band as well!

[@caesarorzell600]

@@ToddintheShadows They're pretty WB-core, yeah, but for like Seventh Heaven and not Gilmore Girls. Gilmore Girls had Yo La Tengo.

[@asf8648]

Yeah all this music brings me right back to Naruto AMVs

[@bartholen]

That actually makes me kind of sad. I was never into AMVs myself, saw maybe five of them, but I know they were a big subculture of early KZbin. We've kind of gotten used to the thought that everything on the internet is forever, but the thought of having nostalgic memories for some obscure AMV that you can never find again is a bit of a downer.

[@msorg16]

Evan and Jaron, the musical equivalent of the Property Brothers.

[@venichen1]

LMAO

[@BewareTheLilyOfTheValley]

This is way too damn accurate 😂

[@fauxrowsdower7610]

if one of the property brothers was doing PR for and in all likelihood sleeping with roman polanski

[@kylynch198]

Lmao this is so brutal because the property brothers have a music career

[@maggie5990]

I always called this style of early 2000s music, “the WB sound”. Songs that definitely would have played on WB shows or ads.

[@carybeweary7209]

Oh,yeah they would!

[@ChrisTopher-id4mz]

My intro to quote-en-quote Minivan Rock was Paula Cole’s “I don’t Wanna Wait”.

[@gabe_s_videos]

YES!! That’s exactly what I call it too!! Or rather “Dawsons Creek rock” (and sometimes “sexy angst”)

[@BonJoviBeatlesLedZep]

That legacy continues to this day on The CW with Riverdale and The Flash. Even Superman and Lois, which is actually good, isn't immune

[@Alex-fv2qs]

They also have a WB look, I could see either of them playing young Clark Kent

[@lildeadgirl1443]

I just always called this kind of music “Ending Credits Rock”

[@lasarousi]

"sad teen looking through a rainy window to the beat of 1/3 percussion" music

[@kashthrills]

the sony sound

[@leaffinite2001]

Yeah to me its the sort of rock theyd put in a nickelodeon or disney channel movie where the 14 yr old mc is supposedly a rock genius

[@theuncannydag]

"Jaron" is the kinda name I'd expect a CW series' character or a Gleek to have

[@justme0910]

"Jaron" sounds like a shipping portmanteau. Like "Jared and Aaron are meant for each other! #TeamJaron"

[@SamAronow]

I’ve had the same thought all these years until I just now realized it’s just the English version of Yaron.

[@gregorywiederecht]

@@SamAronow really? That is the most pointless.... name regionalization ever

[@merrittskidmore-hess6746]

@@SamAronow that only hit me when Todd revealed they were observant Jews. Did you notice Evan was wearing the 'frum fedora' at 18:56 and other shots?

[@rocketgeek96]

This is gonna sound strange, but, having never seen their faces before I had always assumed it was a Latin or Hispanic name, like Juan or Jose. You know, "Haron."

[@sierras.4592]

This song actually ranks 37 on a Billboard list of top Minivan Rock songs, for those of you who were absolutely not wondering at all.

[@blackwidow8412]

Hahaha 😂😂

[@tarantulakid]

Middle of the road on a chart of middle of the road music

[@andrewy864]

Todd himself actually co-wrote that article.

[@sierras.4592]

@@andrewy864 Well that makes sense.

[@onionsavoya1506]

You should do a Trainrecords About when ICP went off the Tracks. Im talking about The Marvelous Missing Link Lost and Found.

[@fanbladeinstruments]

"To my eternal frustration, things that sound like Fountains Of Wayne do not tend to become hits". I hear you brother

[@TehBlitzEffect]

Fancy seeing you here! Getting back in the garage?

[@QuickQuips]

Seriously I'm wonder why Mexican Wine couldn't be another hit. It even was on the same album as Stacy's Mom.

[@gentlemandemon]

I know Train doesn't qualify as a one-hit wonder, but I just find it funny that they seem to have a one-hit wonder every decade or so.

[@PhilipWester]

Once a decade hit wonder.

[@absentcoder4552]

@@BenjaminGriffel-ix8he The Fray.

[@ironbacon]

Stop the train!

[@WillyLee23]

@@PhilipWester that means they’re due for one soon

[@Skullkan6]

They are a zombie. They need to be put down for good.

[@tylers1996]

One became the GM of the awesome Post Modern Jukebox and the other now lives with Kevin Spacey. Those are two life choices that couldn’t be more different.

[@TheSongwritingCat]

There is always an evil twin

[@Dez861]

Todd: "It's catchy. But, who really resonated with this song?" By all accounts, 7-year-old me. 7-year-old me thought this song was the shit.

[@adamgardiner5869]

Holy cow they DO look like actors on a CW show about vampires or magic.

[@daishoryujin95]

They look like all three Supernatural guys fused together

[@louschwick7301]

Discount Ian somerhalder

[@CarterJ9]

@@daishoryujin95 Supergeneric

[@chaosPneumatic]

At first I was feeling so happy for Evan that he found such success in his post-hit life until the name of Kevin Spacey hit me like Mack 10 truck...

