Hootie & The Blowfish Returns To The Hot 100 For The First Time In Almost Three Decades

For a brief period in the mid-1990s, Hootie & the Blowfish was one of the biggest musical acts on the planet. The group hit it big with its debut album Cracked Rear View, which produced the band’s three biggest hits on the Hot 100.

The rock outfit had a hard time following that effort, and after breaking up for a period, Hootie & the Blowfish eventually reunited, at least for the occasional release. This week, the band returns to the Hot 100 with its first new hit in decades.

Hootie & the Blowfish Hits the Hot 100

Hootie & the Blowfish debuts on the Hot 100 this frame with “Bottle Rockets” alongside country musician Scotty McCreery, who leads the tune. The joint single opens at No. 80 after originally finding success on Billboard’s country rankings.

The Band’s First Smash in Almost Three Decades

Hootie & the Blowfish earns its seventh career win on the Hot 100 and its first in almost 30 years. The last time the band launched a track on the tally, which ranks the most popular songs in the country, was back in July 1996, when “Tucker’s Town” spent 20 weeks on the ranking and peaked at No. 38.

Included in Hootie & the Blowfish’s seven successes are three top 10 hits. The band peaked at No. 6 with “Only Wanna Be with You” in October 1995, and earlier that year pushed “Let Her Cry” and “Hold My Hand” into the loftiest region as well.

A Country Top 10

As it arrives on the Hot 100, “Bottle Rockets” also enters the Digital Song Sales chart. The single opens at No. 14 with just under 2,100 pure purchases, according to Luminate.

“Bottle Rocket” soars on three of Billboard’s country-specific tallies, reaching a new high point on all of them at the same time just a little over a month into its lifetime on the rosters. The track shoots to No. 3 on the Country Digital Song Sales tally, No. 20 on the Country Airplay list, and No. 26 on the consumption-based Hot Country Songs ranking.

Scotty McCreery’s Return to the Hot 100

Former American Idol winner McCreery snags his eleventh Hot 100 win alongside Hootie & the Blowfish. It hasn’t been long since he last appeared on the list, as “It Matters to Her” debuted in April 2023 and peaked at No. 49 that summer.