Fiona Apple: Her Best Song vs. The “One-Hit Wonder” That Got Her Famous

Labeling Fiona Apple as a “one-hit wonder” might sound a little… off. However, it’s technically true—even if everything in my bones says it’s not. Apple’s hit song “Criminal” from 1997 is technically the only song of her career to make it to the US Billboard Hot 100 chart. There, it peaked at no. 21 and stayed on the chart for 20 weeks. 

Strangely enough, none of Apple’s other works have made it to the coveted chart. But there is at least one song that should have made it that far. Let’s take a look at Fiona Apple’s best song vs. the one-hit wonder that made her famous!

“Criminal” (1997)

If you’ve heard this song once, it’s truly unforgettable. “Criminal” was Fiona Apple’s biggest hit in the late 1990s. In 1997, it nearly made it to the Top 20 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. It’s wild to think that “Criminal” is the only song of hers to make it quite that far. 

Though, we’re not surprised that “Criminal” was the one to make it big. It’s an excellent, beautifully orchestrated song. Its theme, likewise, is one rarely covered by similar indie blues-rock artists, but one that Apple wasn’t afraid to confront: The guilt one feels when using their sexuality to get what one wants.

“Criminal” was the third single from Apple’s debut album Tidal. Not only did it chart high enough to technically land Fiona Apple in “one-hit wonder” territory, but it also won a Grammy that year for Best Female Rock Vocal Performance. Not only is it an intelligently written song, but Apple’s vocals are absolutely perfect on this track. 

And that music video? A true staple late ’90s pop culture entry that still pulls in views on YouTube today.

“Fast As You Can” (1999)

The beauty of Fiona Apple’s music lies in the fact that different fans will find themselves in different songs. She’s incredibly relatable, but also unique in the way that she expresses complex emotions and her relationship with the world around her. So, if you don’t think “Fast As You Can” from the 1999 album When The Pawn… is her best work, we’re not surprised. However, one can’t deny that this song is one of Apple’s very best… and it should have charted higher than it did.

With “Fast As You Can”, Apple explores the “ups and downs” of a relationship in a way that only she could. The song is rife with confusion, emotion, movement, time changes, and pounding rhythms. We’d be bold enough to say that this song is Apple at her very best.

Photo by Chris Canole/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images

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