[@AirQuotes]

Same but I had a feeling the other shoe was going to drop

[@iwakeupandboomimarat]

at least the other guy does stuff for postmodern jukebox??? i guess???

[@thema1998]

@@iwakeupandboomimarat Postmodern Jukebox is pretty well-liked within its niche. That has to count for something! 🤷

[@gregoryeatroff8608]

@@thema1998 I'm quite keen on Postmodern Jukebox.

[@jasonguarnieri4127]

"We've Never Heard of you Either" is my new favorite album title.

[@Drogon7102]

Its weirdly pissy. I feel the opposite.

[@qty1315]

@@Drogon7102 How about this one? "Record Collectors Are Pretentious Assholes." Yes, that's a real album name and I love it. Another fun one is "Two Dogs Fucking."

[@tafua_a]

@@qty1315 Step aside and welcome "?!", Italian rapper Caparezza's first studio album.

[@qty1315]

@@tafua_a Better than "So."

[@annburlingham4563]

One of Garry Trudeau's 1980s Doonesbury comics collections is titled "He's Never Heard of You, Either". It's actually good. Good to great.

[@scottEhall3]

"Just like 'Smells Like Teen Spirit' killed hair metal, 'Losing My Religion' murdered a whole generation of soft rock." 🔥🔥🔥

[@alex_flamer267]

This is how Todd is so entertaining and accurate with his music history!

[@Broski-Brodski]

@@alex_flamer267 he’s a lot less accurate about his music predictions though

[@krigillustrate]

@@Broski-Brodski toddstradamus strikes again

[@kaitlin9288]

Honestly Teenage Dirtbag is just a very well-crafted song. It's got a strong narrative that pits the main character as the underdog, a lot of songwriterly details to it (keds and tube socks, Iron Maiden tickets), and - like Todd said - there's a resolution to the story where the characters end up together. Also that hook is absolutely killer and sticks in the brain for a very long time. I can absolutely see why it's getting retrospectives written about it 20 years later.

[@ReaperCH90]

It's one of the favorite songs of my girlfriend who unlike me wasn't even alive when it came out. Maybe that has an impact since I connect with it being in elementary school and for her it's maybe actually the song.

[@rabidhog4912]

Yeah, sad that wheatus decided that releasing a song titled “wannabe gangstar” afterwards was a good idea 💀💀

[@The_Faceless_No_Name_Stranger]

It’s also a good song to sing while rolling in an HMMVE in worn torn Iraq

[@ZapperRS]

@@rabidhog4912 that song is nice

[@medes5597]

I can definitely see why Brendan B Brown, the lead singer and songwriter, has carved out a decent career writing songs for various power pop and pop-punk bands. He's got a knack for hooks and easy but compelling lyrical details.

[@brokengirrafe]

One of the few videos that truly deserve the "YOU WONT BELIEVE HOW THIS ENDS" caption.

[@rgs8970]

I literally gasped at the reveal

[@Jennyfisch]

Yep. Where ever I thought it was going - this wasn't it.

[@ROZWBRAZEL]

@@takemyhand1988 ...............why do you *think?*

[@ROZWBRAZEL]

@@takemyhand1988 you're not going to even address the implication that he's Spacey's live-in boyfriend at all?

[@ROZWBRAZEL]

@@takemyhand1988 ...mmkay Also YAY the video's back up! Todd won!

[@estebandemartino1616]

"Looked like actors on The CW" painfully accurate.

[@hithedragon7842]

Seriously. As soon as I saw the shot of them in the car I thought "this looks like Supernatural"

[@Alex-fv2qs]

I think either of them could've passed as young Clark Kent as well

[@idontneedaname318]

I thought they were the guy from The Vampire Diaries

[@captainayaaya28]

In another world they played Sam and Dean Winchester from Supernatural

[@SuperGroat]

watching these as an european is always a fascinating dive into what feels like an alternative reality

[@patricklauer4452]

As an Aussie i feel the same lol

[@YngtchieMusic]

Norwegian here, same. This is the first time I've ever heard this song.

[@MichaelSmith-fq6hz]

Just for the record: I remember this song because I had a soft spot for the hook, but it wasn’t huge in the US. It wasn’t extremely popular like Eminem or whoever.

[@helenl3193]

Same here in the UK - my reaction to most of these tends to either be 'wtf this band/artists isn't a 1 hit wonder?!' or 'who?!?'. But I still watch all of them. Love Todd's snarky insights

[@luelou8464]

@@helenl3193 People in the UK probably would have noticed the hook from Going Underground.

[@stacywiebe4828]

Todd, you hit the nail on the head. I was 13 in 2000 and I spent MANY the evening sitting on the floor crossed-legged in front of my floor length door mirror putting on white eyeliner with glitter blush while belting this song. Also, I would be a lying liar if I didn't tell Alexa to immediately play "From My Head to My Heart" this morning and dance like I was wearing JLO Jeans again while sorting through marching band and baseball laundry from this weekend. You took this mom on a journey - so yes, this song was made SPECIFICALLY for me, both at 13 & 34...

