Why 90s Hits “Closing Time,” “Iris” and “One Week” Are Blowing Up Again—and Where to Hear Them Now

As dusk settles over summer 2025, three late-’90s alt-rock staples—“Closing Time” by Semisonic, “Iris” by Goo Goo Dolls and “One Week” by Barenaked Ladies—have re-emerged as the internet’s most unlikely viral trio. From TikTok dance loops to Spotify throwback playlists, the songs are enjoying a second life a full 27 years after they first jockeyed for radio dominance. Why these three songs, and why now? All three singles were released within months of each other in 1998, a year often credited with cementing pop-alternative’s mainstream peak. Their shared DNA—acoustic-driven hooks, bittersweet lyrics and instantly quotable choruses—makes them perfect fodder for short-form video edits, mashups and nostalgic “day-in-the-life” vlogs. Scroll TikTok today and you’ll find clips of college students locking up cafés to the refrain “Closing time,” wedding montages underscored by the soaring strings of “Iris,” and lightning-fast lip-sync challenges set to the rapid-fire verses of “One Week.” The platform’s hashtag pages for each track now boast millions of cumulative views, with #ClosingTime leading the pack. The TikTok effect spills over to streaming Every viral TikTok hook translates into extra spins on DSPs. Spotify’s “90s Alternative Rewind” playlist—where the three songs sit side-by-side—has climbed into the service’s Top 10 editorial lists this week, triggering double-digit week-over-week gains for each track. Apple Music’s “Viral Rewind” reports similar momentum, while Shazam tags for “Iris” surged during the first week of June, suggesting listeners are rediscovering the ballad after hearing it in unexpected contexts like coffee-shop reels and gamer montages. Gen Z claims a piece of 1998 While millennials treat these songs as graduation-party staples, Gen Z listeners approach them as fresh discoveries. Comment sections are filled with surprised declarations of “Didn’t know this was from the ’90s” and “This sounds like it dropped yesterday.” Cultural analysts attribute the appeal to a broader Y2K-era revival: baggy jeans, camcorder filters and jangly guitar pop all project a lo-fi authenticity that contrasts with today’s hyper-polished hyperpop and AI-driven hits. Artists weigh in and capitalize Semisonic frontman Dan Wilson reposted dozens of fan videos on Instagram Stories, joking that “Closing Time” has “finally turned the lights back on.” Barenaked Ladies drummer Tyler Stewart stitched a TikTok duet, nailing the frantic “Chickity China” verse in one take, while Goo Goo Dolls tweeted a short acoustic performance of “Iris” from backstage on their current North American tour. None have announced new music tied directly to the trend—but all three catalogs have seen merchandise spikes, prompting speculation about joint festival slots or a throwback tour package. What’s next? Streams typically plateau once an internet challenge cools, yet catalog songs that ride multiple platforms often enjoy a longer halo. With streaming algorithms now serving these tracks to anyone who lingers on a single nostalgia clip, “Closing Time,” “Iris” and “One Week” could remain embedded in For You feeds—and karaoke bars—well past summer. Brands are already sniffing around: a national coffee chain reportedly licensed “Closing Time” for a late-night drive-through campaign, while a major rom-com trailer dropped last week with “Iris” swelling over its final act. How to join the wave • On TikTok, pair “One Week” with rapid-cut recipe content; its break-neck delivery syncs perfectly with five-ingredient cooking reels. • Use “Iris” for emotional reveals, pet-adoption clips or wedding-day recaps—the string section still guarantees a lump in viewers’ throats. • Close retail-shift vlogs or last-call bar compilations with “Closing Time” to tap into the song’s built-in narrative arc. However you spin it, these three 1998 classics prove that a great hook—and a well-placed algorithm—can make time feel irrelevant, turning yesterday’s radio gold into today’s viral currency.