Happy 25th: EMF, “Unbelievable”

25 years ago today, EMF released the single that would, for better or worse, define them for the duration of their career. It was not, however, their only hit, so don't believe the one-hit wonder hype, because it's simply not true.

Composed by the band as a whole—which, in case you don't have your scorecard handy, means that the songwriting credit goes to James Atkin, Derry Brownson, Mark Decloedt, Ian Dench, and Zac Foley- “Unbelievable” is one of those songs that was so good that it was always going to be impossible for EMF to match its success…and when we say that, we're talking both creatively and commercially.

Not that they didn't give it the old college try, and it would be fair to say that they succeeded relatively well in their native land, with the additional three singles the band released from their debut album Schubert Dip—“I Believe,” “Children,” and “Lies”—all entering the UK top-40 in some capacity or other. Indeed, the same could be said of both of the singles they released from their sophomore effort, 1992's Stigma, as well as the first single from their third album, 1995's Cha Cha Cha. Heck, a little later into '95, they even found themselves with another top-10 hit, thanks to their cover of The Monkees' “I'm A Believer.”

Americans, however, fell hard for “Unbelievable” (possibly, but not definitely, because of the Andrew Dice Clay sample that drove the song), and although they did manage to send “Lies” into the top 20 of the Billboard Hot 100, it would prove to be the last charting single for the band in the US… unless you count the dance chart, that is, in which case it wasn't. Although it never earned much in the way of radio airplay, Stigma's “They're Here” hit #5 on the Dance Club chart, which—believe it or not—was actually the highest-charting dance hit of EMF's career.

Yes, you're right: the fact that it wasn't “Unbelievable” is unbelievable. Let's all savor the irony, shall we?