[@JennaLeigh]

Sis, I was 18 in 2000 and I too rocked the white eyeliner and glitter blush combo... While playing this along with NSYNC, BSB, Britney, Christina...... Only I was going clubbing in my low rise J.lo jeans, rocking Glow perfume.... And yeah- I already pulled Evan and Jaron up on KZbin for a trip down memory lane💖

[@assboi]

Minivan Rock is a fitting name, I personally call it the Disney Channel Rock because that's the type of music their mid 2000's shows had for theme songs.

[@Johnny0lovely69]

And have on their AM Radio stations

[@kylehegedus5498]

#RadioDisney

[@LeoMidori]

This sort of thing really reminds me of things I'd hear in the background of teen dramas like Dawson's Creek.

[@blazicgd]

Disney channel rock comes in 3 forms. A. The soft pop rock like this B. Upbeat, overproduced power pop like Hilary Duff, and Hannah Montana C. artists who have a mix & match genres into their typical style of pop rock, namely Aly&AJ who dabbled in country, CCM, folk pop, Sunshine pop, electronic rock, alternative rock, power pop, even some hard rock, listen to their 05 song Rush, the chorus has a lot of Crush 40 in it

[@grahamkristensen9301]

That sounds about right. I did listen to a lot of Radio Disney as a kid and remember this and a lot of songs like it popping up constantly.

[@ghostofabulletproducciones5748]

I like to call this type of songs "AMV Rock": songs meant to be the soundtrack of extremely sappy and cheesy videos made from low res anime footage

[@vwestlife]

As for teenage girls not liking '60s-inspired power pop, another one-hit-wonder "we're not a boyband because we play our own instruments" boyband would prove you wrong in 2004 -- the Click Five with "Just the Girl".

[@rullmourn1142]

pfffttttt.

[@Sophie_Cleverly]

In the UK we had McFly as well who always seemed quite Beatles-inspired to me and they were huge here!

[@Stelios78910]

@@Sophie_Cleverly McFly's Beatles covers are great tbf. Not as iconic as their Queen cover, but both 'Help' and 'She Loves You' still hold-up today.

[@ToddintheShadows]

Funny thing, the Click Five is the first time I remember thinking of this entire subgenre as a distinct thing

[@garthnichols4604]

@@rullmourn1142 I really hope McFly had a hit in the US so Todd can cover them. My most guilty pleasure band of all time

[@GregCubed]

“We’ve never heard of you either” aged as a title a lot better than I think Evan and Jaron wanted it to

[@aaronman4772]

Seeing the Title: “I’ve never heard of this song.” Hearing the Chorus: “Wait it’s THAT song? I thought this was made exclusively for soundtracks and commercials.”

[@driverjayne]

I literally thought it was the theme song of a random CW show. I thought I knew it from flipping through the cable channels looking for something to watch

[@MedalionDS9]

Well... it may as well have been

[@camzoman]

The Imagine Dragons of their day.

[@Gatorade69]

Yeah. I also thought the same thing.

[@larissabrglum3856]

The theory that the song was aimed at teenage girls makes a lot of sense, given that the girl in the song isn't described at all. Perfect self-insert!

[@mendoftheweek3751]

Todd previously theorized that’s why the One Direction songs and the like spend very little time describing the girl, because it’s meant for ALL the girls to insert themselves.

[@Avrysatos]

I would never have thought this song had even a tangential relationship with postmodern jukebox. Wow.

[@JoshuaFagan]

This series has taught me that one hit wonders have incredibly weird and prolific careers after their hit.

[@Thomasmemoryscentral]

See Thomas Dolby, The Buggles and Toni Basil for 3 examples of strange post one hit wonder careers?

[@richarddorazi8565]

For me, minivan rock is the type of anonymous and polished rock music of the late ‘90s/early ‘00s that easily pops up or you can imagine popping up in teen movies and TV shows of the era with “Crazy for this Girl” being a prime example of this.

[@rashotcake6945]

Her name is noeeeeelle

[@thegeecyproject]

Minivan rock is making somewhat of a comeback right now, too! You only need to listen to recent singles by Soccer Mommy and Beabadoobee to hear that sound’s influence to this day.

[@ressezpbmonk]

@@thegeecyproject Pale Waves too!

[@dmidkif]

Is "Ocean Avenue" by Yellowcard a minivan rock song? If so, it is probably my favorite example.

[@rocketgeek96]

@@dmidkif Honestly, I think that song might be the *exact crossroads* of minivan rock and "mall punk" (lightweight, carefree pop punk from around the same time frame, e.g. Blink 182, Sum 41, Avril Lavigne, etc.). It's got the pop punk chords and starry-eyed wanderlust about leaving home for kids getting into diet anarchy, but enough of a generic crush narrative about Average Self-Insert Girl Fantasy that it can hit big with their moms as well. Plus, it's got a violin solo, which is _way_ more than any 90s alt-pop act ever did with their cellos. I think there were probably enough of these songs to warrant a sub-subgenre, so since it involves minivans _and_ malls, I propose that it should be called "carpool pop." (Though I would also accept parking-lot pop, mall-walk pop, or even wander pop. It is hard to find a good word for driving to and hanging out at a mall.)

