4 Non Blondes were a San Francisco alternative-rock band formed in 1989, fronted by the unmistakable Linda Perry. Their career was remarkably brief, but their one huge international hit, “What’s Up?”, became one of the defining—and most instantly recognizable—songs of the 1990s.
- Formed: 1989, San Francisco
- Album: Bigger, Better, Faster, More! (1992)
- “What’s Up?”: Released as a single in 1993
- Writer: Linda Perry
- Style: Alternative rock / pop-rock
- U.S. peak: No. 14 on the Billboard Hot 100
- Worldwide: Topped charts in numerous countries
- Interesting fact: The title “What’s Up?” doesn’t actually appear in the lyrics; the song repeatedly asks, “what’s going on?”
“What’s Up?” is a wonderfully unusual pop hit: a simple acoustic-guitar foundation gradually builds into Perry’s huge, emotional vocal, giving the song an almost anthem-like quality. Perry reportedly disliked the producer’s original version and pushed to have the band re-record it closer to her own demo—the version that ultimately became the massive hit.
4 Non Blondes disappeared surprisingly quickly, but “What’s Up?” has proved almost impossible to forget.