50 Fun Facts About Hanson

Which Oklahoma city is Hanson's hometown?

The brothers' first professional show was at the city's Mayfest Arts Festival in 1992.

Which brother plays drums?

All three started on piano; Isaac moved to guitar, Taylor stayed on keys and Zac took the drums.

How old were the three brothers when the MMMBop video was shot?

Their major-label debut earned three Grammy nominations before the youngest had turned 13.

What was the title of Hanson's 1997 major-label debut album?

It sold 10 million copies worldwide and was kept off the top of the Billboard 200 by the Spice Girls.

Which label released Hanson's 1997 debut?

The label was later merged into Island Def Jam, where the band made one more album before going independent.

Which production duo reworked MMMBop into its upbeat hit version?

The song first appeared at a slower tempo on the band's 1996 independent album of the same name.

For how many weeks did MMMBop top the Billboard Hot 100 in 1997?

It reached number one on the chart dated May 24, 1997, and hit the top in at least 12 countries.

Who directed the MMMBop music video?

The clip has the brothers in a suburban living room, on a beach, on the Moon and spliced into old Einstein footage.

At which Austin music festival was Hanson discovered by manager Christopher Sabec?

Sabec shopped the boys to record companies, most of which dismissed them before Mercury signed them.

Which date did Oklahoma's governor declare 'Hanson Day' in 1997?

It was the debut album's release date; the one-off proclamation became an annual fan party in Tulsa.

What was the title of Hanson's 1997 Christmas album?

Mercury rushed it out in the wake of their summer breakthrough; a second Christmas record followed 20 years later.

What did MOE, the band's fan club magazine, stand for?

It ran for 12 issues, and the 25th anniversary tour in 2017 borrowed the name.

Which Grammy category was NOT among Hanson's three 1998 nominations?

Zac, at 12 years and 126 days, became the youngest songwriter ever nominated for a Grammy.

What was the name of Hanson's 1998 stadium and arena tour?

The live album and the documentary The Road to Albertane both came out the following fall.

Which album kept Hanson's debut from reaching number one on the Billboard 200?

The album still hit number one in the UK, Australia, Germany and Taiwan and went four times platinum in the US.

Which hidden track sits at track 21 of the debut album, after eight tracks of silence?

It was left off every cassette and vinyl pressing, and later reissues simply made it track 13.

What was the title of Hanson's second major-label album, released in May 2000?

The label pulled tour funding, so the brothers toured the Americas that year on their own money.

Roughly how many Hanson songs did label executives reject before the band walked away?

The three-year fight with the label is the subject of the documentary Strong Enough to Break.

Which documentary chronicles Hanson's split from their major label?

They screened it on college campuses in 2005 and held Q&A sessions about independent artists.

What is the name of Hanson's own independent label?

The name nods to 3 Car Garage; distribution runs through ADA in the US and Cooking Vinyl in Europe.

At which New York venue did the 2003 acoustic tour end?

The tour previewed songs from the album the brothers would release independently the following April.

Which 2004 album debuted at number one on Billboard's Top Independent Albums chart?

It sold 37,500 copies in its first US week and reached number 25 on the Billboard 200.

In which South African township did Hanson record 'Great Divide' with a school choir?

Proceeds from the 2006 single went to AIDS research and prevention in Africa.

How far did fans walk at the 'Take the Walk' events during the 2007 tour?

The walks raised money and awareness for HIV/AIDS in Africa, and the band partnered with TOMS to give away shoes.

Which shoe company partnered with Hanson to give shoes to children in Africa?

For every pair sold during the 'Shoe Drop', the company donated another pair.

A free 2010 Hanson show at which New York venue ended in a riot when 20,000 fans showed up?

The venue held about half that many, and rapper Drake was also on the bill.

At which New York theater did Hanson play their 'Five of Five' album-a-night residency in 2010?

Each of four nights covered a past album in full, and the fifth unveiled the new record Shout It Out.

Which 2011 single gave Hanson its first US top 40 hit since 2000's 'If Only'?

It reached the top 40 on the Hot AC chart as the second single from Shout It Out.

Which Canadian singer toured Canada with Hanson in early 2012?

That was months before 'Call Me Maybe' became the song of the summer.

What was the name of the beer Hanson launched with Mustang Brewing in 2013?

It toasted the band's 21st anniversary and was first poured at the premiere of The Hangover Part III.

On which Food Network competition did Hanson serve as guest judges in 2013?

The winning baker's cupcakes were served at a concert and after-party with the band.

What was the title of Hanson's 2013 album, their eighth to reach the Billboard top 40?

Its lead single 'Get the Girl Back' reached number 39 on Billboard's Adult Pop Songs chart.

Hanson's 2018 album and tour with symphony orchestras was called what?

The orchestral parts were recorded in Prague under arranger David Campbell, and the tour hit the Sydney Opera House.

In which city were the orchestral parts of the 2018 symphonic album recorded?

Academy Award-winning arranger David Campbell led the sessions.

Which former HAIM drummer filled in after Zac's 2019 motorcycle accident?

Zac broke five bones but stayed on the Wintry Mix tour playing percussion.

At which famous Alabama studio was the 2021 album Against the World recorded?

The seven songs were released one a month, each with a video, before the full album arrived in November.

On the 2022 album Red Green Blue, which brother's songs made up the Green section?

Red was Taylor's, Blue was Zac's, and each brother produced his own third with Jim Scott and David Garza.

Which English band released 'MMMBop 2.0' with Hanson in 2023?

It was recorded for their Greatest Hits 2.0 album and reached number 10 on the UK Singles Sales Chart.

What is the name of Taylor Hanson's power-pop supergroup launched in 2009?

Its members came from Smashing Pumpkins, Fountains of Wayne and Cheap Trick.

As which costumed character did Hanson compete on The Masked Singer in 2021?

They were the first band ever to compete on the show, using up to four nesting-doll costumes in one performance.

In which Katy Perry music video does Hanson make a cameo?

The same year they performed MMMBop on Dancing with the Stars.

Which metal band's song did Hanson cover as a 2011 April Fools' joke?

The song was 'Wait and Bleed', and a website claimed a full album of covers was coming.

In which country is Hanson's annual 'Back to the Island' fan event held?

It is a week-long resort event with exclusive shows and merchandise.

What is the name of Hanson's occasional songwriting retreat for musician friends?

Guests have included 'Weird Al' Yankovic, Andrew W.K. and Ben Kweller.

In which state was Zac Hanson born?

He was born in Arlington in 1985 and raised in Tulsa; in 2023 he was ordained an Eastern Orthodox deacon.

Which song did Hanson play with Conan O'Brien at his 2010 Tulsa tour stop?

It is a Hoyt Axton song, and Conan joined in on the cover.

In which Australian soap opera did Hanson cameo in 2019?

The appearance came the same year as their two-night stand at the Sydney Opera House.

Which band does the youngest Hanson brother, Mac, front?

They opened the 2019 Wintry Mix tour, and Isaac covered one of Mac's songs on Red Green Blue.

Who wrote Hanson's authorized biography, a New York Times bestseller in 1998?

He was a friend from the Tulsa band Admiral Twin, brought in after a flood of unauthorized biographies.

Roughly how many albums and singles has Hanson sold worldwide?

They have had three top 20 albums and three top 20 Hot 100 singles in the US, plus eight UK top 40 singles.