[@misterabbadon977]

"She rolls the windows down" the only logical conclusion is its about their mom who's currently driving a minivan

[@ems159]

"She talks over the sound" Your mom is giving you a lecture

[@daelen.cclark]

“Someone’s mom has got it goin’ on!”

[@nickfield1569]

The One Hit Wonderland Cycle: Sees thumbnail "Which one is that? I've never heard of it" Clicks video *Todd begins playing song* "Oh, that one! Every word is woven into my Hippocampus"

[@XMIKE920]

"We've Never Heard Of You Either", is a pretty meaningful Album Title for these two, considering that they popped out of the blue for like 2 months at the turn of Y2K. Lets face it these two wouldn't have even gotten one hit if it weren't for Jimmy Buffet.

[@Thomasmemoryscentral]

Tai Bachman and Wheatus came out a strange time for one hit wonders. Tai scored his only hit in 1999 which saw another Canadian one hit wonder Len chart big with Steal My Sunshine. A brief over view on Canadian musicians in the late 90’s could be good for that episode since Canadians such as Alanis and Sarah Machalan we’re hitting big. Given he is the son of Randy Bachman probably helped too and got Bob Rock to produce it is awesome. Wheatus came out in 2000 with their big hit that chatted high in most areas and yet not the hot 100. The early 2000’s contained a lot of weird one hit wonders that weren't just Wheatus but stuff such as Another Dumb Blonde, Feels So Good and Get Over Yourself

[@Panthersoup]

The term minivan rock immediately resonated with me because I'm extremely nostalgic for this kind of music, and I actually do primarily associate it with being a kid riding in the back of my mom's minivan. If it was played on adult alternative radio in 2003 I probably love it even if it's mediocre or sucks. Love this song by the way!

[@ddjsoyenby]

honestly they're ok.

[@standardofexcellence]

Hey man I just realized I'm a mark for Halloween rock

[@whackedoutwrestlingpodcast1404]

Honestly, the term minivan rock resonates in the "goddammit I spent most of my life as a music fan thinking I had cool, eclectic taste in music and this term basically describes my taste in music to a T and now I realize how lame I've always been and I'm kind of having an identity crisis here GOD I love the concept and I hate them so much for making it a thing!"

[@Lunchbox224]

I'd call it Outlet Rock, the kind of music you'd hear in changing rooms.

[@jacobbambam5460]

Slightly better than elevator music.

[@claymccoy]

Retail Rock.

[@bjarkusmcfarkus6737]

Outlet rock is very much a thing. When I worked at Burlington Coat Factory I heard Breakfast at Tiffany’s constantly

[@randallcraft4071]

A girl at my last job said in like 2019 her favourite band ever is Evan and Jaron. I was blown away.

[@RMorgan7HD]

Todd is probably the only youtuber I was watching 10 years ago that I still watch regularly today, quality content as always

[@alaaranaranoya1499]

Worm. Genuinely a facet of my late teens straight into my twenties approaching my thirties. Thank you Todd, bottom of my heart,

[@arithefierysecretary6411]

Been watching Todd since I was 18. I'm turning 30 in June. I am so happy to still see him going strong.

[@ValleyOfTheKens]

I'm like all of you! Saw this guy on a horrible website when I was 16, and still watch each new video as I turn 30 soon. And I still haven't seen his face.

[@chazjohannsen]

Minivan rock is the family-friendly radio station that always played the “90’s, 00’s, and Now!”

[@sarahbee6758]

When you said “this story is going to go places” I immediately got a sinking feeling. I’m still not recovered from learning what became of Meredith Brooks through your videos.

[@SeanStrife]

And... it kinda did, let's be real.

[@timmy841212]

Meredith was a lost cause lol

[@sarahbee6758]

@@SeanStrife a bit worse than I even expected

[@erikdaniels0n]

I did not expect Kevin fucking Spacey to make an apperance on One Hit Wonderland

[@tylers1996]

The Rick Derringer episode had a record scratch ending too.

[@rafaelvarga8185]

This "genre" is my guilty pleasure, I love it wholeheartedly.

[@JennaLeigh]

You and me both, Rafael. 💖

[@coyotelong4349]

Same. “Just the Girl” by The Click Five is a banger too

[@nothingislogical]

I feel like “She’s So High” and “Teenage Dirtbag” are more fondly remembered because they’re a lot more endearing than this song. Those two songs have a little something extra that makes them more fondly remembered. This is a perfectly catchy, clean cut sounding pop song and not much else. If this is “minivan rock”, it’s more minivan than rock where those other two examples are more rock than minivan, if that makes any sense. Also, I remember Evan and Jaron being marketed like a boy band back in the day too. The TRL crowd ate it up. I don’t think anyone really saw them as anything else, especially in the wake of an act like BB Mak who very purposely marketed themselves as a boy band with guitars.

[@isetmfriendsofire]

Teenage Dirt against even pulls some pop punk sounds

[@leaffinite2001]

Titles worse too. "Teenage dirtbag" is memorable as a title

[@karelfinn2343]

“Unfortunately to my eternal frustration, things that sound like Fountains of Wayne do not tend to become hits.” I've never agreed with you more, Todd.

[@eliasmg9144]

We truly live in a society

[@gelitrippingkiddo5907]

It’s tragic

[@heymistercarter.]

“Unfortunately to my eternal frustration, things that sound like Fountains of Wayne do not tend to become hits.” Kinda surprised you haven’t done a One-Hit Wonderland on them yet Todd. I mean, Stacy’s Mom was by far and away their biggest hit with chart success. Although I have heard they’re more of a cult hit act. So maybe if you did a OHW on them, maybe it could be like your episodes on The Darkness and SemiSonic, where you also use it as a way to showcase their other, maybe more overlooked songs for those of us who aren’t as familiar with them, along with discussing their biggest hit.

[@littlekingtrashmouth9219]

They are the anti-one hit wonder

[@Frosting1000]

Oh man I’d love to see this band covered in OHW, I remember seeing the Stacy’s mom music video when I was literally 5 or 7 and then questioning my sexuality for the rest of my young life (I’m a 22 y.o. woman) so I’m so curious abt their impact

[@michaelbrennan9156]

I know Adam better for his collabs with Rachel Bloom including writing a lot of the music for Crazy Ex-Girlfriend. Dude was a talent.

[@heymistercarter.]

@@michaelbrennan9156 also I think he worked with a band called Fever High. Their song All Work is pretty good.

[@yardship]

Hey Julie was in Scrubs!

[@DestinyKiller]

I freaking love Pray for You. It probably doesn't hit as hard just because it doesn't sound very bitter even though it should

[@historicalFeminist]

"he lives with kevin spacey" SIR?????????????

[@laurabii99]

literally nothing prepared me for the end of this. if i ever write something that insane i'll be satisfied with my work

[@taylorcatalana1783]

“Who was this for?” Me when I was 11, imagining any boy would ever think so highly of me. So you nailed, Todd. Also for my mom, who was obsessed with the acoustic version of this song that was featured on its single EP. Similar Minivan Rock she enjoyed was “Amazing” by Josh Kelley, husband of Katherine Heigel.

[@al5547]

About to say! I love this song unironically.

[@TimmyTickle]

And brother of one of the guys from Lady A(ntebellum)

[@buttrioska8737]

they ran so the jonas brothers could walk

[@RenaldyCalixte]

And One Direction could fly. 😅

[@Heriarka]

Anyone else think these guys's post band life would make an amazing movie scenario? Like, some family thing about the two brothers trying to spend time with each other despite the very very strange and different ways they both went.

[@daishoryujin95]

…. That’s arrested development.

[@Tama-Hero]

oh my god I love this song Im so happy you're covering it If you are curious who it resonated with, it resonated with me as an ugly 8 year old when I found it on a now that's what I call music CD, and then when I actually started dating in high school this was my mushy crush song of choice. I liked both boy bands AND this.

[@Guzuma]

tamashii on a todd video omg

[@trapadvisor]

Love your videos, have since I was like 11 in 2012.

[@jeremymain7303]

I've never once heard this song.

[@michellehanson984]

The nice thing about the girl in the song being really unspecific is that it's really easy to imagine it being yourself. Or your OTP for that matter.

[@LittleMissLounge]

LMAO, same, except I was an ugly 11-year-old.

[@MyssBlewm]

When Todd covers "Teenage Dirtbag" he's going to have to talk about one of my favorite bad early 00s teen romcoms. All those years watching "Loser" on a boring Friday afternoon is going to pay off!

[@SamAronow]

For me it’s _Generation Kill._

[@WolfsDE]

Loser is a highly underrated movie. Sure, it isn't the type of film to get Oscar buzz....but it is a fun story, the leads are relatable and while not as funny as American Pie... Jason Biggs and Mena Suvari both do a fantastic job and show some real on screen chemistry.

[@whenfatkillsfat803]

"Turn it down just a scoch!?"

[@caesarorzell600]

DUDE THAT MOVIE IS AWESOME!!!

[@lyrialzander]

👏Teenage👏Dirtbag

[@DementedMK]

My mom is *obsessed* with Evan and Jaron, has as much music as she can find from them, and so oddly enough a lot of this I’ve heard and forgotten weren’t standard everyone-knows-them songs

[@MissAlmostFine]

Funnily enough, I'm a lover of songs like this. Those very vaguely "rock" inspired, pop songs were my jam from 1997 to like 2005.

[@JesusKrispies]

I feel like Minivan Rock morphed into that nebulous genre of Heard it On Grey's Anatomy. Like The Fray, or Snow Patrol.

[@daishoryujin95]

Snow patrol needs to be an episode of OHW.

[@hammyjammies]

@@daishoryujin95 I'm not sure if it's different elsewhere, but Snow Patrol had quite a few hits in the UK outside of just Chasing Cars

[@daishoryujin95]

@@hammyjammies after listening to the episode of Song Vs Song about Chasing cars, you are correct.

[@iamathousandapples]

ooh the Fray, the staple band of House

[@Thomasmemoryscentral]

Chasing Cars is their biggest crossover hit though. As is The Reason for Hoobastank and Loser by Beck

[@EpicBeard815]

I am just BOWLED over by Evan's career as a talent agent

[@michaelmcninch425]

I know it's been 9 months but I just needed to get this outta my system... Yeah... "talent agent", honestly I often find my "talent agents" on grindr.

[@carlcarlington7317]

My favorite thing is seeing a one hit wonderland title thinking “I’ve never heard of this song” only to instantly recognize it once Todd starts playing it on the piano

[@SuperJNG18]

"One of the many glorious crush songs floating around the turn of the millennium." That makes me wonder: what's kept you from covering "Crush" by Jennifer Paige? That's a one-hit wonder if I ever heard one and that song's still lingered around all these years later. I heard it and many other entries in the Minivan Rock category all the time as a kid.

[@aceking_offsuit]

That song was everywhere for about 28 minutes

[@littlekingtrashmouth9219]

That snare pop was my thing ever since “she drives me crazy” by the fine young cannibals

[@brendanharrigan6399]

I almost forgot this was an actual radio hit and not just background music fodder for early 2000’s teen dramas.

[@mightyfilm]

After hearing how this was going to take a turn, I was somehow expecting the worst. Then Kevin Spacy's name popped up and somehow I was both slightly shocked and immediately underwhelmed.

[@SPDRSLYR]

A family friend gave me her self-titled album when I was 6, so I have a MASSIVE soft spot for both it and this song. Knew Jaron had that country hit about a decade ago, but hearing about Evan's post-music career was certainly...interesting...Regardless, loved the video, partially because you didn't tear apart one of my favorite childhood songs. That's always nice.

[@Spookybluelights]

I never realized how little stage presence these two have.

[@ryul28]

Saying no to Oasis and Stevie Nicks was definitely A CHOISE

[@Robot_Eva]

I mean at least they stuck true to their beliefs

[@Zero_Ninety]

Anyone who turns down opening for Oasis and Stevie Nicks doesn't deserve a career.

[@camzoman]

@@Zero_Ninety To be fair, if they'd opened for Oasis, Liam would absolutely have punched them.

[@hiimemily]

I'd love to see "Popular" by Nada Surf on this show.

[@kaitlin9288]

Holy shit I forgot all about that song but you're absolutely fucking right

[@MyoticTesseract]

I only heard about that band cuz they opened for Brand New on probably their last tour

[@caesarorzell600]

YEEESSSS LET'S GOOOO!!!

[@pronkb000]

Nada Surf, the poor man's Fountains of Wayne. (I like both bands, btw.)

[@hiimemily]

@@pronkb000 Fountains of Wayne could make "Popular" but Nada Surf couldn't make "Sink to the Bottom" or "Stacy's Mom".

[@zache5486]

"Crazy for this GIrl?" "Evan and Jaron", no idea what you're talking about. Piano starts: 'I look her, she looks at me...'

[@TheGamer2001]

Is it bad that I really like this style of music? It may not be as authentic as other rock genres, but it is also pure and innocent, it's like a window to the past for me. I guess I am a slave to my nostalgia.

[@professordetective807]

I was NOT expecting the PMJ connection in this one. And, honestly, that's a fair description of them.

[@llybian8102]

As someone who was eleven in 2000... yeah, prepubescent girls who thought they were too good for boy bands was probably the audience for this song. Sometimes you just want to be pined for!

[@al5547]

Facts. My sisters loved boy bands--ergo, I was too good for them. This song, though? Oh yeah.

[@RLane-xz5cj]

Todd apparently has thr exact right balance of loud, but not TOO loud of a speaking style for my baby to fall asleep, so sincerely, thanks for the two hours of reprieve I got today. Now I have to watch the video again cuz I dunno when I fell asleep.

[@EternalYorkieMom]

Postmodern Jukebox is SOOOOO GOOD!!! Also I signed up for Nebula a few months ago and THANK YOU FOR GIVING INSTRUCTIONS!!

[@tailiase]

one hit wonderland and trainwreckords have become my favorite youtube series, keep it up hoodie man

[@jvever4904]

Never heard of this song in my life, but I'll watch anything for Todd.

[@jackalope2302]

The super obscure songs are the funniest. But I heard this one. Fun to listen to but instantly forgettable.

[@briefisbest]

Oh cool, there's a name for the music I was obsessed with in seventh grade.

[@snarkybu42]

Double one hit wonders?! I’m glad you brought this up! PLEASE TELL THE STORY OF FINGER 11!!!

[@CosmicBaller1]

Todd: “Who is this for?” Me: “Me, Todd, it’s for me.”

[@stillvisionsmusic]

I think the difference between songs like”teenage dirtbag” and “crazy for this girl” is they’re both memorable but the former has a hook you can belt along to yourself in the car and the latter has a hook that sticks out just enough in a soundtrack to be memorable but is pretty awkward to sing. Like even them trying to sing the hook later in the video sounds awkward, but anyone of a certain age can belt out the chorus to Teenage Dirtbag, Vindicated etc. The brothers had a sound that was built for musical montages over CW shows.

[@BewareTheLilyOfTheValley]

Your last sentence sums this up perfectly :)

[@badgasaurus4211]

It does help that teenage dirtbag has an excellent bridge

[@Sayajin3321]

@@badgasaurus4211 it also helps that people think the song was by Weezer.

[@MeganManXxX]

Teenage Dirtbag was so much less generic than those other songs, too. Like, his unique vocals and the fact that it’s apparently set in the 80s….or a weird universe where kids in the early aughts go to Iron Maiden concerts. Maybe I’m just trying to justify my unending love for this song.

[@Hegder]

I am trying to work out what genre Teenage Dirtbag, Vindicated etc. is because those two songs (if you mean the Dashboard Confessional song) don’t sound the same at all.

[@enjikap1217]

"i dont think he got rich off his bowl" still tickles me to this day

[@kat2kool]

I can't get over how much "From My Head to My Heart" sounds like it's from the That Thing You Do soundtrack

[@BlackburnBigdragon]

I called bands in this genera of music, "Nickelodeon/Disney Channel Bands". Usually the Nickelodeon bands were pop bands, but kind of leaned more "For all kids", and they weren't afraid to have a LITTLE bit of a raw, or kid friendly, edge to them. The Disney Channel always played it safe with their bands, and they always aimed squarely at the young girls, with not a SINGLE THING aimed at boys. And the music always played it as safe as white bread. Evan and Jaron fell squarely into the "Disney Channel" variety.

[@kylehegedus5498]

#RadioDisney

[@blazicgd]

basically, it's Matchbox 20 for tween girls

[@kevindube7096]

Holy shit. I remember the song like yesterday but had completely forget who played it, and this unlocked a memory. I was in 5th grade, my mom bought me & my friends tickets to the big annual concert a local mom&kids-pop station put on. These failsons were one of the openers, before Eiffel 65 and Vitamin C. We drove their in my mom’s _minivan._ That’s the point. That’s the whole point. This story is WILD

[@wednesdaysbliss1]

Hot damn, Eiffel 65 and Vitamin C?! That’s awesome.

[@Tazzie1312]

This is like the Property Brothers' band

[@LouerTube]

As a big semisonic fan because of this series, I have a feeling that "from my head to my heart" will slip in my youtube mix between "Secret Smile" and "Singing in my sleep" and I'll hate it because I'll always wonder if I'm giving Kevin Spacey money by proxy

[@qwertyTRiG]

Todd, you're getting better and better as a storyteller! I'd never heard of these guys or this song before, but I was fascinated by this video.

[@blackwidow8412]

Thank you! I have never heard of this song or of these guys. I thought I was the only one.

[@qwertyTRiG]

@@blackwidow8412 "Am I the only one ...?"

[@awesomebillfromdawsomevill7788]

There are a handful of songs on Todd’s channel where I feel the same way. I’m always surprised when I end up enjoying a 20+ min video on a song or band i don’t even know.

[@justme0910]

"Minivan rock" was my favorite genre of music when I was a teenager, yet somehow, I have either never heard this song or it's so painfully mid that I have absolutely no memory of it.

[@brassen]

I remember Tal Bachman's "She's So High" from my first trip, working abroad in Portland, OR back in 1999. All I recall nowadays is that seatbelt alarm ding and the smell of air fresheners. So whatever reads better in the line of "rental car rock" sounds great to me.

[@tfoss1983]

I heard "Crazy for this Girl" for the first time in several years recently and was struck by how similar it sounded to every other contemporary country song I hear when I'm at the hardware store. It's a shame Jaron didn't just wait a few more years before trying his big country comeback.

[@escabasket153]

Yes. They sound a lot like modern day country.

[@andysorensen1737]

You know you’re irrelevant when Eve freaking 6 dunks on you…and you’re a good sport for playing along with it. EDIT: Absolutely love that first album title.

[@brokengirrafe]

to be fair, Eve 6 has made a comeback as a must-follow Twitter account, like dril or Lil Nas X. musically, they probably won't return to the spotlights, but I doubt they would even want that.

[@MelMelodyWerner]

Eve 6 is dope. their Twitter account is obviously funny, but they've become a platform for arguing for a musician's union too.

[@stephenwilliams163]

Speaking of Eve 6, did they ever have another hit? Do we get a OHW for them? I remember loving the hit album, but I probably haven't listened to it in 20 years. A few weeks ago I got a weird notion to listen to the followup album and it's just as awful as I remember. Maybe more.

[@rocketgeek96]

@@stephenwilliams163 I mean, some people might remember Here's To The Night. Not many, mind, but some.

[@stephenwilliams163]

@@rocketgeek96 oh yeah. Did that one make the charts?

[@TheMaestroso]

It says a lot that the most nostalgic part of this video for me was when you referenced, in text, the existence of RealPlayer

[@lovenotegestapo]

I was a Freshman in high school in 2001, and deep in my Good Little Christian Girl phase at the time. I remember loving this song, but I also haven't thought of it for at least 2 decades. Holy crap did this make me feel all the weird nostalgia. Thanks, Todd. Genuinely, thanks

[@Lucas-jx8jg]

We need a One Hit Wonderland on "All the Things She Said" by t.A.T.u.

[@Guzuma]

i love this song unironically and all the other late 90s/early 00s powerpop hits tbh also pleeeeease do a video on teenage dirtbag. wheatus first album slaps. it’s like pure undistilled early 2000s high school powerpop, you know the kind i mean, like american pie soundtrack tier stuff

[@MelMelodyWerner]

yeah, it's definitely a fun song. also, I'm surprised "Head to My Heart" wasn't a bigger hit. I've heard that song a million times on the radio (back when radio was still relevant).

[@judgesaturn507]

Great choice. I really want to see a retrospective on 'If You Could Only See' by Tonic. A post-grunge song that captures the vibe of a rainy night better than anything else I can think of.

[@chrisjt86]

I second that. Really good song.

[@JosephLSnow]

That would be cool. Did "You Wanted More" do well enough for them to not be a one hit wonder or something?

[@kylehegedus5498]

Yes!!!!

[@nickrustyson8124]

Or Jackyl's Lumberjacker, mainly because he gets to talk about how culturally different the midwest and south are to the West Coast when it came to rock, for the people who don't know, when the Hair Metal died for Grunge and Gangster Rap in the West Coast and NYC, over in Georgia and PA they kept the mullet and they grew it longer into like 1995

[@Thomasmemoryscentral]

Interestingly enough, I think Everywhere by Michelle Branch is sort if a spiritual successor to If You Could Only See. At least musically

[@person3848]

I’ve never heard this song but when I saw Evan and jaron my very first thought was “jarons not a very common name, what if it happened to be the same guy that sang pray for you” and I was not disappointed

[@efficiencygaming3494]

I've never heard the term "Minivan Rock" used to describe this sort of music. I always referred to it as "She's All That" music, after the movie that came out when that sound was popular and used many of those songs (and also because these songs are all about girls). I do enjoy listening to this song from time to time, and while I already figured Evan and Jaron must have been a one hit wonder band, the story of why they were was way more interesting than I expected it to be.

[@mainstreammutant]

This song gave me a flashback to being 12 years old and listening on Kasey Kasem top 40 on Sunday morning while my mom drove us to get Sunday morning doughnuts. 😊

[@dragonpullman23]

Casey Kasem talked about this song at one point?

[@gabingston3430]

I really want to see Todd cover a song from the Early 2010s. According To You by Orianthi in particular seems like it'd be an interesting pick (in no small part because it is a complete and total bop).

[@tylerhackner9731]

Same the early 2010s had an abundance of amazing pop jams

[@songweretson1513]

He probably won't yet since there's still time for any of those artists to come back with another hit.

[@the_newt_nest]

Oh god my college roommate had this as her alarm and so the chorus ground at my unmedicated mind.

[@EpicB]

@@songweretson1513 Apparently the cutoff for One Hit Wonderland is ten years. So 2010/11 hits are fair game now.

[@melanietrader]

Oh god that unlocked a memory for me

[@MLennholm]

I prefer to call the genre _Not Another Pop Genre_ because it's the type of music that makes up the soundtracks of every late 90s/early 00s highschool themed teen movie that was parodied by _Not Another Teen Movie_

[@dbldekr]

“Look like actors on the CW” when I saw the thumbnail I actually thought it was the cast of Supernatural or something

[@MilesSmiles8]

Wait, he’s THAT JARON??????? My dad’s obsessed with his country album.

[@gustavohernandeza.890]

Gotta say: This is the first OHW where after reading the song and artists' names, I said "WHO?"

[@JamesQMurphy]

Same! But then once I heard Todd play it on the piano, I recoginzed it.

[@Cherry_Magenta]

Not even The Bouys or Paper Lace? Those seem like real "Who the fuck is this" episodes in my eyes, just like this one was for me. Also Kyper but that was intentional on Todd's part

[@bfish89ryuhayabusa]

?OHW : WHO?

[@PhilipWester]

I'm glad you mentioned that they looked like actors on the CW because when I saw the miniature thumbnail, I thought this was gonna be about Jensen Ackles and Jared Padalecki making a hit song.

[@BonJoviBeatlesLedZep]

The chorus of "I Pray" kicking in was so funny. I did not expect that.